Episode 179: Royal Birkdale, A Beast?

On this episode, we dive into the invaluable lessons learned from tournament golf and gear up for one of the absolute biggest weeks on the sports calendar: the 154th Open Championship.

We tee off the Front Nine with a comprehensive look at a number of tournaments. We break down the historic Ontario Women’s Amateur at eQuinelle, which marked the first time in its 111-year history that the prestigious event has traveled this far east. We celebrate Brooke Henderson’s spectacular playoff finish at the Amundi Evian Championship, which has vaulted her back to thirteenth in the world rankings. Finally, we reflect on our experiences at the Flagstick Shootout, using the tournament to explore the deeper pillars of competitive golf, the socialization, the competition, and the overall experience, while giving listeners a sneak peek at our print upcoming issue.

After the turn, in the Back, we shift our focus across the pond to Southport, England, for the return of the Open Championship to the iconic, towering sand dunes of Royal Birkdale for the first time since Jordan Spieth’s wild, chaotic victory in 2017. With over three hundred thousand spectators expected to set attendance records, we discuss how the course is playing incredibly firm and fast. We unpack the massive and controversial architectural renovations completed by Mackenzie & Ebert, and detail how Birkdale defends itself through flat fairways, brutal dunes, and unpredictable winds rather than complex putting greens, highlighting the critical closing tretch. To close out the show, we analyze how the world's best, including a few English golfers, will match up against this legendary links test as they chase the final major of the season.

This episode is presented by COBRA Golf, with additional support from Metcalfe Golf and Falcon Ridge Golf Club.

Music by: https://www.bensound.com/free-music-for-videos
License certificate #: 2227748