363 – Pete Dye (pt 2): ‘The Kid Who Played With Clay’
In part 2, Tom takes us through Pete's trip to Scotland that inspired his work with Alice as a course designer. Latest Products
March 2026
362 – Pete Dye (pt 1): ‘The Kid Who Played With Clay’
Pt 1 of our 2 part special on the life and legacy of Peter Dye: 1925 - 2020. In part one, Tom takes us through the first 38 years of the life of Pete Dye, beginning with his early years in Ohio and growing up on a course built by his father Paul. Pete would go on to quite school early, enlist in the Army and take a career defining trip to Scotland with wife Alice. This is part of an exciting series we are running this year where we explore the life and legacy of the architects that have [...]
February 2026
361 – Course Diaries: Conwy Golf Club
Sam & Tom sit down to review their visit to Conwy Golf Club on the north coast of Wales. With a history stretching back to 1869, and Hoylake professional Jack Morris the man behind the initial design, Conwy is a breathtaking piece of land on which to play golf. We had a great time here, settling a club championship match in a four-club wind.In more recent years, Frank Pennink re-designed much of the course following the two World Wars in the first half of the 20th century. Most recently, Mackenzie & Ebert’s work with the club has seen [...]
360 – Kim is back! (Morikawa too)
Tom and Sam sit down to discuss the golf over the weekend, with Anthony Kim winning for the first time in fifteen years and Colin Morikawa prevailing at Pebble Beach for the first time in two and a half years. Latest Products
359 – 652 Courses in 365 Days – Josh Simpson
Josh Simpson joins the podcast (a.k.a 'the Ginger Golfer') to talk about his world record breaking effort over the last 12 months playing 652 courses in a year, eclipsing the previous 581 World Record. We talk about Josh's introduction to the sport, and how he turned a tragic chapter in his life into a force for good, raising nearly £100,000 for two wonderful charities: Macmillan Cancer Support and Tapping House. We've put the link for further donations here so you can contribute to the money raised.We also discuss the trials and tribulations of life on the road, some of [...]
January 2026
358 – Richard Pennell on ‘Common Grounds’
Sam sits down for a catch-up with friend of the pod, West Byfleet membership secretary and exceptional writer Richard Pennell. Together, they cover a wide range of topics, including Richard’s latest book, Common Grounds, which chronicles his journeys to some of the rawest and purest forms of the game.Building on the success of his first book - Grass Routes - you can secure a copy through the wonderful folks over at Grant Books here. Latest Products
357 – BTME with James Bledge
Tom sits down with Golf Badgers’ James Bledge at BTME in Harrogate to discuss the event. Latest Products
356 – Course Diaries: West Sussex w/ Tom Mackenzie
Sam and Tom sit down in the West Sussex clubhouse to chat to one half of Mackenzie & Ebert - Tom Mackenzie - about his love affair with landscapes, and a career in course architecture. We talk about West Sussex and making alterations to your home course, as well as work further afield. Latest Products
355 – Motorway Services & Golf
Sam & Tom head to where it all began for the British motorway service station: Watford Gap. Not only the official north–south divide, but the birthplace of what has grown to become a staple of travel culture in Great Britain — none more so than in our world of planning stops at service stations on the road to and from the links.This is an episode we’ve wanted to do for some time. And while the connection with golf is extremely tenuous, it’s fascinating to explore the evolution of the motorway service network — from the early days of [...]
354 – Jean van de Velde
Sam talks to Jean van de Velde about his career in the game, which began as a six-year-old in Mont-de-Marsan, in the Pyrenees in south-west France. Growing up in the era of persimmon drivers and balata balls, Jean turned professional in 1987 and went on to compete at the highest level of the game for several decades. He is perhaps best known for his performance at the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie, where he slept on a five-shot lead going into the final round.Jean has also been involved in the administration of the game and was instrumental in [...]
