We Played 5 Costa del Sol Golf Courses... Here's What We Thought | FPG Podcast #36

Welcome back to Episode #36 of the podcast!

This week we're breaking down all the biggest stories from the world of golf, starting with the Memorial Tournament. We discuss J.T. Poston's impressive victory, highlighted by a superb second-round 65 that put him firmly in control of the tournament. We also look at another strong finish from Alex Fitzpatrick, debate whether the leaderboard lived up to the stature of the event, and discuss why a winning score around -12 feels just about right for a championship test.

We also head to Spain to recap LIV Golf Valderrama, where Tyrrell Hatton claimed the title and Jon Rahm continued his remarkable run of form with yet another runner-up finish. We also discuss Scott O'Neil's recent CNN interview and what it could mean for LIV Golf moving forward.

With the US Open just around the corner, it's prediction season. We make our picks, discuss potential contenders, and reveal our US Open merchandise shopping list.

Elsewhere, Josh ranks his Top 10 golf courses in London, and we revisit the reaction to our recent private golf clubs list that generated plenty of discussion.

Finally, we're back on the Costa del Sol, sharing our experiences at Los Naranjos, Chaparral, La Cala Asia, La Quinta, and Rio Real, along with some of the sights, sounds, and atmosphere that make the region one of Europe's most popular golf destinations.

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review - it really helps the channel grow!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back, episode 36 of the Full Programme Golf Podcast with me, Josh Conlon, and as ever, joined in the studio with Stevie McAvoy. Today we are going to be talking all things golf as we normally do, plenty to cover, but then we're going to get into the Costa del Sol. Really looking at the Mar Bayer Port of Benoit side of things rather than the sotograndi big hitters. Let's get right into it.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

Joshua, another fantastic polo choice, my boy.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

The stars are just aligning, aren't they? It's just, you know, there's a little bit of drizzle in the air. You've got to go a bit darker, but we're still in June. We don't need black. Just enjoy it.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Don't need black. Do you know what? I haven't got much play out of the black FPG polo. It's kind of like it's one of those just layers that looms in the cupboard. And to be honest, whenever I wear it, it's normally under multiple layers. Good bit more of a winter piece.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

No, I understand. Um obviously we're in we're in different body shapes. Um, and so I actually find that when I've had a particularly uh grueling week on the uh on the food and the booze, the black's a nice complimenter. So uh I pop that black on, keeps it nice and lean and mean, um, and we go we go from there. But yeah, hear what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 1:27

Love it, love it. Well, it's it's been a bit miserable out there the last couple of days. I know you had a bit of a bit of a slog over the weekend. It was our 36-hole club championship, which I decided not to play in because uh went to Polo in the park on Friday and I was like, do you know what? I could think of nothing worse than waking up to uh whatever tea time to play 36 holes if the weather forecast like that. So I chose to avoid it. And you know what? As I sat inside on Saturday, I thought, poor Josh.

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Yeah, the weather was not nice. Um I had a great grouping to have to uh you know, when Club Champs comes around and you're sort of grouped in your handicap order, you can get anyone. There were some stinking draws out there, we'll not name names. Um, but had a really good group, and I think that made the day because it's fair to say that it was a slog for all of us. And as we've all had days on the golf course that make you question whether you even want to play the game, I had one of those, and um, you know, happily off the course this weekend, and you know what? I came home and um said to my girlfriend Eve, I said um that's it, I'm done. I'm selling my clubs, I'm out, all I'm gonna do is talk golf now. I've got no more interest in the game, I'm done. Um, so I'm not dramatic. I wasn't being dramatic. We'll see how long that lasts.

SPEAKER_01 2:49

Do you know what? I've actually been in a kind of similar place. I've been putting a lot of effort into the golf game uh over the last couple of months in terms of having lessons, gone through a relatively big swing change and kind of visually for the better. Um, my coach coach Chris Kutch, who's done a wonderful job. And do you know what? He's a great cheerleader. I leave the hour session with him, and I feel like I'm gonna be a scratch golfer. He really, he really pours gasoline on the flames. And then when I head out and shoot in the in the in the high 80s, which I actually haven't done in quite a while, um, it it does it, it makes you question everything. It really does. Playing on a hangover, stinking hangover after a wedding, thought I was gonna enjoy it. Lovely day outside it was, it just was horrendous. Tempo was shocking, and yeah, club's been away since for for a for a week or so since. Um gonna gonna get back to it this weekend, try and, you know, maybe go down to the range, hit some balls. But it was bad. It was bad, and it and it's it's tough. There's no other way to put it, it's tough.

SPEAKER_00 3:54

Yeah, it it is, and you know, just to just to bring it to life a little bit for you for how I was playing 36 tolls. First T um was 10 past nine, second T was two o'clock. At 2.43, I sent a message to a dear friend of the pod, Sam Truman, my coach. Mind my language, but this this is word for word, verbatim, what I wrote. Can you please confirm lesson dates? I'm wank. They were the two messages back to back that were sent at 2.43 on Saturday. Mid round. Mid-round. Mid-round. I think that might have been just when I made six from the greenside bunker on the par four at where I was there for one. And I was pretty angry, and there were still no club tosses. I'd like the like the listeners to know that but there was um some choice language. So uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

You clearly had your midseason review in mind. You're like, oh, I can't do it. I'm three weeks away from from June 1. I can't I can't be tossing any clubs about. Call that myself down again. No, well, yeah, I mean, I mean, to just to to further expand on where I got to, I said tempo was really bad on that last round. And so um, there's a video doing the rounds at the moment on social where Nellie Cord is talking about tempo, obviously, beautiful tempo, beautiful swing. And um the word is Coca-Cola, apparently. So when you you yeah, you're going Coca-Cola, and I'm just like, right, that's that's what's happening. Then another one I saw, as you know, it's it's been a really dark time. Wow, you've been in the mire, is um if you try and hum through the golf swing, right? If you're snatchy and kind of tense in the transition, your body naturally stops humming. And so if you continu if you're able to continue a hum through to the follow-through, then supposedly the tempo is bad. These are all these are all things that I'm hoping work, haven't put into practice yet, but just wanted to expand on on the on the rabbit hole, the dark, dark rabbit hole that I've been going down.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

That really is, and you know, next thing it'll be singing um angelic hymns on the back saying just to try and get get some grace on the way.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

He's got the whole wide world in his hands bash. Great june. Oh dear, yeah, absolute bagger. I mean, that you know, under the age of 10, that was potentially a top five song of all time. I always wanted to be bold, be strong.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

And as a as a young man, I always thought being bold was about hair. So we'd all sort of pat hands on the head, and if it wasn't, it was about being courageous, of course. Uh, anyway, we do digress. Talking about Nelly Carter, yes, has a nice golf swing, but that is that maybe the worst ever put to go in and win a major? Is it a major?

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Oh man. Uh it was it was a squeaky one, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_00 6:45

It was a stinker, it was a horror show. How that way how that made the bottom of the cup is she definitely has been singing hymns and going to her prayers and doing all her bits and pieces because that did not deserve to go in.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

Yeah, there's a couple of bits from the SOP. I mean, number one, uh great playing for Charlie Hull on the weekend has to be mentioned, would have loved to have seen her do it. I mean, she is obviously so due a major, and it would have been great if she'd have stormed through like that. Um, but yeah, Nellie, great win for her stinking putt on the last hole. Um, a lot of chat, apparently she changed her grip. I don't actually know what the change was, but I don't know if you saw anything on that where her sister basically made her change her grip, and she said she literally was just like, you know, when you change a grip, like it's it feels so awful. And apparently she's just battling it all weekend. Um, then I actually put a post out, LeBron James gave her a pair of these new night collab shoes, which I thought looked quite smart, and she took them off off five holes. So she would Nellie was obviously just battling demons, uh, but managed to get it done. So uh yeah, great win for her.

SPEAKER_00 7:51

Yeah, and and two two from two in the ladies' majors. So um, can she complete a quarter slam? Who knows?

SPEAKER_01 8:01

What do you do? Is she like on any from last year, or is she just on a straight two from two this year? I think she's on a straight. I think she's on a straight two, so she's got three to go. Yeah, um interesting to see. Yeah, um let's get into some men's golf. So Memorial obviously finished this week. Um, pretty meh leaderboard in the end, that's what I thought. There were some, you know, big names, but all kind of finished around kind of top 10 kind of level. Great test. I love seeing someone win at 12 under. I think 12 under is the perfect winning score for a men's competition. Like, I think that's challenging, but not a complete bloodbath. Um, throw it to you. What were your what were your thoughts from the weekend? Yeah, just gonna pick up on the minus 12.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

I think minus 12 is a good winning score. If I could choose, it'd be like plus four. I love watching them just I love the carnage. It's just I'm really I'm really hoping that Shinnicot brings that next week. I really, really hope for that because I think it always are great. Uh I think they make for great finishes. I think they may make for particularly great shots win it rather than just someone who's just got hot with the flat stick and gone to town. But yeah, 1200 is a good tournament, certainly better than your 2800 that we've been seeing um the last few weeks. Um yeah, I I think for such a great tournament and such a historical tournament, I agree. I thought that I mean it's not JT Poston's fault that he's gone and won, and and congratulations to him, that's a massive win, a great, a great um great victory. It's just not who at the start of the week you go, God, I'm gonna tune in, I'm gonna watch them leading it out. I'm gonna see them winning, you know, Ryan Gerard, you know, all these guys, fantastic golfers, clearly great for them. We don't shoot him for that. It's it's awful to say, but we are you are looking for the big names, you are looking for for um people coming through. I think it's worth noting Wyndham Clark was absolutely nowhere before his win a couple of weeks ago, finishes third again, um really turned his season around and suddenly you're going US Open. Is he now one of the contenders? Who knows? Really interesting. Sam Burns, the perennial uh bridesmaid, I know he came fourth, but he just he wins match play events because he doesn't have to hold it together for four rounds, but he's another Shane Lowry for me. Too much talent to be winning how how often they do, which is not a lot at all. Um which is interesting, and you know, you you keep the Alex Fitzpatrick tracker on. Another week where he beats his brother. I think he's up to 20th in the FedEx Cup, cruising minus six, minus seven last day. Just thanks for cash and checks. Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Yeah, I've got Fitz on my list. So so 65 on the final day, which um I mean JT Poston shot 65 in the second round, which really gave him that cushion that eventually he did manage to hold on to. Um, but a fantastic round for Alex, and I I'll tell you, I I think Fitzpatrick A has got something big in him. I I think that you know, to the wire, uh second, third, whatever he ended up when he just missed out um a couple of weeks after he won the Zurich. I think that's that's created calluses. I think the next time he's in position, he's gonna take take it deep. So uh really good to see uh him do that. I have to say, with about five holes left on Sunday, I there is no way I thought um Poston was winning. I thought he had thrown that away. And so credit to him for getting it done. Um, when Fleetwood made that eagle, I was like, here we go. You know, the cream is rising to the top. But uh yeah, Post and Gerard playoff. Not not who you necessarily would want to see, but I think it's a great test. It looks like a fantastic course, it looks like a bloody hard course, and as I said, I think it's 12. 12's a good number uh without it being kind of you'd imagine if they're the US Open at Memorial and they grew the rough double the height, you would be looking more towards that level pass score. So uh I thought that was good. I also think, and I'm not sure we touched on this at the Masters. Jack Nicholas is looking old these days, isn't he? I um I remember watching the ceremonial tee shot of August this year, and he kind of struggled to make his way walking to the T. Um, yeah, age is catching up with him pretty fast.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Yeah, and it's yeah, it's gonna be a sad day, in it. Um hopefully that's not for a little while, but yeah, he he's looking old and um I mean he's golfing royalty, isn't he? He really is. So uh great to see him there and and will forever be a massive part of the game, just as Arnold Palmer has continued to be since his his sad passing as well, good few years ago now. Um but yes, moving on to uh a couple of other events, we had Liv in in Valderama, great course, a course close to to our hearts. Thoughts on that? Did you catch much of it?

SPEAKER_01 13:01

I didn't, and to be honest, I I've kind of checked out from Liv. Like I I was a I was a pretty big Liv supporter. I was definitely more pro-Liv than your average punter. Like I remember tuning into the days when it was on YouTube and and giving it its chance and thinking I wanted to buy a range goat's hat and and all the rest of it, and I was just excited about you know if you know what the shift was what shift this was gonna cause in golf. And so I've been there, I've been pro-Live. And since the funding's been pulled, how can you get excited for it? How can you get excited for it? The players know what's gonna happen, I know what's gonna happen. These tournaments are even more meaningless than they were before, and I was always trying to put some kind of meaning on them, if that makes sense. But like now, it's just we're we're just marching towards the finish line. I know Scott O'Neill's on CNN trying to drum up a bit of positive momentum, saying that he's had various interests uh from investors and how they're gonna get a great return on their money and that Piff definitely are gonna be here to the end of the end of the year. But hey, look, it was what it was. Valderah's a great cause, Hatton obviously great to see an Englishman win. Rom continues to just be unbelievable uh in this small fish pond that he finds himself. Um, but yeah, just just I've kind of checked out from the Liv brand.

SPEAKER_00 14:25

No, I understand, and um you mentioned that Scott O'Neill interview. It was it was very telling, wasn't it? You know, for him to be um, you know, they said, Can you guarantee that the final four events of the season will go ahead? And he said, I can guarantee that there will that we are a good investment or something like that, and it wasn't a yes. Um, and he said, We've got to take the Saudi Pith at their word, which again is not that encouraging. And I thought it was, whilst he was trying to drum up positive uh positivity and momentum, I thought it was an interview completely lacking any answers to any of the questions that were asked. A real polic politician's interview. Yeah, sorry. If anything, makes you even more concerned that there is clearly trouble in the camp. Uh you know, he mentions they've got big names and next year they have star power in DeShambeau, Rahm, Dustin Johnson, and Cam Smith. They were the four he mentioned. Well, we all know that Rahm has made an agreement with the DP World Tour that only lasts this year. They have to he has to, based on that agreement, go back to the DP World Tour next year. We there are rumblings that DeShambeau is now his camp are talking with the PJ Tour. Don't get me wrong, I think they'll keep DJ and Cam Smith for as long as they want because they've got their own teams and bought in a bit earlier. But you lose those two names, the biggest European star and and arguably the biggest US star at the moment, and it's a completely different uh uh product. So I agree, it's nice to see Hatton win, it's nice to catch a bit of Valdorama you know, heading down there um in about three weeks' time. So looking forward to seeing that. But I agree with you, it's lost its uh impetus and um standing in in golfing in the golfing world.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

Uh my hope, and I don't know if this will happen, is that unless they find significant investment, which I can't imagine they're going to, just knock it on the head. The last thing, the last thing we need is Liv's prize purses to be $700 for the winner instead of four million, and the tour to be made up of the bottom 20 plus whoever they can find to to come onto the you know what I mean? It'll be just like mini tour stuff, and it will just probably run one more year and then then die. I mean I'd almost just celebrate it, like well, you know, big disruptor, see you later, whatever the last event is, and just just knock the thing on the head. And I I fear there's gonna be too much money involved still, and so they will run it kind of right into the ground, but I think it's gonna be tough, tough to watch next year. Yeah, agreed. Right, let's let's look ahead a bit. Now we've obviously got Canadian Open uh this week, which was it last year that Bobby Mack won, or was that that further back in the L Story PGA? I mean, with his dad on the bag, which was a great moment to be fair. Um, but oh no, it might have been might have been two years ago.

SPEAKER_00 17:37

I think Ryan Fox won it last year.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

Yes, I think.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

Which again, great winner.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Great winner. Um, so so we had some good stories from the Canadian Open, but um tough slot, stepping stone to the US Open. Um not sure the field's um desperately strong. Any thoughts or or should we glaze to the main event next week?

SPEAKER_00 17:58

I think one quick one quick thing to call out. You know, the Canadian Open has always been a pretty historic event, a big event. I think it's a shame where it's at, because we've had a few real non-events like the last few weeks prior to the memorial, that I actually think you could have switched the Canadian with these. I appreciate they do it in swings to limit travel, but I think it's in as you said, it's in the bogey slot, isn't it? It's the week before the US Open, everyone's grinding, nobody really necessarily wants to uh be practicing it a completely different style because it's going to be nails next week. But I think it's it's lost uh its uh shine as a result of this slot, and I also think that one of the big misses is you know, you've got the Valero Texas the week before the Masters, the winner gets a spot. I think that adds some interest to that event. I remember watching it and hoping that Matt Wallace would would get the job done, sadly he didn't, but that was a storyline. I'm I'm surprised that well, I can understand because it's an open event, you know, US Open, but I would have thought that winning the event, winning the Canadian Open would have been maybe the last spot in the field. And I think that that's something that would have given another storyline to what is a pretty quiet week.

SPEAKER_01 19:17

Yeah, I agree. Do you know what? It is a good event, you know. The Canadians love their sport, and obviously, if when when a Canadian is in contention, like it's a pretty wild atmosphere, but it's always had a bit of a rubbish slot. It's now week before US Open. It used to be the week after the open. So, like it's the last two bits have been yeah, pretty shocking. But all right, let's let's move across to the main event. Now, US Open next week. Shinnekok is a hell of a is a hell of a host track. Um, I'm obviously going on the Friday, and this is the most exciting I've been through US Open in ever, probably for probably understandable reasons. But I'm kind of diving into to learning about Shinnekok. I've obviously never been before. I can't wait to get on the grounds. It just looks like an absolute beauty top 10 golf course in the world. Um, I can't wait.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

Yes, uh I'm very jealous of you going there. And um for us in England, we've got a big five days, big World Cup opener on the Wednesday into then four days of um US Open action, which is gonna be very exciting. It's it's one of the great golf courses in the world, isn't it? You know, I I love I love Pebble Beach. That's for me always gonna be the number one US Open track. But when it goes to your Oakmonts, when it goes to your um your Shinnicox, there is still that massive excitement of seeing somewhere. You know, we've got a little bit of history there pretty recently in Kepka winning it, Fleetwood with the phenomenal final round to uh get all the way through to second, and I think that does add to it, having a bit of history there and being able to have some uh some runners and riders that you can pick out from the last time. Um you're gonna get boots on the ground, really excited to hear how that is um and the feeling from there. Um, obviously mentioned Truman earlier in the podcast, he's got um himself there with Nathan Kimsey, so we want to formally send our best to um Team Kimbo um and of course the Fitzpatricks as well with the Sheffield link that we've got. So really excited for it, ready for the next major, and um let's hope we've got a good leaderboard similar to what we had at the US PGA on Sunday afternoon.

SPEAKER_01 21:40

Absolutely. So, as ever, we always like to kind of dive into some stats to try and pull out uh at least a list that can guide people towards who potentially is going to be in contention, who potentially is gonna be the winner of the upcoming major, which is obviously the US Open. So I found something online. Um Which quite like a bit different. So normally we're just talking about this it's normally strokes. Is it strokes gained uh in the two months building up? I feel like that's been the kind of the core of the last two. Um so I found I found a little a little article online. Um and and this might be the cheat code for picking the US Open winner. So I'm gonna I'm gonna try and quickly explain how it worked, and then I'm gonna get get the list that's spat out at the end, and then as normal, as I say the names, just give me a yes, no, a couple of thoughts, and if you think they've got any uh any chance next week. All right, yeah. So the way they've done it is they've broken it out into kind of seven or eight different categories, and then they've awarded points according if you come in a certain way. So hopefully it'll make more sense to that explain. So first category is ranking, ranked between one and twenty five in data golf equals ten points, outside zero points. Nationality, American, eight points, European two points, rest of the world, zero points. Age, between 26 and 31, eight points, between 32 and 35, 2 points, other ages, zero. US Open form, top 10 in a US Open, five points. Best US Open finish of between 11th and 25th, three points, no top 25, two points. US Open Experience, played five to nine of the previous US opens, seven points, played one of the previous four, three points, recent major form, top ten in one of the previous two majors, eight points, two points for not major winner, two points, not a major winner, eight points. Current form, top 12 in one of the two previous starts, eight points, no top 12, two points, course fit, top 16 strokes gains off the T in one of the last three starts, nine points. Freshness had at least a week off in one of the previous two weeks, three points. Now the scores are spat out. Did you follow that?

SPEAKER_00 24:07

I have to say I switched off here and there, but I enjoyed some of it. The one that really stood out to me was the no major winner was worth six, was eight points compared to major winner being two.

SPEAKER_01 24:18

Yeah, so on that right on that point ranking system, here are the top ten names. Number one, Sam Burns.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

No, he's got no bottle. He'll be a top ten, but he's not gonna win it.

SPEAKER_01 24:35

Number two, Scotty Scheffler.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

Yeah, killer. Say every time. Number three, Cam Young. Yes, yeah. Just and he's from that sort of side, you know, he's East Coast, isn't he? That neck of the woods, he loves it. Four, Xana Shoffler. I said no last time. I don't know why, he did well, I'm still saying no. Five, Chris Goddard up No He'll be there thereabouts, I can't see him winning it. Quite a big points drop off here to six, John Ron. No, I've been too live positive and they've let me down in our sweepstakes, so I'm now just going no. Uh Colin Morikawa? No. Bryson DeChambeau? No, no, no chance. Russell Henley.

SPEAKER_01 25:34

No. Uh and then joint joint tenth is Si Wu Kim and Wyndham Clark.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

No, I think Wyndham Clark's got a chance again. I don't think Si Wu Kim does. You know, I kind of butchered that top 10. Basically said most of them don't have a chance. They wouldn't be my pick. You know, they would maybe maybe on reflection, Chris Gotterup, I might flip to a yes. But I'm pretty comfortable with the others. I think there's some big names, you know, Morikawa, Shoffley, who I just don't I just don't think they're playing well enough. As simple as that.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

It's interesting. Like I, you know, that that obviously had a huge amount more being poured into it than the the previous ones that we've covered. Um, but it feels like the list of names is pretty much the same every time. Um yeah, so it'll be interesting. Uh, but I I do think the the non-major winner stat there it is potentially an interesting one. And so yeah, you would be leading to a Cam Young, a Chris Gotter up, like these are the kind of names that the jump off there, and and I think they got a chance. I I just don't think Sam Burns is gonna do it. Like I I know he's been close in a couple, but yeah, he's always fallen away, hasn't he?

SPEAKER_00 26:49

Every time. You know, he had the US Open last year in his hands for me. JJ Spawn ended up taking it, you know, another killer. Um I just don't think he's a I just don't think he's got the bottle under that amount of pressure.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

Yeah, well, really looking forward to it. Um, and what I have been doing, outside of obviously trying to trying to look at stats to pick winners and whatnot, is I've been looking at the Fanatics US Open merch website, which just I just thought it might give me a little bit of insight to what I'll be walking into. I don't know how how busy it's gonna be. So I just wanted to have like some level of preparation before heading into that to that merch tank because it might be the only chance I ever get to buy some some gear with a Shinnicot logo on it. So I've got a little shopping list going, couple of hats, polo, quite like the hoodies, think the hoodies are clean. Um, I'm gonna get the poster to add to my Lee Wobransky collection. And um and then I'm just gonna leave a little joker position. Like it could be anything. It could be a mug, it could be a tea towel, it could be I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

And I just wanted to leave it there, just be like, hey, just be open-minded, Steven. No, I like that. I think you know, similar to the gnomes at the Masters, you've got to have a miscellaneous spot where you just see it and you go, that's a bit of me. I like it, I'm gonna have it. So I'm I'm excited to hear about the haul that you're gonna bring home.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

Yeah, no, I'm excited as well. Um, in other news, great to see a slightly more positive reaction to one of your ranking lists. Obviously, got absolutely buried by the Ban in Dunes Mafia. Uh, but you seem to be back with uh with your private club ranking. Uh Locke Loman seems to be the can can kind of consensuous number one. Um that has to feel good.

SPEAKER_00 28:38

Yeah, it's nice, you know. I think um yeah, the Ban in Dunes Mafia, I think, missed the complete point of it because a lot of them, it was as if I'd murdered their whole family by just saying that old Mac was my favourite. Like, that's absolutely fine that you have other favourites. If it was such a stone wall, they would all have been exactly the same, but they also had variety and subjective elements to it. So, some of those people who really got personal and nasty, I'm just gonna say, get a life. Like, honestly, get a life. You're an absolute sad case. Like, if you're that worked up about someone else's favourite courses when they've played it once, you're a pathetic imbecile. So, yeah, it was nice to see um another list go down a bit better. Again, if it hadn't completely get it, it's a subjective list. Um, and that I think that's the the beauty of golf, isn't it? You know, everyone plays courses differently, everyone has preferences, and how you play, of course, impacts the golf course. And those that were saying, how can you rank a course based on that? I'm not an official ranker. I do what I like. Yes, it's your list. Yeah, create your own list, get your own podcast and create your own list.

SPEAKER_01 29:52

The the social media hate tribe is is uh is a group of people that I I can't understand. I don't think I've ever, especially when it's like a paragraph, it's just like you've actually sat there and thought about that. Like, come on. Um one question I did want to pose to you uh in the aftermath of the private list. Now, for people who listen to the podcast, they understand the context. I obviously clipped it in a way which made it suggest that potentially you literally just rank what you thought the top five out of the more than five that exist in the UK. Uh I believe the only one we didn't mention that you have played is Renaissance. Um Renaissance, I should say. Um where would that slot out of interest?

SPEAKER_00 30:32

That's a good question. Two, I think. Above quick. Really? Really? Yeah, damn. But again, but again, it depends on the day. We had you know, pure sun in Scotland in August, played it ri as good as I've got, stands were up, so you've got that added little bit of magic. I thought it was brilliant. I love stands up, yeah. Same. So and that and that that's why it will end up there. Yeah, I think if if it gun to my head, I'd say two. It could have slaughtered three with maybe a little bit more consideration, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 31:06

Yeah, nice. And and the other ones kind of that were mentioned along the way JCB, Skibo, um Ardfin, which yeah, we've neither of us unfortunately have had the had the chance to get on to. Um, amongst those comments, uh, there was a bit of confusion about what actually qualified for the list. There was probably half a dozen people that suggested that Sunningdale Old should be top, which yeah, but like you could just go and play it. So it doesn't get on a private list. But what I thought I'd crescendo us into as a little bit of a follow-up number, is um because Josh and I are sad, um, I know exactly the top ten, his top ten favourite golf courses in London, we'll call it, because uh yeah, I need to add some parameters in a couple of those, most of those private clubs that we mentioned are in London. So what I thought we'd do is I've got your top ten. I'm gonna I'm gonna spit them out to you, and I'm just gonna get you to blind blind rank them um into position and and give us give us a little little notes on each of if that's alright.

SPEAKER_00 32:08

Yeah, of course. And it's it's a difficult list, it's an ever-changing list, and and it is quite difficult when you say, like, how do we hold the geography to London? Because there's a couple that for me fall just outside, you know, played West Sussex last week. For me, that's a little bit too far out, but then one might argue that a couple on the list are a similar distance to the centre of London, but that's that's how we've done. Don't big us over the head for it, it's just a bit of fun and enjoy it.

SPEAKER_01 32:37

Alright, so Josh Blind ranking Josh's top ten London golf courses. So, first up, you've got Berkshire Red.

SPEAKER_00 32:47

I like I like the Bark, I like the Berkshire as a whole. I really think they're both excellent. I think the Red, just for its 666 combo, it nudges out the blue for me. You know, I think that's a pretty solid start. I'm probably gonna go six, just like sort of middle of the road, really enjoy it. Great club. Alright, second course, Hankley Common. It's another one that for me is right in that that middle ground. I think it gets it's criminally underrated in the rankings, but pro but then gets a lot of love as a result of that. I day by day would still prefer to play Berkshire Red, so for me it can't go ahead of Hankley Comb. Hankley Comb can't go ahead of Berkshire Red, I should say. But I'm gonna pop it in seven. I think it's right in that same mixer, in that same bucket. Alright, into some private stuff now.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

Wentworth West.

SPEAKER_00 33:40

I've got some things in my mind that are better in the London area. I think it is right up there. You know, I've been going to the BMW PGA championship for many years. Being able to have played that course after the design changes made it pretty special for me. Um, I'm I will pop that in the fifth spot though, because I do think there's better out there. This might be better. St George's Hill. Yeah. St George's Hill for me is is right up there as one of one of the great tracks in and around London. Um again, I've got a couple of them on mine that I think are a little bit better. I think the clubhouse is absolutely sensational. I think of course it's sensational, but but one of the iconic clubhouses of uh world golf. I'm gonna go for three.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Nice. Alright, a slightly smaller name now, Lip Hook.

SPEAKER_00 34:31

I had a great day at Lip Hook, played nicely. I think it's it's in and amongst a beautiful estate and has some fantastic holes. Um really enjoyed it. Uh I do, however, think it's towards the lower side of the ten that I've got, so I'm gonna I'm gonna pop it in the night spot.

SPEAKER_01 34:49

Another big boy, Swinley Forest.

SPEAKER_00 34:53

Loved it. I think it's sensational. I think another, yeah, another one of the iconic clubhouses. Um doesn't have that much crack there, but that's almost part of its charm. It's pretty um quiet and millionaire's golf, it feels like. I I'm gonna put it in number two because for me there is there is an outlier that has been mentioned um previously on the pod. So I'd probably in the two spot, but a phenomenal golf course. Walton Heath, old. So what have I got left? I've got the top spots, and then I've had six five, six, seven, and down. I'm gonna get I think I've got five, six, seven that have already been used, nine's been used. I think it's in the lower half, which is why I'm sort of trying to work out where I'm at in that in that lower part. I think it's better than Lip Hook. Um, I think just from its prestige tournaments it's had. Played it a couple of times, so I've seen it in in varying weather, so I can give it a bit more of an honest ranking. I'll pop that in eighth. Back to private, Queenwood. If St George's Hill is it if Swinley's two, St George's Hill's three, and the rest of them are taken, it's not better than those courses. It's excellent, but it slots in the fourth spot.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Nice. Okay, your one three W, West Hill.

SPEAKER_00 36:16

Oh, I think I've only got one and ten left, so uh that would really throw the listeners, I wouldn't, if I've spotted chucked it into the one spot. Uh I'm gonna put it in number ten again. Great course, really enjoyed it. Um, but just not what I'm waiting for, which I believe is there's one course that hasn't been mentioned that has to be there at the top.

SPEAKER_01 36:35

The three W hooligans would have been absolutely out for blood if we're still gone one. Alright, last one, Sunningdale World.

SPEAKER_00 36:43

Yeah, it's it's magic, it's number one, it's uh it's it's just one of those places you can't spend enough time at. And every time you set foot on property, it's just it just gets more and more special. You sit on the patio, you have the the Cajun chicken wrap, the fish finger, they're phenomenal. The coffee's great, the service is beautiful. Get down to the range, you're building it up, and you just get out there, played it in the rain, played it in the sun, played it in the wind, and you just enjoy it. It's just one of those places, pure magic, loved it, and always sits in the number one spot for me.

SPEAKER_01 37:22

Love it. So uh now I've got two questions to pose to you. What were the runner and riders that didn't quite make the top ten? And what were the runner and riders that you think would have, but you haven't had a chance to play them yet?

SPEAKER_00 37:37

So I'll start on the those that I think well, there's one that I think would be in there that I haven't played, which is Sunnydale New. Just by the rankings and what everyone's saying, that um I'm sure that will be in there. I just, as I said, haven't haven't played that golf course, seen it many a time. Um, Jasper to get on there. The other one that is consistently decent ranked, again, I I don't think it would get in the top ten, but I think it's um it's a question that I'd like it's of course I'd like to play and tick off, is Walton Heath New. Um, as I say, I don't think it would fall in that top ten, but it's certainly in the ranking list is up in and amongst that grouping. I've been very lucky to have played a lot of that, that sort of top 2025 um in and around the London area. Um so I would say that probably the only only notable miss is Sunnydale New. One I'd like to play is Walton Heath New. And then if I come on to some of the contenders on another day that would get in, sort of going slightly different area, Woburn, Marques. I think that's a really good golf course. Thoroughly enjoyed that. I think Royal Wimbledon is excellent, and I think could could certainly have been in there on another day. Um, and I think it's right in the same mix as the Lip Hook West Hill, that sort of vibe. Um Woking, Walplesden, we've got the other two W's in there. I think they're both fantastic tracks, uh, as I mentioned previously. Um, but just on currently how I've played the others, I think that's a pretty good list. But they they'd probably be the others I call out. You know, a lot of people are talking about the Addington. I didn't enjoy it. I don't think it's I don't think it's ready to be as highly ranked as it is at the moment. I think there's a few Mickey mouse holes, and I think it needs to finalise its changes. Have you played it post-changes yet? It was it was post-changes, but they were still Bedding. There was still a lot of work being done, and I think there still is a lot of work being done.

unknown 39:29

Nice.

SPEAKER_01 39:29

Yeah, it needs to be It'll be interesting what you think of the Walton Heath and new when you do get a chance to play it. Uh I have played it and I haven't played the old, and I kind of came away, it was a bit of a grisly day, but I kind of came away and I was a bit like meh, like there wasn't a huge amount of memorable on that golf course. But a very strong list. You have you've navigated your way well around the London area uh in in your short 30 30 odd years. Um right. Have I got anything else on my list before we get pucked into it? Well, one thing I'm just gonna just gonna throw out there, a bit of a tangent, but you know, got it on my list, haven't I? I went and tried on the trousers that Tommy Fleetwood wears in Lululemon about three weeks ago. And I can't begin to tell you how much of a tit I looked in them. I just wanted to throw that out to you.

SPEAKER_00 40:23

Well, yeah, I'm sure you did, because he looks like a tit in them, and anyone that wears them looks like a tit. So that doesn't shock me. That's not a dig at you personally, that is a dig at those trousers which are ridiculous.

SPEAKER_01 40:34

I I just had to look at myself and I was just I I pat myself on the back for being willing to try. That's how I had to frame it, you know? Yeah, yeah, it's a step ahead of me. All right, let's get into it. Destination time. We are going to the Costa del Sol today, and the reason we're going is because I was there two weeks ago, Josh was there one week ago, and somehow I have managed to navigate through 32 years of my life, and never have I flown down to Malaga and gone west through to the Costa del Sol. And I have come back, and the big question is what the hell took me so long? So we're gonna get into it. Um, Josh obviously has been many times and has lots of courses he potentially he could talk about. But what we're gonna do is um we both play one course the same over the last two weeks, and then we both played some courses different, and then we'll kind of expand from there. Any opening gambits on the Costa del Sol as our resident Costa del Sol expert?

SPEAKER_00 41:42

Uh yeah, my dad said some words to me many years ago that will always be top of mind. He says, Portugal's great. When you go to Portugal, when you go to the Algarve, you'll have a great time. You always just think not as good as Spain. And that is how I'm gonna set this up because I firmly believe that.

SPEAKER_01 42:07

Yeah, I I agree, and and I did a little video on socials where I was talking about first-time trips to Europe and like where you would go, and I kind of disregarded the Costello Sol just because I was like, look, if you've never been to Europe and you've got a big group and you just want something to be very straightforward, you're bringing in a lot of different options if you're going down to the Costello Sol, whereas I think the Algarve, you go just go quintilago or whatever, or go into Belic, and it's it's just like way more straightforward. But if you're actually doing a straight up ranking, for me has to be number one. So agree with uh Con and Senior there. Alright, so the golf course that we shared, I think we should start there. Los Naranos, which is is just north of Porto Banus, obviously one of the kind of hubs of the area. What were your thoughts on the course?

SPEAKER_00 42:56

So I'd played it about 15 years ago, just after the greens had been punched, and for the 06, 08, 08 Beijing Olympics, way back when we're talking a young, young JC, um we had a villa on there um and stayed for like quite a long time, and we stayed on what is the 15th hole, the par forward water, um the villas on the left there. So it was somewhere that I really wanted to get back to and get a feel for. I think we've got to cover off before we get to the course the clubhouse and the experience, because I do think that actually as soon as you come through the sort of the gate and you're from the car park, the whole setting is magnificent. I think the clubhouse is is is brilliant. They've got that fantastic ninth hole and halfway hut, I should say, overlooking the driver range that's not there anymore. It looks like it's probably gonna be um Villas. I think that I wonder if that's going to detract, given there's going to be no facility to warm up, which is just so I'll I'll jump in there.

SPEAKER_01 44:08

So uh I had a meeting with the guys when I was there, it's it's just being relayed, like it is still the driving reg. Yeah, yeah. So um that that practice facility, which was out of action for both of us, will be back in action and and and looking better than ever.

SPEAKER_00 44:21

That's great, because I I did think that that would be a miss. So that's that's really good. Great club clubhouse, great halfway hope. We managed to have some food afterwards, really, really good. And and what's always an interesting quirk is it's it's a massive Swedish community in Los Aircott. So um, you know, you've got your Swede Swedish corner and um all the the gravel acts and different bits and pieces that come with that. Um so I wanted to start by saying I was so impressed with the club, the actual you know, the the experience that that gave. I think it's a a bit of a tail of two nines for me with the the golf course. Um I think the front line is is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Um I think there's good variation on um some strong part threes, you've got a couple of shorter part fours, a couple of tough part fours, you know, pretty gettable part five, a couple of pretty gettable part fives, um, but still enough jeopardy when you're taking um the risk on. Whereas I felt like the back nine was a bit more of a field and just felt like some of the teak boxes you're in the middle of a big field, as I said. Um so I was slightly less impressed with the back nine than I was the front, but I think overall the course conditioning was decent, um, experience was was good, and I would certainly head back, and I can see why it has held uh you know ladies, ladies' European tour events and things like that um recently, because it's a good track.

SPEAKER_01 45:53

Yeah, I agree with that. It it's definitely a big enough track, a big enough facility that you can understand why uh a touring event has gone there. Um, yeah, echo your words. Beautiful, iconic clubhouse with that kind of terracotta style roof, which really kind of settles into the into the surroundings. It's in such a good location, like it is literally like 10-15 minutes up from Port of Banus, so it is yeah, like A on location. Um facilities fantastic, it's actually Swedish-owned, so that is why. Then, and they have they've got you go in the locker room and they've got little flags next to the member lockers, uh, and it's just covered in Nordic, Nordic flags, mainly Sweden. Um, I played the golf course, it it just been through maintenance, which they communicated very clearly. Um, and so hard to really give it its full grade. Um, but really nice day out, great setting, proper golf course off the backs. Um, and so yeah, just it was an all-round, very nice opening gambit. All right, let's get into some three piece stuff. Where's where does it sit for you?

SPEAKER_00 47:04

I think the the Pro Shop's good, albeit the logo's a little bit big and a bit square for me. Um so I'm gonna go Pro Shop, I'm gonna go four. I do think it had a lot of kit in there. Um well, I guess it's a it's a full three piece together, isn't it? So bear with me. I'm gonna go Pro Shop would be pretty strong. Practice facilities were non-existent, I appreciate their coming back, but I have to base it on on what I saw. And the patio is excellent. So I am gonna go with a four. I'm gonna go with a four with that. Um it's probably a 3.75, but we we deal in holes, well, 0.5s, and I'm gonna go for a four. Nice, and then the course? Four. I I think it's good, I think it's strong, but it didn't blow me away.

SPEAKER_01 47:48

Yeah, I think I echo all of that. Um, and I I think we'll get onto the the not blowing away um bit in a second. Like it's not you you get some kind of fiddly courses in the Costa Sol Sol, it's not fiddly, as I said. It's it's your ladies' European tour event, and you can kind of see why. I I think maybe it just lacks a bit of the dramatic. Um, and if the conditioning isn't absolutely superb, then I think you could maybe put it in like a little bit forgettable, would be what I would say. Um, but location's great, facilities great, great opening gambit. Alright, I'll throw it to you. Where did where else did you play um last week?

SPEAKER_00 48:32

So um we actually stayed in the Western La Quinta and played um played a round of golf there. Now La Kinter is 3-9 holes, so the A, B, and C, um, C being the newest, as you'd expect. And um at the time we we played A and B. Uh, I think again it's the conditioning of La Quinta was sensational, which having been there many a time, and actually the last time I played it last year, was was incredibly disappointed with the conditioning to the point where we weren't going to play it this year, but because we were on site and we're like, why not we'll go and have a knock? And I have to say the condition of it was better than Los Narancos, which was it was a real was a real surprise um to all of us. Um it certainly falls in the fiddly camp, it's cut in and amongst the rock and and the undulation that uh lends itself to that part of the world. Uh the A course has um some very gettable path fives, some short path fours, where I think even off the second, I think I hit A tine off the T and a wedge in. You know, like we're talking, it's really fiddly, there's some water, it's cut into the rock, and then the B course, you're probably not gonna pull driver unless you don't hit it very far. Um so my dad hit driver everywhere. Um but it's the B course is is an excellent track. I would say that us as a family, it has a place in our heart because we've been going back and we've played it for years and years and years. Um, and it was always nice to play with my dad and brother, my mum round um around Laush and Rancos, and then my dad and my brother around La Kinta. I think it's I think that's what golf, that's one of the beauties of golf, being able to have those really good competitive games with various people in your family off that using the handicap system. Um I think Los Nancos is a better golf course than La Kinta. Alright, far far off your rankings. So it's a three and a half golf course, in my opinion. And I think that the pro shops are pretty average, albeit quite big and quite a lot of merch. It's more like an American golf in that there's not really a logo on there. Um, the patio is sensational, and I will call out the club sandwich is super, one of the best in world golf. Um the practice facilities, there is a massive range up on the hill that actually you can see from Los and Rankos, but you can't hit anything more than probably a 180-yard shot because of the road at the bottom of that. So I'll probably say a three and a half, and three of that is on the patio.

SPEAKER_01 51:08

Very nice. All right, I'll reclaim the talking bean bag, and uh I'll I'll I'll take you off to what my second course was. I went up to uh Lakala, which is uh located uh near Mihas, so kind of more towards uh Malaga. Lakala's three courses, it's got Europe, America, and Asia. Um and a bit of a pig's ear to get to when you're we were saying Port of Benoit and uh you know had had a relatively healthy night um the night before. So the the winding roads up the mountains to Lakala. And I have to say, I I couldn't believe how just mountainous it all is, just kind of off the coast there. Not I was yeah, I just didn't that that was the thing that took me by surprise the most uh going there for the first time. So meandered our way up the mountains, and we played the Asia course, which I believe is is considered by the rankings to be the third of the three, but you kind of get up there and you you feel just away from it. You know, we've been in the hustle of bustle of port of bonus, and um Los Noranos very much feels like you're close to it. Um, whereas Lakala just feels like this different world up in the mountains. And the age of course probably is in the fiddly camp, but do you know what? I absolutely loved it. It was so dramatic, and you were kind of firing into these half pipes a lot of the time. Uh, and I played well, which it obviously helped to see the course in it in its proper design, but huge elevation changes, amazing views. I thought the conditioning was very good. Um, and and so I kind of came away, and I was just like, I had a much better golfing experience than at Los Naraniels. So, like, let's put it that way. Like, I thought the course was a significantly more fun track, perfect holiday track, you know what I mean? Where you you just want to go and just have a laugh and things make you think, and and it and it really did that. And so I'd be really interested to see what the other two courses are like because if that's their third course, then I think that resort's got got great potential. And I said, I just don't, it's not by the rankings looked upon that favourably, but um had a really good time.

SPEAKER_00 53:18

Have you been up there? I haven't, I haven't actually, and it's meant to be a very nice hotel up there as well, so it is a a very good like weekend destination. You know, you've got your three courses, and I want to actually just have a nod to the names of those courses. For whatever reason, I really like Asia America Europe course. I don't know why, it's just different, it's not old and new or a red or blue or whatever it might be. I just like that they've they've just gone for something a bit different, and um that that that's tickling me. I'm I've got to say I'm enjoying that, but yeah, I think I've only heard good things. The hotel's meant to be great, and if you're saying that the third course is excellent, well, we've got to go and check it out.

SPEAKER_01 53:59

Yeah, yeah, no, I had a great time. I said it's just a bit further away from it, but this is the thing, you know. I I was chatting to a friend and I was like, Oh, I was in Port Bonus Mar Bay last week, a couple of weeks ago, Pangarvin, he was like, oh, not for me. And I think there's this whole stigma that like the whole area is like only wears Essex and flashy and showy and tacky and whatever else, but like LaCala couldn't be further removed from that, as far as I'm concerned. So it's a bit like anywhere, like you know, there's quite a side twice beta. Like, there's there's there's pockets for for every shape and sizes. Hit you with some quick rankings, didn't didn't really get super tucked into the clubhouse stuff, but it like looked like a brilliant facility. Full driving range, which they have a free shuttle that kind of takes you to and from, so it's not like perfect, but like yeah, pretty damn good. Uh being to have a full warm-up logo stuff. Uh, I you you you mentioned it. I think the pro shops out there, certainly the ones that I went to, it is a bit American golfy. Um, they've got some logoed stuff, but nothing is like excellent. Um, and so do you know what? I'm gonna hit I'm gonna hit LaCala with a 4-4. Now, the course I said is a bit Mickey Mouse fiddly in places, but I've just had a really good time. And do you know what? It's my ranking, and we've we've talked about that already. Cool. All right, now I know you only played two last week, but I know you've played a lot more. So what I'm gonna do is gonna pass the beanbag back to you and maybe just fill in a course that uh kind of is relevant to the others we're discussing.

SPEAKER_00 55:28

Yeah, so um I'd probably go to a Rio Real. I think that's um uh a good option to supplement that side of the the Marbella Porta Banuse as opposed to moving south and going down towards um maybe some of the more established names down towards Soter Grande and the Valderama region. So I'm gonna go for Rio Real, which has had a recently um improved hotel attached to it as well, which which is um quite interesting. Another really good golf course, uh it's it meanders under the road at one point, so you have like a couple of holes on the other side of the road, but I'd certainly stick it in the in the Los Narrancos camp as opposed to a La Quinta camp, in that it's a little bit bigger, there's more of a property as opposed to more fiddly. Um and I I thought it was excellent. I really genuinely I've played it a couple of times, um and I've I've been impressed with it, with it both times. It's great hospitality, the restaurant is lovely, um, and as a result, the the patio is very good, overlooking the 18th. So I would say that if we're looking at a ranking, I mean I mean keep it in the forecamp. I think it's it's right in that in that block as well, but I think it's a stronger four than a Los Narrancos, um, based off what I've seen. And I think that yeah, the pro shot again, the logo isn't fantastic, and it's it's just uh an American golf style pro shot. The patio does overlook the the 18th, as I've mentioned, practice facilities. Did I go to it? Is that my fault having had a few jars the night before when we played it? Yes. Can I remember it that well as a result? Not really. So I'm gonna give it I'm gonna give it a four as well because I think it should sit right in the same number as Lost Around Cos.

SPEAKER_01 57:20

And I think, you know, hopefully the listeners are kind of getting this. There is just lots of really like solid stuff out there. Um, you know, from the ones I've experienced, the ones you've you've it just everything is kind of like, yeah, pretty damn good. And now there is a camp of very good out there, great, you may say, um, which we're gonna tuck into on a different episode, but like the the sheer volume of option. I mean, I I I think I think I Googled it. I think it's something like 70 courses between Malago and and Soto Grande. Like it's it's a very, very healthy golfing region, let's just put it that way.

SPEAKER_00 57:55

Um, yeah, it really is. And and just to you know echo that, you know, we we've left off anything that's even vaguely outside of that region. You know, you've got the two Villa Padena courses, you go down to Finca, San Roque, two courses, Valderama, Real Sotogrande. Then even if you are staying in the area, you've got you know Guadalmina, which is a very good course, you've got two courses at Attalaya, you've got Marbella Club up in the hills, which is sensational, very nice track. You've you've not even talked about Reals Aguileta, which is uh you know, the old is a um private club, the new you can get on. Like we can just name courses, and actually on the drive from Malagar Airport to Port of the News, it is literally you're on the motor and you go, golf course, golf course, and I think you probably could do it probably 11 times. Like it really is that often that you go, oh, another course. It's it's a great golfing place.

SPEAKER_01 58:51

You can imagine, like, first time there, I'm I'm out looking out the window, and I literally, with my friend Al literally had that experience. And I'm on the maps, and I'm like, oh, that's da-da-da. Um, yeah, there is there's a lot of golf out there. All right, so to finish it off on this little um little Costa Celso golf piece, um I played a course called Chaparral, which is kind of more towards Malaga, it's about half an hour west of um and I was I was there on a bit of a corporate corporate, big corporate do, industry corporate do, and so they got there, they knew this was this was like their advert to the world kind of day. And so let me tell you, the conditioning was unbelievable. Best greens by a country mile that we I played on um over the long weekend. Probably a bit of a mix of the two, it felt like, as a course. Um certainly had decent elevation change, uh, but not as dramatic as as Lakala. Um, but then you know, in places felt a bit bigger. So so yeah, very much a blend of Los Naranos and the Asia course at Locala. And as I said, the conditioning was probably as as good as yeah, I mean, it was as good as they can get it, I feel. And I I spoke to their um their kind of marketing director afterwards. I was like, was this like you know, the World Cup final for you? And they were like, Yeah, very much so. So um that so that was cool, had a beautiful, had a has a great terrace, um, sat out there, got served a beautiful three-course meal, kind of as part of the event, um, and had a really, really nice time. I'm gonna do exactly what we've done with all of them. It's a 4-4, it's it's just again another really good option. And and I use this word and I and I and I mean this in literally no derogatory way whatsoever. The courses we've mentioned for me all fit full into a camp that I would title filler. They are filler, they're not I'm not going home and being like, wow, this new course has got this course has gone into my top 10 I've ever played, or anything crazy like that. Like, they're not great golf courses, but there's just this mass of good, very good golf courses in the area. And I for one can't wait to get back out there and and and play some more.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:12

Yeah, and it's and it's that amount of courses that means you can tailor your trip to what you're looking for. You want the big courses, you can get it. You just have to travel a little bit further, or or base yourself in a slightly quieter area. If you just want consistently great golf, uh you can do all of those we've mentioned. If you want a mix of the two, it's half an hour. It's it it caters to every single type of trip that you're looking for. There are uh your your restaurants that have a little bit more of a vibe, you know, like your Lasalas, your breeds, and and some down in the Port of Benous region, or you could go a bit more authentic, go Los Abonicos, you could go to uh El Gaminal or in some of those different areas. So really you or even Cancha Dos, if we start talking about down into um the the steakhouse on the polo fields down towards Sutter Grande, you've got a little bit of of something for everyone, and I think that is the beauty of having the mass amount of courses and having the the nightlife to to boot, should you want that. There's just so much optionality, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:24

And I and I think um nightlife, you know, I'm still clinging on to my youth. Like, nightlife is still uh an appealing factor in in all of this. Um I'm not sure I'd run it quite how I ran it this time. Like I spent too much time down in the marina at Port Benous on you know the front row and the back row. People have gone, they understand what's in the back row. Um, and so I it wasn't until kind of late-ish on the Saturday where another friend of ours was out there and he was like, Oh, we've got a table at La Sala just finishing up dinner, why don't you come up there? Went up there and I was like, okay, this is this is definitely more the speed. So I I think I've got to do a bit of development work on my my kind of nightlife run, but it felt like it was there. And to be honest, I actually left a bit frustrated. I was just like, I feel like we've not not done what we should have done for the two nights we were there. Um, I didn't know, however, lots of people were like, oh, you know, Portman is so expensive, so expensive. I mean, yeah, like don't get me wrong, you can go and splash cash if you want to. But I actually felt like it was fine, like it didn't it didn't feel overly aggressive at all if you just picked your picked your spots right, like you know, went to a nice pizza place just up a bit from from the coast on the Friday, and then I can't remember what I did Saturday, but like you know what I mean. Like I really didn't feel like it was crazy, and then the green fees of these courses that in that filler um section are fine, like you know, just over 100, 150 euros, like I think that is very reasonable, and so I don't think people should turn their nose up at it as a oh, this is an expensive spot.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:57

No, I completely agree, and when you think about the courses, you know, really the the direct comparison is the Algarve. When you look at the courses that would fall into that filler part of there, um you're talking five, five and a half hour rounds, you're probably paying a little bit more than 150, but call it exactly the same one, 150 euros. But you you play these courses, there's a lot more availability. You're not going to be stuck behind a stagdo that's never played golf before. Now, there's always places for that, but when you're looking for golf, you want to just be able to get out and and play um a slightly quicker, and that's what that can bring as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:37

Yeah, I I tell you, I I did get the the the flight from South End Airport, which I think I was the only non-stag on the whole flight out there. But it was easy, it was cheap. Don't don't don't hate me for it. But uh yeah, uh yeah, I I think I think there's potential to find stag d's on courses, but I was lucky enough not to, and by the sounds of it, you have also been lucky enough not to. But um what a spot! Can't wait to go back.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:04

Absolutely, top, top spot for me.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:08

All right, um, nice, cool. All right, well, I said this is probably gonna be the last episode for US Open. Um big shout out to England, World Cup gets uh starts to kick off very shortly, first game tonight as we record this. Uh maybe just sign us off with your hopes and your and your dreams for for the summer uh over in America.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:28

Well, there's if we don't have a second star on the shirt, Tuchel's failed. That's what he was set out to do, and that's what we are going to do. Uh I believe in us, good performance last night. And I wouldn't be an England football fan if I wasn't completely delusional about our ability to win events, and I'm gonna stay in that delusional camp.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:50

And we'll sign off on that positivity. All right, Josh, thank you very much. Uh thank you very much, everyone listening. If you haven't subscribed already, please do. We are full program go off Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and we will see you in the next one.