Sandbagger Sessions

Cole Atkinson & Stefan Thedorf
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Yes, it's a Golf podcast. But more fun, more relatable, and more laughs. Join Stefan and Cole for the ultimate unfiltered takes on everything happening in the world of Golf. Everything from stories from caddying on tour, what it's like running an indoor golf facility in Canada's winter, and tips from some of the game's best, Sandbagger Sessions is your go to listen for everything in golf.

  1. 3d ago

    Episode 27: From broccoli farm to golf? The incredible story of Copetown Woods.

    This week we sit down with Barry Forth of Copetown Woods — one of the best public golf courses in Ontario and, in Stefan's words, the kind of place you could play every single day and never get tired of. What started as a broccoli farm just northwest of Hamilton became a fully public, sand-based golf course that opened in June 2003 — built in just 14 months, and perfect for firm, fast, links-style golf. Barry takes us through the whole journey: walking the property as a 24-year-old with zero golf experience, partnering with builder Dick Kirkpatrick on his first-ever solo design, and the philosophy that's defined the place ever since — "we're not splitting the atom." Good facilities, great conditions, nice people, and don't be greedy. The heart of this conversation is the care and pride Barry and his team pour into Copetown. This is a course with no members, no budget, no forecasting, and no tournaments — just straight tee times every single day. Barry explains why he's never been tempted to go private, why the parking lot is his only spreadsheet, and how "Super Pete," his superintendent since 2007, runs the turf with no Greens committee slowing him down. We get into firmness and fescue, autonomous mowers, the post-COVID influx of golfers, and the now-famous "no rakes in the bunkers" debate — Barry's grow-the-game, police-yourself stance that earned him a wrist-slap from the Golf Canada Industry Advisory Council. Plus: a first look at the brand-new 10-hole short course (six par 3s, four par 4s) Copetown has in planning with the City of Hamilton, designed by Christine Fraser. If you're anywhere in Ontario — or just across the border — Copetown Woods is a genuine must-play destination. The reviews back it up: premier conditioning, an atmosphere that makes you want to come back, and an owner who actually gives a damn about your day. Put it on the list. Before the interview, we break down a stacked week of golf: U.S. Women's Open at Riviera — Nelly Korda grinds out her second major of the yearThe Memorial — JT Poston's 4th PGA Tour title and Ryan Gerard's instant-classic "it's not in the bunker, dog"U.S. Open qualifying — the longest day in golf, Miles Russell, Ben Silverman and Max Homa getting throughRBC Canadian Open preview at TPC Toronto, plus our weekly fantasy picks 🎧 New episodes weekly. Hosted by Cole Atkinson & Stefan, PGA of Canada professional. 📍 Copetown Woods Golf Club — northwest of Hamilton, Ontario 📸 Follow Copetown Woods on Instagram: @copetownwoods #Golf #PublicGolf #CopetownWoods #OntarioGolf #SandbaggerSessions #GolfPodcast #HamiltonGolf #GolfCourse #LinksGolf #NellyKorda #CanadianOpen #PGAofCanada

    1h 16m

  2. Jun 4

    Episode 26: Would you rather...? (Shocking answers)

    What's the most important club in the bag — and would you give up bombing it 350 down the middle just to never miss a putt again? 🏌️ This week on Sandbagger Sessions, Cole and Stefan turn a random radio segment into the ultimate Golf Would You Rather showdown — and it gets surprisingly heated. Augusta once or the Old Course every single year for life? Twenty PGA Tour wins or one major? Jack Nicklaus's legacy or Tiger's money, fame and chaos? Eleven impossible golf questions, almost zero easy answers — and a few where Lou Stagner's data settles the argument for good. Before the main event, the guys get into Stefan's brutal PGA debut (an 86 he'd rather forget), Russell Henley's clutch finish at the Charles Schwab, whether Ludvig Åberg is honestly playing like a C-minus right now, a slow-play penalty that cost a real shot at a title, and Bryson's new Gemini-powered AI coaching app — the future of the golf swing, or just a great salesman at work? Plus a full US Women's Open preview from Riviera and this week's picks (including a side bet on the wives' round that they can absolutely never find out about). Stefan is a PGA of Canada professional, so you get real swing and stats insight buried under way too many tangents — exactly how you like it. 👉 Hit subscribe, drop YOUR Would You Rather answers in the comments, and tell us who got each one right. ⛳ ▶️ Timestamps0:00 – Cold open & welcome to Episode 260:41 – Stefan's first PGA event: an 86 at Castleview, a tee shot that nearly took out a spectator, and what tournament golf teaches you8:54 – PSA: please yell FORE (Scott takes one straight to the forehead)9:40 – Pro V1 giveaway winner + housekeeping10:47 – Charles Schwab Challenge: Russell Henley's clutch closing birdies & Eric Cole's costly 9th hole14:43 – Ludvig Åberg — all that hype for a C-minus right now?17:25 – LPGA Shoprite: Céline Boutier wins & a slow-play penalty that actually stung19:26 – The side-saddle wizard at Cataraqui + the most painful putt in NCAA history22:09 – Bryson, Gemini AI & the future of golf coaching (genius tool or sales pitch?)28:49 – US Women's Open preview at Riviera (+ the genuinely gross origin of "waste areas")35:30 – The picks: Women's Open, the Memorial & a secret bet on the wives' round41:49 – 🎙️ MAIN EVENT: Golf Would You Rather42:30 – Bomb it 350 down the middle every time OR never miss a 10–20 footer?45:50 – Play Augusta once OR the Old Course every year for life?48:50 – One golf trip forever: Scotland OR Australia & New Zealand?51:50 – 20 PGA Tour wins OR a single major?54:45 – Know your exact number on every shot OR one do-over per round?55:50 – Caddy for every major champion for a year OR make one PGA Tour cut?58:13 – Scratch golfer forever OR a 4-handicap who can still improve?1:01:00 – Be the biggest Sunday choker ever OR completely forgotten?1:03:20 – Summer of your life then quit OR the Charles Barkley swing forever?1:05:00 – Jack Nicklaus's career OR Tiger's (money, scandals and all)?1:08:40 – Live with LIV OR erase it from golf history?1:12:07 – Wrap-up: Barry from Copetown Woods next week + Canadian Open & Kingston's own Ashton McCullough #golf #golfpodcast #wouldyourather #pgatour #uswomensopen

    1h 15m

  3. May 28

    Episode 25: Has the cost of golf really gone too far?

    Is golf too expensive, or are we just soft? This week Cole and Stefan stop crying into their credit card statements long enough to actually run the numbers — and what they found is wild. From the COVID golf boom that added nearly 50 million players, to drivers that somehow cost a grand, to $83 dozens of Pro V1s, we break down exactly where your golf money is going and whether any of it is actually worth it. But first: a full recap of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, including a course that spent $1 million+ per hole and STILL got lit up for 60. We get into Wyndham Clark's win and why his post-round comments rubbed us the wrong way, and the 446-yard drive that broke our brains. Plus the Blades Brown breakout at 19 — and the brutal PGA Tour status catch-22 that comes with it. Then it's the main event. Green fees in the US vs. Canada vs. the UK & Ireland (North Berwick, Nairn, Turnberry — the numbers are insane), why the one-year driver cycle is finally cracking, the truth about Miura and direct-to-consumer irons, golf balls being the only purchase that actually makes sense, and why $5,000-a-day golf lessons exist. We even put it all in context against NFL tickets, movie nights, and ski passes. A PGA of Canada pro and a 3.5 handicap who buys too many clubs argue economics, status, and whether the bubble is about to burst. You already know the answer — but you'll enjoy getting there. #golf #golfpodcast #golfequipment #pgatour #wyndhamclark #titleist #taylormade #provi #golfcourse #sandbaggersessions ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 — Cold open: hole-in-ones, Habs vs. Leafs & a Premier League tangent02:46 — The big question: is golf too expensive?03:49 — CJ Cup Byron Nelson recap & a $1M-per-hole course design rant06:17 — Wyndham Clark's win + the Oakmont controversy he won't own09:00 — Longest drives on tour (446 yards is not real)10:23 — Blades Brown's breakout at 19 & the PGA Tour status dilemma17:11 — The brutal gap between a plus-handicap and an actual pro18:13 — Fantasy picks update + Charles Schwab Challenge picks22:29 — Scotland trip hype: Carnoustie, North Berwick & birthday golf24:22 — MAIN EVENT: Is golf too expensive?25:59 — The COVID golf boom, by the numbers29:19 — Green fees: US vs. Canada vs. UK & Ireland37:49 — Resident pricing, golf tourism & Ontario destinations41:18 — Drivers: why are they $1,000 now? (one-year vs. two-year cycles)49:00 — Grips, used clubs & the great golf price-gouge57:00 — Miura, direct-to-consumer irons & golf as a status symbol59:00 — Golf balls: the one purchase that actually makes sense1:09:00 — The truth about $5,000 golf lessons1:12:00 — Everything's expensive: NFL tickets, movies & ski passes

    1h 16m

  4. May 21

    Episode 24: Aaron Rai SHOCKS the World at Aronimink

    Aaron Rai is your 2026 PGA Champion — and we've got a LOT to talk about. Cole and Stefan break down a wild week at Aronimink, from the controversial "Diet Coke US Open" setup, to Garrick Higgo's now-infamous 1-minute late tee time that cost him the cut by a single shot, to the FootJoy rain gloves and iron headcovers heard around the world. Plus: Cole returns from the Flagstick Open at Equinelle with a tale of "Ireland-level wind," a missed 6-inch tap-in, and an honest C+ grade for his weekend. Stefan tees it up at Lookout Point in Fonthill, and we go deep on whether Rory's back on the "bitchy train," why Cam Smith is the Australian Patrick Reed, and how Eugenio Chacarra walked off a US Open qualifier playoff to catch a flight to Belgium. Throw in a Jordan Spieth pitch shot only five guys on Tour can hit, a heartwarming win on the LET (13 years after being given a 4% chance to live), Bridgestone's new black golf balls (??), Kingston's own Noah Steele Monday qualifying on PGA Tour Americas, and a full breakdown of the International Presidents Cup race where the Canadians are in trouble. Hit subscribe, leave a review, and let us know in the comments: was Higgo robbed, or were the rules just the rules? ⏱ Timestamps01:47 — Cole's weekend at the Flagstick Open at Equinelle (Kemptville, ON)05:31 — Stefan plays Lookout Point in Fonthill: tiny Royal Dornoch-style greens on the escarpment08:50 — What IS an escarpment? (For our international listeners)09:40 — PGA Championship at Aronimink — the big breakdown begins10:32 — The "Diet Coke US Open" setup debate + Data Golf's rough stats15:30 — Aaron Rai wins his first major: work ethic over natural talent?17:11 — The FootJoy rain gloves, iron headcovers, and "me and my golf" logo20:48 — "Working hard is a talent" — Stefan's takeaway21:55 — Garrick Higgo's 2-stroke penalty for a 1-minute late tee time23:00 — Cole's rant: easy to be early, impossible to be on time27:36 — Jordan Spieth's 67-yard pitch shot — "only 5 guys on Tour can hit that"29:14 — Justin Rose, JT's 65 Sunday, Rahm + Cam Smith resurface from LIV31:36 — Patrick Reed gunning for the PGA Tour card via the DP World Tour top-1032:13 — Rory kicks a fan out — is he back on the "bitchy train"?33:35 — Schedule talk: Canadian Open, Memorial, US Open, the Scottish Open question36:28 — Leonie Harm's LET win — 13 years after a drunk driver gave her a 4% chance to live37:31 — Kingston's Noah Steele Monday qualifies into PGA Tour Americas38:15 — Eugenio Chacarra leaves a US Open qualifier playoff for a DP World Tour flight40:58 — Bridgestone's new black golf balls — what are we doing here?42:46 — Picks time: Blades Brown vs. Si Woo Kim for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson45:23 — Is Corey Conners cooked? The Canadians' Presidents Cup standing47:21 — International points top 6 + Geoff Ogilvy as captain + the Snedeker playing-captain idea

    49 min

  5. May 14

    Episode 23: PGA Championship Preview (who will be the dark horse?)

    The PGA Championship is here, and Aronimink is the great unknown. Cole and Stefan break down the year's second major in obsessive detail — picks, dark horses, course strategy, and whether anyone can stop Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy from making this another two-horse race. First, they recap Kristoffer Reitan's stunning underdog win at the Truist Championship — a guy ranked 1,945th in the world four years ago, suddenly a PGA Tour winner and Top 25 player. Then they debate whether Quail Hollow actually deserves major championship pedigree, dig into the Aronimink setup (Donald Ross design, the tree removal debate, par 70 at 7,394 yards), and ask the question nobody's answering: if there's "no strategy off the tee," is this really a major championship test? Plus: their PGA Championship picks, a dentist-themed analogy for Cam Young that's somehow perfect, why Brooks Koepka is quietly the most interesting man in golf, Jordan Spieth's career Grand Slam shot, Cam Young's mysterious "rollback conforming" golf ball, and a brutally honest take on what "grow the game" actually means after Graeme McDowell's regret admission and Jon Rahm's telling no-comment on his LIV decision. Cole is also playing the Flagstick Open this weekend, Stefan gave him a last-minute driver fix, and the episode wraps with a free lesson on why you should probably stop taking swing tips from Instagram. ⛳ Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome to the new studio + Stefan's own swing-change update 01:30 — Listener Dan Eddy shoots his best round ever after the Breaking 80 episode 03:00 — Stefan's pre-tournament driver lesson with Cole + the Brooks Koepka quote on losing your swing 04:30 — Flagstick Open promo + why amateur tournaments are where real handicaps get exposed 06:50 — Club-slamming season: three re-shaft requests already this year 08:25 — Truist Championship recap: Kristoffer Reitan's run from 1,945th in the world to PGA Tour winner 11:00 — Does Quail Hollow actually deserve to host a major? 22:00 — Pick 'em update: Stefan's $3.5M lead heading into the second major 25:24 — PGA Championship picks revealed 27:00 — Aronimink breakdown: Donald Ross design, the rough, the side-hill lies 31:00 — The Aronimink tree-removal debate + the Augusta comparison 33:00 — Cam Young's "rollback conforming" ball — what is going on here? 35:00 — Kiawah Ocean Course war stories 36:00 — Scottie's "off year" by the numbers (spoiler: he's still No. 1 in strokes gained total) 39:00 — Rory's toenail saga + the post-Grand Slam mindset 44:00 — The Cam Young dentist analogy and why nobody remembers his wins 47:00 — Big Three or Big Four? Where does Matt Fitzpatrick fit? 49:30 — Jon Rahm's contract no-comment, Graham McDowell's regret, and "you cannot buy history" 54:00 — What does "grow the game" actually mean anymore? 55:30 — Bryson, Ludvig, Xander, Tommy — who's actually in the mix? 58:30 — Brooks Koepka as the sneaky pick + a "he just wants to win" appreciation 1:00:00 — Jordan Spieth's career Grand Slam shot + Ricky Fowler's resurgence 1:06:00 — Real dark horses: Sepp Straka, Russell Henley, Rickie Fowler 1:07:00 — Field deep-dive: how did Luke Donald get in? Plus the Canadian contingent 1:10:00 — Justin Rose's two-bag situation with McLaren irons 1:11:30 — The Michael Block redemption arc — is he in on the joke? 1:15:00 — Cole's Flagstick Open preview + a live-leaderboard call to the listeners 1:17:00 — Stefan's end-of-episode rant: please stop taking driver tips from Instagram 🎙️ Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss next week's tournament breakdown and PGA Championship recap. DM us at @SandbaggerSessions during Cole's tournament — you'll know which holes to ask about.

    1h 21m

  6. May 7

    Episode 22: Want to break 90? Break 80? Listen to this.

    Cole and Stefan are back — running on minimal sleep and maximum good vibes after Cole's bachelor party weekend at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ontario. Four rounds in three days, hail, rain, snow, and a surprise appearance from their buddy James Duthie of TSN. Then it's straight into tour news, LIV Golf chaos, fantasy picks, and the main event — a full breakdown of exactly what it takes to break 90 and break 80, from a PGA of Canada golf professional. Whether you've been chasing that milestone for years or just want to shave strokes this season, this is the most practical golf improvement episode Sandbagger Sessions has ever done. 📍 Timestamps 00:00 – Bachelor party recap: 4 rounds in 3 days at Wooden Sticks, James Duthie makes an appearance, and middle-aged men asking for chapstick and massage guns04:00 – Tour news: Cam Young goes back-to-back, Stefan's fantasy picks sweep the weekend (Cam Young + Nelly Korda), and the embarrassing attendance at Doral06:30 – LPGA pay gap: Cam Young wins $3.6M, Nelly Korda wins $375K — the boys react08:30 – LIV Golf is (basically) dead: PIF pulling funding, anonymous owners calling investment "completely not viable"13:30 – Truist Championship picks18:00 – Main topic begins: Stefan breaks down what it actually takes to break 90 and break 80 (22 episodes in and we finally did this)20:00 – Breaking 90: The real theme is disaster avoidance — work your game from the green backward, stop trying to flush it27:00 – The three-putt stat that separates 90-shooters from 95-shooters, and why speed beats line every time from 30 feet31:00 – Play the right tees, give yourself a shot at the feeling of going low, and why Bryson's "breaking 50" series is actually genius practice34:00 – The driver trap: at 236-yard average carry, the guy trying to break 90 needs to stop OB'ing it, not hitting it further45:00 – Transitioning to breaking 80: why it's less different than you think, and the one thing Stefan would tell every 15-handicap today1:00:00 – Breaking 80 off the tee: pick ONE shot shape and never deviate. Dustin Johnson hits zero draws. Michael Kim draws everything. Both win on tour.1:02:00 – The speed training hack: end every range session with 30 max-effort swings — you're not trying to swing 110 on the course, you're raising your floor1:05:00 – Final summary: "Make better decisions" — from two guys who made terrible ones all weekend 🏌️ Key Takeaways for Golfers: Breaking 90 and breaking 80 aren't about ball-striking — they're about decision-making, disaster avoidance, and ego management. Stefan and Cole break down the stats, the mental game, and the specific habits that will actually move the needle on your scorecard. Subscribe for weekly episodes covering PGA Tour news, LIV Golf drama, fantasy picks, and real golf improvement content. #Golf #BreakingPar #GolfTips #SandbaggerSessions #LIVGolf #PGATour #GolfPodcast #HowToBreak90 #HowToBreak80 #GolfImprovement

    1h 6m

  7. Apr 30

    Episode 21: Good trip, bad trip? Must haves and have nots for a good golf trip.

    Stefan has a confession. Justin Rose made a questionable decision. And we settle the debate: what ACTUALLY makes a great golf trip? Episode 21 is packed — we recap the Zurich Classic, Nelly Korda's dominant Chevron win, dig into the new Full Swing season, break down the Ryder Cup captain situation in the US, and talk about the hottest amateur in golf right now. Then we go deep on what separates a legendary golf trip from a forgettable one — and the 8 types of guys every great group needs. Oh, and Stefan picked up a free electric push cart off someone's driveway. He has thoughts. So do we. 📝 Full DescriptionStefan has a confession, and he's getting ahead of it before the rumours spiral: he picked up a free Motocaddy off someone's driveway and he might be an electric push cart guy now. Cole is not taking it well. From there, we get into a full week of golf — the Fitzpatrick brothers pull off one of the cooler wins of the season at the Zurich Classic, but we debate whether a team event should really be handing out PGA Tour cards. Nelly Korda wins her 3rd major at the Chevron Championship and looks absolutely unbeatable through 72 holes. Justin Rose decides to put McLaren golf clubs in his bag two weeks before the PGA Championship, and Stefan delivers a swift double bogey on that decision. On the Ryder Cup front, Jim Furyk has been named US captain for Adare Manor — and we don't love it. We also talk about Jackson Koiven, who according to DataGolf is now the greatest amateur since 2010, and who Stefan believes will be on the Ryder Cup team next year. Big call. We break down the new season of Full Swing, dig into the Alan Shipnuck Rory McIlroy book, and Stefan makes a compelling case that Bryson DeChambeau would be a cult leader if he wasn't good at golf. Then we get into the main event: what actually makes a great golf trip? Stefan runs through his top 5 factors (accommodations, meals, location, planning, and the group itself), Cole challenges the order, and we land on a full breakdown of the 8 personas you need in your golf trip group — the planner, the down-for-anything guy, the hidden gems guy, the games guy, the life of the party, the connector, the photo/video guy, and the overpacker. Plus the three types that will ruin a trip: the moody one, the person who can't sit in silence, and the FaceTime guy. Cole's bachelor party is this weekend at Wooden Sticks in Uxbridge. Scotland is coming. Episode 22 might include some field footage. Subscribe so you don't miss it.

    1h 31m

  8. Apr 23

    Episode 20: Will LIV golf live? Ryan French Breaks It All Down.

    Will LIV golf live? The biggest story in professional golf right now and possibly the biggest story in a number of years - and the man who broke it first is back with us. Ryan French (Monday Q Info) returns to Sandbagger Sessions to walk us through exactly how he broke the bombshell story that PIF is pulling its funding from LIV Golf, what it means for the future of the tour, and where professional golf goes from here. Ryan takes us behind the scenes: one unexpected phone call, 50+ calls to sources inside and outside of LIV, and a long conversation with his business partner before hitting send on a tweet that ended up with him on CNN, the Golf Channel and much more. He explains why he doesn't regret it - and why he was never doing it for the clicks. We also break down the weekend in golf, Hannah Green's ridiculous stretch of form, and make our Zurich Classic picks for a field so thin that Smiley Kaufman could have gotten in. Timestamps 0:00 – Welcome to Episode 201:03 – LIV bombshell teaser + Ryan French is back2:54 – Weekend recap: Matt Fitzpatrick wins in a playoff over Scottie Scheffler3:52 – Hannah Green is winning at an 80% rate in her last 5 starts5:10 – Zurich Classic field breakdown9:08 – Fantasy picks for the Zurich Classic11:35 – Ryan French joins: how tired is the man who broke golf's biggest story?13:43 – The timeline: one phone call turned into 8-10 hours of digging17:26 – What is PIF, who is MBS, and how does LIV's funding actually work?24:51 – What happened after the tweet dropped; and why the silence spoke volumes28:02 – Scott O'Neill's response, the deleted interview, and the PR disaster31:11 – The unnamed sources debate: Ryan pushes back36:56 – Vendors unpaid, players on edge - "hour by hour" inside LIV39:09 – The course correction: PGA Tour layoffs, purses coming down, and what golf actually is as a sport46:00 – Why has LIV been so divisive? Ryan gives his honest take47:10 – Ryan's prediction: what does the next 6 months look like for LIV?57:18 – Cole & Stefan react + their own predictions for player movement A big thanks to our guest, Ryan French, for coming on and being so generous with his time. Make sure you follow Monday Q Info: @caseofthegolf1 on Twitter/X Sandbagger Sessions is a golf podcast hosted by Cole Atkinson and Stefan Thedorf, a PGA of Canada golf professional. New episodes every week. #LIVGolf #RyanFrench #MondayQInfo #PIF #GolfNews #SandbaggerSessions #PGATour #GolfPodcast #LIVGolfDead #MattFitzpatrick #ZurichClassic

    1h 7m
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About

Yes, it's a Golf podcast. But more fun, more relatable, and more laughs. Join Stefan and Cole for the ultimate unfiltered takes on everything happening in the world of Golf. Everything from stories from caddying on tour, what it's like running an indoor golf facility in Canada's winter, and tips from some of the game's best, Sandbagger Sessions is your go to listen for everything in golf.

Information

  • Creator
    Cole Atkinson & Stefan Thedorf
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Cole Atkinson & Stefan Thedorf
  • Show Website
    Sandbagger Sessions

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