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The New York Times calls Billy Collins America’s most popular living poet. The Golfer’s Journal calls him a fine golfer as well, and a lover of all things Irish. When it comes to his poetry, Collins says, “I have one reader in mind, someone who is in the room with me, and who I’m talking to, and I want to make sure I don’t talk too fast, or too glibly.” In this conversation with Tom Coyne following a week-long stay at Donegal’s Rosapenna, Collins doesn’t talk too fast or glibly as he describes the magic of Ireland’s northwest, and for the first time shares a freshly-penned tribute to links golf.

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Though at first glance it may read as a third-line act at Lollapalooza, golf architecture diehards know the Cavemen as the unsung heroes who have helped Jim Wagner, along with his partner Gil Hanse, rise to their position as one of the finest design-build firms in the game. Wagner joins fellow Philly native Tom Coyne to offer an inside look at his firm’s process, and the collection of globe-trotting, earth-moving shapers responsible for masterpieces from Ohoopee to Ladera and beyond. Also on the docket: Delco talk, the long-awaited Cobbs Creek renovation, and a future project Wagner calls “Cruden Bay in Texas.” 

Read the written version of this episode here⁠. 

50 years ago, Trevino, Nicklaus, and Richard Nixon (???) got tangled up at Tanglewood Park Golf Course in North Carolina during a PGA Championship that has since been lost to history. In this episode, eminent golf writer Jim Moriarty refreshes our memory of an all-time major that everyone, including its protagonists, can’t seem to remember.

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

TGJ Podcast is presented by Titleist 

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

Watch a new TGJ Film about Cabot Citrus Farms here.

At 12 years old, Ben Cowan-Dewar built a golf hole on his family’s farm east of Toronto. By the time he graduated college, he owned a golf tour operator running trips in 20 countries. At 24, he set out to build the best course in Canada. 12 later, he had the top two. Now, with Cabot St. Lucia online and Cabot Citrus Farms welcoming guests to a new breed of Florida destination golf, Cowan-Dewar sits down to discuss his journey, and the hallmarks of the Cabot brand he’s helped to build. Entrepreneurs, dreamers and golf junkies alike will find common ground in Cowan-Dewar’s tales, which include his foolproof advice on decision making, why he said no to Mike Keiser when every instinct told him to say yes, and the inside story behind the trademark ding at the bottom of every Cabot cup.

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