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. 

After tracking 17 million swings from users of The Stack System, Canadian biomechanist Sasho MacKenzie has unlocked the secret to reliable speed, and he’s helping everyone from rank amateurs to 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick get faster. MacKenzie joins host Tom Coyne in front of a live audience on the Broken Tee Society Discord server to discuss all things speed—from ground forces and angular momentum to the “bad science” of the ball rollback. 

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

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

Watch ⁠Local Rules: Nashville featuring Drew Holcomb here.⁠

Drew Holcomb is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and frontman for his band, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. More importantly, he is completely and hopelessly in love with playing golf. In-between his never-ending worldwide touring schedule, Holcomb found some time to speak with host Tom Coyne about how he created a golf life that any true sicko would be jealous of, and his appearance in TGJ’s newest film, Local Rules: Nashville.

The Golfer's Journal podcast is presented by Titleist

There are many perks that come with being a Broken Tee Society member, perhaps the least of which are invites to a world-class roster of events and gatherings at some of the world’s most interesting golf courses. This year’s calendar of events is the biggest yet, featuring 32 dates and 49 courses across 17 states and five different countries. On January 9, TGJ’s Casey Bannon and Tom Coyne announced the entire schedule in front of a live audience of 550-plus BTS members in our private Discord server. We are publishing the recording of that live show here so you can join us on tour in 2024.

View the full events calendar here: https://glfrsj.nl/events

If you are not yet a member any would like play in these events, become a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Smylie Kaufman was once one of golf’s most exciting and popular young players—winning shortly after turning pro in 2015 and playing in the final group of the 2016 Masters. Then, golf happened. A few years of injuries, swing changes and “heartache” later, Kaufman decided to switch career paths, and has since become a standout voice on golf broadcasts and the podcasting landscape. Kaufman joins host Tom Coyne for a wide-ranging discussion on his playing career, what he learned from watching tour pros in 2023, and his next chapter in a game that he deeply cares about.

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

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist