Golf Podcast: next on the tee

Tell Tony, Eddie & the Cruisers are here...

Eddie & the Cruiser star and the host of Backspin Golf Matthew Laurance joins me on this special bonus edition of Next on the Tee. 
Matthew shares his thoughts on what could be next for Tiger's brand, Jon Rahm's defection to LIV, plus the recent resignations of DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley and R&A CEO Martin Slumbers. We also hear about some of Matthew's favorite courses down in the Lexington, Kentucky area, who has the prettiest practice swing you ever saw, the filming of Eddie & the Cruisers, and remembering his friend Tim Wakefield.
Check out Matthew's show Backspin Golf every Sunday morning at 8:03 AM EST on ESPN Radio WLXG (www.wlxg.com) and follow him on X @reallauro5.

You can do a lot of good in this world if you can teach someone to play golf…

This week I am joined by Mike McGee former Mount Union All-Conference baseball player, Jerry McGee’s son, and Managing Director of the Annika brand and her husband, Jeff Smith Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor and Golf Digest’s Top Instructor in the state of Indiana, and Evan Schiller PGA Professional and renowned golf course Photographer.
Mike McGee is from East Palestine, Ohio. He is the son of 4-time winner on Tour and Western Pennsylvania PGA Section Hall of Famer Jerry McGee. He is also the Managing Director of the Annika brand and Annika Sorenstam’s husband. Mike was also an All-Conference baseball player at the University of Mount Union over in Alliance, Ohio. He shares stories about growing up in the small town of East Palestine, Ohio in the early 80s. Mike speaks of a simpler time of backyard games and never locking your door. Mike reflects back on the Annika Fore East Palestine campaign that helped that community recover from the tragic train derailment and chemical spill that resulted last year. We also hear about his father’s career including playing in the 1977 Ryder Cup, multiple appearances in The Masters, and what it was like for Mike to induct his father into the Western Pennsylvania PGA Section Hall of Fame last fall. Mike is a huge Steelers fan so he weighs in on this weekend’s playoff matchup against Buffalo.
Jeff Smith has been named a Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor each of the last four years. Golf Digest has named him the best Teacher in the state of Indiana. Jeff also Co-Hosts a wonderful podcast alongside John Ashton called Those Weekend Golf Guys. We start out by hearing how his wife Kathy is one who got him started playing golf. Kathy played college golf at Indiana University, where they both went to school. Jeff shares the story of what it was like for him when he got the call that he was named a Top 100 Instructor by Golf Magazine. He says something that will stick with me forever, “You can do a lot of good in this world if you can teach someone to play golf.” We get into his winter seasonal jobs down at Bonita Bay Club outside of Naples, Florida and summering at Eagle Springs Golf Club in Wolcott, Colorado. We also get a couple of playing lessons for how to transition to playing on Bermuda grass if you’re going to Florida this winter and why we should consider leaving our 3-wood in the garage and replacing it with a 5-wood.
Evan Schiller is quite possibly THE best golf course photographer of all-time. If you think that may be hyperbole, please check out his work online at www.evanschillerphotography.com. Evan and I start out talking about his 2024 calendar and how he went about deciding which courses to include. He talks about his use of drone videos and what it was like shooting the 7th hole at Pebble Beach plus the range of clubs people have used on that very short Par 3 depending on whether the wind was up. We transition to some of the incredible courses he’s photographed overseas including Old Head in Ireland plus which courses remain on is bucket list.

We Talk the Deadline That Wasn’t, The Golden Age of Golf, Building Golf Confidence, & LPGA Legends Golf...

We kick off 2024 and Season #11 of the Next on the Tee podcast with my guests Tom Patri, Kermit Zarley, Dr. Bob Winters, and Jane Crafter.
TP and I get into the deadline that wasn't with the PIF and the PGA Tour. The New Year's deadline came and went and instead of professional golf going into a new year with all this behind them, we got nothing. I also get his thoughts on the power play that some players may be trying to pull off like telling Fred Ridley that The Masters needs to up their prize money. TP also gives us a lesson on what to do if we've contracted the dreaded Y word with our putting.
Kermit Zarley played his college golf at the University of Houston. He was the medalist at the 1962 National Championship and helped the Cougars win the team title as well. We hear about what it was like being a part of Houston's domination of men's college golf from the mid-50s to the mid-70s. Kermit then takes us through his 4 wins on tour and what it was like battling Jack Nicklaus at the 1972 US Open at Pebble Beach. We just scratched the surface of his great career.
Dr. Bob Winters is back. He is one of the Top Sports Psychologists. He takes us through his 5 Truth Bombs to Help Create Golf Confidence. We also learn about his recent trip to Scotland where he played at Prestwick, the site of the very first Open Championship. His trip also included a stop at Dundonald Links site of the Women's Open Championship. Doc is fantastic and it was great to have him back on the show so quickly.
I round out the show with a visit from Jane Crafter. Jane is from Perth, Australia. She is a two-time Australian Ladies Masters Champion plus winner of the 1997 Australian Open. We hear about those tremendous victories plus what it was like battling Nancy Lopez at the 1990 Phar-Mor at Inverrary and being a driving force behind starting the Legends of the LPGA Tour. Jane is a delight and made the segment so much fun.

Jay Haas, 1975 National Champion, 27 time Winner including 3 Senior Majors, Joins Me...

It was a huge thrill getting to spend some time with one of the all-time great players, Jay Haas. Jay was the medalist at the 1975 National Championship and he helped Wake Forest win back-to-back National Championships in 1974 and '75. He won 27 times between the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He was also recognized with the Payne Stewart Award and the Bob Jones Award for his sportsmanship, character, and charity. Jay is the nephew of 1968 Masters Champion Bob Goalby, and his sons Bill and Jay Jr., plus nephew Dillard Pruitt also played out on the PGA Tour.
We start out talking about how his Uncle got him started in the game. We hear how Arnold Palmer and Lanny Watkins influenced his decision to play his college golf at Wake Forest. Jay gives us behind-the-scenes stories about teaming with Curtis Strange, Bob Byman, and David Thore and how they dominated college tournaments while they were there.
We then get into his relationship with two great friends of this show, Tom Purtzer and Rob Strano. We hear about how he battled Ben Crenshaw in the 1995 Masters plus what it was like being on the course during Jack Nicklaus' charge at the '86 Masters. We then go through his majors breakthrough at the 2006 Senior PGA Championship, winning it again in 2008, and coming from 5 strokes back to defeat Tom Watson in the 2009 Senior Players Championship.
We round things out by talking about this 1983 Ryder Cup experience and his plans for 2024.

The Impact Loss of Trust in PGA Tour Execs is Having on Viewership Plus Looking Back at the 1962 & 1999 US Opens, 1990 Kapalua Invitational, ’91 Southen Open, & ’92 Anheuser Busch Classic...

We close out season #10 in style as I am joined by a trio of outstanding people, Mitch Laurance, Ross Greenburg, and David Peoples.
Mitch Laurance has hosted several fantastic golf podcasts, the most recent is Talking Golf Getaways. He's also one of my favorite people on the planet. Mitch's perspective as a golf Historian is invaluable. He exclusively plays hickory clubs and a golf ball from the 1920s. Rolling the golf back means nothing to him but his perspective on the loss of trust between the PGA Tour and the fans has impacted his desire to watch golf on TV; that is something the PGA Tour should sit up and listen to. We also hear about his experience being in Rome for the Ryder Cup earlier this year and why it seems to mean so much more to the European fans than it does for us in the US.
Ross Greenburg is the former President of HBO Sports and is now head of Ross Greenburg Productions. He's produced many of the great films and documentaries of our time. He did 61 with Billy Crystal, Miracle the movie about the 1980 US Hockey team, a series of documentary films for the USGA including the battle between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus at the 1962 US Open at Oakmont, the 1999 US Open won by Payne Stewart, and the 1991 Ryder Cup, the War at the Shore. Ross takes us inside the making of each of those films plus tell us what it was like being in Tokyo for the Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas fight and interviewing both fighters prior to the fight.
David Peoples played his college golf at the Unversity of Florida alongside our good friend Mark Calc plus Rick Pearson and Larry Rentz. We get some funny stories of how those guys punished their clubs when they didn't act right, like Rick tying his putter behind the team van and dragging it back to Gainesville, and Larry trying out for the Gator football team. We also hear about David's wins at the 1990 Kapalua Invitational, the '91 Southern Open, and the '92 Anheuser Busch Classic over some legendary fields.

Have YOU Lost Trust in the PGA Tour or Do You Simply Not Care...

We close out season #10 in style as I am joined by a trio of outstanding people, Mitch Laurance, Ross Greenburg, and David Peoples.
Mitch Laurance has hosted several fantastic golf podcasts, the most recent is Talking Golf Getaways. He's also one of my favorite people on the planet. Mitch's perspective as a golf Historian is invaluable. He exclusively plays hickory clubs and a golf ball from the 1920s. Rolling the golf back means nothing to him but his perspective on the loss of trust between the PGA Tour and the fans has impacted his desire to watch golf on TV; that is something the PGA Tour should sit up and listen to. We also hear about his experience being in Rome for the Ryder Cup earlier this year and why it seems to mean so much more to the European fans than it does for us in the US.
Ross Greenburg is the former President of HBO Sports and is now head of Ross Greenburg Productions. He's produced many of the great films and documentaries of our time. He did 61 with Billy Crystal, Miracle the movie about the 1980 US Hockey team, a series of documentary films for the USGA including the battle between Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus at the 1962 US Open at Oakmont, the 1999 US Open won by Payne Stewart, and the 1991 Ryder Cup, the War at the Shore. Ross takes us inside the making of each of those films plus tell us what it was like being in Tokyo for the Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas fight and interviewing both fighters prior to the fight.
David Peoples played his college golf at the Unversity of Florida alongside our good friend Mark Calc plus Rick Pearson and Larry Rentz. We get some funny stories of how those guys punished their clubs when they didn't act right, like Rick tying his putter behind the team van and dragging it back to Gainesville, and Larry trying out for the Gator football team. We also hear about David's wins at the 1990 Kapalua Invitational, the '91 Southern Open, and the '92 Anheuser Busch Classic over some legendary fields.

What the heck is going on around here...

This week I'm joined by 3 of the best Instructors and PGA Professionals in our game Tom Patri, Tom Wildenhaus, and Nancy Quarcelino plus aspiring Tour Pro and Trackman Golf Rep Andrew Strother.
TP and I try to make sense of what's going on in the game with Jon Rahm signing with LIV when the proposed partnership deadline is still weeks away. Has Patrick Cantlay gone all Alexander Haig on the PGA Policy Board? Why has yet another tournament sponsor pulled out? Could we be headed for tournament specific golf balls at USGA & R&A hosted tournaments if the PGA Tour and PGA of America hold fast to not adopting the rolled-back ball. If so, who's going to produce that ball? As usual we try to solve the world's problems in segment one.
Tom Wildenhaus is a 2 time South Florida PGA Professional of the Year. He has also spent over 2 decades at one of the top courses in Florida, Olde Florida Golf Club. We discuss the high expectations of one of their founding members, Mike Ditka. We also hear about the wonderful things the section has done for people away from the game of golf and some of the tremendous junior talent that has come up through the section as well.
Nancy Quarcelino is not only annually named one of the Top 50 LPGA Teachers by Golf Digest, she has now reached Elite status. We talk about that recognition. I also get her thoughts on the new influx of money into the LPGA Tour, a return to mixed team events like the Grant Thornton tournament, the recent loss of her friend and University of Kentucky women's golf coach Betty Lou Evans, working with our mutual friend Dr. Alison Curdt, and how incredibly talented Minjee Lee is.
Andrew Strother is one of the great people you get to meet in our game. After playing high school golf in rural Kentucky he went on to the University of Kentucky and graduated with a triple major in finance, marketing, and communications. He didn't play college golf but did help establish club golf at UK. In his late 20s, he decided to give professional golf a try after competing in long-drive contests. Andrew talks about his grind to get through Q-School to play on the Mexican Tour, his Top 30 finish in the Colorado Open, and caddying at the Barbasol Championship earlier this year.

Well They Went and Did It...

This week I'm joined by Champions Tour Pro and member of the University of Texas Hall of Honor Bob Estes, Pittsburgh native and now Director of Golf at the Golf Club of Houston Adam Lockwood, Top Instructor and Host of The Golf Kingdom TV Show Rob Strano, and Champions Tour Pro and 1987 US Amateur Champion Billy Mayfair.
This week I got all four guys to weigh in on the rollback of the golf ball. It is certainly the hot topic around the game and will have reverberations for years to come. In addition to that:
Bob Estes talks about his Texas Longhorns run at the National Championship in college football. We also talk about this season on the Champions Tour, the great history of men's golf at Texas, and the complicated formula for players to qualify to play on the Champions Tour.
Adam Lockwood is from just outside of my hometown of Pittsburgh. He had a very successful high school golf career at Apollo-Ridge which launched him to attend PennWest California and enter their Professional Golf Management program. We get into that, the internships he did around the New York City area, and now being the Director of Golf at the Golf Club of Houston, the former site of the Houston Open.
Rob Strano is one of the Top Instructors in our game plus the Host of The Golf Kingdom TV Show which you can check out on Amazon Fire, Roku TV, Blab TV, and Rob's YouTube Channel. He shares his thoughts on the rumors of the day including an interesting idea for what could happen if Jon Rahm defects to LIV and Rory moves to England. We also get a playing from his Time To Build segment and a pointer on Don't Be That Guy.
Billy Mayfair and his wife Tami are two outstanding people. I got to spend some time with them on the practice tee prior to the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Atlanta. Billy went out and had his best tournament of the year that week, which I'm totally taking credit for. Along with that, Billy shares memories from his win at the 1987 US Amateur Championship, the pressure of being an Arizona State grad standing on the 16th tee at the Waste Management Open knowing the fans can't wait to boo or cheer you. We also learn one of the best parts of playing in the Greater Milwaukee Open which had nothing to do with the golf and what it feels like to have how much money you earned publicized every week.

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.