All Episodes

On this episode, I'm joined by Golf Course Design Hall of Famer Rees Jones plus 3 of the Top Instructors in our game Dr. Alison Curdt, Cindy Miller, and Dave Stockton Jr.
Rees Jones is one of the all-time great course designers. Son of Robert Trent Jones, and brother to Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Rees carved out his own Hall of Fame career. We hear about the second course he's working on with Bill Bergin up at McLemore called The Outpost. Rees says it's major championship worthy. We also talk about some of his other great designs like Haig Point, Victory Ranch, Lake Isles, Echelon Golf Club, and Brian Harman's home course, Southbridge Golf Club in Savannah. Rees also takes us through how the picks out the plot of land he wants to use for new courses, the process he uses to determine the path of the course, and how he keeps both the skill level of the membership and average golfers in mind as he lays out the course.
Dr. Alison Curdt earned her doctorate in Sports Psychology. She is one of only a few Instructors who have reached Master Professional status on both the LPGA and PGA sides of Instruction. We talk about getting past the ingrained bad feeling we get every time we play that one hole that always seems to ruin our rounds. We also discuss getting away from all the negative self-talk we do plus tips for shifting our weight, getting out of a greenside bunker, and stabilizing our wrists during our putting stroke.
Cindy Miller was the 2010 LPGA National Teacher of the Year. She is also an expert in improving our mental game. We hear about her alter ego Cynthia and how to quiet her negative voice. We also learn that Brian Harman used to wrestle alligators, plus get a tip for how to make consistent, clean contact.
Dave Stockton Jr. shares his thoughts on the PIF/PGA Tour merger and Jay Monahan's future. Dave was an Assistant Captain when his father captained the US team in 1991. He shares his insights on what that was like and who he thinks should be on this year's team. He also says I'm not imagining things when I'm seeing Tour pros striking their putts on the upswing or follow through versus the center of the putter face.

On this episode, I'm joined by Top Instructors Tom Patri and Shane LeBaron plus former 5-time winner on Tour and Golf Channel Analyst Jim Gallagher Jr., and the Founder & CEO of LOHLA Sport Lisa O'Hurley.
A theme this week is looking back at The Open and the tremendous performance of Brian Harman. I also get reaction to the cheating scandal on the Canadian Tour. You'll also hear:
Tom Patri shares his thoughts on Justin Thomas' struggles, about a tremendous Par 3 course in Palm Beach, Florida, and a lesson on how to fix your swing if you suffer from early extension.
Jim Gallagher Jr. shares his experiences playing in The Open including the practice round he played at St. Andrews with Jack Nicklaus. He also shares his thoughts on Brandel Chamblee's comment about Rory McIlroy not having as much runway in front of him as he did when he won his last major.
I start with Lisa O'Hurley going back to her high school and college golf days at Baylor. We hear about her roles at The Golf Channel when it got started back in 1995, her friendship with Mr. Palmer and Annika Sorenstam, what inspired her to start LOHLA Sport, and being married to John O'Hurley of Seinfeld J. Peterman fame.
Shane LeBaron has been recognized as a Top Instructor in his former summer and winter homes of Illinois and Arizona. He's now the first-ever Director of Instruction at Cherry Hills in Colorado. Cherry Hills is the site of this year's US Amateur Championship plus several previous majors including Arnold Palmer's come-from-behind win at the 1960 US Open. Shane also gives us tips for dealing with tournament pressure and why we can make a 5-footer for par but struggle to make it for birdie.

In this episode, I'm joined by one of the all-time great golf writers Ron Sirak, St. Louis Sports Hall of Famer Jay Delsing, 1978 PGA Champion & 1986 Players Champion John Mahaffey, and 1996 Texas Open Champion David Ogrin.
I get all four guys to weigh in on this week's Open Championship, their experience playing in or covering The Open, plus if there is a path back for Jay Monahan. We also discuss:
Ron Sirak shares his thoughts on the Women's US Open, the escalating purses on the PGA & LPGA Tours, his thoughts on who is the greatest of all-time on the men's side, his long-time friendship with Arnold Palmer, plus he reminds us of the greatness of Ben Hogan.
Jay Delsing and I go back to his days as a top junior golfer and what it was like making it to the quarterfinals of the US Junior Golf Tournament. We hear about his college days at UCLA playing alongside Corey Pavin, Steve Pate, and Duffy Waldorf, his greatest thrill being paired with Arnold Palmer, and his final round 61 at the 1993 FedEx St. Jude Classic.
John Mahaffey and I go back to 1975 and his T10 finish in The Open Championship and what it was like competing against Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Trevino, Floyd, and the superstars of the 70s and 80s.
David Ogrin shares stories from his T13 finish at the 1983 US Open at Oakmont and what it's like putting on those greens. Fourteen years later, at the 1997 US Open, he finished T10 but says his brother-in-law cost him and Tom Lehman a shot at winning. We also get a lesson about stretching yourself to find what you're capable of on the course.

In this episode, I'm joined by Top Instructor Tom Patri, former Tour Players Bob Friend Jr. and John Cook, plus Whisky Run Golf Club Owner Luke Nieuwland.
Tom gets credit where credit is due for accurately picking Rickie Fowler to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic. We also talk about how to pick the right bounce for your wedges, the amazing Bernhard Langer, and how different the game is over in Scotland and Ireland.
Bob Friend Jr. talks about his father's illustrious Major League Baseball career including being the winning Pitcher in the 1956 All-Star game. I get Bob's thoughts on whether there is a path back for Jay Monahan and we hear about the renovations currently going on at Oakmont Country Club that will make it play even hard at the 2025 US Open.
John Cook gives his insights on the PIF/PGA Tour partnership and whether Jay Monahan will make it through this calendar year as CEO. I get his thoughts on Bernhard Langer's amazing career, how in the world he ever successfully putted with a Bullseye putter, and Ken Venturi's legendary stroke-saver tips.
Luke Nieuwland rounds out the show. Luke is the owner of Whisky Run Golf Club up in Ontario, Canada. It's a family-owned course featuring three 9-hole layouts. We hear about each of those, plus their stay-and-play packages, and the Birrdi golf tee sheet software that Luke and friends developed to help increase revenue, organize tee times, and make it faster and easier for players to book and pay for their rounds.

In this episode I'm joined by Top Instructor Tom Patri, Champions Tour Pro Rob Labritz, Edel Golf CEO Doug Coors, & PGA Professional turned fantastic Artist Chandler Withington.
TP shares his insights on Rickie Fowler and why he will win this season, plus unconventional swing success, gaining length through technology, and the challenge of teaching this generation's junior golfers.
Rob Labritz shares stories from his start as a PGA Professional and winning all the local New York events. We hear about the grind through mini Tours and barely making enough money to live week to week. How he got through Champions Tour qualifying to now playing on the Champions Tour. Rob also talks about his preparation for the US Senior Open, and picking the brains of his peers.
Doug Coors is a member of the Coors Brewing family. He talks about growing up Coors and getting into the family business. We also hear about how he first got interested in golf and how a chance request to help Edel Golf with their manufacturing process led to him buying the company.
Chandler Withington is a PGA Professional who worked at some of the best courses in the US like Seminole, Merion, and Hazeltine. He talks about what it was like being at those historic courses and helping to host the Walker Cup, a Ryder Cup, and the Women's PGA Championship. Then he bet on himself and walked away to start his own business as an artist. Check out www.archive22.com to see his amazing artwork.

One of the great Actors of our time, Laura Cayouette, joins me in this special bonus episode of Next on the Tee.
Laura shares her stories of:
Living in a commune at age 12
How a girl from Maryland with a degree in English comes to get to Masters degree at the University of South Alabama.
The sometimes scary times of being a young beautiful woman trying to get into Acting.
What it's like working with Quentin Tarantino.
Being in one of the great movies of our time Django Unchained
What it's like being in an episode of Friends.
Working with Woody Harrelson.
Trying to stay in shape while living in New Orleans.
Our mutual friend Big Mama Rev. Brenda Franklin.
Writing a book to help us all write our story. Use coupon code" "golf podcast" to get 20% off.

Rick Reilly joins me in this special segment of the show. Rick shares his thoughts on:
The US Open and LA Country Club
LIV/PGA Tour merger
Phil
Who's the greatest of all-time Jack or Tiger
His 694 tries to make a hole in one
Some of his favorite golf holes
Living in Italy during the Covid outbreak.
Playing golf with Donald Trump
And much more...

This week I am joined by Blue Tee Golf Co-Founder Drew Koehler, Top 50 LPGA Instructor Debbie O'Connell, and 1992 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Mark Carnevale.
Drew Koehler tells the story of how 3 friends with broken range finders thought there must be a better way so they decided to start and fund their own golf technology company. You'll how they got their idea off the ground, took on the big boys on the block, and how they're set to revolutionize the golf tech industry going forward.
Debbie O'Connell is one of my all-time favorite guests and people on the planet. She shares her mental game tips for how to use our Mind Over Pars, what to consider before trying to buy a better game, and tips to improve our short games. Download her free instructional courses by texting the word Flow to 7273390106 to get into a Flow state of mind and Yes to that same number with coupon code Champion2023 to get her Play Like a Champion course free.
Mark Carnevale shares his thoughts on Los Angeles Country Club and the US Open. We hear Mark's story from when he made it through Q-School and the telephone call he made to his dad. We also hear about his idol Arnold Palmer and playing in his first US Open in 1994 which also happened to be Mr. Palmer's final US Open appearance.

In this episode, I'm joined by our Resident Director of Instruction Tom Patri, one of the Top Golf Course Designers of our time Bill Bergin, PGA Professional and Top Adaptive Golf Instructor Joe Grohman, and the President of the Golf Heritage Society Dr. Bern Bernacki.
Tom Patri shares his shock at the announced merger/partnership between the PIF & PGA Tour. We hear about Tom's relationship with Jimmy Dunne, who brokered the deal, and the reaction from around the game including Rory McIlroy feeling like a sacrificial lamb.
Bill Bergin updates us on the progress of The Outpost course up at McLemore. We also hear about his experiences playing in 3 US Opens, and who he likes this week.
Joe Grohman has won the Patriots Award 8 times for his work with our wounded military personnel and Veterans. He talks about his adaptive golf program and the positive impact it has on the lives of those who come to his clinics. To check it out go to: www.joegrohmanfoundation.org
Dr. Bern Bernacki is the President of the Golf Heritage Society. They are the foremost authority on golf collectibles and the history of the game. Their annual convention is coming up in October in Lexington, Kentucky. Bern shares what we'll see there plus he discusses some of the historic golf courses around the Pittsburgh area.

In this episode, I'm joined by 1987 US Amateur Champion and 5-time winner on Tour Billy Mayfair, the Director of Golf at Alpine Country Club and US Kids Master Professional John Mascari, and our resident Director of Instruction Tom Patri.
Billy Mayfair takes us back to the 1998 Nissan Open when he became the only player to ever beat Tiger Woods in a playoff. We hear how he birdied the last hole to tie Tiger and then birdied that hole again in the playoff to win. Billy also shares his thoughts on the new PGA Headquarters facility in Frisco, Texas, his T8 here at TPC Sugarloaf, the time he got paired with his idol Jerry Pate, and his chip-in to win the 1994 Greater Milwaukee Open.
My long-lost cousin John Mascari is the Director of Golf at Alpine Country Club in Alpine, New Jersey. He also Co-Hosts the On The Tee show on ESPN Radio in New York. In this segment, I get John's insights on Michael Block's performance in the PGA Championship and how Block lifted up all 29,000 PGA Professionals. We hear about the great things John and his peers are doing to grow the game plus we get a tip on how to make solid contact from a fairway bunker.
Tom Patri joins me late this week and he too weighs in on what he saw from Michael Block. We also hear about how different playing golf is from tournament golf and Tour-level golf. I also get Tom's perspective on how different the relationship between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf might be if someone other than Greg Norman was the CEO of LIV.

In this episode you'll hear from Bobby Jones' grandson Dr. Bob Jones IV, Golf Channel Host Damon Hack, and the Host of the Rappers Don't Golf podcast and Author Tucker Booth.
Doc shares his thoughts on the PGA Championship, Brooks' win, and the emergence of Michael Block. We also talk about the power of self-confidence, how to deal with tournament pressure and our country's loss of spiritual direction.
Damon Hack shares his insights from being at Oak Hill for the PGA Championship. I also get his perspective on the future of LIV Golf, their players potentially playing in the Ryder Cup, and Tiger's future.
Tucker Booth helped Lisa Cornwell write her just-released book, "Trouble Maker, A Memoir of Sexism, Retaliation, and the Fight They Didn't See Coming." We hear about Lisa's early days of being a 4 time Arkansas state amateur champion and her friendship with Tiger and Earl Woods. We also hear about being cousins with former President Bill Clinton, how Hilary Clinton came to write the forward to her book, the sexism she dealt with as an employee of Golf Channel, and how HR there and with parent company Comcast, failed her.

This week on the Next on the Tee podcast my guests are: Top Instructor Tom Patri, PGA Professional & amazing Photographer Evan Schiller, PGA Tour Legend Bruce Devlin, and former Tour Player turned Top Orthopedic Surgeon Bill Mallon. Hear their insights on:
Oak Hill
Getting a date vs. making your tee time
Bill Strausbaugh
The making of the Evan Schiller golf calendar
Jack Nicklaus
1968 US Open & 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club
Play Like The Devil
Making a double eagle on the 8th hole at Augusta National
Getting through Q-School
1977 US Open at Southern Hills
Dr. Mallon weighs in on what Tiger's latest surgery means for his playing career.

On this episode my guests are 2019 Champions Tour Player of the Year Scott McCarron, MLB Legend Fred Lynn, Champions Tour Pro Paul Stankowski, Srixon/Cleveland Golf VP of Sales Eddie Drye, and 2014 Georgia PGA Teacher of the Year Kevin Roman.
Scott McCarron and I talk about his recent performance at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic and we look ahead to the back-to-back majors they have coming up at the Regions Tradition and the Senior PGA Championship. I asked him about the golf ball distance issue since his average driving distance hasn't changed much at age 58 since his days playing on the PGA Tour. We also talked about the potential of Tiger playing on the Champions Tour. He said based on conversations he's had, it looks like Tiger will play several tournaments a year but he goes on to say that their "supposed leader" PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, didn't like it when the Champions Tour ratings beat the PGA Tour's the week Phil played his first Champions Tour event. When I asked why, isn't it all in the family, he said you'll have to ask Jay Monahan that question.
Fred Lynn updates us on the progress of his golf game following double partial knee replacement surgery. We hear stories about him and his teammate Jim Rice playing golf together and being in awe of Rice bombing it off the tee. You'll also hear stories about Fred's experiences playing Pebble Beach, trying to keep it together playing in Frank Sinatra's event with Buddy Hackett, his memories of facing Gaylord Perry, and being a part of PBS's series Iconic America about Fenway Park.
Paul Stankowski is one of my favorite people on the planet. I had the privilege of catching up with Paul at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic and again as he prepares for the Regions Tradition. We go back to 1996 when he became the first player to win in back-to-back weeks on the Nike Tour and then on the PGA Tour at the Bell South Classic. We get inside what it was like for him in an 8-day span to go from being a first-time winner on the Nike Tour to being the 6th alternate for the Bell South Classic, getting into that tournament, winning it, and the next day driving up Magnolia Lane.
Eddie Drye and Kevin Roman share equipment and playing lessons that will help us hit straighter drives, recover from the rough, and knock down more flags with our wedges.

This week I'm joined Top Instructor Tom Patri, the only Artist to be commissioned by the USGA & R&A to paint their championship courses Linda Hartough, 2-time winner on the PGA Tour, now Top Instructor Rick Fehr, and The Wedge Guy Terry Koehler.
Tom Patri talks about the 47.5% tax rate the Australian government hit LIV Tour winner Talor Gooch with. We also hear about one of the hidden gem courses in Florida, Mountain Lake, and the guys we think should be the faces of the PGA Tour going forward.
Linda Hartough shares the story of the Augusta National member who launched her on the path of being one of the all-time great golf landscape artists. We also hear about the New York Times article that named her the Rembrandt of the Back Nine and the bucket list of courses she'd still like to paint.
Rick Fehr shares his thoughts and lessons for how to deal with tournament golf pressure. We talk about his stories from being low amateur in the 1984 Masters and US Open. What it was like for him to be a part of the victorious 1983 Walker Cup team, his win at the 1986 BC Open, and the short list of things all great ball strikers do.
The Wedge Guy, Terry Koehler, takes us through his new Edison 2.0 Wedges and what makes them better on the market for average to high handicappers. We hear how his proprietary sole design and weight distribution around the clubface helps average golfers get more distance, improved accuracy, and consistent results. I also get his thoughts on proper gapping, an explanation for what smash factor is, and how it impacts wedge play.

What a great time this week on a VERY special Happy Birthday to Me episode of the show. I got to spend it with four of my favorite people on the planet, Top Instructor Tom Patri, my all-time favorite Author and TV Producer Keith Hirshland, plus 2 fantastic Actors & Show Hosts Mitch & Matthew Laurance.
Tom Patri and I looked back at The Masters plus we discussed our Top 5 players of all time and a couple of guys who are very underrated.
Keith Hirshland updated us on how things are going out on the LIV Tour plus some of the new, innovative technology they have, and the team concept which keeps all 48 players engaged even if they're towards the bottom of the leaderboard.
Mitch Laurance shares a historical perspective on the top players of all-time discussion. He goes back to Old Tom Morris, Tom Morris Jr., James Braid, Harry Vardon, and Ted Ray. We also hear about his recent trip to Pinehurst and a fantastic story from the round he played last year at historic Aiken Golf Club.
Matthew Laurance talks about the event he hosted last Fall where he helped raise money for the flood victim in Eastern Kentucky with a special showing of the movie, Eddie & the Cruisers. He also shares stories about his relationships with Jim Boeheim, PJ Carlesimo, the crush Elton John had on him, and working with Carl Reiner on the movie Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid.