The Firm & Fast Golf Podcast

Episode 66: ODG Shorts - AB Babington Part 3 - Harry Shapland Colt at Royal Portrush

May 8th, 2025  |  31 mins 49 secs

In this episode Sir Anthony details the modernisation of the Royal Portrush Links under the combined efforts of HS Colt, JSF Morrison, Franks Harris, ABB & Hugh McNeill.

Episode 65: ODG Shorts - A.B. Babington Part 2 - Early Days at Portrush

April 30th, 2025  |  18 mins 11 secs

In this episode of the continuing series, we learn about Sir Anthony's early golfing days on the North Coast of Portrush. He also covers the consequential matters of extended tenure, security and opportunity that access to additional golfing grounds to the east of the town afforded the wider membership. The thorny history of Sabbatarianism also raises its head through a golfing lense as he teases out how this matter was resisted, debated and resolved over the course of the mid 1920's.

Episode 64: ODG Shorts - A.B. Babington Part 1 - Trinity & Dollymount

April 22nd, 2025  |  14 mins 35 secs

Exploring the life and golfing times of Sir Anthony Brutus Babington through the medium of his unpublished writings and historical recollections. Babington became friendly with Harry S Colt during the post WW1 reconstruction of The Royal Dublin Golf Club at Dollymount. This would lead to additional collaboration between the two men at Royal Belfast, Belvoir Park, Royal Portrush and with John Morrison at Cairndhu GC in the mid 1950's.

Episode 63: Chris Breen - Superintendent at Rosapenna Golf Resort

April 9th, 2025  |  1 hr 27 mins

Chris Breen the Resort Superintendent at Rosapenna joins us today for a chat about his journey in turf. From playing golf as a young fella at Ballbofey & Stranorlar GC, Chris moved into greenkeeping after a successful career as a professional football player in the League of Ireland. He has been the Superintendent at Rosapenna since 2019.

Episode 62: ODG Shorts - Thomas Gilroy - an evangelist of golf

March 29th, 2025  |  26 mins 27 secs

Tom Gilroy was one of the first pioneers of golf in Ireland. Scottish by birth he influenced the early growth of the game in Ireland through his associations with golf Royal Dublin, Royal Belfast, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, County Louth and many others.

Episode 61: ODG Shorts - Michael 'Dyke' Moran of Dollymount

March 15th, 2025  |  19 mins 32 secs

A short pod remembering the golfing exploits of Michael 'Dyke' Moran of Dollymount, Ireland's very first Champion Professional Golfer.

Episode 60: Looking Back, Moving Forward: The R&A Golf Heritage Conference 2025

March 6th, 2025  |  1 hr 22 mins

Mike Morrison joins us on this episode to mark the start of the R&A & BGCS Heritage Conference at St Andrews which will be held over two days in March 2025.

Episode 59: Mat Goggin returns with an update on the 7 Mile Beach Project

February 27th, 2025  |  1 hr 49 mins

Mat Goggin joins us again for an update on developments at 7 Mile Beach in Hobart as the first course approaches the final stages of grow in and plans are afoot for it's little brother on the 5 Mile Beach/North side of the property. Messrs Clayton, De Vries, Goggin, King, Collins & Dormer have been busy of late and we get the low down on one/two of the most eagerly anticipated golf projects anywhere in the world.

Episode 58: ODG Series #7 - Discovering Alex Russell with Neil Crafter

February 20th, 2025  |  1 hr 27 mins

Neil Crafter and Dr John Green published the definitive biography of Alex Russell, Neil joins for this episode to delve into the life and times of Australia's greatest home-grown golf architect.

Episode 57: The Addington with Ryan Noades

February 13th, 2025  |  2 hrs 8 mins

Ryan Noades of The Addington Golf Club joins us in this episode for a long overdue chat about the ongoing restoration work he is overseeing adjacent to Shirley Church Road in Croydon, South London. We hope that we don’t get too far into the weeds as we discuss - poa green cores, clay drainage pipes, heather propagation and marginal gains…. I suspect time will tell…. Please enjoy and thanks for tuning in!

Episode 56: The Ancient Arts of Golf with Iain Forrester

January 9th, 2025  |  1 hr 33 mins

Iain Forrester is the head professional at Hoenshuis Golf & Country Club in The Netherlands. A master craftsman, historian, writer, hickory champion and writer. He joins us for a chat about hickory golf, club repair, restoration and more.

Episode 55: Trailer for The Ancient Arts of Golf with Iain Forrester

January 8th, 2025  |  3 mins 52 secs

fred daly, golden goose putter, john letters, open championship, royal troon

Iain Forrester is a Scottish Golf Professional who has been based in The Netherlands since 1988. He joined me recently for an extensive chat about Hickory Golf, Golf in the Netherlands and his life in golf. This is a story he forgot to tell us, thankfully I managed to press record again before we ended our studio time. The conversation was most enjoyable and will be released over the coming days... keep an eye out!

Episode 54: The Irish Golf Wanderings of Mr. Richard J. Pennell

December 5th, 2024  |  1 hr 37 mins

Aspiring honorary Irishman, Richard Pennell, joins us on this episode to reminisce about the four golf trips he undertook to Ireland over the past 12 months. He classes it as 'work', it's well for some :).

Episode 53: Mike Clayton Returns to F&F

November 21st, 2024  |  1 hr 36 mins

Mike Clayton joins me on this episode and provides us with an update on grow in at 7 Mile Beach, The Sandbelt Invitational, the Australian Summer of Golf and some local projects that Clayts, Harley Kruse and Lukas Michel have been working recently.

We also explore the challenges the flatter sites present to the course designer, the relative under appreciation of English Golf, Tom Simpson, CDP in France, why routing and flow are important elements in course design and some bucket list design projects.

Episode 52: Colin Byrne - The Bagman

October 10th, 2024  |  1 hr 3 mins

Colin Byrne is a major winning golfer who has worked for many of the very best modern players, we take a quick peek at 40 years of carrying a golf bag on the major worldwide tours.

Episode 51: ODG Series #6 with Philip Truett on Herbert Fowler and related off piste golfing matters

July 12th, 2024  |  1 hr 31 mins

William Herbert Fowler led an interesting life... born into the privilege he excelled as a cricketer, golfer, golf course architect and professional gentleman.. with the help of Philip Truett, we endeavour to unravel some of his life and times to understand his importance within the golden age of golf course design and beyond.