This is part five of a five-part TGJ Podcast series which chronicles the origin, evolution and inner-workings of The Masters. The series is voiced by David Owen and based on his best-selling book, The Making of the Masters.

Part 5: As its founders begin to decline, the mythology around The Masters only grows stronger

The Masters is paused and Augusta National is forced to become self-sufficient in the wake of World War II. In the 1970s, the club must endure the passing of Bobby Jones and the shocking suicide of Clifford Roberts. But the club and tournament move on, going to untold lengths to preserve their legacies that still reverberate today.

A transcript of this episode can be found here.

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

The Golfer's Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

This is part four of a five-part TGJ Podcast series which chronicles the origin, evolution and inner-workings of The Masters. The series is voiced by David Owen and based on his best-selling book, The Making of the Masters.

Part 4: The evolution of the Masters broadcast 

In the mid-1950s, the Masters innovates by partnering with CBS to broadcast the tournament on national television. As is the case with everything at Augusta, chairman Clifford Roberts has his fingerprints all over it as he works with legendary producer Frank Chirkinian to elevate the commentary, pacing, visuals and commercial load. The modern golf telecast is born.

A transcript of this episode can be found here.

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

The Golfer's Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

This is part three of a five-part TGJ Podcast series which chronicles the origin, evolution and inner-workings of The Masters. The series is voiced by David Owen and based on his best-selling book, The Making of the Masters.

Part 3: The Augusta National Invitational Tournament is formed

By 1934, Augusta National is struggling to attract new members and raise the necessary funds to execute the club’s vision. With this in mind, the first annual Augusta National Invitational Tournament is held, and Clifford Roberts must convince Bobby Jones to play in it. In an effort to boost ticket revenue, the traditional three-day event is stretched to four, and Roberts has some strong opinions on how to improve the fan experience. 

A transcript of this episode can be found here.

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

The Golfer's Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

This is part two of a five-part TGJ Podcast series which chronicles the origin, evolution and inner-workings of The Masters. The series is voiced by David Owen and based on his best-selling book, The Making of the Masters.

Part 2: A deep dive into the design and strategy of Augusta National’s routing

Thanks to his renowned designs at Cypress Point and Pasatiempo, Dr. Alister MacKenzie is hired to build Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts a golf course in Augusta, Georgia. The spectacular success of the project means that every hump, bump and contour is scrutinized. But as the course changes to adapt with modern championship golf, not every tweak is immediately embraced.

A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://glfrsj.nl/MOTM2

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

The Golfer's Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

This is part one of a five-part TGJ Podcast series which chronicles the origin, evolution and inner-workings of The Masters. The series is voiced by David Owen and based on his best-selling book, The Making of the Masters.

Part 1: Clifford Roberts’ rise to power at Augusta National

Until he met Bobby Jones, Clifford Roberts was a former traveling suit salesman and modest investor who was still grappling with the tragic loss of his mother. Part 1 tells the remarkable story of his unlikely rise to become the first chairman at Augusta National and one of the most feared and influential executives in sports history. 

A transcript of this episode can be found here: https://glfrsj.nl/MOTM1

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

The Golfer's Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

In the mid-1990s, Augusta National approached author David Owen about a book project to preserve the legacy of its founder Clifford Roberts. Owen agreed, under one condition: During his reporting he could play the course as much as he liked. The club allowed it, and Owen’s book, The Making of the Masters, has since become one of the definitive histories of the tournament. It chronicles the beginnings, inner-workings and evolutions of Augusta National and The Masters, bringing to light a number of previously unreported facts and stories. In this new five-part TGJ Podcast series, Owen shares several chapters from his seminal book along with stories of his time on the course, painting a rich portrait of the tournament that changed golf forever.

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

The Golfer's Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: ⁠https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT⁠

The unlikeliest adventure in TGJ No. 27 saw Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ben Rector and The Atlantic writer Charlie Warzel travel to Branson, Missouri, for three days of golf, rodeo theater, and tire-sized pancakes. Now they’re back to break it all down. Join Ben and Charlie as they relive their exploration of “Ned Flanders’ Vegas,” shining equal light on the brilliance of Coore+Crenshaw’s Ozarks National and a breakfast variety show that Rector says was “better than it had any right to be.” Fun is still king on the Ozark Plateau, and as you’ll hear, it’s the earnest pursuit of this uncomplicated goal that unlocks Branson’s magic.

Charlie Warzel: https://twitter.com/cwarzel

Ben Rector: https://www.benrectormusic.com/

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

What was it like to be there when Keegan Bradley got the Ryder Cup news? What were players saying behind closed doors after the June 6th announcement? What was really going on in the Ryder Cup team rooms? Executive producer Chad Mumm returns to The Golfer’s Journal podcast to preview the drama and storylines from the upcoming season of the Netflix hit series, “Full Swing.” 

In this episode, Mumm joins host Tom Coyne to discuss the unexpected success of Full Swing season 1 and the reaction from players, fans, and critics. Season 2 was quickly greenlit and Mumm and his team were back on the fairways, but this time on a far bigger scale. With the Ryder Cup looming and Captain’s picks to be made, Full Swing goes international this season with a new narrative approach.  Want more insights and longer storylines that carry from one episode to the next? It sounds like season 2 is set to deliver. Want to see more of Brooks Koepka? You won’t, and Mumm explains why.

In this conversation about life inside the ropes, Mumm tells us not just what to watch for, but describes what it’s like for a golf junkie to live alongside the world’s best players, capturing their every move and emotion as one of the wildest years in pro golf history unfolds.

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Is golf in a bubble or a sustained boom? Are lighted par-3 courses a fad or the future of new course builds? Who is playing simulator and indoor golf? And what impact can golf resorts have on the communities and economies around them? Jared Doerfler covers the business of golf in his weekly Perfect Putt Substack newsletter and joins Tom Coyne to unpack some of the more surprising emerging trends in the game today.

Explore TGJ No. 27: https://glfrsj.nl/27

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT⁠⁠

The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.