Author Michael Balkind on Sudden Death, great golf in Cozumel, taking on Oakmont, hitting Nike's SasQuatch metals

Hear this latest episode of TravelGolf.com This Week.

The competition at The Masters is always brutal, but what if one of the PGA Tour’s brightest stars was playing the event under a death threat? That’s the premise of the upcoming golf book Sudden Death. In this week’s podcast, host Dave Berner talks to author Michael Balkind.

“It follows the leader of the Tour, Reid Clark, down to The Masters,” Balkind says. “The last day of The Masters, he receives a death threat. The threat says he can win The Masters, but he can’t win any future tournaments. He was in the lead - now he has to learn how to play with this angst of a death threat.”

Cozumel, Mexico, is known for beautiful beaches, but it’s also got some great golf, according to National Golf Editor Tim McDonald.

“There’s one course on the island: Cozumel Country Club,” McDonald says. “The good thing about it is, one, it’s a good course. Number two: if you stay at the Playa Azul hotel, you get free greens fees.”

The PGA Tour stars had trouble playing U.S. Open-venue Oakmont, so how do you think you’d fare? Staff writer Brandon Tucker got a chance to play Oakmont the day after the Open.

“There’s such little room for error,” Tucker says. “You won’t get a lucky bounce on this course. It’s got to be a perfect shot; in that case, it might be okay.”

Plus, Berner talks about why he wanted Tiger to win at Oakmont.

In this week’s ‘Whata You Like’ segment, golf blogger Ron Montesano talks about the Nike SasQuatch metals.

“I have a brand new SasQuatch Nike three metal and a five metal that I am hitting absolutely up in the heavens,” he says. “I’ve never hit the ball like this.”

This podcast is supported by Pioneer Golf and Florida Golf Travel.