Episodios

  • 065 - Surviving and Thriving: Jack Percival’s Story of Resilience
    Nov 20 2025

    Bledge and Jack sit down for an unfiltered conversation about Jack Percival’s rise from foster care and graveyard shifts to becoming a respected course manager. They cover his early struggles with literacy, battles with addiction, and how greenkeeping gave him purpose.

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    1 h y 10 m
  • 064 - From seed to sale: How Inturf Service Sports Pitches
    Nov 6 2025

    Bledge and Stephen sit down to dig into the real business of growing turf — from supplying Wembley and Wimbledon to feeding the nation’s show homes. They chat about soil science, family legacy, precision tractors and why rolling contact is everything. A deep dive into turf farming you’ll never look at your lawn the same way again.

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    1 h y 5 m
  • 063 - From Stimp to USGA Smart Ball: Measuring What Matters on Modern Greens
    Oct 30 2025

    Bledge and Sam sit down with the USGA’s Jeff Kinney and Wes Stewart to dig into GS3—the Bluetooth “smart ball” that reads speed, firmness, smoothness and trueness—and why firmness might be the ultimate defence of great golf. They get into Deacon's role as the data hub, a new moisture meter that maps watering decisions, and how better metrics help communicate with golfers, not just set up championships.

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    1 h y 7 m
  • 062 - Royal Liverpool’s Robot Revolution with Craig Stoba (Husqvarna)
    Oct 16 2025

    Sam Cooper and James Bledge sit down with Husqvarna’s Craig Stoba to unpack how lightweight GPS-guided mowing robots are changing daily set-ups, from virtual boundaries and millimetre-precise heights to 24/7 schedules that improve turf health and free up greenkeeping time. We get into worm-cast wins, winter cutting on wet sites, and that headline week when fairways were cut autonomously at the Women’s Open. There are app alerts, “goblin goat” selfies, and a candid look at how architecture and maintenance choices evolve when robots take care of the grind. 

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    1 h y 14 m
  • 061 - From Cattle Stations to Toro: Bradley Taylor’s Greenkeeping Rise
    Oct 9 2025

    Sam and Bledge sit down with newly crowned Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Bradley Taylor to unpack a whirlwind few years: Australia’s outback, a Belfry apprenticeship, tournament stints from Celtic Manor to Yas Links, and a move to Beau Desert Golf Club. They dig into a tough winter of disease and snow, the sand-heavy recovery, the switch to creeping bent, and the power of transparent comms with members. Plus the small matter of axe throwing and archery at the finals.

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    1 h y 9 m
  • 060 - From Valderrama to Blackwell: Ben Lovett’s Greenkeeping Adventure
    Sep 25 2025

    Bledge and Ben sit down in the boardroom at Blackwell GC to unpack a life in turf— from junior days at Trevose and Valderrama to East Lake, Troon North, Australia, Spain and the Turkish Airlines Open. Ben lifts the lid on Blackwell’s quirks: port and brandy in the clubhouse, the legendary 12th “snake” bunker, and a downhill par‑3 on 13 that inspired Bobby Jones. We get into widening fairways to ~15 hectares, clever tee moves that flip hole angles, drought realities with limited irrigation, and a thoughtful tree plan with Frank Pont and co. It’s proper strategic parkland golf—firm, fast, fun.

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    1 h
  • 059 - Crafting Royal Portrush: Graeme Beatt on Fescue, Robots & Links Magic
    Sep 19 2025

    Bledge and Graeme sit down at Royal Portrush after a dawn ferry crossing to dig into Graeme’s journey from Scotscraig and Kingsbarns to course manager at one of the world’s great links. Covering fescue-first green conversions, managing anthracnose and dollar spot, reimagining bunkers, and the build-out ahead of Portrush’s Open where Scottie Scheffler lifted the Claret Jug.

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    52 m
  • 058 - Nine, Twelve, or Nothing: Rethinking Golf’s Next Chapter
    Sep 13 2025

    Sam and Bledge sit down to kick around what golf might look like in ten years’ time: fewer tired 18s, more brilliant 9s and 12s, and multi‑use hubs with sand‑capped, fescue‑forward turf that stays open when the rain never stops. Spurred by Alistair Beggs’ warning on chemicals and heavy soils, the lads pull apart a model that turns a failed 18 into a free‑draining nine plus a range, 3G football, padel, a Himalayas‑style putting green, nature trails and a buzzy food court—keeping green fees closer to £35 than £350 by letting the profitable bits subsidise the golf. Along the way: reversible routing, spreading wear, bunkers as a maintenance cost, and why Topgolf is a gateway—not the game.

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    42 m