A common knock on golf courses is that they're bad for the environment. But that's an over-simplified view—and in some cases, a flat-out incorrect one. With Earth Day coming up, we thought it was time to sort through these issues with an expert, so Garrett Morrison sat down with Dr. Cole Thompson, the Assistant Director of Green Section Research at the USGA. In this episode, Garrett and Cole dig into current USGA-funded research on golf course sustainability, address a few popular criticisms of golf's ecological impact, and discuss how golf courses can become more environmentally beneficial and sustainable.

Golfers and Environmentalists Are Not Enemies

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

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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.

Ranking Every Hole at Augusta National

Trevor Immelman, 2008 Masters champion and CBS lead analyst, joins Andy Johnson to discuss storylines leading into the 2024 Masters. They run through their traditional "five things," starting out with Trevor's earliest Augusta National memories and touching on how to prep for the course's famous sidehill lies as well as how they expect various LIV players to perform. They also touch on the dreary weather at recent editions of The Masters and the importance of firm conditions in identifying and differentiating the best players. Both Trevor and Andy also pick a winner (hint: it isn't a surprise).

Five Things About the 2024 Masters with Trevor Immelman

In this fifth installment of our Great Courses series, we dig into the history of the golf architecture at Augusta National Golf Club. Garrett is joined by Joshua Pettit, the principal architect at Pacific Golf Design, the founder of the Alister MacKenzie Institute, and the editor of The MacKenzie Reader. Garrett and Josh discuss the lives and ideas of Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, Augusta National's original architects, as well as the influences and philosophical convictions that both men brought to the design of the course. Garrett and Josh also talk about how several specific holes have changed over the years and whether a restoration of certain original features would be feasible or desirable.

Golfers and Environmentalists Are Not Enemies

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