Sam and Bledge sit down with John McLoughlin to trace his 30-year career in golf, from Gleneagles to Royal Melbourne, and onto leading Wallasey’s greenkeeping team. They dive deep into tour-level course setups, team culture, and the management philosophies that have transformed clubs into championship venues.

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Sam and Bledge sit down to reflect on the growing extremes in UK weather and how this affects course maintenance and playability. From rainfall stats to reservoir builds and soil importation, it’s a deep dive into the future of sustainable golf course management.

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Sam and James sit down to chat about why golf courses aren’t just about perfect turf—they’re thriving ecosystems. Join them as they explore how managing gorse, trees, and ponds can support nesting birds, red squirrels, toads, and more, plus how modern agronomy balances playing quality with environmental stewardship.

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Sam and Bledge sit down and take listener questions, kicking off with a cracker about how to toughen up a golf course. From the science of rainfall to the sorcery of seaweed, it’s a deep dive into maintenance, architecture and a wee bit of punk rock nostalgia from Dumfries.

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Sam and Bledge sit down with Ali Morrison, head greenkeeper of Durness Golf Club, to uncover what it takes to run one of the most remote and dramatic golf courses in the UK. From sheep grazing on fairways to the possibility of Coore & Crenshaw dropping by, they explore the quirks, history, and breathtaking beauty of this nine-hole wonder on the edge of the Highlands.

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Sam and Bledge sit down for the second half of their course-by-course duel between Royal Cinque Ports (Deal) and Royal St. George’s (Sandwich), resuming at the 7th hole with the match all square. With tales of seawall tees, mega green complexes, and historic anecdotes, they bring their usual blend of architectural insight and pub-style golf chat to the back nine. 

Below are two youtube links for the two courses:

https://youtu.be/C3tAaJ6fkQ0?si=VdwHJAm9RRW7IJyy

https://youtu.be/BLs-mQ3MpB8?si=KvSt6GSqn8NWwV9X

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Sam and Bledge sit down in the sweltering heat of Badger HQ to debate two of their favourite links courses—Royal St. George’s (Sandwich) and Royal Cinque Ports (Deal). From punchbowl greens to first-tee nightmares, they go head-to-head hole by hole in a playful yet passionate playoff steeped in nostalgia, course architecture, and plenty of sneezes.

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Joe McDonnell joins Sam & Bledge to discuss the formation of McDonnell & Cooper, a new golf course architecture firm with our very own Sam Cooper. The formation of this company was part of the excuse of the 6 month break, so sit back and listen to their thoughts on the next generation of golf course architecture

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Sam & Bledge sit down to reflect on their latest adventures at the Blackwell Foursomes and RNGC. They explore how golf course architecture — from bunkering to subtle design shifts — continues to evolve, challenging both everyday golfers and the game’s elite.

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Sam & James sit down to discuss their much anticipated return after their hiatus with some exciting news! Now part of the Cookie Jar Golf, the team will be helping with editing and publishing of episodes, while still keeping the same great insight and lo-fi jazz intro that listeners will be familiar with. 

In this episode, Sam & James talk about what's been going on with them, the exciting news and of course the rdrought which has taken many courses to the edge this spring. 

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