API Round 1 Takeaways

In terms of being able to see one of the strongest fields so far during the PGA Tour season, it appears I was about a year late. Nevertheless, I was granted access to seeing Rickie and Rory up close and personal last year at Bay Hill and will remember that experience for quite some time. Now, ahead to 2018, some guy named Tiger is in the field and he absolutely EXPLODED out of the gate. After an opening round 68, he headlines my handful of takeaways so far at the King's course on this St. Patrick's Day weekend (there's also this college basketball tournament going on as well, what a weekend for SPORTS!)

Henrik Stenson follows up a MC last week at Innisbrook with an opening round 64:

I'm going to go ahead and blame last week's missed cut on the full-blown Tiger effect that hit him and Jordan Spieth. I never quite understood what Rory meant when he said week's ago that Tiger gives up at least two shots to the field due to the ridiculous crowds that follow his group whenever he's in the field. Well, in this case, those playing with Tiger were the ones who appeared to lose shots. Nevertheless, Henrik posted on social media early Thursday he was preparing for his round by playing with his kids, appeared very relaxed and went out in -8 and looked like the Terminator he is with those shades. Look forward to seeing what he does throughout the weekend.

Patrick Reed is playing mad:

Remember last week during the Valspar when the guy in the Sunday red shirt and black pants was leading the tournament? Well he appeared to collapse on the 17th hole when a putt went ary and ball rolled right on back to Patrick Reed's feet. He's received plenty of backlash on the Twitter machine for trying to rock the same apparel Tiger has made famous the last twenty years, but the reality is he's always worn red on Sunday and it's just the new wave of fanboys who never watched Tiger back in his glory days coming out to make a point. Captain America is currently at -4 and on the front page of the leader board heading into Friday.

Smylie ain't smiling and hasn't been for a long time:

Only true golf fans who follow PGA Tour pros on social media religiously (like me) may know who Smylie Kaufman is. As the crowned MVP of SB2K16 in the Bahamas, he has shown little to no signs of life in each tournament he's played in. He finished dead last in last week's Valspar, dead last at the Honda Classic and is currently dead last at the API. This makes me sad, especially when he was on such a high during the last two spring break trips.

Rickie and Rory need to be paired together in each tournament they play in:

Rickie and Rory. Think back ten years ago when these two were Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth's age and were defining the next generation of golfing talent. Rickie with the long flow and bright orange Sunday apparel with the flat-brimmed Puma cap, and Rory who looked like an awkward and unfit teenager. The funny thing is they're both still under 30 years old, and I'm describing how they looked TEN years ago. Both have come a long way, Rory and his majors and Rickie with his occasional tournament wins and Olympian girlfriend. Flash forward to the API this weekend, both are looking more stylish and fit than in year's past and there are no greater representatives of this tournament and carrying on Arnold's legacy than Rickie and Rory (currently -5 and -4 respectively).

Tiger is so back it isn't even funny anymore:
Enough said. 

*All images from PGA Tour Live

Ten Golf Podcasts Properly and Correctly Ranked

Note** Over the past year I've become absolutely fascinated (and damn near obsessed) with podcasts, so much so that I'm currently subscribed to 40 and counting. I truly feel this type of content is the new wave in which brands, public figures and news outlets can reach their audience with evidence of this already being a powerful marketing tool. Podcasts are unlike traditional radio or television because in order to download an episode or listen to produced content, the listener truly needs to seek out the content they are looking for, making this appointment and on-demand audio listening. If you're a hockey fan, you seek out hockey content and are not strapped down to listening to basketball or baseball talk. Think of it like watching the disgraced and pathetic Sports Center (example from this morning actually). I was riding my indoor bike watching the live edition of the show at 7am and the first 50 minutes was filled with basketball and NFL combine talk only. At 7:51am they showed the first hockey highlight from the night before and spent exactly one minute talking hockey. With podcasts, you're able to skip the crap you don't care about and go directly to what is of interest.

That being said, I pride myself on being the first to listen to new episodes of podcasts no matter which show it is. Favoring the Barstool line of shows, of course, I am often motivated to listen to the newest episodes because I'm then able to interact with the hosts on Twitter. This can be said for other podcasts I subscribe to, and no other genre does this more than golf podcasts. Hence we come to the topic of my blog: ranking the top ten golf podcasts in my own (and correct) opinion. I pose this question to you first, did you even know there were ten golf podcasts out there? I didn't think so...Without further ado, here is my list accompanied with pros and cons and a featured episode which I found particularly interesting. Unfortunately, none of these shows help you fundamentally with your game, but enjoy anyways.

Honorable Mention: 

Talk of the Tour by PGA Tour

Under Par - Planning this blog didn’t so much require actually finding podcasts, but to actually give thought and insight into the rankings for which they’re placed. Like the title of the blog states, these are in fact correct rankings and my explanations will prove it. That being said, I set aside two honorable mentions to make everyone feel good about themselves, and it shouldn’t be surprising that these two spots went to more generic shows with other mediums being the prime source of content (magazine, website, etc). My first honorable mention goes to ‘Talk of the Tour’ which is produced by the PGA Tour. Pros of this show include fantasy insight, interviews with PGA Tour professionals as well as swing coaches and editors of PGATour.com. This show is typically produced twice a week and features Jon Swantek and fantasy insider Rob Bolton as the regulars.

In the Bunker - The downside of this show is it appears very technical and oftentimes uninteresting. The reasoning is mostly fantasy related, as well as the two talking about their personal lives and what they have going on down the road. Also episodes are usually 30-40 minutes, about 20-25 minutes short of the sweet spot I enjoy of just over an hour.

Featured Episode - The featured episode I highlighted is an interview with PGA Tour pro Morgan Hoffman, who was recently diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Morgan explains his interests on and off the course, his plan to play his full schedule moving forward and how a diagnosis of this magnitude will not slow him down from living an adventurous and fulfilling life.

Golf Digest Podcast by Golf Digest

The Golf Digest podcast is usually hosted by Alex Myers and Joel Beall and they dig into the previous week's tournaments and give their fantasy predictions for the upcoming week. There are rare interviews with PGA Tour pros, but this is a good show for getting the latest news in the golf world and an inside look on your fantasy lineup.

Under Par - This is a very basic show with strong evidence to backup fantasy predictions from two editors at Golf Digest. Alex is also one of the most savvy social media managers at the magazine and often gives a comical look on the social side of golf.

In the Bunker - Any episode that drops can also be read on GolfDigest.com or in the magazine produced monthly. Each episode only about 30 minutes long and offers only the basic of news.

Featured Episode - One of the rare interviews with a tour pro included Tony Finau, where the Golf Digest guys dug into Tony's upbringing in Utah, his path to the PGA Tour and the bond he shares with his family. Golf essentially kept Tony off the street in a rough area of Salt Lake City and it proved him well as he is one of the longest hitters on tour. He also has some of the best style in the game.

Countdown:

10. Golf.com Podcast by Sports Illustrated

Under Par - Very similar to the Golf Digest podcast in that anything you hear on an episode you can read in Sports Illustrated. Alan Shipnuck and Sean Zak are usually the hosts and they focus on the unconventional story, example being a hidden gem of a local golf course somewhere in rural America, a club pro who has seen it all and the like. 

In the Bunker - Inconsistent schedule, but when they do come out they are worth listening. The most recent episode dug into a panelist of Tiger enthusiasts and predictions were made on his 2018 season. Episodes are anywhere between 35-45 minutes long.

Featured Episode - Anytime you can focus an entire podcast on discussing the likes of one Eldrick Woods, people should listen. With the amount of buzz surrounding Tiger this season, you're going to get your fair share of coverage in the nontraditional media and podcasts are evidence of that.

9. ShackHouse by The Ringer

Under Par- Golf Channel contributor Geoff Shackelford and The Ringer's Tim House play off each other in a humorous way and dive into more of the political side of golf, as well as the history and old guard of who's who on the tour. Shack is always the first to revert back to keeping golf a gentlemans game, hesitates at the thought of any new rule changes and laughs at the new age field featuring the likes of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth dethroning the legends of the game. Shack wants to keep golf at its purest form and it shows in the episode, whenever they decide to release one.

In the Bunker - Entirely too political, and Tim House is kind of a lunatic. He's a descendant of Bill Simmons, and we all know how he turned out in anything besides writing. The episodes drop whenever the two get a spare minute, which means about once a month. Shack is a longtime Californian and is very partial to hyping the west coast swing events, especially at Riviera, but will talk down to events such as the Waste Management Phoenix Open (did you guys know I attended this year? Just saying...) Episodes about 40 minutes typically.

Featured Episode - Shack and House do a fine job recapping the year in golf, and this includes both the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour. There aren't too many memorable episodes which come to mind, hence why I picked a broad episode like this one.

8. Bros on Golf by Bro Bible

Under Par- Ten years ago if you asked me if I knew what BroBible was, chances are I'd look at your funny. You'd get this funny look because my response would be similar to if you asked me if I knew what Barstool Sports is today...obviously I know what it is. However, these days BroBible isn't exactly what it used to be in terms of its following, yet there is a pretty cool golf podcast hosted by Jon Mason and Jason Cammerota. In fact, they produced a podcast that was actually in the top three episodes I heard of all these shows combined because of the guest they decided to have.

In the Bunker - Inconsistent, they haven't released an episode in 2018 and they're short. Plain and simple, 25-30 minutes.

Featured Episode - Like I mentioned above, Pat Perez graced the Bros on Golf podcast with his presence and he tells the most incredible story about him turning down a pair of rare Air Jordan golf shoes. Perez is a guaranteed hit on each podcast/radio show/interview he participates in and his personality is unlike anyone else on tour.

7. Tour Junkies by 18 Birdies

Under Par - The occasional interview with a PGA Tour pro is always a homerun with hosts David Barnet and Pat Perry. Growing up in the shadows of Augusta National, these guys feed well off each other and anytime they involve their wives and how much they can't stand how obsessed they are with golf (and each other) they always generate a laugh. Episodes range from 60-75 minutes long.

In the Bunker - This is a podcast devoted 98% to daily fantasy sports and solidifying your fantasy lineup for each week. Again, there are a few occasional interviews (Kevin Kisner, Bob Parsons, etc) but for the most part it's all fantasy lineup analysis. Since I'm not the best at playing DFS, I listen mostly for the humor between the husbands and wives.

Featured Episode - The 'Kiz" is no doubt their favorite guest whenever they have him on, and he certainly does not disappoint. He's just a good old Georgia Dawg who grew up in South Carolina and enjoys swinging the sticks with his boys.

6. Erik Lang Show by Erik Lang

Under Par - The founder of Skratch Golf, one of the funniest accounts on all of Twitter, Lang takes a dip into the podcast pool and only recently launched this show on his own. Through the first five-ish episodes, each one over an hour long.

In the Bunker - Hard to tell this early in production, but so far I haven't had any cons to speak of. Lang comes off as a bit of an intellectual and can be hard to actually hear him speak on occasion.

Featured Episode - The first episode I listened to featured none other than the director of perhaps the greatest golf movie of all-time, Happy Gilmore. The first thing I learned about Dennis Dugan was that he played the commissioner of 'The Tour' in the movie. I love when that happens in movies and tv by the way, similar to when Larry David makes numerous cameos in actual episodes of Seinfeld. Keep an eye on this podcast.

5. First Cut by Kyle Porter and Chip Patterson

Under Par - Now we're getting into the top five of this perfect list, and we kick it off with CBS Sports Kyle Porter and Chip Patterson. In my opinion, Kyle is one of the best golf writers out there (in fact he's just about the only golf writer at CBS Sports) while Chip is usually a correspondent for college football and NASCAR. Kyle spends a lot of episodes educating Chip on the history of various pros, document historical finishes from tournaments and is an all around golf junkie.

In the Bunker - Haven't said this yet, but there's a lot of awkward silence in these episodes. Whether Chip doesn't understand a question or Kyle takes too long to give an answer because he's overthinking, it can sometimes be unbearable, but still good. Episodes usually 30-45 minutes.

Featured Episode - Much like ShackHouse, the First Cut gives really good recaps and this is what I chose to highlight in this show. Lots of grades, lots of hypothetical awards and predictions are made and Chip's laugh is amazing.

4. The Clubhouse by Shane Bacon

Under Par - Shane Bacon is one of the most talented golf figures in media, as he has a hand in so many projects not even he can keep everything straight. He has a newsletter that drops twice a week, is an anchor for PGA Tour Live and a correspondent for Fox golf. He also covers a lot of junior/amateur events and has one of the coolest podcasts out there when it comes to golf.

In the Bunker - Shane is a busy man, so episodes are short and sweet. He has some solid connections which lead to interesting interviews, most recently with the unbeatable Bernhard Langer on the senior tour.

Featured Episode - Shane was able to score an interview with Bones McKay almost immediately after splitting with Phil 'The Thrill' Mickelson. While it was a mutual separation, Bones sheds light on why they ended their partnership and his plans for the future. Turns out he's one of the best correspondents for NBC Golf and the Golf Channel and is an all around solid dude. Hopefully one day he'll link up on Justin Thomas' bag.

3. Foreplay by Barstool Sports

Under Par - My top three picks could be toss ups, simple as that. When it came to humor, Foreplay takes the top spot in that it's their mission to be a podcast by the common golfer, for the common golfer. They had a recap episode of the Waste Management Phoenix Open that I've listened to probably ten times already. 98% of the episodes feature interviews (David Feherty, John Daly, Patton Kizzire, Brandel Chamblee and Danielle Kang to name a few). Their Masters recap from last year is a three part series which I also listen to on the regular today. It is also worth noting their first ever episode featured an interview with the stud Ollie Schniederjans, the hatless wonder with incredible flow. What a way to begin a show.

In the Bunker - Hosts Trent and Riggs are so different that they're similar, from personality to actual golfing ability. The only con I have is I wish episodes were released twice a week, however with their recent video documentary entitled 'Cousins Weekend' with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy's parents, this made up for all the lost episodes and then some.

Featured Episode - Had to throw the WMPO recap episode on there, what a wild time.

2. No Laying Up by No Laying Up

Under Par - The first to the golf podcast game, Soly, Tron, DJ and Big Randy are the OG's of the space. Interviews are incredible, they're ridiculously knowledageable of golf architecture and have passionate golf voices. They've started getting into a routine of Monday episode drops with full tournament recaps. Some episodes vary in length but for the most part these are all must listens.

In the Bunker - I'm not particular to a lot of the golf course design episodes, or the round recaps from their trips to Asia or Europe. I like hearing interviews with the pros and keeping it OG at the Kill House.

Featured Episode - Their most recent interview included noneother than the top ranked golfer in the entire galaxy, Dustin Johnson. Other interviews include my twin Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jason Dufner and more A-list golfers.

1. Member Guest by Member Guest

Under Par - Member Guest is everything I could want in a podcast, plain and simple. Only being on air for about two months, this show features PGA Tour pro Brendan Steele, bassist for Linkin Park Dave Phoenix Farrell, and the man...Mark. This is a show deisgned to incorporate golf, music, pop culture and a range of inteews which so far include Keegan Bradley, Jon Curran, LP lead singer Mike Shinoda and Green Day drummer Tre' Cool.

In the Bunker - None, I love it and need more of it.

Featured Episode - The Mike Shinoda episode brought everything from golf, to discussing Linkin Park both past and present and is real as it gets. Give it a listen for yourself, hell just give everything a listen because it's all good. FORE!

Since When is a Silver or Bronze Medal Considered a Failure...?

I will preface this entry by saying I’ve watched next to zero “live” Olympics coverage from South Korea. One of the most frustrating things about the 2018 Olympics is obviously the time zone difference, especially when you think you’re watching something live but turns out to have been airing as tape delay. I don’t know how people watched the Lake Placid Olympics of 1980, but imagine finding out in some parts of the world a full day later the result of the ‘Miracle on Ice’? Around the same era, imagine reading actual stats and results in the newspaper even the next morning? Kids today have absolutely no idea how easy they have it, and I can admit I’m addicted to this thing called Twitter, but I must digress.

More onto the point of the blog, I need to ask a simple question: Since when is a medal that isn’t gold considered a failure?

Obviously there are instances in which certain countries during certain events have higher expectations than others, and the actual effort may result in being considered a failure (think USA basketball, Canadian curling, USA gymnastics, etc.) but to receive a medal at an event which features the most gifted and physically fit athletes in the entire world and not so much toss it into the stands, that really pisses me off. Sorry for being so honest.

Example A, Lindsey Vonn’s father. It is without question in my mind that Vonn is the greatest skier I’ve ever seen. My father can list a handful of other skiers who may be better suited for this consideration, but he’s watched much more skiing than I and there isn’t anyone more exciting or notorious than Vonn in my eyes. It isn’t any secret that she is near the end of the line as far as Olympic competition goes (she indeed announced this would be her last Olympics) but reading this report about how her father wasn’t impressed with her skiing which led to a bronze medal and a record for oldest Olympic skier to receive a medal, what the hell is she supposed to do? “Just little, little spots,” he added. “Just not quite risking enough. Not straightening the line out, just the ski was little … not quite carving in some places like it should have.” DUDE?! Really?!


Example 2, the Canadian women’s hockey team. The defending gold medalists from Sochi were the obvious favorites to repeat as champions, but team USA has always said they aren’t far off to retain the top spot for the first time since Nagano in 1998. This is one of those rare examples where I can see the expectations running so highly for a team that anything less than gold would be a disappointment. Yet once again, it was filmed all last night that players couldn’t care less about receiving a silver medal in Olympic competition. Not very polite, eh?

Finally, Example D which doesn’t relate to the Olympics, but rather the World Junior Classic played in January between Canada and Sweden. The Swedish, who I always thought were very sincere and a real people, showed "captain" Lias Andersson receiving a silver medal and shortly thereafter tossing into the Buffalo crowd for a lucky fan. Captain you say? Well du suger, mis amigo.


The point of this blog is simple: if I were skilled enough to participate in Olympic competition, I would damn well perform my hardest and be proud that I was even given a plane ticket. I’ll revert back to my idol and long lost best friend Rickie Fowler when he participated at the Rio games when nobody else would. He didn’t medal, but guess what? He came away with a sick ass tattoo and ultimately met fellow Olympian and current girlfriend Allison Stokke. People forget she almost ran be over at an In-N-Out parking lot in Scottsdale two weeks ago, but again I digress. Get over yourselves and be proud of what you accomplished, no one else will do it for you.

I Experienced the Waste Management Phoenix Open...

...and the best part happened about a mile away from the course. I'll explain...

Throughout my life I’ve been fortunate to find myself attending many incredible sporting events, and never take a single second of it for granted. I’ve been to Red Sox-Yankees (World Series by the way), Bruins-Canadiens (Stanley Cup Quarterfinals by the way) and even a Celtics-Cavaliers game (back in 2007 and LeBron decided to sit out). Among the countless other Bruins and Red Sox games over the years mixed with college hockey, basketball, baseball, etc. there is truly nothing like attending a professional golf tournament in person. To clarify, there are golf tournaments, and then there’s the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

My first experience at a PGA tournament was in 2009 at the then Deutsche Bank Open in Norton, MA which is always played on Labor Day weekend with a Monday finish. Unlike all other sporting events, golf tournaments allow you the freedom to watch who you want to watch, walk where you want to walk and share virtually every vantage point similar to the pros. Being able to position yourself in a gallery following Tiger Woods who is standing a mere 10 yards away is a much greater experience in person than say in front of a TV.

Much like the Deutsche Bank, the Arnold Palmer Invitation last year had its full slate of big names most notably Rory McIlroy who agreed to an interview on my phone (whether he knew it or not) and my man Rickie Fowler who I was able to share a practice-session photo op with (again, more on him later). There was an unfortunate and somber vibe throughout the tournament, as it was the first year without the King himself in attendance, but still had an amazing time walking the course and seeing Tommy Fleetwood’s flow up close and personal.

This brings me to the WMPO, which as the cliché goes: a certified party with a golf tournament thrown in just for fun. Thinking back to what I mentioned earlier about pro sporting events, this was clearly nothing I had ever seen in my entire life and still can’t believe what I was able to witness. I attended Thursday, Friday and Sunday rounds in the morning and am proud to say I was part of the gallery which broke the single tournament attendance record yet again (total attendance for the weekend included me and about 719,178 of my closest friends, give or take.) That’s not including the 216,818 on Saturday alone. Are you kidding me? Watching the endless amount of Twitter videos and television coverage I learned that the Mighty Ducks, Power Rangers, Teletubbies and Sesame Street gang are all fans of the sport of golf and were in attendance on the infamous 16th stadium hole at what is an absolute beauty of a course at TPC Scottsdale. I was fortunate to find a solid vantage point at the 16th both Thursday and Sunday and it is truly an experience everyone should put on their bucket list. If you’re daring enough to be in line at 5am on Saturday and sprint the full ¾ of a mile to get to the hole from the opening gates on a Saturday, hey more to ya. You’ll be rewarded with free breakfast burritos, beer and a DJ all before 8am, and that’s only a mere five hours before a golf shot is even hit! Trust me, it sounds like a long day but it goes by quickly and everyone I’ve spoken with say it’s worth every second.

Gary Woodland ended up winning in a playoff against Chez Reavie late Sunday, but my mind was elsewhere at that point and now wish I had stuck around after witnessing whatever mess that was out in Minnesota. Now we get to the point of my blog, which features a moment in my life in which I will truly remember for the rest of time and am convinced that the universe knows EXACTLY what it’s doing, whether it’s hard to believe or not.

Monday evening rolls around and I’m on day number five of being in Arizona. The weather had been perfect, my dear friends Jim and Jillian have been incredible hosts, but I was delivered some devastating news early Sunday where I simply wanted to chill out and be alone for a while. I had been craving In-N-Out Burger from the minute I landed in Phoenix and decided I’d grab some for my last meal, which is fitting because I did the same the night I moved home from San Diego. The restaurant location my phone brought me to ended up being across the street from the golf course and thought it was cool to see at dusk and reflect on the week. After crushing two double doubles with fries, I notice two guys next to a Mercedes rental with a pro golf bag outside the trunk. “Sick” I thought, as I walked back across the parking lot to throw my trash away. As I walked closer to the car, I noticed the cartoon of the Oklahoma State Cowboy stitched on the all-black Cobra bag and a dude sporting a backwards snap back yapping away on his phone. What happened over the next five minutes was a true example of a divine intervention, one which I am 100% certain was a gift being delivered from the angels above watching over me. After some life-altering news, a mere 24 hours later I experienced the most incredible moment of my life. The Waste Management Phoenix Open…not just a golf tournament.

My Hope for 2018 Summed Up in One Video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hTMHLfk1h0

So here I am trying to warm up after being out in -20° temperatures hoping to catch a glimpse of the first sunrise as 2018 embarks on all of us when I thought I'd put on some tunes to unwind. Needed something to lift my spirits, warm me up and just some generally free flowing to go with my Bailey’s and coffee. Naturally, my first instinct is to put on some Dave Matthews Band which I promptly did but, for whatever reason triggered in my head, something tells me that this was a song meant to be played and this video was meant to be watched on January 1, 2018. Whether you're a fan of the band or not, I recommend watching this entire video because to me it signifies something much more than people simply singing at a concert.

We’ve been through a lot in 2017; a lot of division, a lot of confusion and a lot of anger. I can’t help but think the first YouTube video I pull up in 2018 in the grand scheme of things is what my hope for this upcoming year will bring not only across the country, but throughout the world.

Having been to double digit Dave Matthews shows, I know fully that the crowd plays a huge part in the band set list, but for the crowd to jump out ahead of Dave and sing virtually the entire first half of the song alone and Dave later joining in and then stepping back yet again to let the crowd be heard, well that goes way beyond a couple notes on a base and a couple riffs on a guitar.

Besides the singing and the sound, look at the lyrics:

The day is gone

I'm on my back

Staring up at the ceiling

You take a drink sit back relax

Smoke my mind make me feel

Better for a small time

What I want is what I've not got

And what I need Is all around me.

I mean are you kidding me?

Anyways, maybe its the Irish creme talking, or maybe it's my overall sense of excitement for a fresh start in a new year, it is in fact just that. A new day, a new year and a fresh start and I wish you all happy and healthy 2018. Dave, you can be certain you’ll be seeing me this summer where ever you guys may tour and it will be my goal of that show to sing louder than you. Cheers.