Guests of the Pod
344 – Halloween Eclectic 18 Special w/ Simon Barrington
In this in-depth Eclectic 18 special, previous guest and friend of the show Simon Barrington takes us on an odyssey of obscure connections with some of his favourite holes and courses around the world, and their links to the macabre. It’s not just an assortment of holes with cemeteries nearby — we go back to medieval battles, haunted castles, greens built on ancient burial grounds, and even draw some tenuous links between bunkers and the afterlife. Follow Simon on x here or get in touch with him on jamesbraidresearch@gmail.com. His scorecard is below. #1 Ballybunion #2 West Hill #3 Old Petty (Cabot Highlands) #4 Winter Park #5 Lake Zurich #6 Cruden Bay #7 Dornick Hills #8 Royal Troon #9 Portmahomack #10 St Enodoc #11 Sleepy Hollow #12 Augusta National #13 Dunaverty #14 The Old Course #15 Lochcarron #16 Pasatiempo #17 Painswick #18 The Old Course (Reversed) Par: 71 / Yardage: 6,466 [...]
Christmas Party 2025
Join us this festive season for the Cookie Jar Golf Christmas Party at Skratch Golf in Birmingham. On Thursday 11th December, from 6:30 to 8:30, we’ll take over the bays (and bar) for an evening of golf, booze, and our annual festive chinwag. Afterwards, we’ll move on to a few bars nearby for more action, if you're brave enough. It’s a relaxed way to wrap up the year - some friendly competition and great conversation, all rolled into one evening. No cost, just good vibes. Please RSVP below and share with the other golf nuts in your life. We’ll be in touch closer to the time with all the details:
Golf Architecture Graveyards
Golf has its fair share of ghost stories — some rooted in history, others in the landscape itself. From churchyard greens to fairways shaped by ancient battles, the game’s connection with the past runs deep. Simon Barrington and Sam Williams explore “Golf Architecture Graveyards” - a look at the most haunted holes in golf and the stories that continue to linger in the turf. Table of Contents 1 - BALLYBUNION OLD 405 YARDS - PAR 4 Architects: Jo McKenna, Lionel Hewson, Tom Simpson, Molly Gourlay, Tom Watson. This classic Irish links kicks off the Eclectic 18 with a drive down a mid-length dogleg left par 4. But beware, the cemetery that borders the right side of the fairway is strictly out of bounds. Local rules forbid retrieving balls from the graveyard, so best to stay left and [...]
343 – Eclectic 18: A half-par scorecard with the Half Par Kid.
Sam is joined by Peter Handcock aka @thehalfparkid to do an eclectic 18 scorecard comprised of solely of half par golf holes. As a reminder, this fun exercise requires you to fill the card with holes you've played, but they can only go in the position in which they sit on the scorecard, and you can only use one course once! His scorecard: 1 - Woking - 3.5 275yds 2 - San Francisco - 4.5 455yds 3 - Dumbarnie - 3.5 310yds 4 - Royal St George’s - 4.5 495yds 5 - Royal Worlington & Newmarket - 3.5 155yds 6 - Royal Aberdeen - 4.5 490yds 7 - Gullane No. 3 - 3.5 310yds 8 - Durness - 3.5 360yds 9 - Cypress Point - 3.5 290yds 10 - Elie - 3.5 285yds 11 - Pasatiempo - 4.5 390yds 12 - The Addington - 4.5 485yds 13 - [...]
Q&A: Inside Scotland’s Newest Golf Experiences – Cabot Highlands and Trump International
2025 marked an exciting year for two of the most talked-about destinations in Scotland. This summer, two new courses opened for preview play at revered venues in the Highlands and Aberdeen: Cabot Highlands’ Old Petty, designed by Tom Doak & Clyde Johnson, and Trump International’s North Sea Links, designed by Martin Hawtree and assisted by Christine Fraser & Christian Lundin. So we sat down with Jack Sallis, founder of Halcyon Golf Travel, who has played them both, to hear his take on how they compare, what sets them apart, and what visiting golfers can expect. Table of Contents Jack, for those who don’t know you, can you tell us what you do? I’m the founder of Halcyon Golf Travel. We’re a specialist golf tour operator covering the UK and Ireland. My job takes me across Scotland, Ireland, [...]
342 – The Story of Joyce Wethered & Glenna Collett w/ Stephen Proctor
Stephen Proctor rejoins the pod to discuss his latest book, Matchless — a captivating account of one of golf’s great interwar rivalries. Joyce Wethered, the finest player of her generation in England, and Glenna Collett, the leading light of the American women’s game, were born just 18 months apart and dominated their respective sides of the Atlantic. Stephen’s work as an author is exceptional — meticulously researched and told with a compelling narrative thread. Matchless is no exception. Copies are available from all good bookshops, and we’ve linked Amazon here for ease. Latest Products
