Skip to main content
The Golfer's Journal Podcast

The Golfer's Journal Podcast

By The Golfer's Journal

Join Tom Coyne as he travels around the country interviewing the most interesting people in golf.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Episode 130: Still Chasing Scratch

The Golfer's Journal PodcastMar 01, 2023

00:00
01:24:25
Episode 159: Ben & Charlie Go To Branson

Episode 159: Ben & Charlie Go To Branson

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: ⁠https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT⁠ The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.


The unlikeliest adventure in TGJ No. 27 saw Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ben Rector and The Atlantic writer Charlie Warzel travel to Branson, Missouri, for three days of golf, rodeo theater, and tire-sized pancakes. Now they’re back to break it all down. Join Ben and Charlie as they relive their exploration of “Ned Flanders’ Vegas,” shining equal light on the brilliance of Coore+Crenshaw’s Ozarks National and a breakfast variety show that Rector says was “better than it had any right to be.” Fun is still king on the Ozark Plateau, and as you’ll hear, it’s the earnest pursuit of this uncomplicated goal that unlocks Branson’s magic.


Charlie Warzel: https://twitter.com/cwarzel

Ben Rector: https://www.benrectormusic.com/

Mar 14, 202401:01:04
Episode 158: Full-er Swing

Episode 158: Full-er Swing

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

What was it like to be there when Keegan Bradley got the Ryder Cup news? What were players saying behind closed doors after the June 6th announcement? What was really going on in the Ryder Cup team rooms? Executive producer Chad Mumm returns to The Golfer’s Journal podcast to preview the drama and storylines from the upcoming season of the Netflix hit series, “Full Swing.” 


In this episode, Mumm joins host Tom Coyne to discuss the unexpected success of Full Swing season 1 and the reaction from players, fans, and critics. Season 2 was quickly greenlit and Mumm and his team were back on the fairways, but this time on a far bigger scale. With the Ryder Cup looming and Captain’s picks to be made, Full Swing goes international this season with a new narrative approach.  Want more insights and longer storylines that carry from one episode to the next? It sounds like season 2 is set to deliver. Want to see more of Brooks Koepka? You won’t, and Mumm explains why.


In this conversation about life inside the ropes, Mumm tells us not just what to watch for, but describes what it’s like for a golf junkie to live alongside the world’s best players, capturing their every move and emotion as one of the wildest years in pro golf history unfolds.


Mar 02, 202447:07
Episode 157: Who Is Stephen Malbon?

Episode 157: Who Is Stephen Malbon?

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist You might have noticed that Jason Day looks a little different these days. That's thanks in large part to Stephen Malbon's booming lifestyle and apparel company. Based in Southern California, Malbon Golf has unflinchingly merged the cultures of skate, surf, snowboard and hip hop into golf style. He recently sat down in L.A. with TGJ's Casey Bannon to discuss how re-connecting with the game changed his life, misconceptions about him in the golf industry, what he thinks of Tiger's new look and the crucial difference between baggy pants and straight-leg chinos. 

Casey Bannon: https://www.instagram.com/caseyfbannon/ Malbon Golf: https://malbongolf.com/

Feb 29, 202401:00:12
Episode 156: Golf’s Earnings Report

Episode 156: Golf’s Earnings Report

Is golf in a bubble or a sustained boom? Are lighted par-3 courses a fad or the future of new course builds? Who is playing simulator and indoor golf? And what impact can golf resorts have on the communities and economies around them? Jared Doerfler covers the business of golf in his weekly Perfect Putt Substack newsletter and joins Tom Coyne to unpack some of the more surprising emerging trends in the game today.


Explore TGJ No. 27: https://glfrsj.nl/27


The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT⁠⁠


The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist. 

Feb 15, 202401:03:23
Episode 155: The Science of Speed
Feb 02, 202401:23:17
Episode 154: Drew Holcomb’s Wonderful World of Golf

Episode 154: Drew Holcomb’s Wonderful World of Golf

Watch ⁠Local Rules: Nashville featuring Drew Holcomb here.⁠


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


The Golfer's Journal podcast is presented by Titleist


Jan 21, 202459:50
2024 Broken Tee Society Events Calendar Reveal

2024 Broken Tee Society Events Calendar Reveal

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


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


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

Jan 10, 202401:06:51
Episode 153: Smylie Kaufman's Second Act
Jan 04, 202455:12
Episode 152: Mike Whan Addresses the Rollback Debate
Dec 19, 202358:53
Mind Game 08: Kelly Slater, What Greatness Requires

Mind Game 08: Kelly Slater, What Greatness Requires

A 30-plus year career at the highest level of surfing, 11 world titles, and an incalculable impact on his sport and beyond: A case can be made that nobody has ever been more dominant at their sport than Kelly Slater. Another could be made that he is one of the best pro athletes-turned-golfers on the planet. Slater joins Mind Game to discuss his path to greatness, communicating with the ocean, structure vs. creativity, performing under pressure, what’s driving him to still compete, his love for Moe Norman and the time he played 18 holes between heats.


Mind Game and The Golfer's Journal are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Dec 14, 202301:26:43
Episode 151: Michael Wolf on Seth Raynor

Episode 151: Michael Wolf on Seth Raynor

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


Michael Wolf wrote the book on Seth Raynor—literally. Wolf, also known by his X handle @BamaBearcat, joins host Tom Coyne fresh off the publication of his new book The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor, which profiles one of the titans of early American golf architecture. They dig deep into how Raynor transitioned from a golf-agnostic engineer to a household name, the golfing public’s misguided views on template holes, Raynor’s proposals for second courses at Fishers Island and Mid Ocean Club (among others), and much more. If the mere mention of a Biarritz green complex fires your golfing brain, this episode is for you.


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

Dec 07, 202301:08:18
Mind Game 07: Massimo Pigliucci, Play Stoic Golf

Mind Game 07: Massimo Pigliucci, Play Stoic Golf

Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman emperor, once wrote: “You shouldn’t give circumstances the power to rouse anger, for they don’t care at all.” It’s doubtful Aurelius ever landed a perfect pitch on the downslope of the collar only to watch it rocket 40 feet past the pin, but his philosophy for life does apply to golf. Few today are more qualified to speak on Stoicism than Massimo Pigliucci. He is a professor of philosophy at the City College of New York and the best-selling author of several books, including How to Be a Stoic. He joins us on Mind Game to give a crash course in how stoicism could help you play the best golf of your life.


Mind Game and The Golfer's Journal are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Nov 30, 202301:01:50
Episode 150: Padraig Harrington's Perspective

Episode 150: Padraig Harrington's Perspective

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


Padraig Harrington will be the first to tell you that he wasn’t destined for golf stardom. In fact, he’ll be the first to tell you a lot of things. Like how to pronounce his first name (“Pour-ig”), what separates elite professional golfers from the rank-and-file, and why your on-course goals need more oomph. In this wide-ranging discussion, Harrington and host Tom Coyne dig into the three fundamentals that every golfer should know, unearth the secret to solving Tom’s early extension, and, of course, engage in some Irish links golf chatter.


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

Nov 16, 202301:12:41
Mind Game 06: Jason Kuhn, The Navy SEAL Way

Mind Game 06: Jason Kuhn, The Navy SEAL Way

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by member support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


A case of the throwing yips ended Jason Kuhn’s promising baseball career. He pivoted and became a decorated Navy SEAL operator and sniper. In his post-Special Forces career, he’s turned his training into a bulletproof mental system that has led Lucas Glover back into the winner’s circle, Atlanta Braves pitcher Tyler Matsek to a World Series save and other teams of all kinds to winning the SEAL way. And now he’s sharing his system with Mind Game.

Nov 09, 202301:33:30
Episode 149: On the Record with Amanda Renner

Episode 149: On the Record with Amanda Renner

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


With thoughtful questions and a knack for reading the room, Amanda Renner’s (formerly Amanda Balionis) post-round interviews have become something of a CBS broadcast weekend tradition. Now it’s her turn in the chair as Tom Coyne gets the inside story with Renner on asking tough questions (like interviewing Tiger Woods following Kobe Bryant’s passing), her dream of becoming a sideline NFL reporter (which came true), the thing that saved her life (yoga), and her foundation that pairs puppies with veterans (let dogs on the course!).


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist

Nov 02, 202356:19
Mind Game 05: Joshua Medcalf, Chop Wood Carry Water

Mind Game 05: Joshua Medcalf, Chop Wood Carry Water

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


“Everyone wants to be great, until it’s time to do what greatness requires.” Joshua Medcalf has made a career by turning the path to greatness into best-selling stories. The sports psychologist, author and scratch golfer joins Mind Game to discuss what greatness actually requires, the benefits of being uncomfortable, how he went from a 15 handicap to a +3 in a few short years, and what it means to chop wood and carry water. 

Oct 25, 202302:18:01
Episode 148: At Home with Keith Mitchell
Oct 19, 202301:07:02
Mind Game 04: Julie Elion, Building Self-Belief

Mind Game 04: Julie Elion, Building Self-Belief

The Golfer's Journal and this podcast is reader-supported. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


Julie Elion’s nickname on Tour is “Stealth,” because the most in-demand psychologist in in the game doesn’t disclose her clients or grant many interviews—until now. Wyndham Clark, Max Homa (above) and Justin Thomas have all revealed they are working with Elion on their mindset using her holistic, goal-driven approach to building self-belief. Just a day removed from working with all three at the Ryder Cup, Elion joined Mind Game to discuss her incredible 25-year career, why her system works and what she was thinking when Max Homa stood over that now-famous 7-footer. 


Casey Bannon: https://twitter.com/CaseyFBannon

Julie Elion: https://www.capeperformance.com/

Oct 12, 202301:12:39
Episode 147: Sean Foley's Philosophy

Episode 147: Sean Foley's Philosophy

If you prefer that your golf instructors stick to sports, steer clear of Sean Foley. The longtime mentor to Tiger Woods and Justin Rose is an inveterate seeker, drawn as much to the neuroscience behind how we learn as the ideal position at the top of the backswing. Foley sits down with host Tom Coyne for a wide-ranging discussion on performance and purpose, fear and success, perspective and, yes, even love. If all that leaves you asking, "Why?"—to Foley, that's the whole point.


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist and made possible by member support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Oct 06, 202301:09:37
Mind Game 03: Sahil Bloom, Take Daily Action

Mind Game 03: Sahil Bloom, Take Daily Action

Focus on one big goal at a time. Say no more than you say yes. Be more productive by being less busy. Sahil Bloom is a writer, entrepreneur and creator who inspires millions daily with bite-sized nuggets of wisdom and life hacks. He joins Mind Game to give his playbook on time management, the benefits of imposter syndrome, making one good decision at a time, choosing a side quest and prioritizing the things that matter. If you’re struggling to find ways to attack your Index Experiment goals, this conversation is for you.


Casey Bannon: https://twitter.com/CaseyFBannon

Sahil Bloom: https://twitter.com/SahilBloom


This podcast is 100% member-supported thanks to the Broken Tee Society. If you liked this episode, please consider becoming a member of The Golfer's Journal here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT

Sep 26, 202301:04:11
Episode 146: Ryder Cup Preview

Episode 146: Ryder Cup Preview

Few golf writers know the Ryder Cup like Shane Ryan. Since his book, The Cup They Couldn’t Lose: America, The Ryder Cup, and the Long Road to Whistling Straits, he’s only increased his exhaustive reporting of the biennial event’s origins and history. On this week’s TGJ Podcast, he and host Tom Coyne discuss the best and worst captains, the formation of the pod system, bad blood and preview next week’s showdown in Rome.


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist and made possible by member support.

Sep 20, 202358:52
Mind Game 02: Kyle Allen, Have a Plan

Mind Game 02: Kyle Allen, Have a Plan

Since the Super Bowl era began in 1967, only 800 men have started an NFL game at quarterback. Kyle Allen is in that elite club. He joins host Casey Bannon on this week's episode of Mind Game to discuss the physical, mental, emotional and leadership skills required to play the most coveted and challenging position in professional sports.


This podcast is 100% reader supported thanks to the Broken Tee Society. Become a member here: https://www.golfersjournal.com/product-category/subscriptions/


This series is part of The Index Experiment: https://www.golfersjournal.com/index-experiment/


Casey Bannon: https://www.instagram.com/caseyfbannon/

Kyle Allen: https://www.instagram.com/kyle_allen/

Sep 13, 202301:32:03
Episode 145: The Valentine Legacy

Episode 145: The Valentine Legacy

As a kid, Tom Valentine called Merion Golf Club “the family farm.” His grandfather tended the greens there for 52 years, and his father followed suit for another 27. Tom took a different approach, opting to leave the "farm" to develop newer and more efficient ways to care for courses. That's taken him across the golf world, but his heart still belongs to Merion. Dig in learn more about our playing surfaces, an encounter with Albert Einstein, and a secret modification to Merion's famed 11th green. 

Sep 09, 202359:50
Mind Game 01: Dr. Mark Lowry, Concentration, Confidence and Commitment

Mind Game 01: Dr. Mark Lowry, Concentration, Confidence and Commitment

The brain processes roughly 70,000 thoughts per day. With 100 billion neurons connected nearly 500 trillion different ways, it’s without question the most important club in your bag. So as we continue The Index Experiment, it’s vital to examine the mind’s role in playing better golf. In this new podcast series, we’ll hear from high performers, academics and experts across a wide range of disciplines, all offering mental models, hacks and insights to help in your search for improvement. 


On the first installment of this new TGJ Podcast series, host Casey Bannon speaks with Dr. Mark Lowry—a clinical psychologist who began his career in the Army where he evaluated, assessed and coached elite special operations aviators. In this fascinating conversation we learn about Lowry’s work with top CEOs to Olympians, where his “three C’s” method produces mind-bending results. 


This podcast is 100% reader-supported thanks to the Broken Tee Society. Become a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT


Casey Bannon: https://twitter.com/CaseyFBannon

Dr. Mark Lowry: https://thewinningmind.com/

Aug 30, 202301:37:28
Episode 144: Billy Walters Tells All

Episode 144: Billy Walters Tells All

You might have heard that gambling legend Billy Walters is releasing a book, and that Phil Mickelson is prominently involved. But have you heard the rest of the story? The one in which Walters is raised in the pool halls of rural Kentucky, rises to legitimate business power on the Las Vegas Strip and uses his time in prison to do some good for other inmates? Walters joins host Tom Coyne to chat about Phil, the $100 million in losses, that $400,000 Ryder Cup wager and the two-year sentence Walters claims Mickelson could have prevented had he testified. But you’ll also hear the rest of a remarkable golf life.

Aug 18, 202301:09:46
Episode 143: Gary Williams Has Stories to Tell

Episode 143: Gary Williams Has Stories to Tell

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is made possibly by member support .If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here.

As host of Golf Channel’s Morning Drive from 2011 until its final episode in December 2020, Gary Williams cemented his place as one of golf’s most recognizable voices. He joins host Tom Coyne to take stock of a golf life spanning from Ridgewood to Wyoming to Seminole and beyond. Williams talks candidly about his sobriety, and shares hilarious stories about interning for Senator Joe Biden and an unforgettable flight aboard Air Bear with Jack and Arnold.


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Jul 28, 202301:09:18
Re-Teed: 2017 Open Championship

Re-Teed: 2017 Open Championship

Welcome back to Re-Teed—the show that relieves some of golf’s most memorable tournaments. This time around, Editor Travis Hill reminisces on the chaos that was the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale which, for him, included birthday cake shots, Wrigley Field and life-changing news. For Jordan Spieth, it included one of the strangest rulings in golf history and some demon slaying down the stretch. We re-tee it all on this episode, plus Travis catches up with friend-of-the-program D.J. Piehowski in an attempt to fully understand what happens on "Spieth Island."

Jul 15, 202341:23
Episode 141: An Insider's Look at Liverpool
Jul 08, 202301:10:31
Episode 140: A Course Called Home

Episode 140: A Course Called Home

The Golfer's Journal is made possible by member support. If you'd like to support the show, please consider becoming a member.


What’s left after playing and writing your way through Ireland, Scotland and America? For TGJ Senior Editor Tom Coyne, it's settling down and falling in love with a golf course that needs some. Alongside his new superintendent Shaun Smith, Tom details how he became the owner of Sullivan County Golf Club in Liberty, NY, how they’re turning it around, and how it all ties into his next book, A Course Called Home.


Learn more about how you can support Sullivan County Golf Club here.


The Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist, the #1 ball in golf.

Jun 26, 202359:13
Episode 139: LACC for Normal People

Episode 139: LACC for Normal People

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is made possible by member support. If you'd like to support the show, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/Memberships

Geoff Shackelford has written extensively on golf course architecture throughout the years and has consulted for Los Angeles Country Club on course modifications, making him the ideal guest for 2023 U.S. Open week. Shackelford joins Tom Coyne for a candid chat on his new book, Golf Course Architecture for Normal People, how to take GCA seriously without being a snob, and what to expect when the world's best take on LACC. 


Geoff Shackelford: https://www.geoffshackelford.com/

Tom Coyne: https://www.tomcoyne.com/


Jun 13, 202301:09:21
Episode 138: David McLay-Kidd Is Busy
May 30, 202301:03:51
Episode 137: Cameron McCormick Wants to Change Your Mind
May 16, 202341:20
Episode 136: Lou Stagner's Numbers Never Lie

Episode 136: Lou Stagner's Numbers Never Lie

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is made possible by member support. If you'd like to support the show, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/Memberships

Lou Stagner never intended to become the golf data guy. But with a degree in analytics and a spreadsheet that’s tracked every single one of his shots since the 1990s, he’s uniquely qualified for it. The prolific tweeter joins Tom Coyne to discuss why not all 10 handicaps are equal, why more birdies is a bad strategy, the importance of keeping your stats and plenty more number nerdiness.

Tom Coyne: https://twitter.com/coynewriter Lou Stagner: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

The Golfer's Journal podcast is presented by Titleist

Apr 26, 202301:07:04
Episode 135: The Philosopher and the GOAT

Episode 135: The Philosopher and the GOAT

The Golfer's Journal Podcast is made possible by Member support. If you'd like to support the show, please consider becoming a TGJ Member: https://glfrsj.nl/Memberships

Bernard Darwin didn't invent golf writing. But as TGJ contributor and philosophy professor Matt Chominski tells us, he was the first to prove it could be a career. Chominski and host Tom Coyne are your guides through Darwin's singular golf life, with timeless tales about Pine Valley, Bobby Jones, the inaugural Walker Cup, and his famed grandfather Charles (yes, that one).

Apr 16, 202301:00:16
Episode 134: Handicapping The Masters

Episode 134: Handicapping The Masters

After an award-winning career as a PGA teaching professional, Keith Stewart is going all in on something more high stakes: betting on golf. The founder of readtheline.com joins host Tom Coyne to unpack what makes golf such an attractive sport to wager on, his rigorous process for making picks, the pros and cons of sports gambling and all the factors that make The Masters one of the most-bet weeks of the year.


Apr 03, 202301:11:53
Episode 133: Short Game Chef's Secrets
Mar 22, 202301:00:37
Episode 132: Harry Higgs Has Opinions

Episode 132: Harry Higgs Has Opinions

Harry Higgs would like you to know that these are his opinions, and his alone. The PGA Tour veteran joins the pod to give his unfiltered thoughts on the USGA and R&A’s recent distance ruling, criticism from “Twitter warriors,” designated and no-cut events, LIV Golf, the emotional work he’s been doing to play better golf and much more.

Mar 16, 202301:40:50
Episode 131: JJ Redick Gets Hot

Episode 131: JJ Redick Gets Hot

You’ve watched JJ Redick knock down three-pointers since his freshman year at Duke two decades ago. These days, when the 15-year NBA vet isn’t talking hoops on your TV, he’s likely grinding over his short game.

The legendary sniper joins host Tom Coyne to discuss how he’s redirecting his competitive fire into golf. He also nerds out on club logos, ponders the art inherent in golf course architecture, compares swing thoughts to shooting thoughts and fires off a truly NSFW Greg Norman take.


Tom Coyne: https://twitter.com/coynewriter

JJ Redick: https://twitter.com/jj_redick

Casey Bannon: https://twitter.com/CaseyFBannon

Mar 13, 202301:08:58
Episode 130: Still Chasing Scratch

Episode 130: Still Chasing Scratch

Five years after they first started recording their quest to a 0.0, Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch are still doing exactly that. The co-hosts of golf’s favorite game improvement buddy podcast join host Tom Coyneto to unpack their up-and-down journey to this point, and help our audience avoid any pitfalls along the path of better. For example: Are training aids a scam? Is speed necessary? How many wedges do you actually need to hit to get better?

This lively back-and-forth includes a live Q&A with Broken Tee Society members participating in The Index Experiment, and will have you itching to rededicate yourself to the grind.

Mar 01, 202301:24:25
Episode 129: Getting Practical with Jon Sherman

Episode 129: Getting Practical with Jon Sherman

Should I attack this pin or play it safe? How do I move on from a bad shot? How do I get better during the offseason? For the answers to these and many other questions from Broken Tee Society members participating in The Index Experiment, we turn to Practical Golf’s Jon Sherman.

As a self described "player coach," Sherman is less concerned with your swing than he is with what you do before, between and after them. He joins host Tom Coyne to answer questions submitted from within the members-only Discord server, and covers everything from course strategy to managing expectations to the surprising utility of foot spray.

Feb 25, 202301:02:59
Episode 128: Welcome to Golf's Youtube Era

Episode 128: Welcome to Golf's Youtube Era

Charlie Warzel writes about technology’s effect on culture, people and ideas for The Atlantic. This makes him the perfect person to ask the question: Why are we all addicted to watching the Trents and Big Randys of the world play golf on YouTube?

Warzel consumed “a weapons-grade amount of YouTube golf” for his story in TGJ No. 23, and joins the podcast to unpack it all with Tom Coyne. They also discuss the future of AI and writing, the work-from-home movement, Warzel’s Index Experiment goals, and characters he’s befriended through covering golf.

Feb 18, 202301:08:14
Episode 127: Paper Tiger

Episode 127: Paper Tiger

Nearly 20 years ago, TGJ Senior Editor Tom Coyne put life on hold, moved to Florida and dumped everything he had into chasing his dream of playing pro golf. He chronicled his journey in the NYT best-selling book Paper Tiger, and recently sat down with TGJ contributor Matt Chominski to reflect on what he learned whilst doing so.

Feb 08, 202301:37:14
Episode 126: Inside Netflix's Full Swing

Episode 126: Inside Netflix's Full Swing

This February, pro golf will receive the F1 treatment thanks to Full Swing: an eight-part Netflix docuseries showcasing what life as a pro golfer was really like in 2022. Vox Media's Chad Mumm—a Broken Tee Society member known to pop into our Discord server—is the man behind it all. He joins Tom Coyne on TGJ Podcast 126 to give a behind-the-scenes look at making the show, the process behind getting access to players, and why fans have a certain multi-major champion all wrong. 

Jan 26, 202352:48
Episode 125: What's Up with Crystal Downs?

Episode 125: What's Up with Crystal Downs?

Mike DeVries has learned from the best. The Michigan native first picked up the game at Crystal Downs, trained under Tom Doak and worked for Tom Fazio. He's since made a name for himself by designing celebrated modern courses like Kingsley Club, Cape Wickham and Greywalls to name a few.

On TGJ Podcast 125, DeVries joins host Tom Coyne from the site of his next project in Tasmania to speak to what makes for "engaging" golf," his personal top five and why, for him, everything comes back to Crystal Downs. 

Jan 14, 202301:33:41
Episode 124: On the Road with Bill Murray

Episode 124: On the Road with Bill Murray

It’s not easy to pin down Bill Murray, but one way to do so, as podcast host Tom Coyne learned, is to ride shotgun with him across Georgia. In this candid conversation from the midst of a golf road trip to Ohoopee Match Club, the two discuss what they love about golf, where they love to play it, and with whom. It’s Bill Murray as you haven’t heard him before–not the movie star but your pilot across the low country, both of you late for a tee time.

Dec 29, 202201:24:45
Episode 123: The Many Shades of Andrew Green

Episode 123: The Many Shades of Andrew Green

Andrew Green has become one of the hottest names in golf course architecture thanks to his renovation work at Inverness, Congressional, Oak Hill, Scioto, Wannamoisett and many other golden age classics in need of a refresh. But does he want to build something from scratch? He joins Tom Coyne on the TGJ Podcast to discuss his passion for history, his start in golf course design, love for his job and why William Flynn is his spirit animal. 

Dec 19, 202252:01
Episode 122: The Man Who Hacked Putting

Episode 122: The Man Who Hacked Putting

In 2004, software developer Mark Sweeney was fed up with missing putts. So he dedicated two years of his life to creating a system that delivers perfect reads. He called it AimPoint. 

You’ve seen players from Keegan Bradley to Lydia Ko to Adam Scott straddle their line and read their break in finger-widths. Now, hear from the inventor of this peculiar but effective strategy, as Sweeney and host Tom Coyne dig into this method that took 100,000 lines of code to get right. Along the way, you’ll learn how Golf Channel’s virtual putting line came to be, how a group of third graders helped unlock an AimPoint mystery, and why you might already be a much better putter than you think.

Dec 08, 202201:01:34
Episode 121: But My Friends Call Me Randy

Episode 121: But My Friends Call Me Randy

Tron doesn’t hold back on Twitter. Soly shared his No Laying Up origin story in #7, and DJ’s byline is a regular in The Golfer’s Journal. But what about the member of No Laying Up whose presence, quite literally, overshadows them all? 

Phil Landes (aka Big Randy) has become one of golf media’s favorite characters via his appearances across NLU’s platforms, yet a part of him is ducking the spotlight–not an easy feat at 6’8”. He joins the podcast to talk with Tom Coyne about how a former accountant and freshmen basketball coach came to find himself drinking out of the Solheim Cup, and whether this dream job is a dream job after all. In this honest and insightful discussion, Phil reflects on living with two names, his current romantic circumstance, how we’re all just a different shade of short to him, and why he doesn’t want to meet your dog.

Nov 22, 202201:05:29
Episode 120: The Golf Life of Reilly

Episode 120: The Golf Life of Reilly

You know Rick Reilly from the back page of Sports Illustrated, where he delivered 800 words of humor, heartbreak or heroism every week for 15 years. And though you’ve seen him at St. Andrews and read him at Augusta—his ‘96 opus on Norman’s collapse is an all-timer—you’ll be surprised to discover just how deep his golf obsession goes. Reilly, who joined the Broken Tee Society earlier this year, jumped into our members-only Discord server to talk with Tom Coyne about his lifelong love of the game, which he has distilled into his new book So Help Me Golf. The stories within—from a fraught relationship with his dad, to the myriad cheating methods employed by sitting US presidents, to tales of POWs and drug-mule caddies—cement him as one of the finest golf scribes of our time.

Nov 07, 202201:01:16
Episode 119: Conor Moore, as Conor Moore

Episode 119: Conor Moore, as Conor Moore

Conor Moore believes he has no accent. But when the Irishman is impersonating the world’s most famous athletes, he’s got them all. Though this episode sounds like a cast of many, it’s just Moore and host Tom Coyne going deep on the art behind his sketches (hint: don’t call them impressions), the toughest athlete to impersonate, and the time he was (jokingly) cursed out by Tiger Woods. Cameo appearances from Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Greg Norman and Rory McIlroy highlight this lively conversation.

Oct 24, 202257:28