The Fire Pit Podcast

In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck speaks with Armen Keteyian, the co-writer of Billy Walters’s “Gambler.” They discuss the craft of telling other people’s story, fact-checking Walters’s tales and Armen’s thoughts on Phil. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill, Alan Shipnuck checks in from the U.S. Am at Cherry Hills and reflects on the Women’s Am at Bel-Air, while Matt Ginella relives highlights from his recent sojourn to Ireland. They also delve into the reaction to the Billy Walters excerpt See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella go deep on the first, hotly anticipated excerpt from Billy Walters' "Gambler." What do the revelations of Phil's reckless betting say about him? Has his legacy been altered? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger celebrate Brian Harman’s dominant win while drilling down on all the other news from an intriguing Open week.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill Podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger break down the highly anticipated Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, Rory’s win at the Scottish Open and more on the ongoing battle between LIV, the PGA Tour and the future of professional golf.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella react to the Senate hearings on the LIV-PGA Tour framework agreement and the accompanying bombshell document dump. So much to unpack as the ongoing golf drama reaches Capitol Hill. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this Fire Drill preview of the U.S. Women's Open, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella are joined by their longtime friend Kevin Price, a Pebble Beach caddie who this week is on the bag of qualifier Mackenzie Hahn.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill podcast, Matt Ginella and Alan Shipnuck discuss the leaked framework agreement between the PIF and the PGA Tour as well as other developments in golf's shifting landscape. They also preview some exciting upcoming Fire Pit projects. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 6 of this podcast series on the Club Pro Crisis, we’re joined by Suzy Whaley, who, in 2018, became the first female President of the PGA of America. Whaley is a dual member of the PGA of America and LPGA Teaching & Club Professional division, she was an LPGA Tour member in 1990 and 1993, she is a two-time Connecticut PGA Teacher of the Year, a three-time Connecticut Women’s Open Champi...

Straight from the 18th green at LACC, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger break down Wyndham Clark’s gutsy win, Rory McIlroy’s dispiriting retreat and the mixed emotions for Rickie, Scottie and the host venue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the 10th fairway of L.A. North, Alan Shipnuck, Mike Bamberger and surprise guest Paul Azinger discuss the wondrous host course, the feeling of this Open and the continued PGA Tour-LIV intrigue.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 5 of this series on the Club Pro Crisis, we hear from Dr. Brain Soulé, an associate teaching professor at Penn State’s Professional Golf Management program for the last 15 years. And we’re joined by Jack Davis, one of Soulé’s former students and current head pro at the Essex County Club in Massachusetts. Both talk candidly about the industry and what they’re doing to try and make it better...

In this Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck debriefs Geoff Ogilvy about what really happened in the fraught player-only meeting in Canada. They drill down on the details of the new alliance, with Geoff expressing optimism about the Tour's future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 4 of this series on the Club Pro Crisis, we talk to Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America since 2018. Waugh shares his thoughts on how and why he got involved, how he’s doing a lot of listening in order to improve the lives of his membership, and we learn about his ultimate goal: “I’m trying to leave the room better than I found it.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this emergency Fire Drill podcast, Alan Shipnuck, Matt Ginella, and Mike Bamberger unpack the stunning LIV-PGA Tour merger: how it happened, why, what the future will look like, biggest winners and losers and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Part 3 of this podcast series on America’s club pro crisis, another collection of voices and perspectives offer potential solutions to several complicated issues affecting club pros. Butch Harmon, Chandler Withington, Shane Ryan and a variety of current and former club pros discuss unionizing and properly incentivizing a “fed-up” industry of selfless men and women whose love of golf is being te...

In part 2 of a Fire Pit podcast series on the “Club Pro Crisis,” Matt Ginella gets into how and why Shane Ryan’s article in Golf Digest (May, 2022) highlighted issues of a work/life imbalance, money and awareness. In short, club pros and PGA Professionals are taken for granted. You’ll hear from Shane Ryan, Butch Harmon, Chandler Withington, Rick Rielly, Cody Sinkler and several other voices who sh...

In the latest Fire Drill podcast Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger dive deep into the three winners of the weekend: Brooks Keopka, Michael Block and LIV Golf.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this first of several podcasts on what many consider a “club pro crisis,” we talk to several current and former PGA Professionals and other titans of the industry as they help us understand how and why the job of running a club or course has evolved and how and why it’s so hard to find and keep good help. The host, Matt Ginella, apologizes for an ignorant comment he made on a podcast last fall...

In this Fire Drill: Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck go deep on a thrilling Masters Sunday, celebrating Jon Rahm's mastery and offering insight on how Koepka lost his way. Phil, Jordan & Tiger are also discussed at the end of a memorable week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill, Alan Shipnuck and Michael Bamberger go deep on leader Brooks Koepka and try to understand the poor showings of Tiger and Rory. They also discuss the effects of the worsening weather and unique challenges of reporting at the Masters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Fire Drill Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Bamberger & Alan Shipnuck break down a thrilling first round of the Masters. Geoff goes deep on the allure and challenge of ANGC and Koepka, Rahm, Hovland, Scheffler, McIlroy and others get their due. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting an invitation to The Masters is no easy task. Scotland's Laird Shepherd defines the grind. During the 2021 British Amateur Championship, he played well enough to qualify for match play. And then he won a match. And won some more. Eventually, he found himself in the 36-hole final, only six months after nearly giving up on his dream of playing golf for a living. And after being 8-down with 1...

In this Fire Drill podcast, Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck and Matt Ginella preview the many storylines for one of the most anticipated Masters in recent history. Can Rory break through? How will #13 play? Fisticuffs at the Champions dinner, Tiger's back and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Gwynn played 20 years in San Diego, passing on more money from big-market teams and instead prioritizing loyalty and quality of life in a city he loved and playing for a fanbase that loved him back. We put a bow on this three-part podcast series on the life and legacy of Mr. Padre with final reflections from Tony Gwynn Jr., award-winning baseball writer and broadcaster Tom Verducci and a pane...