TalkinGolf

Episode 56: TGH 56: My Friend, Ben Hogan

December 20th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 16 mins

ben hogan, ben wright, golf, golf history, majors, the masters, the open

The TalkinGolf History podcast finishes its second season with legendary writer and broadcaster, Ben Wright who spent three decades in the towers of Augusta National broadcasting the Masters.

Mr. Wright joins us for a series of podcasts kicking off with "My Friend, Ben Hogan" where he talks about his special friendship with Ben Hogan and how he saw every single shot Ben Hogan hit to claim the 1953 Open Championship at Carnoustie.

What was it like to see Hogan at his very best?

A story about Jack Nicklaus crying at the Open.

Ben Wright hitting irons while being watched by Ben Hogan.

This is a must listen to episode...and the good news...there are at least 2 more interviews with Ben Wright coming!!!

Episode 55: TGH 55: The History of Perry Maxwell

November 22nd, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 13 mins

golf, golf course architecture, golf design, golf history, perry maxwell, prairie dunes

The Golf Course Architecture Magician of the Midwest had the marvelous ability to shape the land in such a way that it would appear that it had to be Nature's work - it has been said that you wont find 18 better greens in the world, than you will find at the Maxwell Masterpiece - Prairie Dunes County Club. Prairie Dunes, much like Perry Maxwell somehow sits under the radar- both the club and the man were gamechangers for golf design in America, built upon the traditions of the old Scottish game.

Download and listen to this ode to Perry Maxwell - the genius of the shadows- perhaps the only man to have completed design work at Pine Valley, Augusta National and Cypress Point.

Episode 54: TGH 54: The Masters: The Making of a Major

November 8th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 26 mins

augusta national, bobby jones, golf, golf history, golf majors, green jacket, the masters

We welcome back to the podcast Jeff Martin, golf researcher and founder of Thinking About Golf. After to listening to Episode #3, Jeff decided to do some research - little did he know that his research would encompass hundreds of hours to get to the very root of the questions;
When did the The Augusta National Invitational become the Masters?
When did the Masters become a Major Championship?
And the search for the lost apostrophe...

Listen in and learn more about what is usually the first major of the year and in 2020 will be the last major of the year.

Episode 53: TGH 53: The Evolution of Augusta Part 2: Holes 10-18

November 3rd, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 30 mins

alister mackenzie, augusta national, bobby jones, golf, golf design, the masters

On this episode of TalkinGolf History, the gentlemen from Evalu18 dive into the second nine of Augusta National and how it has evolved since its inception. We end this show discussing what if anything we might recommend in terms of restoring ANGC.

Episode 52: TGH 52: The Evolution of Augusta National Part 1

November 1st, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 28 mins

alister mackenzie, august national, bobby jones, green jacket, the masters

On this episode of TalkinGolf History we are joined by Jasper Miner and Joe McDonnell of Evalu18 to discuss the evolution of Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones' masterpiece, Augusta National Golf Club. In part one we dive into the first 9 holes and how they have evolved over the past 87 years.

In Episode 53 we will discuss the final 9 holes at Augusta National.

If you enjoy the podcast please make sure to rate the show!!!

Episode 51: TGH 51: A Haunting on the Links

October 24th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 15 mins

ghost, ghost stories, haunted, haunted golf, haunted house, scary golf

What was that noise? Did you know that this place is haunted?
Whether its floating apparitions, a voice out of no where or things moving seemingly by themselves - this podcast recounts the stories of real golfers telling their paranormal experiences on the links. Stories of murder, peg legged ghost and singing spectres will follow.

It is our pleasure to welcome back to the podcast golf historian & author, Anthony Pioppi to discuss the book he co-authored with Chris Gonsalves, "Haunted Golf: Spirted Tales from the Rough."

Music produced by David Fesliyan at FesliyanStudios.com

Episode 50: TGH 50: Saint Andrew's Golf Club

October 14th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 32 mins

golf history, jack nicklaus, john reid, st andrew's, usga

Saint Andrew's Golf Club in New York is known as the club of many firsts - it is the seed that grew golf across the United States. We dive into the history of one of the five founding clubs of the USGA and how a three hole course in a cow pasture helped start a golf craze that spread across the United States.

Episode 49: TGH 49: The History of Prairie Dunes

October 4th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  56 mins 49 secs

golf course architecture, golf history, perry maxwell, prairie dunes, press maxwell

This is the story of Prairie Dunes Country Club which nealry every publication considers it to be one of the Top 30 Golf Courses in the United States. It was built during the Great Depression with a singular focus of being the best golf course in the USA... many believed it reached that goal.

Join our discussion with PDCC Historians Rusty Hilst and Jim Gilliland as we explore the club's history and look behind the curtain of golf's version of Field of Dreams.

Episode 48: TGH 48: The House of Winged Foot

September 15th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 4 mins

architecture, clubhouses, golf, us open, winged foot

On this episode of the TalkinGolf History Podcast we explore not just the architecture and the architect of the historic Winged Foot Golf Club clubhouse, but the history of Golf Clubhouse Architecture in America. Our guest today is Jim Sitar, the person behind the famous Instagram account, "GolfClubHouses," where you can explore many of the famous clubhouses from around the world.

Clubhouses provide more than just a place to change your shoes - listen in for the history and evolution of the buildings many of us take for granted.

Episode 47: TGH 47: The Old Man - Walter Travis

September 11th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 17 mins

garden city, golf, golf history, us amateur, usga, walter travis

Walter Travis lived the life that so many of us dream of - picking up the game just under the age of 35 and winning 4 major championships he became not only America's hero, but Austrialia's first major champion!

Walter Travis only gave golf 30 years of his life, but his contributions can be felt by everyone who has ever picked up a golf club. He was called the Old Man, but in reality he was Golf's Renaissance Man.

Episode 46: TGH 46: There's a Gangster on the Green!

August 27th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  57 mins 54 secs

al capone, bmw championship, fedex cup, golf, olympia fields, western open

This is one of the most fascinating episodes of the TalkinGolf History Podcast I have ever done - the story of one of Al Capone's Hitmen, the man who likely designed the infamous St Valentine's Day Massacre and the story of how he played in the 1933 Western Open at Olympia Fields...and was arrested on the course during the second round of play!

If that isnt good enough for you our guest John Fischer discusses his father, the last man to win a major championship using hickory shafted clubs, and for decades was responsible for setting the pins for the Masters. This episode is surely bound for the TGH Hall of Fame!!!

Episode 45: TGH 45: History of Olympia Fields (Part 2)

August 26th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 9 mins

bobby jones, golf history, golf majors, olympia fields, us open, usga, walter hagen

TalkinGolf History is proud to release Part 2 of the History of Olympia Fields Country Club, with special guests Bob Topel and Andy Staples. In this episode we discuss how the major championships forged the lore of the Home of Champions...Olympia Fields and then dive into how a masterplan for a restoration can help celebrate this historic club's legacy.

A great conversation and a couple of laughs follow. As always...enjoy!

Episode 44: TGH 44: History of Olympia Fields (Part 1 or 2)

August 23rd, 2020  |  Season 2  |  56 mins 23 secs

golf architecture, golf history, major championships, olympia fields

In Episode 44 we are joined by special guests, Olympia Fields Historian, Bob Topel and Golf Course Architect, Andy Staples to discuss the history of one of the finest country clubs in the United States of America. Over the course of this two part special we will dive into the history of Olympia Fields, how we almost lost her to the Great Depression, the architects who designed her 4 courses and the majors that defined her.

"Olympia Fields was the Private Bandon Dunes of her time."

• Andy Staples

Episode 43: TGH 43: USGA's Schickler Photography Acquisition

August 18th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 3 mins

golf photo, golf photographs, howard schickler, usga, usga museum

On this episode of the TalkinGolf History Podcast we dive into one of the most important visual acquisitions in USGA Museum's History. Over the past several decades Howard Schickler has amassed one of the most comprehensive collections of early golf photography starting from the earliest days of photography and running through the period that preceded World War I.

Our two guests today Howard Schickler, the curator of this collection and Hilary Cronheim, the Senior Director of the USGA Golf Museum discuss the collection and its ability to help tell golf's great history.

Episode 42: TGH 42: Bernard Darwin, Origins of Literary Golf Writing

August 8th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 13 mins

bernard darwin, golf, golf history, golf writer, walker cup

After a lengthy delay due to technical diffilculties, the TalkinGolf History Podcast returns with the history of one of golf's great defenders, the history of the man who understood the game like few have before him or since...author, historian and perhaps golfer psychotica, Bernard Darwin.

Stephen Proctor author of the celebrated book on Young Tom Morris, "Monarch of the Green" joins us to share Darwin's history and some of his delightful words. I know you will enjoy this episode.

Episode 41: TG History 41: The Fisherman, Roofer & the Tin Cup

July 16th, 2020  |  Season 2  |  1 hr 28 mins

ben hogan, jack fleck, the open, us open, usga

Episode 41 is a special edition to the TalkinGolf History Podcast as it introduces our listeners to one of my favorite sport's history podcasts, "Sports Forgotten Heroes" with its brilliant host Warren Rogan.

This is a must listen episode as Warren and I talk about three of the greatest underdog champions to ever win a major finishing with some great stories behind Jack Fleck's improbable victory over Ben Hogan in the 1955 US Open. I promise this will be one of the best podcasts you listen to this year...the Fisherman, the Roofer and the Tin Cup.