LINKS Golf Podcast

Lt. Col. Dan Rooney—a fighter pilot with three combat tours in Iraq, a PGA professional, and the founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation—joins Digital Editor Al Lunsford on this week’s episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Rooney, who played golf collegiately at Kansas, discusses his collaboration with Jack Nicklaus on the newly designed American Dunes Golf Club in Michigan, his motivational speeche...

In the Season 7 premiere of the LINKS Golf Podcast, golf author Luke Reese joins to talk about his critically acclaimed writing debut, One For the Memory Banks. Reese chats to Digital Editor Al Lunsford about the inspiration to write his first novel, his golf travels in the UK and Ireland, and the motley crew of characters he’s met along the way. Visit TheMemoryBanks.com/links to order your copy o...

What’s it like to play the No. 1 ranked course in the world? On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Digital Editor Al Lunsford is joined by one of his best friends, Lee Goehring, who recently received an invitation to play Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey. From the signature amenities to a round alongside an 8-time Champions Tour winner, Lee offers an inside look into a special day at one o...

Tony Dear has been friends with Scottish golf course architect David McLay-Kidd for many years, and recently joined the designer of Bandon Dunes and Mammoth Dunes on a trip to preview McLay-Kidd’s new short course at Washington’s Gamble Sands. On his way there, Dear flew with McLay-Kidd—a licensed pilot—but altered course on the journey home by hopping in the car with a Super Bowl champion. Digita...

The PGA Tour has a big opportunity with legalized gambling, but there’s also a potential downside, writes George Peper. George discusses his column, “Risky Business,” from the Fall issue of LINKS Magazine with Digital Editor Al Lunsford on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Digital Editor Al Lunsford recaps his trip to Missouri’s Big Cedar Lodge and the Payne’s Valley Cup in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Al talks to Big Cedar’s Assistant Director of Golf Sales and Marketing Matt McQueary, who gives a detailed guide to how one should plan to explore the golf and much more at Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris’s nature retreat in the Ozark Mountains. Learn...

Planet Golf’s Darius Oliver joins the LINKS Golf Podcast from Australia to detail his LINKS Magazine series “Ranking the World”—where he ranked the nations of the world (outside of the U.S.) according to the quality of their golf. Darius, who has played more than 2,000 golf courses worldwide, shares some of his favorite U.S. states for golf as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

On this week’s episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, LINKS contributor David DeSmith talks to Digital Editor Al Lunsford about the golf, gastronomy, and much more from his trip to France’s famed southeastern corner of Provence—the subject of David’s feature piece in the Fall issue of LINKS Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LINKS President and Publisher Jack Purcell joins Digital Editor Al Lunsford on the show to provide an insider’s perspective on Winged Foot, where Jack has been a member for more than 30 years. Jack gives the scoop on the preparation of the West course for this year’s U.S. Open, the things players need to do to score well, and the elements outside of golf he enjoys about the club. Learn more about...

Digital Editor Al Lunsford reports live from Sand Valley Golf Resort in Wisconsin, part of the Dream Golf umbrella, in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Al interviews Sand Valley General Manager Michael Carbiener about the resort’s two top 100 public golf courses, the activities and amenities available to guests beyond golf, and what’s in store for Sand Valley’s future. Learn more about your...

LINKS Insider contributor Ryan Asselta is back to discuss the final installment of his “Dream Nine” series on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Ryan and Digital Editor Al Lunsford take turns listing the nine holes they would include on their “Dream Nine” layouts made entirely of par five holes from around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Digital Editor Al Lunsford recaps a week-long trip to Pinehurst in this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. The host assesses what has changed about the resort since he last visited in 2013. Later in the episode, Al sits down with Pinehurst Director of Golf Ben Bridgers who dishes on the must-dos while in Pinehurst, the latest developments at the resort, the lesser-known courses, and preparing for...

In this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Digital Editor Al Lunsford and his father, Greg, report live from Pinehurst, N.C. on a unique day of golf playing Mike Strantz’s Tobacco Road in the morning, followed by multiple loops on The Cradle short course and the Thistle Dhu putting course at Pinehurst Resort in the afternoon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Participation on the rise? A new trend in golf travel? National Golf Foundation Chief Business Officer Greg Nathan joins Digital Editor Al Lunsford to talk through a recent update on the state of the golf business from the NGF on the Season 6 premier of the LINKS Golf Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s all things Bandon Dunes in the final episode of Season 5 of the LINKS Golf Podcast. LINKS contributor Erik Matuszewski joins Digital Editor Al Lunsford to break down Erik’s first-ever trip to Bandon, which aligned with the June 1 opening of the resort’s newest course, Sheep Ranch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Digital Editor Al Lunsford is joined by internationally acclaimed golf architect Mike DeVries, who is featured in the Summer 2020 issue of LINKS Magazine. DeVries talks about growing up in Michigan and working at Alister MacKenzie’s Crystal Downs, his crown jewel at Cape Wickham in Australia (ranked 21st in Golf Digest’s World Top 100), lessons learned fr...

LINKS Editor George Peper gives a sneak preview of his column in the Summer 2020 issue of LINKS Magazine where he opines on 10 things that the global pandemic has made better about the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Digital Editor Al Lunsford sits down with Eric Sedransk (aka @member4aday on Instagram), the man who led a three-week individual effort to auction off rounds at some of the world’s greatest golf courses with all proceeds going towards meals for frontline medical workers in New York City. Sedransk talks about how the idea got started, the clubs that agreed...

LINKS Editor George Peper is back on the podcast to tackle the age-old debate: Who is the greatest golfer of all-time? George and Digital Editor Al Lunsford run through George’s “Goat Herding” piece from the Winter issue of LINKS Magazine in which he established a criteria to give a definitive answer when comparing golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. George also talks about his interaction...

LINKS Insider contributor and native Canadian Adam Stanley joins Digital Editor Al Lunsford on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast to detail the best golf destinations around the Great White North. Adam gives tips on what things any traveler needs to know when considering a golf trip to Canada. The hosts speak to some of the country’s underrated areas that should be on every golfer’s travel wis...

LINKS Digital Editor Al Lunsford caught up with legendary World Golf Hall of Famer Gary Player on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. The Black Knight fills us in on what he’s been up to during quarantine, the importance of fitness, and his thoughts on receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Later, Player goes into detail on some of the answers from his “My Courses” interview in the Winte...

Class is in session on this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast. LINKS Senior Editor Jim Frank rejoins Digital Editor Al Lunsford on the show to discuss his “Template Holes” piece from the Spring 2020 issue of LINKS Magazine. Jim breaks down the details of the most iconic hole designs, like the Redan, the Biarritz, and the Punchbowl. The pair also elaborate on why these holes serve as great examples...

Erik Matuszewski joins Digital Editor Al Lunsford on the LINKS Golf Podcast to talk about the various efforts, initiatives, and ideas that have been spawned in the golf world amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The pair go in-depth on ClubsHELP, a now-national 501(c)7 foundation that started to connect golf clubs with their local hospitals to provide much-needed supplies for health workers on the front...

In this week’s episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, Digital Editor Al Lunsford is joined by LINKS contributor and first-time guest David DeSmith. The pair run down David’s list of golf-related activities as part of his recent column for LINKS, “An At-Home Survival Guide for Golfers,” and Al takes a turn at his own ideas inspired by the piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...

In this episode of the LINKS Golf Podcast, LINKS Editor George Peper details the moments that stick out in his mind among the 35 Masters tournaments he’s attended. Digital Editor Al Lunsford talks to George about the creative process behind his interview with the Sarazen Bridge in the Spring 2020 issue, and George reveals his favorite and least favorite holes at Augusta National. The duo also disc...