Talk Birdie To Me

This is a fascinating bonus pod, we're at Flinders Golf Club overlooking the water, the waves, and of course the stunning golf course. And today we're going to learn about the course, it's history, some of the quirks of the course.We start by chatting with Andrew Kirby, who talks us through why he loves Flinders and why the course is so special. He says the views are better than Pebble Beach. There are also deep links between Flinders and Royal Melbourne, which we hear all about.Nick likens the view to the Monterey Peninsula, saying you could almost be there. Nick asks Andrew about the legendary Peter Thomson's history with Flinders, and Andrew explains the origins of that.Mark then brings up the trees. Of course he does. The beautiful Cypress trees. They may be imported, but they're now part of the fabric and they serve a very practical purpose at Flinders, which we hear about.Nick says Flinders has a great collection of Par 3's, and that the 12th hole - called Aunt Sally - is a particularly tough one. The names of the holes are full of character, and Andrew tells us about a plan, years ago, to remove a couple of the holes and the protests that occurred at the time. One of the holes is called the 'Coffin Hole', and we find out how that name came about.After the turn we chat to club captain Phil Hurley about the course renovation and the thoughts behind that, and how important it is to retain the magic of the course. Phil says that it has proven to be extremely hard to break par at Flinders, and that few do. We then chat to Life Member Ray Smith, who appears to have forgiven Nick O'Hern for trying to steal his carpark, Ray has been a member since he was a little tacker and tells about why he loves the course so much.It's a fascinating pod, and a great history lesson of this fantastic course that, as Mark Allen says, helped him, and countless others, fall in love with golf.PING will help you play your best, like they have for Nick O'Hern. See your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting;The new watchMynumbers app, the most powerful data based golf app in the world, download from the App Store or Google Play;Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!Flinders Golf Club, a historical treasure!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, send a voicemail here, and see our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

Always great to get your voicemails, and after hearing Nick and Mark chat about shortening courses to help younger players, older players and newcomers last week, Jake from Charlestown Golf Club in Lake Macquarie left a voicemail explaining what they've done. He even sent us a video of their tees, which you can see here.If you want to leave a voicemail - it's easy, head to our website here on your mobile or computer, hit the record button, tell us who you are, where you're from, where you play your golf, and leave your message. Couldn't be easier, takes 60-seconds.We're here each week with the great support of PING, see your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting. Just like they have with Nick O'Hern, PING will help you play your best. And the Golf Clearance Outlet, great prices on the best gear. See them instore in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast, or online here. And watchMynumbers, the powerful data-based golf app in the world - play smarter by using your data. Download from the AppStore or GooglePlay.And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and you can see all our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

We're live from Flinders Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula, what a view! If you haven't been here, it is stunning, and a wonderful course. We're having a yak, enjoying the views and a coffee, not a bad way to spend a day.Nick raises the TGL in the US, an indoor golf league, and explains how it works. Mark talks to the simulators in South Korea and how they work. Could it work in Australia? Mark says yes and hopes someone with deep pockets considers it. Nick was listening to a voicemail from Simon from Bonnie Doon Golf Club about our Ryder Cup chat last week, and we discuss 'all you can eat' ticket prices. Mark tells the story of Sage Valley and how it came about, and the ticket prices and inclusions.A voicemail comes in from Baden in Newcastle asking about matchplay tips. Nick explains how he approached playing Tiger in matchplay. Nick had a couple of things he always did in matchplay and Mark gives a couple of his tips. Mark asks Nick about 'gimmes' and Nick tells a cracking Tiger story, and a story about playing Rory Sabbatini.Mark brings up comments from the DPWT Chief Operating Officer about the PGA, DPWT. and LIV merging (or not), and his comments that there will be a deal within 6-months. We discuss the whether LIV are repositioning for the next stage.Mark raises a bugbear of his, around pros playing pennant golf - both he and Nick are against it, and believe it needs to be stopped. After the turn, thanks to the sensational Southern Golf Club, Marks Top 5 are his favourite 5 hole names at Flinders Golf Club - there are some rippers.Nick takes us around the world with the PING Global results, plenty of big results from the past few days. During the PING global, Mark names what he thinks is the 'sexiest shot in golf'.We discuss the slogan at the Bellata Golf Club in NSW and what it means - "It takes a lot of balls to play (here)" - Mark has a theory.Plenty of feedback this week, keep it coming on socials, emails and voicemails. Feedback thanks to the great Flinders Golf Club, where we are live from today. Masterclass for the watchMynumbers app is today from Nick. He watched a young player called Billy White at the weekend and he was impressed with his pace of play, the masterclass is on matching your pace to your personality. And given we're at Flinders Golf Club, we wanted to chat to the big honcho here, Jon Gahan, about just how awesome the location, the club and the facilities are.PING will help you play your best, like they have for Nick O'Hern. See your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting;The new watchMynumbers app, the most powerful data based golf app in the world, download from the App Store or Google Play;Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!Flinders Golf Club, an historical treasure!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, send a voicemail here, and see our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

A few voicemails this week, and we love them! Simon from the beautiful Bonnie Doon golf club in Pagewood heard Nick and Mark talking in this weeks podcast about the ludicrous ticket prices at the Ryder Cup, and wanted to clarify one point . If you want to leave a voicemail - it's easy, head to our website here on your mobile or computer, hit the record button, tell us who you are, where you're from, where you play your golf, and leave your message. Couldn't be easier, takes 60-seconds.We're here each week with the great support of PING, see your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting. Just like they have with Nick O'Hern, PING will help you play your best. And the Golf Clearance Outlet, great prices on the best gear. See them instore in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast, or online here. And watchMynumbers, the powerful data-based golf app in the world - play smarter by using your data. Download from the AppStore or GooglePlay.And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and you can see all our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

Another voicemail this week, this one from Scott in Brisbane who has some comments on Cam Smith, and on the PGA TV coverage that Nick was commentating with for the WA Open at the weekend.If you want to leave a voicemail - it's easy, head to our website here on your mobile or computer, hit the record button, tell us who you are, where you're from, where you play your golf, and leave your message. Couldn't be easier, takes 60-seconds.We're here each week with the great support of PING, see your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting. Just like they have with Nick O'Hern, PING will help you play your best. And the Golf Clearance Outlet, great prices on the best gear. See them instore in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast, or online here. And watchMynumbers, the powerful data-based golf app in the world - play smarter by using your data. Download from the AppStore or GooglePlay.And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and you can see all our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

We'll be at Flinders Golf Club next week, recording the podcast at 10am. If you'd like to come down and say g'day, Nick and Mark would love to see you. And in a couple of weeks we'll be at the Golf Clearance Outlet in Preston, we'll let you know the date and time next week.Mark has seen a video this week showing a player anchoring. He is over it not being policed. Nick says the putter needs to be the shortest club in your bag for pros, or tournament play, and that the rules should be bifurcated.Mark reckons Ritchie Smith is the hottest golf coach in the world right now. Two of Ritchie's stable - Hannah Green and Elvis Smylie - both had big wins at the weekend. We discuss the muppet in the crowd trying to distract Hannah, and how she dealt with it perfectly. Watch it here. Nick taks about copping it from crowds over the years, particularly playing Tiger.A great win by Elvis Smylie in Mandurah, in awful weather. Nick believes he has the secret to Elvis' ongoing success and reveals it on the pod today. Mark talks about Tim O'Neal's first win at the weekend, and the love shown to him.Nick reveals Ryder Cup ticket prices to Mark. We're all blown away. The prices are off the chart. And by off the chart we mean outrageously expensive. Far too expensive, and it's a shame.Nick's outlines his Top 5 most interesting people in golf for Southern Golf Club, inspired by Ángel Hidalgo, who both Nick and Mark find fascinating.Feedback, for Flinders Golf Club. Plenty on our bonus pod with Bob Stanton last week, if you missed it, have a listen, it's a ripper. And plenty of feedback on the 'best short par 4 in the world' conversation, plus a whack from a Talk Birdie Wolfpack member at Nick and Mark about last weeks Tara Iti conversation.In this weeks PING global results, Nick takes us through some cracking Australasian performances this week - Hannah and Elvis the most notable.And we discuss some evolution on the watchMynumbers app which has a raft of new features, including a free tier where you can give it a red hot workout without paying a brass razoo, before upgrading for full access. Give it a shot. Todays masterclass from Mark on Tim O'Neal's wedge play, and his use of repetition in his game.Thanks to our great Talk Birdie partners:PING will help you play your best, like they have for Nick O'Hern. See your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting;The new watchMynumbers app, the most powerful data based golf app in the world, download from the App Store or Google Play;Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!Flinders Golf Club, an historical treasure!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, send a voicemail here, and see our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

Nick and Mark absolutely love getting your voicemails, and after hearing the boys talking about Wenyi Deng turning pro last week, Matt from Brisbane left a message with some info for the boys about this exact issue happening previously. If you want to leave a voicemail - it's easy, head to our website here on your mobile or computer, hit the record button, tell us who you are, where you're from, where you play your golf, and leave your message. Couldn't be easier, takes 60-seconds.We're here each week with the great support of PING, see your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting. Just like they have with Nick O'Hern, PING will help you play your best. And the Golf Clearance Outlet, great prices on the best gear. See them instore in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast, or online here. And watchMynumbers, the powerful data-based golf app in the world - play smarter by using your data. Download from the AppStore or GooglePlay.And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and you can see all our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

A fascinating bonus podcast today with Aussie golf legend Bob Stanton. Many will know exactly who Bob is, perhaps some younger Wolfpack members may not, but trust us, this bonus pod is absolutely worth a listen.Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen chat to Bob about how he got into the game, and his career path, and obviously the famous win when he was 20-years old over Arnold Palmer in the Dunlop International, and Bob says that he would never have played that tournament if it wasn't for his mum! He talks us through the tournament, in particularly the playoff with Arnold. Brilliant story.However Bob had wins prior to that, and great performances, which he tells us about. Bob talks about why Australian golfers tend to be particularly good in windy conditions. He tells us why he stopped playing in Europe. And he explains what 'derailed' his golf career.Since golf, Bob has had a hugely successful business career and Nick and Mark ask about how it all came about, and he gives all the details....fascinating. And we hear why the WA and NSW fraud squad paid him a visit, and he ended up in court in Perth with a case involving someone that Nick knew very well! What a small world.A big thanks to our great Talk Birdie partners:PING will help you play your best, like they have for Nick O'Hern. See your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting;The new watchMynumbers app, the most powerful data based golf app in the world, download from the App Store or Google Play;Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!Flinders Golf Club, an historical treasure!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, send a voicemail here, and see our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.

A big episode of Talk Birdie To Me this week with the team in 3 different timezones. Nick is in South Australia working hard drinking wine, Mark is in Melbourne, and Third Man Dan is in Mackay in North Queensland.Nick is in SA doing some hosting at the BMW National Final and explains what he is doing, some of the golf he has been playing, and who with. He played The Grange courtesy of their pro Gary Simpson, Mark tells a great story about Gary.Last week Mark was very excited about his impending trip to play Tara Iti in the 'Lamington Jam', and we want to hear all about it. Did Tara Iti live up to his (high) expectations? Did he play well? Would he go back? How does he rate Tara Iti on a world scale? Mark talks us through his takeaways from the trip.We then talk about what Mark describes as 'the best short par 4 in the world', does Nick agree?Nick saw none of the Black Desert Championship in Utah at the weekend, as he was working, Mark saw a bit - and loved it. We discuss desert golf and how spectacular it is. Kalgoorlie hosting the WA PGA Championship at the weekend is another great example, Mark describes the decision to host the WA PGA in Kalgoorlie for the past decade or so as a 'genius' move by WA, in taking it to spectacular regional courses, much like what NSW is doing this year at Murray Downs.We discuss innovation in golf commentary and Mark explains what he saw the commentators in Utah doing when they analysed Harris English's swing. He'd love to see that kind of analysis on the Australasian PGA tour. This gives Nick an idea - he is playing with Elvis Smylie in Adelaide tomorrow, so he'll try to set something up. Watch this space.Then we talk real estate. For a lazy $10 million we can purchase and build a home on Te Arai golf course in New Zealand overlooking the 4th hole. We'll pass a hat around, perhaps the Talk Birdie Wolfpack can collectively buy in. Back to Tara Iti, Mark's Top 5 is his favourite 5 things about Tara Iti...ironically the course itself is not one of them! He explains.Nick is pumped in the PING global results as PING players, as usual, have been killing it. And we check feedback, which includes solutions for the Yips, more RakePod comments, and a whack for Mark which Nick says is overdue. Great masterclass from Nick, in two parts, both to do with Elvis Smylie. Part 1 on his swing, and Part 2 on his putting.Thanks to our great Talk Birdie partners:PING will help you play your best, like they have for Nick O'Hern. See your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting;The new watchMynumbers app, the most powerful data based golf app in the world, download from the App Store or Google Play;Golf Clearance Outlet, join GCO Live for great member benefits and comps. They're in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and the Sunshine Coast, or online here.Southern Golf Club - Home of the Australian Master of the Amateurs in January 2025, entry is free!Flinders Golf Club, an historical treasure!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, send a voicemail here, and see our Masterclass videos on YouTube here.