The Firm & Fast Golf Podcast

Mike Clayton joins me on this episode to provide us with an update on grow in at 7 Mile Beach, The Sandbelt Invitational, the Australian Summer of Golf and some local projects that Clayts, Harley Kruse and Lukas Michel have been working on recently. We also explore; the challenges the flatter sites present to the course designer, the relative under appreciation of English Golf, Tom Simpson, CDP in France, why routing and flow are important elements in course design and some bucket list design projects. Many thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy the show! Pic credits - CDP Golf & 7 Mile Beach Episode music used under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Mike Clayton.

After a summer break filled with a research project (which is almost assuredly going to translate into an episode), F&F are back with a new episode recently recorded with Colin Byrne... Many listeners will recognize Colin's name as bag man supremo with more than 40 years logged thus far as a globe trotting golfing sherpa. He has caddied for many of the modern greats including Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen, Darren Clarke and Fred Couples. We take a trip down memory lane with Colin to explore writing, winning US Opens at Shinnecock Hills, bad bahaviour and Q school amongst other topics. We hope you enjoy the chat. As mentioned during the show, copies of Bagman 1 & 2 are available online via the links below (you can also access them through an Irish Times online subscription) https://www.amazon.com/Bagman-Inside-Exclusive-World-Professional/dp/0954865308/ref=sr111?sr=8-11 https://www.amazon.com/Bagman-Inside-Ropes-Leading-Looper/dp/0954865383/ref=sr113?sr=8-13 Colin has also released another book, entitled The Little White Ball, which is full of practical advice on improving your game, link below https://www.amazon.com/Little-White-Ball-score-ability-ebook/dp/B01JBHUPSE Episode music used under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Colin Byrne.

A recent trip to Walton Heath afforded me an opportunity to meet with Philip Truett at his home at Walton on the Hill. Philip recently co-authored a biography on William Herbert Fowler, entitled 'A Matter of Course'. The book paints a brilliant picture of a life well lived, not without a modicum of drama. Fowler by all accounts was a by-product of his time and social standing, who undoubteldy left an indelible mark on golf both in the UK and the USA. We mainly stay on topic or at the very least always return to the vicinity of where we meandered away from it.... please enjoy the chat, it was great fun to put it together for our collective enjoyment, engaging with someone as knowledgable as Philip has been a real treat. Episode music used under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Philip Truett.

Recorded 1/5/2024 Nathan Bennett comes from counrty Victorian farming stock, so he's not afraid of hard yakka ('hard work' for non Australians). His can do approach has seen him on a green keeping journey which started in Murray Downs and would go on to include Metropolitan, Moonah Legends, The Sands and finally Royal Adelaide Golf Club. We take a look at Nathan's journey while also lingering upon the Royal Adelaide story, since the clubs foundation back in 1892. The clubs centenary book is a great read (if you can get your hands on it.... its out of print for many years btw but there are a limited number of copies available from Abe Books - see link below) and through its auspices we tease out some of the ongoing historical and modern challenges that maintaining a world class golf course in a dry and arid climate, such as Adelaide, represents. Nathan is a great guest and I really enjoyed my time with him. We hope you enjoy the conversation! The Royal Adelaide Golf Club - By Michael Cudmore (https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31708992448&searchurl=ds%3D20%26kn%3Droyal%2520adelaide%2520golf%26rollup%3Don%26sortby%3D17) - 1892 to 1992 Please feel free to check out an article on our Substack account that profiles Royal Adelaide Golf Club and the delights of Adelaide (https://shanederby.substack.com/p/awesome-adelaide) Firm & Fast Links Twitter/X (https://x.com/firmandfastgolf) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/firmandfastgolfpodcast/) Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLiP9k8WaS6_5i9JF5WtwzA) The Firm & Fast Golf Podcast Occasional Newsletter on Substack (https://shanederby.substack.com/) Music used under license from Epidemic Sound Episode Imagery - credit Gary Lisbon (provided through RAGC) Special Guest: Nathan Bennett.

The stars finally aligned recently in providing me with an opportunity to spend some time with Angela Moser - golf course architect, shaper and world traveller! There was no sign of either a dozer or a digger.... although I am absolutely sure that one of those is undoubtedly in her immediate future. In this episode we take a deep dive on Renaissance's only current Irish course, St Patricks Links @ The Rosapenna Golf Resort, where Angela, Tom Doak, Eric Iverson, Clyde Johnson, Brian Schneider, Brian Slawnik, Blake Conant, Don Placek & Co. have created what in all likelihood will probably be the last great links to be built in Ireland. We take a look Angela's back story in golf, which started by chance when her parents enrolled her in a three day golf summer camp for kids in her home town of Augsburg, Germany. The golf bug bit, ultimately leading her towards a degree in Landscape Architecture at the Munich Univeristy of Applied Sciences, followed by a year long Erasmus scholarship in Sheffield. This UK sojourn, afforded Angela both the encouragement and opportunity to immerse herself in disciphering the myriad puzzles that many of the great UK courses afford golfers. After graduation, Angela worked in Greenkeeping and Golf Course Design in Germany and Austria. An internship with Renaissance Golf Design would follow in 2011 and the rest as they say is history. We take a look at some of this history, while also looking at a few of the upcoming projects that are on the drawing board and one that our interview subject might be inclined to put there, should the opportunity every arise. Many thanks to Angela for graciously affording me the time to speak with her. We both very much hope you enjoy our chat. If you want to find out more about The Olde Glen Bar, Glen Village, Co. Donegal, please click on the following link (https://oldeglen.ie/) Additional details on the Rosapenna Golf Resort stay and play packages can be found by clicking on the following link (https://www.rosapenna.ie/) Angela mentions Norderney Golf Club during the course of the episode, you can visit the Norderney Golf Club website by clicking here (https://gc-norderney.de/?ngsetproto=1), alternatively you can read a little more about it on the Good Sundays Website (http://goodsundays.com/gc-norderney/). Angela Moser Socials Moser Golf Website (moseronadozer.com) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mosergolf/?hl=en) Twitter/X (https://x.com/mosergolf?lang=en) F&F Podcast Socials Twitter/X (https://x.com/firmandfastgolf) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/firmandfastgolfpodcast/) The Firm & Fast Golf Podcast Occasional Newsletter on Substack (https://shanederby.substack.com/) Episode Music provided under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Angela Moser.

Angela Moser has just completed the #10 Course at Pinehurst for Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design - she joined me recently for golf at St Patricks Links (no surprise, she's a baller) and a number of conversations, one of which we recorded for your enjoyment. Our full conversation takes a look at Angela's career to date, which includes significant involvement at St Patricks @ Rosapenna, The Renaissance Club in Edinburgh, The Loop at Forest Dunes, Pinehurst #10 and much much more... Editing is still in the works, however, this piece is too good not to share immediately as a wee teaser for what's to come next week. Music supplied under license from Epidemic Sound Track - Neutron Skies by Roots & Recognition Special Guest: Angela Moser.

Royal Portrush hosted it's first Open Championship in 1951, with Max Faulkner triumphing over Harry Colt's Dunluce Course... at the time Bernard Darwin was minded to write that Colt's design of the Dunluce links was 'a monument more enduring than Brass'. As listeners will know the Open Championship returned to Royal Portrush in 2019. In advance of the 148th staging of the Championship MacKenzie & Ebert undertook improvement and revision works on both the Dunluce & Valley courses at RP. With the club due to host the 153rd Open in 2025, members at Royal Portrush approved a comprehensive improvement plan for the Valley. These works began in November 2023 and are expected to be complete by August 2024. Works focus upon improving and augmenting the spectator, player and member experience throughout the property. I joined consulting course designer Martin Ebert at Royal Portrush recently for a course walk and podcast recording session as DAR Golf Construction enter the finishing straight on these improvements. Over the course of our hour long chat we explore the works on the Valley Course while also lingering a while on M&E's improvement works at Enniscrone over the past winter. Finally we briefly touch upon M&E's upcoming projects at County Sligo Golf Club, Noordwijk Golf Club in the Netherlands and New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney, Australia. Thanks to Martin, Graham, Graeme, Ashley, John, Nigel and Jim for their help and assistance in putting this episode together, thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy our chat. The master plan for the Valley works can be viewed by clicking the following link (https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68105049/royal-portrush-valley-course-proposals). A new book on Chicago Golf Club, The Prairie Raynor (https://www.grantbooks.co.uk/product-page/the-prairie-raynor-by-john-moran-and-rand-jerris-ph-d), published by Grant Books, was mentioned briefly towards the end of the episode, hit the link (https://www.grantbooks.co.uk/product-page/the-prairie-raynor-by-john-moran-and-rand-jerris-ph-d) for more information. Episode music used under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Martin Ebert.

County Sligo Golf Club celebrates 130 years of existence in 2024. Club members recently approved a course development plan, prepared by course designers M&E. In this episode we catch up with Council member David Dunne to hear about the scope of these plans, which will be implemented over the coming years. David has an interesting back story which we explore in parallel with our chat about the Rosses Point links. Many thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy the show! Epiosde imagery courtesy of County Sligo Golf Club Episode music used under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: David Dunne.

Friend of the pod Mark Millar, the Superintendent at County Sligo Golf Club, joined us for a chat in the Ewing Room in the clubhouse at Rosses Point during a recent visit to the home of the West of Ireland Amateur Championship. The Club has hosted the event since its inaugural hosting of the event in 1923. We take a look at the site at Rosses, discussing some of the challenges that Mark faces through the seasons and tke a look at his well travelled career. We also look forward to the clubs hosting of the Irish Amateur Championship which the club was awarded as they celebrate their 130th year in 2024. Be sure to get to Rosses this year, there is still teetime availability and you will not regret it. We hope you enjoy the episode. Music under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Mark Millar.

The First in a four part series that cover the F&F Spring Break to Counties Sligo and Mayo. Myself and a good mate set off from Dublin to the Atlantic West Coast of Ireland to explore the delights of links golf at Rosses Point, Strandhill, Enniscrone & Belmullet. Please take a look at the F&F Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/firmandfastgolfpodcast/) page to view a number of reels showing County Sligo, Strandhill, Enniscrone and Carne in all of their early season splendour. Please find a few links below for accommodation, eating and non golfy stuff that might be of use to you when planning a trip Westwards Radisson SAS Rosses Point (https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-sligo-spa) Glass House Hotel Sligo (https://www.theglasshouse.ie/) Otto Pizza Sligo (https://www.ottopizza.ie/) Flipside Sligo (https://www.flipside.ie/) Bartragh Restaurant Enniscrone GC (https://enniscronegolf.com/dining/) (the curry was divine!) Diamond Coast Hotel Enniscrone (https://www.diamondcoast.ie/) Shraigh Air BnB Belmullet (https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/684855896642192134?locale=en&_set_bev_on_new_domain=1714127929_ZTJkNzAyNzdmOGU0&source_impression_id=p3_1714127929_EixAvEe4mDx1Eha1) (sleeps 4 comfortably - highly recommended) Broadhaven Bay Hotel Belmullet (https://www.broadhavenbay.com/) Talbot Hotel Belmullet (https://www.thetalbothotel.ie/) Blacksod Lighthouse (https://visitblacksodlighthouse.ie/tours/) Ceide Fields (https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/ceide-fields-neolithic-site-visitor-centre/) We hope you enjoy both this episode and the series which will dive a good bit deeper with some of the characters we encountered. The West is Awake! Episode image credit to Nick Wall, Air Swing Media Music under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Niall Higgins.

Tony Cunningham is a long standing member at County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point. While visiting recently we sat down with him to explore the origin story of ine of the grand old dames of Irish Golf. Founded by members of the Sligo Militia in 1894, the club celebrates 130 years in 2024. The Club has hosted the West of Ireland Championships since its introduction/inception in 1923 - the West heralds the beginning of the elite amateur golf season and is held over the course of a week every Easter. Former champions include Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, JB Carr, John Burke & County Sligo's very own Cecil Ewing. As part of the 130 year celebrations, County Sligo are also hosting the Irish Amateur Open in May 2024. This episode is the second instalment from the F&F Spring Break 2024, future episodes feature a great catch up with Mark Millar the Superintendent at County Sligo and Council Member David Dunne who is acting as the main point of liason between the club and their consulting architects MacKenzie & Ebert on a 5 year improvement plan for the links which is scheduled to commence later this year. Thanks for tuning in, we hope you enjoy the show. Episode Music, under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Tony Cunningham.

Leo Barber the GM and Course Manager at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club on the Kapiti Coast of the North Island of New Zealand joins us for this episode. I have had the great pleasure of playing the links at Paraparaumu Beach on a number of occasions, over the course of 4 rounds there, thus far, the washboard fairways and associated dunescapes really resonated with this self confessed links junkie. Leo recently marked the 75th anniversary of Alex Russell's arrival at Paraparaumu with a presentation to the members of the club and joins us today to recount both the story of the links and his own journey which began a mere 15 minutes down the road from the club in Pukerua Bay. We hope you enjoy our chat! Please check out the following links for some additional supporting content Leo Barber's pictorial history of PBGC (https://youtu.be/8qH4NAj0Qe0) Ran Morisset's course tour of PBGC on Golf Club Atlas (https://golfclubatlas.com/countries/paraparaumu-beach/?portfolioCats=249%2C250%2C251%2C252%2C253%2C254%2C255%2C256%2C257%2C258%2C259%2C260%2C261%2C262%2C263%2C264%2C265%2C266%2C267%2C268%2C269%2C270%2C271%2C272%2C273%2C274%2C275%2C276) Christian Cullen best try's link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ9EYiDQYsk) Clyde Johnson website - Book on North Island Country Golf in NZ (https://www.cunningolfdesign.com/writing) Intro and outro music - _Shoreline Serenade by Dye O _- under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Leo Barber.

In this final instalment of my chat with Pat Ruddy we take a look at his work in County Donegal - revising Eddie Hackett's work at both Murvagh and Ballyliffin, revising Morris, Vardon and Colt at Rosapenna, creating muscular modern links courses at Ballyliifin (Glashedy) and Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) and a revitalisation project at the Colt and Alison designed County Sligo Golf Club. Apologies for the, at times, slightly stratchy audio, we hope it doesn't detract too much from the conversation. We hope you enjoyed this series, many thanks to Pat for his time and to you for listening. Intro and outro music - _Shoreline Serenade by Dye O _- under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Pat Ruddy.

This is part two of my chat with Pat Ruddy (final part due in a few weeks), we hope you enjoy our conversation! In this episode we focus on the origin story of The European Club which is located in Brittas Bay in County Wicklow - how the site was eventually found, the opening day, a course of 20 holes, sleeper shod bunkers and a 127 yard green..... it's a cracking story.... well told! Apologies for some scratchy audio throughout, we hope it doesn't detract too much from the content. Intro and outro music - _Shoreline Serenade by Dye O _- under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Pat Ruddy.

Pat Ruddy may be known to many of you as the owner and course designer of The European Club located at Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow. That association is central to his story, however, it does not tell the full tale. In addition to course design Mr Ruddy is a Golf Journalist, Author, Bibliophile, Historian and Magazine publisher. A native of Ballymote, Co. Mayo, Ruddy would often cycle 20 miles from his home in Ballymote to play the great coastal links of County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point, where he was a member. His early days in Ballymote fueled his love of the game of golf and those that wrote about it like Longhurst, Warren-Wind and Darwin. He completed his first design for Castlecomer GC in 1969 and would go on to make revisions at Ballyliffin (Old), Rosapenna (OTM), County Sligo (Championship) and Donegal (Murvagh) in addition to new courses at Rosapenna (Sandy Hills), Ballyliffin (Glashedy), Druids Glen, Druids Heath, St Margarets and 36 at Club de Golf de l'Île de Montréal in Canada. This is part one of the Pat Ruddy story, we hope you enjoy our chat! Intro and outro music - _Shoreline Serenade by Dye O _- under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Pat Ruddy.

Mike DeVries joins us from a wintery Michigan in advance of what may be his final construction visit to the 7 Mile Beach Golf Development that he is currently building for Mat Goggin in Hobart, Tasmania. We discuss his early influences at Crystal Downs in Michigan, restoration work at the Meadow Club, The Addington & Royal Dublin. We take a quick look at both the Addington in London and the 7MB project, get an elevator pitch for golf in Michigan and finally Mike shares some of his bucket list golf courses and golf book recommendations. We hope you enjoy our chat. Please find a few links below relating to some of the book recommendations mentioned towards the end of the episode: The MacKenzie Reader - edited by Joshua Pettit (https://alistermackenzie.org/store/mackenziereader) Paul Daley's series, entitled Golf Architecture : A Worldwide Perspective (https://www.finegolfbooks.com/pages/author/618/paul-daley/) , now extends to 7 Volumes, some of which are available through Fine Golf Books. Volume 7 can also be purchased directly form Paul Daley (email him at : fswing@bigpond.net.au). Earlier editions can also often be found through pre-owned book resellers such as Abebooks, World of Books or Thrift Books. Intro and outro music - _Shoreline Serenade by Dye O _- under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Mike DeVries.

Gordon Hobson joins us in this episode to focus upon a story, arguably unprecedented in the world of golf. Calvin Peete was born into to a family of migrant laborers in 1943, dropping out of school in the eighth grade he went to work picking crops....not a familiar springboard for PGA Tour success, particularly when you realise that he played his first game of golf at the age of 23! Dedication and hard work contributed to Peete's rise to the top of worldwide golf throughout the 1980's. His success was very much an extension of the golfing legacies of men such as boxing champion Joe Louis and forebears such as Spiller, Rhodes, Sifford and Elder the real pioneers of the UGA and the struggle aginst the PGA Tour's caucasian only policy. Gordon's biography of Calvin Peete, entitled - Golf's Forgotten Star - will be published by Rowman & Littlefield on the 6th of February 2024. Please click on the link below should you wish to place an order Amazon Order Link (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Calvin-Peete-Golfs-Forgotten-Star-ebook/dp/B0C9WDMS41/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=calvin+peete&sr=8-1) Links to some additional background reading and information on Peete and his can be found by following the links below: Joe Louis - from World Heavyweight Boxing Champion to socking it to the PGA Tour (https://andscape.com/features/the-day-joe-louis-became-the-first-black-golfer-to-play-a-pga-sponsored-tourney/) Laz Versailles' Fire Pit Collective Article on Spiller & Rhodes Case v PGA Tour (https://firepitcollective.com/bill-spiller-beats-segregation/) Luke Kerr-Dineen's Golf Digest Article on Calvin Peete (https://www.golfdigest.com/story/calvin-peete-broken-arm-accuracy-ball-striker) Intro and outro music - _Shoreline Serenade by Dye O _- under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Gordon Hobson.

Ally McIntosh joins us for a slightly delayed review of our respective 2023 golfing years. We catch up on renovations at Strandhill and Ally's plans at Carne Golf Links in 2024. Take a look at some of the Irish golfing highlights to come over the year to come and compare notes on various courses that we have visited over the course of the past year and locations we are eyeing up for the year to come. Many thanks to you, for returning to the show throughout 2023. Here's to great golf in 2024. Intro music - Wait Up Sundown by Arch Tremors (Instrumental) - published under license from Epidemic Sound. Special Guest: Ally McIntosh.

Over the course of researching the history of golf in the Netherlands two golf related stories have really resonated with me. In this episode we are joined by Stephen Zivin and to investigate the initial history of a Charles Hugh Alison design at De Wildhoeve in The Hague, now the home of the Royal Hague Golf Club. The story is intertwined by its' original owner, a gentleman by the name of Daniel Wolf Robin Bargmann makes one final cameo to tell us the story of Kennemer Golf & Country Club during and after WW2. We also take a quick look at the effects of WW2 on Domburgsche and Noordwijkse. Stephen has written a great article on this subject matter for McKellar Magazine (https://www.mckellarmagazine.com/) #7. Featured music by Victor Lundberg, under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guests: Robin Bargmann and Steve Zivin.

Robin Bargmann joins us for the final time, as we explore how the game of golf in the Netherlands started on the private estates of the aristocratic and mercantile families of Holland. We take a look at some of these early pioneers, that brought the game to the dunescape and heathland of the lowlands. Over time the custodians of the first clubs, engaged notable names such as Harry Colt, Hugh Alison and John Morrison to revise, extend and design some of the countries best courses. In future episodes we will catch up with some of the modern day custodians to see how history and heritage is still harnessed to the benefit of members and guests at these golfing institutions. A number of pre-loved copies of Robin's book, The Serendipity of Early Golf, appear to be available from the link below for those that may be interested. https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/f/serendipity-of-early-golf/9200000049113765/ The book of writings by John Sutherland, Golf Causerie, mentioned in the episode, can be purchased directly from the Royal Dornoch proshop - link here (https://royaldornochproshop.com/product/golf-causerie-the-forgotten-articles-by-john-sutherland-2/) Featured music by Victor Lundberg, under license from Epidemic Sound Special Guest: Robin Bargmann.