Episodes

Explore the science, engineering, and artistry behind the world’s greatest golf courses.

Latest Episodes

1. How Golf Courses Control Green Speed (And Why It Changes Every Day) — Green speed is controlled through mowing height, double-cutting, hand-rolling, topdressing frequency, moisture content, and temperature. Each 0.001 inch of cutting height change shifts the Stimpmeter by 1 foot.
2. Golf Course Secrets: The 3 AM Operation — Between midnight and 7 AM, eight crew members execute a precise sequence: irrigation completion, dew removal, mowing greens then tees then fairways, hand-rolling, topdressing, hole cutting, and bunker raking.
3. How Augusta Decides Exactly Where to Put the Pin — Pin positions at Augusta are selected from a pre-approved book months in advance. Each position is engineered based on green firmness, weather forecast, broadcast angles, and tournament strategy.
4. Why Augusta’s White Sand Costs $10,000 a Ton — Augusta’s bunker sand meets exact USGA particle-size specifications. Wrong sand produces fried eggs, ball plugging, and drainage failure.
5. How Augusta National Gets Perfect Grass for The Masters — Augusta runs a year-long species transition to achieve Masters-week conditions. Poa trivialis overwinter, peak at tournament time, then fade as bermudagrass takes over.
6. Augusta Turns 50,000 Patrons Into a Maintenance Tool — Augusta doesn’t protect its turf from patron foot traffic. It engineers patron foot traffic to manage its turf through strategic ropes, gallery routes, and cart paths.
7. The Masters Ends Sunday. Augusta’s Real Work Starts Monday. — After The Masters gallery empties, Augusta’s crew has 11 days to restore 18 championship holes through aeration, footprint repair, sod replacement, and drainage inspection.