The Fried Egg Golf Podcast

Superintendent Series: Jim Huntoon on Mowing Lines and Myrtle Beach

Jim Huntoon is the golf course superintendent at the Heritage Club in the Myrtle Beach area and a contributor to the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association. In this installment of our Superintendent Series, Jim speaks with Andy about finding creativity in his daily routine, the impact of the pandemic on his operation, his memories of Mike Strantz, and the best spots (for golf and other activities) in the Myrtle Beach area. The Superintendent Series is brought to you by the Toro Company.

An Insider’s View of Golf Course Rankings

For many people, golf course rankings published by major magazines provide an introduction to golf course architecture. They communicate the basic notion that some courses might (or should) be considered "greater" than others. Since 1996, Jonathan Cummings has served on one of the panels responsible for those rankings. Last year, he gathered up his tremendous knowledge about the rating process and published it in the form of a book, The Rating Game. He and Garrett Morrison discuss the book, the different approaches taken by the magazines to the rankings, and whether the entire course rating industry has done more harm than good.

Jonathan Cummings, The Rating Game

How Your Personality Shapes Your Golf Game

Kiel Alderink is a PGA professional and one of Golf Digest's top instructors under the age of 40. Along with mental coach John Weir, he founded Mental Golf Type, a company that uses personality psychology to help golfers practice and play better. Kiel also happens to be Andy Johnson's longtime golf coach. In this episode, Kiel and Andy discuss the underrated influence of personality type on teaching and performance in golf. They also talk about that time Andy hit it so far left at the U.S. Mid Am that a bus tried to pick them up. Check out Kiel's work at mentalgolftype.com.

Fried Egg Stories (Rerelease): Making TPC Sawgrass

Programming note: We first released this episode on Thursday, March 12, 2020. That evening, the Players Championship was canceled in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. So with the 2021 Players approaching, we thought we'd give this story another chance.

In this installment of our audio documentary series, we detail how PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman and golf course architect Pete Dye turned an alligator-infested swamp in Ponte Vedra Beach into a new kind of tournament venue. We also tell the story of the pros' first encounter with TPC Sawgrass at the 1982 Players Championship. This episode features interviews with Deane Beman, Jerry Pate, Vernon Kelly, Tom Doak, Sean Martin, and Adam Schupak.

A Way Forward for Municipal Golf

Today we wrap up our deep dive into Andy Johnson's visit to North and South Carolina with a hybrid episode. The first half is devoted to a conversation that Andy had with Troy Miller at Charleston Municipal Golf Course. Troy recently completed a Seth Raynor-inspired renovation of Charleston Muni. After that interview, Andy and Garrett Morrison return to finish their chat about the courses Andy saw in the Carolinas. They talk not only about courses like Charleston Muni and Asheville Muni, but more generally about municipal golf in America and how it might find a way forward in the 21st century.

Tony Jacklin on the Ryder Cup, the Yips, and the Concession (Golf Club)

In collaboration with Jack Nicklaus, English golf legend Tony Jacklin designed the Concession Golf Club, which will host the WGC-Workday Championship this week. Ahead of that event, Jacklin joined Andy Johnson to discuss his long, decorated career. They talk about his tenure as Ryder Cup captain, his relationships with Seve Ballesteros and other European stars, his triumphs at the 1969 Open and 1970 U.S. Open, and his eventual battles with exhaustion and nerves.

Geoff Ogilvy - Instruction, P-Reed, Rollback, and Mixed Events

Geoff Ogilvy is back! He joins Andy to talk about he recent golf news, including the USGA’s potential adjustments to equipments standards and Patrick Reed’s rules incident at Torrey Pines. They also chat about the new Players Series, mixed events in Australia in which male and female pros as well as amateurs play for the same prize money. Geoff hosted one of these tournaments recently, and he discusses the concept's potential long-term impact on the game.

Disc Golf Architecture with John Houck

Disc golf has a lot in common with golf. It's usually played over nine or 18 holes; there are tees and targets; there are drives, approaches, and putts; and scores are often calculated according to par. But Fried Egg listeners will be particularly interested to know that disc golf, like "ball golf," has its own history, style, and philosophy of course design. To find out more about disc golf architecture, Garrett talks with John Houck, the leading architect in the sport. They discuss John's approach to design, his thoughts on naturalness and strategy, and his hopes for the future of his craft. Check out an example of his work at Hillcrest Farm on Prince Edward Island.

The Latest from the USGA Distance Insights Project

Thomas Pagel, the USGA's senior managing director of governance, joins Andy to discuss the USGA and R&A’s latest announcement regarding their years-long Distance Insights Project. Last year the governing bodies released a major Distance Insights Report, and last week they provided an update on new research topics and proposed changes to equipment standards. These efforts have garnered headlines and driven debate in the golf world about the possibility of "rolling back" equipment. Pagel takes Andy through the ins and outs of the USGA's recent announcement and what it means for the future of golf.

Thoughts on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Garrett and Andy sit down to discuss Andy's recent trip through the Carolinas. In this first part of their conversation, they open with some thoughts on the events and content projects The Fried Egg has on the schedule for 2021. Then they delve deeply into Pete Dye's Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. They talk about the chaotic origins of the course, its spectacular debut at the 1991 Ryder Cup, and how its architecture holds up today. There are also some digressions into Webb Simpson's recent comments on course design and Mike Strantz's place in the lineage of provocative golf architecture, among other topics. Oh, and make sure to visit The Fried Egg Pro Shop.