Episode 50: The Golf Bucket List...What's On Yours?

August 17th, 2023  |  55 mins 25 secs

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

It's a milestone as we reach the recording of the 50th episode of the Flagstick Podcast.

As such, while we run through some of the latest golf news from the region and Canada, we put a lot of focus on the back nine for this show.

There we talk about Golf Bucket Lists. You know the ones; the course we want to play, the milestones we want to break, the other goals we would like to accomplish.

Jeff and Scott run through some of their bucket list items while encouraging listeners to share some of theirs on the Flagstick social media channels.

We talk about past list items for us, ones we still want to take on, and even explore the emotions that tie us to the items that we all put on our lists.

We also reveal the winners from the TaylorMade Golf contest from earlier this year.

Episode 49: The AIG Women’s Open; The FedEx Cup Playoffs, and Ryder Cup Picks

August 10th, 2023  |  57 mins

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

After a short break we are back with episode 49 (It'll be a very fun next one for our 50th)

On this show we catch up on the latest news related to golf in Canada and the Eastern Ontario region, including events within the Ottawa Valley Golf Association, Golf Canada, and the Flagstick Two-Ball Championship. We discuss the ongoing bunker project at Rideau View Golf Club, and talk about the value of Inter-Club events, especially for junior golfers.

On the Back Nine we take a look at the big stuff happening on the pro tours, with talk about the AIG Women's Open, the FedEx Cup Playoffs/Wyndham Championship, and wander deep into some thoughts about the Ryder Cup and the difficult decisions ahead for Captains Zach Johnson and Luke Donald.

Episode 48: The Open - The Best Men's Major Championship?

July 20th, 2023  |  1 hr 3 mins

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

You'll find out quickly in this episode that our answer to the title question is yes, we both believe The Open is the best men's major championship.

Your mileage may vary but we make our case for why as we preview the 151st edition of the event taking place this week in England. We lend some insight the Hoylake Golf Links at Royal Liverpool, who we think may be a good fit as a winner, and what skills they will need to prevail.

In the balance of the show we bring you another instruction piece from Kevin and Jake Haime, discuss the Flagstick.com Shootout that we recently hosted, share some thoughts on the OVGA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and introduce you to a young golfer who put on a dominant performance at a Golf Quebec Provincial Championship.

Episode 47: U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach, NHL Golfers, and Guest Cameron Pero - the 2023 Ontario Men's Amateur Champion

July 6th, 2023  |  1 hr 9 mins

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

A extra fun one on tap this episode as we wrap up a few junior events, discuss the Rickie Fowler win on the PGA TOUR, and ponder the magnitude of the U.S. Women's Open being played at the Pebble Beach Golf Links for the first time and what we will be interested to see.

Kevin and Jake Haime join us from The Lesson Tee for another bit of instruction, and we decide whether we believe the golf indexes claim by some NHL players are legitimate or not in a game we call Onside or Offside.

Joining us for a guest interview is Cameron Pero, the winner of the 101st Ontario Men's Amateur Champion, following in the footsteps of his father who won the title in 1989. We'll get his perspective on the win, what it meant to have his father on the bag, how college golf is treating him, and what his plans might be for the future.

Episode 46: Making A Course List And Checking It Twice

June 29th, 2023  |  52 mins 27 secs

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

A past week full of uncertain weather added some extra "texture" to some major Golf Quebec and Golf Ontario championships happening not far from us; we provide updates on how they played out.

We have details from a new venture that will bring golf to an Ottawa stadium for a few days later this summer, and we share the latest from the Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour and the Play Junior Golf Tour.

On the back nine, we stretch our memories with a discussion about the 170 or so golf courses that existed in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec through the years (now just over 150) and flush out the few ones ones we each still have yet to play, what are some of the ones that surprised us, and take on the idea that a golf course has to be "famous" to be worth a play.

We also update everyone on the Flagstick.com Shootout and the TaylorMade goodie pack giveaway.

Episode 45: Major Talk and The World’s Longest Drivers Are Coming To Eastern Ontario

June 22nd, 2023  |  56 mins 51 secs

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

We are in the midst of a big run and pro and amateur events, leaving us plenty to talk about. This week, we share some thoughts on the U.S. Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and run through a myriad of regional and provincial events, including insight from attending a few of them.

We also bring you the latest instruction from Kevin and Jake Haime of the Kevin Haime Golf School to help you improve your game.

On our back nine Scott caught up with Jodie Jenkins of the Endless Summer event being held in Belleville, Ontario in a few weeks that will bring together some of the top men’s long drive professionals in the world to compete under the lights at the Trillium Wood Golf Club. He’ll reveal some of the big names who will compete and offers full details on how you can watch.

Episode 44: Nick Taylor Makes History - Wins RBC Canadian Open

June 16th, 2023  |  1 hr 21 secs

bauder media group, canada, eastern ontario, flagstick.com, golf, nick taylor, ottawa, ottawa valley, podcast, rbc canadian open, sports, western quebec

How can we ignore it? The biggest news in Canadian golf news, in sports news, is that Nick Taylor won the 2023 RBC Canadian Open held at Oakdale Golf & Country Club. We explore the win this week on the show; with personal insights on time spent with Nick in the past, how people reacted to the victory, and what it means for Canadian golf. Also, how the win saved a week that threatened to be overshadowed by other global golf news about a proposed alliance between the PGA TOUR, the DP World Tour, and PIF. It's a fun chat about a moment that will go down as one of the top ones in the country's long golf history.

The balance of the show is packed with U.S. Open talk, regional discussions about junior golf, the Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour, a new initiative by Golf Ontario that is helping to introduce women to the game here in Eastern Ontario, and Scott shares some nuggets about recent stop-ins at a PLAY Junior Golf Tour event and a speaking engagement he did this past week for LPGA legend Sandra Post.

We also discuss the Flagstick.com Shootout, bring you a golf tip from the Kevin Haime Golf School, and preview an interview for the next episode.

Episode 43: RBC Canadian Open Preview, TaylorMade Giveaway, and Do You Like Retrogression?

June 1st, 2023  |  1 hr 7 mins

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

Happy June! This month means it is RBC Canadian Open time so we do our final preview this week, chatting about the course, the scores we expect, and who will be in the field, including at least 19 Canadians.

We introduce a TaylorMade Golf YouTube giveaway with two prize packages to be won. (details in pod on how to enter), and we roll through some regional and provincial news tidbits.

Scott challenges Jeff with some Canadian Open trivia; we introduce a new supporting sponsor for the Flagstick Shootout, and to close the show we give our takes on the Retrogression method as a way to decide ties in golf.

Episode 42: Flagstick Open Wrap-up and a Block Party at the PGA Championship

May 25th, 2023  |  1 hr 2 mins

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

We're back after a very full last two weeks preparing for, and running the Flagstick Open Amateur Championship.

On the episode, we wrap up how that event went with some extra details from the organizing side, and also catch you up with the latest news on players and events around Eastern Ontario. That includes the PLAY Junior Golf Tour, Toronto Player's Tour, the Endless Summer Long Drive Championship Pro-Am, and the Spring Open on the Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour.

We talk PGA Championship (which we mostly missed watching) and the two big stories from the week, winner Brooks Koepka, and club professional Michael Block. We drop some related opinions on the Ryder Cup and where we see things going next for Mr. Block.

On the Back 9, we dig into the Flagstick.com Shootout, including the list of players who have already been invited, what goes into choosing the field and things we are excited to see come July when the event happens at Smuggler's Glen golf course.

Episode 41: Golf Canada CEO - Lawrence Applebaum Interview, Event Chat + This or That?

May 11th, 2023  |  59 mins 20 secs

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

Following our attendance at the RBC Canadian Media Day, we have our interview with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum about the tournament. He shares what aspects he is excited about for the 2023 version of the championship being held at the Oakdale G&CC in Toronto, what the tournament now offers for a wider audience, and how it has evolved from being just a sports event to a credible entertainment product.

For the first time we play an edition of "This Or That?" where we have to choose between two golf related items. It's a fun one to play along with on your own, and maybe even debate with your friends. Feel free to share your answers with us on our social media channels.

We also provide an update on the Flagstick Open, discuss the reaction to the return of the Flagstick.com Shootout, and share some results on some of the first tournaments of the season happening in eastern Ontario.

Episode 40: Big Event Announcement! GolfPEI's Sam MacPhail joins us, and two big events for Golf Canada and Golf Ontario

May 4th, 2023  |  56 mins 35 secs

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

It's a big show as we finally announce the third tournament of our series presented by Flagstick.com. We give you the details on the location, the format, and who we have partnered with as the presenting sponsor.

Sam MacPhail, the Executive Director of GolfPEI joins us for an interview about all things golf in Prince Edward Island. He gives insight on how to book a golf vacation there, the type of courses they offer, things to look for that you might not have expected, and how they strive to add a personal touch to your vacation planning.

Scott shares insight from two days on the road at the Media Day for the RBC Canadian Open and the Golf Ontario Hall of Fame Day, and we pay tribute to a media colleague who passed away recently.

Episode 39: Golf Tourism Across Canada - Golf In New Brunswick Interview

April 27th, 2023  |  1 hr 1 min

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

It's Tourism Week in Canada so we thought we would delve into the topic when it come to golf, specifically.

After some news on course openings, volunteer awards, and upcoming celebrity appearances in the region, we jump into discussion about golf tourism across the country. That includes sharing the current economic impact (in the billions) and discussing what some regions are doing well already to attract golf tourists, and the potential for its growth.

We share some thoughts on what could be driving more golf toursim, and how mainstream attention needs to extend beyond the "marquee" golf facilities that people have come to know through extensive media mentions.

To emphasize and explore the topic we are joined by Adam Chamberlain and Chad Townsend of the Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, New Brunswick for a discussion about golf in their province and what it offers.

Episode 38: Ranger Danger - Good and Bad Habits On The Practice Grounds

April 20th, 2023  |  55 mins 51 secs

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

It's a high energy and diverse show this week as cover an array of topics from the PGA TOUR and LPGA TOUR, junior golf, some equipment chatter, and our back nine conversation on "Ranger Danger", talking about good and bad habits on the practice ground.

We get started with a discussion about the PGA TOUR's RBC Heritage and winner Matt Fitzpatrick, as well as our takes on the Harbour Town Golf Links and why what you see on the broadcast is much different than the playing experience we have had there.

We then shift to another course we have played, the TPC Louisiana, as it hosts the Zurich Classic this week. We discuss the course's merits and what we feel about partner events and their place on tour.

The LPGA has their first major of the season, the Chevron Championship, and we share some thoughts on the Canadians playing and even some special products being made to celebrate the move to the Houston area.

Tour talk concludes with recent news from the Tiger Woods camp on his latest surgery and what it could mean for his career.

We also mix in some product talk this week about a new retro looking driver from TaylorMade; and finish up the Front Nine with news on the Play Junior Golf Tour and a new amateur event we are planning .

On the Back Nine we expand on an article on Driving Range habits that we posted on Flagstick.com and give you some insight on best practices, common mistakes people make, and things golfers should avoid if they want to get better at the game.

Episode 37: Masters Recap, Golf Course Openings, and Casey Shultz of Cleveland Golf

April 13th, 2023  |  1 hr 2 mins

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

With The Masters all done for another year and golf courses opening in our area, there is a different energy for this show with the golf season arriving here in Canada.

We give our takes on the first men's major championship of the season, from the winner, to the contenders, the course, and the story-lines.

In our news and notes we take on the topic of websites for golf courses and how key they are for communications, as we chat about our course opening dates calendar and how it has become a much-anticipated part of our Spring.

In the back nine we are joined by Cleveland Golf Senior Product Manager Casey Shultz to explore and explain all the features of their new RTX 6 ZipCore wedges and what consumers should consider as they make their wedge purchases.

Episode 36: Early Masters Chatter, Match Play's Place In Golf, Potential Golf Ball Rollback?

March 30th, 2023  |  1 hr 33 mins

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

It is a whopper of a show this week with a few hot topics to handle, ones lighting up the golf social media world and on the lips of many golfers.

We get things started with the end of the Dell Match Play Championships on the PGA TOUR. We meander through our thoughts on match play in the professional game, what role it should and not have, and the value of different formats for professional golf tournaments.

That's a good transition point as we take a look at the schedule for the 2023 Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour, where the circuit will be playing this season, and reveal a format change for one long-standing event.

With The Masters on the horizon, we jump into some early hot takes on who the favourites are, how the atmosphere will be with the LIV League players in the field, and even drop a few nuggets on the Par-3 tournament and broadcast inclusions.

For the meat of the show, we finally get to share some thoughts on the proposed Model Local Rule on changes to testing in the golf ball that is meant to slow down things at the "Elite" level of the game in 2026. We explain the proposal, provide some insight on a recent consumer survey done by TaylorMade Golf, and give our perspectives on what we believe the impact might be, if implemented.

Episode 35: The Future Of Consumer Golf Shows; The Players Championship, and guest Dustin Brekke of Srixon Golf

March 10th, 2023  |  1 hr 24 mins

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

Fresh off an appearance at the Ottawa-Gatineau Golf Expo, Jeff and Scott jump into a conversation about that specific show but also about consumer golf shows in general. They discuss the evolution of the shows, how they can get better, and how they can have a viable place in the future if they make the inclusions they need to meet the demands of the ever-changing audience.

With a big week on the PGA TOUR for the The Players, the guys share their own experience of playing TPC Sawgrass and what you cannot see or feel at home that you can while playing the well-known course. We divulge if we think it is must-watch television for us, and ponder whether not having defending champion Cam Smith in the field diminishes this year's tournament.

On the back nine we welcome in Dustin Brekke, the Director of Engineering at Cleveland Golf/Srixon Golf/XXIO, for an interview that explores the evolution of the Srixon Golf brand golf equipment and what their new MKII products bring to the market.