Most golfers play for years without fully understanding how golf scoring and handicaps actually work. In this episode of the Birdie Board Podcast, Corey breaks down several golf concepts that many friend groups misunderstand, including score differential, handicap indexes, stroke indexes, ready golf, net vs gross scoring, and maximum hole scores for handicap purposes.

If you've ever wondered how the handicap system really works, why your handicap isn't your average score, or how net scoring is calculated, this episode explains it in a simple and practical way for everyday golfers.

Whether you're new to golf or have been playing for years, this episode will help you better understand the systems that make golf competitions fair and fun.

Golf Is Better With Friends

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Last week’s episode on controversial golf rules sparked a surprising amount of engagement in Birdie Board short clips, which got Corey thinking about why certain topics light people up online. Instead of diving into the psychology, Episode 23 pivots into something practical: how amateur golf should be structured so competition is normal, fair, and actually enjoyable.

Corey breaks the episode into five pillars:

1. Normalize competition: golf is one of the only casual sports where people often avoid competing, even though competition is what makes games feel meaningful.
2. Skill-based tee boxes: most amateurs play too far back, which makes par feel impossible and the round feel like a grind.
3. Stroke play and personal par: handicaps exist to balance skill differences, and understanding stroke allocation helps you know what “par for you” really is on each hole.
4. Competing with friends without it getting weird: agree on rules before teeing off, keep enforcement structural, and build shared buy-in.
5. The amateur forgiveness framework: optional pre-agreed rules like max score limits, OB as red stakes, lift/clean/place, and the gallery rule to keep things fair and moving.

Corey also shares a few Birdie Board updates, including removing players before a match starts and fixing medal emojis for tied leaderboard spots.

Golf Is Better With Friends

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Learn more at 🌐birdieboard.golf

Episode 22 is all about the golf rules that spark the biggest arguments, especially among amateurs. Corey shares what kicked this off, a viral video about divot relief, then walks through a list of the most debated rules in the game and why they feel so unfair or confusing in real rounds.

You’ll hear thoughts on leaving the flagstick in, accidentally moving your ball on the green, the infamous “divot in the fairway” rule, temporary water relief, and why out of bounds penalties feel so brutal for everyday golfers. Corey also digs into gray areas like provisional balls, asking for advice during a round, and the bigger question behind all of it: should amateurs always play exactly like the pros, or should friend groups agree on modified rules as long as they’re honest about their scores?

If you’ve ever argued about white stakes, divots, or what “counts” as your real score, this one will hit home.

Golf Is Better With Friends

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Episode 21 covers two big topics: a quick recap of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (the first signature event and first non cut event of the season), plus the final installment of the rules series with a deep dive into rules on the green.

Corey breaks down what actually counts as “on the green,” what to do when you end up on the wrong green, how order of play works (and when it can become a penalty in competition), and the key mechanics of marking, moving, and replacing your ball correctly. He also covers common edge cases like puddles on the putting surface, accidentally moving the ball while marking, hitting another ball on the green, the 10 second rule for balls hanging on the lip, and when you must replay a stroke due to outside interference.

To close it out, Corey shares a Birdie Board content idea: recreating the “Reebok Invitational” YouTube golf tournament inside Birdie Board to show what that match could have looked like using the app.

Golf Is Better With Friends

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Learn more at 🌐birdieboard.golf

Out of bounds might be the simplest rule in golf, but it’s also one of the easiest ways for amateurs to throw away strokes.

In Episode 20, Corey breaks down everything you need to know about white stakes, what “out of bounds” actually means, and why it’s often smarter to miss toward a red-staked penalty area instead. He also explains exactly how provisional balls work, when you’re allowed to play one, and what to do when you find your original ball but it’s still basically impossible to hit.

To wrap up, Corey shares a quick winter practice update, including how practicing swing mechanics without a ball has helped him lock in better angles and tempo, plus a few Birdie Board updates and a request for early season feedback.

Golf Is Better With Friends

⛳ Download the Birdie Board App (Free)

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Learn more at 🌐birdieboard.golf

In Episode 19 of the Birdie Board Podcast, Corey breaks down penalty areas in a simple, practical way. You’ll learn the difference between yellow stakes and red stakes, what actually counts as “in” the penalty area, and the two core decisions you always have: play it as it lies, or take one penalty stroke and use your relief options.

Corey walks through the exact drop options for yellow stakes (back on the line or re-hit) and the extra option you get with red stakes (two club lengths). He also covers common real-world situations like uncertainty about whether your ball is actually in the penalty area, identifying your ball in messy spots, what you can and cannot move, and what happens when your attempt to play out of the penalty area goes sideways.

Golf Is Better With Friends

⛳ Download the Birdie Board App (Free)

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Learn more at 🌐birdieboard.golf

In this episode, Corey shares a winter golf swing breakthrough after his first simulator session of the offseason. He breaks down two sneaky angle mistakes that wreck consistency for amateurs: rotating the lead wrist too much and letting the hands drift off center too soon. Using simple “degrees” checkpoints (including what many pros do, 0 to 20 degrees of lead-wrist rotation, and a tight range for hands staying centered), Corey explains why big angles create big timing problems, especially with longer clubs like the driver.

You’ll also get a practical at-home drill you can do without a ball: pause your swing, bring your hands back in front of you, and check your wrist and hand position instantly. Corey wraps with an easy tempo cue (a 1-2-3 count with a slight pause at the top) that helps the body start rotating before the hands, which can reduce slices and that “handsy” feeling. Perfect offseason work to build a more repeatable, “boring” swing that holds up for a full round.

Golf Is Better With Friends

⛳ Download the Birdie Board App (Free)

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Learn more at 🌐birdieboard.golf

Bunkers can be intimidating for amateurs, and the rules inside them are more nuanced than most golfers realize. In Episode 17, Corey breaks down the bunker rules that actually matter, including what counts as being “in” the bunker, how to handle a ball that disappears in soft sand, why you can’t ground your club, and what to do when there’s standing water.

We also cover practical situations like rakes and movable objects, abnormal bunker conditions, footprints and unraked lies, unplayable ball options (including when you can leave the bunker), and what happens if a bunker shot goes out of bounds. To wrap up, Corey shares Birdie Board updates, including recent releases, login improvements, and ways to opt into the email list.

Golf Is Better With Friends

⛳ Download the Birdie Board App (Free)

• Download from the Apple App Store
• Download from the Google Play Store

Learn more at 🌐birdieboard.golf