The Shotgun Start

It’s Monday morning but there has never been a better time to put some Pep in your Step to start the week. Brendan is joined by Golf Digest’s Joel Beall to discuss, with great delight, the win of Peter Malnati at the Valspar Championship. They debate what it means for the “cutthroat” debate over players like Malnati in the rank and file and mule class trying to fight for their spots on the Tour and get a piece of the pie. Then they get to the runner-up Cam Young, who continues his bridesmaid role on the PGA Tour. Is this a thing now? Then they jump to Nelly Korda’s victory in California that propelled her back to No. 1 in the world and the lament that it was not pushed to a later slot after the Valspar. Joel shares some more insight on the meeting with Yasir in the Bahamas last week, as well as where the policy board sits these days on a desire to get a deal done with the PIF. They close with some more early Masters players and items to watch as the first men’s major draws nigh.

Shane Bacon joins Andy to rank their 7 favorites for the Masters. The episode starts with a discussion on the NCAA Tournament and if golf is missing the match play tournament. Then Andy and Shane rip through the latest news including Tiger playing the Masters and Angel Cabrera not.

Andy and Brendan are excited for the NCAA Tourney but first need to clean up some more Players thoughts before moving on to the new week and basketball. Then they get to Jon Rahm’s media call for the Masters, where he revealed his dinner menu to great interest and also discussed being unable to defend some of his titles this year on the PGA Tour. Did he sound wistful, regretful, or just matter-of-fact? They also hit on some big Epson Tour news before getting into the flight tracking of Yasir, Tiger, and others for the big summit in the Bahamas. Did this matter at all? Schedule of the week unveils a new segment called “Cutthroat Corner,” building off looking under the hood of the Merritt resume last week. This week, one J.B. Holmes is under the microscope.

The PGA Tour gets on the board this year with an outstanding Players Championship from start to finish. Brendan, still shaking off the cobwebs from the trip to Northern Ireland, is joined by Shane Bacon for this wide-ranging recap that begins with some Sunday parenting horror stories before getting into audacious Tiger-like comps for the back-to-back Players winner. The two discuss what impresses them most about Scottie Scheffler and if those in and around the game have undersold him and this run. Then they hand out grades for the handful of contenders, and non-contenders, as well as the coverage, course, Big Jay, and Johnson Wagner. It’s a tough grade for Xander and Rory. Then they close out the episode with some news and quote roulette on Rory discussing Yasir’s impending visit and meeting with the board, Peppy Peter on player control, and Jimmy Walker sounding off on a range of topics that left us puzzled.

Well, this wasn’t the best idea. Andy and Brendan record, or attempt to record, this Friday episode while driving on the wrong side of the road from Belfast out to the countryside. Apologies for any audio issues, rambling discussions, or distractions. But they begin with a few thoughts on their recent time in Northern Ireland and the incident of Andy getting “mugged off” with his final pint pour there. Then, after an evening of watching the Gold Standard, they discuss the obscene maintenance practices at TPC Sawgrass and the bumpers they’ve built up around so many of its menacing hazards. Then they get to the fabulous leaderboard the championship has after one round, but not without some controversy. They discuss “Dropgate,” Rory McIlroy’s drops at the 7th and 18th holes that became another “where it crossed” contretemps. In an otherwise sterling round, Rory is now in the crosshairs for the aggressive push and they ponder how this could all be avoided. Also discussed is the INSANE Johnson Wagner TV segment chucking balls into a pond bank trying to discern whether Rory’s ball hit above or below the red line. They close with some pushback on the Cantlay critiques and Troy Merritt trying to put Brendan in a blender.

Andy and Brendan record this Players Championship “preview” from the shore of Portrush in Northern Ireland and they have many questions about Jay Monahan’s state of the tour (and pro golf?) press conference at TPC Sawgrass. They wonder why everyone was so worked up about it and if he was as poor and bumbling as portrayed. They also discuss the lack of pop around this Players, and how only some of it relates to the loss of talent in the field and how this event cannot even begin to argue it approximates a major now. They also discuss the overseeded and soft conditions they’ve been informed of from the ground, and whether it’s fruitless to hope for anything else. The back half runs through some favorite tee times and not-so-favorite tee times, leading down the path of examining one player’s recent resume that sort of brings to light Rory McIlroy’s comments about a more “cutthroat” tour last week. Some one-and-done picks are made before they push off with an event of the week nominee they encountered in Northern Ireland.

Andy and Brendan record this from Portrush, where the driving on the wrong side of the road has improved … at least up until the point the car nearly went into the sea. Then they begin this episode with a Tosti Tale from the Puerto Rico Open, where there was a kerfuffle over where a ball might have crossed the hazard. Matteo Manassero is also given his flowers, per SGS custom. Then, at long last, they get to the No. 1 player in the world winning at Bay Hill. They discuss Scottie Scheffler’s putting improvements and outline why Bay Hill, while an abomination of a golf course, is perfect for his strengths. They also discuss the Wyndham Clark “cheating” / mashing uproar, Rory’s rollercoaster, and the rhetoric that the Tour needs to get more “cutthroat.” How would that work? LIV’s Hong Kong event is also covered with a focus on Anthony Kim’s impressive 65. Tiger not committing to The Players is covered in news. They have some thoughts on Brice Garnett, winner of the PR Open, and whether he is 4A or something else. Last but not least, they marvel at Hosung Choi making his Champions Tour debut at the Dump-in-a-Box Classic.

Andy and Brendan are together in Ireland, where they are taking in the news of yet another board announcement from the PGA Tour. But first, there’s an EPIC Ian Woosnam story they picked up on one of his Irish Open wins. Then it’s back to the less fun news of a board, for PGA Tour Enterprises, and it gives Jay Monahan another big title, as well as Tiger Woods. Does any of this shit matter anymore? Should we have any faith in this being an actual, final arrangement? We just had a “Framework Agreement” but that seems closer to death with each press release. Be skeptical of everything because the just keep announcing new things every month. Then they discuss LIV Hong Kong being at a 6700-yard course. They close with some Golf Advice on a piss bear situation and how best to spend a day at the Masters.

Andy and Brendan record this from an airport lounge phone booth before they depart for Northern Ireland, so it is somewhat “muted” compared to the normal SGS. But there is still plenty to laugh and holler about, starting with an amusing tidbit on the the Monday pro-am participants at Bay Hill getting non-participating minor leaguers despite ponying up a nice five-figure sum. Then they get to the news that LIV is withdrawing its OWGR application, and what that says about the league and the rankings. Are they illegitimate? Is everyone being a bad steward of the game right now? They also discuss Mike Weir’s comments that LIV players will not be on the International team for the Presidents Cup, a statement made on March 5th that feels like self-sabotage against the larger product. The schedule for the week hits on Bay Hill and the usual amusements at that annual stop, like par-3s of the same distance and screened-in porches. They close with a rousing game of In-Out-Alternate? for the opposite field event in Puerto Rico.

This Monday morning episode comes a little late after Andy was busy running a freaking marathon on Sunday. Did the Honda delay its finish just for that? Or was this another instance of the Tour screwing up and mismanaging the schedule? Speaking of management, there’s some great testimony from the front lines about Brendan’s Tour Championship Management concerns from last week. Then they get to LIV’s weekend in Jeddah, from Joaquin Niemann’s win and continued run of form to the Anthony Kim return. They ponder whether other LIV players and supporters are bothered by AK’s presence or just happy to have him and the eyeballs that might accompany him. Also, will the middling rounds and lack of birdies continue and how fast will that get old and lose interest. They hail LIV for its apparent dogged enforcement of slow play. The closing chat is on Paul Azinger sounding off on NBC’s cost cutting moves, his contract negotiations falling apart, and takes on Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour’s current state.

Wake up wake up wake up! It’s the first of the month! Andy and Brendan are downright bubbly with a double dose of cause for enthusiasm: a first of the month AND a Friday when it’s time to record! They whiparound this episode discussing Rory’s odd/facetious/threatening/all of the above comments about the Chubby mention of him potentially going to LIV. Then they discuss the woeful ratings for The Match and if that means anything about whether it was good. They discuss Anthony Kim’s big reveal, the lack of juice around it in Jeddah, expectations, and a Jordan-in-a-Wizards-jersey reference is made. Also, did the PGA Tour take control of the Onda Classic and make it completely soft in order to cater to players. Are they further delegitimizing their product and abandoning the event’s identity? The Bear Trap is dead. The Bear Trap is no more. Blame PGA Tour Championship Management. They close with a quick round of SGS Golf Advice on setting a quota for looking for a ball for your insufferably wild partner.

Andy is celebrating Victory Wednesday after his Ballfrog carried the day in The Match. They offer some initial takeaways on that event from The Park in West Palm, what worked, what didn’t, and what the Tour could learn from some of these lower stakes, personality-shining exhibitions. Also, the DJ Khaled tidal wave is discussed. Then they get to the hype video LIV released on Anthony Kim’s return to pro golf in Jeddah, before quickly diving off into Talor Gooch’s latest wild comment about putting an asterisk next to the Masters because it may not have every LIV player in its field. Whiparound Wednesday also focuses on Rory’s former agent suggesting he could go to LIV, Greg Norman texting Hideki, some new hospitality renderings for East Lake, and a trophy having to be abandoned at airport security. They close with a schedule for the week, make some one-and-done picks, and tell of some recent struggles at TSA.

Andy and Brendan are back for a Victory Monday edition of the podcast: claiming victories for the #GamblingPod getting back on track and for the passport problems moving toward a positive resolution. Then they get to the latest PGA Tour event, which pitted Jake Knapp against Sami Valimaki and a host of circus tricks created by the Vidanta venue. Was it so bad it’s good territory? They debate whether this should be called a PGA Tour event or something else and if it’s contradictory to be mad about “closed shops” and then also be down on this event. They have MAJOR questions about the S.H. Kim drop from earlier in the week that was not afforded to Valimaki on the 72nd hole when his ball was under a boundary fence. Knapp’s Mighty Ducks sponsorship derails the podcast with lengthy chats about which golfers are which character. They also discuss Patty T’s win on the LPGA, an Ortiz win in Oman, and the Magical Kenya Open getting a great story at the cut mark. News touches on Luke Donald now getting a turn in the NBC booth and reports of Anthony Kim making his debut this week with LIV Golf in Jeddah.

This Friday episode is in the running for dumbest SGS episode of all time, but hopefully it’s a bit of whimsy to get you to the weekend. Andy and Brendan discuss a pressing issue of an oversight that may blow up plans for an upcoming work/golf trip they have planned. They also get into Feedback Friday on the Tesla discourse and their attempt at a Star Tier system for pro golf. Then they get to the Charlie Woods pre-qualifier coverage both from official PGA Tour channels and the thirsty social media ecosystem. Andy has some real questions about why the Mexico Open needs to exist, while Brendan has some pushback on the proposals of an F1 model. They discuss the Pissbear getting a special exemption into the Masters alongside Joaquin Niemann and Ryo Hisatsune. There’s also a discovery of the Sun Day Red tagline, which devolves into the recitation of Varsity Blues lines. They close with some SGS Golf Advice that is primarily focused around the uses of Teslas in golf trips.

This Wednesday episode is promptly derailed by discussion of Tesla owners and the subject of e-bike fraudulence. Eventually, Andy and Brendan get to the schedule for the week, beginning with an awful field at the Mexico Open. They make some one-and-done picks and read some hilarious course descriptions about this Greg Norman signature design. There’s also bewilderment about Jim Bones Mackay getting the main chair in the continued NBC tower bake-off when he has no plans to go full time. The schedule for the week also covers a Champions Tour event in Morocco and a DP World Tour event in Kenya. Following Hideki’s win, they endeavor to rank the starpower in men’s pro golf, creating a handful of tiers and trying to understand the indent that LIV has made and where the PGA Tour’s strength still resides. They close with news of a change at Augusta National for the 2024 Masters.

The shed door makes its triumphant and unexpected return to this Monday episode, which begins with the strong Sunday finish at Riviera. Andy and Brendan discuss Hideki’s “all-time” final round 62 and how the PGA Tour needed a marquee winner after an underwhelming West Coast swing. They compare this year to last year’s start of the season, and it’s not great. There are a few theories bandied about on why. The nuts, bolts, and meaning of Hideki’s win, Zalatoris’s flash, and a couple house cat fades are also broken down in detail. Riviera is praised as usual, and Scheffler’s putting is critiqued as usual. They also hit on Jim Nantz popping back at rules call-ins and tweeters, and lament CBS’s departure from the broadcast until the Masters. They close with a news section on the Chubb Classic, David Puig, and a Myrtle Beach Classic (a new PGA Tour event) qualifying tourney for YouTube golfers to get a spot and a shot at a PGA Tour purse.

This Friday episode comes to you from a Santa Monica AirBnb after Andy and Brendan spent a full day out at Riviera chasing stars and mules alike. They discuss the thirstiest boy wedging his way into more camera time in what has become an annual Genesis tradition. They also discuss Tiger’s return to competitive PGA Tour golf and his ghastly shank at the end of his round. There’s appreciation for seeing some high level golf up close and personal again, but also questions about whether the PGA Tour is collectively in a grumpy state right now. Andy empties his notebook with some amusing details about parrots, the “Hovland line” at 15, and the Zalatoris comeback. They close with an SGS Golf Advice question on what’s permissible weight for a bag and what you need to cut out for the caddie’s sake. How many balls is the perfect number? Before they sign off, they chat about Brendan’s low Uber rating and reheat the Just-A-Guy debate.

Andy and Brendan are on site in Los Angeles this week and this Wednesday episode includes some preview scuttlebutt after a day out at Riviera. They begin with the early-week range scene, where one star was allegedly reticent to put a new driver in his bag. Then they get to Tiger’s season debut, which will be done in his brand new clothing line, and there is some reaction to that unveiling. There’s some SSG scuttlebutt after a John Henry sighting and some thoughts on the state of that deal. They discuss some initial course impressions, including two new greens and the potential softness for the coming weekend. News hits on further reaction to the Phoenix debauchery and some more Anthony Kim rumors about a potential ramp-up and return.

This Monday recording was hastily arranged during halftime of the Super Bowl so apologies for the rambling nature. Andy and Brendan begin with some great golf that probably no one watched to finish off a very stop-and-start Phoenix Open. They discuss Charley Hoffman nearly winning on a career money exemption and whether that’s proof of its usefulness or proof it absolutely needs to be abolished ASAP. Then they discuss all the social media clips of all the debauchery throughout the Phoenix Open grounds, not just on or around the 16th hole. Has the event become too drunk? Is there anything that can or should be done? Will the players demand it be toned down or is this just how it’s going to be and that needs to be OK? They discuss LIV Las Vegas and its stout leaderboard that maybe went unnoticed on Saturday afternoon.

It’s Friday! Here’s hoping you can get outside and enjoy some improving weather and listen to some easy tunes from revered artists like Dick Post. Andy and Brendan get to their plans for the weekend before hitting on all the latest golf news that has nothing to do with actual golf: Saudi threats of imprisonment and PGA Tour grants of equity. They ponder how this might all actually work in theory and in practice and if it starts to level the playing field at all for those who stayed and remained loyal to the PGA Tour. There’s also rumor of an “overrated” chant coming down from 16 toward one Jordan Spieth, which leads to a debate on who on LIV right now is better than him in OWGR or otherwise. News of Tiger’s return at Riv prompts a mini Flashback Friday to that one Phoenix Open he played, the one with the yips, with some context on just how BAD it got and how far he came after that. They close with some Golf Advice on an insufferable friend getting you access to great courses and another golf partner who you’d want nothing to do with if not for your wives’ friendship.

The weather has calmed a bit in Northern California, but things could be looking mucky for the influencer-palooza at the Phoenix Open. They begin with some clean up from Monday, where Pebble was called, Wyndham was declared the winner, and then he offered some candid quotes about weighing a LIV decision in the offseason. They ponder the current state of pro golf with these decisions and some of the payouts going to middling players for middling finishes. This is cause to discuss the hullabaloo around LIV’s ratings from Mayakoba: should we laugh at them or hat tip some of the jumps? Is it completely negligible against PGA Tour numbers? The schedule of the week hits on the Phoenix Open and its field after two more high profile WDs that have featured groups looking a little thin. Some one-and-done picks go chalk and off the beaten path to mix things up. They close with some more quotes from a PGA Tour star on if LIV players should be welcomed back without penalty.

With high winds repeatedly blowing open the shed door, and no golf on the PGA Tour, many wondered whether this Monday episode would exist. But it’s here, and Andy and Brendan discuss the PGA Tour’s weather mess at Pebble Beach, where Wyndham Clark shot a course record but no golf was played on the first football-free Sunday since August. They discuss Clark’s 60 under preferred lies and the off chance that it will be the last and final round for this edition of the Pebble Pro Am. With no PGA Tour golf, LIV had a pretty significant opportunity in its season opener and seemed to succeed in capturing the attention during a quiet sports Sunday. Did they play it perfectly? Is the product any better? Does it still feel purpose-less or do you care more now? They close with more on the disagreement between Rory and Spieth on future PIF deals and the unification of golf, with further comments coming out from McIlroy on the matter and an apparent power move of removing himself from a player group text. Is non-board member Rory hurting the process or does he have the right to speak out on his frustrations?

This beefy Friday episode begins with some amusements from Andy’s time at Pebble Beach, watching and betting on the hapless Ams trying to play the 17th hole in brutal winds. Eventually Brendan steers the ship onto the major news of the week, the PGA Tour’s announcement of a new company with $1.5 billion in investment from SSG and the impacts of a new for-profit entity with player equity. They have some amusing inside intel from Jay’s meeting with PGA Tour staff, the players Zoom call, and reaction from multiple sides both “celebrating” and ruminating on what this means for PIF involvement. That's the elephant in the room they discuss -- can players take the next step and now unify? They also discuss what this money will go towards and what these private equity sharks will expect. Rory McIlroy’s frustrated comments from earlier in the week are given a full rundown, and contrasted with Jordan Spieth’s press conference. There’s also reaction to LIV’s announcement about “every shot” coverage and the reasoning for Jon Rahm’s team being named Legion XIII as their season begins at Mayakoba.

This Wednesday episode begins with some Brendan positivity and a check-in from Andy in Pebble Beach, where he spent the day gathering #scuttlebutt. They discuss Jon Rahm’s debut with LegionXII(i) in LIV, his frame in the new uniforms, and an unsubstantiated rumor on his Carl Petterssen problem. They give their thoughts on Pebble getting that sweet Signature status, and Brendan has a follow-up to some of the field composition gripes. There are some critical one-and-done picks amidst further debates about Taylor Swift’s travel. They also discuss the recent, if any, developments on the PGA Tour’s progress toward a deal with the PIF. The notion of Anthony Kim being “overrated” is debated, as well as an update on if he’s really close to a comeback. The list of names on the new Player Advisory Council is also relayed before a sign off with sports minute.

Andy and Brendan get together in the middle of NFL conference championship Sunday to debrief on the weekend that was in golf. They bounce around on a variety of subjects both related and unrelated to golf, including the Ravens, Nelly Korda vs. Lydia Ko, the LPGA’s stringent Hall of Fame regulations, and more. Then on Torrey, they discuss the lumbering start to the PGA Tour season that now counts Mathieu Pavon among its winners. They discuss a troubling social media video of Pavon appearing to stomp around in the rough before hitting his shot-of-the-year style approach into 18 for the winning birdie. They also discuss the exemption roulette for Signature events, with some categories double dipping to keep two HUGE names out of the Pebble field for the Swing 5 category. The close is a mishmash of chatter on the Pissbear’s win, some swing teacher legends mad about the teacher rankings, their favorite 4A guys, and a new Masters ad without the music.

Andy and Brendan have left Orlando so they reconvene from separate coasts for this Friday edition of the Shotgun Start. They ramble around at the top about some PGA Show observations as well as Aldrich Potgieter’s big KFT win before jumping into the larger (but less burly) news item that Anthony Kim is planning a return to professional golf. It’s unclear where exactly that golf will be played, either LIV or the PGA Tour, but the return is predicated on a guaranteed payout upfront so they wonder how that might work on the PGA Tour. So will AK be coming to LIV? While they’re on LIV, they express some concern about many details seemingly up in the air with the season starting in about a week. Teams need to be filled and communication is scant. Also, there are some nuggets on the state of the deal, how far apart the PIF and PGA Tour might be, and whether Rahm went to LIV with the expectation that a union was much closer than it appears. Nick Dunlap’s announcement to turn pro is also covered, with some intel on the PGA Tour sweating a potential defection until the final minutes. They close with an SGS Golf Advice segment that tells the tale of another trip to the Golf Club of Lebanon, the infamous story from a prior Advice segment.

Andy and Brendan are together again in Orlando and they begin with some unsubstantiated rumors gleaned from their travels -- one about the TGL and another about a new TV show focused on golf. Then they get to some PGA Show expectations and anticipation before transitioning to the schedule for the week, which focuses on the Farmers, its field, and its future. This leads to another brief World Tour discussion and a drive-by of delusional Keith Pelley. There’s also excitement over the return of CBS. They also discuss news of The Match coming to The Park in West Palm Beach and including two LPGA stars -- what it means for golf and the series overall going to a public facility. They close with some questions about a new Champions Tour event that leads into an amusing caddie story about looping for a Bears legend.

What a weekend in professional golf! Andy and Brendan get together for their usual Monday episode recapping it all, starting with an amateur winning on the PGA Tour for the first time in 33 years. They discuss Nick Dunlap’s win at the American Express and if they were more surprised it happened or that it took this long. They also debate whether he should turn pro right now or play out his spring season with Alabama. Other AmEx recap subjects include JT’s performance and Brandel’s performance in the booth. There is also a hearty Thirst Bucket of the Week debate and a quick Tosti Tale. Then they get to Rory McIlroy’s win in Dubai and his longevity of elite performance and winning. They also contrast the DP World Tour presentation with the PGA Tour’s later in the day. They close with some thoughts on Lydia Ko’s win, the Alker boy, and the LAAC.

Andy and Brendan send you off to the weekend with a fun 50 minutes on … a wide range of subjects. They begin with some reaction to Zach Johnon jamming right in their faces with an opening round 10-under 62. Then they somehow get on the subject of the proper way to cut grilled cheese, parents who email the school too much, and Coco Gauff’s pasta endorsement. There’s more discussion on some Palm Springs matters, like Jon Rahm allegedly being in town and playing in some games, Nick Dunlap’s impressive showing, and Billy Boy mic’d up on PGA Tour Live. They also discuss Bernhard Langer announcing this year will be his last Masters and Fred Ridley saying Angel Cabrera will be welcomed back if he gets his visa. Some Pelley quotes about a “global tour” are also dissected and analyzed as fairly pushy on his strategic alliance. They close with a Golf Advice segment on a boss making an employee take his son out to his fancy club and a Bob Parsons speech at the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Vietnam.

Andy and Brendan fire it up for this Wednesday episode on the heels of a report in The Athletic that Yasir may face a lawsuit for some bad things he is alleged to have carried out on the instruction of Saudi Crown Prince MBS. Is this a golf and PGA Tour problem now and just the beginning of many? Also, it comes out while Jay Monahan is reportedly in Saudi Arabia trying to hammer out a deal. Andy and Brendan concede there is probably no choice now but how could this have gone differently than where we’re at with Yasir appearing to have an amount of control and authority. Then they rip through the schedule for the week, which includes many amusements and delights on the Amex in Palm Springs, the new “best teacher rankings,” Daniel Berger’s return, and “the best JT in the world.” They discuss more Rory comments about a world tour and a quick drive by of his on Kapalua, while Brendan delivers his own drive-by of an Antetokounmpo brother. They close with a Rahm rumored sighting, some questions on the LPGA at the start of its season, and make some one and done picks for the Champions Tour’s season opener.

Andy and Brendan are back for a very much *not* Victory Monday episode during the holiday in the States. They discuss the Browns blowout playoff loss, the Packers success, and the Bulls fans booing a widow. They eventually get to Grayson Murray’s win at the Sony, but not before first addressing a complete sham of a free drop given to Carl Yuan, who was in contention at the wire. Elsewhere on Sony, Grayson’s “redemption”, Ben An and Keegan’s finishes, and Will Zalatoris alarm are all discussed. Over in Dubai, they chat about Ken Weyand’s exemption and an all-time spread of 72 shots worse than first place. How did he get in the field? Should we feel bad for him? Rory booting away a season-opening win is also covered and if it means anything going forward. They close with news that Caleb Surratt seems like he’s going to LIV, Jay Monahan finally has a phone conversation with Yasir, and Webb Simpson delivers some wide-ranging thoughts on the state of negotiations and the PGA Tour board.

Andy and Brendan get one more unexpected recording together in the Swamp before departing for the week. They offer a few reactions from their time down in Florida, which included a pass by of the famed Abacoa. They transition to a Swamp denizen who is playing on the Euro Tour this week and may set a new record for the “the spread” in a no-cut Dubai event. Then they get to the many shake-ups at the executive level in pro golf, with Marty Sleeps leaving the R&A and Keith/Scott Pelley leaving the European Tour. This leads to great amusement over Pelley’s replacement being just a Guy, literally, capitalized. Do the changes have anything to do with a reshuffling of the world order in golf? They also discuss another tamer Phil interview in which he said multiple times he is too “divisive” to be a Ryder Cup captain, right now at least. They close with a round of SGS Golf advice questions on your clubs going over the cliff at Cabot Cliffs, if there’s PXG “type,” and what pampas grass in your yard might signal.

Andy and Brendan are happily reunited in the Jupiter swamp for this Wednesday episode and they have some reactions to their rental home’s putting green architect, as well as its robot toilets. Then they transition to the controversial field composition for this week’s Sony Open, the first “regular” event under the new/old schedule in the Signature Event era. Has the Tour completely bumbled it and screwed the rookies out of their debut? Should DP World Tour players be given priority over KFT grads? Or is this just a case of the Tour modernizing and getting leaner? They discuss this hot topic, make some one-and-done picks, and hit on a few things to watch at Waialae. Then they get to the DP World Tour, where Rory McIlroy had a lengthy response on what he sees for the future potential of pro golf and the possibilities of a world tour.

With Andy traveling, and Brendan scheduled to early Monday morning, this is a podcast recorded and completed on the run in some of the most dire circumstances in this podcast’s ramshackle history. A first attempt from the baggage claim in a swamp airport is scuttled and transferred to the rental car shuttle and eventually the rental car. Needless to say, they cover Chris Kirk’s win in Kapalua, Spieth’s final round of “bad breaks,” more low scores and 400-yard drives, and the Kevin Kisner experiment in the NBC booth. Then they get their hands on the itinerary for the much-maligned “rookie meeting” that had players flying to Honolulu on the eve of an event they could not get into, so they run through the full lineup of various sessions indoctrinating the rookies into the PGA Tour Way.

Andy and Brendan are back for their first Friday episode of the year and it’s a joyous scramble. They begin with what Andy terms as one of the funniest and bizarre articles he’s read and stumble around on a few random non-golf topics. Then it’s on to one of the best watches of the year: the first round, primetime golf from Kapalua. They react to some sponsorship shuffling on hats and feet, sadly with one Sepptic Tank. They discuss Scottie Scheffler’s opening round, Sahith Theegala’s early lead, and whether or not they missed Zinger. Also, what is going on with his replacement? Then they discuss Rory McIlroy’s comments on LIV and whether they were a “stunning U-turn” and the subsequent reactions from both Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman to them, with the latter appreciating Rory “falling on his sword.” They close it out with a few more over-unders for the 2024 season, with Brendan trying to put Andy in a blender on a few major predictions, LIV movements, and Bears props.

Andy and Brendan are back in 2024 and they’re starting a little worse for the wear but enthusiastic and encouraged for another year. They discuss some quick resolutions and the PGA Tour’s opening event at Kapalua, including a variety of Catnip subjects and a field that is not its strongest coming out of the gates. The Rahm-to-LIV impact is felt pretty quickly and they discuss this as well as some Mac Hughes comments on Tuesday in the press room. They also have some fun with the caddie revolving door and the notion of ranking the best golf teachers in America. They also run through the schedule for the week, including some concerns about NBC’s tower experiment, and make their long-awaited gambling picks. The back half of the podcast is their annual over-unders exercise with a mix of serious and semi-serious props for the coming year.

Andy and Brendan reconvene after the holidays to catch up on all they missed during the break and settle up with a few listener queries before the end of the year. They opened up the floor for SGS Golf Advice as well as an AMA on Twitter, so they bounce around on many subjects related to the podcast, golf, Tour golf, themselves, and golf courses past, present, and future.

Andy and Brendan are back for the finale of the Year in Review, picking up with the PGA Tour’s visit to Congress for a hearing on its “merger” with the PIF and going all the way through to the last low gross championship of the PGA Tour season. Before YiR, they begin quickly with some amusements from an article on recent LIV transactions, some Q-school thoughts, and a dispatch from the ground watching El Pato’s return to golf after getting out of jail. Then it’s another beefy Year in Review session, from the Senators getting off some insane questions to Tour execs to a wildly amusing British Open and into the Playoffs. 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 several weeks in multiple parts to be enjoyed at your convenience during the holiday season.

This monster episode wrangles with a perfect Browns-Bears mess of a game that Andy and Brendan wish they had attended in person. After debriefing on that for a bit, they move to the Catnip Carnival that was the PNC Championship and try to set up the higher stakes golf that will be Monday’s finish at Q-School. Then they discuss some reports of Geoff Ogilvy coming to NBC, as well as Kevin Kisner for a few events at the beginning of the year. Then it’s onto a marathon session for the Year in Review, where they take on the dramatic Canadian Open finish, a wild U.S. Open week in LA full of golf course takes and merger backlash, LIV’s trip to Europe, and a few more PGA Tour events that amused in the middle of majors season.

This Friday episode continues the Year in Review, which is in the throes of major championship summer. But in 2023, those majors took a backseat to the summer bombshell of a PGA Tour and LIV, or PIF, “merger” announced out of the blue on June 6 on CNBC. This portion of the Year in Review picks up post-PGA with the full onset of Mike Block mania taking over the entire sports world, another amusing Memorial week, and then the merger announcement, players meetings, Jay interviews, and immediate fallout in the week of the Canadian Open. Does what was being said that week reflect the year-end reality now? 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 several weeks in multiple parts to be enjoyed at your convenience during the holiday season.

Well, the mules have slowed Year in Review progress to a crawl. Brendan and Andy react to a letter from a law firm signed by 21 PGA Tour players from the “mule” category, or maybe something else, demanding to be heard and wanting transparency into the PGA Tour Policy Board’s process. They read down the list of names one by one trying to ascertain the motivation and success probability of this kicking and screaming. Then they also get into Tony Finau allegedly turning away from LIV to return to the PGA Tour, but the rumor hot stove just kicking back up in full force with a few other names. Q School finals are given event of the week with a few nuggets on its return. Then they get to the Year in Review Part 6, which is solely on the PGA Championship at Oak Hill and the arrival of Michael Block into our lives. It’s a wonderful trip down memory lane when time split in two, Before Blockie and After Blockie, as well the return of Brooks to the major winner’s circle.

It’s Victory Monday! Andy and Brendan delight in their teams’ Sunday success before looking ahead to the highly anticipated Bears-Browns clash this coming week. Then they get into the memo from the PGA Tour Policy Board announcing that they’ve singled out, unanimously, a funding partner in Strategic Sports Group, inclusive of Fenway, to proceed with in negotiations in conjunction with the PIF. They discuss what this might mean for the future of the Tour, where it stands now with Rahm gone, Cantlay allegedly having more power, and Jordan Spieth pushing back on that narrative. The second half is Part 5 of The 2023 Year in Review, picking up with Andy playing Augusta National, the RBC Heritage week, an amusing never-before-told Bob Parsons story, and closing out with the Byron Nelson.

This Friday episode begins with the slew of reports that Jon Rahm is leaving the PGA Tour to go to LIV. Andy and Brendan discuss this rampant rumor in recent weeks becoming more “official” and what might be motivating Rahm, in addition to the obvious financial carrots. They discuss the move within the context of the Framework Agreement negotiations, which are apparently being alpha’d by Patrick Cantlay and in a state of chaotic gridlock. Is the Rahm signing a “come to Yasir” moment during the Tour’s fiddling days? They also discuss the official rollback announcement, the Tour’s response to it, and the potential for the driver head being up next for more regulation at the elite level. Then the close it out with some amusing SGS Golf Advice to lighten the mood.

With a stomach bug raining hell down on one of their houses, and awful Comcast internet service shutting things down multiple times, the world continues to conspire against the progress of the 2023 Year in Review series. But Andy and Brendan cobbled this Wednesday episode together, beginning with some more follow-up on the USGA rollback announcement and the continuing momentum toward a Jon Rahm to LIV deal. Then they get to the Year in Review, hitting the first men’s major of the year, the Masters, won by … Jon Rahm. It’s a timely look back at some issues that are quite hot in the current week, with also many of the regular Year in Review amusements. 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 several weeks in multiple parts to be enjoyed at your convenience during the holiday season.

Whew, what a weekend from the golf content gods! Andy and Brendan come primed and ready for this Monday episode, beginning with the report in Golf Digest that the governing bodies are now considering a universal rollback of the golf ball as opposed to just a local rule for elite pros. They discuss the many player reactions to this news, from the hysterical quotes from some of the pros down at the Hero to Rory’s return to tweeting and Tiger’s reiterated takes. They discuss what the rollback might actually mean and where the USGA might have failed to control the release of this update over the weekend. Then they get to some of Tiger’s play in the Bahamas as well as the Collin Morikawa two-shot penalty that Matt Fitzpatrick called out to an official, who ticked off Morikawa by showing up “five minutes late” to their meeting. The continued rumors of Jon Rahm going to LIV are also covered, with the potential for that becoming a reality as soon as Monday? Will he be a Cleek? The back half discusses an anonymous memo to PGA Tour membership and some truly insane Chris Stroud comments about the players not having a voice or being taken care of on Tour.

It’s Friday! And the first of the month! And Brendan’s internet is absolutely awful. But Andy and he march on through the spotty connection to get to the weekend with some initial reactions on the first round of the Hero World Challenge. They discuss Tiger’s first 18 holes, Will Zalatoris’s new broomstick, Collin Morikawa learning how to sit down again, and Spieth’s potential “momentum” narrative taking root. Then they get to some more rumors that Jon Rahm may go to LIV, or may have a deal soon. They react to Jay Monahan’s comments at the CNBC summit as well and ponder more on where the Tour may be headed in this dark month of December. The field for the LIV qualifying event is also dissected in great detail with appreciation for many favorites and familiar names. They close it out with a Golf Advice on a boss potentially trading a trip to Pebble Beach for … a “Chicago-area” course.

Andy and Brendan pause the progress in the Year in Review for this “regular” Wednesday episode to celebrate the return of Tiger Woods at the Hero World Challenge. They discuss Tiger’s health and 2024 prognosis, which seems promising, and then transition to his less-than-promising update on Framework Agreement and PGA Tour investment negotiations. Why do things seem gridlocked and “murky” to use Tiger’s term? It does not sound like the year-end deadline will be met. Is this a matter of PGA Tour players simply unable to get over their colleagues who took the LIV bag and allow them back? Is LIV even in a better spot right now? This unplanned detour then whips back to an amusing article on JT’s gluten-free diet potentially being the cause of his tumble down the world rankings this year. They also hit on the schedule for the week and Paul McGinley taking Paul Azinger’s chair, at least for the time being.

Andy and Brendan are back from the Thanksgiving holiday weekend a little worse for the wear, but they jump right back into the annual favorite Year in Review series. After a few comments about current events, they dive back into the Swamp Swing starting at Bay Hill, where the details of the designated events structure came out and the mules revolted. This part also covers The Players, with some intriguing comments from Commissioner Jay and others debating the future of the tour structure. Also included is Valspar week, which occurred during the rollout of the USGA’s MLR rollback proposal and all the reaction that followed. They close with the swan song for the WGC Match Play. 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 several weeks in multiple parts to be enjoyed at your convenience during the holiday season.

Andy and Brendan recorded this prior to the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA, planning for primarily a Year in Review episode. But news and rumors intervened, so they discuss Jordan Spieth joining the PGA Tour board in Rory’s seat, rampant “rumors” of Jon Rahm going to LIV, and the schedule release for that LIV tour. Then they get to the 2023 Year in Review, Part 2, with some wildly entertaining nuggets from the dawn of the Designated events, the dawn of the 2023 LIV season in Mexico, and Tiger’s brief 2023 stay on Tour during Riviera.

Andy and Brendan are back for one their least favorite but also most enjoyable exercises of the year: it’s the SIXTH annual Year in Review! And they are maybe, kinda out ahead of it this time, although that could all change quickly if their pace of play slows to crawl. This first installment begins as always at the start of the year in Kapalua, where Collin consults with the Chip Monk and new armada of coaches. It runs from that first event through the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and features a handful of delights and amusements you may remember but likely forgot from the always eventful start of the year swing. 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 several weeks in multiple parts to be enjoyed at your convenience during the holiday season.