Under Par Over Time

Discover how the Butterfield Bermuda Championship went from a new PGA TOUR event to an established tournament during the pandemic. Explore its unexpected rise, memorable winners and the history of Port Royal Golf Course. Visit the WEBSITE to view sources and the journal entry on this episode.

Pinehurst No. 2 History: Donald Ross, the U.S. Open & the Course That Changed Golf Pinehurst is one of the most famous names in American golf, but how did a North Carolina resort become home to one of the most historic golf courses in the world? In Episode 14 of Under Par Over Time, Sammy Jo heads to the North Carolina Sandhills to explore the history of Pinehurst No. 2, the legendary Donald R...

Professional golf is returning to Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time in more than 80 years. But the Biltmore Championship Asheville isn't actually the beginning of Asheville's PGA TOUR history. We revisit the Asheville Land of the Sky Open, an official PGA TOUR event from 1939 - 1942, and the remarkable three-year run when Ben Hogan won the tournament in 1940, 1941, and 1942. Then we br...

Have you ever arrived at the golf course only to discover it's closed for maintenance? Or wondered why perfectly good greens suddenly have thousands of holes punched into them? In this episode of Under Par Over Time, Sammy Jo takes you behind the scenes to explore the science of golf course maintenance. Learn why golf courses close, what aeration actually does, how different turfgrasses respon...

What is the FedExCup, and why did the PGA Tour create a season-long championship? In this episode of Under Par Over Time, we explore the history of the FedExCup: from Commissioner Tim Finchem's vision of creating golf's version of a postseason to Tiger Woods winning the inaugural championship in 2007. Learn how the FedExCup points system works, why Signature Events and major championships...

Why does one of the shortest courses on the PGA Tour continue to challenge the best golfers in the world? In this episode of Under Par Over Time, we're exploring the history of Sedgefield Country Club, home of the Wyndham Championship and one of legendary golf course architect Donald Ross's greatest designs. Travel back to Scotland in 1872 to meet the young man who would become known as th...

The Wyndham Championship is much more than the final stop before the FedExCup Playoffs. Founded in 1938 as the Greater Greensboro Open, it has become one of the oldest and most important events on the PGA Tour. What began as a way to bring visitors to Greensboro, North Carolina has evolved into one of the most pressure-filled weeks in professional golf. The Wyndham Championship may be one of golf'...

When most people think of golf trophies, one image comes to mind: a silver jug held high above a champion's head as crowds cheer and history is made. But the Claret Jug almost didn't exist at all. In this episode of Under Par Over Time, we're diving into the fascinating history of golf's most famous trophy, from the red leather Challenge Belt that came before it to the strange series of events tha...

Golf has four major championships, but only one existed before all the others. Before Augusta National. Before the U.S. Open. Before the PGA Championship. Before modern golf even looked the way it does today. In this episode of Under Par Over Time, we’re diving into the history of The Open Championship, the oldest major championship in golf. Sources The R&A Prestwick Golf Club St Andrews Links...

The U.S. Open didn’t start as the massive championship we know today. In 1895, the tournament featured just 10 professionals, one amateur, and a total purse of only $335. Today, it stands as one of the four major championships in golf with millions in prize money, global television coverage, rotating championship venues, and some of the toughest course setups in professional golf. In this episode...

There are tough golf courses… And then there’s Oakmont. In this episode of Under Par Over Time , we’re diving into one of the most demanding and respected courses in the game, Oakmont Country Club. Built in 1903 with one goal in mind—to challenge the best players in the world, Oakmont has become synonymous with difficulty. From lightning-fast greens that can exceed 14 on the Stimpmeter to over 170...

There’s something about watching professional golf in person that completely changes how you see the game. In this episode of Under Par Over Time , Sammy Jo takes you inside the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links, a course that challenges players in a very different way than most stops on the PGA Tour. From tight fairways and some of the smallest greens on tour to the iconic tartan jacket, th...

Professional golf didn’t always look like it does today. In fact, it almost didn’t exist at all. In this episode of Under Par Over Time , Sammy Jo explores the origins of professional golf and how the game transformed from loosely organized tournaments into the structured system we know today. Sources & Research PGA of America: historical archives and founding records PGA Tour: structure, play...

Before golf course architects designed bunkers as strategic hazards, they formed naturally across the windswept linksland of Scotland. In Episode 2 of Under Par Over Time , Sammy Jo explores the surprising origins of golf bunkers.....and how sheep, coastal winds, and centuries of erosion helped shape one of the most recognizable features in the game. You’ll learn: How Scotland’s linksland shaped t...

In 1931, during the Great Depression, Bobby Jones made a bold decision. He purchased a bankrupt plant nursery in Augusta, Georgia and set out to build something entirely new. That land would become Augusta National Golf Club , home of The Masters Tournament . In this premiere episode of Under Par Over Time , Sammy Jo explores the history of Augusta National, the vision behind its design, and how A...