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The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in GolfA golf podcast about life. Author: NewClub Golf Society
A golf podcast about life. Weekly stories from the culture, community, and characters shaping the game today. The Bag Drop blends honest authenticity with expert insights for passionate golfers at every level. Produced by NewClub and supported by its members, each episode welcomes guests from clubs, courses, and the lesser-known corners of the golf world for thoughtful discussions on all things golf and life. Founded in 2017, NewClub is the first of its kind golf society in the United States; blending the community and access of a private club with the variety and affordability more typical of public golf. Members enjoy thousands of reserved tee times, competitions, and events at exceptional partner courses across our local chapters, plus signature trips and exclusive perks. NewClub is on a mission to revolutionize golf membership, making the game more meaningful for all those who love it. Listen, rate, review, and subscribe to The Bag Drop: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf/id1430328006 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xRWtUBJH8RazdLw14oaGH SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-bag-drop Transistor: https://thebagdrop.transistor.fm Learn more about NewClub: https://www.newclub.golf Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Where Golf Still Feels Like Golf: North Berwick to Royal Melbourne
Episode 275
Monday, 20 April, 2026
What if the places we romanticize most in golf aren’t perfect at all, just alive in a way we rarely get at home?In this episode of The Bag Drop, host Matt Considine and cohost Dr. Kevin Moore (a.k.a. “The Professor”) sit down with Joshua Ralston, professor at the University of Edinburgh, North Berwick member, and the voice behind Golfing Scotland on Instagram, to explore what makes a place feel real even when the postcard version wears off.From East Lothian to Melbourne’s sandbelt, this is a conversation about club culture, architecture, competition, travel, and the difference between famous golf and golf that still feels lived in. If you’ve ever wondered why some places stay in your head long after the trip is over, this one gets at the answer.The conversation dives into:How Josh fell in love with North Berwick, and why Scottish golf changed the way he thinks about score, competition, and what a round is supposed to feel likeWhy Melbourne sandbelt golf hit him so hard, from Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath to the broader feeling of finding “his Scotland” somewhere newWhat actually separates Scottish links from Australian sandbelt golf: firmer greens, strategic bunkering, subtler landforms, and approach shots that matter after the ball landsWhy club culture feels different in Scotland and Australia than it often does in the U.S., from bounce games and Stableford to honour boards and rounds that actually mean somethingThe hidden-gem conversation every golf obsessive eventually has: Dunbar, Panmure, Woodlands, Barwon Heads, St Andrews Beach, and where the magic still lives once the famous names get crowdedSupport our Partners🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com🌐 Golf Blueprint: https://www.golfblueprint.com🐝 NewClub: https://www.newclub.golfConnect with our guests⛳ Joshua Ralston — 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golfing_scotland/ | https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-joshua-ralstonSubscribe to the show:🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf/id1430328006🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xRWtUBJH8RazdLw14oaGH🎧 Transistor: https://thebagdrop.transistor.fm/Follow The Bag Drop📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebagdrop 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/thebagdropgolf 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBagDropGolfJoin the NewClub community🌍 Website: https://www.newclub.golf📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newclubgolf/🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/newclubgolf📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@newclubgolf💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newclubConnect 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/Chapters00:00 Introduction 06:59 Joshua Ralston returns 11:25 The Profontication on ego, comparison, and what actually gives golf meaning 17:16 How Josh ended up at North Berwick 27:53 How Melbourne happened 32:50 Why Melbourne felt different 36:01 Competition culture, Stableford, and rounds that count 43:00 Sandbelt golf vs. Scottish links 58:56 St Andrews Beach and Australia’s next tier 01:08:51 What Melbourne costs and where the value is 01:14:43 Five courses in Scotland 01:19:07 Five courses in Melbourne 01:24:08 Can American golf recreate real club culture?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.
