Golf Podcast: next on the tee

Conspiracy Theories Abound on the PGA Tour We Get Into Those Plus Western PA Golf, Wisconsin Golf, and Getting Kids Involved in Junior Golf...

On this episode, I'm joined by Top Instructor Tom Patri, Pittsburgh Sports Talk Radio Host Paul Alexander, Wisconsin Golf Hall of Famer Gary D'Amato, and US Kids Top 50 Master Professional Chris Knobloch.
Tom Patri and I talk golf conspiracy theories like Jon Rahm leaving for LIV, why Rory resigned from the PGA Tour Policy Board and looking at moving back to England, why NBC Sports let Paul Azinger and 15-year Producer Brandt Packer go, and what happens if the LIV/PGA Tour merger doesn't go through.
Paul Alexander can be heard on 93.7 The Fan up in Pittsburgh. He is an expert on not only Pittsburgh sports, but also Western PA golf. I get his thoughts on the Steelers now that Matt Canada is gone plus if the Penguins can make to the post season. Paul recently emceed the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony and we hear about that night and in particular Mke McGee, Annika Sorenstam's husband, inducting his father Jerry McGee. Jerry was a 4-time winner on Tour and a part of the victorious 1977 Ryder Cup team. Paul also shares a great story of how he went from caddying for Arnold Palmer at a Pro-Am to teaming with Hale Irwin to beat Arnie and his partner.
Gary D'Amato is an Officer for the Golf Writer's Association of America and is also a member of the Wisconsin Golf Hall of Fame. He's written several books one of which is autobiographical titled, A Perfect Childhood, Growing up in the 1960s with Baseball, the Beatles, and Beaver Cleaver. He shares his stories about what it was like growing up in the 60s, stories many of us can relate to. We also talk Wisconsin golf, the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills, and the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Gary has covered every Masters since 1993 and we hear about his chance meeting with a young Tiger Woods in 1996 and what it was like watching Jack Nicklaus make a run at a 7th Green Jacket at age 58 in 1998.
Chris Knobloch is a US Kids Top 50 Master Professional. He takes us inside his junior golf school and how he gets kids excited to play golf at a young age. We also get some advice for us as parents on how to allow our kids to enjoy the game without the pressure of our expectations for them.

What if the PIF/PGA Tour Partnership Doesn’t Go Through and Is There Real Interest in the TGL League?

We get into those questions and much more with my guests: Hall of Fame Instructor Jim McLean, former Tour Player and all-time great Analyst Frank Nobilo, the Starter at 23 US Opens Ron Read, and PGA Tour Advance Rules Official Stephen Cox.
Jim McLean has been inducted into 4 Hall of Fames. His list of awards and accolades as an Instructor are too numerous to list. I get Jim's thoughts on how we can build confidence in ourselves and our game's, how to raise our play to tournament level, and the one thing we can do today to lower our scores this weekend.
Frank Nobilo won 14 times around the world, he finished in the Top 10 of all 4 majors, and is now an all-time great Analyst. We discuss why PGA Tour players are overpaid, what could happen if the PIF/PGA Tour partnership doesn't go through plus, we go back to his T4 finish in the 1994 US Open at Oakmont, and what it was like being on the course at Augusta National as Greg Norman was collapsing in 1996.
Ron Reed worked for the USGA for over two decades and was the Starter at the US Open from 1986 to 2010. We hear his memories of announcing Arnold Palmer in Arnie's final US Open at Oakmont in 1994, who Ron thought was the most nervous player he ever saw standing on the first tee (his answer will surprise you), being there for Payne Stewart's triumph in 1999 and Phil's heartbreak in 2006. You'll also hear the heartwarming story of presenting Tom Watson's caddie Bruce Edwards with the flag from the 17th green from the 1982 US Open. We also get the story of the beaver who halted the 1990 US Amateur Public Links tournament. Follow Ron on Twitter @golfdinosaurrr and get his book, Starting the US Open, Shinnecock to Pebble Beach online at www.ronread.com or on Amazon.
Stephen Cox has been a PGA Tour Rules Official since 1997. We hear about some of the unpopular rulings he's had to give out over the years and the players who didn't agree with him. We learn about the job the Rules Officials do which goes way beyond riding around in a golf cart handing out penalties. They are responsible for course setup and playing conditions and sometimes they are working on those things a year in advance of the tournament. We also discuss the rule he thinks the USGA & R&A need to take another look at. You can follow Stephen and his peers plus send them your rules questions on Twitter @pgatourrules.

How To Score Well This Winter Plus Holiday Gift Ideas, & My Conversation with Rob Labritz...

On this episode two of the Top Instructors in our game, Tom Patri and John Hughes, join me along with Champions Tour Pro Rob Labritz and PGA Tour SuperStore Chief Merchandising Officer Randy Peitsch.
Tom Patri and I also reflect back on two great feel-good stories from the Bermuda Championship in the T8 finish by Tyson Alexander and the inspirational victory by Camilo Villegas.
Champions Tour Pro Rob Labritz, PGA , and I go back to his journey through Champions Tour Q-School in 2021. We talk about the pressure involved getting from round to round. He was the medalist that year which earned him his Champions Tour card. We also talk about perhaps the best bogey save I've ever seen that Rob sank on the final hole at the TimberTech Championship which earned him the final spot in last week's Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Randy Peitsch is the Chief Merchandising Officer for the PGA Tour SuperStore. He shares several great gift ideas for the golf enthusiast in our lives, even if that person is us. We hear what his Top 3 gift ideas are plus some great new tech items that have recently hit the shelves. We also get into Tiger & Rory's new TGL League. Arthur Blank not only owns the Atlanta Falcons, he also owns the PGA Tour SuperStore and the new Atlanta franchise in the League. We talk about the team, the players, and how the SuperStore is going to be involved.
We round out the show with PGA Master Professional John Hughes Golf. I tap into John's expertise on how adjusting our grip pressure can help us make more of the slick downhill putts. He gives us some mental tips when we're faced with pitching over a pond, and how to get more distance off the tee. John also hosted a couple of golf schools up at McLemore this year. He got a firsthand look at the second course that Bill Bergin and Rees Jones are Co-Designing up there called The Keep. Rees shared with us a few months ago that it's so good it could host a major tournament one day. John walked the course and shared his perspective on what we'll see when that course opens in the Spring.

John Cook, John Mahaffey, Bob Friend Jr., & Eric Johnson Join Me...

This week I am joined by 2 legends of the game, John Cook and John Mahaffey, plus one of the great players in Western Pennsylvania history Bob Friend Jr., and Top 100 Instructor and Pittsburgh native Eric Johnson.
John Cook and I go back to his epic victory at the 1983 Canadian Open when he defeated Johnny Miller on the 6th playoff hole. We hear how, in his 2nd season on Tour, he held up to the pressure of trying to win arguably the 5th biggest event on Tour at the time, over a legend like Miller. We also get into the great things his father Jim did to advance PGA Tour purses plus John's course design work.
John Mahaffey won the 1978 PGA Championship at Oakmont. We go back to that tournament and hear what it was like for him to get that win after having lost 2 previous US Opens. John would double down on that PGA victory by winning the very next week at the American Optical Classic over the only Optometrist on Tour, Dr. Gil Morgan. John also shares his memories of being a part of the victorious 1979 Ryder Cup team and why it's the most scared he's ever been.
Bob Friend Jr. was a grinder on Tour for over 20 years. He's also one of the best players in Western Pennsylvania golf history. He won the 1984 & '85 Western Pennsylvania Amateur Championships. He backed that up by winning the '85 Pennsylvania State Amateur Championship. We hear about all 3 of those victories plus insights into some of the other great area courses he enjoys including his own club, Oakmont Country Club.
Eric Johnson has been named a Top 100 Instructor for over a decade now. He spent 17 years at Oakmont CC, several of which were as the Director of Instruction. He's now at Yellowstone Golf Club in Big Sky, Montana. We hear about Yellowstone and some other great Montana courses that should be on our list to play. Eric recently took a trip to Southern California where he played Monterey Peninsula CC, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, and Spanish Bay. If that wasn't great enough, he followed that up with a visit to Pine Valley. We hear about all of that plus we get a tip for how to play better as the temperatures go down and the turf gets harder.

Talking Arnold Palmer, Pittsburgh Field Club, Western PA Golf History, What It Takes To Play College Golf, Plus Remember When $40K Was A Big Winner’s Check...

On this week's show, I'm joined by the great Tom Patri, 9-time winner between the PGA & Champions Tours Tom Purtzer, the Pittsburgh Field Club's Head Golf Professional Chris Sheehan, and the Curator of History at Oakmont and Allegheny Country Club, David Moore.
TP and I go back to his 1981 D2 National Championship while he was at Florida Southern. We hear about the penalty levied on him and his team in 1980 that cost them the National Championship and how they used that to fuel them to win it the next year. Tom shares some advice for kids and their parents looking to play college golf and he talks about the great player that Andy Bean was. We lost Andy a couple of days ago.
Tom Purtzer won 9 times between the PGA & Champions Tours. One of the many amazing things about his accomplishments is that he won tournaments over the course of 3 different decades, winning in 1977, '84, '88, and '91. We get into one of his professional wins not on the PGA Tour, a 10-stroke victory at the 1979 Japan vs. USA Golf Matches. He also takes us inside his conversation with Ben Hogan at the Champions Dinner prior to the Colonial National Invitational.
Chris Sheehan is the Head Professional at the Pittsburgh Field Club. Chris has worked at some of the most prestigious courses in our country like Oak Hill, Inverness, and Lebanon Country Club. Along his golf journey, he got to work with Bill and Craig Harmon. Chris and I get into the rich history of PFC. The club is 142 years old and beginning preparation for their 150th anniversary in 2032. We hear about Alexander Findlay's original course design plus the Hall of Fame Designers who have tinkered with the course over the years like A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones, and Tripp Davis. We also hear the tale of the 18th hole which was transformed from a 275-yard Par 4 into a Par 3 after a few members died climbing up the steep elevation change from the tee to the green.
David Moore is the Curator of Collections at Oakmont and Allegheny Country Clubs. David tells some fantastic Arnold Palmer stories that give great insight into who Mr. Palmer was. We go way back and hear the history behind the first 25 years at Oakmont. He also shares his insights on the origin of the Stimpmeter, the Golf Heritage Society's National Convention, the work he did at Montclair Golf Club in New Jersey, and an inexpensive DIY project to display your autographed golf balls.

Keith Hirshland, Hal Sutton, Jeff Tracy, & Dr. Bob Winters Join Me...

On this episode of Next on the Tee, I am joined by one of the all-time great Authors and Golf TV Broadcast Producers Keith Hirshland, PGA Tour Legend Hal Sutton, Host of Grilling at the Green & BBQ aficionado Jeff Tracy, and top Sports Psychologist Dr. Bob Winters.
Keith Hirshland is my all-time favorite author and one of the great people you get to meet in this life. He's written 6 wonderful books including "Song Girl, A Mystery in 2 Verses" (watch out for the CT Mascaro character), "Cover Me Boys I'm Going In, Tales of the Tube from a Broadcast Brat (my all-time favorite book), and his latest is the second installment in the Murphy Murphy series this one is titled, The Case of the Commission on Cliches. You can get all of them out on Amazon or www.keithhirshland.com. Keith and I talk about what mischief Murphy gets into this time around. It's going to be such a fun read. Keith is also the Producer of the LIV Golf broadcasts. We hear his thoughts on Season 2 of LIV golf, if he thinks there will be a Season 3 plus some of the cool new drone technology they're looking to use if/when Season 3 comes around.
Hal Sutton has become a dear friend and someone I am so thankful for. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his new course design called Darmor Club located just outside of Houston. It's an old-school Scottish design using templates from C.B MacDonald and Seth Raynor. He has created a course that we can all enjoy. It is certainly on my bucket list to play. In addition to hear about Darmor Club, I also get Hal's thoughts on the Ryder Cup and if NIL deals are about to infiltrate the world of golf. Hal also shares his disappointment about how playing on Tour used to be about the privilege of playing the PGA Tour and playing for the charities each week. It was them first and you second or third. Now it's about self. You can stay up-to-date with Hal by going online to www.halsuttongolf.com or following @halsuttongolf on social media.
Jeff Tracy is a BBQ Master and the Host of the Grilling at the Green show. Jeff shares his excitement over his recent first trip to a Bucee's. He talks about their barbecue and the wall of jerky. Jeff expounds on Hal's thoughts of giving back, doing for others, and the importance of benefit golf tournaments. We also talk about the crossover between the golf and horse industries AND we get his recommendation for a great barbecue sauce and rub so you can become King of the Grill. Check out Jeff online at www.grillingatthegreen.net and www.bbqnationjt.com
Dr. Robert Winters is one of the top Sports Psychologists in our game. He shares a wonderful story about Arnold Palmer and the putting tip Arnie gave him as a teenager when Bob attended one of Arnold's golf academies in Pennsylvania. That tip would pay dividends years later when they played together at Bay Hill in 2007 and Arnie needed to sink a few putts to win a side wager. We also learn techniques for how to calm ourselves down after a bad shot and the importance of self-belief. Plus we hear about Dr. Bob's sports vision research that can lead to improved putting. To get more information about Dr. Bob plus mental game tips online at www.theconfidencedoctor.com or email him directly at drbob@drbobwinters.com

Conquering Your Gof Mind, Resurrecting Some Iconic Brands, Remembering the 1994 US Open at Oakmont, Developing a Swingless Club, & Weekend Warrior Rules of Golf...

This week I'm joined by LPGA Top 50 Instructor Debbie O'Connell, Simon Millington CEO for MacGregor, Ram, Ben Hogan, and Zebra Golf, 2017 & 2018 Senior Italian Open Champion Clark Dennis, Power2Golf Co-Founder & CMO Steve Fluke, and our Resident Director of Instruction Tom Patri.
Debbie O'Connell is a multi-award winning Instructor. She is doing great work on the mental side of the game. Debbie shares what flow state is and how we can get into it so our minds are freed up to perform at peak levels. You can watch her Master Class titled, 5 Keys to Unlocking Flow State, free using the link below. You can also get her Flow State ebook by texting FLOW to 727-339-0106.
https://debbie-oconnell.com/unlock-your-brain
Simon Millington is resurrecting several of the iconic brands in golf, like MacGregor, Ram, Ben Hogan, Zebra, and Teardrop. We hear about the MacGregor MT86 irons, Ram FX77 irons, what makes Zebra putters, formerly used by Raymond Floyd and Nick Price to win majors, the easiest putters to line up, and the exciting relaunch of the Ben Hogan Golf brand coming next month.
Clark Dennis started his college golf career at the University of Arkansas where he was teammates with John Daly. Clark says John has been the same guy going all the way back to their junior golf days. Clark turned pro in 1986 and we hear about his first victory on the then Nike Tour defeating Jim Furyk and Sonny Skinner in a playoff at the 1993 Bakersfield Open. Clark finished T6 at the 1994 US Open at Oakmont. He watched from the 10th fairway as Arnold Palmer walked up 18 for the final time in his US Open career. He right in the thick of it until the back 9 on Sunday. We also hear about Clark's back-to-back Senior Italian Open titles and how he came from 6 shots back during the final round of the 2017 Dutch Masters tournament to take home the trophy.
Steve Fluke is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer for Power2Golf. They've designed a swingless golf club for adaptive golfers who can no longer swing a club. It's a fascinating device which players can dial up distances, change trajectory, and hit fades and hooks. He takes us through what is literally the rocket science behind the club.
Tom Patri joins me in the final segment and we discuss the weekend warrior rules of golf plus rules we'd change if we were Commissioner for a day.

Girls Night Out II Featuring Suzy Whaley, Brenda Calcavecchia, Megan Younkman, & Gianna Rojas

It's Girls Night Out II this week on Next on the Tee featuring my guests: former PGA of America President, now President of Golf Nation Suzy Whaley, Mark Calcavecchia's wife, part-time Caddie and better half Brenda, Junior Golf Leader of the Year Megan Younkman, and Adaptive Golf Instructor Gianna Rojas.
Suzy Whaley was the first female President of the PGA of America. She is now the President of the new golf platform Golf Nation. We hear about the great shows they've created for Golf Nation including Three Courses featuring my recent guests Gabi Powel and Hannah Lerner. We also hear about Suzy's show Do I Know You, which is a Dating Game like show with Tour players and their spouses. Suzy and I also breakdown the Solheim Cup, the Ryder Cup, whether players should get paid to play, and her participation on the Legends of the LPGA Tour.
Brenda Calcavecchia is not only Mark's wife, she's also his part-time Caddie. She provides her perspective of Tour events through the eyes of a Caddie during the day and a wife in the evenings. She shares which events treat the caddies well on Tour and RV life, going from tournament to tournament.
Megan Younkman is the Director of Instruction at Bethpage Black. They are already making preparations for the Ryder Cup in 2025. If you thought the European crowd was harsh, wait until the event comes to New York City in '25. We hear about the other courses at Bethpage, which one is her favorite, plus keeping pace of play moving on the Black course. Megan was just named Junior Golf Leader of the Year and when you hear her talk about her junior program you'll understand why. She's fantastic!
Gianna Rojas was born without a left hand but she has never let that stop her. We hear how she got started playing golf and ultimately created her fantastic adaptive golf program. She shares all the wonderful benefits that golf has on our physical and emotional well-being. She talks specifically about her adaptive golf program and the work she's doing getting more people to learn or re-learn how to play. Check out her program at www.adaptivegolfers.org

Fixing the US Ryder Cup Team...No Problem...4 of the Top Instructors in the Game Tell Us How

I am joined by 4 of the very best Instructors in our game this week on Next on the Tee. We not only recap what took place at the Ryder Cup, we also have some thoughts on what the US team can do to win next time around in 2025 at Bethpage.
Hear Tom Patri, Frank Darby, Andy Traynor, and Rob Strano share their insights on what the European Team did right, where the US Team went wrong, who the US Captain should be perhaps for the next two Ryder Cups, how soft the US team has become, and why singing and player chants actually do give the European team an edge. Andy Traynor also provides some tips to help improve your short game.

Talking Ryder Cup with Mark Calcavecchia, Amateur Golf & Impact Zone Training with Bobby Clampett, Speed Training with Virgil Herring, & Caddying for the Legends with Larry Malestic...

On this episode I'm joined by 1989 Open Champion and 4 time US Ryder Cup team member Mark Calcavecchia, one of the great Amateur players, Broadcasters, and now Instructors in our game Bobby Clampett, one of the most decorated Instructors in our game, and 2 time Tennessee Teacher of the Year Virgil Herring, and former Tour Caddie of the Legends Larry Malestic.
Mark Calcavecchia and I talk about his 4 Ryder Cup appearances. We hear about some of the classic pairings he had and matches he played in. We talk about the celebratory moments, how the pressure of the Ryder Cup compares to playing in a major, and his go-for-broke playing style.
Bobby Clampett is one of the all-time great amateur players. We go back to his time at BYU and some of the great tournaments he won. We hear about the 1978 World Amateur Championship, his win at the Western Amateur, and the Porter Cup that same year. We also get into his Impact Zone Golf training philosophy and the dynamics of the golf swing.
Virgil Herring is a 2 time Tennessee Teacher of the Year along with being a Top 50 US Kids Instructor. He has also coached several Tour players including Brandt Snedeker. We hear about how they got hooked up and what made Brandt one of the all-time great putters on Tour. We also talk mental approach and why Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is right when he says, "It's not what you're capable of, it's what you're willing to do."
Larry Malestic caddied on the European Tour for 2 years and on the PGA & Champions Tour for 12. He was on the bag for legends like Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Orville Moody, and Bruce Crampton. He's written a wonderful book titled, Golf Road, My Time with the Masters of the Game. Larry shares some of the great stories he tells in the book including caddying for Gary Player at The Masters, being on the bag for Chi Chi during the 1991 Senior Skins Game which also included Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino. So many great stories in this segment and in his book. Larry is a great storyteller.