A country that loves a drink almost never drinks on the golf course. That's not temperance — that's the whole story.
In this episode of The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf, host Matt Considine and co‑host Dr. Kevin Moore (a.k.a. “The Professor”) sit down with Scott Warren (New South Wales Golf Club member and co-host of the Australian Golf Passport podcast) to explore what Americans get right and badly wrong about Australian golf — and why the difference comes down to a single word: competition.
The conversation dives into:
- Golf as a sport, not a pastime: comps 5-6 days a week, markers, no gimmes, and why nobody's drinking on the course
- Mixed-gender golf that works at the club level — and Scott's critique of the co-ed Australian Open
- Stableford done properly, technology, and the case for a rollback so a ball bounces again
- What Australian golf actually costs, from Barnbougle to top-tier club fees, vs. the US
- The fight to save civic golf in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide (North Adelaide, Moore Park)
- Under-credited architects Alex Russell and Mike Clayton, and Greg Norman's cultural weight
- Junior golf, the eroded pathway to the pro ranks, and the next five years of the Australian Open and LIV Adelaide
- A Bluey tangent worth staying for: Bandit, and the Custard connection
Connect with our guests
🇦🇺 Australian Golf Passport podcast — https://australiangolfpassport.com/
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📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/australiangolfpassport/
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Connect with Matt & The Professor
🎙️ Matt Considine — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/consequential85 | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consequence18/ | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-considine-103bb21/
📚 Dr. Kevin Moore ("The Professor") — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/kevcmoore | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevcmoore | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-moore-177b30b3/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: coffee, eating on golf trips, and why men host podcasts
08:22 Partner break: Titleist, New Club fittings, and finally putting the seven wood in the bag
10:02 Scott Warren joins: what Americans actually get right about Australian golf
11:48 The depth question: the 35-40 courses we romanticize vs. the ~450 that exist
13:41 Golf is a sport, not a pastime: why Australians don't drink on the course
16:43 A day at the club: comps 5-6 days a week, markers, no gimmes
19:59 Mixed-gender golf: why it works at the club and why the co-ed Australian Open didn't
28:28 Scale, technology and the case for a rollback; a persimmon what-if
29:38 Stableford done right — and Scott's issue with the American version
34:20 Playing from the wrong fairway: Tiger at Firestone, Greg Norman over the oak
38:20 Norman's cultural weight; Aaron Baddeley and the ones who nearly made it
44:15 Junior golf, pennant, and the pathway to the pro ranks that's eroded
53:36 The next five years of Australian pro golf: LIV Adelaide, the Open, the money
1:01:28 Civic golf under fire: North Adelaide, Moore Park, and who these fights really hit
1:07:31 What an Australian club membership actually costs vs. the US
1:15:39 Bluey, Bandit, and the Custard connection
1:19:09 Getting in: waitlists, proposers, and the quiet power of a members' list
1:23:24 The origin of the Australian Golf Passport, and golf media that won't just say everything's great
1:33:17 Under-credited architects: Alex Russell and Mike Clayton vs. the McKenzie romance
1:39:25 Barnbougle, King Island and Seven Mile: destination golf that's still affordable
1:43:01 Spiders, snakes, and selling the family on Australia
What is The Bag Drop?
The Bag Drop features weekly stories from the culture, community and characters shaping golf today. Produced by NewClub Golf Society, each episode blends authenticity and expert insights for passionate golfers at all levels. Special guests from clubs, courses and every corner of the changing landscape join us for thoughtful, in‑depth discussions on all things golf.
What is NewClub?
Founded in 2017, NewClub is the premier private golf society in the United States. It blends the community and access of a private club with the variety and affordability of public golf. Members enjoy thousands of reserved tee times, competitions and events at exceptional partner courses across our local chapters, as well as signature trips and exclusive perks. NewClub is revolutionizing golf membership, making the game more meaningful for those who love it.
