The Shotgun Start

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NCAAs, LIV DC, “Jack’s Place,” Phil’s tweets, and a J.B. Holmes controversy May 30, 2023

Show notes

Due to the Monday holiday in the United States, this is a BEEFY hybrid episode discussing all that happened in golf over the weekend with a look forward to the shhhhedule for the week. There is a lot of college golf talk at the top as Andy braces for Illinois’s run in Arizona. They discuss some disappointments, flops, and contenders for the ECCO Event of the Week at the men’s national title. There’s also lots of chatter about the LIV event in DC and some of the young players on that Tour performing in relative anonymity. Andy has some thoughts on PGA Frisco’s championship debut as Stricks goes for a Social Security Slam. The second half hits on the upcoming shhhhedule for the week, with some Memorial picks and thoughts on Muirfield Village, Rose Zhang’s pro debut, and some Euro Tour eligibility questions. News hits on Phil’s Twitter spat with Brandel and an amusing, perhaps disturbing, Internet rumor about J.B. Holmes playing as an eight handicap in an event somewhere in Tennessee.

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Blockie assesses his game against Rory’s, Claude Harmon’s LIV takes, and Golf Advice May 25, 2023

Show notes

This Friday episode continues on the Michael Block takeover of the golf world, and maybe the larger sports world. Andy and Brendan record as Mr. Block plays through his first round at Colonial, and discuss his comments on a podcast that he’d be one of the top players in the world with Rory’s distance. They lament some of the overcoverage, praise him for his interview endurance, and are happy he’s getting his during this big moment. Then they move on to Claude Harmon III’s incendiary comments about LIV coverage, Brooks doubters, fake stars like Will Zalatoris, and much more. Some unsubstantiated rumor Friday nuggets discuss yet another class of events that might be coming to the PGA Tour. They close with SGS Golf Advice on some range etiquette, a fake St. Andrews tale, and a cocky caddie

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Michael Block mania continues, Brooksy’s LIV DC prep, Sergio returns to the majors May 23, 2023

Show notes

This punchy Wednesday episode begins with the continued Michael Block whirlwind that has completely taken the national discourse by storm. Andy and Brendan react to his appearance on all three network morning shows, some of his betting odds for Colonial, and his tee time grouping for the first two rounds. Schedule for the week bounces around, first heaping praise on Rose Zhang as the GOAT of women’s college golf and giving out the ECCO event of the week to the NCAAs. Then they discuss some of the other amusements from Colonial and the Stand-up mixer Championship’s debut at PGA Frisco. There’s some disturbing news from the grounds of the KFT event. LIV returns with an event in DC, where Brooks may not be in ship shape after a week of partying in South Florida. Sergio Garcia’s qualification for the U.S. Open is cause to reflect on his career vis-a-vis Brooks and their comparable talents. News hits on Jim Nantz being named a design consultant for a short course in Minnesota.

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Sunday at the PGA Championship: Of Brooksy and Blocky May 22, 2023

Show notes

It was a fantastic PGA Sunday so a peppy Andy and Brendan check in one last time for the week to discuss it all, starting with Brooks Koepka’s fifth major championship win. They praise Koepka’s work both at Oak Hill and over the course of his career as the majors king of this era. They wrangle with the LIV question, and whether this brings any “validation” to that tour or product and also address the Ryder Cup question. Viktor Hovland’s real challenge is praised, while Rory McIlroy’s mismanagement is not. Michael Block, the darling of the week, is also discussed as the likely top story of the entire championship for general sports and non-golf fans. His two exemptions that broke during recording are also reacted to as the Tour thirsts for a Block bump. The Oak Hill setup and the kind of leaderboard talent it produced is examined. Some disappointments from the weekend are also noted. This episode was sponsored by AG1 by Athletic Greens, whose ad read comes with a significant mea culpa from the two idiot hosts.

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Saturday at the PGA Championship: Contenders, Pretenders, and Michael Block May 21, 2023

Show notes

Andy and Brendan are joined by Shane Bacon, who is in Rochester calling the PGA, for this Saturday night 54-hole check-in on the PGA Championship. The first several minutes are a lot of Michael Block talk -- the incredible story, and the exposure, and the golf media lapping up every drop. There’s amusement at how he wiped Scottie Scheffler off the coverage. The rest of the episode is a lot of Contender/Pretender around the leaderboard, from Block to Rory to Brooks up on top. There’s some amusing Bryson and Crushers chatter, and a few more thoughts on the kind of golf this setup has produced, punished, and rewarded and why it may not be some people’s cup of tea.

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Friday at the PGA Championship: Brooks, Scottie, Rory, and a grindfest at Oak Hill May 20, 2023

Show notes

Joseph LaMagna joins Andy and Brendan for this midpoint check-in on the PGA Championship. The setup at Oak Hill, with its firm fairways and thicc rough is put in the crosshairs. The trio discuss some of the most impressive performances from Friday, and some of their biggest disappointments. This leads to extended chats on Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Brooksy, Hovland, and many more. They ponder who still has a chance with 36 holes to go in a makeshift contender-pretender. The story and play of Club Pro Michael Block is given its due, but there are complaints about the branded leaderboard for club pros only. They close with some thoughts on hot mic Friday, which included an f-bomb from just a guy during a somewhat puerile moment at the 14th hole.

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Thursday at the PGA Championship: Oak Hill firmness, Thicc Boy thinness, Rory illness May 19, 2023

Show notes

Andy and Brendan quickly run through a great, full day of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill. They begin with some thoughts on the absolutely wonderful course conditions, which had balls bouncing and bounding all over for a mid May date. There are some thoughts on Higa’s big moment and Bryson’s return to the stage of competitive golf after a long, hard five-year journey. There are many other notes and comments including some shots of the day, quotes of the day, worst outfits, and reviews of Rory and his low Whoop score, Spieth, DJ, Brooksy, Scheffler’s pace of play, and Jason Day’s practice-free week. Thanks to B.Draddy for their support of this episode -- use promo code TFE at checkout on BDraddy.com for 30 percent off.

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PGA Championship Preview: Field, Course, Best and Worst Tee Times, and the Quote Roulette May 16, 2023

Show notes

Andy and Brendan are back for another major championship. This preview episode begins not with talk of gnomes but rather garbage plates, and who might be suckered into indulging in one in player dining. There’s also some anti-Wegman’s chatter. Then they get to the major, noting the field and the potential for losing Jordan Spieth, who was on site and being diagnosed by many amateur doctors. The course is previewed, focusing on some of the punishing stretches and internal OB on the front nine. The traditional best tee times goes in a million directions, on Rory, Rahm, burly boys, Ryder Cup scouting, and the LIV options (Bryson?) for the week. The weekly press conference parade is dissected as well, with more notes on Rory’s reticence, Rahm’s abdication, Waugh’s waffling on the rollback, and yes, of all people, Shaun Micheel. They close with one and done picks, the moment everyone’s waiting for in the greater gambling community.

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A Day pun goes here, LIV bounced from CW, and grotesque Senior backboarding May 15, 2023

Show notes

It’s major championship-eve and Andy and Brendan are ready for Oak Hill but first they need to discuss a likely best-case scenario for the non-designated Nelson in Jason Day ending a winless drought on Mother’s Day. They laud the TPC Summerlin model for getting the winning score in at 23-under. They pan CBS for the coverage at the conclusion. With LIV Tulsa, they praise the industrious Stingers and discuss many CW affiliates taking the golf off their station with about 90 minutes to go and a great leaderboard. The Senior Tour major is a reason to talk about arguably the most offensive backboard situation in all of pro golf, with a little Stricker dominance mixed in. The event that got perhaps the best finish of weekend was the LPGA’s Founders Cup with a playoff between two of the best on tour from the past couple years. There’s also a shoutout for the Swedish winner on the Euro Tour.

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Phil lobs “collusion” accusation at PGA, Myrtle gets a Tour event, SGS Golf advice May 11, 2023

Show notes

Andy and Brendan get going on this Friday episode with reaction to Phil Mickelson tweeting, then deleting, then tweeting, and then deleting, an accusation at the PGA of America for colluding with the PGA Tour to discriminate against LIV players getting into its PGA Championship field. This was a nice segue from an amusing Phil message that Andy saw on the wall at a Chicago hot dog and beef joint. There’s a handful of LIV Tulsa thoughts, some Bears-Browns schedule chatter, and a Richy Werenski apology. News hits on the PGA Tour bringing an opposite field event to Myrtle Beach, which is accompanied by an unsubstantiated rumor. The episode closes with SGS Golf Advice featuring emails on a golf trip format lament, bachelor party golf at an elite club, tattoos on the course, and a friend who re-putts everything until he makes it.

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