The Shotgun Start

Brendan returns from a lengthy paternity stint to talk the antics of Patrick “The Shovel” Reed. He’s met with a Bixby-fueled Andy who is over the moon with Royal Melbourne. They first take on the continued Reed fiasco, who added fuel to a story that his teammates all vouched was “in the past.” They relay some details and the chants from the alleged Aussie provokers of the Shovel mimicry, who also happen to be listeners. Then they get into the exquisite show that is Tiger Woods taking on Royal Melbourne, praising both Tiger’s play and the test that brings out his superior talent. Andy describes just what makes watching the best play this course so fun and how the Internationals appear to be out-strategizing and out-smarting the U.S. side with their approach to RM. They wrap with some thoughts on the pairings for Saturday morning’s session, which leaves Bryson on the bench again. This leads to a pondering of just what he did during his time off on day 2 before a final sign-off with predictions for what’s to come this weekend.

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This episode of the Shotgun Start goes off the usual path for a Monday, pushing results from the weekend to the end to take on the subject of Patrick Reed’s Bahamian excavation. Brendan and Andy first replay the act from Friday’s round at the Hero World Challenge, focusing on Reed’s apparent history of doing this. The punishment for the action is then addressed and both wonder about the slippery slope of a measly two-shot penalty and some public shaming as the only reckoning for such flagrant cheating. Andy proposes a much stronger penalty lasting out in to the 2020 season. Then the responses from various parties are dissected, from Reed himself to Slugger White covering for his “gentlemanly” character to the American Presidents Cup team reportedly acting like it didn’t happen on a plane ride to some Aussies using the “c word” and clamoring for the International fans to give it to Reed this week. After the lengthy Reed discussion, they get to a segment on results, which includes a breakthrough win on the Minor League Golf Tour and a rant about the purse of the PNC Father Son Challenge.

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This Friday edition of the Shotgun Start begins with story time as Brendan relays an amusing and “beefy” tip sent in about Bryson DeChambeau’s ongoing “Bulking Season.” There’s also some unsettling discussion about the contents of chocolate milk. Then Brendan and Andy run through some notes from the early rounds at the Hero, including Tiger’s nicknames, Pat Reed’s mysterious new clubs, and quite possibly the most useless stat ever promoted. Then they are joined by Sean Martin, Senior Editor at PGATour.com, for the third and FINAL part of the Decade in Review. This part focuses on the recent majors this year with some forgotten and entertaining odds and ends, the much-discussed “All Decade” Teams, which include a ridiculous Skip Bayless-type contrarian snub, and a few other categories like the “All Avis” team.

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The content cup runneth over for this Wednesday episode, which begins with the schedule for the week around the world of golf. This tests the geography knowledge of both Brendan and Andy with events spotlighted from the Bahamas to Australia to Mauritius to Kenya. They highlight the tee times at the Hero and how Tiger gets to basically put on a week of Presidents Cup prep and still somehow hand out OWGR points for it. News covers the latest utterances from the overcomplicated mind of Bryson DeChambeau and whether a workout can ever just be a workout in his head. Phil Mickelson’s decision to take the money and run to Saudi Arabia is also panned. The continued shakeup of the CBS golf team is discussed and the lineup for the PNC Father Son is briefly reviewed before transitioning to part II of the Decade in Review with PGA Tour Senior Editor Sean Martin. This section focuses on the back half of the decade, some amateur golf, the “season of the decade,” and the post-major funk trend.

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Andy and Brendan return after a long holiday break and jump right into Pablo Larrazabal limping to a win at Leopard Creek. Then they quickly pivot to some news from the long break, most notably Jason Day’s withdrawal from the Presidents Cup because of a back injury. They review Day’s injury history and marvel at the sweeping reaction this latest WD provoked over the weekend. Then they get to a “Decade in Review” discussion with PGA Tour.com ace Sean Martin. But as per Shotgun Start custom, things run much longer than intended in this free-flowing review so it will be broken up into *at least* two parts. Come listen and reminisce about the first half of the decade at the majors, the Players, and the FedExCup standings in this episode.

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This special Thanksgiving Jr. edition begins with a quick discussion of Thanksgiving traditions, drinks, and overrated dishes. Then there’s a rundown of the light schedule for the week, which permits a spotlight on Leopard Creek CC, the Gary Player island-green-happy design, and the European Tour’s Dunhill Championship. Brendan and Andy discuss the venue, the nearby wildlife refuge, and which animal they’d most like to be “reborn” as if given the option. The LET’s event in Spain also prompts a discussion of the newly announced LET-LPGA merger. Then the balance of the episode is spent listing some nominees and crowning some winners for the first ever SGS Fall Awards, featuring categories such as best event, worst shot, Mr. October, best and/or dumbest quote, juiciest controversy, signature LUP moment, and best reason to get worse for the wear. Happy Thanksgiving from Andy and Brendan, who are very thankful for the Shotgun Start listeners.

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A worse for the wear Victory Monday recording of the Shotgun Start bounces around the world of golf from the weekend, while also discussing best man speeches, football, and apple varietals. There is no crying over #ToddWatch having to be put in the garage for a few months. Jon Rahm’s Race to Dubai title in the Middle East leads to a discussion on his future and his already outrageous clip of contention. Andy explains his  skill buckets theory that Rahm fulfills and predicts he’ll win the Masters. On the LPGA, Sei Young Kim’s win in Naples is praised as the event of the day in a week that was full of positive PR for that tour. The Journeyman of the Day is Tyler Duncan, aka the least interesting man in the world, who took down Webb Simpson in Sea Island. Duncan’s past Indiana prep golf exploits are highlighted as well as his mundane special interests. In news, they excoriate the new branded “hole in one” that the PGA Tour is now pushing and Greg Norman’s Cybertruck purchase.

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This revelrous Friday episode begins with an appreciation for the early leaderboards across the globe from the LPGA to Dubai to Georgia. The RSM Classic is a cornucopia of Shotgun Start favorites and Brendan and Andy run through some of the regulars as well as update low and “high Davis” on the leaderboard. Over in Dubai, they praise Frenchman Mike and discuss Rory’s outrageous shot and opening round. This leads to a lengthy discussion about the high bar for measuring Rory success and whether anything he does at a non-major makes an impression. The life and times of Troy Merritt are celebrated in the “Journeyman of the Day” segment, where they read from an article that characterized Merritt as dangerous at the Masters and also a human highlight reel (his new nickname). News hits on Rickie filling in for Brooksy at the Presidents Cup and comes with less criticism than you might expect. Flashback Friday is an homage to Tommy Gainey, the 2012 winner at Sea Island. It features a reminiscence of his final round 60 and a reading of his story insulating water heaters for $9 per hour while trying to make it on mini tours.

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This Wednesday episode begins with another celebration of Brendon Todd, a Shotgun Start favorite son that was never doubted. Todd’s Masters odds are discussed as well as the unexpected debate about whether he should replace Brooks Koepka on the Presidents Cup team if BK were to WD. Then they get to the schedule for the week, where we marvel at the abundance of Davises (Davi?) in the field at the RSM Classic. The new format for the LPGA’s season-ending Tour Championship is praised and argued as a possible model for the FedExCup. There’s also an amusing story from inside some winter meetings at the PGA Tour, where every dish gets a name. An exciting new sponsor leads to a new segment and perhaps the longest ad read in the history of podcasts. The episode wraps with a discussion on the Race to Dubai and some praise for Brandon Matthews’ incredible grace under tough circumstances.

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This Monday morning episode is full of anticipation about the possibilities of Brendon Todd going back-to-back on the PGA Tour. Brendan and Andy discuss the Mayakoba leaderboard with a few holes left to go on Monday morning. They also discuss Vaughn Taylor’s sweaty hat, why Mich Ultra would choose him to sponsor, the alcohol content of Mich Ultra, Zach Johnson playing ahead, Matt Kuchar’s bar tab for making an ace, and Brian Gay’s new car for doing the same. Andy is also extremely disappointed in the fan turnout, which prompts a conspiracy theory about crisis actors being shipped in and a Potemkin Village constructed for the Golf Channel cameras. Over on the European Tour, they discuss Tommy Fleetwood’s win at the Nedbank and the many close calls he’s had without a win over the last two years. Is he the British Rickie? The Assistant Pro National Championship also gets a shout out before a segment on some of the luckiest breaks from this weekend. News wraps with Russell Henley self-reporting his violation of the one-ball rule and some ranting on the merits of the rule.

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It’s Friday! This recording came prior to an angsty, brown-sauce fueled Thursday Night Football viewing. Andy and Brendan begin with a celebration of all that happened in the opening round at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa. They start with hailing the Mattress King, Louis Oosthuizen, and his heroic effort posting an opening round 63 to lead while battling kidney stones. There’s also much rejoicing over Lee Westwood’s and Ernie Els’s prominent spots on the leaderboard. They also ponder if the Mayakoba Classic is now under the curse of El Tucan given the torrential rains that have soaked the course all week. Then they get into a thorough review of the sketchy Billy Mayfair DQ from two weeks ago with some new delightful details (including that he’s on his second wife named Tammy/Tami) reported by Michael Bamberger. There are many self-contradictions from Playfair, including an old video they play for a truly “gotcha” moment. Flashback Friday focuses on a former Mayakoba winner’s much more noble run-in with a rules controversy. A news segment addresses Abe Ancer’s “calling out” of Tiger, Ian Poulter as a hat etiquette nazi, Sergio’s gender reveal, and Jason Day announcing he has multiple trainers on a “team” that has to be ballooning in size.

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This Wednesday episode previews one of Andy’s favorite weeks on Tour, the event with no fans, the Mayakoba Classic. Brendan and Andy have a more-extensive-than-is-warranted conversation on the annual fall event in Mexico, reliving the glory of some past random champions, debating the course design, and receiving an education on mangroves. A short diversion on Aaron Wise and Joaquin Niemann leads to a larger discussion about the skills needed to jump up a level on Tour. On the European Tour, the Nedbank Challenge is previewed mostly with a dive into the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City. They also discuss the accompanying Lost City design with the famed “Crocodile Hole” and green in the shape of the African continent. With the year winding down, there’s a look at the OWGR Top 50 and the bubble boys who could claim a Masters spot, and some names prompt pondering about driver testing machines on every tee at Augusta. In news, they discuss the Chainsmokers playing a concert at The Players and an OWGR stat that illuminates the greatness and consistency of Rory McIlroy. They wrap with some fun about the lawsuit at Alpine CC over a waiter spilling wine on a $30,000 purse, recalling some of the more stupidly expensive purchases they made in their past.

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Brendan and Andy return from the weekend ready to discuss some senior circuit golf, notably Jeff Maggert’s hole out to beat the Goose in Phoenix and also deliver Ron Burgundy the overall Schwab Cup title. Was this an appropriate way to award a season-long title? The crowded European Tour playoff in Turkey is also reviewed as a bit of a pillow fight, despite some clickbaity headlines to the contrary. There is praise for Hosung Choi’s big win in Japan as well as his decision to wear the exact same clothes all weekend. A late breaking tweet that reveals the World Golf Hall of Fame counts The Players as a major win sends Andy into a spiral of incredulity and rage. In news, they hit on Eddie Pepperell running out of balls, JT’s underwhelming picks on Gameday, and Rickie’s intestinal dsi from his honeymoon. They sign off with a great Michael Jordan story from a Jeremy Roenick radio appearance over the weekend.

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This Friday episode begins with some immediate reactions to the televised conference call from The Woods Jupiter on Thursday night. Brendan and Andy discuss the restaurant scene and the conference call choppiness from the entire production, which left them delightfully entertained. Who forgot to mute their phone? Who came on late and needed info repeated? Who went MIA in the middle of the call? These were all relatable office space problems that we got to watch on national television while plates carrying mozzarella sticks clattered nearby. They come up with a few suggestions for spicing up the Presidents Cup and also get into the actual substance of the picks. Did anyone get snubbed or was this an actual sign of progress in these team processes? There is also a lengthy check-in on some notable names and storylines at KFT Q-school before wrapping up with a Flashback Friday to a Schwab Cup Championship from a bygone era.

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The PGA Tour is off this week but the Shotgun Start marches on with a preview episode and a conspiracy theory for why the Tour might be off -- it involves a quid pro quo with a certain brokerage firm. A diversion into a fantastic Daniel Chopra story leads to a discussion and a ranking of the national chain pizza joints. The event of the week will not be televised but Andy runs through some names trying to get through KFT Q school second stage. This is also the week Presidents Cup picks will be made and the two argue for who should be there (NOT Jason Day) and who will be there after Tiger and Ernie add four players to each side. In news, they discuss the Davis Love III-to-CBS announcement from last week, Greg Norman’s unrequited letter writing, and Rory’s attempt to clarify his comments on European Tour courses being too easy.

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After an extended break, Brendan and Andy return to discuss a joyous weekend of winners in the world of golf. They begin with Rory McIlroy’s WGC victory in China, crediting him with winning the first ever (and newly created) LUP Slam, a more prestigious offshoot of the Grand Slam or Tiger Slam. This also provokes a discussion on if this win, or any non-major win, matters anymore for a talent like Rory. Then the celebration of Brendon Todd occurs, as well as a calling onto the carpet of the haters and doubters. Todd’s wander in the wilderness and return from the full-blown yips is explained and appreciated. On the LPGA, they discuss the awkward situation of a caddie looping against his fiancee in a Sunday final pairing and playoff. On the Champions Tour, they applaud Monty’s Mountain Dew-fueled tournament course record and proclaim an increased interest in the Schwab Cup finale. In news, the controversy over Christina Kim calling a penalty on two playing partners at LPGA Q Series is reviewed and debated. The episode ends with a lengthy and angry dissection of the two horrible football teams that made an otherwise good Sunday in golf maddening at the end.

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A Wednesday episode begins with a rundown of the schedule for the week. Brendan and Andy start with the WGC in China, which has a deep-ish field despite the current best player in the world playing the opposite field event. They discuss why this WGC feels low stakes and some of the issues with the host course. Then the opposite field event in Bermuda is put squarely in the crosshairs. The list of journeymen, brake-pad salesmen, and odd collection of misfit toys in the field is discussed, provoking a larger point about the WGC system and questioning the existence of this Bermuda event. The episode wraps with the second annual Shotgun Start Halloween costume brainstorm session, producing some truly inane and unique golf costume ideas that almost no one on the planet will get.

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The weekend is over but Tiger is a winner again, completing a dominant four rounds at the Tour’s first ever event in Japan. Before getting to Tiger’s chase for records that may or may not matter, the Browns and Bears get their lashings and Andy confides he might have set a record himself this weekend: time spent at The Woods Jupiter. Then the Zozo is given the treatment: the badass trophy, what they liked most about Tiger’s showing, what it means for 2020, and the staying power of this newcomer event. The fan-less Saturday and the Live Under Par 150-yard par-4 are also discussed. In news, they hit on CBS ousting Peter Kostis and Gary McCord and revel in Kostis’ sign off statement that he was heading to UPS for his courier needs. News also hits on Brooksy’s (and Jena’s) Halloween costume and the PGA Tour confirming there will be on-site gambling next year.

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This Friday episode begins with a chat on Tiger Woods’ season-opening round in Japan and if he’s now a comp to Jon Rahm. After running through some updated results, Brendan and Andy hit on news, discussing the reduced Bio Kim suspension, a 15-year-old winning an OWGR event, and Bryson’s big beef-up. This leads to a hypothetical of Bryson doing the pommel horse at the Olympics and not golf, as well as the sport that he might be worst at in competition. Then they return to their over-unders for 2020, running through Rory, Tiger, Hovland, a spinal-fusion duo, and J.J. Henry. A failed attempt to sign off for the weekend ends with Andy, who is down in Jupiter for the weekend, reviewing The Woods and also contemplating a trip to The Big Easy restaurant.

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This punchy Wednesday episode includes an all-time story about Andy purportedly getting hit by a bike, so hang in there for that. The non-golf opening includes a discussion on Bears starting QB odds for next year and why Illinois’ revenue sports can’t keep talent at home. In golf matters, the schedule for the week segment begins with praise for the Zozo Championship bringing PGA Tour golf to Japan. This leads to a discussion of how this course was chosen -- proximity to the airport, allegedly -- and the fact that there are escalators on courses in Japan. The European Tour’s event in Portugal is spotlighted as the last chance for Euro Tour players to earn their card for next year. On the LPGA, the event in Korea is discussed as well as the Q Series at Pinehurst, which gives college players a shot to earn a card while also missing tons of school. Then we run through an amusing over-unders game for the season hitting on some stars like Spieth, Bryson, Brooks, Rickie, and others. The episode wraps with a review of the Skins Game -- what stunk, what worked, the phony “needle,” and what formats would be best at the next experiment.

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A shortened Monday podcast begins with Brendan and Andy trying to record while also watching the Bears and Mitch Trubisky unraveling against the Saints. But there is some solace from Saturday, where Andy’s alma mater pulled off the second biggest upset in Big Ten history. Then in golf matters, the two react to Justin Thomas winning the CJ Cup for the second time in three years and what it might mean for the upcoming year. Nicolas Colsaerts’ win at the French Open is an occasion to dig up some delightful quotes from the “Belgian Bomber.” They recall how he up and left the PGA Tour while he still had his card, his thoughts on living in America and eating the same chicken caesar salad over and over, and his partying ways in Europe that make him a favorite in the Euro Tour locker room. In news, they discuss Matt Every’s 12-week suspension for cannabis, Brooksy’s WD in Korea, and Tiger’s return to Japan. The pre-Skins game recording means a discussion of that event will come on Wednesday's episode.

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This Friday episode begins with a Happy Birthday wish to Ernie Els, Andy’s idol. There’s also a brief discussion of his Presidents Cup roster and one particular star that might be apathetic about team building. Then we get to the Brooks Koepka comments on the lack of a rivalry with Rory McIlroy, discussing both sides, dismissing both sides, and just walking away happy that these quotes exist. The new battlefield promotion on the PGA Tour’s international tours only angers and frustrates. Then the Ryder Cup ticketing fiasco is put in the crosshairs, as we recount the process that seemed to infuriate much of the American golf fan base. A “Penalty Box” segment reviews three odd and extreme penalty situations from the last week, including the 58-strokes assessed in the Senior LPGA event. Flashback Friday takes us down a Skins Game memory lane, throwing out some of the, uh, underwhelming names that made it into the event before it died off around 2008. Then an infamous Skins Game is given the blow-by-blow treatment, catching Tiger in a blatant self-contradiction.

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This Wednesday episode begins with an Andy conspiracy theory that the NFL is fixing games for the Packers. After a needless digression on some daunting yardwork, the CJ Cup, or CJ Plaque, is previewed with a look at the field, the lucrative purse, and the course, which has received a dubiously high ranking thanks to some rumored quid-pro-quo schemes. There’s also a brief and amusing story on the unorthodox “Hammer Drill” that K.J. Choi has taught so many proteges. On the European Tour, they discuss the fall of the French Open and how past Ryder Cup venues move to the back of the line after the matches come through. In a new segment, Worst for the Wednesday, they ask for the worst possible sports slogan or marketing phrase after watching the MLB’s We Play Loud campaign this month. Then there’s a “cross-sport cacophony” segment, where they touch on issues from the four major North American sports that also confront golf, most notably the ongoing NBA x China controversy and the European Tour event in Saudi Arabia. In news, they discuss some positive developments as well as some outrages from the new Korn Ferry Tour schedule, the new mixed event, and the title of Tiger’s memoir.

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A worse-for-the-wear episode begins with Andy recounting his weekend and the circumstances of his injury in South Carolina and Brendan calling for the firing of Freddie Crockpot. In golf matters, the two discuss Lanto Griffin’s win in Houston, Brandon Wu’s impressive debut, and the sparse attendance. On the Euro Tour, they crown Bernd Wiesberger the greatest Austrian golfer of all time and stumble into an amusing and surely outdated European Tour bio for Rory Sabbatini. On the Champions Tour, they play a clip of Lanny Wadkins openly calling for backboarding during the broadcast. A quick news roundup covers Rickie’s brand-free wedding, Michelle Wie’s comeback, and Kevin Na clearing up the confusion about fighting for his good name back in Korea. They wrap with the latest teases from the Rory and Carson show, which transitions to a discussion of the latest Skins Game promo, which transitions to the acting chops of the four participants, which somehow ends with Jason Day in a role on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.

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A delayed Friday podcast begins with an apology tour as Andy recounts the many logistical mishaps of getting to Aiken while Brendan plays a potentially age-inappropriate movie for his kids while trying to record. Eventually, they get to golf and discuss some early Houston Open scores, including Cole Hammer’s impressive 1st round and Rich Beem popping back at our frustration with his being in the field. The topic of Henrik Stenson parting with his (likely hot) 3-wood is also discussed. In Italy, the BfB is on the move, which somehow leads to a diversion into that time Jaco Van Zyl withdrew from two majors to prep for the Olympics and then was never heard from again. In news, they hit on a heavily American Hero World Challenge, a 5th straight South Korean winning LPGA ROY, and Tiger’s new putt putt venture, which prompts a call for a return to minimalism in putt putt design. Flashback Friday is a glorious journey into the world class golf, hard partying ways, and disappearance of Anthony Kim, who TRULY lived under par. Keeping with the theme of logistical mishaps, the last 10 minutes from Wednesday’s podcast that was chopped off is added to the end here -- so close out your week with some takes on the Tour’s new Players Championship coverage scheme.

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Brendan and Andy return from the weekend to discuss the playoff finish in Las Vegas. They run through some of the astounding stats from a weekend when it seemed like everyone was posting numbers in the low 60s. If ever there was a week for an adjusted par, this was it. They also wonder if Rory’s FedExCup title should have an asterisk based on the schedule changes and if Brooks potentially got married in Vegas after missing the cut. Then they swing across the pond to praise the dominant Jon Rahm, pondering whether there’s a better under-30 player in golf (not named Brooks). In news, they hit on some strong comments toward the PGA Tour from the Houston Open tournament director about the weak field down in Texas this week. Then they get to the latest chapter from the Bryson zone and attempt to translate his quotes on getting bigger and/or stronger in the coming months as well his monologue on living life on the third standard deviation. This prompts an excellent Andy monologue on the differences between an idiot and a moron.

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This Friday episode begins with a brief check-in on the early leaderboard in Vegas. Brendan and Andy discuss Nick Taylor’s start and how it fits in with his elite Mariokart skills. Then they hit on Phil Mickelson chasing a Presidents Cup spot. Smylie Kaufman’s ugly opening round prompts empathy and also a discussion on professions where you might have to work through it in full view of the public. In news, they hit on Brooks Koepka roundly dismissing the POY vote and comparing it to LeBron not winning the MVP every year, Bio Kim not appealing his 3-year ban, and the new Euro Tour schedule heavy on TBD. Brendan then tackles a research assignment on Michael Hopper and Rod Pampling, revealing tidbits about a player who learned the game hitting 3-woods out of the sand in Vanuatu and another who won an event thanks to a clerical error at PGA Tour HQ. Flashback Friday takes us back to the debut of the ProV1 at this event in Vegas and some astonishing USGA quotes in response to the immediate distance gains.

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The usual Wednesday segment running down the week’s schedule is promptly de-railed by discussion of the news that five players failed the new PGA Tour driver testing at the Safeway Open. Brendan and Andy react to the news being broken by a non-golf entity like Reuters and posit that it might be time for more outside voices to get involved in the regulation of this issue. They react to the player reaction that it’s a “non-story” and the Tour holding the line that this is simply a club issue and not a player problem. How did names leak already just three weeks into the new season? Will anything come of it as we get further into the season? Then they move to the schedule for the week, introduce the nickname “Tommy Tables,” crown an event of the week, and hand out a few random names to research for Friday. In news, they hit on the three-year suspension for the Korean Tour money leader flipping the bird to fans and ponder what kind of action it would take to get a 3-year ban on the PGA Tour. Physical harm to another player or a Jeff Gillooly style hit on a fellow competitor? They wrap with a discussion on the idea of a U.S. Open rota based off some Mike Davis comments to Golf Digest.

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Victory Monday on the Shotgun Start is loaded with content goodies from the weekend. Brendan and Andy begin with a cursory review of the Bears and Browns success, as well as debate on if backup QB is the best role to have in the NFL. After those pressing non-golf matters, they jump immediately into Rory McIlroy’s comments on the European Tour setups being too easy. They hit on the hypocrisy of the Prince of Ponte Vedra voicing these concerns, the role equipment that he endorses has played in this problem he has, and some numbers that quickly rebut his contention. At the Safeway, they hit on the Cam Champ win and how it became one of the best finishing stories we’ll get all year and where he goes next. On less serious matters, they also excoriate the “maximum relief” given to Bryson DeChambeau after his failed backboarding attempt sailed into the hazard. Kristoffer Ventura’s alleged “spit” on Tony Romo’s ball is also quickly debunked and discarded. They wrap with a quick roundup of results from around the globe, including Andy reacquainting us with some old friends at the Panasonic in Asia.

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A Friday episode of the Shotgun Start begins with Brendan’s Romo reckoning. The QB-turned-Skechers pitchman posted a 2-under 70 in the first round of the Safeway Open, which puts him safely inside the cut line. Andy and Brendan discuss his day watching Romo hang on with the possibility of $10,000 from a hasty and stupid bet hanging in the balance. Then they move to less stressful matters, like Lee Westwood’s ace, Justin Timberlake’s abominable pace of play, and hickories put in play at the Old Course. There’s an update from the other side on the controversial ending to the Mid-Am last week and a brief nod to the Methheads making an appearance in Napa this weekend. FVF Jr. research on Tom Hoge and Scott Brown yields some fascinating intel on their backgrounds and the amusing casino habits of one player when he makes a cut. Flashback Friday closes the episode with a winding road on the careers of Bryce Molder and the PGA Tour’s foremost P.F. Chang’s endorser.

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This Wednesday episode previews the weekend to come in golf and it’s a loaded one with discussion on the Safeway, Dunhill, LPGA inside the Brickyard racetrack, Asia Pacific Amateur, Crump Cup, and the Senior Tour event at Pebble. But first, Andy reckons with a Bears MNF win that may be more concerning than encouraging. For the Safeway, Brendan and Andy finalize their wager on Tony Romo making the cut and take a quick gander through some of the other exemptions, including John Daly and Fred Couples. Over on the Euro Tour, the two have a “high-level” discussion on the new brand slogan “Driving Golf Further” and all the ways you can spend money on inane fluff in this world listening to people with titles that sound important. The Dunhill and Pebble Pro-Am are then compared and the question of which has the better three-course rota is debated. Then Brendan quizzes Andy on some of the celebrity amateurs in the field in Scotland, exposing their American myopia. The unsportsmanlike finish to the Mid-Am is critiqued and then they wrap with some intel on Louis Oosthuizen’s wide offering of alcoholic beverages.

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Brendan and Andy return from the weekend worse for the wear but ready to discuss a tremendous finish at the Peacock Championship. Sebastian Munoz’s win in Mississippi is hailed, as well as the Tour now delivering consecutive winners from South America. This prompts a quick monologue on the diversity that does exist at the top of the pro game and a call to promote and spotlight that more. Sungjae Im, who lost in the playoff, is compared to Cal Ripken and there’s also a review of just what he needs to accomplish in order to avoid military duty back home in Korea. There’s pondering over how Bryson would play under such circumstances. At the BMW PGA, Andy takes a victory lap for his prognostication that Danny Willett was coming back from the depths and would soon pass Jordan Spieth in the world rankings. Rory McIlroy’s backdoor top 10 and neutered Twitter account are also critiqued. The finish includes discussion of Rocco Mediate’s cigar smoking victory in Sioux Falls and what Monty drank on the course in a top 5 finish on the senior circuit.

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It’s Friday! A delayed episode has Brendan and Andy full of enthusiasm to discuss early returns at the Sandersaon and Wentworth. A strong showing from internationals in Mississippi has them pondering the possibility of the Hitman Hearn making the Presidents Cup team. Across the pond, Rory’s quote on not trading his year with anyone else’s but Tiger’s season is critiqued. News of the Japan Skins Game becoming official is discussed and the best format (not Skins!) is debated. Fan vote friday junior goes into the backgrounds of Greg Sonnier and Chase Seiffert, which re-acquaints us with the PGA Tour writing bot and introduces us to the All-time Sun Belt conference golf team and the amazing accomplishment of winning the “Florida Triple Crown.” A wonderful Flashback Friday focuses on 2013 Sanderson winner Woody Austin, who may be the all-time irrationally confident pro golfer. Andy relays some truly jaw-dropping quotes from his 2007 PGA loss to Tiger Woods at Southern Hills, in addition to a full deep dive into the career of “The Aquaman.”

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It’s a big week on the Shotgun Start as the PGA Tour swings down to Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship, aka the Peacock Classic. Brendan and Andy review some of the, uh, well-traveled names in the field, which leads to a lengthy digression on the Stadler father-son duo and a scary inside detail about the state of Smylie Kaufman. Then they get to discussing Akshay Bhatia and if his debut is a sign of a teenage takeover or if this is a risky test case. Over on the Euro Tour, they highlight the new GPS system being put in use to track slow play at Wentworth. The U.S. Mid Am earns event of the week and also prompts Andy to portray the bracket as a clear case of good vs. evil, as well as lay out his official stance on who should and should not be eligible for reinstated amateur status. They wrap with some amusing if not frustrating quotes from Bubba Watson on the stressful and onerous driver testing now in effect on the PGA Tour.

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This Monday episode reacts to a wild Sunday of golf from across the globe, most notably at the Solheim Cup. Brendan and Andy review the weekend at Gleneagles, offering up a few critiques of the mowing patterns, pace of play, and some lineup choices before heaping praise on what was arguably the greatest finish to a team match event we’ve seen. Suzann Pettersen’s play on the 18th, before the clinching putt, is given due praise and they contemplate whether this finish boosts the LPGA over the rest of the season. Joaquin Niemann is then hailed as our new overlord atop the courier service rankings, which Andy equates as the best player in the world. Sergio’s win is given a modicum of praise as well as the Champions Tour player now making Ron Burgundy sweat atop the Schwab Cup. The episode finishes with a wonderful Lee Westwood locker room story heard over the weekend.

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It’s Friday! Brendan and Andy are back together holed up in an NYC hotel to reflect on opening day of the PGA Tour season. They begin by discussing all the rookies and KFT grads populating the top of the leaderboard and the return of living under par with low scores aplenty. Then they get to the back-and-forth of the Solheim Cup, where Danielle Kang and Suzann Pettersen provided sustenance for the aggregation station. Is the Solheim more heated than the Ryder Cup? A glorious Flashback Friday touches on some other match play tension and this week’s PGA Tour host venue. Included within are Seve’s debut and some stir-the-pot quotes, two Euro team members that sulked and sabotaged their own team, and a captain who tossed a note from Nick Faldo in the trash rather than read it to the team. They wrap with a breakdown of the Rory vs. Brooks Player of the Year debated that boiled over this week, highlighting some of the more amusing conspiracy theories on why we got these results.

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This Wednesday episode begins with an argument and admission that it’s take two following a record button mishap. We begin with a juicy and alarming quote from the range at the Greenbrier on the new driver testing, which may not change any behaviors at all in the coming PGA Tour season. The new color-coded system for testing is given a full review. Then we get into the Slovak Open and the Shotgun Start audience taking over the comments section of the stream as the BFB won his national championship. The return of PGA Tour Live and Fan Vote Friday prompts a reveal of the Rickie Tour Live Audit, which has some damning numbers. In the last segment, we run through some lightning round answers on some the events and players we are most looking forward to and the ones we could do without over the next few months. Then we discuss a hypothetical blank canvas for Q4 of the year and how we’d approach it -- from events to markets to field sizes to formats -- if we were the PGA Tour.

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Victory Monday this is not, as a new week begins with the Bears and Browns both 0-1. This non-golf matter gets full attention at the top as Brendan processes all that went wrong and the emotional tumble that occurred throughout the day. Andy is also quite amused with a cheeky nickname he comes up with for the Browns coach. Rafa Nadal’s slow play penalty is applauded and put in contrast with just how far golf is from such a move. Then it’s on to the Porsche European Open, where there’s praise for Paul Casey for his win and also contemplation of whether he’s underrated or just disliked. The primary news coming out of that event, however, was Matt Kuchar yet again taking some serious liberties within the gray area of the rules. Is he obtuse, entitled, unsportsmanlike, all of the above? This progresses into a separate topic of cheating and if that’s something that occurs much, if at all, at the Tour level. The episode concludes with a discussion on the Walker Cup, which was harder to comment on because no one saw it.

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This delayed Shotgun Start ends with a host plagued by hiccups but comes out of the gate discussing the Bears debut on Thursday night football. Is the season over or is the door ajar for optimism? Then we get to news that the PGA Tour has will put new driver testing in place for this coming season. We discuss what we like and where the policy leaves us wanting. Also, we plea for real-time public release of the results on a giant video board with some dramatics around the new tests. Then we preview the Walker Cup and how the conditions of Hoylake will be a significant departure for so many of these highly acclaimed young American studs. We also offer to fly to Liverpool to periscope it in lieu of the lack of TV coverage. A delightful Flashback Friday goes deep on the origins of the Walker Cup, touching on a variety of amusing details like the GBI team getting worse for the wear in New York and writer Bernard Darwin having to step in and actually play matches for the team as a reserve player. Flashback also goes into a legendary stymie from the early Walker Cup days that has us yearning for the return and legalization of the practice.

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Brendan and Andy return from the long weekend to tidy up the place, doubling back to some of the action from across multiple Tours. Andy is disgusted with the LPGA not giving exemptions the next week to high finishers at an event, as we’ll see with Yealimi Noh following her near-win in Portland. Then they react to the Korn Ferry Tour Championship and enthusiastically welcome the son of the Swing Surgeon back to the PGA Tour. They run through some of the players who got their cards, why this event worked so well, and if it can be replicated on any other Tour. Then they move to this week’s schedule, which is mostly an excuse to rant about the lack of events when there are so many bottlenecks other weeks during the summer. They also discuss the lack of TV coverage for the event of the week, the Walker Cup. In news, they get to Pat Reed’s special Masters Porsche, Bob Koepka’s tweets at Brandel and steamrolling of Little Boy Dru, and a fun Stevie Fountains story from a listener.

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A truncated Friday episode will wet your whistle heading into the holiday weekend. We begin with some scores from Europe, where Westy is lurking and Rory continued living under par. We address some comments on the “fair” test of the Swiss course from Mike Lorenzo-Vera, and start to compile a list of similar euphemisms. Then we move to Rory’s comments on the new major schedule and if his point about spreading them out over 9 months, like in tennis, works for golf. We also discuss Ian Poulter’s extreme frustration with the pool cleaning service. Then in Flashback Friday, the occasion of the KFT Championship prompts a look back at a Web Tour Finals of yore that prominently featured golf’s most famous retiree, among others. 

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The PGA Tour may take a break this week but the Shotgun Start does not. This Wednesday episode runs through the schedule for the week, hitting on some premo events on the LPGA and Euro Tour before crowning the last tournament of the Korn Ferry Tour season as the event of the week. We cover which bubble boys we’re watching this week and also relay some data that shows just how extremely volatile it is this year in the positioning for the remaining PGA Tour cards. We also re-visit Stevie Fountains and discuss his prospects at Victoria National, a course which should create carnage under the most pressurized circumstances. A Champions Tour discussion leads the proposition that a PGA Tour event be held in Calgary and also confusion over who out there is actually in a Champions Tour fantasy league. The U.S. Senior Amateur events for both men and women are given their due as we run through some of the day jobs and backgrounds of the quarter finalists. A debate over how the best in the game should set their fall schedule provokes an Andy take on how we pronounce the word schedule. Then we wrap with the news of Tiger’s knee surgery and some questions about all the travel he has coming up in the final quarter of the year.

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A full weekend of golf is reviewed on this Monday episode, starting with the low gross AND net winner at East Lake, Rory McIlroy. Andy and Brendan review Sunday’s finale to the PGA Tour season and if the new format was validated by the leaderboard and Rory winning both ways. The Tour championship is graded, the constant money chatter is critiqued, one final Dump in the Cup is awarded, and a wild proposal is made for how the winner should be given his money. The subjects of Player of the Year and a new Brooks-Rory rivalry are addressed. There’s also a discussion about which Tour player would be most likely to do an Andrew Luck style surprise retirement. They close with some news of a fascinating scandal bubbling up on the LPGA tour.

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It’s Friday! Brendan and Andy offer up some quick reactions to the first ever staggered start on the PGA Tour. There is a three-way tie already atop the leaderboard -- was the format a success or was this always how it was going to go? Rory McIlroy’s comments on the “legacy” impacts of a staggered start are reviewed, and Andy offers the take that the history of the Tour Championship is being killed off in the same way as the Western Open. Matt Kuchar gets confused about Brooksy’s nudes, and it cost Tiger. Then some Champions Tour intel is also relayed via a source, who is an Uber Driver. For the second half of the pod, Sean Martin of PGATour.com joins us to provide his early impressions from on the ground as well as some lightning round takes on who we are surprised to see in Atlanta and who we are surprised did not make it. Flashback Friday gets into what Andy terms the greatest FedExCup ever and the best FedExCup performer ever, with the beautiful mind memory of Sean weaving in all the random obscure facts stuck in his brain.

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It’s finally here: the season-ending Tour Championship with its net and gross leaderboards at East Lake. Andy, fresh off a maddening day at Mid Am qualifying (which he describes as well), feistily lays out his issues with the staggered start. Brendan attempts to make the case for why this new change is a curiosity worth lauding and watching, at least at the start. We lay out some dream and nightmare scenarios for how this could go for Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour. Then we move to the European Tour taking on slow play, running through its four-point attack and the parts we think are best for improving the problem. The PGA Tour’s response and comments on it coming out of Atlanta are also discussed. In news, we hit on a troop deployment to the Military Tribute as well as the incredible Steph Curry announcement at Howard. We close with some picks for Atlanta for both the low gross and net portions of the proceedings.

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Andy and Brendan return from the weekend with much to discuss and begin with results -- from JT’s win on the dartboard in Chicago, to Pieters’ return to the winner’s circle, to some cards secured at the first KFT finals event, and finally to Doug Barron, the longshot monday qualifier who won on the Champions Tour. In the not-playing-for-cash department, they review the finals of the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst, comparing the conditions and style of that championship to the FedExCup event at Medinah. Is the core golf fan tuning out the FEC in favor of something like the two amateurs the last two weeks and if so, does that even matter? The comments from Adam Scott and Tiger Woods on distance and the one club that’s become most important while also easier to hit than ever are given full review. A painful “dump in the cup” segment does not play favorites, but on the KFT, they reconnect with an old friend and prepare for a full year of #ToddWatch. They wrap by discussing the auto-qualifiers for the Presidents Cup teams and the USA Walker Cup roster.

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We head into the weekend with a lively discussion on some of the early action from Chicago, Prague, Columbus, and Pinehurst. At the BMW, we lament the modern game overpowering what is a beast of a course in Medinah. We also discuss BMW’s stunning decision to reverse course and stay on as title sponsor. At the Czech Masters, we praise leader Gavin Green’s pre-tournament prep of “eating and sleeping a lot.” With the U.S. Amateur down to the quarterfinals, we go over some of the match play results and the junior presence in the final eight. The decision to also hold the finals on two courses -- Pinehurst No. 4 and No. 2 -- is given critical review. Flashback Friday is a gripping journey from the last days of the “dick sponsored” Western Open to some of its earliest  blue-blood origins and eventually to a Chicago event that had the irate loser in an Allenby-esque fit of rage wandering aimlessly around the Chicagoland area.

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This recording was done with Andy somewhere in the middle of the woods of the Upper Peninsula, so apologies for the choppy wifi. We run through the schedule for the week, which leads to a critique over the trimmed-down KFT Finals. Three weeks seems like a small snapshot for 25 cards when the first 25 cards were awarded after 7-plus months of play. The U.S. Amateur earns event of the week and we relay some early details from on the ground at Pinehurst, where conditions sound crispy. Then we move to the BMW Championship and make the argument that this week features the most compelling stakes of any of the three postseason events. We spotlight some names on the top 30 bubble that we’d like to see crash the party in Atlanta and also earn all the perks that come with it. We wrap with some Bryson follow-up with Andy providing the results of his speedwalking/sauntering research.

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The content gods smiled down on us all again in the golf world. Before we get to the slow play drama, we begin with some reflections on the final round of The Northern Trust and how different, inorganic, and frankly, boring it felt compared to the drama of other pros playing for their jobs at the Korn Ferry event in Portland. Is this a reaction you had as well? In addition to the FedExCup and Korn Ferry shuffle, we also cover the wild fluctuation in weather at the Women’s Scottish Open that had one player questioning the integrity of the event. The amazing Gabi Ruffels and the U.S. Women’s Amateur is also given just due. Then we move to the main event -- the viral video of Bryson DeChambeau’s slow play, his reaction, others’ reactions, and the putting green confrontation with Brooks Koepka. We review and give the many statements around it a “bunk rating,” from Bryson saying he was attacked and that “carts would be nice,” to Brooksy calling for more confrontations, to Brandel saying the fastest players are the rude ones, and the PGA Tour frantically tweeting they’re addressing it.

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