Talk Birdie To Me

It's a huge episode this week, so much to unpack from Valhalla. And we kick it off with 'jail confessions'. Have Nick or Mark been to prison? One has, and one nearly did. We hear the stories of what happened at the start of the pod. But then onto Scottie Scheffler. Not often you see a golf pro in prison midway through a tournament - in fact it is probably the first time ever! Nick and Mark discuss what happened and how it impacted ...

After Nick O'Hern returned from playing Tara Iti and Te Arai in New Zealand a couple of weeks ago, making Mark Allen extremely envious, we decided we needed to find out more about this incredible place. And who better to talk to than one of the founders of, and head honchos at, the courses, Jim Rohrstaff.

Jim talks to us about how they built the courses, and the story of how they found the land parcel is a ripper. He tells us ab...

This week, Nick and Mark are flying solo, every chance this could go pear-shaped. No time to worry about that, cos Mark has info on the Golf Digest Top 100 that he wasn't aware of last week, and he feels sheds further light on the rankings. If you haven't heard our bonus pod with the head honcho of the Top 100, Steve Keipert, worth checking out. Mark asks Nick to outline if he were doing what Steve does, what parameters would he us...

A couple of weeks ago Golf Digest released their Top 100 Golf Courses in Australia list, and Royal Melbourne West was knocked off the #1 perch by Cape Wickham in Tassie. It created plenty of talk. Some people felt it was well deserved by Cape Wickham, others felt that Royal Melbourne should have retained the top spot. If you've not seen the list, you can find it here.

One of the people in the latter category was Mark Allen who, ...

Big week at Talk Birdie To Me HQ, plenty to discuss, and Mark is excited to be playing one of Nick's fave courses this week, Cathedral.

We chat Ripper GC's LIV win in Singapore, second in a row for the Aussies. Hopeless last year, on fire this year, says Nick. The hopeless team now in LIV is the Majesticks. Nick and Mark discuss playing Sentosa - water always a factor. And we kick around how many majors Brooks Koepka will end up...

Hold everything. Mark has come in worked up, he is not happy that Cape Wickham has been named the #1 golf course in Australia by Australian Golf Digest, and says that they have clearly got it wrong. Mark says that the list (see it here) has now lost all credibility and whilst he loves Cape Wickham, it is not the #1 course by a long shot. Mark believes the list should be immediately changed as it is clearly flawed. Love your thought...

A ripping bonus pod today!

Former World #16 Nick O'Hern and former Tour Pro Mark Allen chat with US Pro Golfer Hannah Gregg, who has just been in Australia playing a couple of tournaments.

Hannah shares her views on our courses, in particular the famous Sandbelt and names her favourite Aussie course. We were aware of one run in with a snake while Hannah was here, but she shares a story about a second snake incident. Perhaps ...

Mark is excited about how many people he is seeing on golf courses and driving ranges at the moment, saying interest in golf feels to be at an all-time high, Nick agrees. The carpark at Australian Golf HQ is chockers. And even though TV ratings are down Nick and Mark discuss if that may be due to people watching on smartphones...there'll be people way smarter than us who can figure that stuff out.

Fine wins in a row for Nelly Ko...

We love to receive your voicemails, some are questions for Nick and Mark, others are you simply leaving a comment or a story. So, from time to time, we'll pop a voicemail in the Talk Birdie To Me podcast feed.

Today, we've got a voicemail from Scott Mitchell in Brisbane who left a message about not aiming for the pin, putting Nick's course management advice from last weeks episode into his game at the weekend. How'd it go? Well...

What a weekend in Augusta. Lots to unpack, and Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen whilst tired, are ready for a debrief on The Masters.

Scottie Scheffler, a huge victory, with exceptional game management according to Nick. And his putting was a lot better, although still room to improve, which Nick and Mark call 'scary'. Last week Mark said, of the notable players, he felt Scheffler couldn't win. We've filed last weeks pod under 'episod...

We're live here on Saturday arvo Australian time for a bonus US Masters pod 'after the cut'. Not from Australian Golf Headquarters, but we've hooked up the trusty old Zoom and got all high tech!

Nick and Mark discuss The Masters so far. The wind has made it tough, very tough to play but Nick says 'a joy to watch'. Mark said that on day 1 Bryson DeChambeau played some of the most special golf he's seen. However, he has done a rev...

Being Masters week, we have a fantastic bonus pod this week.

The pod is in in two parts. Firstly, pod listener Mitch from Sydney wrote in and asked how you get into caddying, and make a career of it. We thought, who better to ask than Simon Clarke, who has been a caddie on the pro tour for 30+ years and is currently in Augusta caddying for Aussie Jasper Stubbs who is playing his first US Masters this week. Clarkey talks us throu...

Masters week, one of the most exciting weeks in world golf! Nick and Mark loved seeing some of the pictures and videos of Drive, Chip and Putt Day at Augusta at the weekend, and were impressed with some of the young ones, but amazed at the composure of the kids playing in front of some icons of the game.

But back to the Masters. Nick believes that there is nothing like Masters week, the energy, the feel, the media focus, he love...

Okay we always say it, but it's always the case - another big week in golf, and Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen will cover it all. Nick is at Cathedral in Victoria today on the dodgiest wifi connection we've ever heard, and Mark is at Australian Golf Headquarters in Melbourne on a fantastic connection.

But no time for that......in breaking news, Mark has heard, from someone in the know, in the know, that a decision on where the 2024 ...

A fantastic bonus episode of Talk Birdie To Me today. Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen have a chat with the legendary Peter 'Chook' Fowler about his career, life, and specifically his short game tips and experiences.

It's a wonderful listen with plenty to be learnt from an icon of the game. If you enjoy it, we'd love it you share the episode around with anyone else you think may find it interesting, sharing like that really helps us o...

Hatgate.

The Talk Birdie To Me WhatsApp group has been going crazy this week. Mark is grumpy about the lack of a Tara Iti hat, Nick is unapologetic that he should not be regarded as a hat courier for people. How does it all end? We find out on the pod. The elephant, or hat, in the room needs to be discussed before we get to any golf chat.

After that convo, we get to the golf. Mark has had a sneak peak at the new Commonwealth ...

Today the gang is back together. Nick is back from Tara Iti and Te Arai in New Zealand and Mark is back from The National at Cape Schanck. And Mark is keen to find out all about Nick's experience on the New Zealand courses. Did they live up to expectations? Or did they disappoint? Nick talks us through it. He describes Tara Iti as tough, fiery and brilliant, and reckons Te Arai has nailed the experience for golfers, and for familie...

We're doing Talk Birdie To Me internationally this week, well in part anyway. Nick O'Hern is at Tara Iti and Te Arai in New Zealand, and Mark Allen is at Australian Golf Headquarters in Melbourne. Mark is ever so slightly jealous of Nick being at Tara Iti as he's not played it and wants to! Nick is playing Tara Iti this week, but over the last few days has played the north and south courses of Te Arai, and he discusses the two cour...

We've hit the road this week for Talk Birdie To Me, and we're coming live from The National Golf Club at beautiful Cape Schanck in Victoria.

Nick and Mark are excited to discuss Hannah Green's fantastic performance at the weekend, where she scored birdies on the final 3 holes to win in Singapore. Brilliant. Birdie, birdie birdie! Nick and Mark both love what Hannah has achieved over the past couple of years, although Nick is ann...