Public golf in New Jersey is one of the strengths of Golfing in the Garden State, with courses, communities, and competitive opportunities that make this state special. This episode focuses on NJ Golf Member Golf Days and how they add another layer to that experience by giving public golfers the chance to enjoy private club access they may not otherwise get. Built around access, competition, and community, these events create a full-day golf experience at some of New Jersey’s standout private clubs.

Mike also recaps his visit to Hominy Hill, the place where The DROP Podcast first started to become what it is today, and shares what it was like finally playing all 18 holes there for the first time. The conversation covers the course conditions, layout, greens, price point, and why Hominy Hill remains one of the most meaningful public golf experiences in New Jersey.

Follow The DROP Podcast for more New Jersey golf coverage.

Michael Hyland, a 2-time NJ Golf Champion, 3-time GAP Champion, 9-time USGA competitor, and one of the most decorated players, if not the most decorated, to come out of Little Mill Country Club, brings a high-level competitive perspective ahead of the 94th New Jersey Golf 4-Ball Championship. With deep ties to the club and a career built on winning in the region, Hyland breaks down what defines Little Mill as a championship test and why success here is far from straightforward.

This episode examines the Red/White championship routing, how the course shapes strategy, and where momentum can shift during the round. Hyland explains what type of team has the advantage in a 4-Ball format, where players get into trouble, and what skill ultimately decides the championship. Built for serious golfers, this is a real preview of how Little Mill will play, what it takes to win when it matters most, and another strong look at Golfing in the Garden State.

Little Mill Country Club takes center stage as the host of the 94th New Jersey Four-Ball Championship, and after playing the championship routing firsthand, this episode defines why it stands out as a true test of competitive golf. This is not a course built on tricks or gimmicks. It rewards discipline, decision-making, and control over 18 holes, making it an ideal venue to open major golf season in New Jersey. The conversation establishes what separates Little Mill as a championship venue and why success here goes beyond making birdies.

From there, the focus shifts to the public-golf complaints that flooded my DMs this week: unreplaced divots, unraked bunkers, and pace of play that feels worse by the week. The episode also covers the professional game with a Zurich Classic recap, a Cadillac Championship preview at the Blue Monster, and a breakdown of Jim Furyk being named Ryder Cup Captain again. Combined with the Little Mill preview, this episode looks at the standards shaping golf right now, from New Jersey public courses to the highest level of the game.

Follow The DROP for your weekly fix of Golfing in the Garden State.

 Mark Bryson brings a perspective that very few people in New Jersey golf can offer. As Director of Golf at Monmouth University, Head Women’s Golf Coach for the Hawks, and Director of Golf at Jumping Brook Country Club, he sits at the intersection of player development, program leadership, and club-level stewardship. That makes this episode about more than a resume line. It is about how golfers are shaped, what strong programs actually require, and why New Jersey remains one of the most underrated proving grounds in the game.

This episode examines what Bryson believes a program needs first when it enters a new chapter, how coaching differs from running a golf operation, what competitive amateurs can learn from college players, and what serious golfers still misunderstand about preparation and control under pressure. It also brings real Golfing in the Garden State substance through Jumping Brook’s architectural roots and Bryson’s long view of the New Jersey golf landscape. This is for golfers who care about standards, player development, course stewardship, and how better golf is actually built.

The 2026 New Jersey Golf 4-Ball Championship is next after Mike and Austin Devereux qualified at TPC Jasna Polana, finishing T6 at 4-under and extending their run to four consecutive years in the championship. That is the center of this episode, because qualifying rounds are never just about the final number. They are about handling the day, staying composed, keeping momentum when it is there, and doing enough well to keep the round moving in the right direction. Now the story moves to Little Mill Country Club.

The episode also turns to Chris Dymek’s recap from Galloway National, where he and Brian Varsey finished eighth at 5-under in the Johnnie-O Pro-Pro Championship in their first event of the season. That adds another meaningful result from one of New Jersey’s finest venues and gives the week even more competitive weight. The show also includes a quick recap of The RBC Heritage & the Tulum Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour, while previewing the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, and discussing what is going on with LIV Golf.

Scott Fawcett is the founder of DECADE Golf, one of the most influential course management systems in modern golf, and this episode centers on why so many golfers continue to lose shots before they ever make a swing. Rather than revisiting the basics from his first appearance, this conversation focuses on the deeper issues that shape scoring: poor target selection, unrealistic expectations, emotional decision-making, and the gap between a well-executed shot and a smart one. For serious golfers trying to understand why good ball-striking does not always lead to good scoring, Scott brings a clearer framework to one of the most misunderstood parts of the game.

The episode examines how DECADE has evolved, what golfers still get wrong about course management, and why structure creates more freedom on the course instead of less. Scott also explains how expectations influence frustration, where everyday players tend to leak shots, and why the system continues to work for both elite players and competitive amateurs. With New Jersey golfers often playing tighter, older, tree-lined courses that demand discipline, the conversation has real regional relevance while still offering practical value to anyone trying to score better through smarter decisions and better awareness.

The first major of the season delivered its usual weight at Augusta, but this episode does not stop at The Masters leaderboard. It also turns to the result that mattered most in Golfing in the Garden State, with Francis A. Byrne emerging from the March Madness bracket as the 2026 Public Golf Course Champion in New Jersey. That gives the episode real substance: one championship decided on golf’s biggest stage, another settled through a statewide public golf argument that finally reached its finish.

The episode examines what The Masters revealed under pressure, why Augusta still sets the emotional and competitive tone for the season, and why Francis Byrne’s path through Ballyowen and Neshanic Valley gave the final public golf result real credibility. This is for golfers who care about championship golf, public course standing, and how a course earns the right to be called the best of the publics in the state.

Scott Anderson serves as President of True Spec Golf, one of the most influential companies in modern club fitting, and this episode centers on what serious golfers still misunderstand about equipment performance. The conversation examines what separates a true fitting from a dressed-up retail experience, why brand-agnostic fitting standards matter, and how golfers can better identify when poor results are coming from the club in their hands rather than the swing itself. With True Spec continuing to expand, including its presence at Metedeconk National and Liberty National, the discussion also gives this episode a real New Jersey connection without forcing it.

The episode covers fitting myths, blueprinting current clubs, launch monitor-driven decision-making, build quality, shaft and head combinations, and the details that actually influence performance after the fitting is complete. Scott also explains what separates a good fitter from a great one, how his own competitive background shapes his thinking, and what he wants True Spec Golf to represent in the years ahead. This is an episode for golfers who care about equipment standards, smarter decisions, and getting more out of their game through a better fitting process.

The March Madness bracket for public golf in New Jersey has reached its most credible stage, with Shore Gate, Francis A. Byrne, Ballyowen, and Neshanic Valley advancing to the Final Four. This episode centers on what the Elite 8 actually revealed when the focus shifts to total vote count, separating surface-level preference from real support. At this point in the bracket, advancement is no longer about matchups or percentages. It is about which courses can consistently generate backing when the field tightens and every vote carries more weight.

The episode examines each Final Four course through its vote totals, momentum, and ability to sustain support under pressure, while also outlining how the accelerated voting format will shape the finish. It also sets the stage for Masters week, where the first major of the season arrives alongside the bracket’s most decisive rounds. Additional coverage includes a Blue Heron Pines recap. This is for golfers who care about public course standing in New Jersey, competitive relevance, and how credibility is established when the margin for error disappears.

Drew Stoltz has built real authority in golf media through Subpar and SiriusXM, which makes him a strong voice for a conversation like this as the PGA Tour moves deeper into a season that already feels bigger than week-to-week results. This episode focuses on where the Tour actually stands in 2026, what still feels unsettled about its direction, how much Tiger Woods still changes the sport’s center of gravity, and why the Masters immediately sharpens every debate once Augusta is on the horizon.

The conversation examines the strongest and weakest points of the PGA Tour’s current position, the early-season storyline that has carried the most weight, and why Chris Gotterup’s rise matters for golfers in New Jersey. It also defines what makes Augusta different from every other stop on the schedule and what separates real Masters contenders from players simply arriving in form. This episode is for golfers who care about the Tour’s broader shape, major-championship standards, and the storylines that actually matter heading into the first major of the year.