TalkinGolf

Episode 144: TGH 144: The History of William Flynn, Part1

October 26th, 2025  |  Season 7  |  1 hr 2 mins

golf, golf course architecture, golf design, golf history, merion, shinnecock hills, william flynn

Episode #144 tells the story of the underappreciate golf course architect, William Flynn- who's early history was, in many ways, stolen from him. Thanks to our guest, Wayne Morrison and his sleuthing much of Flynn's true legacy has been recovered and restored.

Wayne not only covers William Flynn's history, but towards the end of episiode #1 he shares the three public and three private Flynn designs that people must play to appreciate his genius.

To learn more about William Flynn, consider joining the William Flynn Society. You can learn more at www.williamflynnsociety.com

Episode 143: TGH 143: The History of Tom Bendelow

September 21st, 2025  |  Season 7  |  1 hr 9 mins

golf, golf course architecture, golf design, golf history, tom bendelow

A podcast four years in the making has finally arrived - the TalkinGolf History has shared the stories of Donald Ross, AW Tillinghast, Dr. Alister MacKenzie, Seth Raynor, Walter Travis, James Braid, Perry Maxwell and finally after years of trying to make it happen we have the story most of you don't know.
Tom Bendelow's story is a story about the early days of American golf and yet a story that has somehow escaped the history books. I am so proud to present the History of Tom Bendelow with his own Grandson, Stuart Bendelow as our guest.

Episode 114: TGH 114: VaughnCon III: Defending Your Course

February 18th, 2024  |  Season 6  |  43 mins 50 secs

belleair, donald ross, golf, golf course architecture, golf history, jason straka

Welcome to season 6 of the TalkinGolf History Podcast- I sincerely apologize for the delay to kick off this new exciting season. Today we have a special show...another edition of VaughnCon where we get extremely blunt on our golf course architcture takes. This is a jointly owned podcast between TalkinGolf History, the Donald Ross Society and Golf Club Atlas. Our special guest today is Jason Straka of Fry-Straka Design.

Episode 112: TGH 112: The Restoration of Cobbs Creek

November 27th, 2023  |  Season 5  |  1 hr 19 mins

cobbs creek, gil hanse, golf, golf course architecture, golf history, philadelphia golf

It didnt get a lot of press a couple of months ago, but the restoration of the famed Cobbs Creek Golf Course is underway in Philadelphia. This public golf course was once one of the shining lights of public golf when it was designed and with Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner on their dozers, I wouldnt bet against Cobbs Creek becoming a beacon for how cities can embrace their public golf courses.

What gets lost in this big story is how the dreams of two men (Cirba and Bausch) are about to come true. This is a story of how passion can overcome all odds.

Episode 107: TGH 107: VaughnCon Rambling On Golf Course Architecture

August 13th, 2023  |  Season 5  |  1 hr 1 min

golf, golf course architecture, golf design, golf history, golf restoration, landmand

I have no idea how to describe this episode other than to say that Vaughn Halyard and I started this podcast after playing Landmand for the third time and we had no agenda or a script.

This is a bit different from our past podcasts, so if you are listening for the first time its not quite what we normally deliver, but I felt it was still worth publishing especially in its raw form. Just two friends who love golf history and golf design.

Episode 99: TGH 99: The Golf Course Architecture of Donald Ross

February 5th, 2023  |  Season 5  |  58 mins 23 secs

belleair, donald ross, golf, golf course architecture, golf design, seminole

Only one episode from our 100th show! And #99 is a doozy! Vaughn Halyard and I welcome the President of the Donald Ross Society, Brad Becken to talk about his new book, "The Golf Course Architecture of Donald Ross" which is now available for purchase at www.ClassicsofGolf.com. I promise there is something for everyone on this show- I learned a lot and I hope you do too!

We filmed and recorded this show on location at Belleair Country Club.

Episode 97: TGH 97: Unfiltered History with VaughnCon

January 5th, 2023  |  Season 5  |  1 hr 15 mins

belleair, donald ross, golf, golf course architecture, golf design, golf history

What better way to kick off season 5 of the TalkinGolf History Podcast than with an unplanned podcast with my dear friend Vaughn Halyard. We had just concluded our round on the newly restored Belleair CC and Vaughn wanted to to go public with his thoughts.

What follows is a funny podcast where Vaughn and I talk about Donald Ross' Belleair CC, our travels across the country sharing golf history through storytelling and where this podcast should go in 2023.

Episode 96: TGH 96: The History of AW Tillinghast Part 3

December 21st, 2022  |  Season 4  |  48 mins 45 secs

aw tillinghast, golf, golf course architecture, golf design, golf history, tillinghast

This episode concludes our three part series on the History of AW Tillinghast. We kick off Part 3 with golf historian, author and Tillinghast expert, Phil Young as we enter into the Great Depression, Tillinghast's bankruptcy and his much maligned work with the PGA of America.

We end with a high note as I ask Phil: "What three courses would one have to play to best understand the genius of AW Tillinghast?" His answer may surprise you.

This is the last episode of Season 4 - thank you for listening!

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 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.