Episode 202: Patrick Cantlay’s Favorite Things
Wed Jan 28 2026
Despite playing more great golf courses than most could dream of, Patrick Cantlay is a self-proclaimed 10-handicap in golf course architecture. But he’s working on it. In this episode, he sits down at The Medalist Club with TGJ's Tom Coyne and Casey Bannon to share a Tour player’s perspective on architecture: why green complexes matter more than any other defense, what Riviera's collection of greens teaches about variety, and why he's pushing back against the trend of tree removal. He also discusses the genius of Pebble Beach's routing, the thankless work of course setup, and whether Chicago Golf Club could host a major. Along the way, Cantlay opens up about growing up at Virginia Country Club with coach Jamie Mulligan, reading Cormac McCarthy and Marcus Aurelius between rounds, playing gin in smoky card rooms and what he remembers most about walking into his first U.S. Open at 19. It's a rare look inside the mind of one of golf’s most cerebral players.
The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT
The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.
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Despite playing more great golf courses than most could dream of, Patrick Cantlay is a self-proclaimed 10-handicap in golf course architecture. But he’s working on it. In this episode, he sits down at The Medalist Club with TGJ's Tom Coyne and Casey Bannon to share a Tour player’s perspective on architecture: why green complexes matter more than any other defense, what Riviera's collection of greens teaches about variety, and why he's pushing back against the trend of tree removal. He also discusses the genius of Pebble Beach's routing, the thankless work of course setup, and whether Chicago Golf Club could host a major. Along the way, Cantlay opens up about growing up at Virginia Country Club with coach Jamie Mulligan, reading Cormac McCarthy and Marcus Aurelius between rounds, playing gin in smoky card rooms and what he remembers most about walking into his first U.S. Open at 19. It's a rare look inside the mind of one of golf’s most cerebral players. The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT The Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.