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PODCAST

Golf Badgers

By Cookie Jar Golf

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

sports golf

All Episodes

37:14

057 - From Kent to Hoylake: Fletcher’s Golf Bug (and...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/09/04

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down with young Fletcher Bledge to talk growing up 200 yards from the 7th at Royal Liverpool, bagging two aces on the club’s pint-sized par-3, and why towering bunkers are the ultimate kid kryptonite. They dig into the mini-course with holes named Natterjack, Liverbird, Pineapple and Racing Horse, the Husqvarna robots that keep it buzzing, and the apprentice-led maintenance project that doubles as a training ground. LIV vs The Open gets a junior verdict (musi...

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71:05

056 - Lee Strutt - Sowing Seeds and Breaking Ground

Golf Badgers ·

2025/08/28

Send us a text James Bledge and Lee Strutt sit down on the banks of Loch Lomond to reflect on Struttie’s unique journey through golf course management—from grassroots beginnings to directing a world-class estate. They dig into leadership, trials, robots, and how to engineer not just a golf course, but a culture.

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73:29

055 - From North Wales to Deal: Ben Williams’...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/08/22

Send us a text Bledge and Ben Williams sit down to trace Ben’s path from a golf‑mad childhood in North Wales to course manager at Royal Cinque Ports—via ultra‑exclusive Double Eagle in Ohio, an overseed bootcamp at Sea Pines, and a love affair with New South Wales GC. They dig into mentorship, the FTMI programme, and why a touch of spring granular on the fairways can be a links lifesaver. Expect talk of dunes, dogs, and doing the little things right.

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72:12

054 - Alistair Beggs - Practical Greenkeeping and the...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/08/14

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down with Alistair Beggs for a deep dive into a lifetime in golf course agronomy, from growing up at Hoylake to consulting on multiple Open Championships. They discuss the legendary Jim Arthur, the evolution of greenkeeping, tales from the driest Open in history, and why sustainable practices are shaping the future of the game.

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100:04

053 - Team Culture, Turf, and Tour Standards: Inside...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/08/07

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down with John McLoughlin to trace his 30-year career in golf, from Gleneagles to Royal Melbourne, and onto leading Wallasey’s greenkeeping team. They dive deep into tour-level course setups, team culture, and the management philosophies that have transformed clubs into championship venues.

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51:33

052 - Listener Question Time: Rain, Drought & Drainage

Golf Badgers ·

2025/07/31

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down to reflect on the growing extremes in UK weather and how this affects course maintenance and playability. From rainfall stats to reservoir builds and soil importation, it’s a deep dive into the future of sustainable golf course management.

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58:22

051 - Beyond Turf: Golf’s Role in Biodiversity & Balance

Golf Badgers ·

2025/07/24

Send us a text Sam and James sit down to chat about why golf courses aren’t just about perfect turf—they’re thriving ecosystems. Join them as they explore how managing gorse, trees, and ponds can support nesting birds, red squirrels, toads, and more, plus how modern agronomy balances playing quality with environmental stewardship.

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61:03

050 - Listener Question Time: Course Difficulty &...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/07/11

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down and take listener questions, kicking off with a cracker about how to toughen up a golf course. From the science of rainfall to the sorcery of seaweed, it’s a deep dive into maintenance, architecture and a wee bit of punk rock nostalgia from Dumfries.

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50:22

049 - Solo Greenkeeping at Durness with Ali Morrison

Golf Badgers ·

2025/07/03

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down with Ali Morrison, head greenkeeper of Durness Golf Club, to uncover what it takes to run one of the most remote and dramatic golf courses in the UK. From sheep grazing on fairways to the possibility of Coore & Crenshaw dropping by, they explore the quirks, history, and breathtaking beauty of this nine-hole wonder on the edge of the Highlands.

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86:54

048 - Architectural Match Play - Royal St. Georges vs...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/06/30

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down for the second half of their course-by-course duel between Royal Cinque Ports (Deal) and Royal St. George’s (Sandwich), resuming at the 7th hole with the match all square. With tales of seawall tees, mega green complexes, and historic anecdotes, they bring their usual blend of architectural insight and pub-style golf chat to the back nine. Below are two youtube links for the two courses: https://youtu.be/C3tAaJ6fkQ0?si=VdwHJAm9RRW7IJyy https://yo...

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73:53

047 - Architectural Match Play - Royal St. Georges vs...

Golf Badgers ·

2025/06/26

Send us a text Sam and Bledge sit down in the sweltering heat of Badger HQ to debate two of their favourite links courses—Royal St. George’s (Sandwich) and Royal Cinque Ports (Deal). From punchbowl greens to first-tee nightmares, they go head-to-head hole by hole in a playful yet passionate playoff steeped in nostalgia, course architecture, and plenty of sneezes.

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53:45

046 - McDonnell & Cooper w/ Joe McDonnell

Golf Badgers ·

2025/06/19

Send us a text Joe McDonnell joins Sam & Bledge to discuss the formation of McDonnell & Cooper, a new golf course architecture firm with our very own Sam Cooper. The formation of this company was part of the excuse of the 6 month break, so sit back and listen to their thoughts on the next generation of golf course architecture

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51:54

045 - How golf courses change over time

Golf Badgers ·

2025/06/12

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.

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48:11

044 - Badgers are Back

Golf Badgers ·

2025/06/03

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 thi...

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01:15:10

043 - First Green with Jenny Bledge. PLUS Badger...

Golf Badgers ·

2024/12/06

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

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01:21:52

042 - Making BIGGA better? - Scott Reeves

Golf Badgers ·

2024/11/14

Link to survey 👇👇👇https://www.bigga.org.uk/news-listing/greenkeeper-survey-amazon-voucher.htmlWelcome 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

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00:55:51

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

Golf Badgers ·

2024/10/29

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

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01:10:20

040 - What's Been Happening At Birkdale? Part 1 of 2...

Golf Badgers ·

2024/10/16

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

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00:45:23

039 - Pinehurst #2 - Working on a US Open course set...

Golf Badgers ·

2024/09/26

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

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00:53:05

038 - North & back again (or maybe not) - Bledge and...

Golf Badgers ·

2024/09/04

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

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