Golf Badgers

By Cookie Jar Golf
  • 5.0 (1)
  • GOLF
Golf Badgers

Golf Badgers (ɡɒlf bæʤə) - noun: A group of golfers obsessed with the game.Does this sound like you? If so, you're in the right place.Sam Cooper (Golf course architect) and James Bledge (Course Manager @ Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake) invite some of their friends from across the architecture and green keeping industries to join them for a deep dive on all things golf.Feasting on a gluttonous diet of golf course architecture, greenkeeping, agronomy and all of the topics usually too dull for polite conversation.We hope you'll enjoy spending some time with us.

  1. 6D AGO

    045 - How golf courses change over time

    Send us a text Sam & Bledge sit down to reflect on their latest adventures at the Blackwell Foursomes and RNGC. They explore how golf course architecture — from bunkering to subtle design shifts — continues to evolve, challenging both everyday golfers and the game’s elite.

    52 min

  2. JUN 3

    044 - Badgers are Back

    Send us a text Sam & James sit down to discuss their much anticipated return after their hiatus with some exciting news! Now part of the Cookie Jar Golf, the team will be helping with editing and publishing of episodes, while still keeping the same great insight and lo-fi jazz intro that listeners will be familiar with.  In this episode, Sam & James talk about what's been going on with them, the exciting news and of course the rdrought which has taken many courses to the edge this spring.

    48 min
  3. 043 - First Green with Jenny Bledge. PLUS Badger Merch is live!

    12/06/2024

    043 - First Green with Jenny Bledge. PLUS Badger Merch is live!

    Send us a text This episode is particularly important. We heard in the previous episode (042 with Scott Reeves) how one of the biggest issues faced in the greenkeeping industry is recruitment.  Well, fortunately Bledge's much better half Jenny Bledge is out there working on a solution. First Green is a wonderful initiative that BIGGA has brought over the Atlantic from the GCSAA. It's all about introducing golf, and particularly careers in this part of the golf industry, to school kids of different ages. It might not help recruitment today, but it could make an enormous difference for tomorrow. Additionally, after literal years of people asking, I am delighted to report we now have Badger Merch!! There's only a week or so to get orders in that'll definitely land before Christmas, so to help some impulsive stocking filling you can enter the code BADGER10 at checkout to get 10% off anything/everything.  I'll keep adding bits and pieces to the store over the weekend, so keep checking back! Thanks again for listening and we'll be back with another episode soon, Sam (and Bledge)

    1h 15m
  4. 042 - Making BIGGA better? - Scott Reeves

    11/14/2024

    042 - Making BIGGA better? - Scott Reeves

    Send us a text Link to survey 👇👇👇 https://www.bigga.org.uk/news-listing/greenkeeper-survey-amazon-voucher.html Welcome back Badgers, This week we’ve been joined by Scott Reeves, Head of Membership for BIGGA. We try and get to the bottom of what problems the Greenkeeping Industry is facing in Britain - but more importantly, Scott wants to know what you think.  Whether you’re a BIGGA member or not, please do follow the link above and fill out the survey.  Thanks for listening, Sam & Bledge

    1h 22m
  5. 041 - Part 2 - What's Been Happening At Birkdale? - Sean McClean

    10/29/2024

    041 - Part 2 - What's Been Happening At Birkdale? - Sean McClean

    Send us a text Last week we heard from Royal Birkdale's Course Manager Sean McClean. This week he's back to talk in some detail over the course changes that many of us watched develop over social media. It was an extraordinary amount of work, especially for a course hosting the world's oldest Major Championship in 2026. This year, Sean and his indefatigable team and back at it - completing Phase 2 of an ambitious project. We hope you enjoy the second half of this conversation and, as ever, please do share with anyone else who might too.

    56 min
  6. 040 - What's Been Happening At Birkdale? Part 1 of 2 with Sean McClean

    10/16/2024

    040 - What's Been Happening At Birkdale? Part 1 of 2 with Sean McClean

    Send us a text Guest from episode 6 of this podcast (December 2022!) joins us again to discuss first his preparation for Royal Birkdale's Open Championship in 2026, but also the extraordinary suite of changes to the famous links last winter and next. I also give a shameless plug for Volume 1 of my Links from the Road series. It's been a labour of love (and sometimes despair) over the past couple of years, but today is publication day. Fortunately a lot of talented people have been working on the series, and I have them all to thank.  If you like this podcast, I think you'll like the series. You can get a Golf Badgers discount on ordering Volume 1 by following the link here: https://linksfromtheroad.com/discount/BADGER10?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fvolume-1Or else, linksfromtheroad.com and enter the code BADGER10 for 10% off Volume 1. Thanks for listening!  Sam & Bledge

    1h 10m
  7. 039 - Pinehurst #2 - Working on a US Open course set up with Graeme Roberts (Part 2)

    09/26/2024

    039 - Pinehurst #2 - Working on a US Open course set up with Graeme Roberts (Part 2)

    Send us a text 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

    45 min
  8. 038 - North & back again (or maybe not) - Bledge and Sam discuss an ambitious trip to the Arctic Circle and whether Sam might now have to live in Sweden.

    09/04/2024

    038 - North & back again (or maybe not) - Bledge and Sam discuss an ambitious trip to the Arctic Circle and whether Sam might now have to live in Sweden.

    Send us a text 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

    53 min
See All (45)

About

Golf Badgers (ɡɒlf bæʤə) - noun: A group of golfers obsessed with the game.Does this sound like you? If so, you're in the right place.Sam Cooper (Golf course architect) and James Bledge (Course Manager @ Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake) invite some of their friends from across the architecture and green keeping industries to join them for a deep dive on all things golf.Feasting on a gluttonous diet of golf course architecture, greenkeeping, agronomy and all of the topics usually too dull for polite conversation.We hope you'll enjoy spending some time with us.

Information

  • Creator
    By Cookie Jar Golf
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Golf Badgers
  • Show Website
    Golf Badgers

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