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Fairway Fools

Fairway Fools

Written by: Fairway Fools
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About this listen

Your journey from terrible to slightly less terrible. Two brothers guide new golfers through equipment, etiquette, expectations, and everything you need to know to enjoy golf without embarrassing yourself.Fairway Fools Golf
Episodes
  • Offseason Survival Guide - Stay Sharp When It's Cold
    Oct 31 2025

    Season 1 finale! School's back, winter's coming, and Steven hasn't touched a club since their last recording. David shares his offseason survival tactics while Steven questions whether putting practice indoors is actually enjoyable.

    What we discuss:

    • Why offseason maintenance feels impossible (spoiler: putting inside isn't as fun as golfing outside)
    • David's putting mat routine: mark distances, practice speed control, miss = restart
    • Indoor practice alternatives: plastic ball chipping into laundry baskets
    • The motivation problem: taking golf out of nature makes it less enjoyable
    • Simulator memberships and why Steven's wife's office setup is perfect
    • Book recommendations: Ben Hogan's Five Lessons and Rick Reilly's Who's Your Caddy?
    • The great caddy debate: Steven thinks they just hold clubs, David defends their spiritual importance
    • Steven's offseason assignments: get a putting mat, experience a real caddy, play D&D

    Key moments:

    • Steven's confession: "Putting inside doesn't feel quite as enjoyable"
    • David's discipline plan: 10 putts before starting work each day
    • The caddy revelation: "You think they just hold clubs?! That's offensive!"
    • Steven becomes David's caddy: "I'm telling you what's next for you"
    • David's accountability check: did NOT drop handicap to 14 as promised
    • Steven's accountability check: never played 18 holes (complete fail)

    Bottom line: Winter makes golf maintenance tough because the joy is being outside. But putting mats, plastic ball chipping, golf books, and simulators can keep you sharp until spring. Also, everyone needs to experience a real caddy at least once.

    Season 1 recap: David failed his handicap goal, Steven only played executive courses and never conquered 18 holes. See you next season when the frost clears!

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    25 mins
  • Course Management for Beginners - Play Smart, Not Hero
    Oct 3 2025

    Steven's range session went terribly - huge divots, grip problems, pure frustration. David uses the Ryder Cup's analytics approach to explain course management: minimize mistakes instead of trying hero shots you can't pull off.

    What we discuss:

    • Steven's catastrophic range session and why trying harder made it worse
    • The "holding an egg" grip philosophy and finding flow state
    • Fall golf tip: don't use yellow/red balls when leaves are changing
    • How Team Europe "moneyballed" the Ryder Cup with simulation analytics
    • Course management = playing defensive, not trying to slam home winners
    • Why "if I flush my 6-iron" thinking leads to snowmen on scorecards
    • Steven's argument that life is more fun with less risk (and scrolling phones)
    • The extreme debate: conservative golf vs. YOLO hero shots
    • Sam Ryder's legacy and how enthusiast fools create lasting traditions

    Key moments:

    • Steven couldn't figure out why he was so bad the entire range session
    • David's confession about not being able to hit a chip for weeks
    • The ping pong serving analogy that Steven completely rejected
    • Steven's philosophy: "I don't regret being careful" (said sarcastically)
    • The escalation to "most people just want to scroll phones safely at home"
    • Discovery that Sam Ryder died in 1936 and never saw what he created

    Bottom line: Course management means playing conservatively and minimizing mistakes. Don't be a hero when you're not qualified - aim for sevens instead of posting eights trying impossible shots.

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    19 mins
  • Invest in Yourself - The Lesson Game Plan
    Sep 19 2025

    Steven wants an angry golf instructor to yell at him like a wrestling coach. David shares his lesson experiences - from terrible virtual sessions to finding the right in-person instructor - and explains why Steven's limiting himself to 9 holes is disappointing.

    What we discuss:

    • Steven's executive course commitment and why 18 holes sounds "exhausting"
    • David's disappointment as golf ambassador - did he oversell the difficulty?
    • Steven's request for an abusive golf instructor (spoiler: that's not how it works)
    • David's three instructor experiences: two virtual disasters, one great in-person
    • How to find the right instructor: look for awards, competition experience
    • Red flags: virtual lessons, green flags: instructor of the year accolades
    • The importance of documenting lessons and practicing between sessions
    • AI coaching potential vs. human interaction preferences
    • Steven's economics approach: maximizing equilibrium of golf joy at 9 holes

    Key moments:

    • Steven interpreting David's 18-hole advice as "just stick to 9 forever"
    • The wrestling coach golf instructor fantasy gets shut down immediately
    • David's virtual lesson instructor who bragged about being too busy to help
    • Steven's business professor approach to "optimal level of enjoyment"
    • David having to cut the episode short with a "hard out"

    Bottom line: Good lessons require the right instructor match - look for credentials, avoid virtual sessions, document everything, and practice what you learn. Also, don't let honest expectations about 18 holes scare you away from the full golf experience.

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    13 mins
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