The Golfer's Journal Podcast

See the BTS events calendar: https://www.golfersjournal.com/tgj-events/For seven years, members of The Golfer’s Journal have traveled the world to play golf together. More than just a series of subscriber events, the Broken Tee Society Tour has become a cornerstone of our community, fostering lasting friendships and unforgettable experiences on some of the most iconic courses in the world.Where are we headed next? TGJ’s Tom Coyne and Casey Bannon unveiled Part 3 of the 2026 schedule in front of a live audience in the new Broken Tee Society app. With a mix of major championship venues, ultra-privates, public defenders and far-flung adventures, this list boldly goes where no BTS Tour has gone before.All events are exclusive to Broken Tee Society members. Join here to start registering today: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTTGJ Podcast is presented by Titleist. Special thanks to our 2026 BTS Tour sponsors: Golden Road Brewing Co., Titleist, Club Glove, FootJoy, BMW, Foresight Sports and Bushnell Golf.

The LPGA’s new commissioner has big plans. On the latest TGJ Podcast, Tom Coyne sits down with Craig Kessler—a 40-year-old Harvard Business School grad whose career took him from private equity to Topgolf to the PGA of America before he was tapped to lead the LPGA last year. In this wide-ranging conversation, Kessler breaks down the broadcast deal that will put every LPGA round on live television for the first time in its history and shares why he's so excited about the tour's future. He also reflects on what he's learned about building trust with the players, staying in love with golf when it becomes your job and why harmony across women's golf matters more than competition. Kessler’s mission is clear: make the LPGA impossible to ignore.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Darren Clarke has caught 19 permit on a fly—a feat arguably more impressive than winning The Open Championship. Sitting down with Tom Coyne in the Bahamas at his home in The Abaco Club, Clarke happily explains his dual obsessions. He’s not just a boisterous Irishman you’d like to meet at a pub, he remains driven by catching the world’s most difficult fish and beating the world’s best golfers. Clarke opens up about raising his boys after losing their mother and reflects on the miracle of bringing The Open to Royal Portrush following his upbringing during The Troubles. He also breaks down what went wrong at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage and offers a simple solution for Hazeltine. Along the way: the Theodore Roosevelt quote that's driven him for 37 years, the difference between European sarcasm and American heckling, and the joys of living in paradise. The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Despite playing more great golf courses than most could dream of, Patrick Cantlay is a self-proclaimed 10-handicap in golf course architecture. But he’s working on it. In this episode, he sits down at The Medalist Club with TGJ's Tom Coyne and Casey Bannon to share a Tour player’s perspective on architecture: why green complexes matter more than any other defense, what Riviera's collection of greens teaches about variety, and why he's pushing back against the trend of tree removal. He also discusses the genius of Pebble Beach's routing, the thankless work of course setup, and whether Chicago Golf Club could host a major. Along the way, Cantlay opens up about growing up at Virginia Country Club with coach Jamie Mulligan, reading Cormac McCarthy and Marcus Aurelius between rounds, playing gin in smoky card rooms and what he remembers most about walking into his first U.S. Open at 19. It's a rare look inside the mind of one of golf’s most cerebral players.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

With exemptions into the Masters, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship on the line, someone’s life is going to change at this week’s Latin America Amateur Championship. Live from the fairways of Lima Golf Club in Peru, host Tom Coyne sits down with a range of voices to capture the importance of the LAAC and the long road it took to bring the championship here after delays tied to political unrest, COVID and building a driving range. The story is told in three parts, featuring Puerto Rico’s Jeronimo Esteve, a 10-time LAAC competitor, Mark Lawrie of the R&A, and Lima Golf Club vice president Álvaro Hernández. Together, they offer a clear-eyed look at a championship that’s become one of the most important gateways in amateur golf and a point of pride for the entire Latin American golf community.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

For seven years, members of The Golfer’s Journal have traveled the world to play golf together. More than just a series of subscriber events, the Broken Tee Society Tour has become a cornerstone of our community, fostering lasting friendships and unforgettable experiences on some of the most iconic courses in the world.Where are we headed next? Renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse joined TGJ Brand Director Casey Bannon to unveil Part 2 of the 2026 schedule in front of a live audience in the new Broken Tee Society app. With a mix of major championship venues, ultra-privates, public defenders and far-flung adventures, this list boldly goes where no BTS Tour has gone before.All events are exclusive to Broken Tee Society members. Join here to start registering today: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTTGJ Podcast is presented by Titleist. Special thanks to our 2026 BTS Tour sponsors: Golden Road Brewing Co., Titleist, Club Glove, FootJoy, BMW, Foresight Sports and Bushnell Golf.

When we started this podcast back in 2017, we didn’t have a grand plan. We just wanted to tell good golf stories and see where they took us. Two hundred episodes later, that’s still our north star.To mark the occasion, we asked a few familiar voices from the show to pick their favorite episode from the first 199. TGJ’s Tom Coyne, Casey Bannon, Travis Hill and Alek Timm, along with our original host, No Laying Up’s D.J. Piehowski, each share why these shows stuck with them before rolling them out in full.The result is nearly four hours of conversations that helped shape the podcast. It’s meant for long drives, holiday travel, and strolling down memory lane. Start at the beginning or jump around. Either way, thanks for listening.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT⁠The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist. (00:00:00) A thank you from Tom Coyne(00:03:54) The story of Len Mattiace, selected by D.J. Piehowski(01:02:38) Jimmy Dunne, selected by Tom Coyne(01:29:20) Leon Panetta & Ted Balestreri, selected by Casey Bannon(01:59:18) Sandra Boynton, selected by Travis Hill(02:49:26) Keith Mitchell, selected by Alek Timm(03:56:01) Here’s to the next 200

Jeff Warne has quietly led one of golf’s most interesting lives, from growing up in Augusta to building a stellar reputation as a top-100 instructor to becoming director of golf at The Bridge. He’s spent decades learning how clubs create the best experiences, and now he’s putting it into practice with one of his own with New Holland Golf Club, a new project rising amidst the Aiken golf boom. Warne joins Tom Coyne to lay out his vision for New Holland’s identity: a “firm but slow” heathland design, a UK-inspired access model, no cabins in sight, and a damn good hot dog bar. It’s an inside look at one of the most interesting new builds in American golf.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

They were can’t-miss kids. South Carolina standouts. PGA Tour hopefuls. Pioneers of golf’s YouTube era. But success is rarely a straight line. Alongside their feature in The Golfer’s Journal No. 34, George and Wesley Bryan sit down with TGJ managing editor Travis Hill to finally tell their whole story from the patio at Solina Golf Club, where it all began. They talk about the early days at Solina under their dad’s watch, the mini-tour failures, the trick-shot breakout that kept the lights on, and Wesley’s rapid climb to the PGA Tour. They also open up about their financial rock bottoms, the creative bets that paid off, and the growing tension with the PGA Tour as they carve their own path on YouTube. It’s the full arc of the Bryan Bros rise, fall, and rise again, told in their own words.Editor’s Note: This podcast was recorded in May 2025.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Author and essayist David Coggins has long explored the rituals that shape a life well lived. In his book The Optimist, he turns that focus to fly fishing, uncovering lessons in patience, humility, and craft that echo the same challenges found in golf. In this thoughtful conversation with host Tom Coyne, Coggins reflects on why the best days on the water—and the course—rarely come down to results, but to the time spent outside, learning and improving. Together, they wander through Scotland’s rivers and fairways, the art of slowing down, and the satisfaction of being a perpetual student in a pursuit that resists mastery. The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Few places in golf have inspired as much intrigue—or imitation—as Ohoopee Match Club. For founder Michael Walrath, it was never about simply building an exclusive playground. It was a simple promise to keep his friends connected. In this wide-ranging conversation with host Casey Bannon, Walrath shares how a 20-page “manifesto” became one of the most talked-about clubs in the world. From zebras in Georgia to a Michelin-level restaurant, he reveals the ideas, risks, and small rebellions that shaped Ohoopee’s identity as one of the best experiences in golf. Along the way, Walrath reflects on his parallel life as a tech CEO, why he thinks golf clubs are bad investments, and how chasing timelessness—not trends—has become his life’s most rewarding project.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist. 

Bud Cauley was a sure thing: three-time All-American at Alabama, Walker Cup star and one of the rare players to skip Q-School and go straight to the PGA Tour. But golf hardly follows a script. After injuries, multiple surgeries, and a near-fatal 2018 car accident that kept him away for more than three years, Cauley wasn’t sure if he had a future on the PGA Tour. Now 35, he joins host Tom Coyne from The Bear’s Club to reflect on the comeback season that vaulted him back into the spotlight. They discuss the role of family, friends like Justin Thomas keeping him going, and how fatherhood has reframed his approach to the game. It’s a genuine look at resilience from a player making the most of his second chance.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

This is part two of a two-part TGJ Podcast series that explores the simmering animosity and contrasting philosophies shaping the road to the 2025 Ryder Cup. The series is voiced by Chandler Withington, former head professional at Hazeltine National and a consultant to the winning American side in 2016.–After another American collapse at Medinah in 2012, two very different approaches to team building came into focus. Europe leaned into culture, continuity and connection, while the U.S. searched for formulas, fixes and new leadership. Part two examines how those contrasting philosophies shape each side, and how they now collide on the eve of Bethpage in 2025.The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.The Golfer’s Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/subscribe

This is part one of a two-part TGJ Podcast series that explores the simmering animosity and contrasting philosophies shaping the road to the 2025 Ryder Cup. The series is voiced by Chandler Withington, former head professional at Hazeltine National and a consultant to the winning American side in 2016.–Until the mid-1980s, the Ryder Cup was little more than a friendly exhibition dominated by American stars. But when Seve Ballesteros and Tony Jacklin rallied Europe at The Belfry in 1985, everything changed. Part one tells the story of how polite applause gave way to jeers, tense matches spilled into parking lots and a nearly forgotten event transformed into golf’s fiercest rivalry.The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.The Golfer’s Journal is made possible thanks to our members. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/subscribe

Dave “Phoenix” Farrell has led a different golf life. For more than two decades, he has played bass for Linkin Park, one of the most influential and highest-selling rock bands of all time. And whenever he’s offstage, he’s usually playing golf. His career has taken him all over the world and given him incredible opportunities. In this conversation with TGJ’s Travis Hill, Farrell shares stories of rounds at the world’s best courses while on tour, the friendships forged at the Dunhill Links, a three-birdie day at Augusta and how the game helped him navigate grief after the loss of the band’s former lead singer Chester Bennington. From architecture debates to wearing rubber pants at St. Andrews, Farrell proves his game can travel.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

For Rich Shilling, keeping Philadelphia’s best muni in pristine condition is equal parts science, art and…honey. Maintaining Jeffersonville Golf Club—a Donald Ross gem that hosts more than 60,000 rounds a year—is no small task. In this episode, he joins host Tom Coyne from the Turf Care Center to talk about the craft of keeping a high-volume public course in country club condition: managing people, navigating wild weather patterns and sometimes sleeping at the course. He also explains how his on-property bee hives produce honey for the Philadelphia 76ers and serve as proof that golf and the environment can thrive together. Expect turf wisdom, tangents on divots and a superintendent who wouldn’t trade this life for anything.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Buddy Marucci’s résumé speaks for itself: played in 59 USGA championships, two Walker Cup captaincies, two Walker Cup appearances and a legendary duel with Tiger Woods in the final of the 1995 U.S. Amateur at 43 years old. And the stories he shares on this episode with host Tom Coyne reveal even more. Marucci takes us inside that unforgettable match with Tiger, shares lessons learned from playing alongside Arnold Palmer at the Masters and reflects on his status as a lifelong amateur in a game increasingly defined by money. He also previews the 2025 BMW Championship at Caves Valley, where he recently helped oversee a full course renovation. He also reveals the magic of Merion and discusses the absurd fact that he's eagled 17 holes at Pine Valley. It’s a masterclass in perspective from one of the game’s most respected gentlemen.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

As the 2025 Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush, we sit down with someone who knows the land, the game and the moment better than most. Justin Parsons—coach to the likes of Brian Harman, Harris English and Louis Oosthuizen—grew up just down the coast in County Down, learning the game on windswept turf and nine-hole loops near oyster farms. In this wide-ranging conversation with host Casey Bannon, Parsons reflects on Northern Ireland’s rich golf culture, how pros adapt to links conditions, and what it takes to compete at The Open. Along the way: lessons from Harman’s win at Hoylake, thoughts on developing young pros, Portrush pub tips and a reminder that sometimes the draw beats the field.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Paul Azinger has never been afraid to speak his mind or take a big swing. So when a friend asked him to consult in building a golf course on 1,100 acres of Florida ranchland, Zinger saddled up. The result? Miakka Golf Club: a bold take on the modern game shaped by three million cubic yards of sand and the same bravado that won Azinger a Ryder Cup. In this episode, he joins host Casey Bannon to unpack Miakka’s Australian-style bunkers and why it's using trees as the last line of defense against today’s 340-yard carry. He also opens up about Ryder Cup regrets, the Keegan Bradley captaincy conundrum, the state of the broadcast booth and why we need less coaching in golf. Expect big opinions and unfiltered Zinger charm. Buckle up.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.

Nobody knows Oakmont like Bob Ford. From living off the 18th green to becoming the last club pro to qualify for a U.S. Open at his home course, Ford has been part of American championship golf for more than five decades—and now serves as the tournament’s starter. On this episode of the TGJ Podcast, he joins Tom Coyne to preview the 2025 U.S. Open and reflect on a career that stretches from furrowed bunkers in the ’70s to the first tee in 2025. Ford shares stories of tanking to avoid breaking Arnold Palmer’s course record, making more money in the U.S. Open than the champion, navigating the politics of the course’s tree removal and what it’s like to announce names with the world listening. For a deep dive into how Oakmont has evolved—much to the chagrin of Nicklaus, Trevino and Player—this one’s for you.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.