Episode 123: The Mail Bag Returns, Trusting Online Equipment Reviews, and Another Champions Dinner

April 22nd, 2025  |  1 hr 12 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

The countdown is on to the Flagstick Open! Join us for the latest news and a compelling case for why you shouldn't miss the Flagstick.com Shootout. We're also eagerly awaiting warmer weather as Ontario's golf courses burst open for the season!

This week, we tackle a crucial question: who can you trust for golf equipment reviews? Plus, we dissect those sudden-death finishes at the Masters and RBC Heritage – is it the best way to decide a winner?

We'll share our thoughts on Nelly Korda's Czech-inspired Champions Dinner, empty the mailbag with early RBC Canadian Open predictions, ponder the return of the Korn Ferry Tour to Canada, explore the unique charm of Harbour Town, look ahead to the next major, preview the Chevron Championship, and delve into the mini-driver phenomenon.

We'll even discuss when to upgrade your driver, assess JT's chances for winning more this year, and reveal the golf courses topping our 2025 wishlists!

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Episode 122: Augusta Delivers Again, Golf’s Difficult Junior Golf Balance

April 14th, 2025  |  1 hr 7 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

This week, we dive deep into the hallowed grounds of Augusta National to dissect Rory McIlroy's triumphant and historic victory at the 2025 Masters. Relive the thrilling final round, the dramatic playoff against Justin Rose, and the significance of McIlroy finally completing the career Grand Slam. We'll analyze the key moments, discuss the emotional weight of his achievement, and place this win within the context of golf history, examining what it means for his legacy and the sport as a whole.

But the conversation doesn't stop at the iconic 18th green. We then shift our focus to the future of the game, tackling the pressing issues currently facing junior golf. From rising costs and accessibility challenges to the balance golf course owners must navigate to achieve their business goals, both short and long term.

Join us for a thoughtful and engaging discussion that bridges the magic of Augusta with the realities of nurturing young talent on the fairways.

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Episode 121: The Masters - Facts & Figures and Assorted Whatnot

April 10th, 2025  |  1 hr 16 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

Amid The Masters, there is not much else we want to talk about. Aside from Jeff addressing a beef he has with social media figure Paige Spiranic about how people should choose the tee decks they play from, it's nothing but Masters talk this week.

With the 485-page Masters Media Guide as our backbone, we take a look at some facts and figures from the most beloved golf tournament in the world. We bring you some nuggets you may not be aware of, some that will be familiar, and some you might not even care about.

In any case, it's a fun episode about a tournament we both love, which continues to be the unofficial start of golf season for many around the world.

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Episode 120: The Masters Preview - 2025

April 3rd, 2025  |  1 hr 16 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

With the 2025 edition of The Masters set to happen next week, it's time to take a look at the opening male major of the season.

Among the aspects we discuss are its validity as a major, the traditions, the strength of field, who are the favourites, can Scheffler repeat, can Rory complete the career grand slam, what do we like on the concessions menu (and what is the latest addition), and many more aspects of what many consider to be their favourite major championship.

We also discuss how the weather affects the golf season, the continued presence of one-size-fits-all golf swing methodologies, and how our golf course openings calendar is shaping up.

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Episode 119: Roger Cleveland Return, Dave Pelz Passes, and 101 Fascinating Golf Facts

March 27th, 2025  |  1 hr 5 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

Golf season is here in our area...sort of. We chatted about that and the prospects of outdoor golf soon.

TGL has concluded its inaugural season. We recap the finale, give our final verdict on the first campaign, and ponder what we might see in season 2.

Famed golf club designer Roger Cleveland has returned to the company he founded in 1979. We discuss what this means for Cleveland Golf and take a stroll down memory lane about the products he was responsible for.

Golf researcher Dave Pelz passed away on the weekend at age 85. We explore his legacy and how he changed the modern game of golf forever.

On the Back 9, we are joined by author David McPherson for an interview about his latest book, 101 Fascinating Golf Facts.

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Episode 118: Rory - The $100 Million Dollar Man

March 20th, 2025  |  1 hr 5 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, rory mcilroy, sports, western quebec

There's plenty to talk about on this show as the outdoor golf season in most parts of North America draws closer.

For those in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, we’ll provide updates on range and course openings, discuss the release of the 2025 Golf Facility Openings Calendar at Flagstick.com, and highlight courses that are already open in Ontario.

With the Canadian dollar struggling against foreign currencies, we’ve seen an increase in requests from people looking to spend their golf travel dollars within Canada this year. We dive into that, exploring destinations now on the radar for upcoming golf trips.

Jeff has spent some time on TikTok recently and stumbled upon some "Hot Takes" on golf. This sparks a conversation about twelve-hole courses and twilight green fees that might pique your interest.

On the Back Nine, we take a broader look at Rory McIlroy following his recent victory at The Players Championship, which brings him close to $100 million in career PGA TOUR earnings. We discuss his legacy, what the future may hold for him, what’s holding him back from winning The Masters, and what a win at Augusta National could do for his public perception.

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Episode 117: The Players Championship & Playing In A PGA TOUR Pro-Am

March 13th, 2025  |  1 hr 2 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

It's a big week in professional golf, so we take a look at The PLAYERS Championship and offer some thoughts on the event, the Canadians in the field, and Scottie Scheffler's quest to win it for a third consecutive time.

We also chat about last week's events, particularly the Arnold Palmer Invitational and some comments by Collin Morikawa about his decision to not speak to the media after a tough loss. Jeff and Scott exchange their opinions on the situation.

Staying on the PGA TOUR theme, Scott shares about his opportunity to attend and play in the Puerto Rico Open Pro-Am - what it entailed, what his impressions were of the opposite-field event, and some general comments on the destination.

In addition to all this, we summarize the recent Ottawa-Gatineau Golf Show, talk about pending golf facility openings here in Ontario, and reveal who made the 2025 Class of Inductees for the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame.

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Episode 116: Who Is Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Worthy?

February 27th, 2025  |  1 hr 2 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

The 2025 inductees for the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame have been announced. We tell you who made the cut, and what made them Hall of Fame worthy.

We delve into some golf content, including details from the new Netflix Full Swing Season 3 and the 2025 plans for the PGA TOUR's Creator Classic.

Almost two months into the year we check in on how the big pro tours are doing, specifically the Canadians playing them and how they are faring.

Greg Chambers from the National Golf Owners Association Canada joins us for an interview about the upcoming Ottawa-Gatineau Golf Expo. He provides details on what you can expect from this year's show.

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Episode 115: Playing Notable Golf Holes

February 20th, 2025  |  1 hr 15 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

Birthdays, sickness, hockey, pulled pork, and even some golf on this show.

We catch up after a week away, bring some updates on tournament registrations, golf shows, and golf jobs, and then we get to the show's meat.

As we pine to play some outdoor golf, we highlight a number of regional and worldwide golf holes, break down the designs a bit, and share how we might play them.

It's a good chance just to talk about hitting some shots, how we view strategy in golf course design, and also create some aspiration to play some of the best-known golf holes in North America, and beyond.

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Episode 114: The Golf Club Fitting Experience

February 6th, 2025  |  1 hr 5 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

There is plenty to discuss this week as we creep ever so slowly toward the outdoor golf season here in Canada.

The schedules are out regionally for the Ottawa Valley Golf Association and the Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour; we dig into those to discuss highlights, specifically when it comes to the venue.

We drop some opinions on the 27th PGA TOUR victory by Rory McIlroy and the latest week of the TGL.

On the news front, we let you know which Canadian just made the watch list for the NCAA Ben Hogan Award and who was named the new COO and General Manager at eQuinelle.

On the Back 9, we discuss golf club fitting, something more golfers are doing as opportunities become available and the investment in golf gear increases. We help familiarize you with the process and what to expect.

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Episode 113: The LPGA Returns - What's In Store For Their Stars in 2025?

January 30th, 2025  |  1 hr 3 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

As we move further into the new year, the world of golf is heating up. This week on the Flagstick Podcast, we delve into the 2025 Golf Ontario schedule, share our thoughts on week 4 of the TGL, and discuss the potential arrival of rangefinders on the PGA Tour.

On the Back 9, it's an LPGA focus as the circuit returns, and we explore what lies ahead for stars like Nelly Korda and, in particular, Canada's own Brooke Henderson. Henderson, winless for two years, appears poised to capture her 14th victory in her 11th year on tour at just 27 years old.

We also recap the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and highlight the newest winner on the Asian Tour, who previously enjoyed success winning tournaments here in Canada.

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Episode 112: Random Golf Thoughts, and 2025 Golf Plans

January 23rd, 2025  |  1 hr 11 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, korn ferry tour, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, rbc canadian open, rory mcilroy, sports, sudarshan yellemaraju, tgl, the open, western quebec

Soooo much to talk about this week. Golf season is firing up on the pro tours, equipment scene, and travel business. We dip into a lot of it. Part of it is chatting about the latest Canadian winner on the Korn Ferry Tour and a huge player announcement for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open at TPC Osprey Valley.

On the Back 9, we discuss the TGL and where we stand with it after week three. There are a few hot takes, so you may want to tune in to those.

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We close it out with some chatter on things we'd like to personally do in golf in 2025, leading us to a stunning realization about what did NOT happen in 2024.

Episode 111: Nick Taylor Wins Again, Gearing Up For 2025

January 16th, 2025  |  1 hr 3 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

It was a big weekend for Canadian golf fans as Nick Taylor earned his 5th PGA TOUR victory at the SONY Open in Hawaii. We dig into a bit, how it played out, what it means, and share some of Taylor's thoughts on the outcome.

After the debut of the TGL last week, we circle back to the 2nd night of the indoor golf league and see how it held up. Is it showing flaws, getting better or worse, and have we changed our opinion on its future?

On the Back 9 we have a wide look at the many new golf product introductions that have happened in the last few weeks ahead of the 2025 PGA Merchandise Show. What are the trends, what stands out, and what do we think will be some of the best products of the season.

Episode 110: TGL - Success or Failure?

January 10th, 2025  |  1 hr 23 secs

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

It's time to kick off the new year with Episode #110. We get caught up with each other after a few weeks away, look at some tournaments already taking place worldwide, and reveal the 15 players who will be part of the Ottawa Valley Golf Association Junior Development Program.

We dropped some details on registration for the 2025 Flagstick Open Amateur Championship, and our big discussion is about TGL, the Tomorrow Golf League, and all our impressions of the first night of action. What did we like, what did not appeal to us, and how do we think it could be better.

Episode 109: 2024 In The Rearview Mirror

December 20th, 2024  |  1 hr 3 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

It's that time on the calendar, when we wind things down after many hours of recording, take some time to reflect on the twelve months that have passed, and be grateful for all that went on.

On this show we take a run through some highlights of the 2024 season. We do that from a local, provincial, Canadian, and International perspective.

We talk tournaments, outstanding players, and just moments in general.

It's a great way to close out the year.

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Episode 108: COBRA Golf’s Jose Miraflor

December 12th, 2024  |  48 mins

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, sports, western quebec

We return this week with a special interview and plenty of golf news from the last two weeks.

First, we will share news of recent awards from the Ottawa Valley Golf Association and Golf Quebec.

We bring you details on our Indoor Golf Directory and some information on how a Calgary-based golf entertainment centre plans to start expanding across Canada.

We also get you up to date on a few professional events, mostly qualifying schools for the PGA TOUR, LPGA TOUR, and Ladies European Tour, where Canadians are competing.

We also discuss the Hero World Challenge, Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods, and the betting prospects of the team formed by Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners at the Grant Thorton Invitational.

On the Back 9, we have a feature interview with Jose Miraflor, the Vice-President of Product Architecture and Consumer Connections at COBRA GOLF on their new DS-ADAPT drivers, fairways, and hybrids that are highlighted by the FutureFit33 system and adapter.

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