Drop Zone - GOLF Podcast

Golf's Biggest Winners of 2020

Who were the biggest winners of the strange, unprecedented 2020 golf season? Can Bryson DeChambeau crack the list? How 'bout Patrick Reed? Adidas? There's still a month's worth of rounds to be played, but let's beat the year-end rush with a celebration of those who made the most of it. This week's Drop Zone shouts out 10 big-time winners who grabbed an unusual year by the horns.

Masters Recap: Everything we learned at the November Masters

What a week it was at Augusta National. Dustin Johnson is your Masters Champion after a record-setting performance. We break down the entire week by sharing what we learned about DJ, Tiger, Bryson, Rory, Augusta National, Augusta the town, distance in golf, and much more. 

The Ultimate Masters Preview

To break down this week's Masters, we interviewed six different experts to hone in on every aspect of golf's biggest tournament. From Bryson DeChambeau's game plan to Tiger Woods' title defense to the CBS broadcast to the best gambling picks to a potential equipment revolution, here's what to expect at Augusta National. Featuring Luke Kerr-Dineen, Jonathan Wall, James Colgan, Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck and Josh Sens. Enjoy!

Jack Nicklaus on the Masters, Augusta National and the evolution of golf

Jack Nicklaus, 6-time Masters Champion, for nearly an hour. Need we say more?

Golf's greatest champion joins us for a long conversation about all things: the Masters, Augusta National, Bryson DeChambeau, changes to the golf course, Tiger and Phil. We hit on just about everything with Jack from the comforts of his compound down in southern Florida. Come for his memories of a Jack-proofed setup and stay for his first lesson at the hallowed grounds, courtesy of Arnold Palmer.

Daniel Berger on Growing Up in Golf's Mecca and Re-finding his Game

While many of the best golfers in the world gravitate to southern Florida, Daniel Berger was raised in the middle of it. Raised on a golf course, picking the range and taking money off pros. It's all he's ever known, and it's a big part of the reason why he's so damn good. Berger sat down with us to talk about the iron-sharpens-iron aspect of Jupiter, Florida, his resurgence in 2020 and why he'd never dream of leaving the Sunshine State. 

How Bandon Dunes revolutionized golf

Bandon Dunes began as a pie-in-the-sky brainchild of a wannabe golf course developer and a wannabe Scottish golf course architect. Together, David McLay-Kidd and Mike Keiser built a golf course — but they had no idea they were spawning a revolution in the process. Bandon expanded and Cabot Links and Sand Valley followed in its footsteps; some dozen golf courses later, Bandon's lasting legacy is as an idea: That North America can have true links golf and that reimagine the idea of a remote golf course as a bucket-list destination. New locales have followed in Bandon's footsteps, like Cabot Links in Nova Scotia and Sand Valley in Wisconsin. Dream Golf has become a movement. But it sure didn't start that way. On this week's Drop Zone, here's how one course in nowhere, Oregon turned into an entire movement — all by accident.

Collin Morikawa on becoming a prodigy

There's nobody quite like Collin Morikawa — even on the PGA Tour, where it feels like a new 'golden child' gets crowned every few weeks. Morikawa joins the Drop Zone to fill us in on his origin story, dive into the differences between 'good' and 'great,' tell us where he's been and where he's going.

Xander Schauffele at Home

Whether or not he remembers it, Xander Schauffele was one of the first guests we ever had on the Drop Zone. That was years ago, and we've all come a long way since then. This week, he joined us again to dish on a bunch of stuff, including:

- Watching Tiger Woods win at Torrey Pines in 2008

- Growing up in San Diego

- Money games with Phil Mickelson

- His rise to becoming a top 10 player

- How he competes with the likes of Bryson, DJ, Rory and longer players

Bryson DeChambeau on bringing Winged Foot to its knees, changing golf and tackling Augusta National

The U.S. Open champ is back for part 2 of our discussion. This time, we talk all about his victory at Winged Foot, why his game was so good that week and what it means for courses this fall ... like Augusta National. 

DeChambeau also responds to the claims that he might be "breaking" golf, and offers a retort for how his changing the game is actually great for golf.

Bryson DeChambeau on growing up different, changing golf and winning the U.S. Open (part 1)

Golf's most recent major champion joins the Drop Zone for a lengthy discussion on all things Bryson: His upbringing, his transformation, some mind-blowing practice facts, how his game is perceived and what it was like demolishing Winged Foot. This is part 1 of 2 — the second half of the Bryson DeChambeau convo will go live Wednesday morning. Subscribe to make sure it lands in your podcast library!

Watching Bryson win the U.S. Open (and celebrate afterward)

Our very own Dylan Dethier was on site at Winged Foot, and ALSO at the after party with Bryson DeChambeau as his team as they celebrated their biggest accomplishment ... yet. 

We recap the U.S. Open with behind-the-scenes detail you're not going to get anywhere else. 

Winged Foot insiders dish on winning secrets

Nobody knows more about winning at Winged Foot than the iconic club's very best players, so we assembled a roundtable of club champions to help preview this week's U.S. Open. What are the keys to winning a brutal test at Winged Foot? What will the best golfers in the world shoot? What kind of U.S. Open should we expect? All that — and more! — on this week's Drop Zone.

The best short courses in the world

Sometimes, 18 holes is too much! For anyone who has ever thought that, GOLF Magazine is in your corner this week, launching a new ranking of the best 9-hole courses in the world, a list of the top par-3 courses and the best courses under 6,000 yards. Non-traditional golf at its very best. We talk with Ran Morrissett, the man behind the ranking, right here on the Drop Zone. 

Caddying with Tiger Woods

We’ve heard plenty of players describe the unforgettable sensation of playing golf alongside Tiger Woods for the first time. But what’s it like to caddie alongside him? For one man, it was the opportunity of a lifetime — and then it got a bit complicated. On this week's Drop Zone, we take a look at the fuller story behind Tiger Woods, world-famous caddie.

Golf in the NBA Bubble

Basketball is the no. 1 sport being played in the NBA Bubble, but sport no. 2? It's golf. 

Players, coaches and staff members from every team have teed it up down in Orlando, and for some of them, golf is way more than a fun hobby. It's become a way of life down in Florida. 

We talked to a bunch of players about just how important golf is to them within the Disney bubble. 

Inside the PGA's Wild Finish with Alan Shipnuck

Our Alan Shipnuck was on site Sunday for the rollicking conclusion to the PGA Championship, and we dive in on how one golfer separated from the pack. What did Collin Morikawa's victory feel like at TPC Harding Park? What did we learn about Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and more? What was it like covering the first COVID-era major championship? Shipnuck answers those questions and more on this week's Drop Zone.

Golf Bettors' Biggest Myths, with DataGolf

When two Canadian brothers in their 20s launched DataGolf, they didn't realize just how many questions they'd be asking — and answering in the process. What are the biggest myths among golf fans? How do you pick a winner in a sport as random as golf? Even better, how do you create a model so powerful it can give you predictions and update in real time? Here's how DataGolf became one of the smartest voices in the game. Plus, some PGA Championship picks!

My first week as a PGA Tour caddie

These days, it's tough for anyone to get inside the gates at a PGA Tour event — never mind inside the ropes. But our Sean Zak made his PGA Tour caddying debut at this week's 3M Open. How'd he do? What blew his mind? What did he screw up? Here's what we know about the life of a Tour caddie, from Zak's first tournament on the bag.

Tiger Woods is Back

After four months away from the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods is back this week at the Memorial. Will he live up to expectations? Well, let's set those expectations appropriately. We spend this episode recounting everything Woods has done since he won the 2019 Masters, and why you should be both bullish and bearish on Woods' 2020 season.

Who's the Best Player in the World ... Right Now?

Is it Bryson DeChambeau? Is it Rory McIlroy? Is it ... Webb Simpson? During one of the most interesting times in golf, we figure out who is No. 1 and apologize to those who don't make the cut. Sorry, DJ.

Bryson DeChambeau is changing golf

It's about time we admit it ... Bryson DeChambeau is changing golf. He changed his body, changed his swing and his results right now might just change the PGA Tour as we know it. We explore everything that Bryson was, is and might become on this week's episode of the Drop Zone.

Raising Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy has had the same coach since the age of 8, but you likely know very little about him. Michael Bannon, the man behind the curtain, joins the Drop Zone to dig deep on how a talented young golfer ascended to world No. 1. What was Rory like as a child? What lessons did Bannon learn from coaching him? And what would he tell parents with talented juniors just getting started?

Phil Mickelson, Legendary Golfer

Phil Mickelson is 50 years old. Fifty! In honor of the man known simply as Lefty, we are breaking down the 7 best things to love about Phil, from his legendary amateur career to his hunger for a little action during money games ... to his lack of hunger while fasting. Here's to you, PM. And to 50 more!

Everything you forgot about the PGA Tour

Golf is back. The PGA Tour is back. We're back talking about live golf! It's been about three months since we saw play stop at the Players Championship, which is one hell of an offseason. The truth is, you've forgotten countless things about where we left off, like how Tiger wasn't playing well, or playing at all. Or how Patrick Reed was winning his way through the haters, and how it was a two-man battle for Player of the Year. We catch you up on everything you forgot about this Tour season and preview what the rest of the year might hold in store.

On the ground at The Match II

When live pro golf made its return at Seminole and Medalist a couple weeks ago, there were no outside media members allowed on the grounds — but our Michael Bamberger has a way of showing up places. He joins the Drop Zone to share what it was like to experience golf’s strange new Florida Swing in person.