The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Bandon Deep Dives: Sheep Ranch

Over the next several weeks, we plan to record deep-dive discussions for all five 18-hole courses at Bandon Dunes. First up, in reverse-chronological order: Sheep Ranch. Before it was officially part of the resort, Sheep Ranch was a free-form course on which players could choose their own routings. Its 13 greens were designed by Tom Doak and the team at Renaissance Golf Design. When owners Mike Keiser and Phil Friedman decided to incorporate Sheep Ranch into Bandon Dunes, they hired Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to transform it into a traditional 18-hole layout. Andy Johnson and Garrett Morrison discuss the course’s history and evolution before giving their assessment of its current design. (Spoiler: they like it.)

Our Bandon Deep Dives are brought to you by Zero Restriction.

Bees Can Guide Us to the Future of Golf (Seriously)

One of the most pressing issues in golf right now is the relationship between the game and the environment. As temperatures rise and water supplies dwindle, courses need to reevaluate the way they use resources and interact with their ecosystems. Sorting through these complexities is Parker Anderson’s specialty. Parker is the founder (and head beekeeper) of Greener Golf, a company that helps golf facilities quantify and improve their impact on the environment. In this episode, he talks with Garrett Morrison about the surprising benefits that a well-tended bee colony can offer a course and its surroundings. They also discuss the stigmas against the game, the potential for short courses to be ecological laboratories, and how golf can strive to be regenerative, not just sustainable.

Which U.S. Golf Courses Still Need to Be Restored?

Earlier this week, Andy Johnson wrote an article for The Fried Egg website on the great remaining restoration opportunities in American golf. It generated a lot of discussion, so Andy and Garrett decided to sit down and discuss the topic further. They go in depth on Andy’s top four restoration candidates—Augusta National, Riviera, Pebble Beach, and the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass—and they touch on the 12 other courses that made the list as well as a few notable ones that were left off. Andy and Garrett wrap up with some thoughts on what the future might hold for restoration and renovation in the golf course industry.

Article: America's Great Remaining Golf Course Restoration Opportunities

Superintendent Series: Ken Nice of Bandon Dunes

Ken Nice, Senior Director of Agronomy at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, joins Andy Johnson to discuss… basketball, of all things! Once the hoops chat is over, Ken shares some stories from his experience as the assistant superintendent during the construction of David McLay-Kidd's Bandon Dunes. Ken and Andy then talk about the evolution and growth of the resort, how he's handled overseeing the unique maintenance challenges at each course, his favorite spots on the property, and how he deals with the rare snow day and a packed tee sheet.

Fried Egg Stories: The Hickory Open

For the latest installment of our audio documentary series, Garrett Morrison heads out to the Oregon coast for the 2021 U.S. Hickory Open. At this event, players must use wooden-shafted clubs either made before 1935 or faithfully based on those models. Garrett spends the day walking around Gearhart Golf Links, talking to a variety of characters, including John Henry Williams, a club repair specialist who has set up a workshop on site; Tad Moore, a renowned club builder and a co-founder of the Society of Hickory Golfers; and Colin McNamara, who is in contention to win the tournament. Garrett’s main purpose is to understand 21st-century hickory golf: where it came from, how it’s played, and why some people get absolutely hooked by it.

Season 2 of Fried Egg Stories is brought to you by Precision Pro Golf.

Dream 18: Bandon Dunes

After a six-day stint at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, a trio of tired Eggs (@the_woke_yolk, @gfordgolf, @willknightsTFE) sit down to hash out their "Dream 18": a composite course consisting of their favorite holes from the five 18-hole courses on the property. For each hole number, they choose a winner and an honorable mention, and some lively debate ensues. This discussion should provide an accessible introduction to our upcoming deep dives into each course.

The Fried Egg’s trip to Bandon Dunes was made possible (and, at times, survivable) by Zero Restriction, makers of fine outerwear.

Yolk with Doak 31: Municipal Golf, the Renaissance Cup, and Apache Stronghold

Our series with golf architect Tom Doak continues as he and Andy Johnson catch up in Washington D.C., where they attended the National Links Trust Symposium on Municipal Golf. In addition to discussing sustainability and course maintenance in the municipal golf world, they talk about the few golf course restorations left that would interest Tom, how his design style has evolved over the years, and the origins of the Renaissance Cup. Lastly, Apache Stronghold Golf Club, a course of Tom’s that hasn't been mentioned much in the Yolk with Doak series, gets some overdue attention.

What to Know About George C. Thomas Jr. (ft. Geoff Shackelford)

George C. Thomas Jr. is the golf architect behind Riviera Country Club, Bel Air Country Club, the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club, and the classic 1927 book Golf Architecture in America. To learn more about Thomas, Andy Johnson sits down with Geoff Shackelford (@geoffshac), who is the author not only of the Substack newsletter The Quadrilateral but also the book The Captain: George C. Thomas Jr. and His Golf Architecture. Geoff and Andy discuss various aspects of Thomas’s compelling albeit short life, including his diverse hobbies, contributions to Pine Valley, partnership with Billy Bell, and ever-evolving design style.

Trevor Immelman on the Presidents Cup, Ernie Els, and What It Takes to Win on Today’s PGA Tour

Trevor Immelman is the 2008 Masters champion, a TV analyst, and the incoming captain of the International Presidents Cup squad. In this episode, he chats with Andy Johnson about what it takes to be a winner on the PGA Tour today, his experience as an assistant captain at the 2019 Presidents Cup, and how things are looking for the International team going into 2022. Trevor also looks back at the beginning of his golf career in South Africa and the role Ernie Els played as a mentor-turned-competitor.

Superintendent Series: Ryan Tuxhorn of Somerset Hills Country Club

Ryan Tuxhorn (@r_tuxhorn) joins Andy Johnson for the latest edition of our Superintendent Series. Ryan went straight from college to working as an intern and making his way through the ranks at Merion Golf Club. He shares how his experiences there shaped his philosophies on everything from course maintenance to green speeds, and prepared him for his job as superintendent at Somerset Hills Country Club, where he has been for the past 13 years. He and Andy discuss the restoration work at Somerset Hills, how his approach has changed over the years, and his budding maple syrup business, which keeps him busy through the long New Jersey winters.

The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.