The Shotgun Start

Andy and Brendan record this late Sunday episode with some reactions from a wind-and-weather delayed weekend at Pebble Beach. Andy is back from the grounds with some more tidbits and insights, and some questions about Brent Grant, specifically who he is. There’s also chatter about Justin Rose, Peppy Peter, Andy mushing Denny McCarthy’s hot round, and the future of the event after another underwhelming field this year. They also discuss CBS’s shot predictor feature in what was a weekend of love for the broadcast. The Saudi International, DP World Tour, and KFT winners are all given their dues, with particular angst about Pierceson Coody stuck down in the minors. News hits on the incredible outrage over the Swilcan Bridge patio and the Phoenix Open field that includes a bunch of heavy hitters, a loaded Monday qualifier, and the Dutch Boy.

This Friday episode begins with the “Geronimo Test” and the $100,000 price for something called the Smash GC Family Package. Then Brendan and Andy reflect on Brooks Koepka playing in Oman the week of the Phoenix Open. There is some Dynapower scoop from Andy’s day out at the Pebble Pro Am, as well as some Kitty Kat facts. They review the wonders of Martin Trainer’s website, which proudly claims anti-American and socialist views. There’s exasperation over three days of preferred lies at Pebble because of the chance of moderate rain in one afternoon. News hits on WGC Austin folding up after this year, PXG developing a golf ball, and rumors of Cam Smith struggling to find a country club in the Jacksonville area. They close with an SGS Golf advice on guilt by cheating association, calling a penalty on yourself or trying to hash it out with a partner, and more.

This was supposed to be a short one, but all manner of news, schedules, and Euro Tour names are discussed over the course of this hour. Andy and Brendan begin with Pat Reed issuing a statement no one asked for, satisfied no one, and only re-loaded another round of further scrutiny on him after Dubai. They also get to Bubba Watson’s quote from the Saudi International that he joined LIV because his 10 year old knew the team names. They also laugh about Phil claiming he’s “disengaging” from the drama. This leads to a “Shotgun Scoop” on Bubba’s new team name, as well as another re-brand and name for the Aussie quartet. Schedule for the week takes a long, hard look at the weak field at Pebble Beach of all places, and doles out some blame for this unacceptable trend. News hits on Bassy Munoz’s reported departure, the scrubbing of Will Zalatoris’s putts, and a draconian new rule on the PGA Tour for one-year bans even for non-members.

Andy and Brendan waited for the Dubai Desert Classic to finish before recording this Monday episode, and man were they rewarded with both substance and catnip. They begin with Rory McIlroy manning up in the final round, finishing birdie-birdie to edge Pat Reed by a shot in what was an entire week of drama between the two on and off the course. They try to contextualize what it might mean to win in January for a player at a level where the majors are usually all that matters. On Reed, there is a lengthy chat about yet another incident where it could be said he cheated when he identified his ball up in a tree that it did not go in, and how golf’s oversight permits these kinds of maneuvers from many more players with far less scrutiny on them. After that lengthy chat on Dubai, they get to Saturday’s winner, Max Homa, and the “playing narrative” around him as he continues to rack up Ws in his early 30s and whether his actual golf is sometimes obscured by the endearing personality and popularity.

Andy and Brendan close out the week with a Friday ramble on the drama and intrigue in Dubai both on the course and off the course. There is a diversion, however, to highlight the All-Burly team following up on the Kenneth Lofton chat from Wednesday. The Rory-Reed kerfuffle is covered with the new, added context of subpoenas. They ponder whether Rory should have gotten in Reed’s face and also the veil of some notion of a “gentleman’s game” being long gone. They wonder whether the Euro Tour’s best play would be to keep these mixed fields going to further the drama. News hits on LIV’s CCO leaving and Seminole banning LIV players from the Pro-Member. SGS Golf advice concludes the episode with some rollicking conundrums, including one on playing with an amorous couple.

It’s a whiparound show with a hard stop at the end that probably spends too much time at the beginning discussing the regular CW lineup, like Maury, Judge Mathis, and others, preempting live LIV coverage on Fridays. There’s also probably too much time dedicated to the announced musical act for the Players, Riley Green. And there’s also probably too much time spent on Patrick Reed throwing a tee, allegedly, at Rory McIlroy. Andy and Brendan also ponder what they’re missing at the PGA Show this week. They go through the entire announced LIV schedule one-by-one, with some questions about the Crooked Cat-Augusta National back-to-back stretch. Schedule for the week focuses on Rory’s 2023 debut in Dubai, where there are some thoughts on that and the Ludvig Aberg hype, Septic Tank’s continued patronage, and the “home clubs” listed on the DP World Tour’s website. 

Andy and Brendan are back after a “relaxing” weekend watching golf and football. They begin with some clarity on where Jim Nantz will be calling Farmers from, and questions about title sponsors and stadium naming rights. Eventually, they get to Jon Rahm and his second straight victory on the PGA Tour at the AmEx in Palm Springs. They lament why everything he did this week was framed through some sort of OWGR debate or discussion, and ponder the nihilism of such an event like the AmEx. The Davis Zone is given its due, as is the big bird from Xander. Victor Perez is lauded for his victory in Abu Dhabi and Brooke Henderson for her win in Orlando. But there are some questions about wisdom teeth removal as an offseason challenge. News hits on the CW-Liv deal going final before an SGS Golf Advice segment to make up for Friday’s whiff. This one takes on a different kind of “whiff” as well as another listener looking for penance from a junior golf cheating incident.

This Wednesday episode is a rapid-fire unstructured discussion that begins with the schedule for the week, which quickly transitions into Ian Poulter’s latest comments from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The field is a mixture of DP World Tour players and the fellas from LIV, which reports indicated was closing in on a TV deal with the CW network. They discuss this and find a random list of the 20 worst channels on cable and boy does that take a sudden turn. The strong field at the AmEx is pondered before some one-and-done picks are made. News hits on a stunner joining the Ryder Cup assistant captains ranks for Rome and Nelly Korda making the jump to a new equipment and apparel provider. 

This holiday Monday episode begins with a damning follow-up on the “provisional pedant” from Friday’s golf advice segment. Then it’s on to the Sony Open, where Andy demands more respect for the talent and work of his boy Si Woo KIm, who he’s been pushing for more than five years now. They also discuss the first non-designated event of the year, and whether the gulf between the designated and non-designated events will widen when it comes to TV product presentation. On the Sony, Brendan starts to acquiesce to Andy’s Spieth thoughts after a rollercoaster and disastrous T1-MC two-day stretch. They also hit on the Hero Cup and what, if anything, it means for the Ryder Cup. News has some fun with the PAC list of names being announced and Zinger’s quote that his stretch on the PAC was a “colossal waste of time.”

This early Friday episode begins with some investigative reporting that yields a first-hand account of Seamus Power’s travels from Maui to Abu Dhabi and why this flying west option may have been impacted. Then they’re onto some early Sony movers before getting into an extended chat about the Netflix golf trailer, its authenticity, its prospects, and how this might just be the best year yet to be a golf fan. News of Mito signing with LIV is discussed, as are the waivers for multiple Camerons to play the Saudi International. The episode closes with a Golf Advice segment on dropping a decade-old grudge against a “provisional” pedant and choosing to live in an area simply based on a legacy spot at a sweet country club.