The Fire Pit Podcast (The 8 Side)

On an all new "Need A 4th?!" a deep dive into the golfing foibles of a star of stage and screen, Mr. Richard Kind, the man who plays Larry David’s cousin on “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Rich tells Geoff Ogilvy, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger about his buddy George Clooney’s golf game, tells some hilarious Hollywood golf stories that are NOT for the faint of heart, reveals his list of favorite courses and asks Geoff what he can do to get more distance. Tired of golfers who take themselves too darn seriously? Allow us to offer this special guest on “Need A Fourth?!”

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Sam Bozoian, also known as Barstool Riggs, is the white knight who socially rode into Baton Rouge on a horse named Twitter, scooped up an assembled group of female golfers and their coaches out of the puddles of tears and broken dreams and is giving them an opportunity to finish their seasons, and in some cases, their college careers, ON the golf course. What a concept! Throughout this podcast, you’ll be hearing more from all of the players and coaches I spoke to last week to report Part 1. Most of my conversations took place on the days right after their regional was cancelled. Their thoughts on what Riggs and Barstool were trying to do to help are used throughout the Riggs interview.

So, it’s Sunday night and I called Riggs as he and his Barstool squad of do-gooders were well on their way to saving the day with a consolation tournament for the teams and individuals who got run over by the NCAA, the very organization that’s supposed to provide them opportunities to be athletes. This is the story behind the LTP Classic, as in: Let Them Play!

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For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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Few reporters have been closer to Tiger Woods than John Hawkins. In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Hawk joins Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck on the eve of the PGA Championship to riff on how Woods has (and hasn’t) evolved through the years. 

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In part 2 of this spirited rollback debate, Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck are joined by world renowned golf course architect Mike Clayton to continue their discussion on the recent decision to modify the golf ball.  

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A new Michael Bamberger book is always cause for celebration! "The Ball in the Air" is his ode to the way golf connects us all. In this exclusive podcast, he introduces the book's protagonists, shares his writing process, and reflects on his enduring love of "the game for a lifetime." 

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This is a chaotic moment in professional golf. For this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger brought in the Jerry Maguire of PGA Tour agents, Mac Barnhardt, to help make sense of the shifting landscape. Mac brought decades' worth of insight.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Geoff Ogilvy joins Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck as they discuss how Southern Hills is playing, sing the praises of slower greens and riff on JT, Bernd, Tiger, Rory and other protagonists.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck discuss the leaked framework agreement between the PIF and the PGA Tour as well as other developments in golf's shifting landscape. They also preview some exciting upcoming Fire Pit projects.

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Straight from the 18th green at LACC, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger break down Wyndham Clark’s gutsy win, Rory McIlroy’s dispiriting retreat and the mixed emotions for Rickie, Scottie and the host venue.

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In Part 2 of this Fire Pit Podcast series on L.A.B. Golf, you get the story of Bill Presse, the inventor, as he goes from developing the "magic dust" of lie, angle and balance in his garage, sleeping in and selling putters out of his car to ultimately selling a "lion's share" of the company to the Hahn family. In addition to Presse, you'll hear from Sam Hahn, Matt Holm and Stuart Smith on how and why Presse's "genius" defied doubters, critics and Internet trolls. 

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If you’re just joining us, we’re about to tee off on the first tee at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland. It’s a Saturday afternoon in mid-June, it’s the finals of the 126th playing of the British Amateur Championship in which two underdogs, who’ve both overcome adversity and physical issues getting here, are about to finish things off. Monty Scowsill, who made six birdies in the morning, is 7-up on Laird Shepherd, who didn’t make any birdies and didn’t win his first hole of the day until the last hole of the morning round. Which made for a somber sandwich. But there’s nothing more dangerous than a talented competitor who’s so far down, it frees them up to swing freely and play aggressively. It’s never over until it’s over.

Special thanks to the R&A for their help from across the pond.

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For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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It’s the fourth Annual Wishbone Brawl at Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, Calif. It’s Saturday, November 20, and it’s a perfect afternoon for tournament golf at a 4,500-yard par-65 municipal where everyone in the community is committed to the vibe of “World Class for the Working Class.”

Class is at the core of the Wishbone Brawl, which was an idea Dean Wilson pitched to John Ashworth five years ago. Four players, two teams, best-ball and skins, persimmon woods, kids as caddies, no ropes, dogs encouraged, great attitudes are mandatory and all money raised goes to support junior golf. 

A quick history:

In 2017, Wilson, who lives in San Diego and has invested in Goat Hill Park, teamed up with Xander Schauffele, who grew up playing in San Diego and played for San Diego State. They beat Charley Hoffman and Chris Riley, who were UNLV teammates and now both live in San Diego. 

In 2018, Brawl 2, Wilson brought his friend Mike Weir and they beat Schauffele and Hoffman.

In 2019, Geoff Ogilvy, paired with Riley, had the walk-off ace from 133-yards on the ninth hole in a sudden-death playoff against Wilson and Schauffele.

2020 was cancelled due to Covid.

But this year, the Brawl was back, bigger and better than ever. Due to a fast flood of early interest, Ashworth had to close ticket sales on Tuesday before the Saturday event. Having had roughly 400 people in the gallery in 2019, in 2021, it was looking like there would be more than 1,000. Our team at the Fire Pit Collective partnered with the production company of KuenyPearson to go live on Linksoul.com. The edited version of the broadcast as well as other perspectives on the day can now be found at firepitcollective.com.

In this podcast, you’ll get some of the best action and reaction, added perspective and reflections from players, caddies and people in the crowd.

Schauffele and Wilson are paired together again. And today they’re playing against Fred Couples and Will Kropp.

Visit the The Fire Pit Collective to check out everything we are doing.

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Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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In this Fire Drill, Alan Shipnuck, Michael Bamberger, and Ryan French recap the production of THE GRIND, our docusseries that premiers January 24th. They break down Jon Rahm's recent dominance, LIV's new television deal and the potential awkwardness at the dinner table if Dru Love tells his father, DL3, that he's joining LIV.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck go deep on the complicated negotiations around the framework agreement, drawing on Alan’s new reporting. They also introduce Bonfires, events that will provide access, camaraderie, competition and quality experiences at some of the best courses and resorts in the world.🔥

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In this episode of The Fire Pit, Matt Ginella interviews Alan Shipnuck about his recent story on Saudi Arabia's attempt to buy some good global PR through golf and a few of the world's best players and architects, which includes Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Jack Nicklaus. With more than a billion dollars to spend, Saudi leadership is breaking away from the concept of the Premier Golf League and trying to lure away top players into what is now being called the Super Golf League. Meanwhile, all of this talk of competition to the PGA Tour is giving its players some leverage to improve their situations, pad their bank accounts and they might even end up making a better product. Plus, Matt and Alan provide more insight and understanding as to how and why they were able to hire Ryan French, the curator of the Twitter handle, "Monday Q Info." 

Visit the The Fire Pit Collective to check out everything we are doing.

Use promo Firepit25 at Linksoul.com for 25% off your next Linksoul order.

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger & Alan Shipnuck break down a thrilling first round of the Masters. Geoff goes deep on the allure and challenge of ANGC and Koepka, Rahm, Hovland, Scheffler, McIlroy and others get their due.

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"As of this moment, the Saudi Golf League is dead; and Phil helped write the obituary." Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck huddle up for this "Fire Drill" to break down the call with Phil last fall, Alan's report and the aftermath that has the entire golf world spinning.

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In Part 5 of this series on the Club Pro Crisis, we hear from Dr. Brain Soulé, an associate teaching professor at Penn State’s Professional Golf Management program for the last 15 years. And we’re joined by Jack Davis, one of Soulé’s former students and current head pro at the Essex County Club in Massachusetts. Both talk candidly about the industry and what they’re doing to try and make it better for the next generation of club pros.

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In the last Fire Drill podcast of a busy week, Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger & Alan Shipnuck go deep on long-hitting Matt Fitzpatrick’s breakthrough win at the U.S. Open. They also discuss Rory, Will Z, the course setup and The Country Club’s place in the pantheon.

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In just two years the Sandbelt Invitational has become one of the most charming tournaments in golf. In this Fire Drill podcast, founder Geoff Ogilvy and Alan Shipnuck discuss a rousing week and the future of the Sandbelt. The star of the tournament, Momoka Kobori, joins the conversation to share what she learned playing alongside winner Cameron Davis and what the strong showing at the Invitational means to her fledgling career.

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When Andy Ogletree won the 2019 U.S. Amateur, his future seemed unlimited. But injuries and the impact of Covid on the pro golf schedule have left him on the outside looking in. Ogletree joins the Fire Drill podcast to relive his Amateur triumph and the tee time at the Masters with Tiger Woods that came with it.

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With the final round finally upon us, Alan Shipnuck, Michael Bamberger and Matt Ginella set the scene for what should an epic conclusion to the 150th Open Championship. 

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger celebrate Brian Harman’s dominant win while drilling down on all the other news from an intriguing Open week. 

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger welcome legal expert Jeffrey Toobin to discuss the Patrick Reed defamation lawsuit (“It’s a joke”), LIV’s anti-trust case (“The PGA Tour will prevail”) and other contentious (and litigious) matters. 

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At the end of a thrilling final day at the Open, Alan Shipnuck & Michael Bamberger reflect on Cam Smith’s stunning comeback and the anguish of watching Rory fritter away the lead. A couple of surprise guests enliven the final podcast of an action-packed week.

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With the 18th hole as a backdrop for this Fire Drill pod, Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella relive the conflicting emotions of watching Tiger's farewell to the Old Course. They also go deep on a stacked leaderboard and the tourney's good vibes.

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Ryan French, and Michael Bamberger discuss Viktor Hovland’s win at the HERO World Challenge or as Ryan calls it, “a glorified buddies trip.” They explain what Adrian Meronk’s victory at the Australian Open will do for his World Ranking and Olympic status as well as a deep dive into how the media shaped the tail end of Tiger’s career. 

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Today, the PGA Tour won the first of many legal battles versus LIV Golf. @AlanShipnuck was in the courtroom for all of the drama. In this Fire Drill podcast, he discusses the developments with @MattGinella and Peter Ginsberg, a preeminent sports lawyer who has often dealt with the Tour.

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Ryan French, Mac Barnhardt & Michael Bamberger deconstruct a momentous day for the PGA Tour. Where is the money coming from? What happens to lesser players & tournaments? Will this thwart LIV? Answers here.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella go deep on the first, hotly anticipated excerpt from Billy Walters' "Gambler." What do the revelations of Phil's reckless betting say about him? Has his legacy been altered?

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In this Open pre, Ogilvy-Bamberger-Ginella-Shipnuck go deep on the charm/challenge of the Old Course, with lively stories about their own adventures there (notably Geoff's t5 in '05). The pod gets emotional when they discuss what St. Andrews means to their lives.

Watch Journey with Matt Ginella: St Andrews 

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger praise Kurt Kitayama on his gritty victory, discuss the state of Jordan Spieth's game and go deep on changes to the Tour's "product."

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In Part 1 of this podcast, you’ll hear from Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning, plus Eric Church, the country music star, Jim Nantz, the voice of golf, Joe LaCava, Tiger’s caddie, and you’ll listen in on John Daly smashing a drive off a tall boy Tenants. Two foursomes of friends start their trip as Tiger is finishing his Open, they navigate cemetery walls at midnight to pay their respects to Old and Young Tom Morris, while Cooper Manning pours and passes out free beers a Rusacks robe. They play Kingsbarns and Dumbarnie before watching Cam Smith catch Rory McIlroy from one of the greatest porches in sports. And then there’s Part 2…

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In this instant-reaction Fire Drill podcast following the first round of the Open, Ryan French revels in the qualifiers on the leaderboard while Geoff Ogilvy goes deep on the setup. Alan Shipnuck & Michael Bamberger chime in on Rory and the subdued crowd.

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In Part 4 of this series on the Club Pro Crisis, we talk to Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America since 2018. Waugh shares his thoughts on how and why he got involved, how he’s doing a lot of listening in order to improve the lives of his membership, and we learn about his ultimate goal: “I’m trying to leave the room better than I found it.”

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In this Fire Drill, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger go deep on leader Brooks Koepka and try to understand the poor showings of Tiger and Rory. They also discuss the effects of the worsening weather and unique challenges of reporting at the Masters.

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So, I can assume you’ve seen it by now; the video of a guy, walking down some stairs, puts his hand on his chest, and like a fire-breathing dragon, torches the hopes and dreams of an innocent gathering of female athletes. Then he turns around and disappears.

The dragon is the NCAA, in this case, in the form of Brad Hurlbut, an athletic director at Fairleigh Dickinson, who, from what I’m told, volunteers for this particular NCAA Committee, which was running a five-day Regional tournament at The University Club, home to the LSU Tigers.  

In Part 1 of tracking down the story of how and why the Women’s Golf Regional in Baton Rouge was cancelled and six teams and three individuals will be going to play for a National Championship without ever hitting a shot, I spoke to three coaches, five players and other members of the media. There were emotions, frustrations and a lot of anger over the organization and communication of the people in charge. Some could even call it corruption.

Visit the The Fire Pit Collective to check out everything we are doing.

Use promo Firepit25 at Linksoul.com for 25% off your next Linksoul order.

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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Alan Shipnuck, Michael Bamberger, and Ryan French break down the final week in golf before the holiday season begins. Jon Rahm wins on the DP Tour but Rory takes the Race to Dubai without winning a single DP event. Lydia Ko’s hall of fame career before the age of 26, Adam Svensson’s win at the RSM and his connections with the Big Money Classic and the crew presents their solutions to the current OWGR situation. 

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From the 10th fairway of L.A. North, Alan Shipnuck, Mike Bamberger and surprise guest Paul Azinger discuss the wondrous host course, the feeling of this Open and the continued PGA Tour-LIV intrigue. 

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In Part 3 of this podcast series on America’s club pro crisis, another collection of voices and perspectives offer potential solutions to several complicated issues affecting club pros. Butch Harmon, Chandler Withington, Shane Ryan and a variety of current and former club pros discuss unionizing and properly incentivizing a “fed-up” industry of selfless men and women whose love of golf is being tested.

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In this week's Fire Drill Podcast: Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger break down Scottie Scheffler's simple, boring, and incredibly effective approach towards golf. They dive into Jay Monahan's Oscar worthy press conference performance and discuss why there isn't a single good golf movie. 

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For this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck calls in from England to discuss an eventful day at the inaugural LIV event, including his dust-up with Greg Norman and his goons. Matt Ginella, Michael Bamberger and Ryan French are all part of this lively discussion.

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For all the people from Chicago, who, upon hearing the name Canal Shores are inspired to say, “I grew up playing there,” the 103-year-old iconic fixture and fun zone that’s wedged between Evanston and Wilmette, and 10 miles north of Wrigley Field, is finally getting some much-needed resources and support.

 After years of a passionate band of locals making every attempt to restore the bones, implore more investment and explore every option or opportunity for a resurrection, along comes Kemper Sports. The Chicago-based management company, which is affiliated with Bandon Dunes, Streamsong, Sand Valley, Big Cedar Lodge and another 100 courses nationwide, Kemper has sunk its teeth, resources and relationships into making the Tom Bendelow original design relevant again.

 On 82 acres, and multiple mini parcels of land, the 3,900-yard 18-hole par 60 has been overgrown, downtrodden and, some might say, underperforming for quite some time. What is owned by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, that’s leased to the towns of Evanston and Wilmette, and leased again to the Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association, will now be managed by Kemper Sports. Green fees range between $15 and $30 dollars. It’s a Youth on Course facility, so junior members of YOC can play for $5. The non-profit, which has relied heavily on donations and creative fundraising, finally has an optimistic plan for some realistic and relative success.

 In this podcast, you’ll be hearing from Josh Lesnik, President of Kemper Sports and the original General Manager of Bandon Dunes. Lesnik grew up in the town of Winnetka, which is 15 minutes from Canal Shores.

 You’ll hear from Karl Leinberger, President of Evanston and Wilmette Golf Course Association, which is currently managing the non-profit as a group of committed volunteers.

 And throughout this story, I get background and perspective from Andrew Fleming, a great friend of mine who’s a former lawyer at the Golf Channel and a former employee at Kemper Sports. Fleming graduated from Northwestern, which is around the corner from Canal Shores.

Charm, community, accessibility, a hyper-focus on impacting kids by way of caddie programs, as Lesnik says, "It's all there." And now it's time to make it all happen. 

Visit the The Fire Pit Collective to check out everything we are doing.

Use promo Firepit25 at Linksoul.com for 25% off your next Linksoul order.

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Ryan French, and Mike Bamberger discuss the Global Player of the Year (hint: he just won in Australia) and the fatuous PIP payouts. There are also lively diversions about Corey Pavin, Greg Norman, Sean O'Hair and much much more.

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Alan Shipnuck has covered Phil Mickelson for the entirety of their careers. He was there every step of the way at the PGA Championship, including when Alan and Phil were both almost trampled in the 72nd fairway. Shipnuck brings to life an unforgettable moment in golf history with probing questions by host Matt Ginella and further thoughts from Laz Versalles, the newest member of the Fire Pit Collective. Their deep reflections on Mickelson is the perfect way to relive his thrilling victory and better understand the forces that led to Phil's unlikely renaissance.

Visit the The Fire Pit Collective to check out everything we are doing.

Use promo Firepit25 at Linksoul.com for 25% off your next Linksoul order.

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of the Fire Pit podcast, Matt Ginella is joined by Colt Knedler and Patrick Koenig as they recap their recent Journey to Kauai. Throughout the conversation, seven guests from the show pop in and out of a Zoom call offering their reflections on the story of where they call home and they reiterate how and why the “act like a guest” mentality isn’t just critical for visitors to the Garden Isle. Farmer Samuel checks in from, well, his farm. Keli’i Alapa’i calls from his backyard near the pig smoker. Hualani Duncan is in a golf cart cruising the back nine of Hokuala. And Mayor Derek Kawakami provides more insight from his office in Lihue. Plus, Zeke Alamida, Kellie Hines-Akana and Mary Bea Porter King on cultivating the game on an island.

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Ryan French, and Michael Bamberger break down Collin Morikawa's collapse at the Tournament of Champions, Alan gets some face time with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, and Michael questions why top amateurs are getting Masters invitations without having to formally qualify. 

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast from St. Andrews, Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella dissect a fascinating first round of the Open, in which Rory starred, Tiger struggled and a firm, fiery Old Course demanded precision.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella preview the many storylines for one of the most anticipated Masters in recent history. Can Rory break through? How will #13 play? Fisticuffs at the Champions dinner, Tiger's back and much more.

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Bobby Weed is an accomplished golf course architect who will leave behind a lasting legacy through his work. But the Weed who’s out to change the world, one letter at a time, is Lanier, his 24-year-old non-verbal autistic daughter. “She has a lot of things she wants to achieve,” Bobby says. “She’s just a beautiful young lady, inside and out.”

Lanier Weed’s story, in both video and words, can be found on firepitcollective.com. Lanier's life changed when, at 14, she was introduced to facilitated communications, which involves an autistic person spelling out words on a keyboard or similar device while their hand or wrist is physically supported by another person.

Lanier Weed was 14 when she got in front of her first keyboard. Her opening salvo? 

“Thank you for releasing my voice.”

This podcast, featuring an interview with Bobby Weed and his wife Leslie, is a follow-up to that video feature on the Fire Pit Collective’s website and YouTube channel. We hear about where Lanier Weed is now, ten years after typing her first sentence. We hear about the foundation the Weeds founded 20 years ago, HEAL (Helping Enrich Autistic Lives), and its ongoing impact. The Weeds talk about Arnold Palmer, Dean Beman and Jay Monahan, just some of the people who have helped them along the way. Bobby and Leslie also reflect on Pete and Alice Dye and what Players Championship week means to them and their community.

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L.A.B. Golf builds and sells putters that don’t look like most conventional putters. They’re big, some might say they’re ugly, unwieldy. But they’re effective, they’re resurrecting morale, careers and a love of putting. In this Fire Pit podcast series, Matt Ginella conducts over 20 interviews and pieces together the story of Bill Presse, the inventor, Sam Hahn, the CEO, and several other L.A.B. Golf employees who have witnessed the rise from Presse tinkering in a garage and selling his theories out of the trunk of his car in 2012 to Lucas Glover winning back-to-back PGA Tour events in 2023. Ginella talks to Vaughn Taylor, Kelly Slater, Adam Scott, Glover and so many more as he gets to the essence of the technology, design, brand and an American dream.

In Part 1, you’ll meet Hahn, Presse, Bob Duncan and you’ll hear about how and why Hahn pushed all in and bought a “lion’s share” of the company.

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The PGA Championship is our annual opportunity to celebrate club pros. In this Fire Drill podcast, Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck are joined by Rick Rielly, the head pro at Wilshire CC, to celebrate the legacy of Rick's father Pat, a PGA of America lifer.

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In this week's Fire Drill Podcast, Michael Bamberger interviews Alan Shipnuck about his enlightening reporting from LIV Tucson. They also touch on Jordan Spieth's vexing play in Tampa, larger trends in golf media, and their forever enduring love of a tangible book. 

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast: Matt Ginella joined Ryan French, Michael Bamberger, and Alan Shipnuck to discuss the dominance of Rahm, the return of Tiger, and the amazing longevity of Bernhard Langer.  They discuss the good, bad and ugly, of the 10th hole at Riviera and with the Masters just weeks away, the four wondered if Tiger had one more majestic run in him. 

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The Grind is a docuseries that showcases the trials and tribulations of aspiring professional golfers as they bet on themselves in the face of the very long odds of ever making it to the big time. The first episode of the first season can now be streamed on the Fire Pit Collectives YouTube channel. It follows the travails of Mark Baldwin during a long, brutal roadtrip as he endures bad luck and the bad health of his young son thousands of miles away. In this accompanying episode of The Grind podcast (https://youtu.be/DBEwKfGq954), Mark is joined by his wife, Sarah, and Ryan French, his friend and part-time caddie. They discuss what it's like being the stars of the show; the vulnerability of opening up their lives to a large audience; and the challenges of juggling family life with Mark's travels and the ongoing financial stress that comes with missing cuts.

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In part 7 of this Fire Pit Podcast series on L.A.B. Golf, it’s almost all Lucas Glover. When and where a new putter intersects with his battle with the yips, reflections on his life, career, more from the Navy Seal, bold predictions from his inner-circle, and ultimately a recap of his win at the 2023 Wyndham Championship.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella welcome the team behind the renovation of the Golden Gate Park Golf Course: Dan Burke, CEO of First Tee of San Francisco; Jay Blasi, the golf course architect; and Josh Lewis, project manager and agronomy guru. Burke, Blasi and Lewis reflect on the before, during and after of the resurrection and what this revitalized city asset will mean to the community.

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In this Fire Drill, Alan Shipnuck checks in from the U.S. Am at Cherry Hills and reflects on the Women’s Am at Bel-Air, while Matt Ginella relives highlights from his recent sojourn to Ireland. They also delve into the reaction to the Billy Walters excerpt

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In this Fire Drill podcast International assistant team captain Geoff Ogilvy joins Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger to break down the results of the Presidents Cup, rising International stars, and the future of American team golf. 

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One more time around the block as we get reflections and observations on what was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Amateur Championship. Both competitors, their dads and a girlfriend, we heard from two announcers and Tom Bailey, who, over a chance encounter in December, set Laird Shepherd on a path to a life-altering adventure. But then there’s Monty Scowsill, who taught us all about sportsmanship and class as he set his own anguish aside and consoled the champion. This is a story that’s so much more than just an incredible comeback.

Special thanks to the R&A for their help from across the pond.

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Brandel Chamblee has long been the most polarizing commentator in golf, taking tough stances on everything from Tiger Woods’s rules controversies to Saudi Arabia’s encroaching influence on the professional game. But Chamblee shows a softer side in this wide-ranging conversation with co-hosts Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck, reflecting on his own playing career, the changing role of the media and the love of his life: the golf swing.

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In this year’s Wishbone Brawl at Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, Calif., women won’t just play with the men, they’ll play against them.

This Saturday, Nov. 11, at a 4,500-yard municipal golf course where the motto is “World Class for Working Class,” what has become one of the greatest events in golf will open the gates at 9:30 AM, there will be a range clinic at 11 AM and the tournament tips at Noon. Tickets are $50 for adults, kids are free and dogs are welcome. There will be food, drinks and parking is somewhat limited, so carpooling or Ubering is encouraged. All proceeds will benefit North County Junior Golf Association and Goat Hill Park’s Junior Caddie and Leadership Academy.

This year’s Brawl will consist of bona fide professionals and elite amateurs, they’ll dust off persimmon woods, pick up junior caddies, and they’ll play in front of roughly 1,000 adults, 300 kids and 100 dogs.

“It’s kind of a homemade backyard hang-out scene,” says John Ashworth, caretaker of Goat Hill Park. “Winning and losing doesn’t really matter, it’s just about having a blast, getting the whole community together and doing something special for the kids.”

It’s Xander Schauffele, who has seven PGA Tour wins, an Olympic Gold Medal and is currently No. 6 in the world, teaming up with Chris Riley, who won a PGA Tour event and partnered with Tiger Woods in the 2004 Ryder Cup. They’re playing against Geoff Ogilvy, who won the 2006 U.S. Open, and Colin Featherstone, a local and current Korn Ferry Tour player. And then there’s Jasmine and Janae Leovao, 19-year-old twins who grew up at Goat Hill Park and are now sophomores at Long Beach State where they recently helped the 49ers win back-to-back tournaments.

“I think the twins could win the whole damn thing,” says Peter Beames, who once played on the European Tour and has written books on golf instruction. “They’re that good and they’re not afraid.”

For a deeper dive on this year’s Wishbone Brawl, we’ve prepared a Fire Pit Podcast in which you’ll hear from Ashworth, Beames, Featherstone, the Leovao twins and more.

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Coming off his career-altering victory in Egypt, Andy Ogletree returns to the Fire Drill to discuss what led to the breakthrough and where he goes from here. He provides valuable context in the Asian Tour’s increasing influence in world golf as well as fun travel stories of an innocent abroad.  

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The Fire Pit podcast has a new spinoff, the Fire Drill, which will bring to life the major championships and breaking news. For the debut of the Fire Drill, Geoff Ogilvy joins Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck to discuss his love affair with Augusta National, break down the course hole-by-hole, recreate his thrilling near-miss at the 2011 Masters and reveal many other little nuggets from inside the ropes. Alan and Matt have covered more than 40 Masters between them and Ogilvy played in eight of them (never missing a cut!), giving this conversation loads of depth and perspective.

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For a new Fire Drill pod from Augusta, we brought together the OG Geoff Ogilvy to offer advice to Masters rookie Laird Shepherd, reigning British Amateur champ. Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella asked the questions and offered insight from their 40+ Masters. This is a fun chat that takes listeners behind the scenes at the tournament and offers a lot of nuanced discussion about the course and mental side of the game.

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In this Fire Drill, Alan Shipnuck, Michael Bamberger, and Ryan French break down Si Woo's win in Hawaii, Buckley's near-miss and relive Michelle Wie's glory days. They also reflect on the importance of diverse voices in golf media and the ways the sport can continue to evolve. 

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In part 8 of this Fire Pit Podcast series on the rise and relevancy of L.A.B. Golf, Matt Ginella takes you through the second of Lucas Glover’s back-to-back wins on the PGA Tour. And then he gets Glover’s thoughts on being passed up for the 2023 Ryder Cup, the business impact of the two wins, as well as reflections from several of the series protagonists on the stories within the series, including hope, inspiration, overcoming the yips and the American dream. In addition to Glover, you’ll hear more from Adam Scott, Kelly Slater, Brett Rumford, Mac Barnhardt, Michael Sims, Stuart Smith, Adam Beach, Sam Hahn, Liam Bedford and Bill Presse. 

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Michael Bamberger is the greatest golf writer alive, author of various classic books and winner of innumerable awards, including this year’s lifetime achievement citation to be presented by Jack Nicklaus at the Memorial. The intellectual curiosity that informs his writing has led Bamberger to leave corporate media for a scrappy upstart. With typical modesty, Michael did not want a splashy announcement that he was joining the Fire Pit Collective, preferring instead a substantive discussion with Alan Shipnuck about their shared history and Alan’s forthcoming Mickelson biography “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar.”                                                                                                                   

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Ryan French and Laz Versalles join Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck for a non-traditional PGA Championship preview. Ryan gives the backstory on some of the longshot club pros in the field while Laz delves into the legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre through the eyes of Bill Spiller, Jr., whose father, a Tulsa native, shamed the PGA of America into abolishing its Caucasian Only clause. This eclectic foursome also tees up their favorite storylines heading into this PGA Championships.

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This week on Need a 4th, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger are along for the ride as Geoff Ogilvy welcomes an old mate and a fellow Aussie, the golfing polymath Michael Clayton! Michael can do it all. He played for years on the Australian and European tours, he writes about the game with spectacular clarity, his course-design work will stand the test of time, and as you are about to find out, he talks about the game like a Down Under version of Ben Crenshaw, with some Peter Thomson mixed in. Elsewhere at FPC this week, we celebrate golf in the great cultural, financial and sporting capital of Melbourne and we revisit the December fun of the Sandbelt Invitational, the tournament co-founded by Clayton and Ogilvy.  There are few people in the world (if any) who know more about golf in the sand, and golf in Melbourne, than Clayton and Ogilvy. Give a listen and hear for yourself. G’day!

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In this emergency Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Matt Ginella, and Mike Bamberger unpack the stunning LIV-PGA Tour merger: how it happened, why, what the future will look like, biggest winners and losers and much more.

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How do you sum-up the one and only Gary McCord? Tour legend? Senior Tour winner? The wit behind hundreds of CBS golf telecasts? Well, give a listen to the latest edition of Need a Fourth as he joins Alan Shipnuck, Michael Bamberger and former neighbor, Geoff Ogilvy and decide for yourself!

You may settle on the one-word summation we have settled on: RACONTEUR. Gary’s half-century at the highest level cannot be contained in one podcast, as you will find out here. Good times, right here: Gary McCord on Need a Fourth!

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In this episode of a Fire Drill from the Fire Pit Collective, Matt Ginella joins Alan Shipnuck to break down his latest travels to Dublin and Belfast. They both dive into the best of what’s available on and off the course. You’ll hear from several protagonists who offered their expertise throughout the trip. From a rainbow and whiskey at Royal County Down, the architect of the front-9 of Portstewart, Ardglass with the 11-time club champ and a brief history of St. Patrick, Ginella and Shipnuck also share their Top 10 courses on the island of Ireland. 

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In this throwback podcast on the history of Bandon Dunes, part 2 picks up on May 1st, 1999 on the eve of Bandon Dunes opening for business. I’m not even sure Mike Keiser could’ve dreamed something as big as what Bandon has become. We hear from Bandon's original caddy master, Shoe, and the local barber, Mick Peters, who has hit the first tee shot on every course at Bandon, as well as reflections from Mike Keiser, David Kidd, Josh Lesnik, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw as we also celebrate the opening of the Sheep Ranch, their third course on property.

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In this Fire Drill Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck discuss:

• The launch of "Liv and Let Die"
• The uncertain future of professional golf
• The influence of Tiger Woods and the TGL
• Accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of the modern game
• How geopolitics is affecting the framework agreement

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Ryan French, and Michael Bamberger look ahead to the 2023 season with the usual mix of insight, humor and tales from the road.

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In Part 4 of this Fire Pit Podcast series on L.A.B. Golf’s rise to putter prominence, we hear how Kelly Slater impacted Adam Scott’s decision to make it his gamer and why Scott called Sam Hahn to tell him he could win the Masters with it. You’ll also hear from Adam Beach of My Golf Spy as to why the technology is passing his company’s sniff tests. 

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck is joined by James Hahn, a golf unicorn: a Tour member who makes supportive statements about LIV Golf. Hahn talks Tour politics, Monahan's future, his "price" to go  LIV and much more in this candid conversation.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck speaks with Armen Keteyian, the co-writer of Billy Walters’s “Gambler.” They discuss the craft of telling other people’s story, fact-checking Walters’s tales and Armen’s thoughts on Phil.

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Ogilvy, Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck go deep on the charm and challenge of Southern Hills and relive its previous major championships, highlighted by Tiger Woods’s inspired play at the ’07 PGA. Typically discursive, the conversation also touches on Perry Maxwell, Gil Hanse, Scottie Scheffler, Retief Goosen and, from Ogilvy, exactly how different a major feels versus an everyday Tour event.

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In the latest Fire Drill podcast, Ryan French, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger discuss another big stretch for the game: the compromised POY voting, bang-bang finish at Wentworth,Talor Gooch's rise and Monday madness as the Tour season begins in Napa.

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In this episode, Alan Shipnuck, Geoff Ogilvy and Michael Bamberger sit and listen in awe as Michael Murphy, the wildly alert 90-something writer, takes over the show. Murphy is the man who invented golf’s most original player-philosopher, Shivas Irons, from his landmark novel/treatise, “Golf in the Kingdom.” Ogilvy, who has read the book innumerable times, looks like he is talking to a golfing god as he listens to Murphy. Shipnuck and Bamberger, who once had the privilege of walking the Pebble Beach dunes with Murphy, ask Murphy about Woods and Hogan and why the game has such a hold on us, and explore why his slender book captures more about the game’s complex beauty than any other golfing treatise ever written. Murphy is an utter inspiration and he is spellbinding in this podcast. Need a good listen? Allow us to offer, “Need A 4th?!”

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Part 1 of this throwback Fire Pit Podcast includes the people, places and things that had an influence on what Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have become as architects, how and when they met, who was involved and why it works.

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Great golf swings have a certain rhythm. The guest of this Need A 4th?! is an okay golfer with superior rhythm: Mike Mills, the bassist for the iconic band REM. He riffs on golf, life and music with guitar enthusiast Geoff Ogilvy plus Bamberger & Shipnuck.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck provide lively updates on two ongoing FPC docuseries, one at Golden Gate Park GC and the other at Pasatiempo. They also have some fresh reporting on Shorty’s, the new par-3 course that is taking shape at Bandon Dunes.

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Now, on an all new Need a Fourth: the gentle wisdom of a golfing legend, Mr. Ben Crenshaw! In this episode, Alan Shipnuck, Geoff Ogilvy and Michael Bamberger visit with the only man who could have found his way to the World Golf Hall of Fame wearing two different hats, one as a player (two-time winner of the Masters) and the other as an architect (Sand Hills, just for starters).

Geoff has played in loads of tournaments with Crenshaw, and Alan and Michael have been interviewing him for years, but in this conversation they all heard things they had not before. Ben talks about the new 13th tee at Augusta National, and his memories of playing there as an amateur.

Geoff asks Ben about the secrets to putting, and you won't have to be a U.S. Open winner (as Geoff is) to understand the wisdom of what Ben says!
Ben speaks movingly about his love for the game, for The Country Club, for caddies, for courses. Need a good listen? Allow us to offer, “Need A 4th?!”

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Every NFL fan knows Trey Wingo, the excitable host and commentator on various TV and radio shows dedicated to the real national pastime. But Wingo is just as fanatical about golf, and he displays his knowledge and passion in this conversation with co-hosts Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck. Wingo recounts how he fell for the game, spars with the hosts over his favorite courses and offers insight on the most golf-crazy players and coaches around the NFL.

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck and Ryan French preview the U.S. Open by discussing the qualifiers, the favorites, the charming course and the unique mystique of the national championship. 

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In this Fire Drill Podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger break down the highly anticipated Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, Rory’s win at the Scottish Open and more on the ongoing battle between LIV, the PGA Tour and the future of professional golf. 

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After over 2,000 miles in 15 days, 12 courses, 50 Guinness, two goats, one trophy, a car ferry, spectacular cliffs, a dire wolf, a giant's causeway and lobstering in a mini wooden skiff, several members of the Fire Pit Collective get together to reflect on Covid, camaraderie, culture and the craic on the island of Ireland. You'll hear from dignitaries, tournament directors, directors of golf, course owners, and we talk architects, value and the two new shiny pennies in the North, which are going to be worth their weight in gold to everything that's happening around them. (Especially Carne and Cruit Island.) Get in the huddle of a Gaelic football match, hear the punchline to a joke and listen to some Irish folk music as we're going over an hour on an itinerary that included six of Golf Digest's 100 Greatest in the World, two that will be there soon and several others that were built by shovel. And those were the ones that we'll never shake from our adventurous souls.  

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Dream Golf Giveaway

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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For the latest Fire Drill podcast, Ryan French goes deep on the unknowns near the lead, Ogilvy and Bamberger wax poetic about metal spikes and Jon Rahm, and Alan Shipnuck asks, Who is the best player in the world right now?

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Everything about RainDance National, a new golf course in Northern Colorado, is BIG, except for the guy who helped design it and the odds that it won’t hit. 

 It’s big news that there’s a new golf course being built. According to the National Golf Foundation, there were only 18 new ones in 2019, and some of those were only nine holes. The number on the RainDance National scorecard, from the back tees, will be over 8,400 yards, which will make it one of the biggest and longest in the country. The 1,000-year-old arroyos that the course is built around are big. The mountains that surround the course are even bigger. The landing areas, greens and expectations for the finished product are also all big. And then there’s Fred Funk, one of the littlest and shortest hitters in professional golf, who’s the co-designer of RainDance National. Nothing is bigger than his smile as he walks the routing and talks about how much fun he has had getting the opportunity to break into the business of course design. Funk, who won the 2005 Players Championship, is quick to point out that at an elevation of 5,000-feet, with most holes playing downhill and with the ideal playing conditions being hard and fast, the length could be deceiving. 

In this episode of the Fire Pit, while sitting around a fire overlooking the arroyos, you’ll hear from Funk, Harrison Minchew, Funk’s co-designer who spent most of his career working for Arnold Palmer Design, and Martin Lind, the third-generation farmer who finally pulled the trigger on a project he’s been sitting on for over a decade. 

Visit the The Fire Pit Collective to check out everything we are doing.

Use promo Firepit25 at Linksoul.com for 25% off your next Linksoul order.

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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In part 3 of this Fire Pit Podcast series on the rise and relevancy of L.A.B. Golf, the putters being used by the likes of Lucas Glover, Adam Scott, Ben An, Will Zalatoris, Camilo Villegas and more, you hear about some of the lean years, the struggles of branding, marketing, and how Sam Hahn went about getting it into the hands of Tour players. From Kelly Slater, Tim Wilkinson, Jeff Sluman and Vaughn Taylor, the proof was in the results. “His posture is getting taller and everything is looking better,” says Hahn about Taylor. “He has got hope.”

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In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella react to the Senate hearings on the LIV-PGA Tour framework agreement and the accompanying bombshell document dump. So much to unpack as the ongoing golf drama reaches Capitol Hill.

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In the latest Fire Drill Podcast, Ryan French, Alan Shipnuck, and Michael Bamberger discuss the larger meaning of Rory McIlroy's latest win, Lydia Ko's renaissance and Alan's controversial ace, with the usual diversions. 

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In the latest Fire Drill: Alan Shipnuck, Ryan French, and Michael Bamberger break down Tiger Woods and his performance in The Match, their connection with the late Grant Wahl, how the Japan Tour qualifying series might change the pathway for professional golf, and somehow manage to tie together the film Straight Out of Compton with the complexities of breaking news as a journalist.

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Tony Gwynn played 20 years in San Diego, passing on more money from big-market teams and instead prioritizing loyalty and quality of life in a city he loved and playing for a fanbase that loved him back. We put a bow on this three-part podcast series on the life and legacy of Mr. Padre with final reflections from Tony Gwynn Jr., award-winning baseball writer and broadcaster Tom Verducci and a panel of Hall of Famers: Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Trevor Hoffman and Ryne Sandberg. In this episode, we go deep on Gwynn's flirtation with .400 in 1994, his 3,000th hit and the call from the Hall of Fame. You’ll hear why Gwynn was more proud of his five Gold Gloves than his eight batting titles; his love affair with the game of golf; and his favorite fire pit. And you’ll hear him say goodbye to professional baseball and his fans “Thank you, thank you, thank you." No, Tony, thank YOU!

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Other than his otherworldly skill at golf, Joel Dahmen is just like us. A native of Clarkston, Wash. (population 7,229), he likes cold beer and football and, presumably, apple pie. While Tiger Woods’s maniacal workouts led to a physique that resembles a martini glass, Dahmen is unbothered by his dad bod. Think of him as the pro next door. 

In this episode Dahmen speaks candidly about his long road to the PGA Tour and the stress that comes with having to fight for his job. He talks about what he learned moonlighting as a caddie for a friend at Q School, and takes listeners behind the scenes of Max Homa’s baby shower. As a member of the Player Advisory Council, Dahmen sheds light on the Tour’s boardroom machinations and what Jay Monahan is like behind closed doors. At every turn he is self-deprecating and amusing. 

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Mark Wiebe and John Ashworth share a story about a dream and deal they made as kids, which came true at the 1986 Masters.

Wiebe, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, and John Ashworth, who revolutionized golf fashion, made a deal when they were kids: Whoever qualifies to play in the Masters, the other one would carry the bag. And in 1986, they found themselves driving down Magnolia Lane, complete with chill-bumps and tears, it was a dream come true.

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The Fire Pit shop is here!

Got a comment about this story or a tip on a story we should track down?

You can reach me on Twitter (@mattginella) or on Instagram (@matt_ginella).

For bonus visuals and some behind the scenes of The Fire Pit podcast production, go to The Fire Pit YouTube Channel.

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What the show is all about! 

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