In this third and final instalment of podcasts about the life of James Braid, we finish up at Walton Heath talking about his life as the club's professional, a position he held for nearly 50 years. Braid took up the role in 1904 when the club was only just starting off, and continued in post until his death in 1950. We couldn't think of anyone bett…

In Pt II of our series exploring the life of James Braid, we look at his contributions as a Golf Course Architect. With over 500 courses shaped in some way by Braid, his legacy on the British Golfing landscape is undeniable, and while the likes of Simpson, McKenzie or Colt are often lauded above Braid, his approach to building thought provoking des…

Pt I of our exciting new series, exploring the life of James Braid. James Braid was part of the great triumvirate which also included Harry Vardon & JH Taylor. In his career he would go on to win 5 Open Championships. Growing up in Earlsferry, before emigrating south of the border, Simon Barrington brings to life his playing career in vivid detail.…

This week, Bruce and his better half—‘Cookie Jar Lady Captain’—Grace, found some time to catch up with Lottie Woad to talk about her truly stellar year in the game, with her win at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA), ascension to the top of the Women’s Amateur Golf Rankings, and, of course, being part of the GB&I side's victory in The Curt…

Sam & Tom chat through the courses they have visited this year, and look at their composite Eclectic 18 scorecards in a straight up matchplay format. Who has made the best selection, you'll have to listen to the end to find out! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @coo…

Sam & Tom sit down in the members' bar at Royal Lytham & St Anne's Golf Club to meet with Dr Steven Reid, lifelong member at Lytham and author of Bobby's Open, charting the tale of how Bobby Jones came to win his first Claret Jug. He would go on to defend it successfully in 1927, as well as winning at Royal Liverpool in 1930 on his way to completin…

After a chance encounter at The Curtis Cup, Tom sits down with Nigel to discuss his career as one of the most decorated amateurs in British golf. Nigel isn't just one of the most successful Duncan Putter winners in the history of Southerndown, he’s also: Represented GB&I in 4 Walker Cups (01, 03, 05 & 07) Holed the winning putt at Ganton in 2003 Ca…

Sam & Cal catch up on a Friday morning for some little insights into the recently concluded DP World Tour Q School, which - among other things - includes the first ever Armenian DP World Tour player.... (or so Cal believes)! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiej…

Sam & Tom get together with Chris Haspell & Gordon Sutherland on the eve of the hearing that is taking place this week. The ongoing planning and permissions for this exciting Bill Coore design has been the subject of a lot of coverage over the last 7 years, and the passionate locals who have taken on the mantle - ‘Communities for Coul’ - have led i…

Live from the committee room at West Byfleet where 'the Dame' learnt to play much of her golf in her teenage years, we sit down to talk about Laura's career in the game. A few highlights from a career that spans over 40 years of playing golf at the highest level: 87 professional wins worldwide (including 20 on the LPGA & 4 majors) 7x order of merit…

In this special two-part podcast, Simon unpacks his Eclectic 18 from holes that no longer exist. Please see our show notes on our blog here to view some of these holes, beautifully compiled by Simon. While the link to Halloween might be tenuous, we hope that doesn't deter you from enjoying what is an exceptional podcast. In the first part, we go th…

In this special two-part podcast, Simon unpacks his Eclectic 18 from holes that no longer exist. Please see our show notes on our blog here to view some of these holes, beautifully compiled by Simon. While the link to Halloween might be tenuous, we hope that doesn't deter you from enjoying what is an exceptional podcast. In the first part, we go th…

In Part 2 of this cracking podcast with Bil Elliott - lifetime sports journalist and editor at Large for Golf Monthly, we talk about the emergence of the European Ryder Cup team, Seve, Tiger and some of the s that surround the industry of golf writing. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can fo…

Sam sits down for this epic two-part podcast with stalwart golf journalist and Editor at large for Golf Monthly about his career. In part 1, Bill talks about how he came to become involved in journalism, as well as becoming a sports correspondent and ultimately golf. We talk about life on the road, and how he came to become friends with a number of…

A few announcements on the website and merch front, as well as a recap of our afternoon at Sunningdale Heath. We also get into Knighton Golf Club. Based over on the Welsh border in Powys and dating back to 1906, the club has only 70 members and runs a straightforward honesty box for its visitors. Square greens and a motto, "Far & Sure," might be wh…

Founded in 1901, St Anne's Old Links - or 'Old Links' as it was known in the early days and still is by the locals, is a George Lowe / Sandy Herd links gem on the Fylde Coast, a stones throw from Royal Lytham & St Anne's. The course used to be occupied by the club that would become 'Royal Lytham' and has a fascinating history of its own! If you've …

Sam and Tom are live from The Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews, catching up on a busy few weeks on the road, including some of the country’s lesser-known amateur foursomes events, the Presidents Cup, and the upcoming Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Don’t miss the special segment at the end, where Tom shares what’s required to achieve 10 seconds of h…

Long time friend of the pod and multiple previous guest Darragh Garrahy chats with Missy Crisps about her phenomenal golfing record and his career in the USGA. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Website…

A short excerpt from Course Diaries episode 119 with Dr. Brian Fleming, archivist at Royal County Down, discussing the evolution of the links as we head into Irish Open week. It promises to be a great spectacle as we watch some of the world’s best do battle beneath the Mountains of Mourne. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on…

Sam and Tom debrief on a big few days spent up on the land of Yorkshire. Three days of golf at Lindrick, Ganton & Moortown, as well as a bit of a download from the much talked about 'Denham Bowl'... Special mention this week to Royal County Down who will be playing host to the Irish Open and what is a very rare chance to see the spectacular links o…

An exceptional few days at The Curtis Cup, capped off with a nail-biting final day of singles action. Sam, Tom & Bruce found some shade to recap a truly memorable event! Huge congratulations to Catriona and the team on their victory at Sunningdale in the 43rd edition of this prestigious event. Tune in for course insights, player reviews, and a spec…

Sam sits down with Joe while the roof is quite literally caving in on the paradise peninsula of The Wirral to talk about an exciting new project with Sam Cooper& Will Eagar. Exclusively available at Urban Golf in London - the home of indoor golf since 2004 - it will offer unimaginable risk& reward, played on courses that are set in some breathtakin…

Bruce sits down with two friends of the pod, Grace and James, to recap a brilliant week in St Andrews for the AIG Women’s Open. They discuss the atmosphere at the Home of Golf, key storylines from the week, their encounters with several players, and how the drama of the final round unfolded… If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review …

Tom and Bruce sit down and discuss the upcoming AIG Women’s Open to be played at St Andrews, looking at the course setup, conditions and general atmosphere about town. Tom also recounts his recent time on the road and a new favourite book of his about Ben Hogan and Golf’s Most Enduring Controversy - the 1942 Hale America Open. If you've enjoyed thi…

Sam sits down during the English Amateur Championship at Seaton Carew for this Course Diaries episode. Alex and the rest of the team at the club are on a journey of taking this historic 22-hole links through phases of constant improvement and in 2024 the club is celebrating its 150th anniversary! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a re…

In Part II of this Course Diaries two-part behemoth, we talk to Ryan about the restoration work underway at The Addington under the stewardship of Clayton DeVries & Pont. Ryan's passion and enthusiasm, alongside the canvas he has at The Addington, make this the most interesting restoration project in the UK, and quite possibly the world. For more, …

Live from an undisclosed beer garden in South West London, after an 18-hour day, we finally sat down to record this podcast. A Course Diaries podcast with Ryan was always going to be a long one, so this is a two-parter. We'll be releasing Part II early next week. In this episode, we talk about why The Addington is unique, how the club came into the…

Sam, Tom & Bruce gather to discuss Royal Troon, the setup, the performances and more. From Schauffele, to Rory as well as the slightly eclectic leaderboard and whether that’s a good or bad thing. We also talk about our wonderful event on Friday at Blackwell in partnership with the good folks at FootJoy who went all out (and Sam manages to shoehorn …

Sam & Tom are joined by producer Luke to have a little game of Open stash The Price is Right If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / WebsiteAv Cookie Jar Golf

Sam & Tom Discuss the course ahead of the Open here at Royal Troon this week. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / WebsiteAv Cookie Jar Golf

Sam & Tom discuss the Scottish Open from on site at Renaissance Golf Club. This will be the first of daily micro pods over the next 6 days of The Open at Royal Troon. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Website…

We sat down with friend of the jar - Kenny Reid - to talk about his second book, 'Touch of Class'. The book charts the story of the 1984 Open Championship and in the process, capture the essence of Seve Ballesteros and why he captured the hearts of so many. To get hold of a copy of his newly released book, click here. Available from all good booksh…

With the recent conclusion of the General Election in Britain and a lively debate between Biden & Trump where the nation watched two men well past the age of 70 arguing over who was the better golfer, we decided to look at golfing politicians over time. In stark contrast to the US, where almost all US Presidents play the game, the UK has a much thi…

Sam, Tom, Peter Hancock and Ross Flannigan get together to talk through their various days at Final Qualifying across the UK. Sam was at Burnham & Berrow, Tom was at West Lancashire, Peter was at Deal while Ross was at Dundonald. Great day had by all four and we discuss the stories emerging from the day. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave…

Our 250th episode just so happens to be a cracker! The seocnd part of our Eclectic 18 with No Laying Up's Tron Carter. He went all out for this one, and not only that he had to pick his Eclectic 18 only from courses featured on Tourist Sauce. Season 9 of Tourist Sauce has recently concluded which saw the team head back to Australia. His Scorecard: …

Tom sits down with Tron Carter from No Laying Up to discuss his eclectic 18. Following the conclusion of season 9 of Tourist Sauce, Tron puts to better his eclectic 18 with the condition the courses he picks can only be from courses he’s played on his travels with tourist sauce. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podc…

Bruce, Sam & Tom discuss the US Open and the performances of Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy. They analyze Bryson's win and his growth as a player and person. They also delve into Rory's collapse and the role of Harry Diamond. They debate whether the expectations on Rory are too high and discuss the importance of mental strength in golf. They al…

Sam & Tom dig into the history of Pinehurst and the events that have shaped this resort from its origins as a 'health retreat for those of modest means' to a bucket list destination with 10 courses, and where this week The US Open will take place. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow …

Winner of the RBC Canadian Open chats with Sam on a high from his victory last Sunday, now back in Oban. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / WebsiteAv Cookie Jar Golf

Sam and Tom recap their magical day spent south of Paris at the enchanting Fontainebleau. The club is situated on a sprawling hunting estate which is home to one of the biggest palaces in all of France, and pre-dates Versailles by over 500 years. Originally founded in 1909 and laid out by Julian Chantepie, Tom Simpson reworked the course in 1920 an…

Following on from the podcast, Sophie surprised us with her eclectic 18, which we thought we’d throw out as a bonus pod. I hope you enjoy. Scorecard below: 1 - Alwoodley 2 - Evian Resort 3 - Kingston Heath 4 - Cruden Bay 5 - Walton Heath (Old) 6 - Old Course 7 - Royal Dornoch 8 - Emirates Golf Club (Majlis) 9 - Turnberry 10 - Sunningdale (Old) 11 -…

Podding live form Stockport Golf Club, Sam sits down with Sophie Walker to talk her about her career in the game of golf, broadcasting and her reflections on the game mre broadly. Had a lot of fun hanging out with Sophie, who really does just adore the game! Tune in Friday for a special bonus Eclectic 18 Episode. If you've enjoyed this episode, ple…

Tom & Sam sit down in the office to chat through the upcoming PGA Championship in Valhalla. Tom talks about the 'ick' he gets from Michael Block, and we discuss whether or not there's a better 'fourth major' to be had. Today we'll also be releasing our film from Borth & Ynyslas, and the FootJoy 'Todd Snyder' collab shoes will also be going on sale.…

Sam meets with Richard Fisher - club archivist and author of the St David’s history book - to discuss the history of the club, the area and its members. As a professional historian, it should come as no surprise that Richard is a cracking guest and talks brilliantly about the subject! Don’t forget to head to YouTube to see the latest films from our…

Bruce, Sam & Tom discuss the major news of the weekend Sam following the Lytham trophy on the final day - coupled with some big news coming out of Blackwell! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Website…

Sam & Tom discuss the second half of their recent trip to Wales. The trip covers Welshpool, Royal St. David, Borth & Ynyslas, Aberdovey, Tenby and Pennard in a whirlwind 4 days! This is part 2, so if you haven't listened to part 1 from Tuesday, go back and check it out before diving into part 2! If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rev…

Sam & Tom discuss the first half of their recent trip to Wales. The trip covers Welshpool, Royal St. David, Borth & Ynyslas, Aberdovey, Tenby and Pennard in a whirlwind 4 days! This is part 1, so stay tuned for part 2 dropping on Friday. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along b…

Sam sits down with Jack Sallis from @halcyongolftravel to hear about his golfing journey from elite amateur competition to tour operating and more! For more on Halcyon: https://halcyongolftravel.com/ If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us along below @cookiejargolf Instagram / Facebo…

Tom, Sam and Bruce sit down for a not-so-short recap of this season's first Major. They discuss Scheffler's dominance, Aberg's impressive debut, and why Tiger continues to captivate us, as well as some of their favourite faux pas from the week. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You can follow us …

In part 2 Bruce and Tom talk through notable amateur performances, the par 3 contest, strange rulings and the honorary tee shots at Augusta National. If you have not already checked out part 1, please head across and check out that before diving into part 2. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! You …