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So far Claude has created 171 blog entries.

July 2026

083 – gWest

2026-07-31T18:28:12+00:00July 23rd, 2026|Golf Badgers|

Bledge and Sam begin by discussing the current state of the golf course. After some mixed weather, it’s in good condition. The rough is more defined, the playing surfaces are firm and fast and preparations for the season’s key events are well underway.Next, they focus on the Amateur Championship coming to Royal Liverpool. They explain the qualifying and match play format, practice and championship dates and mention that the event will be open to spectators and televised.  They also discuss how amateur golf differs from other major events due to the pressure, format and need to play several [...]

388 – Open Championship Roundup

2026-07-19T21:00:00+00:00July 19th, 2026|Podcasts|

We look back on a dramatic finish at Royal Birkdale, where Ryan Fox closed with a strong Sunday round and won on the 72nd hole. We say he stayed composed under pressure, kept executing shots, and handled some very unlucky breaks on the closing holes without letting them affect him.We also discuss how the course played over the week. We say it was firm, dry and much harder in the afternoon, while the morning wave had the best scoring conditions. We note that the changes to the course produced strong championship golf, with several holes forcing players to [...]

387 – Open Championship Preview

2026-07-16T03:00:00+00:00July 16th, 2026|Podcasts|

This episode we discuss the setup for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, with particular focus on the firm, fast conditions and how much water the course is losing each day through high wind and heat. We talk about how the greens are being monitored and adjusted with modern technology, and how the course presentation is being kept under control.We also look at how players may adapt their strategy, with many expected to leave driver out in favor of irons, mini drivers or three-woods. The discussion covers wedge bounce, firm fairways, bunkers, and how the course conditions create [...]

386 – The Price is Wrong

2026-07-15T04:00:00+00:00July 15th, 2026|Podcasts|

In this episode we play a price-guessing game based on merchandise and food from the Open Championship site. We set up the rules, use a match-play style scorecard, and compare the prices of items the listeners would not have seen.We start with some reference prices, then move through a yellow Open mug, a boxed Vice golf ball, and a small navy pen holder shaped like a tall bag. We also price a Malbon quarter zip and a Malbon bucket hat, which lead to some of the larger early swings in the score.We continue with a silver claret jug-style [...]

385 – The Open Last Chance Qualifier Recap

2026-07-14T04:00:00+00:00July 14th, 2026|Podcasts|

From within the media centre at Royal Birkdale, Sam and Peter recap the Monday last-chance qualifier at the Open Championship, where 12 players competed for one place in the field. The format, the field, and a first look at the course conditions are all discussed, alongside a recap of the first ever Last Chance Qualifier - an event we think was a resounding success. Latest Products

The Key Course Changes at Royal Birkdale

2026-07-13T19:47:55+00:00July 13th, 2026|Video|

Royal Birkdale has a unique architectural lineage. Founded in 1889, the course as we recognise it today did not take shape until 1932, when the club set out to create the first purpose-built championship links course. Three generations of the Hawtree family have since shaped and refined the links, followed by Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert who's responsible for the latest phase of changes. As a result, the course now presents a slightly different challenge to the version seen during The Open Championship in 2017. In this video, we explore the key changes made to the 5th, 7th, 10th, [...]

384 – The Hawtree Dynasty

2026-07-13T05:00:00+00:00July 13th, 2026|Podcasts|

In this episode we discuss the Scottish Open at Renaissance Club and the experience around the event, including the relaxed atmosphere for players, the links-style setting, and the way the course routing was changed. We also talk about nearby courses on the East Lothian coast, including Gullane, Winterfield, Craigielaw and Longniddry.We then begin the final part of our series on major golf course architects, focusing on the Hawtree family. We explain that the Hawtrees span three generations and have worked for over a century, with Frederick George Hawtree as the practical founder, Frederick William Hawtree as the more [...]

383 – East Lothian Eclectic 18

2026-07-09T04:00:00+00:00July 9th, 2026|Podcasts|

In this episode, we speak from Renaissance in East Lothian, where we discuss the golf on the coast and how many different courses there are in the area. We talk about the quality of the turf, the variety of links courses, and how the region keeps surprising us even when we think we know it well.We also discuss golf shoes and metal spikes, including why spectators wear golf shoes at events and why professionals still use metal spikes, even though many clubs do not allow them. We compare different styles of shoes and talk about the practical and [...]

382 – Recovering from The Yips w/ Will Dugdale

2026-07-04T04:00:00+00:00July 4th, 2026|Podcasts|

Will Dugdale discusses starting golf as a child, playing junior, county, Oxford and Cambridge golf, and turning pro in 1999. He also covers early career ups and downs, the putting yips, changes to his grip, and his work helping other golfers.Will has a genuinely fascinating story in the game of golf, and his relationship with the flat stick will no doubt resonate with many. For those who want to learn more, we'd encourage you to head to Will's website, best-putter.com.  Latest Products

381 – Final Qualifying Roundup

2026-07-01T18:00:00+00:00July 1st, 2026|Podcasts|

In this episode we cover final qualifying for the Open Championship across four venues, with reports from Dundonald, Burnham & Berrow, Royal Cinque Ports, and West Lancashire. We compare the atmosphere at each course, noting that the day drew strong crowds, with many volunteers managing scoring, marshalling, parking and course presentation.We discuss how the golf courses were set up and how the weather affected play. Burnham and Barrow was described as especially well presented, while West Lancashire played firm and fast with strong runoff areas and difficult greens. We also talk about how the draw and weather conditions [...]

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