June 2025

045 – How golf courses change over time

2025-06-12T13:25:29+00:00June 12th, 2025|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

Sam & Bledge sit down to reflect on their latest adventures at the Blackwell Foursomes and RNGC. They explore how golf course architecture — from bunkering to subtle design shifts — continues to evolve, challenging both everyday golfers and the game’s elite. Latest Products

044 – Badgers are Back

2025-06-03T17:03:24+00:00June 3rd, 2025|Golf Badgers, Podcasts, Sam's favourites|

Sam & James sit down to discuss their much anticipated return after their hiatus with some exciting news! Now part of the Cookie Jar Golf, the team will be helping with editing and publishing of episodes, while still keeping the same great insight and lo-fi jazz intro that listeners will be familiar with. In this episode, Sam & James talk about what's been going on with them, the exciting news and of course the rdrought which has taken many courses to the edge this spring. Latest Products [...]

December 2024

043 – First Green with Jenny Bledge. PLUS Badger Merch is live!

2025-06-03T17:02:42+00:00December 6th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

This episode is particularly important. We heard in the previous episode (042 with Scott Reeves) how one of the biggest issues faced in the greenkeeping industry is recruitment. Well, fortunately Bledge's much better half Jenny Bledge is out there working on a solution. First Green is a wonderful initiative that BIGGA has brought over the Atlantic from the GCSAA. It's all about introducing golf, and particularly careers in this part of the golf industry, to school kids of different ages. It might not help recruitment today, but it could make an enormous difference for tomorrow. Additionally, after literal [...]

November 2024

042 – Making BIGGA better? – Scott Reeves

2025-06-03T17:05:02+00:00November 14th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

Welcome back Badgers, This week we’ve been joined by Scott Reeves, Head of Membership for BIGGA. We try and get to the bottom of what problems the Greenkeeping Industry is facing in Britain - but more importantly, Scott wants to know what you think. Whether you’re a BIGGA member or not, please do follow the link above and fill out the survey. Thanks for listening, Sam & Bledge Latest Products

October 2024

041 – Part 2 – What’s Been Happening At Birkdale? – Sean McClean

2025-06-03T17:06:07+00:00October 29th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

Last week we heard from Royal Birkdale's Course Manager Sean McClean. This week he's back to talk in some detail over the course changes that many of us watched develop over social media. It was an extraordinary amount of work, especially for a course hosting the world's oldest Major Championship in 2026. This year, Sean and his indefatigable team and back at it - completing Phase 2 of an ambitious project. We hope you enjoy the second half of this conversation and, as ever, please do share with anyone else who might too. [...]

040 – What’s Been Happening At Birkdale? Part 1 of 2 with Sean McClean

2025-06-03T17:07:40+00:00October 16th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

Guest from episode 6 of this podcast (December 2022!) joins us again to discuss first his preparation for Royal Birkdale's Open Championship in 2026, but also the extraordinary suite of changes to the famous links last winter and next. I also give a shameless plug for Volume 1 of my Links from the Road series. It's been a labour of love (and sometimes despair) over the past couple of years, but today is publication day. Fortunately a lot of talented people have been working on the series, and I have them all to thank. If you like this [...]

September 2024

039 – Pinehurst #2 – Working on a US Open course set up with Graeme Roberts (Part 2)

2025-06-03T17:10:12+00:00September 26th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

Our loyal Badgers, you might have wondered where the promised second half of Episode 36 ended up. After a few weeks on the road, travelling up to the Arctic Circle in our camper van, I must admit to the grievous crime of forgetting to post it. Logging into the podcast dashboard, there it was - ready to entertain and educate our legions of Badgers. So I can only apologise for the oversight. Even with the delay, I hope it doesn't reduce your enjoyment of Graeme's experience. It was so interesting to compare the set up of an Open [...]

038 – North & back again

2025-06-03T17:11:36+00:00September 4th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

I think most of you are aware that over the past 3 weeks I (Sam Cooper) have been on a trip in my campervan to the Arctic. You'll remember the previous episode with Jerry Mulvihill about Lofoten Links, but perhaps you've also seen the YouTube Vlog series that Bledge and I discuss in the pod. If not, you can find the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PKP4wyE1K8&list=PLm3MFP6NZX3DsZbWVhJE-WI1rZLv_ETL0 In the pod, Bledge and I also discuss the exciting Norvangr project I've been working on alongside Joe McDonnell, Will Eagar and James Day. It's a rather different style of architecture to the one [...]

August 2024

037 – Jerry Mulvihill of Lofoten Links – Arctic Special

2025-06-03T17:12:54+00:00August 28th, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

Badgers, It's been a little while since our last conversation, but I've been a bit preoccupied. I think most of you will be aware that poor Producer Harriet has been persuaded to go on another adventure in our trusty campervan. This time, we've gone north. About as far north as you can go really. It took almost 2 weeks but we finally drove from our home in Hoylake to the Arctic Circle, and then on to the famous course of Lofoten Links. I've been doing daily vlogs on my YouTube Channel, so please subscribe here to catch up [...]

July 2024

036 – From Pinehurst to Hayling

2025-06-03T17:14:48+00:00July 1st, 2024|Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

We are delighted to welcome Graeme back to the podcast for the third time. We discuss the challenges he faces with the weather at Hayling Golf Club and the trade-off between meeting membership expectations and managing the golf course ecosystem. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we talk more about his experience on the voluntary support team for the US Open at Pinehurst. As always, thanks for listening! Sam and Bledge Latest Products

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