The 2023 Masters is almost upon us. Geoff Shackelford and Lawrence Donegan look ahead to what promises to be a fantastic week at Augusta National Golf Club.

In the latest episode our intrepid hosts discuss this week's big events in golf - the demise of the World Matchplay, belt tightening at LIVGolf , the changing face of golf's "media establishment", and Rory McIlroy's ability to identify and ride that wave, plus his frankly stunning (and smart) intervention in the ball rollback debate. Friend of the Pod is Nick O'Hern, matchplay conqueror of Tiger Woods and one of shortest hitters to ever make a serious living on the PGA Tour.

This week our intrepid hosts wander through the thick undergrowth of the week in golf, celebrating the wonders of state and local golf associations and berating the conspicuous capitalism of college golf team that fly private. What are we teaching these kids? We look back at the Players and ahead to Scottie Scheffler's Masters champions' dinner. Our Friend of the Pod is Geoff Shackelford, author of 2004 "classic" (it says here) The Future of Golf which looked forward to the day when  USGA and R&A would take steps to rein in modern equipment.  Geoff  gives his  views on this week's epochal (it says here) announcement that the governing bodies are about to do exactly that.

This week Geoff and Lawrence are joined by Friend of the Pod, Joe Ogilvie, one of the smartest, most thoughtful guys to ever play in the professional ranks. Joe, once touted as a future PGA Tour commissioner, gives us his thoughts on the tour's proposed schedule changes  for 2024, both the good and the baffling, and what one version of the future might hold for LIV.  It is definitely an "elevated" discussion. Before that, our co-hosts talk women's college golf, NBC's coverage, and this week's Players championship. We give Jay Monahan's press-Players press conference the Rotten Tomatoes treatment (look away now, Jay!)

This week Geoff and Lawrence discuss the PGA Tour's proposed schedule  for the 2024 season. Elevated events! No cuts! Limited Fields!  Does it all sound a little familiar?  We break down....sorry ... we break it all down.  In our irregular USGA segment, we look at the organisation's new "national development" plan, and at its proposal to allow rich old dudes to run amok at the Walker... (correction: endow the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup for future generations) . Friend of the pod this week is James Corrigan of the Telegraph, who  takes a look back at his trip to Mexico for last week's LIV event and looks ahead to what's next for the "renegade" golf  tour. It's a bumper show, especially for  anyone who enjoys a good "Donald Trump going into the dressing rooms at the Miss Universe pageant" metaphor. 

This week Geoff and Lawrence discuss a great 2023 Genesis Invitational at Riviera - Tiger's appearance (and performance), a compelling Sunday climax,  and they dissect the golf course, its genius and its flaws. They also chat about the Netflix documentary and the sad death of long-time rules official John Paramore. Long-time European and PGA Tour caddy Craig "The Weeman" Connolly  joins Lawrence to discuss his new life  working with Martin Kaymer on the LIV Tour, which starts  its 2nd season this week. Don't ever say we're not fair and balanced. 

On this week's podcast Lawrence and Geoff discuss the great Swilcan Bridge fiasco and what it says about the Old Course and the Links Trust. They look back at Peeble Beach and ahead to this week's millennial major, aka the Waste Management Open.  Friend of the Pod is David Dusek, senior writer at Golfweek, who brings his insight into forthcoming announcement from the governing bodies on how they aim to rein in distance in elite golf.

On this week's podcast Lawrence and Geoff discuss what's going on in the world of golf - Rory, Reed, the advent (finally) of decent TV coverage of the PGA Tour, the telling shift in the marketing priorities of equipment manufacturers. They are joined by Brian Keogh of the Irish Independent, who talks about his experiences covering the teenage McIlory and takes a wider look at Irish golf in general.

This week Shackelford and Donegan get down in the dirt with everyone else and discuss the Dubai drive range free-for-all  (eyes rolling) between Rory McIlroy and P Reed. They also take a stroll through the biography of Reed's lawyer and  look back at exciting Sunday finishes in Abu Dhabi and Palm Springs. Friend of the Pod Iain Carter of the BBC checks in from Dubai and reports on the mood in and  around the Europea...sorry... DP World Tour. 

Our latest podcast with Shackelford and Donegan. This week they are joined  by Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated to discuss LIV Golf's new TV deal in the US with The CW Network, as well as Bob's book, "Tiger and Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry".