Firm & Fast Golf Podcast - Episodes 13 - 16 Recap and Sneak Peak
A man on a mission, the new superstars of Golf Course Design, an introduction to the Father of Golf Course Architecture and the always thoughtful Adrian Logue from the Good Good Golf Podcast.
With my summer break now well and truly consigned to the rearview mirror and a few more episodes in the bag, I thought it pertinent to summarise the last few just in case you’d missed any, while also giving you a sneak peak on sone planned future episodes.
#13 - Following Fairways & Flying Flags with Nick Edmund
Nick Edmund joined us on this episode to explore how a qualified barrister ends up becoming a golf writer, Managing Director of Faldo Golf Design and finally in more recent times overcoming some pretty major health issues to create the Global Golf 4 Cancer awareness campaign.
Nick’s story is inspirational, we hope you enjoy/enjoyed it!
#14 - Mike Cocking of Ogilvy Cocking & Mead (OCM)
Mike Cocking is one third of OCM Golf, the Melbourne based golf architecture firm that are pulling up trees from a course design perspective over recent years. Cocking’s design partners are the 2006 US Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy and Ashley Mead.
Today’s guest was afforded an early opportunity to get his hands dirty when a part time job with Mike Clayton Golf Design would present itself in conjunction with Clayton’s appointment as consulting architect at Cocking’s boyhood club of Peninsula GC.
Further adventures would see Cocking project manage Tom Doak’s and Mike Clayton collaboration at St. Andrews Beach on the Mornington Peninsula. It was here that he was introduced to the design/build approach that Renaissance Golf Design have employed exclusively since their first construction project at High Pointe in Traverse City, Michigan in 1989.
We explore the OCM back catalogue and get a sneak peak of a few current projects and a few new ones too.
It was a pleasure to finally track Mike down, we hope you enjoy our chat!
#15 - Old Dead Guys Series - Harry Shapland Colt
Adam Lawrence joined us on episode 15 to take an in-depth look at the life and times of ‘The Father of Modern Golf Course Architecture’ Harry Shapland Colt. Adam is currently completing the definitive biography of Colt, entitled ‘More Enduring than Brass’.
We look at Colt’s early influences such as Douglas Rolland, John Low, the Oxford & Cambridge Golf Society, R&A Membership in addition to exploring his Irish designs at locations such as Rosapenna, Portrush, Newcastle, Royal Dublin and a report that was carried out for Portmarnock in 1919 that likely influenced the course works that were undertaken there throughout the 1920’s.
Colt’s influence on golf was and is substantial and it was great to get additional context and perspective from Adam about HSC.
#16 - Adrian Logue from The Good Good Golf Podcast
The co-host of the ever informative Australian Good Good podcast, Adrian Logue, joined me recently for a chin wag that covered the World Handicapping System, eyes up golf, golf marketing, golf architecture, podcasting with Rod Morri, course rankings, course visits with Mike Clayton and how golf architecture is like the movie business.
Adrian is always a great listen and he’s on good form once again for this episode, we do hope that you enjoy the chat!
Content Development
Details on some upcoming episodes below:
Scotlands’ Gift - The Historical Development of Golf in Ireland
Irish & Scottish golf are often incorrectly paired together from an evolutionary perspective, interestingly the timing of the development of golf in Ireland matches the progression of English golf much more closely than how the game evolved in Scotland.
Professor Paul Rouse from the History Department in University College Dublin has agreed to appear on the pod to look at the development of the game in Ireland from the mid 1760’s to modern day. We plan to explore some of the key early characters, the influence of empire, the military, changing politics, the industrial revolution, societal change and how golf’s position in the wider Irish sporting landscape has evolved.
Old Dead Guys Series #2 - Dr Alistair MacKenzie
Following up on the recent pod on Harry Shapland Colt we are currently developing an episode plan for a similar focus on Dr Mac. A world recognised expert on the life and times of Dr. MacKenzie has agreed to join us for this exploration …… all that’s left is for me to re-read quite a number of books, write up the episode plan and we will be good to go!
Old Dead Guys Series #3 - Eddie Hackett (1910 - 1996)
Eddie Hackett worked on over 100 golf courses in Ireland over a 30 year design career which he took up after retiring. A relative latecomer to designing courses, Hackett would initially apprentice as a golf professional for Fred Smyth at Royal Dublin before stints in Belgium and South Africa were followed up with head professional roles in Dublin at both Elm Park and Portmarnock Golf Clubs.
Portmarnock Golf Clubs’ hosting of the Canada Cup in 1960 and the subsequent win for the USA team of Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead sent Irish golf into overdrive. The Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) received a swathe of queries in relation to building additional holes or constructing brand new courses. Given this context, the GUI approached Hackett to investigate his interest in providing design services to meet local demand.
Notable Hackett courses include Waterville, Carne Golf Links, Donegal GC, Enniscrone, Ballyliffin Old and Connemara.
Hackett’s design style was characterised by minimalism driven by meagre budgets in consort with construction teams that often had little or no previous course construction experience.
Ally McIntosh is currently involved in revising two Hackett designs, namely Carne Golf Links in Co. Mayo and Strandhill GC in Co. Sligo. Ally will join us for a chat about Eddie Hackett the man and the legacy that he left on golf throughout the island of Ireland.
Clayton DeVries & Pont - Bunker Renovation at Royal Dublin Golf Club
My home club of Royal Dublin recently approved a Clayton DeVries & Pont bunker development aimed at returning Harry Colt inspired strategic bunkering to Bull Island. Works are set to commence in the early days of November 2022 and will see a rationalisation of the course’s bunkering from 90+ to approximately 55.
As the project progresses it is my intention to nab Frank Pont to speak to him about the specifics of a project of this nature. Keep and eye out for this episode over the coming months.
Many thanks as always for your interest and continued support!
Happy Golfing!
Shane