Flagstick Podcast

It’s Career Week on the Flagstick Podcast! In this episode, after catching up on some timely news items, we dive into a listener-submitted topic: finding a career in golf. After sharing our own professional journeys and pathways into the industry, we explore the golf world's many sectors and highlight just a few of the career possibilities available. We cover everything you might expect—like working as a PGA professional or a Golf Course Superintendent—alongside less conventional roles, such as golf club design and managing logistics and operations for a major manufacturer. Ultimately, the conversation showcases the incredible diversity of the golf industry, the wide array of opportunities waiting for those who want to work in the game, and the many different paths you can take to land your ultimate golf job. This episode is presented by Canadian Pro Shop Online, with additional support from Metcalfe Golf and Falcon Ridge Golf Club. Music by: https://www.bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License certificate #: 2227748

With the 2026 outdoor golf season winding down across much of Canada, we take some time to reflect on the year and wrap things up in a couple of ways. First, on the educational side, we walk you through a proper end-of-season equipment checklist to help protect your gear and ensure it’s ready for next year’s outdoor season. We’ll also cover how to prepare your equipment for the indoor season ahead, especially if simulator golf is in your plans. We also take the opportunity to evaluate our own golf seasons, reflecting on how the year went on the course and whether it lived up to our expectations. From highlights and lowlights to the things we plan to do differently next year, we ask ourselves the questions that can help us learn, improve, and make the most of the season ahead. Whether you’re putting your clubs away for the winter or gearing up for indoor golf, this episode offers some practical advice and food for thought as you reflect on your own golf season. This episode is presented by Canadian Pro Shop Online, with additional support from Metcalfe Golf and Falcon Ridge Golf Club. Music by: https://www.bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License certificate #: 2227748

This week we are putting various things in the golf world under the microscope to decide one ultimate verdict: do they hit the sweet spot, are they a total shank, or do they land somewhere in between? On the Front Nine: Sweet Spot or Shank? (Part 1): We kick off our rapid-fire rating segment covering everything from brutal fall golf conditions and high-loft wedge bunker tactics to putter price tags, public course speed-greens, monster 7,000+ yard layouts, range warm-ups, playing without a driver (à la Rory McIlroy), half-set casual rounds, and corporate product collaborations. On the Back Nine: Sweet Spot or Shank? (Part 2): The debate continues! We dive into more polarizing golf topics, including the classic two-iron, equipment "win" press releases, oversized letter golf hats, “high-end” alignment sticks, casual-round "honours" etiquette, resort caddies, the dreaded turn-stop taking longer than 5 minutes, 9-woods, and social media influencer golf tips. This episode is presented by Srixon 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

Prompted by coversations and social media posts, on this show we discuss the premise that playing golf (and golf equipment) has become too expensive (relative to certain scenarios.) We examine that subject with relevance to time, economic pressures, and changes in the supply and demand in the industry. It's not a complete discussion, afterall it is a big topic with many subjective opinions, but we do out best to flush out some angles and factors for consideration. We also discuss late season family golf, a special golf course in London, Ontario, and the continuation of The Skins Game - who will be playing in it, will we be watching, and most importantly, what we are hearing from our community about their interest in it. This episode is presented by Srixon 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

Fall may mean playing a bit less golf, but there’s still plenty to talk about! On this episode, we break down recent PGA TOUR venues, and how they’re keeping our attention, alongside Jeeno Thitikul’s impressive winning run on the LPGA Tour. We also address reports of rising cheating in junior golf and discuss what might be driving it, before diving into the Presidents Cup "What’s In The Bag" setups to uncover gear trends every amateur can learn from. Finally, on the Back Nine, we draw on our decades of retail experience to explore how golf shop environments are changing and what to expect in the modern retail landscape. This episode is presented by Srixon 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

In this episode of the Flagstick Podcast, hosts Jeff and Scott reflect on the success of their 30th year of publishing, discuss the distribution of their latest print issue, and look ahead to what is in store for 2027. They also cover local tournament action, major international golf news, and seasonal strategies to help you get the most out of late-season play. On the Front Nine, the focus shifts to the 16th annual PING Challenge Cup at Smugglers Glen. The Head Professionals reclaimed the trophy after a narrow loss last year, edging out the Assistant Professionals in a tight 13–11 victory. Jeff and Scott recap all the key highlights and moments from the tournament. Next, the hosts dive into the recent Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club, where Team USA secured a 17–13 victory over the International Team. Although the International squad held their ground and dominated during the team partner formats, the sheer depth of the American roster proved decisive in Sunday’s singles matches. The discussion explores the overall entertainment value of the event, the tournament format, and what the future holds for the competition. On the Back Nine, the conversation turns to practical advice for autumn golf as temperatures drop and conditions become unpredictable. The hosts share essential adjustments to your gear, strategy, and game formats so you can maximize your performance and enjoyment during the final outdoor rounds of the season. This episode is presented by Srixon 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

We’ve got a fun episode on tap for you this week! On the Front Nine, we break down the latest in team golf-from regional to international, amateur to professional. We share our takes on how the Solheim Cup unfolded and preview the upcoming PING Challenge Cup on the Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour. Later, we dive into Cabot’s new resort project in Nova Scotia and how it’s set to transform the region into a full-fledged golf destination. Plus, we break down the PGA TOUR’s newly announced eligibility categories for 2028. Then, over on the Back Nine, we play a round of "Eat It or Delete It". We review unique food items from 25 golf courses around the world and decide whether they belong on our plate or get a hard pass. This episode is presented by Srixon 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

Grab your headphones and tune into a jam-packed episode of the Flagstick Podcast as hosts Jeff Bauder and Scott MacLeod break down the biggest headlines and hot takes across the entire golf landscape. The guys kick things off by pulling back the curtain on the world of online course reviews to debate whether crowd-sourced quick ratings on social media actually help everyday players or are entirely subjective and something to be cautious about. From there, they shift gears to the international stage to dive into the latest Solheim Cup news, analyzing why there seems to be less buzz for the event, and what they will be watching for when the action unfolds. The excitement continues with news from the home front as the team provides an update on the upcoming print issue of Flagstick Golf Magazine and when you can grab your physical copy. Then, Jeff and Scott react to the breaking news of LIV Golf filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to analyze what went wrong, where the roster goes next, and what this total collapse means for the future of global professional golf. Finally the hosts take a relaxed turn down memory lane to discuss the some "fun factor" golf holes they have played and what makes them look forward to playing them again. This episode is presented by Srixon 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

On the latest episode we ramp up to the main topic with a brief catch-up on some regional golf story lines, including the conclusion of the Race to the Flagstick.com Cup on the PLAY Junior Golf Tour. Having a look at the pro golf landscape, we give our thoughts on Scottie Scheffler pulling off another dominant win at the PGA Tour Championship. Looking ahead, we preview the upcoming Solheim Cup in the Netherlands, noting a curious lack of mainstream hype and giving some theories on why that is the case. We then shift over to the 2026 Presidents Cup, the Captain's Picks and the team rosters and who we might like to see face-off in a singles match. The second half of the show tackles the balance between chasing short-term social media attention and preserving long-term brand integrity in the golf industry, given the recent situation with the Good Good and Callaway brands. Instead of just aiming our sights at this instance, we look at it with a wider lens to examine what lessons can be learned. How do golf businesses do a better job of navigating these pitfalls to better control their messages and brand reputation, no matter the medium being used to reach consumers? This episode is presented by Srixon 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

It's a random run through the world of golf on this show, taking on all manners of topics that are of interest. We start with some chatter about our latest golf exploits then take on the breaking news of the new PGA TOUR playoff structure for 2028. The Random Wheel serves up plenty of fun topics - where we think LIV 2.0 will go, does the PGA TOUR even need playoffs, should your pitching wedge match you irons or wedges, is Wyndham Clark in the Player of the Year conversation after his latest win, does the PGA TOUR need injury reports, and who will step up among the Canadians to join Mike Weir in the 2027 Masters. Plenty of opinions, and a lot of interesting discussion. This episode is presented by Srixon 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