Drop Zone - GOLF Podcast

Tiger Woods is back and feels better than he has in years, but what does it all mean? We're here to tell you. Four GOLF.com staffers offer their takes on what this latest Tiger comeback will amount to. We predict victories, Ryder Cup matches, even a distant major championship...and we also predict failure. These are the Tiger Takes.

Maverick McNealy is the most intriguing young golfer to come along in quite some time. Yes, the kid can play: He spent much of 2016 and '17 as the top-ranked amateur in the country while earning a degree in engineering and management science. But what makes McNealy so unusual is his backstory, as his father Scott is a Silicon Valley legend, having co-founded Sun Microsystems, which was sold to Oracle in 2010 for $7.4 billion. Maverick grew up in gilded circumstances — for years the family kept a mansion on the 16th fairway at Pebble Beach - but he is remarkably self-possessed and down-to-earth. Maverick sat down with Alan Shipnuck in Las Vegas, where he played on a sponsor's exemption and missed the cut. It was the second of seven he is allowed to take as a non-member of the PGA Tour. If he earns 269 FedEx Cup points during these seven starts — equal to the 150th place on the 2017 list — he will become a "special temporary member" of the Tour and be able to accept unlimited sponsor's exemptions for the remainder of the season. Maverick discussed that uncertain grind and much more during the chat.

The 2016 Ryder Cup played out over three days last fall in chilly Minnesota, but John Feinstein began researching the story of that event 12 months prior. You see, he's wanted to write a Ryder Cup book ever since he attended the event in 1993 at The Belfry. Now, just 13 months after the Americans won at Hazeltine, Feinstein's newest book "The First Major" details the inside story of that memorable event, with all the background and team room details a golf nut desires. Feinstein joined the podcast this week to discuss the process of writing that book, what that particular event meant in the golf world, and even more specifically, what it meant to Tiger Woods.

Olin Browne is one of golf’s great late-bloomers. The Occidental College grad didn’t break through on the PGA Tour until he was 39, when he won the Greater Hartford Open. Two more victories followed, including the Deutsche Bank Championship at the ripe age of 46. Six years later he took the U.S. Senior Open, torching Inverness. At 58, he continues to dig the secrets out of the dirt on the Champions tour. Olin sat down with Alan Shipnuck recently to talk about all things growing old in the game. Oh yeah, he's not going anywhere any time soon...unless his pro golfer son keeps beating him.

If you watched Steve Flesch over the years on the Golf Channel, or during his recent gigs on Fox, you might've noticed a twinkle in his eye. The guy is bursting with opinions, many of which he has had to censor on-air over the years. They occasionally leak out on Twitter, thankfully. Well, Flesch went deep with Alan Shipnuck on a number of topics, including his sneaky-good career, which included four victories in the span of four years on the PGA Tour, sending him to a career-best 24th in the World Ranking. Flesch turned 50 this May and is easing into life on the Champions tour. What does that mean for him, his career as a broadcaster, and his way of life? Listen to find out.

Conrad Ray runs one of the most successful college golf programs in the nation in Palo Alto. As glamorous as that may seem, he'll be the first to tell you it isn't easy. Ray caught up with Josh Berhow recently to discuss the many aspects of his job, what it was like watching his players in the recent Walker Cup and how he helps those players move on to their professional careers. Ray, who was a sophomore on the Stanford Men's team when a budding Tiger Woods arrived in the early 90s, also discusses what it was like having Woods as a teammate and what the 14-time major winner means to the program today.

Scott McCarron is doing his best to dethrone the machine that is Bernhard Langer. Who knows if that is even possible, but if this podcast is any indication, McCarron is up to the task. The 52-year-old joined Alan Shipnuck recently to talk about California golf, his weird ascension into professional golf, how the long putter changed his life and why Langer might be the greatest "old" athlete on the planet. McCarron also sets the record straight on the controversy that is anchored putting.

On Sunday, 641st ranked golfer in the world Peter Malnati stepped out of the shadows a bit with some public commentary in regards to the controversy involving President Trump and the NFL. Known for his writing on his blog (petermalnatigolf.wordpress.com), Malnati shared quite the powerful statement, especially when you consider the silence of just about every other male player in the game. The 30-year-old pro spoke with Alan Shipnuck Monday night as he was still processing the reaction to his comments.

Paul Goydos enjoyed two victories on the PGA Tour but he's better known to fans for performances at two tournaments he did *not* win: losing a playoff to Sergio Garcia at the 2008 Players and shooting 59 at the 2010 John Deere. Those close to the game know Goydos as one of golf's keenest minds. He has an opinion on practically everything, including politics, which he follows closely. Goydos sat down with Alan Shipnuck last week at Pebble Beach for a lively, wide-ranging conversation that included his thoughts on President Trump, with whom he was paired with at the 1993 Crosby Clambake. Two days after the chat, Trump began his war of words with NFL players and NBA icons, adding a freighted backdrop to Goydos's musings.

After receiving all kinds of messages on email and social media in response to his column about Dean Wilson in the October issue of GOLF, Alan Shipnuck figured it made perfect sense to have Dean join him as a podcast guest, so here we are. Dean is as laid back as they get, and Shipnuck had the pleasure of witnessing that on a recent trip to Bandon Dunes. Years removed from a professional career, what's most important to Dean Wilson now? The hang.

Less than one week after terrorist attacks shocked the world 16 years ago, Sports Illustrated writer John Garrity did something almost no one would have considered: he boarded a plane for Europe. The Ryder Cup was cancelled and the PGA Tour put on hold as people everywhere braced for what seemed to some as the start of a third world war. Garrity left his home and family in Kansas City and flew to England. His assignment: tell us how the golf world would react. What he found was very telling, but more than anything, if only for a few fleeting days, Garrity saw golf heal the minds of many people who were left confused and unsure how to move on.

GOLF has unveiled its ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the World. Travel editor Joe Passov joins the podcast to discuss the ranking, how it's created, who gets a say, the best new courses and much more.

Alan Shipnuck caught up with Jhonattan Vegas last week at the Northern Trust on Long Island. Shipnuck profiled Vegas back in 2012, detailing his upbringing and humble beginnings in Venezuela. The two have remained chummy ever since, and sure enough, just days after they met in New York, Vegas finished tied for third behind Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson. Topics include: 1. Vegas' family 2. His humble beginnings in the game 3. His tricky path to the Tour 4. Playing against Tiger early in his career 5. How winning for a second time is different than the first 6. Why he's had so much success in Canada

Back again, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger recap the final major of the year from the PGA Championship. They talk Justin Thomas, Quail Hollow, Jordan Spieth, Kevin Kisner and share how it unfolded from a writer’s perspective.

Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger discuss Donald Trump's many ties to the golf world, his complicated relationship with it as president, and the recent Sports Illustrated story the explains what golf means to Trump. The discussion includes: How Trump called the White House a "dump" -- 3:10 Why he needs golf as a validation -- 9:00 What it's like playing golf with Trump -- 16:50 Trump's desire to control a Sports Illustrated story -- 21:30 Possible ties between Trump's courses and foreign financing -- 28:15 The role golf will play in post-presidency Trump -- 34:40 Trump's place in professional golf -- 38:52 If you could ask him one question... -- 44:40

Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger sit down in advance of the British Open to discuss their undying affection for links golf. Both writers have covered decades of Opens and probably spent just as much time traipsing linksland chasing their own golf balls. Topics discussed: 1:23 -- Why links golf is better 4:35 -- Playing jet-lag golf 7:37 -- The 1985 Open 10:55 -- Playing the Old Course alone, and in reverse 13:40 -- Walking St. Andrews with Tom Watson 17:20 -- The best courses in the rota 19:00 -- Jack Nicklaus and hotels 23:15 -- Tom Watson and the 2009 Open

The story of Seamus Golf, a golf headcover and handmade products company, begins with a beer bong of all things. A beer bong in Corvallis, Oregon on gameday between Oregon State and the University of Oregon. Megan Kenton convinced Akbar Chisti to do a beer bong, and though they barely knew each other at the time, they had a future in business together, as well as marriage. Both Megan and Akbar talked with Sean Zak recently about how they created a giant in the headcover business, and got the attention of every governing body in golf. This is a story of a startup company, but also a story of living freely with your present and your future, and stepping out on a limb with business decisions.

Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger are back to recap the U.S. Open and their careers covering the event. If you’re looking exclusively for a breakdown of the most recent major, well, you’ll be getting that and a whole lot more, including stories of U.S. Opens and Sports Illustrated from the 2010s, 2000s, 90s and 80s. Topics include: Why Erin Hills became the story of the event — 1:10 What should the U.S. Open be? — 9:00 How Bamberger caddied at his first Open — 17:30 Shipnuck’s first Open — 23:55 Bamberger 1999 flight alongside Fred Couples — 36:30 Senior writers being on TV — 42:15 How the Masters eclipsed the U.S. Open —47:18 Reporting the 2001 U.S. Open — 53:15 Reporting the 2010 British Open — 56:40 Reporting failure at the 2011 Masters — 58:35

The 1992 U.S. Open ended with Tom Kite winning his first and only major, but it began strangely with Andy Dillard setting a U.S. Open record that will almost certainly never be broken. As we came to find out in his fateful story, he needed that record more than anything else in his life.

The Dave Pelz you see in 2017 isn’t all that different from the Dave Pelz you would have seen in 1957. The golf fanatic was then playing on scholarship at Indiana University, and competing against Jack Nicklaus, no less, so to see where he is today—as a world renowned short game instructor—comes without surprise. The astonishing part is how he got there, because shortly after enrolling at Indiana, and losing to Nicklaus on a number of occasions, he realized he wasn’t Tour ready. His ascension to the top of the short game world—which includes advising Phil Mickelson, one of the greatest short game players of all-time—begins at NASA, and has to do mainly with physics, his major at IU. As you can tell by listening, he’s pretty good at telling the story. Topics include: 2:25 — Playing junior/college golf against Jack Nicklaus 7:30 — How a college golfer ended up working at NASA 11:10 — His introduction of the 60-degree wedge on Tour 21:45 — Phil Mickelson’s greatest short game shot 25:20 — His annual work with Mickelson 31:50 — His new green-reading project

Keegan Bradley took a circuitous route to the PGA Tour: down the ski slopes of the toughest mountains in the Northeast. With stops at St. John's and developmental tours, he splashed onto the scene in 2011 with a PGA Championship victory. Over the last couple of season Bradley has been battling to get back to that rarified air, playing through swing changes and the USGA’s anchoring ban. Alan Shipnuck caught up with him at the Players to talk about his unlikely journey, and where he goes from here. Topics: Playing with Phil Mickelson -- 1:10 PGA Tour money games -- 4:25 His relationship with Michael Jordan -- 5:45 The importance of golf shoes -- 9:10 The grind he's been on over the last few seasons -- 15:15 PGA Tour weddings -- 23:30 His first love (skiing) -- 28:00 The PGA Tour cliques in Florida -- 32:15 His dust up with Miguel Angel Jimenez -- 34:15 What he envies most about Dustin Johnson -- 37:02 His relationship with Jason Dufner -- 43:15

Tour caddie Kip Henley wasn't always a caddie. He was once an aspiring pro, until (in his words) he saw Jack Grout, Jack Nicklaus' famed coach. That's when his career as a golfer took the fateful turn. Since, Henley has made quite the career carrying bags and reading putts for a number of players on the PGA Tour, most recently Vijay Singh, whom he broke ties with just days after the recording of this podcast. You'll hear his thoughts on Vijay and much, much more. Topics: His failed Tour career -- 4:20 Why he began caddying -- 12:25 Caddying for Brian Gay -- 16:45 Are Tour caddies overpaid? -- 20:50 What works between player and caddie -- 26:33 The pettiness of certain caddies -- 31:00 The prevalence of cheating on Tour -- 34:07 How difficult it is to leave a player -- 38:20 Vijay's late-career abilities -- 41:43 His caddie dreams -- 45:10 How caddies make mistakes -- 48:06

Sean Foley is only 42 but he’s seen a heckuva lot in his career as a swing guru. His pupils have won a U.S. Open (Justin Rose) and now a Players (Si Woo Kim), but it is the man he took to number one (Tiger Woods) who made Foley famous. As you'll hear in this podcast with Alan Shipnuck, Foley is a philosophical thinker in his approach to teaching anyone around him. He's also a huge hip hop fanatic. Don't think so? Just ask him for his top 5. Here are just a few of the topics included: Hip hop music -- 1:42 His college experience -- 7:53 The roots of his teaching career -- 19:23 His time with Tiger Woods -- 27:10 How he works with young players -- 32:03 Why he can't watch live golf -- 38:32 Watching Justin Rose at the 2017 Masters -- 39:35 Why golfers practice incorrectly -- 56:40

Paul Casey might have the most infectious laugh on the PGA Tour, and just a few moments into this discussion with Alan Shipnuck, he shows it off. Casey and Shipnuck sat down at the Players Championship this week to discuss cars, cycling, his Ryder Cup status, how he views his career and much more. Topics: The Tour's FedEx sponsorship extension -- 2:10 Cars -- 4:15 Cycling -- 7:13 Stipulations of his Nike contract -- 12:10 Golfer injuries -- 13:30 His relationship with Peter Kostis -- 16:00 How he perceives his career -- 19:25 The Ryder Cup -- 26:35 The European Tour -- 31:50 His best Walker Cup memory -- 39:05

Danielle Kang lives a lavish life, and she'd even admit it, but she'll also be the first to tell you it takes a lot of hard work. Kang recently sat down with Alan Shipnuck to discuss every corner of her career and approach to competing on the LPGA Tour. The discussion goes as follows: Living in Las Vegas -- 4:00 Getting through struggles -- 6:40 Why golf is the family game -- 14:08 Her successful amateur career -- 24:40 Her relationship with Michelle Wie -- 33:45 Why she has a love-hate relationship with golf -- 35:47

The story of Arccos, a golf performance tracking company, begins in Pakistan of all places. That’s where Sal Syed, CEO and co-founder of the company, grew up. It’s where he first studied advanced mathematics and fell in love with golf. There are a number of steps between advanced mathematics in Pakistan and launching a golf app on iTunes in the United States with coworkers and plenty of champagne. Syed recently sat down with Sean Zak to tell the story of all those steps, how his company came together, how he brainstormed with buddies at Bandon Dunes. Syed also explained where his company is headed, and just how it plans to bring all kinds of golfers along with it. This is the story of Arccos and, more generally, a story about why you need to look into tracking your own golf performance like you never have before.

The 10-year LPGA vet joins Alan Shipnuck to discuss why he thinks she is the most versatile professional golfer in the world. Not versatile in the sense that she can do everything the game asks of her, but rather versatile in hobbies and skills. Yes, she has a budding music career, and is one of the most introspective golfers you'll meet, thanks to a commitment to meditation. Those are just two of the many examples they discuss.

Sports Illustrated Senior Writers Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger discuss the most recent Masters, how Shipnuck covered it for the print magazine version, and how they both view various aspects of writing. The discussion includes: 1:20 -- Watching Sergio finally win 5:50 -- The art of reporting at a major championship 11:30 -- Chasing offbeat stories 13:00 -- Covering Tom Watson 21:40 -- Writing for a magazine 31:15 -- The lineage of SI golf writers 41:05 -- Tiger Woods' relationship with media

Sean Zak and Jeff Ritter take you through the story of the 2017 Masters, from Monday's rainout to Sunday's final putt. You'll hear from numerous players along the way, including their many thoughts from each day, as they chased the green jacket.

Our apologies if you've listened to all the Masters preview podcasts out there this week, but here's another one. Jeff Ritter joins Sean Zak to discuss every storyline ahead of the 2017 Masters. That means DJ, Spieth, McIlroy, Mickelson and others.

LPGA veteran Jane Park jumped onto the scene 13 years ago winning the 2004 U.S. Amateur. She is unequivocally one of the most beloved players on the LPGA Tour. Ask players, media, fans, etc. She loves life as a professional. She also loves butts. It's a long story, so you'll just have to listen to get her explanation. Park recently sat down with Alan Shipnuck and discussed the following topics: 7:25 -- When a player dates a caddie 14:15 -- Life after golf 32:00 -- Her sushi obsession 39:35 -- Weird interactions with fans 48:35 -- Why she likes butts 58:25 -- Tiger Woods' new book 1:01:35 -- The best butts on the PGA Tour

It's that special time of year where the takes are the hottest. Here on the GOLF.com Podcast, we've assembled some of the hottest takes in the sport, from some of the most provocative voices in golf's online arena. This is the second annual Hot Take Podcast. Included are the voices of Chris Solomon and Tron Carter from NoLayingUp, Brendan Porath from SB Nation and Coleman McDowell from GOLF.com. Kyle Porter from CBS had a nuclear take that we'll have to share sometime in the future. The timing just wasn't right today. The fiery takes are outlined below: 1:03 -- Jordan Spieth will win the Masters by four, and another three green jackets in the future 10:22 -- Sergio Garcia's happiness is leading him to a backdoor major victory 16:55 -- Pro golfers shouldn't wear hats 18:30 -- Patrick Reed is bad for golf 25:10 -- Tiger Woods must rescind his 2000 PGA Championship victory 33:05 -- Dustin Johnson will be the GOAT Note: Don't take these takes TOO seriously. That being said, if Spieth or Garcia misses the cut at Augusta, please feel free to unleash the hate.

One of the most varied men in golf, Peter Jacobsen, joins the podcast for the second time to share some of his greatest memories of Arnold Palmer, the Ryder Cup and Tiger Woods. Jacobsen and Alan Shipnuck roll through all topics listed below. 1:50 -- When he played with 13-year-old Sam Saunders 5:45 -- When he first met Palmer 9:50 -- Why players should have shown up for the API 12:25 -- His Golden Tee venture 16:55 -- The 1985 Ryder Cup 26:55 -- Is he satisfied with his pro career? 29:40 -- Mike 'Fluff' Cowan 33:30 -- Tiger Woods

One of the most polarizing figures in golf, Ian Poulter, joins Alan Shipnuck from the Arnold Palmer Invitational to discuss everything from his Ryder Cup dominance to his social media squabbles, and even details on why he was forced to fold his apparel company. The 75-minute conversation includes the following topics and much, much more: 2:25 — The 2008 British Open 7:20 — His current form 9:45 — His new take on social media 12:30 — How verbal abuse affected his game last year 23:00 — His humble beginnings in golf 29:24 — The 2008 Ryder Cup 38:10 — Why he’s been burned by the media 43:05 — Opportunities he sees in business 45:20 — The 2012 Ryder Cup 51:00 — How he took over at Medinah 1:01:30 — The 2013 British Open 1:04:22 — Why he hits shanks more than most players 1:07:38 — One of his most embarrassing stories 1:11:10 — How Shotlink once screwed with his head 1:13:10 — When he accidentally tossed a ball into a hazard

Golf course management company KemperSports claims some of the most impressive courses in the world. We're talking Bandon Dunes, Streamsong, Sand Valley, etc. KemperSports president Josh Lesnik joins Coleman McDowell this week to discuss why he thinks now is the best time to be in golf course development. The conversation includes: 5:15 -- The creation of Bandon Dunes 9:35 -- Symmetry between Bandon and Sand Valley 15:15 -- What makes Sand Valley special 22:00 -- How to build a golf resort 27:40 -- Why now is the best time to build 31:30 -- The most powerful people in golf

Lydia Ko, the top-ranked female player in the world, joined Marika Washchyshyn this week to catch up with all the changes she has made in and around her game the last few months. The discussion includes: 10:45 -- How her game feels right now 12:35 -- Why she thinks Ariya Jutanugarn is her best competition 13:35 -- Why she made so much change in her offseason 14:30 -- The difficulties with changing coachs 18:00 -- What's different about her new swing 23:15 -- Why she'd be honored to play with President Trump 24:35 -- Last year's rally to earning a silver medal 26:45 -- Why being an Olympic medalist is special 30:10 -- Her decade-long goals as she turns 20 years old

The USGA and R&A have proposed a revamping of the Rules of Golf. More than 100 rules changes have been proposed, more than 30 of them being major rules changes. The staff at GOLF.com hosted a roundtable Wednesday morning to discuss what is great, what is lacking and what we're still unsure about with the proposal. The topics included are: 2:02 -- Dropping a ball 5:45 -- Pace of play changes 12:00 -- Accidentally moving your ball 14:30 -- Leaving the flagstick in the hole 17:30 -- The Dustin Johnson Rule 19:50 -- Fixing spike marks 23:20 -- Bunker rules 26:15 -- Equipment rules 29:25 -- Empowering the player

One of the top coaches in the game, Cam McCormick, joins the podcast this week to talk a number of things about teaching, the Masters and his top client, Jordan Spieth. McCormick and Sean Zak discuss the following topics: 0:55 -- His beginning in golf 2:45 -- Why he chose teaching 7:15 -- His relationship with Jordan Spieth 10:45 -- How he challenges Spieth 13:05 -- What he and Spieth worked on most this offseason 23:15 -- The keys to spotting potential 27:05 -- How coaches can improve pace of play 29:55 -- How Spieth should approach the Masters this year 32:50 -- What his Masters tune-up session with Spieth includes

Danny Willett joins Alan Shipnuck (in Dubai) to discuss his world away from golf. That includes his wife and newborn baby, his brothers and an easy-going life in Yorkshire. Shipnuck and Willett go in depth on the following topics: 2:45 -- Life in Yorkshire 3:50 -- The Yorkshire dialect 8:10 -- The Yorkshire bread debate 11:30 -- Why he hasn't dry cleaned his Masters green jacket 13:00 -- The details of his perfect day 16:00 -- His brother Pete's writing 19:40 -- How 2016 wore him out 21:45 -- His plans for the Masters Champions dinner

One of the best golf resorts in America is situated equidistant from Tampa and Orlando down in central Florida. It's called Streamsong. You may have heard of it. We had the pleasure of visiting the resort again and touring the highly anticipated Black Course, designed by Gil Hanse. We tell you all about that, the Blue Course, the Red Course and the rest of the Streamsong experience here. 5:00 -- Black Course 10:20 -- Blue Course 23:00 -- Red Course 33:50 -- 6-Hole Loops // The Roundabout

Zac Blair joins Alan Shipnuck to share the story of The Buck Club, a golf club he is creating in Utah. Over the course of 28 minutes, Blair touches on the following: What the Buck Club is (1:30) His architecture influence (4:46) Why signing a big name architect would be "a waste" (7:33) His epic long island golf birthday (11:49) When we'll see The Buck Club completed (16:00) His biggest gripe with courses (17:25) The most unusual request he's received (20:50) How the course got its name (26:40)

Phil Mickelson joins Alan Shipnuck on the GOLF.com Podcast to share stories from his career, lessons he has learned and even advice for approaching women. Seriously. Over the course of an hour, Shipnuck and Mickelson dive deep into a number of juicy topics, including: Why Phil needed offseason surgery (4:01) How Bones likes to use his yearly veto (17:05) The dumbest shot he ever played (18:18) His Tuesday money games (25:10) Why settling up bets quickly is vital (29:20) American Ryder Cup strategies (34:00) His relationship with Tiger Woods (39:32) Why golf is his therapeutic release (41:15) AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.

The Shark joins the podcast to discuss how he turned his golfing career into a successful life as an entrepreneur. We start with how he recognized he would become a brand (2:35) and ended with why he wants to invest in your sports business ideas. Everything else in between is located below. 6:30 -- When he knew his brand would become international. 7:25 -- Why he thinks his logo is sexy. 8:25 -- How the 2008 market collapse changed his company forever. 10:50 -- His favorite test for finding employees he would hire. 13:15 -- Why he wants to be 'a mile wide and an inch deep.' 18:35 -- How he's prepping his brand for 200 years from now. 20:00 -- Why golf course design is still his favorite business. 21:30 -- Why he feels ready to disrupt the golf industry.

Smylie Kaufman's coach and recently awarded Top 100 Golf Teacher Tony Ruggiero joins the podcast to discuss his work with the 25-year-old Tour winner. The conversation begins with a flash back to the 2016 Masters, where Kaufman played his way into the final pairing on Sunday, but faltered in his final 18 holes. Ruggiero believes that all great players need an experience "by fire" like Kaufman had that day. He shares stories about that Masters and more.

Chris Fallica, better known as 'The Bear' on College Gameday, joins us to talk about gambling on golf. The conversation includes a breakdown of Tiger Woods vs. the Field (12:08), why you need to bet on the longshots (17:55), and what you should look for in gambling on the Masters (22:06). Stay for Fallica's admission that while Tom Watson lost the 2009 British Open, he was holding a winning ticket (29:15).

Playing off the low-handicap is an antiquated (and most popular) form of match play. Spoiler alert: it may be unfair. Martin Puterman joins us to explain why playing match play that way puts the weaker player at a disadvantage. He also offers a multi-layered solution to make match play uniformly fair. For a summary of his findings, check out GOLF.com.

Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki is the greatest Japanese golfer of all-time. He's also likely the most mysterious golfer of all-time, at least in America. We travel back to 1998 with writer John Garrity to try and understand the golfer who: 1. Played professional baseball 2. Was often accused of cheating 3. Was allegedly linked to the Japanese mafia 4. Still competes today, at age 69.

As Tiger Woods returns to professional golf this week, we return to his 1996 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award. Woods won the award as a 20-year-old and legendary writer Gary Smith profiled Woods for SI. This week, we talk with Smith and Jeff Ritter about that article from 20 years ago, the influence of Woods' parents, and what it means for the Tiger Woods we'll see now and in the future.

World renowned golf course designer and architect Gil Hanse explains everything you didn't know about golf course design...at least as much as he could in 30 minutes. Hanse talks about the process of building a golf course from start to finish, the differences between restoring and renovating and how courses need to be designed with a player in mind. We also revisit the Olympic Golf Course in Brazil and how that project received incredible reviews from the Olympians themselves.

Recent Tour winner Pat Perez sounds off on his comeback from surgery, the absurdly long PGA Tour season, playing against Tiger Woods as an amateur, his beloved San Diego Chargers and much more.