The Cookie Jar Golf Podcast

Sam and Tom are joined by Half Par to dive into the newly released GB&I Top 100 from Top100GolfCourses.com — plus the other big three UK rankings from Golf World, Golf Monthly, and National Club Golfer.

We get into the work that goes into these lists, what makes each one unique, the biggest movers (both deserved and controversial), the new entries, and whether rankings really matter at all.

We also chat about our updated Rank of Ranks, where we’ve combined all four lists to create the ultimate guide — fully filterable, so you can slice and dice it however you like.

If you fancy killing some time on the Rank of Ranks, you can find it here.

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In part two of this podcast with Gary Wolstenholme, we talk about his amateur success since winning The 1991 Amateur, his Walker Cup stories, life on the road and more...

Once again a huge thank you for allowing us to do this at Ganton, a place of huge significance in Gary's career and the perfect setting for our chat. 

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Sam & Tom sat down with Gary Wolstenholme at Ganton to talk through his stellar career in amateur golf. In Part 1, we talk through his early life in golf, being the son of a professional golfer, his journey from a 23 handicapper to winning the Amateur at Ganton Golf Club. The episode finishes with Gary talking through his first run out at Augusta National in the Masters playing alongside the great Arnold Palmer.

Part 2 coming Friday

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In part II from our conversation with commentator and broadcaster Tom Abbott, we talk about the art of being a great broadcaster, as well as the women's game, some career highlights and his plans ahead for the rest of 2025!

A huge thanks to Tom Abbott, as well as Denham for looking after us back in March, & providing far too many calories for a set of middle aged men trying to keep their waistline in check! The course is really in sensational shape and the work by the club and Clyde Johnson has breathed new life into this wonderful London club. 

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Sam and Tom sit down with commentator and broadcaster Tom Abbott. After a stint in college in America, Tom took up broadcasting with Golf Channel and the rest is history. We talk through golf in Surrey, the move to America and the art of broadcasting, along with who the goats of the commentary box are. 

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Bruce & Tom sit down with movement expert and performance consultant Mark Bull at the stunning Cumberwell Park. From junior golf memories in Somerset to biomechanics labs and Ryder Cup insight, Mark takes us on a journey through his holistic philosophy on coaching, movement, and human performance.

We explore why technique isn’t everything, how beliefs shape behaviour, and why the best swing thoughts might be no thoughts at all. There’s chat about caffeine, chaos theory, kinematic sequences, and even the art of drawing leaves with his daughter. Plus, reflections on Luke Donald, Johnny Wilkinson, and why comfort is the killer of progress.

This is more than a golf podcast — it’s a masterclass in how we move, learn, and evolve.

Highlights include:

• Why “getting worse before getting better” might be a myth
• The problem with predigested learning and “coach insurance”
• What the feet can tell us about the eyes (yes, really)
• How to remove rather than add swing thoughts
• Mark’s 4-player Lisbon case study on movement causes
• “The only thing you truly own is the way you choose to see something”

Grab a coffee (but maybe not three flat whites), settle in, and prepare to see golf – and learning – through a completely new lens.

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Tom, Bruce and Sam unpack the emotional highs and lows of yesterday’s Masters, diving into Rory McIlroy’s performance and the ever-present Tiger Woods comparisons. They explore the crowd’s polarised support for Rory and Bryson, dissect key moments from the final round, and assess Rory’s pursuit of the career Grand Slam—plus Sam lets loose on Nick Faldo.

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To celebrate the Masters, here is a short excerpt from episode 124 with Peter Dawson. Peter talks through his first hand view of watching the famous chip in from Tiger Woods on 16 at Augusta National.

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Bruce, Sam & Tom get together to talk through the pre-tournament coverage of the Masters. They discuss current story lines and the takes that seem to be far too worn in the build up to the tournament. 

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Final call for those yet to complete the Tip Jar - our online survey which can be found here. 

Huge thanks to Nick Owen - Hon. Sec for The Halford Hewitt - for giving us his time for this special interview on 'the greatest of all truly amateur tournaments' as Nick Tremayne once said. Next week 64 independent schools will once again field their teams of 10 down at Royal Cinque Ports for this gruelling foursomes matchplay knockout event, with the hope of being immortalised on the boards of Deal.

Nick does a wonderful job in this episode in sharing the history and unique character of the event, as well as some highlights from over 40 years of attending the week. 

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