LINKS Golf Podcast

Digital Editor Al Lunsford was one of the lucky winners of the annual media lottery to play a round at Augusta National the day after the final round of the 2024 Masters Tournament. On a special edition of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Al chats with co-host Joe Passov, a past media lottery winner, and details the week leading up to his round, the experience of playing the course, and what he learned along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hughes Norton and George Peper, authors of RAINMAKER: Superagent Hughes Norton and the Money-Grab Explosion of Golf from Tiger to LIV and Beyond, join the LINKS Golf Podcast to chat about the book, dealing with golf’s biggest power players, and the state of today’s game. Norton was once one of the most powerful men in golf. During his tenure as head of the golf division of Mark McCormack’s International Management Group (IMG), he was the lead agent for six world-number-one-ranked players, including both Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. Before Tiger ever struck a ball as a professional, Norton did deals with Nike and Titleist that brought him more than $60 million, a then-unprecedented sum for a professional athlete. Less than two years later—and for reasons never explained—Tiger fired Norton. McCormack then did the same, giving him a multi-million-dollar parachute tied to a 10-year non-compete clause and a gag order. Now, for the first time, Norton is talking—about his clients, his boss, and his role in fostering the era of unbridled greed that now threatens to destroy professional golf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hosts recap the 2024 LINKS Invitational at Pebble Beach and discuss why the world-class resort is one of the best. The second half of the episode features an interview with golf architect and author Richard Mandell about building great courses on a budget, living in Pinehurst, his latest book, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golf course architect Bill Bergin joins the LINKS Golf Podcast to talk about his design of the Highlands Course at McLemore (pictured), and the new course he is building for the Georgia resort/community with Rees Jones called The Keep. The hosts also chat with Bergin about finishing 14th in the 1984 Open Championship, the similarities between Augusta National and the Old Course at St. Andrews, traveling around the country in a van, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast the hosts chat with Hayes Holderness, who is set to complete his pursuit of playing all the courses on the World Top 100 list this year. Holderness discusses the most challenging courses to get on, wild travel moments, the close-knit group of golfers that share the common goal, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Co-hosts Joe Passov and Al Lunsford look into multiple eras of golf course architecture and choose a few of the designers who deserve greater acclaim in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inventive golf course architect Forrest Richardson discusses some of his most out-of-the-box course ideas—20-hole courses, par-two holes, twin 9-hole routings, and more—on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. The hosts chat with Richardson about his past presidency at the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), his choice for the game’s most underrated course architect, being the parent of a Hollywood actor, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LINKS Editor George Peper is back to break down our latest issue in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Topics discussed include changes in the magazine in 2024, George’s column on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, the next group of course architects to step up to the A-List, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hosts report on one of the country's newest golf destinations, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Digital Editor Al Lunsford gives his early impressions after visiting Cabot Citrus Farms in January, while co-host Joe Passov gives background on the former courses that occupied the property. Al also interviews Kyle Franz (architect of the Karoo course at Cabot Citrus Farms) and Cabot CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After attending the golf industry’s annual trade show in Orlando, hosts Joe Passov and Al Lunsford discuss the items that piqued their interest in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ian Woosnam, the lone Welshman to win a major championship, entertains listeners of the LINKS Golf Podcast with insight into his 1991 Masters win, hidden golf gems in Wales, his favorite golf destination, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does Virginia have the country’s best mountain golf course? In this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, the hosts chat with Mark Fry, Director of Golf at The Omni Homestead Resort, about the historic golf offerings at “America’s First Resort” in the Allegheny Mountains of Virginia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golf course architect Andy Staples joins co-hosts Al Lunsford and Joe Passov to begin Season 15 of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Staples discusses his thoughts on the rollback of the golf ball, his well-known work creating two new courses at PGA National Resort in Florida, his current projects, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final episode of Season 14, the hosts dive into Tiger Woods’s growing career in golf course architecture, discussing his earliest courses, design philosophy, and projects currently in the works. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World Golf Hall of Famer Nick Price talks about his growing career in golf course design, his playing days, and more in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, the hosts preview a slate of prominent new public golf courses debuting within the next year in the U.S. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golf course architect David McLay Kidd talks about designing the first course at Bandon Dunes in 1999, what makes a good match play course, his current projects in Washington and Nebraska, and more on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, the hosts discuss the merits of courses that have staged the Ryder Cup Matches in years past and preview future venues for the competition. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hosts chat with yoga and movement specialist Lauren McMillin, founder of YoGolf Performance, on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Lauren shares quick tips that anyone can try and offers insights into the advantages of yoga for golf and everyday life. LINKS listeners can use promo code “LINKS” for a free 30-day trial of YoGolf Performance—golf's online yoga studio. Follow Lauren McMillin on Instagram @yogolf_performance and @laurenmmcmillin, visit her YouTube channel, and email her info@lauren.yoga. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lights, camera, action! On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Joe Passov and Al Lunsford pick their favorite golf-themed movies. Later, they discuss the answers from five recent reader polls. This episode is presented by Wild Dunes Resort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices