Firm & Fast Golf Podcasts - Episodes 6 - 12 Recap
Greenkeeping101, St Andrews & modern Golf, the Golden Age of Design, a new pathway to golf, an overseas experience, a 360 degree golf career and how and why the game first seeped out of Scotland
It’s been a while folks, so apologies for the lack of comms of a written variety. Plenty of prep has gone into preparing the episodes that are introduced below. We’ve now managed to break through 6000 unique downloads which seems pretty good? I hope you’ve enjoyed the content and have perhaps considered leaving a review, recommending the pod to a mate or engaged with us via social media.
As an aside, I was delighted to join Rod Morri and Adrian Logue recently on the Good Good Golf Podcast for a catch up and some interesting discussions on eyes up versus eyes down golf, the Stephen Proctor Fan Club, rules for junior golfers, ‘rousing’ old men with sticks and a loose approximation of a 4 course bucket list.
Episode 6 - Greenkeeping 101 with Richard Pennell
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/6
Richard Pennell has worn a few caps in golf, including player, green keeper, secretary manager and writer of golf prose through his Stymied Blog. This pod provides insight into what goes into presenting the daily golfing challenge and how we as golfers can help out our local greenkeeping teams.
We also consider the colour green, tree management, Heathland Golf and sustainability. It is hoped that this episode will be the first of many exploring the invaluable, often misunderstood and sometimes under appreciated nature of the profession of green keeping and the specific work that green keeping teams engage in, on behalf of golfers, throughout the waxing and waning of the seasons.
Episode 7 - From Feathery to Forge with Roger McStravick
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/7
I first encountered Roger McStravick many years ago, our paths crossing as he was about to jump headlong into researching and writing about the genesis of Scottish golf. Since then he has won the USGA Herbert Warren Wind golf book of the year on two occasions for his books on Old Tom Morris and The Road War Papers. He is currently working on a book focused on the great Allan Robertson who, at the time, was considered the greatest golfer in Scotland and by extension the world.
In this whistle stop historical tour of the origins of the game we explore the impact that the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers of Leith had on early formal organised golf, the rise of St. Andrews thanks to the intercessions of characters such as Hugh Lyon Playfair, the Robertson’s, Morris’, Strath’s and Park’s. How the development of club and ball technology, driven by both the age of empire and the industrial revolution, assisted in democratising the game of golf in Scotland and farther afield. We also recognise the influence that the men of St. Andrews and Musselburgh had on early history of the Open Championship.
This episode is a great companion to episode 12 with Stephen Proctor which is introduced below.
Episode 8 - Jasper Miners from Evalu18.com
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/8
Jasper Miners is a Canadian who travelled to the UK as a lapsed golfer, chance intervened when a friend from Canada made a visit and wanted to play golf….. this acted as a catalyst to a rekindling of his love affair with golf.
Jasper has turned his passion for golf history and course design into a website (www.evalu18.com) and a business which assists golf clubs in piecing back together their lost histories.
We take a whistle stop tour through the first golden age of golf course architecture, the impact that characters such as Low, Patton at Woking GC had on the development of the strategic school of architecture and how this was built on by Colt, Fowler, Simpson and MacKenzie. We also explore the influence that Pete and Alice Dye had on contemporary design and a back to the future focus on width, fun and strategic interest.
Finally, Jasper outlines some killer itineraries through England, Scotland, Continental Europe and Ireland.
Episode 9 - A New, Easy, Fun & Affordable pathway with 1club.golf
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/9
The story of 1Club Golf is a return to the embers of the game, distilling down the important from, at least initially, the unimportant.
Sandy Jamieson is a PGA professional who in the past has filled coaching roles at the Victorian Institute of Sport, head professional at Commenwealth Golf Club on the Melbourne Sandbelt and has coached elite professionals such as Jarred Lyle, Robert Allenby and Y.E. Yang.
Pre-pandemic Jamieson assessed the golfing landscape in Australia and noted the significant drop off in participation in the game across both the traditional members clubs and the public golf facilities. He feared for the future of the game and wondered how he might be able to go back to the future.
Jamieson’s 1Club program, which began at Oakleigh Golf Course, has now expanded to include 3 additional facilities within the greater Melbourne area. The initiative is billed as offering an easy, fun and affordable pathway to taking up the game of golf.
The story of 1club declutters the initial introduction to golf, focusing on the basics and fast tracks both access to golf and on-course led learning and enjoyment. The story of 1Club Golf is compelling, we need more trail blazers like Sandy Jamieson.
Episode 10 - PureGolf2010 Retrospective with Michael Goldstein
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/10
Back in 2010 two Kiwis decided that they needed a change of scene, resolving that an Overseas Experience was required. This was to be an OE with a difference - a round of golf every day, for 365 days in a row, while circumnavigating the globe and raising much needed funds for the First Tee of New Zealand.
The adventure would see Michael Goldstein and Jamie Patton travel through NZ, Oz, USA, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, UAE, Oz and NZ.
Michael joins us from Central Otago to reminisce on the adventure and explore how it fundamentally changed his life.
Episode 11 - George Waters - USGA Greens Section Education Manager
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/11
George Waters has held more positions in the golf space than you can shake a stick at - green keeper, contractor, shaper, course design associate, architect of record and educator.
He joins us from USGA HQ in New Jersey to discuss his early steps in golf, working with Renaissance Design, Coore & Crenshaw and Kyle Phillips. Specific projects such as Pinehurst #2, Barnbougle Dunes, Pasatiempo, Los Angeles Country Club and Rosapenna OTM Course.
We discuss his book Sand & Golf while also exploring his role with the USGA where he is the Manager of Greens Section Education.
Episode 12 - Stephen Proctor - The Long Golden Afternoon
http://firmandfastgolfpodcast.fireside.fm/12
Stephen Proctor has spent the past twenty years absorbing much of the great historical writing on the game of golf. A former newspaper editor at publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle, The Baltimore Sun and the Houston Chronicle.
In 2019 Stephen released his first book Monarch of The Green, a delightful tome that chronicles the life and times of Young Tom Morris of St. Andrews. In this episode we take a look at his next book, The Long Golden Afternoon, which deals with the time period from 1864 to the outbreak of the great war.
In essence The Long Golden Afternoon looks at the period after the death of Young Tommy and how his influence and that of his father and many other protagonists helped in developing the game of golf outside of Scotland.
In conclusion…..
This week will be a busy one as I am chatting to Nick Edmund from Global Golf 4 Cancer and Mike Cocking design partner in OCM design. Keep an eye out for these episodes as they drop over the coming weeks.
Many thanks for your continued interest in The Firm & Fast Golf Podcast, happy golfing!
Shane,
Just wanted to quickly say that your latest FAFGP episode on the illustrious Mr. Colt was a sheer joy to listen to. I am primed for further episodes of the ODG series.
Cathal