This week, we start with one of the wildest comeback stories in modern sports. Anthony Kim — after disappearing for a decade, battling addiction, injury, and mental health — shoots 63 in Australia and beats Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. For a guy who didn’t even own clubs for 10 years, it was electric. Not just a golf story — a life story.

We also break down:

Then we pivot to presidential golf history.

From Woodrow Wilson playing 1,000 rounds, to Eisenhower practically living at Augusta National… to JFK’s talent, LBJ using golf to pass legislation, Nixon quitting for optics, Clinton rebuilding the White House putting green, Obama’s smack talk, and Trump’s serious game. Golf has always been a great tool fr connecting with others.

If you love the game beyond just the leaderboard, this one’s for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Golf and Politics, we sit down with Cori Kramer, longtime Washington insider and President of Center Forward, to talk about something increasingly rare in American politics: building trust across divides.

Cori shares her journey from Capitol Hill staffer to leading one of DC’s most influential bipartisan organizations, where she’s spent the last 15 years convening lawmakers, chiefs of staff, and policy leaders from both parties—often off the record and far from the cameras. Why? Because governing without trust doesn’t work.

We dig into:

Plus, Kori opens up about her path to DC, mentors who shaped her career, lessons on leadership and listening, and even her growing connection to the game of golf—including a Ryder Cup experience and a young golfer in the family.

This is a thoughtful, honest conversation about politics as a process, not just an outcome—and why disagreement doesn’t have to mean division.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does golf teach us about winning elections?

In this episode of Golf & Politics, we play nine holes at Split Rail Golf Club outside Fort Worth with Drew Ryan, founder of Campaign Sidekick, to break down what actually wins campaigns: discipline, ground game, calculated risk, and authenticity.

As the Texas wind kicks up, Drew shares lessons from building Campaign Sidekick from scratch, working on high-profile races like Ron DeSantis (2018) and Brian Kemp, and why most candidates still misunderstand voter contact.

We cover:

Plus: clutch putts, tough lies, and a momentum-changing eagle.

If you care about campaign strategy, conservative politics, entrepreneurship, or golf, this episode is for you.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Matt sits down with Ross MacDonald, owner of Tour Quality Golf in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to talk about what smart practice really looks like and how everyday golfers can improve by utilizing Trackman.

Ross breaks down how TrackMan technology, monthly combines, and data-driven feedback help golfers identify exactly where they’re losing strokes—from wedge play and gapping issues to course management and mindset. We also dive into why focusing on the next shot matters more than dwelling on the last one, and how structured practice can save golfers time, money, and frustration in the long run.

Whether you’re new to TrackMan or looking for a more efficient way to practice and improve, this conversation offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

📍 Location: Tour Quality Golf – Tulsa, OK 🏌️

Topics Covered:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Golf & Politics, Colton Craig joins Matt Parker and Rob Ellsworth for a deep conversation on golf course architecture, strategic design, and how great courses shape the way the game is played.

The discussion centers on why timeless golf architecture prioritizes decision-making over raw power, how course design influences risk-reward choices, and what distinguishes truly great golf courses from those that rely solely on length or conditioning. Craig shares his perspective on playing and studying well-designed courses, as well as competitive experiences, and how architecture exposes strengths and weaknesses in a golfer’s game.

They also dive into the National Links Trust debate, using it as a real-world case study in public golf, access, and how decisions about preservation play a big role in the game’s future. 

The episode explores how thoughtful golf course design mirrors life — forcing players to manage mistakes, adapt to conditions, and think their way around a course rather than simply reacting. From classic architectural principles to modern design trends, this conversation is for golfers who care about why courses are designed the way they are.

⸻

🧠 Topics Covered:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this New Year episode of Golf & Politics, Matt Parker and Rob Ellsworth sit down to map out what a great golf year actually looks like — from realistic travel planning to chasing bucket-list courses without turning golf into a job.

The conversation covers how to plan golf trips around work, family, and seasons, why over-planning can ruin the joy of the game, and how some of the world’s greatest courses fit into a long-term strategy rather than a rushed checklist. Rob shares insight from playing hundreds of courses worldwide, while Matt breaks down how election years, travel, and club commitments shape his golf calendar.

From Oklahoma and Midwest gems, to Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and iconic venues like Augusta National, Oakmont, and St. Andrews, this episode is about playing great golf intentionally — not just playing more golf.

The episode closes with a deep dive into bucket-list courses, golf architecture, and how both hosts balance demanding careers while still finding time to play at the highest level.

⸻

🧠 Topics Covered:

• How to plan a golf year without burnout

• Choosing quality rounds over quantity

• Seasonal strategy for international golf travel

• Bucket-list courses in the U.S. and abroad

• Midwest, Oklahoma, and municipal golf gems

• Ireland & Scotland trip planning

• Augusta National, Oakmont, and top-tier architecture

• Balancing high-level careers with serious golf

• Productivity habits that make golf travel possible

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our annual Christmas episode, we look back on 2025 — on the course, off the course, and everywhere in between. With Christmas right around the corner, we reflect on the best golf courses we played this year, our favorite trips and memories, and what made this season special.

We break down our top golf courses of 2025, first-time plays, favorite holes, and unforgettable trips to places like Pine Valley, Oakmont, Shinnecock, Bandon Dunes, England, and beyond. We also discuss the Golf & Politics Cup, the competitive moments that mattered, and how the event continues to grow heading into 2026.

To close things out, we share goals for next year, lessons learned, and a few thoughts on what’s ahead — all in the spirit of Christmas, reflection, and gratitude.

Thanks for listening all year. Merry Christmas, and we look forward to seeing you in 2026.

⸻

🧠 Topics Covered

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Golf & Politics, Matt sits down with Stephen Carney, a former professional golfer who competed on PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latin America, before stepping away from the game and rebuilding his life off the course.

Stephen opens up about:

Starting golf later than most elite players — and catching up fast

Junior golf, college golf at the University of Tulsa, and the grind of mini-tours

The brutal economics of professional golf

The mental toll of Q-School, Monday qualifiers, and razor-thin margins

Why great players don’t always “make it” — and what actually separates those who do

Walking away from pro golf, becoming a CPA, and regaining amateur status

The controversy around former pros playing elite amateur events

Mindset, pressure, meritocracy, and life after chasing the dream

We also hit a fast-paced Shotgun 9 to close it out — covering politics, taxes, clutch shots, Oklahoma golf courses, and dream foursomes.

This is an honest, unfiltered conversation about ambition, sacrifice, failure, and redefining success.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Golf & Politics, Matt Parker and Rob Ellsworth sit down with Brent Buchanan — president of Cygnal and one of the most accurate pollsters in modern politics — to break down the forces shaping America’s political landscape and the emotional currents driving voters today.

Brent takes us inside his new book, America’s Emotional Divide, unpacking why emotions—not logic—steer decisions, how negative ads tap into our survival instincts, and why 2024 became a perfect case study for understanding voter behavior. From the culture-war ad that shifted the race to the collapse of shared truth in the media, to why authenticity now beats ideology — this conversation touches every corner of politics, psychology, and modern campaigning.

The guys also dive deep into religion, polarization, fragmented media, cultural identity, and how candidates can actually connect with voters in a world where everyone is living in a different reality.

And of course, we bring it back to golf — exploring what political candidates can learn from elite players’ emotional discipline, and hearing Brent’s dream foursome.

⸻ 🧠 Topics Covered: • Why emotions drive political decisions more than logic • The ad that reshaped the 2024 election — and why it worked • How media fragmentation created “competing realities.” • Disillusioned Republicans vs. anxious Democrats • Why negative ads outperform positive ones (3x!) • How authenticity became the #1 political currency • What Maslow’s hierarchy reveals about modern voters • Parallels between the mental game of golf and campaigning • Brent’s dream foursome featuring a president, a pro, and a comedian

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Golf & Politics, Rob Ellsworth and Matt Parker sit down with Simon Holt — CEO of 8AM Travel, co-host of Destination Golf, and steward of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 rankings. From Pine Valley to Royal County Down, Japan to New Zealand, Simon pulls back the curtain on how rankings are created, what truly makes a world-class course, how recency bias affects ballots, why firm-and-fast is dominating trends, and why great golf is as much about people as it is about architecture.

We dig into: ⛳️ What defines a great panelist 🏆 The methodology behind the Top 100 🧠 Recency bias and how to avoid it 🌍 Where the next great golf destinations may emerge 🪵 Tree removal, firmness, playability 🎒 Solo vs group golf travel — how to make friends through golf 🇮🇪 Why UK/Ireland golf is in the soul 🥃 Whiskey, tradition, and the ritual of the day 🇺🇸🇬🇧 And yes — golf, culture, and politics on both sides of the Atlantic

Simon also reveals some of his top-five golf experiences, tells us what really sets Pine Valley apart, and explains why North Berwick, Muirfield, Tara Iti, Hirono, and Shanqin Bay linger in memory.

Whether you chase Top 100s or just love the game, this episode will inspire your next trip, your next tee shot, or the next conversation in the clubhouse.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices