Golfers Anonymous

BONUS: US Open Preview

Excitement levels are at an all time high for this year's US Open at Pinehurst. To break down the tournament, we brought back Connor Mulligan who played Pinehurst #2 from the tips about 18 months ago. We talk through all things Pinehurst, what to expect from the course, and who we like heading into the week.
00:00 Intro
04:29 Playing Pinehurst Number 2
11:37 Preparing for the Round at Pinehurst Number 2
30:23 Comparing Pinehurst to New England Courses
36:03 Donald Ross's Design Philosophy
43:09 The Importance of Creativity
44:32 Scottie Scheffler
46:41 Other Contenders: Colin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, and Sahith Theegala
53:28 Scottie vs Tiger 
 

Episode 12: Severiano Saiz - 4 Handicap

In this episode we bring on Sev, the founder of Course Maps, a rapidly growing business that sells custom map prints of golf courses. Sev talks us through why he fell in love with golf and how he turned that passion into a full-time job.
 
00:00 Introduction 
04:53 Sev's journey with golf
09:23 Turning passion into a business: Course Maps
24:43 Challenges of playing golf in New York City
34:41 Golf Fandom
41:35 Excitement for the Ryder Cup and Future Golf Travel
47:06 The Addictive Nature of Golf
 
 

BONUS: PGA Preview and Scotland Itinerary

The PGA Championship is finally here! In this episode of the Golfers Anonymous podcast, we bring back Ben Firn to discuss the PGA Championship and Ben's upcoming Scotland trip. We share our predictions for the tournament and discuss underdog players to watch. The conversation then shifts to Ben's Scotland trip with his brother. The trip is highlighted by rounds at North Berwick, Royal Dornoch, and The Old Course. Tune in for the full breakdown!
 
00:00 Introduction
07:11 PGA Championship
22:06 Introduction and Scotland Trip 

Episode 11: Mark Weinstein - 5 handicap (Part 1)

Mark joins us with the most golf experience out of any guest on the show thus far with 55 years and counting. After playing division II golf at the University of Hartford, Mark went on to have an awesome amateur career filled with plenty of ups and downs. In part 1 we focus on Mark's journey through competitive golf, then in part 2 we shift the conversation to my game as Mark loves to teach and help others improve.

Episode 10: John Long - 11 Handicap

For our 10th interview on the podcast we brought on our first ever caddie. While John isn't a full time professional golf caddie, he does have over 10 years of experience and told some awesome stories from his time as a looper.
00:00 Introduction
03:02 John's Early Golfing Days as a Caddie
07:57 Crazy Stories from Caddying Experience
16:01 John's Initial Dislike for Golf and Developing a Love for the Sport
23:06 The Impact of Javelin Throwing on John's Golf Swing
24:56 John's Best Ever Round 
26:04 The Quest for Breaking 80
27:01 The Mental Game of Golf
27:31 Favorite Golf Shot
30:16 Golf Fandom
32:14 Betting on Golf
34:47 Favorite Golfer on Tour
36:02 Attending Golf Tournaments
40:26 Favorite Golf Course Played
41:48 Golf Trips and Bucket List Courses
44:56 Best Golf Memory
47:51 The Love of The Game
 

BONUS: What Makes The Masters Unique

We're officially one week away from the 2024 Masters. Matt and I decided to break down our top five favorite things that make The Masters so unique every year.
 
Chapters
 
00:00 Introduction and Masters Preview
05:29 Honorable Mention: Coverage of the Masters
07:14 Honorable Mention: Bridges at Augusta National
09:21 Matt's Number 5: Unpredictability of Player Performances
14:19 Noah's Number 5: Skipping Shots at the 16th Hole
20:36 Noah's Number 4: Concessions at the Masters
24:24 Matt's Number 3: Colors and Visual Presentation
26:01 Noah's Number 3: Magnolia Lane
28:56 Concessions and Food
32:17 The Start of Spring
36:25 The Trophy Ceremony
40:37 The Masters Theme Song
42:25 The Champions Dinner
 

Episode 9: Connor Mulligan - 10.5 Handicap

Any episode where the guest's name includes the word Mulligan is a must listen. In this episode Connor walks his through the peaks and valleys of his raging golf addiction. 
Connor reveals that he took on the brave task of completely rebuilding his golf swing and the roller coaster that was. To round the conversation out we cover various topics in the world of golf, including discussions about Scottie Scheffler and the World Golf Ranking, predictions for the Masters and Rory McIlroy's career, a critique of Zach Johnson's Ryder Cup captaincy, golf trips and bucket list courses, and why golf is special and addictive.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
06:11 Connor's High School Golf Experience
09:14 Connor's Home Course and Lowest Round
13:16 Connor's Golf Addiction in College
26:02 Connor's Favorite Golfer: Wyndham Clark
30:49 Discussion about Scottie Scheffler and the World Golf Ranking
36:37 Predictions for the Masters and Rory McIlroy's Career
40:38 Critique of Zach Johnson's Ryder Cup Captaincy
51:43 Golf Trips and Bucket List Courses
56:26 Why Golf is Special and Addictive
58:47 Breaking 80

Episode 8: Justin Lee - 3.5 Handicap

In this episode we bring on friend of the pod Justin Lee. Justin shares his journey into golf, starting with his father's influence and early exposure to the sport. Justin played competitive golf throughout high school and shared some great stories about how he grew up watching Tiger Woods with his Dad. Justin also talks about his favorite golf course, Bethpage, and his lowest round ever at Putterham, a course that holds a special place in his heart.
 
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction 
02:03 Justin's Introduction and Early Golf Experience
04:36 Justin's Experience Playing Competitive Golf
11:38 Memorable Moments from High School Golf
19:15 The Longevity of Golf 
22:06 Favorite Golf Course: Bethpage
27:40 Lowest Round and Favorite Course: Putterham
33:01 Growing Up as a Golf Fan
35:20 Favorite Golfers to Watch
37:00 Rivalries and Fandom
38:41 Volunteering at Golf Tournaments
51:31 Most Memorable Golf Shot
 

Episode 7: Thomas O'Donoghue - 15.0 Handicap

In this episode we bring on a Thomas O'Donoghue, proud golf addict and close friend of the pod. Thomas is a 15 handicap who originally picked up golf as a small child, took some time off, and now is back chasing his dream of breaking 80. 
 
We talk about a variety of topics including the live experience at a major, the heat of Pinehurst in September, and what the perfect pre round meal looks like. 
 
00:00 Introduction 
03:08 Playing Golf with Irish Family
05:57 Getting Back into Golf and Improving Handicap
10:12 Golf Trip to Pinehurst
15:48 Custom Club Fitting and Funky Grips
22:53 Drinking on the Golf Course
25:08 Walking vs Riding
26:35 Attending the 2022 US Open
31:43 Favorite Golfers and the Future of Golf
34:38 LIV Golf and the PGA Tour
41:14 Favorite Major Tournament
43:59 Eating on the Golf Course
44:26 Would You Rather
49:31 Gimmies, Mulligans, and Cheaters
51:46 Why Golf is a Big Part of Life

Episode 6: Ottavio D. - 7.5 Handicap

This week we bring on Ottavio Dattolo, a former semi professional baseball player turned avid golfer. Tav has an awesome story of how his parents got him into golf at an early age via the first tee program and his love for the game has blossomed ever since.  Tav's golf career peaked when he shot 74, but his lowest point is when he accidentally bought fake clubs off of Facebook Marketplace.  This is another great listen for any former baseball players out there.
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
02:12 Getting Into Golf and High School Golf
06:19 Playing Semi-Professionally and Transitioning to Software
13:51 Being a Golf Fan and Watching Live
19:09 The Waste Management Tournament and Rowdy Fans
22:37 Most Memorable Round and Golf Shot
29:09 Golf Trips and Planning
34:20 Bucket List Golf Courses
35:15 Golf Trips and Course Recommendations
41:45 Planning a DIY Home Golf Setup
46:53 Love For The Game