036 - From Pinehurst to Hayling, and back again - Part 1. Graeme Roberts on managing a links in a changing climate

Our loyal Badgers, you might have wondered where the promised second half of Episode 36 ended up. After a few weeks on the road, travelling up to the Arctic Circle in our camper van, I must admit to the grievous crime of forgetting to post it. Logging into the podcast dashboard, there it was - ready to entertain and educate our legions of Badgers. So I can only apologise for the oversight. Even with the delay, I hope it doesn't reduce your enjoyment of Graeme's experience. It was so interesting to compare the set up of an Open Championship with a US Open, and Graeme was the perfect person to discuss the similarities and differences between the two events. We happen to have another couple of podcasts in the chamber, so as an autumnal chill returns to the golf courses of Great Britain, we hope you'll all find some warmth in these upcoming conversations. Thanks, as ever, for listening. Sam & Bledge

I think most of you are aware that over the past 3 weeks I (Sam Cooper) have been on a trip in my campervan to the Arctic. You'll remember the previous episode with Jerry Mulvihill about Lofoten Links, but perhaps you've also seen the YouTube Vlog series that Bledge and I discuss in the pod. If not, you can find the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PKP4wyE1K8&list=PLm3MFP6NZX3DsZbWVhJE-WI1rZLv_ETL0 In the pod, Bledge and I also discuss the exciting Norvangr project I've been working on alongside Joe McDonnell, Will Eagar and James Day. It's a rather different style of architecture to the one I'm usually involved in, but I find it incredibly interesting. You should go and listen to the Cookie Jar Pod with Joe McDonnell on it - essential listening (after you've finished here, of course). Cookie Jar podcast episode with Joe McDonnell. Hopefully our Swedish interlude won't be permanent and Bledge and I can meet up again in the real world soon. Thanks for listening, Sam

Badgers, It's been a little while since our last conversation, but I've been a bit preoccupied. I think most of you will be aware that poor Producer Harriet has been persuaded to go on another adventure in our trusty campervan. This time, we've gone north. About as far north as you can go really. It took almost 2 weeks but we finally drove from our home in Hoylake to the Arctic Circle, and then on to the famous course of Lofoten Links. I've been doing daily vlogs on my YouTube Channel, so please subscribe here to catch up on the vlogs to date and to see the rest of the journey. We've still got a long way before we're back in Blighty! But while up there I was delighted when Jerry Mulvihill, the course manager of Lofoten, agreed to sit down and record an episode of the podcast. I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation about one of golf's most extraordinary places. Jerry is such a terrific bloke, so passionate about the course and his beautiful corner of the world. I think his passion comes through so clearly and hopefully it'll inspire you to put Lofoten on your golfing bucket list. Thanks as ever for listening, sharing, subscribing to and supporting the podcast in every way you do. We've got some good episodes lined up for when I'm back off the adventures so keep tuned in. Speak soon! Sam

We are delighted to welcome Graeme back to the podcast for the third time. We discuss the challenges he faces with the weather at Hayling Golf Club and the trade-off between meeting membership expectations and managing the golf course ecosystem. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we talk more about his experience on the voluntary support team for the US Open at Pinehurst. As always, thanks for listening! Sam and Bledge Sam's video of Hayling Golf Club

Bledge and I do tend to agree on things. So much so one of you guys asked us to put it to the test. In reality, we tend to bicker and disagree on many things. But both value an other perspective and share many of the same philosophies that underpin golf (and, indeed, life). So Producer Harriet put us to the test. Here we discuss some of our favourite things. Some, in typical Golf Badger fashion, are inane and inconsequential. Our favourite Instagram accounts, beers, spike bars. Others are a bit more relevant to our listeners. What are our favourite holes and, crucially, what makes them special? As ever, please do write in with questions to [email protected]. We will continue to answer them - whether they are technical and detailed or more aimed at the Greenkeeping for Dummies series which, incidentally, seems to have been shared by many a course manager to their greens committee. We hope the podcast title didn't cause any rifts... Thanks all for continuing to tune in. We appreciate all of your support. Sam (and Bledge)

Bledge and I started this podcast to whitter away about not much in particular, meet some interesting folk, and share the odd bit of insight into the greenkeeping and architecture that underpins British golf. We are always so humbled by the number of you who tune in to the pod, and especially those who write in to ask questions or simply offer some feedback. In typical Badger fashion, we blunder around trying to re-introduce one another, mainly for the benefit of some of our more recent listeners. While many of you work in the industry, we are always mindful a growing portion are 'normal' golfers (if such a thing exists!) with a growing interest in the subject. Perhaps you're a recent addition to your club's green committee, or just someone with insomnia looking for something to fall asleep to. If either of these things is true of you, we hope this episode will be of particular interest. This is aimed squarely at those who want an intro into the subject matter. What is greenkeeping, really? How does it affect my golf course? Why can't we just cut the greens really short, and expect the greens to be perfect all year? As ever, there's more to the subject than first meets the eye. We hope this will get you thinking and, if it does, please do write in to us at [email protected] to give us another topic to cover in a similar way. Thanks again for listening, and please don't forget to share us with your friends (or, enemies). S(&B)

A few weeks ago, Bledge and I were lucky enough to sit down with Jim Price of MJ Abbott. Jim will be well known to anyone who has completed an irrigation project in recent years - and offers a great insight into the contractor's perspective. Things have undoubtedly changed in recent years, especially with more dramatic droughts and wet seasons. We talk about this, how Covid and Brexit have affected the landscape and his own career at MJ Abbott.

Welcome back, Badgers. This week is the first of our new style of podcast. Most importantly this week, Bledge pays tribute to friend to many in the greenkeeping industry in Bobby McDougall. A poignant reminder of how trivial many of the day to day things that occupy our minds actually are. Bledge and I discuss the freakish weather that continues to plague the UK, before entering into the first of our question topics. This week, Dominic Absolon asked us how each of us would approach a golf course - both from the point of view of an incoming course manager and of an architect. Obviously there's more to it than can possibly be covered in an hour, but we tried our best! Please continue to send your questions, be they technical or general, to [email protected] - and don't forget to continue to share the podcast far and wide!

It's safe to say that Scoosh is one of the industry's characters. Known by many for his humour and individuality, he's also a fiercely loyal and talented member of the greenkeeping industry. We hope you enjoy this (overdue) conversation with Scott as much as we enjoyed recording it.

After a few weeks of bringing you the insight of our wonderful guests, Sam and Bledge are back to chat away about this and that, and ask for your ideas on future episode ideas. We also have a new email address! Please do get in touch with us: [email protected] We can't wait to hear from you!