The Cookie Jar Golf Podcast · Cookie Jar Golf

351 - Eclectic 18 Year in Review w/ Tom Mills

·1 hr 7 min

The episode opens with the hosts joking about the intro and whether enough energy has made it in. A sponsor mention gives way to a recap of a hard walking day at Kington. The hills are treated as part of the round, not just a footnote. One speaker admits to being nervous about filming a spotlight piece. That nerves did not come from the golf alone. It came from not having played much recently, spending an hour and a half in the nets the night before, and then showing up feeling a bit under pressure. The conversation settles into the shape of a golf day talked through after the fact. Kington's routing becomes the first real topic. After eight holes, there is a tee-box juncture that makes the next move feel a little unclear. The ninth is a par three back to the clubhouse, then there is a buggy ride in reverse along the same ground, and then the 10th tee sends play off in the other direction. The hole itself is discussed in concrete terms, with water running down the left and an island green pulling the eye. Pelicans are part of the scene, which gives the place a slightly theatrical feel. The talk keeps moving, because it is that sort of show. The sheds, the bridge shed, the backgammon shed, the paddle courts, and the art-deco swimming-complex feel all get a mention. The speakers enjoy the oddness of it. They also notice the houses with gardens backing onto the course, which makes the whole place feel like a bit of spectator theatre. Florida gets a small, dry tribute as a place that clearly suits retirees and golf. That leads into a side discussion about island greens more generally. One of the speakers asks whether the Kington green is the best island green played this year. The answer is no, which opens the door to another contender. TPC Sawgrass comes into the conversation, but not as the obvious pick. The 11th hole is singled out instead, and the tone is admiring rather than promotional. The hole is called a great par, and the tee position is noted as being so far back that it changes how the shot is judged. That kind of detail is the show's comfort zone. The talk then swings to another course reference, Blackwell, where a three-over 73 is framed as a useful benchmark. The hosts do not romanticise scoring. They talk about scraps, recovery, and the idea that a golfer probably has to produce something fairly special to go lower. A stress-free 73 is treated as a fantasy for most people. The more realistic route is simply hitting enough greens, two-putting, and keeping the round under control. One speaker says that getting comfortable with 12 or 13 greens in a round may be the real step forward. That is where the chat lands: less dream golf, more practical golf. The final note brings in a new Titleist T100 iron set. The episode closes without fuss. It has the feel of two golfers finishing a conversation the same way they start one, with a bit of teasing, a bit of self-correction, and a refusal to pretend the game is ever as tidy as it looks from a scorecard.

As heard by us

Kington's hills, island-green debate, and dry golf banter keep the conversation moving.

The episode starts with nerves, camera pressure, and a quick Foot Joy mention before settling into course talk at Kington. The hill hiking and the up and down dale routing give the conversation its shape, and the strongest stretch comes when the pair get into awkward routing,…

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Why you'd press play

If you want golf chat that turns Kington routing, nerves, and island greens into a proper argument, press play.

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