LINKS Golf Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 170: Hughes Norton & George Peper, Authors of "RAINMAKER" Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

Hughes Norton and George Peper, authors of RAINMAKER: Superagent Hughes Norton and the Money-Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond, join the LINKS Golf Podcast to chat about the book, dealing with golf’s biggest power players, and the state of today’s game.

Norton was once one of the most powerful men in golf. During his tenure as head of the golf division of Mark McCormack’s International Management Group (IMG), he was the lead agent for six world-number-one-ranked players, including both Greg Norman and Tiger Woods.

Before Tiger ever struck a ball as a professional, Norton did deals with Nike and Titleist that brought him more than $60 million, a then-unprecedented sum for a professional athlete. Less than two years later—and for reasons never explained—Tiger fired Norton. McCormack then did the same, giving him a multi-million-dollar parachute tied to a 10-year non-compete clause and a gag order.

Now, for the first time, Norton is talking—about his clients, his boss, and his role in fostering the era of unbridled greed that now threatens to destroy professional golf.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 169: What Makes Pebble Beach Resorts Great + Architect and Author Richard Mandell Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

The hosts recap the 2024 LINKS Invitational at Pebble Beach and discuss why the world-class resort is one of the best. The second half of the episode features an interview with golf architect and author Richard Mandell about building great courses on a budget, living in Pinehurst, his latest book, and more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 168: Golf Course Architect Bill Bergin Mar 10, 2024

Show notes

Golf course architect Bill Bergin joins the LINKS Golf Podcast to talk about his design of the Highlands Course at McLemore (pictured), and the new course he is building for the Georgia resort/community with Rees Jones called The Keep. The hosts also chat with Bergin about finishing 14th in the 1984 Open Championship, the similarities between Augusta National and the Old Course at St. Andrews, traveling around the country in a van, and more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 167: Chasing the Top 100 with Hayes Holderness Mar 03, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast the hosts chat with Hayes Holderness, who is set to complete his pursuit of playing all the courses on the World Top 100 list this year. Holderness discusses the most challenging courses to get on, wild travel moments, the close-knit group of golfers that share the common goal, and more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 166: 5 of Golf’s Underrated Course Architects Feb 25, 2024

Show notes

Co-hosts Joe Passov and Al Lunsford look into multiple eras of golf course architecture and choose a few of the designers who deserve greater acclaim in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 165: Golf Course Architect Forrest Richardson Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

Inventive golf course architect Forrest Richardson discusses some of his most out-of-the-box course ideas—20-hole courses, par-two holes, twin 9-hole routings, and more—on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. The hosts chat with Richardson about his past presidency at the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), his choice for the game’s most underrated course architect, being the parent of a Hollywood actor, and more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 164: Inside the 2024 Winter Issue of LINKS Feb 11, 2024

Show notes

LINKS Editor George Peper is back to break down our latest issue in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Topics discussed include changes in the magazine in 2024, George’s column on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, the next group of course architects to step up to the A-List, and more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 163: A Preview Trip to Cabot Citrus Farms + Kyle Franz & Ben Cowan-Dewar Feb 04, 2024

Show notes

The hosts report on one of the country's newest golf destinations, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Digital Editor Al Lunsford gives his early impressions after visiting Cabot Citrus Farms in January, while co-host Joe Passov gives background on the former courses that occupied the property.

Al also interviews Kyle Franz (architect of the Karoo course at Cabot Citrus Farms) and Cabot CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 162: Best Things We Saw at the 2024 PGA Merchandise Show Jan 28, 2024

Show notes

After attending the golf industry’s annual trade show in Orlando, hosts Joe Passov and Al Lunsford discuss the items that piqued their interest in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 161: Ian Woosnam Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

Ian Woosnam, the lone Welshman to win a major championship, entertains listeners of the LINKS Golf Podcast with insight into his 1991 Masters win, hidden golf gems in Wales, his favorite golf destination, and more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected