This bubbly Wednesday episode begins with delight of a 2/2/22 recording. There’s ample talk about the Pebble Beach Pro Am, which is wounded but not dead. There’s a simple suggestion for improving Spyglass, and an amazing reader email on the winding path to Ryuji Imada getting in this field with just one start in an OWGR event in the past five years. There are two candidates for catnip call of the week, one of which focuses on an old friend of the program. Then they discuss the big Asian Tour eve...
Feb 02, 2022•48 min
It’s an early and worse for the wear recording for Andy and Brendan, who begin with the Saturday night finish on the PGA Tour. They discuss the husky victor and his breakthrough win. Then they move to the incredible skill of Will Zalatoris, and the incredible thrill of watching him try to hit a putt on the center of the face. There’s also a victory lap on the Jason Day pick, and some final thoughts on the schedule change to Saturday. On the Euro Tour, they ponder the different points Hovland and...
Jan 30, 2022•37 min
Can we interest you in a double-scoop Flashback Friday on two people who probably could not have led more different lives? That’s right, this episode closes with a look back at the histories of heavyweight champ Joe Louis and the one and only Jay Don Blake at what is now known as the Farmers Insurance Open. But first, there’s ample discussion on the already-completed 36 holes in San Diego, with news of Bryson shattering car windows with beefy bombs on the driving range. There’s concern about his...
Jan 28, 2022•1 hr
It’s a Wednesday Jr. edition with this week’s PGA Tour event moving up a day, which, to be clear, was not by choice but rather the NFL putting their thumb on the scale and telling everyone to move out of the way. Andy and Brendan discuss the moving pieces around this schedule change and what it meant for events around the Torrey stop, both abroad and at home. One and done picks go heavy on a couple Aussies, with some insider tips for your gambling needs. The discussion on this week’s Euro Tour e...
Jan 25, 2022•47 min
It’s victory Monday for Andy, who’s happy about Illinois’ own Thomas Pieters getting it done in Abu Dhabi as well as the Packers not getting it done in Lambeau. Grayson Allen, on the other hand, is a source of outrage. In golf, they begin with that Euro Tour event in the desert, assessing Pieters’ arc, the new course setup, and Hatton’s heated words on the 18th hole needing to be blown up. At the other desert event, the Amex, they praise Hudson Swafford and weight Jon Rahm’s cussin’ outburst abo...
Jan 24, 2022•42 min
This Friday episode begins with some tales of Andy’s travels behind enemy lines at the end of this week. Then it’s on to the one result we already have in the bank, Akshay Bhatia’s victory on the KFT. Brendan and Andy discuss Bhatia’s path, why it made sense, and how we could see much more of it coming down the pike. On the DP World Tour, they praise the windy conditions and wild humps and bumps of the YASSSSS links. The AmEx discussion gets into Patrick Cantlay, and whether he’s at the level wh...
Jan 21, 2022•52 min
This Wednesday episode begins with an apology from Brendan after a frazzled recording on Monday led to an oversight or two. Then it’s on to discussing the ongoing Korn Ferry Tour event, which can’t be watched and might be hard to find scores on given website problems at the global home. Then it’s on to the schedule of the week, which begins with an odd digression on the 2016 Abu Dhabi event. Then it’s back to Palm Springs and the AmEx, which leads to discussions on the new featured groups rollou...
Jan 19, 2022•39 min
This holiday Monday episode reacts to what will likely be one of the best finishes of the year on the PGA Tour, as Hideki chased down Henley at the Sony Open. They discuss the total turnaround for Hideki in the last calendar year, Japan’s lineage at this event, and the catnip moments down the stretch. Andy praises the variety of players that continually emerge at this venue while Brendan praises the event’s self-confidence when it comes to identity. The Grayson Murray and Kevin Na beef is also d...
Jan 17, 2022•35 min
Paul Martin of Box to Box Films and the executive producer of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” and Chad Mumm, Head of Entertainment at Vox Media Studios, join to discuss the news that Netflix is doing a series on PGA Tour pros. They are two of the executive producers involved in the project. It was an official announcement that fired up the golf corner of the world (and larger sports world) this week and both Martin and Mumm discuss some of the background of how it came together, what’s been promisi...
Jan 14, 2022•53 min
This lively Wednesday episode begins with a Chicago sports minute that turns into five or six minutes on the turnover at Halas Hall and the larger cohort of cheapskates that own Chicago teams. Then it’s on to the Sony Open, where Andy and Brendan delight in the field at another one of the great early-year stops. The backboards should return, but softness may as well, mitigating their usage at Waialae. The schedule for the week features the triumphant return of televised golf from Australia, as w...
Jan 12, 2022•42 min
It’s a peppy Monday episode celebrating the return of golf in 2022. Andy and Brendan react to Cam Smith’s outrageous play, remarking on his #gainz off the tee and the way he stood out there with Kapalua’s wide fairways to gain an edge on Jon Rahm of all people. They discuss the social media Sturm und Drang around the low scoring, pondering whether there should be an asterisk for the records given preferred lies were in place. The hot mics, Notah’s level, the pace of play, and graphics about No...
Jan 10, 2022•46 min
This Friday episode is a bite-sized reaction to the first official PGA Tour round of 2022. Andy and Brendan delight in the re-introduction to PGA Tour golf in the new year with a hearty announcement that round one would be played with preferred lies. Then they bounce around with various quick thoughts on what’s transpired so far this week, including the notable enlistment of Patrick Reed with the troops. There are reactions to some of the new graphics, including ESPN+’s humorous attempt to calcu...
Jan 07, 2022•30 min
The PGA Tour is back and this Wednesday episode is a rambling discussion focused mostly on the return to golf at Kapalua, one of our favorite annual traditions on tour. Aside from Kapalua, there’s chatter on snow days, Dan Pohl’s golf course, the preferable hemisphere to live in, and taking road trips in complete silence. There is anticipation for ESPN+ joining the fray. There’s a new segment, the “catnip call of the week” and a subject is nominated there that we think you’ll be hearing about th...
Jan 05, 2022•57 min
The Shotgun Start is off and running in 2022 with this Monday episode. Andy and Brendan review some of their New Year’s weekend exploits, and ponder whether the Courier Cup is a better postseason format than the recently maligned CFP. Then they jump into news, which is mostly a discussion about the PIP confusion provoked by Phil Mickelson’s tweets and conflicting reports last week. Then they jump into a wide-ranging chat on 2022 -- there was no plan for predictions, because guessing major winner...
Jan 02, 2022•55 min
There was never a doubt! The Year in Review concludes with Part 10 covering the Olympics up through the final tournament of the PGA Tour season that doesn’t feature a low net winner. An assignment mix-up leaves a couple events uncovered, but Andy and Brendan pull it together to steer this home and put the “Super Season” to rest. They are incredibly grateful for your continued support of the podcast in 2021, and cannot wait to run it back again in 2022. This is the usual SGS approach to the year ...
Dec 28, 2021•1 hr
Hey, the year is rapidly winding down and so is the Year in Review. In this installment, Andy and Brendan pick up with some post U.S. Open fallout, rip through the Travelers, Bryson-Tim split, Phil tweeting at local media, Pat Reed being called to serve, and a full recap The Open, the last men’s major in a super season. The topics range from “This Driver Sucks” to Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker being included with Giannis in a graphic. This is the usual SGS approach to the year in review, focusi...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 18 min
This peppy Monday episode reacts to the Tiger and Charlie show in Orlando on Sunday. Andy and Brendan begin first with some subtle but notable thirsty maneuvering at the conclusion of play. Then they get into the more important matters about what it all means for Tiger’s future and whether the PNC is a top 10 tour-ish event with the Woods duo in it. There are some comments about watching Charlie stripe it as well, and the reaction to his play on Twitter. Andy posits, and then they debate, where ...
Dec 19, 2021•42 min
Andy and Brendan close out the week with a PUNCHY Year-in-Review episode covering the stretch from the Kokheads Colonial triumph through “Rahmbo’s” U.S. Open title. There was a bounty of amusements and moments of whimsy from Fort Worth to Memorial to Olympic to Sectional Qualifying to Congaree. They review it all and close it out with the third men’s major of 2021 at Torrey Pines, which provided ample material to laugh at here at the end of the year. This is the usual SGS approach to the year in...
Dec 17, 2021•1 hr 22 min
The three-man weave and the Year in Review roll on, with Kyle Porter author of the recently released book, A Normal Sport , back joining to review the PGA Championship, which the three hosts declare as the best major of the year. But first, Andy provides an appetizer with a recall of the Byron Nelson at TPC Craig T. Nelson Ranch. Then it’s on to a wide-ranging chat of the PGA, from Bryson seeing UFOs at the start of the week to Brendan and Andy on the ground at the end of it. This is the usual S...
Dec 15, 2021•59 min
It’s a three-man weave for the latest installment of the Year in Review, with Kyle Porter of CBS and author of the recently released book, A Normal Sport , joining to review the post-Masters stretch of the schedule. Andy picks it up with the RBC Heritage and the comical range modifications to try and capture Bryson’s drives. This portion runs through the “driving range golf” of the Wells Fargo Championship, which includes the re-emergence of the disruptor leagues and the Walker Cup stomach bug c...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 3 min
The Year in Review continues and this part takes on the 2021 Masters, from Woosie’s valiant bid to make the cut, Ollie’s successful and emotional made cut, the Baton Boy’s tour de force psycho carnival weekend on the featured groups stream on back-to-back days, Bryson’s drives “to Narnia,” and of course, the Hideki show. This is the usual SGS approach to the year in review, focusing more on the amusing, inane, and extraordinary and it will continue to roll out over the next week to be enjoyed at...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min
We interrupt the Year In Review for a Monday episode that reacts to the Hero happenings down in the Bahamas. Andy and Brendan discuss some of the chipping struggles and challenges that we witnessed on Sunday at Albany, and how it put even some Bermuda aces, like Sam Burns, in a blender, and what that says about overall setups. Then they get on to the winner, Viktor Hovland, and whether this victory is indicative of anything at all, e.g. a 2014-style Spieth preview of what’s to come. They also di...
Dec 06, 2021•33 min
The Year in Review continues with the GOLD STANDARD, a “big event,” the purest test in golf, and the leadoff hitter in the Season of Championships. The 2021 Players was a carnival of the absurd and dramatic, so this trip down memory lane takes some time. Part 4 runs through the WGC Match Play, the Baton Boy’s great triumph. Next week, we will pick up with the Masters and run through the summer. This is the usual SGS approach to the year in review, focusing more on the amusing, inane, and extraor...
Dec 03, 2021•59 min
The Year in Review rolls on, with Part 3 swinging us from the West Coast over to Florida. This part picks up with the succinctly named and amply entertaining World Golf Championship-Workday Championship at The Concession. It ends at … Bay Hill, with a whale of a segment on the Players pushed to Friday. This is the usual SGS approach to the year in review, focusing more on the amusing, inane, and extraordinary and it will continue to roll out over the next week or so in multiple parts to be enjoy...
Dec 01, 2021•59 min
This late Monday episode was planned as another installment of the Year in Review, but Andy and Brendan could not shut up about some of the recent developments in the world of golf. So they begin with a few comments on Thanksgiving weekend before transitioning to reactions on The Match V. Is hard work never really sleeping with Bryson? They discuss Phil’s work on the mic, and why Brooksy was always a natural for this kind of deal. Then it’s on to Tiger’s first interview since his car accident. T...
Nov 30, 2021•42 min
This Black Friday edition of the Year in Review is a quick companion piece to Wednesday for your Thanksgiving holiday travels, and it’s brought to you by Precision Pro Golf, the official rangefinder of the Shotgun Start. This part picks up with some of the Pat Reed embedded ball-gate fallout, and runs through the Phoenix Open, Pebble Beach, and a wind-delayed Riviera. This is the usual SGS approach to the year in review, focusing more on the amusing, inane, and extraordinary and it will continue...
Nov 26, 2021•53 min
The annual Year in Review series is back, and earlier than normal this year thanks to sponsor Precision Pro . This episode begins with some quick comments on reports of the PGA Tour bringing wide-ranging purse increases and other incentives as a counter move to the upstart disruptor leagues. Then it’s on to the Year in Review, beginning with Kapulua, where Bryson was trying not to black out and Pat Reed was wearing non-sponsored GFore apparel. This part runs through Torrey Pines, where Pat Reed ...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 10 min
This Monday episode is an amusing jaunt through a surprisingly full weekend of golf news. Andy and Brendan begin first with the Tiger Woods swing video, expressing surprise, hope, and context about the commercial aspect of why it was posted. They discuss whether this means we’ll see him playing again soon, or ever. Then they get to Dubai, where Collin Morikawa’s impressive career start continued by becoming the first American to win that season-long contest. They discuss some of the outrageous n...
Nov 22, 2021•48 min
We are joined by the estimable Shane Ryan for this Friday episode. Shane is at the RSM Classic this week in Sea Island, and jussssst finished a 40-day sprint writing a much-anticipated Ryder Cup book. We begin first with that project -- the arc and elevator pitch of the book, his overarching takeaways from a decade immersed in the Ryder Cup, what it was like to write in such a short span after the conclusion at Whistling Straits, and one especially despairing moment during that writing process. ...
Nov 19, 2021•36 min
This Wednesday episode begins with a tale of Andy claiming he just played golf in the worst weather he’s ever experienced on the course. Then he and Brendan debate and consider the worst day of the week, with a strong argument made for Tuesday. The schedule for the week begins with the RSM Classic, an event with a commendable-enough field full of Georgia Bulldogs. The CME Championship is then discussed, as well as the “remastered” Tiburon course and the general Naples scene. Over on the Euro Tou...
Nov 17, 2021•33 min
