Guests2020-04-18T13:12:54+00:00

Guests of the Pod

053 – Team Culture, Turf, and Tour Standards: Inside John McLoughlin’s Career

Sam and Bledge sit down with John McLoughlin to trace his 30-year career in golf, from Gleneagles to Royal Melbourne, and onto leading Wallasey’s greenkeeping team. They dive deep into tour-level course setups, team culture, and the management philosophies that have transformed clubs into championship venues. Latest Products

August 7th, 2025|Categories: Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

329 – AIG Women’s Open Recap w/ Tom Abbott

Sam and Tom are joined by NBC Golf broadcaster and commentator Tom Abbott to recap the action from the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl. Miyu Yamashita claimed her first major title — and her first victory outside Japan — with a stellar display on Sunday, seldom putting a foot wrong as she held off a charging Charley Hull, who recorded her 10th top-10 finish in a major. Huge thanks to Tom Abbott for joining us once again after a great time down at Denham and a podcast appearance earlier this year. Special congratulations to Royal Porthcawl for putting on an exceptional show. The course was truly sparkling! Image credit: Richard Heathcote/R&A/R&A via Getty Images. Latest Products

August 6th, 2025|Categories: Podcasts, Tour Takes|

052 – Listener Question Time: Rain, Drought & Drainage

Sam and Bledge sit down to reflect on the growing extremes in UK weather and how this affects course maintenance and playability. From rainfall stats to reservoir builds and soil importation, it’s a deep dive into the future of sustainable golf course management. Latest Products

July 31st, 2025|Categories: Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

051 – Beyond Turf: Golf’s Role in Biodiversity & Balance

Sam and James sit down to chat about why golf courses aren’t just about perfect turf—they’re thriving ecosystems. Join them as they explore how managing gorse, trees, and ponds can support nesting birds, red squirrels, toads, and more, plus how modern agronomy balances playing quality with environmental stewardship. Latest Products

July 31st, 2025|Categories: Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

050 – Listener Question Time: Course Difficulty & Rainfall

Sam and Bledge sit down and take listener questions, kicking off with a cracker about how to toughen up a golf course. From the science of rainfall to the sorcery of seaweed, it’s a deep dive into maintenance, architecture and a wee bit of punk rock nostalgia from Dumfries. Latest Products

July 31st, 2025|Categories: Golf Badgers, Podcasts|

328 – Course Diaries: Royal Porthcawl w/ Peter Evans

Sam speaks to Peter Evans — Professional at Royal Porthcawl — about his time at the club and his experiences on the links, as excitement builds for the AIG Women’s Open this week. Royal Porthcawl is a truly special place in world golf, and while we could have talked for hours about the shower pressure, the incredible clubhouse, and the famously warm welcome, this episode is strictly about the course — which will take centre stage as we look forward to the first women’s major in the land of the dragon. Latest Products

July 29th, 2025|Categories: Golf History, Podcasts, Tour Takes|
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