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.
Episodes
75 episodes
075 - Sunningdale Showdown: Old vs New
Sam and Bledge sit down to relive the magic of Sunningdale, diving deep into a head-to-head match play battle between the Old and New courses. From iconic par 3s to strategic masterclasses, they break down every hole, debate design brilliance, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 75
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1:32:16
074 - Matt Plested Chasing Excellence at Stoneham
Friend of the pod Matt Plested returns to the mic as Sam and Bledge sit down to debrief the massive project unfolding at Stoneham. Sit back and enjoy.
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49:24
073 - A Q&A With Bledge
In this episode, Bledge takes center stage to tackle a massive range of questions submitted by our Instagram community.Bledge shares his wealth of experience on everything from the fine details of turf management and the realities of lif...
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42:36
072 - GCSAA and Streamsong
Bledge, Ben Williams & John McLoughlin head over to Florida for the GCSAA and play two of the courses at Streamsong while doing it. this is their take on the whole adventure.
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Season 1
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Episode 72
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1:02:58
071 - Design, Drainage, and Doing It Right at Formby
Sam and Bledge sit down to debrief Sam’s latest architectural project at Formby, where bold design meets old dunes. They unpack the seventh hole rebuild, discuss blind shots, CGI flyovers, and why change has to mean something.
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Season 1
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Episode 71
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41:21
070 - BTME 2026 Roundup with Gavin Speedie and Matt Plested.
Harrogate roundup with Gavin Speedie Technical Representative from Aitkens and Matt Plested, Course Manager from Stoneham talking about all things at BTME.
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Season 1
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Episode 70
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1:04:43
069 - Erosion, Evolution, and Excellence at Royal Aberdeen with Richard Johnstone
Sam and Bledge sit down with Richard Johnstone to discuss his journey from apprentice greenkeeper at Nairn Dunbar to course manager at the world-renowned Royal Aberdeen. They dig into course restoration, greenkeeping philosophy, and the battle ...
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Season 1
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Episode 69
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51:49
068 - Mowers, Mayhem & Milestones: Part Two with Lee Strutt
Bledge and Lee sit down for a nostalgic dive into turf machinery—from ancient Matadors to modern marvels like the Baroness Core Collector. The pair reflect on machines that made them sweat, laugh, and sometimes swear, all while sharing tales fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 68
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1:01:38
067 - Jim Croxton on BTME, BIGGA’s Big Year, and Why Greenkeeping Needs a Bigger Voice
Bledge and Jim sit down to talk all things BIGGA—from Jim Croxton’s journey through the PGA and into 14+ years as CEO, to what’s changed behind the scenes over the last 18 months. They dig into membership growth (and the honest “warts and all” ...
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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56:07
066 - Top Turf Tech: The Machines That Changed Greenkeeping
Bledge and Lee sit down to count down their top five greenkeeping machines, from ProCores and sprayers to electric mowers and drones. They dive into the tools that shaped their careers and the ones leading the future.
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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1:16:43
065 - Surviving and Thriving: Jack Percival’s Story of Resilience
Bledge and Jack sit down for an unfiltered conversation about Jack Percival’s rise from foster care and graveyard shifts to becoming a respected course manager. They cover his early struggles with literacy, battles with addiction, and how green...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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1:10:27
064 - From seed to sale: How Inturf Service Sports Pitches
Bledge and Stephen sit down to dig into the real business of growing turf — from supplying Wembley and Wimbledon to feeding the nation’s show homes. They chat about soil science, family legacy, precision tractors and why rolling contact is ever...
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1:04:49
063 - From Stimp to USGA Smart Ball: Measuring What Matters on Modern Greens
Bledge and Sam sit down with the USGA’s Jeff Kinney and Wes Stewart to dig into GS3—the Bluetooth “smart ball” that reads speed, firmness, smoothness and trueness—and why firmness might be the ultimate defence of great golf. They get into...
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1:06:37
062 - Royal Liverpool’s Robot Revolution with Craig Stoba (Husqvarna)
Sam Cooper and James Bledge sit down with Husqvarna’s Craig Stoba to unpack how lightweight GPS-guided mowing robots are changing daily set-ups, from virtual boundaries and millimetre-precise heights to 24/7 schedules that improve turf health a...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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1:14:08
061 - From Cattle Stations to Toro: Bradley Taylor’s Greenkeeping Rise
Sam and Bledge sit down with newly crowned Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Bradley Taylor to unpack a whirlwind few years: Australia’s outback, a Belfry apprenticeship, tournament stints from Celtic Manor to Yas Links, and a move to Beau D...
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1:09:21
060 - From Valderrama to Blackwell: Ben Lovett’s Greenkeeping Adventure
Bledge and Ben sit down in the boardroom at Blackwell GC to unpack a life in turf— from junior days at Trevose and Valderrama to East Lake, Troon North, Australia, Spain and the Turkish Airlines Open. Ben lifts the lid on Blackwell’s quirks: po...
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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59:41
059 - Crafting Royal Portrush: Graeme Beatt on Fescue, Robots & Links Magic
Bledge and Graeme sit down at Royal Portrush after a dawn ferry crossing to dig into Graeme’s journey from Scotscraig and Kingsbarns to course manager at one of the world’s great links. Covering fescue-first green conversions, managing anthracn...
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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51:40
058 - Nine, Twelve, or Nothing: Rethinking Golf’s Next Chapter
Sam and Bledge sit down to kick around what golf might look like in ten years’ time: fewer tired 18s, more brilliant 9s and 12s, and multi‑use hubs with sand‑capped, fescue‑forward turf that stays open when the rain never stops. Spurred by Alis...
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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41:44
057 - From Kent to Hoylake: Fletcher’s Golf Bug (and Those High Bunkers)
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-c...
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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37:14
056 - Lee Strutt - Sowing Seeds and Breaking Ground
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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1:11:05
055 - From North Wales to Deal: Ben Williams’ Linksland Journey
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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1:13:29
054 - Alistair Beggs - Practical Greenkeeping and the Art of Sustainable Golf
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, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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1:12:12
053 - Team Culture, Turf, and Tour Standards: Inside John McLoughlin’s Career
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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1:40:04
052 - Listener Question Time: Rain, Drought & Drainage
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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51:33
051 - Beyond Turf: Golf’s Role in Biodiversity & Balance
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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58:22