Crystal Downs Golf Club

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The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf

NewClub Golf Society

263 episodes

3 days ago

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

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Crystal Downs Golf Club

The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf

55 minutes

2 weeks ago

Crystal Downs Golf Club

What makes Crystal Downs a thinking golfer’s paradise?

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”) unpack the fractured mid-amateur landscape, lay out their plan for a first-ever U.S. Four-Ball Qualifier together, and then flip the mics as The Professor interviews Matt about his first walk at Alister MacKenzie and Perry Maxwell’s Northern Michigan masterpiece, Crystal Downs Country Club. From minimalist clubhouse culture to wind-swept strategy and ecology in full bloom, this one’s for design-curious golfers who love a course that makes you think on every shot.

The conversation dives into:

Mid-amateurs today: reinstated pros, club championships, and why four-ball is the perfect proving ground
Prepping for the U.S. Four-Ball: roles, strategy, and a putter identity crisis
First impressions at Crystal Downs: the scenic approach, the “no sign” mystique, and a welcoming, golf-first vibe
Clubhouse culture: small, timeless, and egalitarian (yes, ball washers on every tee)
Ecology and feel: monarchs, wildlife, native plants, and how they elevate the experience
Routing, wind, and strategy: severe contours, half-par tension, and the unforgettable 5–8 stretch
Patience and stewardship: tree management, preservation, and letting the course reveal itself
History: MacKenzie/Maxwell lore, the connector par-3, and a 1970s “walk up and join” story

Crystal Downs Country Club
🏌️ Website: https://www.crystaldowns.org

📖 Top 100 Golf Courses profile: https://www.top100golfcourses.com/golf-course/crystal-downs

Join 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/newclub

Links & Partners
🐝 NewClub: https://www.newclub.golf

🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com

Listen to The Bag Drop
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf/id1430328006

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xRWtUBJH8RazdLw14oaGH

🎧 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/633c8703-5880-4522-bd6d-5967b45fc777/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf

🎧 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-bag-drop

🎧 Transistor: https://thebagdrop.transistor.fm/

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/

Contribute to the show!
🗣️💬 Email: thebagdrop@newclub.golf

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and context
02:40 The mid-amateur landscape
05:47 Prepping for the U.S. Four-Ball Qualifier
08:31 Anticipation of Crystal Downs
11:28 The drive and arrival experience
19:33 Clubhouse ethos and culture
24:21 The ethos of improvement
25:19 First-tee jitters
26:34 Ecology and wildlife at Crystal Downs
28:06 Course design and natural beauty
30:02 Playing Crystal Downs
31:38 Legacy and accessibility in golf
34:09 Completeness of the golf course
36:00 Flow and strategy in course design
37:53 The challenge of Crystal Downs
41:55 Comparative course analysis
44:16 The legacy of Alister MacKenzie

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.

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.