Dottie Pepper brings one of the clearest voices in championship golf to The DROP Podcast. The CBS Sports lead on-course reporter, two-time major champion, and 17-time LPGA Tour winner helps define the 2026 golf season so far, from Rory McIlroy defending at Augusta to Aaron Rai winning the PGA Championship at Aronimink.

The episode covers Chris Gotterup’s rise, what made Aronimink such a strong major championship test, how Rory looks after completing the career Grand Slam, and what the rest of the season could reveal at The Memorial, Shinnecock, Royal Birkdale, and the FedEx Cup Playoffs. For New Jersey golf fans, competitive players, and serious golf listeners, this is a sharp inside-the-ropes look at the players, courses, and pressure points shaping 2026.

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Knob Hill Golf Club has long been considered one of the top public golf experiences in New Jersey, but what makes it stand out today? In this Course Feature on The DROP Podcast, we sit down with Director of Golf, Lou Kubisa to discuss the course's continued commitment to exceptional playing conditions, championship-caliber greens, and the exciting changes that are shaping the future of Knob Hill. Throughout the conversation, you'll get an inside look at the decisions behind maintaining one of New Jersey's premier golf destinations, along with stunning course footage that showcases why golfers from across the Garden State continue to put Knob Hill on their must-play list.

As the conversation unfolds, Lou shares the story behind the dramatic redesign of holes 16 and 17, setting up one of the most memorable finishing stretches in New Jersey public golf. Stay through the second half of the episode to see how these changes have transformed the closing holes and why the 16-17-18 stretch may be the strongest finish you'll find anywhere in the state. If you're searching for your next round, planning a New Jersey golf trip, or simply love learning what makes great golf courses great, this episode delivers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the Garden State's standout public golf facilities. Be sure to subscribe to The DROP Podcast for more New Jersey golf course features, architecture discussions, and conversations with the people shaping the future of Golfing in the Garden State.

This episode looks at two completely different South Jersey golf experiences and what they say about the strength of public golf in New Jersey. Harbor Pines brought a polished, challenging, and complete public golf feel near the shore, while Pomona Golf proved why affordable, local, personality-driven 9-hole courses still matter in a serious golf market.

Mike and Chris also look ahead to the NJ Golf Mid-Amateur Championship at Alpine Country Club, a classic A.W. Tillinghast design where stroke play qualifying quickly turns into match play pressure. The episode covers course conditions, public golf value, 9-hole golf, competitive formats, key players in the Mid-Am field, New Jersey players on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, and the best finishing holes in the state.

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John Mascari, Director of Golf at Alpine Country Club, joins The DROP ahead of the 2026 New Jersey Golf Mid-Amateur Championship for a proper championship preview of one of the most intriguing private clubs in the state. Originally known as Aldecress and designed by A.W. Tillinghast in 1928, Alpine has always had a different kind of story. Built into the rocky terrain of the Jersey Palisades, the course demanded serious work from the start, and nearly a century later, it still carries that same rugged, strategic character.

This episode looks at Alpine through the lens of championship golf. Mascari breaks down what players will face in the Mid-Am, where the course asks the most difficult questions, how patience and positioning can matter just as much as power, and what type of player is best built to handle the test. It is a deeper look at Alpine Country Club, a proper preview of one of NJ Golf’s biggest championships, and another strong chapter in Golfing in the Garden State.

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NJ Golf Member Golf Days might be the best way for everyday golfers to play private golf courses in New Jersey without being a member. This episode centers on Mike’s full experience at Cherry Valley Country Club, where the day was about much more than getting access to a private course. From the range and clubhouse to the food before the round, competitive format, post-round drinks, prizes, and overall atmosphere, Cherry Valley showed why these events feel like a true member-for-a-day experience. Mike also reviews Cherry Valley itself, a Rees Jones design in the Princeton area with contoured fairways, undulated greens, strong bunkering, elevation changes, and a standout stretch from holes 10 through 13 that brought together risk-reward golf, memorable visuals, and smart course management.

The rest of the episode covers a busy week across Golfing in the Garden State, including New Jersey players on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, listener questions From the Grandstand, and Mike and Chris’ weekly picks for the Charles Schwab Challenge. Mike also looks ahead to the Hominy Hill full 18-hole video on YouTube and the Pro’s upcoming Charity Clambake at Manasquan River Golf Club. Follow The DROP for your weekly fix of Golfing in the Garden State.

Griffin Jayne, Head Golf Professional at Navesink Country Club, has taken a path into the golf business that is anything but typical. Raised in Chattanooga, he grew up playing baseball, did not start golf until eighth grade, did not make his high school team until junior year, and was originally on a pre-med track at Furman before choosing a career in golf. Now, he is only the fourth Head Professional in the history of one of the Jersey Shore’s most respected clubs.

This episode gets into Griffin’s path through high-end private club golf, what he learned from stops at Yellowstone Club, Card Sound, and Ocean Reef, and why Navesink was the right next step. We also talk about leading a historic New Jersey club, staying competitive while running a full golf operation, playing in PGA Professional Championships, and what the modern Head Professional role really demands.

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The PGA Championship at Aronimink is in the books, and now the question becomes how the week will be remembered. Aaron Rai claimed the Wanamaker Trophy after a final-round 65, while Aronimink gets judged as every major venue does: by the golf course, the setup, the leaderboard, the pressure, and whether the championship produced something that felt worthy of the stage. With the major played close enough to New Jersey to feel connected to our golf world, we look at the finish, the local rooting interests, and whether Aronimink strengthened the identity of this PGA Championship.

Locally, Knob Hill Golf Club finally gets its turn after becoming one of the biggest Cinderella stories from our March Madness bracket. We talk through whether Knob Hill backed up the support, what stood out about the layout, conditions, value, and overall experience. We also look ahead to the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on the PGA Tour, the Visit Knoxville Open on the Korn Ferry Tour, and take this week’s From the Grandstand question from Nick in Haddon Township on the most underrated private golf course in South Jersey. Follow The DROP for your weekly fix of Golfing in the Garden State.

Mark McCormick has spent decades competing at the highest levels of professional golf while leading one of New Jersey’s most historic clubs. As the longtime Head Golf Professional at Suburban Golf Club, an A. W. Tillinghast design just outside New York City, McCormick built a career that includes the 2008 New Jersey State Open title, multiple U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open appearances, and induction into the New Jersey PGA Hall of Fame.

This episode examines what actually separates competitive players over time, why Suburban remains one of the state’s most underrated championship tests, and how New Jersey golf continues to produce serious players and strong club professionals. We also get into U.S. Open qualifying pressure, the realities of sustaining a competitive game into your senior years, father-son golf at the highest level with Ryan McCormick, and the architectural details that make classic Tillinghast golf still matter today.

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The 2026 NJ Golf 4-Ball Championship at Little Mill Country Club was a week Austin and I will never forget. We got through stroke play, earned our way into match play, won our Round of 16 match, won our quarterfinal match, and then came up one shot short in a 21-hole semifinal. This episode is about the full championship run, the pressure of match play, the strength of our 4-Ball partnership, Little Mill as a true championship test, and the pride and heartbreak that come with getting that close.

We also recap the Truist Championship, including Chris Gotterup’s strong week, and look ahead to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. With major championship golf returning to the region, we get into the players, the storylines, the New Jersey connections, and why this week matters for golfers around the Garden State.

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Katie Lu is quickly becoming one of the names to watch in women’s professional golf. The New Jersey native, Michigan State standout, and ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour winner has already made a statement early in her pro career, highlighted by a 20-under victory and a rise to No. 2 on the 2026 money list.

This episode follows Katie’s path from Golfing in the Garden State to the professional level, including her junior golf success, New Jersey high school dominance, NJ Women’s Amateur title, and record-setting consistency at Michigan State. The conversation also covers what it takes to win as a pro, how she handles pressure, and why growing the women’s game is an important part of the platform she is building.

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