Firm & Fast Golf Podcast - Episodes 20 - 22
The life and times of Dr. Alistair MacKenzie, a catch up with Graeme Beatt from Royal Portrush and a long overdue episode with Rod Morri the Godfather of Golf Podcasting
Episode 20 - The Life & Times of Dr. Alister MacKenzie with Neil Crafter
Neil Crafter joins us from Adelaide, South Australia to explore the life and times of Dr. Alister MacKenzie. Neil is a golf course architect and historian who has been centrally involved in the development of the MacKenzie Chronology through the auspices of the Alister MacKenzie Society. This timeline, now on it’s 20th iteration, has been painstakingly updated in an effort to chart the Good Doctor’s historical movements and to better attribute his specific involvements on particular golf course development projects.
Neil has also written extensively on the Good Doctor, his local Australian partner Alex Russell and one of South Australia’s most important golfing pioneers, namely Cargie Rymil.
We take a look at:
Dr Mac’s dalliances with camouflague during the Boer War and how this inspired and informed his course designs
How the golfers of Leeds benefitted from the Good Doctor’s early work at Alwoodley and Moortown
MacKenzie’s design legacy in Ireland and in particular how the City of Cork couldn’t seem to get enough of Mac’s creations
MacKenzie’s writings
His ability to select like minded individuals to be his local representatives after he left places such as Australia, South America and California to name but a few locations.
PS - If anybody has been looking to purchase a copy of the Life & Work of Dr Alister MacKenzie (Tom Doak, James Scott, Ray Haddock - Sleeping Bear Press, 2001) -
the book is soon to be republished by Renaissance Golf Design - please follow the link below for more information:
http://www.doakgolf.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-dr-alister-mackenzie
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Episode 21 - Graeme Beatt - Course Manager at Royal Portrush Golf Club
In this episode we explore Graeme Beatt’s journey in turf that started in Scotland, culminating (thus far anyway) with overseeing the hosting of the 148th Open Championship in 2019. We take a look at went into preparing Royal Portrush for the 148th and look forward to 2025 when the golfing hoards will once again descend upon the Causeway Coast for the 153rd hosting of Golf’s Greatest Championship.
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Episode 22 - Rod Morri - the Godfather of Golf Podcasting
Rod Morri’s name is well known among podcast listeners as the host of shows such as Good Good, The Thing About Golf, The State of the Game and various other incarnations.
In this episode we take a look at Rod’s journey in golf, some of his co-hosts and collaborators, his fascination with golf course architecture and some other off-beat takes.
If you liked listening to the episode with Rod I suspect you will enjoy two recent episodes of the SOTG and Good Good pods (links below)
SOTG with Mike Clayton and Geoff Shackleford
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In Planning
A reconnection with the Harry Colt design heritage at The Royal Dublin Golf Club
It is an immense privilege to have been asked to renovate this wonderful Colt course’s bunkering back to its former glory and a huge pleasure to be commencing my partnership with Mike Clayton here in Ireland, where I spent part of my architectural apprenticeship twenty years ago. Having already examined the course in some detail, I am confident that we will deliver revisions that will be more pleasing on the eye yet challenging to better golfers whilst being a little more forgiving for higher handicappers.”
Frank Pont - November 2019
Council approval has been sought and received to record an extensive chat with Frank Pont about CDP Golf’s Harry Colt inspired bunker renovation at The Royal Dublin Golf Club.
A link to the CDP plans will be included in the show notes so that interested listeners can better follow along with some of the content to be discussed.
Everything going to plan, I expect to be in a position to release this episode over the first week of April 2023.
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ODG Series #3 Eddie Hackett
‘Over the years, my very busy designing life brought me to every corner of Ireland. The highlights of my thirty three years designing would have to be the good fortune to have been commissioned to design ten courses on exquisite links land, extending along the West Coast of Ireland’:
Ceann Sibeal (Dingle Golf Links)
Parts of the Sandyhills and Strand Nines at Rosapenna Golf Resort
Eddie Hackett (1910 - 1996)
Friend of the pod Ally McIntosh is due back to discuss the impact that a sexagenarian retired professional named Eddie Hackett had on Irish golf over the final thirty years of his life.
As many may know, Ally is currently retained as consulting architect at two courses that boast Hackett lineage, namely, Carne Golf Links (where McIntosh added the Kilmore 9 in 2013, to Hackett’s initial 18) and Strandhill Golf Club.
I’ve managed to delegate the episode planning to Ally, however, I’m still waiting on the episode plan - hopeful of recording this one prior to the end of April 2023.
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The Return of Richard Pennell from the Stymied Blog (aka @pitchmarks on Twitter)
Richard Pennell joined me last year for our introductory episode on Agronomy and Greenkeeping.
I am pleased to inform readers that he is due to join us for another chat over the coming weeks - we intend to focus on his writing and musings on golf, his influences and a few very exciting announcements.
If you haven’t read any of Richard’s Stymied blog, please find a link below to enable you to rectify this undoubted oversight. I’m pretty confident that you are likely to read a few pieces and subscribe while you’re at it….. if you haven’t already.
Many thanks for reading and listening, it really is very much appreciated.
If you are enjoying the podcast, I would ask you to leave a rating for us via your preferred podcast application (itunes, Spotify, Sticher etc.) - it really helps to spread the word.
Many thanks in advance
Shane
Hi Allan
Many thanks for the note, glad you're enjoying the pod!
Your suggestion is noted, not sure how much additional time I will have, I will will try though.
Best
Shane
Shane, love the podcast and the newsletter. Any chance you'll be expanding your YouTube presence?