The Shotgun Start

Andy and Brendan check in from Augusta for their official Masters “preview” episode, which rambles on with educating tidbits and amusements picked up from the ground both on golf and non-golf topics. They discuss Tiger Woods’s press conference and expectations for this week, and the same for Rory McIlroy after listening to and following him on Tuesday. There’s ample Aldrich Potgieter appreciation, and some more serious amateur chatter on Gordon Sargent. They do a bit on the course, their reactions to the 13th tee, make some picks and darkhorse selections, and then pick out their favorite tee time groupings for the first two rounds.

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This was a quick impromptu episode from the kitchen as we waited for the NCAA national title game to start at a preposterously late hour. Andy and Brendan are joined by Sean Martin and Kyle Porter for a quick one take from each around the table on the Masters or characters relevant to it this year.

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Andy and Brendan are BACK in Augusta for the first of many in-person recordings this week at the Masters. They begin with some amusing early intel on, who else, Woosie, after a few hours at Augusta National on Sunday afternoon. Then it’s on to Sunday’s action, focusing on the Corey Conners and Brooks Koepka wins. They play a quick game of whether Brooksy’s win at LIV Orlando means anything and makes him a top 15 favorite for the Masters. Garrett Morrison then joins for an ANWA segment after his attendance at that event all weekend. They laud Rose Zhang, raise their eyebrows about her dad-caddie, and consider the event in its fourth year of existence taking a dominant place in women’s amateur golf.

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It’s the last episode before we officially hit Masters week, and Brendan consults with two talented experts for two very different segments. Golf Digest's Joel Beall joins first to discuss his fantastic and lengthy recent story on Augusta National and its tension between continued expansion and its history and identity. Beall describes the reporting process of talking to 70-plus sources, including several members, what surprised him about ANGC’s plans, the DOJ antitrust probe’s impact inside the club, and what he thinks a future there might look like. There’s also a good section devoted to the potential second course at Augusta -- how far along are discussions and who might be consulted for it. The second half of the episode brings in Ryan Nanni, of Shutdown Fullcast, bloomin onion, and Florida expertise fame, to discuss LIV’s descent on Orlando, and if anyone will notice. He then joins BP to answer some SGS Golf Advice questions on a fake hole in one, losing a long drive contest to a 13 year-old, paddle tennis fraud, and taking lessons with a spouse.

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Shane Bacon graces us with his voice and presence for this Wednesday episode, which begins with a few Masters odds and ends as the hype and build-up begins with the tournament just a week away. Shane and Brendan discuss some early storylines, including the looming LIV arrival and commingling with PGA Tour pros on the grounds at Augusta National. Will there actually be tension or confrontation? In schedule for the week, they relay some amusing TPC San Antonio stories, make one-and-done picks, and ponder why some pros are teeing it up in Texas. They also discuss LIV’s prep at the Crooked Cat in Orlando, and the LPGA’s continued West Coast swing with the one true LA Open. News hits on a PGA Tour memo outlining the various statuses for next year under the new Designated framework, the value and weighting of FedEx Cup points, Mike Trout National coming from designer Tiger Woods, and some early CBS plans for the Masters.

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Andy jumps on from his vacation but minus a mic cord so apologies for the sound quality. Brendan joins to discuss a fabulous WGC Match Play from Austin, where everything and everyone delivered and certainly made the Tour’s choice to end the event look worse and worse each day. They praise the top players, including Bermuda Burns, for all showing out on one of the better weekends in the event’s history. They discuss Rory McIlroy’s amazing drive to three feet and how it became a stupid talking point in the bifurcation debate. The subject of mallet vs. blade putters also comes up, given Rory’s recent change. The results whiparound also yields some amusing intel from the ground at the Corales Puntacana Championship, where a couple old hands were screaming mad in a players meeting with Jay Monahan in town.

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This Friday episode is a potpourri of thoughts on the Match Play and Puntacana championships. Andy and Brendan ponder which elite player from last year should be more concerned given recent runs of form: Will Zalatoris or Matt Fitzpatrick? There’s also some quick Rickie appreciation following his takedown of Jon Rahm. Then they get into the USGA making some significant changes to the qualifying processes for the U.S. Amateur, its original championship. They discuss what those changes will do to the field and also some unintended consequences. The TaylorMade survey is also given a few minutes of amusement. SGS Golf Advice hits on a Schenk putter effect, breaking it down for some slow playing in-laws, a scorecard issue lowering your handicap to dangerous levels, and how to get more Mid-Am reps.

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This Wednesday episode is stunted by technical difficulties but you get a solid chat on the WGC Match Play and the PGA Tour’s curious decision to end it and abandon Austin. Andy and Brendan ponder what current event might be suitable for a match play spot on the schedule, and the Tour’s argument for why East Lake doesn’t work. This year’s edition of the Match Play is given some attention, with scariest and stinkiest pools chosen, drama about Rory’s equipment, and some one-and-done picks. At the opposite field event, they once again play In, Out, or Alternate for one of the more wild and random fields of the season. They close with news of one big equipment company asking for random fan takes on the rollback in a survey.

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This is an episode guaranteed to give you at least one (1) good Adam Schenk fact, among many other things related to Jordan Spieth, LIV Golf puttering and billowing about, the NCAA tourney, and a PGA Tour daycare issue.

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As a precaution, this Friday episode was recorded just before the Illinois NCAA tournament game. Andy and Brendan jump into the early tourney action delivering as always, and wonder what the hell LIV is doing scheduling its event opposite that. They also lament the peripheral and buried Phil Mickelson not really having a stage, or a relevant one, to offer comment on the ball rollback. Someone who does have a stage is Justin Thomas, and they go through his “rant” in Tampa about the selfish USGA, anti-athlete rollback, and the potential for them “doing their own thing.” Peter Kostis’s insane solution to have exploding drivers is also reviewed. A hearty SGS Golf Advice closes it out, with listener notes on a club championship scoring disaster, a miserable customer golf experience, and balancing expectations to play well and steady on an expensive/great course. 

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