The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

In the latest installment of our interview series with Tom Doak, Tom gives an update on the progress at the Lido, the Keiser family’s latest course near Sand Valley. He and Andy discuss the pros and cons of the technology used to build the course, and they speculate on how it might be used in future restoration projects and in golf course architecture in general. They also chat about Tom’s ongoing work at Perry Maxwell's Dornick Hills Golf and Country Club in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

The Yolk with Doak returns! In the first of two new episodes of our interview series with golf architect Tom Doak, we cover the recent grand opening of St. Patrick's Links at the Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort in Ireland. Tom and Andy chat about where the course would land on the Doak Scale and the unique challenge of finishing the project during a global pandemic. They also discuss Tom's new book, The Making of Pacific Dunes, which is available for purchase at doakgolf.com.

Golf Channel's Jaime Diaz joins Andy to discuss this week's Open Championship at Royal St. George's. Jaime has over 30 years of experience in golf journalism, and he shares his favorite memories from the Open and how writing about it differs from covering it for TV. He and Andy also talk about Bryson, Rory, Rahm, and other players hoping to lift the Claret Jug on Sunday.

When Royal St. George's Golf Club, the host of the upcoming Open Championship, opened in the late 1880s, it looked a lot different than it does today. The earliest iteration of the course embodied the Victorian principles of its designer, Laidlaw Purves. Over the next few decades, those principles—and Royal St. George's itself—came under fire from a new school of golf writers and architects. Historian Bob Crosby joins Garrett Morrison to discuss this debate and its far-reaching consequences.

Brendan Byrne, superintendent and co-general manager at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pennsylvania, chats with Andy about his 20+ year career in golf, from starting out at Rolling Green Golf Club to overseeing the recent restoration at Llanerch. He shares stories from his unique experience at the 1999 Ryder Cup, offers his expertise on managing staffs, and provides insight on how the golf industry has changed over the years. He and Andy also cover the Philly sports scene and give some opinions on the best cheesesteaks in the area. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

Shane Ryan is a contributor for GolfDigest.com and the author of Slaying the Tiger, an account of the 2014 PGA Tour season. He sits down with Garrett Morrison to talk about the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, which he covered last week; his new book project and podcast series on the Ryder Cup; and how the golf world has changed since he went out on tour in 2014. They also touch on the current discourse around athletes' mental-health struggles, the reasons Team Europe kicks Team USA's butt in three out of every four Ryder Cups, and the decline of traditional golf journalism.

Shane Bacon, co-host of Golf Today and the Get a Grip podcast, joins Andy for a recap of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. The two discuss Jon Rahm's breakthrough major win, Bryson's claim of not caring about his 44 on the final nine, and the bizarre series of events on the 13th hole on Sunday. They also chat about what they're looking forward to at the upcoming Open Championship and Olympic Games.

PGA professional Brad Marek joins Andy to discuss his great run at last month's PGA Championship. Brad played for years on the mini tours before becoming a well-regarded teaching pro at Corica Park in the Bay Area. In this episode, he and Andy delve into that transition. They also talk about everything from Brad's brush with stretching-themed social media fame to his experience at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

You probably know that Geoff Ogilvy won the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. What you may have forgotten is that he also contended for the 2008 edition at Torrey Pines. In fact, at one point on Sunday, he was tied with eventual winner Tiger Woods. Now, 13 years later, the U.S. Open returns to the South Course at Torrey Pines, and Geoff joins Andy to preview the tournament. They run through five things that Andy will be watching for, and they also discuss Phil Mickelson's surprising win at Kiawah Island, Geoff's equally surprising affection for Torrey Pines South, and—of course—the mysteries of hang-gliding.

Rich McIntosh, superintendent of the South Course at Torrey Pines, joins Andy to discuss how preparations are going for the 2021 U.S. Open. Rich has an incredibly difficult job: taking one of the busiest municipal courses in the world and getting it ready for a national open. But it's not just a grind; Rich talks a lot in this episode about what he loves about preparing for big championships. He and Andy also touch on the recent renovation work at Torrey Pines, what to expect from the facility in the future, and some fun stories from the annual Farmers Insurance Open. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.