The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Renaissance Golf Senior Associate Brian Schneider joins Andy to talk golf course architecture. The discussion starts with Brian’s work at North Jersey CC, a Walter Travis design, and ranges from Llanarch CC's above-ground features to Augusta National to Langford & Moreau’s bold shaping. Follow Brian on Twitter (@bschneider126) and Instagram (bschneidergolf).

Rich Shilling, superintendent of Jeffersonville Golf Course, joins the podcast. Andy and Rich discuss Jeffersonville’s improvement during his time there and the unique challenges of upgrading a course while continuing to allow public play. They also talk about his future plans and how the municipality approaches budgeting for renovations.

In the third installment of our serialized introduction to golf course design, we explore how architects and shapers make courses feel at home in their surroundings. Specifically, we discuss tie-ins, the features that connect the manmade landforms of a golf hole to the preexisting surroundings. To learn more about this subtle art, Garrett speaks with Riley Johns (@RileyJohnsGolf), one of the architects behind the Winter Park Nine and the new short course at Forest Dunes. After listening to the episode, check out the accompanying post on The Fried Egg website.

LPGA player Christina Kim joins the program this week. She discusses the importance of individuality, the Ladies European Tour vs. the LPGA, her quick rise as a junior player, her favorite courses around the world, and much more!

PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen takes time out of his Arizona quarantine to join Andy Johnson this week. The two talk about Mario Kart, qualifying for the U.S. Open after a trip to the bar, playing with big-name players, and just what he is doing during all this time off.

Tom Doak returns to discuss a variety of topics with Andy, including topographical maps, green books, drivable par 4s, and the evolution of restoration projects in recent times. Tom also gives a quick update on his work at his new project at Sand Valley and answers some listener questions.

The second part of our serialized introduction to course design profiles the first and most influential golf architect: the linksland. Coastal dunescapes gave the sport its first fields of play as well as its founding ethos. To learn more about how terrain has shaped the game, Garrett talks to George Waters (@gwatersgolf), the Manager of Green Section Education for the USGA and the author of the book Sand and Golf. Make sure to check out the accompanying post on The Fried Egg website; there you will find additional resources on the topic and outtakes from the interview with George.

Josh Lewis, superintendent at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club, joins Andy for the latest installment of our Superintendent Series, brought to you by the Toro Company. They talk about the impact COVID-19 has had on the turf industry before digging into Josh’s early days at Coos Bay, Bandon Dunes, Pasatiempo, and Chambers Bay. Follow Josh on Twitter @theturfyoda.

Geoff Shackelford joins Andy to discuss the whirlwind of coronavirus news and the likely short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic on golf.

In this installment of our audio documentary series, we go back to a time when the PGA Tour operated out of a four-bedroom home in Ponte Vedra Beach. Not far from that home was a flat expanse of swampy jungle. We tell the story of how commissioner Deane Beman and architect Pete Dye turned that land into a new kind of golf venue—and how the pros reacted when they competed on it for the first time. This episode features interviews with Beman, U.S. Open and Players champion Jerry Pate, architect Tom Doak, TPC Sawgrass project manager Vernon Kelly, and journalists Adam Schupak and Sean Martin. It includes music from Assaf Ayalon, Avi Goldfinger, Maya Johanna, Ian Post, and Swirling Ship, and Kevin McLeod. Sean Martin, “Leap of faith: Behind the Stadium Course’s wild debut at the 1982 Players Championship” Adam Schupak, Golf’s Driving Force