896: Golf can’t be that difficult to understand, learn, and conquer, can it? Jerome Rufin believes it, so he launched a YouTube documentary series called “Scratch to Scratch” that documents his daily quest from knowing nothing about the sport…and I do mean nothing…to be a scratch golfer. The videos are informative, enlightening, compelling and sometimes frustrating to watch as he gets advanced instruction at a rapid pace. But it’s clear by watching that he, like many of us, is sometimes lost abo...
May 23, 2023•54 min•Season 18Ep. 896
895: Golf Smarter has always been a huge advocate of fine tuning your mental game with the same passion and diligence as your swing mechanics. Our guest this week is performance consultant and author of Golf Beneath The Surface - The New Science of Golf Psychology, Dr. Raymond Prior. In both the book and this conversation, Raymond debunks some myths of sports psychology that are surface-level and explains psychological predictors that encourage long-term growth and skillful performance under pre...
May 16, 2023•51 min•Season 18Ep. 895
894: Trish Beucher of 815TeeTime.com studied the golf swing from legendary teacher Manuel de la Torre and has made it her life mission to keep the swing as simple as possible so that anyone can play better golf. Trish believes that the golf swing doesn’t need to be complicated, and supports her theories by helping golfers who have physical challenges, whether from birth or by accident. In addition to private lessons, she spends a lot of her time instructing athletes from the Special Olympics, PG...
May 09, 2023•52 min•Season 18Ep. 894
893: Patrick “Paddy” Shea has been involved in golf as an instructor, product rep, and product developer for most of his life. In this episode he share stories from the inside of the industry that you don’t read about in the news or blogs. Save 20% off products, like training aides, rangefinders, and unique products for the golf cart from his company at https://upsidegolf.com with coupon code “golfsmarter”. This episode is brought to you by SwingU.com and the SwingU app. Go to swingu.com/upgrade...
May 02, 2023•49 min•Season 18Ep. 893
892: Jim Waldron of BalancePointGolf.com returns to share his 30+ years of being a golf instructor with insights on what causes self sabotage how we can overcome negative thoughts that lead us down a dark spiral of poor performance on the golf course. This episode is brought to you by SwingU.com and the SwingU app. Go to swingu.com/upgrade and use promo code ‘golfsmarter’ to save 30% on your first year’s subscription to either the SwingU Plus or SwingU Pro.. This week on Golf Smarter Mulligans i...
Apr 25, 2023•54 min•Season 18Ep. 892
891: Terry “The Wedge Guy” Koehler returns for his 18th appearance on Golf Smarter to discuss wedges, wedge play, finding the correct wedge for your game, how he's spent four decades on a quest to create the most amateur friendly wedges on the market, and that his brand of “Edison Wedges” has just released version 2.0 that are forgiving, accurate, versatile, and just…better! edisonwedges.com offers online fitting, and a 100% risk free trial. TK also contributes regularly for golfwrx.com as The W...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 18Ep. 891
890: Forget the windmills and clown’s mouth, indoor and outdoor 18 hole putting courses are popping up around the USA. Think: TopGolf meets bowling alleys meets putt-putt golf. Multiple entities are now creating ongoing competitions in these venues inviting players of all ages and abilities to compete for cash and prizes. Our guest is Brock Gillespie, who in addition to being the TV sideline reporter for the April 20, 2023 World Putting League competition, came out on top of the 2023 National Pu...
Apr 11, 2023•54 min•Season 18Ep. 890
889: It’s Masters Week which means Spring is here and golf is in the air. It also means we get to visit again with the grandson of legendary golfer Bobby Jones, Dr. Bob Jones IV. Bobby Jones, the most successful amateur golfer in history, in addition to being the most famous athlete in the world during the 1920s, was responsible for both the creation of Augusta National alongside course architect Alister MacKenzie, and the founding of The Masters Tournament in 1934. In this conversation Dr. Bob ...
Apr 04, 2023•54 min•Season 18Ep. 889
888: Jaacob Bowden of swingmangolf.com and jaacobbowden.com was convinced that someday he would be a competitive Tour level golfer. He’s now been around the game for 20 years and his quest has brought him to the World Speed Golf Championships, Long Drive Competitions, and becoming an excellent golf instructor. In this episode we discuss his journey and how golfers at any age or skill level can increase their swing speeds which results in greater distance. This week on Golf Smarter Mulligans #204...
Mar 28, 2023•53 min•Season 18Ep. 888
887: Agustin “Augie” Pisa is an award winning golf course architect who received a Masters in Golf Course Architecture from Edinburgh University in Scotland and was featured on Forbes List of 100 Most Creative Mexicans. In this episode we discuss the differences in designing for municipal courses, resorts, and country clubs. We also get details on Augie’s game changing concept called Butterfly Golf that incorporates four groups of 6 holes to create incredible flexibility for players to have up t...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 18Ep. 887
886: Kevin Ralbovsky is one of those golf instructors who has learned from, and instructed some of the best, but still has a way to forge his own path to golf ecstasy. Speaking to us from the KMR School of Golf from the Ko’olau Golf Club in the mountains of of Oahu, Hawaii, a course he operates as well, we discuss how he utilizes Yoga and breathing to enhance our game... and our lives. Learn more at https://kmrschoolofgolf.com This week on Golf Smarter Mulligans #202, is #3 of 9 episodes featuri...
Mar 14, 2023•52 min•Season 18Ep. 886
885: The World Amateur Handicap Championship, aka the World Am, attracts 3,200+ players from all 50 US states and 20 countries. The 72-hole, net stroke play tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., from August 28-September 1, 2023, that also hosts the World’s Largest 19th Hole, is now open for registration. Save $100 of the regular cost of entry if you register before March 23, 2023. Our guest is tournament Director Scott Tomasello who provides details and history of the event, now in it’s 40th year. L...
Mar 07, 2023•40 min•Season 18Ep. 885
884: Justin Tang teaches golf at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore and loves to study other golf instructors. He discovered Tony Manzoni on Golf Smarter and became so enamored with his Lost Fundamental book and video that he asked if he could come back on the podcast to discuss Tony's lessons and what makes his method based on Ben Hogan's swing unique. Follow Justin @elitegolfswing. Justin prepared a PDF on The Lost Fundamental vs Stack'n'Tilt which is availabe on today's blog post at Go...
Feb 28, 2023•59 min•Season 18Ep. 884
883: Stewart Cink. KJ Choi. Jerry Kelly. JJ Spann. Joseph Bramlett. Aaron Rai. During the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii, mental game coach Cary Valentine went inside the ropes during practice to have conversations with these six PGA Tour winners to discuss their approach and attitude towards having a strong mental game, being in the zone, and how their faith dictates their approach to success. This is the only podcast you’ll hear this exclusive content, and is the fourth time in five years that Cary ...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 18Ep. 883
882: When Bryson Dechambeau won the US Open in 2020, expert putting instructor, Tim Tucker, was carrying his bag. Tim joins us today to discuss his time looping for Bryson and other PGA Tour Pros, the 5 things all golfers need to know about reading greens that will make the break predictable, and his effective putting aide that fits in your pocket called the TrueAimMarker https://TrueAimMarker.com This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at Shopify.com/g...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 18Ep. 7
881: More from the PGA Merchandise Show 2023 in Orlando Florida. Days two and three were spent scouring the massive show floor for unique products and old friends. Each year the PGA Show, which is closed to the public, is where nearly 30,000 PGA Professionals, golf leaders, industry executives and retailers from more than 86 countries come together to meet with more than 800 golf companies to get hands-on experience and a first look at their newest products. Each of these interviews and more tha...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 18Ep. 881
880: Join me for my first experience at the 70th annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando Florida. Day One is called DEMO & Fitting Day. Each year this is where nearly 30,000 PGA Professionals, golf leaders, industry executives and retailers from more than 86 countries come together to meet with more than 800 golf companies to get hands-on experience and a first look at their newest products. In this episode, we’ll head out to Orange County National Golf Center featuring the largest driving ra...
Jan 31, 2023•52 min•Season 18Ep. 876
879: Reeves Weedon was a golf phenom as a young English player, hailed as the next Peter Oosterhuis, but lower back pain ended his promising career. This led to decades of research and writing of three books to develop a golf swing that allows all players to play pain free. His book “Weedon’s Way”, available from all book sellers, and details of his swing method is discussed at length on this episode. Learn more at https://weedonsway.com/ This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for a ...
Jan 24, 2023•53 min•Season 18Ep. 879
878: Brinson Paolini played professionally in 43 countries after being a collegiate All-American golfer at Duke. One thing he always noticed on the course with pros and amateurs is that when they don’t hydrate or keep their blood sugar levels in check they tend to make poor decisions. We usually blame it on “hitting the wall” or “wheels falling off”. His recognition of this common dilemma lead him to create a product directed at golfers of all skill levels called Sharp Focus Nutrition. They also...
Jan 17, 2023•52 min•Season 18Ep. 878
877: Gary Sowinski spent more than 6 years working with and learning from Manuel de la Torre, author of Understanding The Golf Swing, and one of golf’s greatest instructors ever to instruct Tour Pros and recreational golfers. In this conversation we learn what Manuel demanded from his students and teachers, the concept of how the body moves, and how to define a ‘swing’. Manuel studied with Ernest Jones and his legendary father, Angel de la Torre. Manuel de la Torre passed away in 2016, but we we...
Jan 10, 2023•54 min•Season 18Ep. 875
876: PGA Master Professional Joe Hallett joins us once again to get the insights and advice that can only come from the teacher who instructs PGA Professionals. This time we discuss little tips and tricks on how to winterize your game getting it ready for a new season. This week on Golf Smarter Mulligans #192, is one of the unique stories that can only be associated with golf. Author and comedian David Wood joins us to discuss this crazy notion that he had about playing golf in the most remote a...
Jan 04, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 18Ep. 875
875: Josh Zander, one of America’s Top 100 Teachers, returns for another wide ranging conversation about how players of all skill levels can become better, smarter golfers. This week we focus on the tools we need to analyze the information we’re being bombarded with on the internet. Between YouTube, podcasts, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, televised Professional tour events and all the new platforms we’re introduced to each week, there’s a lot of great information and a lot of j...
Dec 27, 2022•58 min•Season 18Ep. 875
874: Short game! The best way to lower scores is by practicing and fine tuning your shots from inside 100yds, and around the green. This week, Terry “The Wedge Guy” Koehler returns for his 17th appearance on Golf Smarter. We talk about various aspects of the short game and how much your creativity with each club can have you playing like the pros. We also discuss his company, Edison Golf and why his wedge designs are special in their design, feel, and performance.Listen to the complete podcast i...
Dec 20, 2022•58 min•Season 17Ep. 874
873: Losing an expensive tour quality ball can be maddening. ODIN Golf has developed an affordable tour quality ball, and they’ll sponsor any player, no matter your skill level! Our guest is Jordan Lunetta, an ex-pat living in Berlin who, along with the rest of his foursome, who are all experienced in tech startups, have started a business with a unique and compelling business model. ODIN-golf sells their tour quality X1, for only $34.99US, and they’ll pay you back $7 for every dozen your order....
Dec 13, 2022•1 hr•Season 17Ep. 873
872: There was something about the unique design and explanation of the FlightPath Golf Tee on Instagram that caught my eye, and I thought what the heck I’ll give it a try. During the first round, I noticed that my drives were going much straighter than usual, but gave myself more credit than the tees. But round after round, I was hitting more fairways and my yardage also increased. It took almost a year to go through the box of 8 tees, but I was hooked and ordered another. Now almost two years ...
Dec 06, 2022•53 min•Season 17Ep. 872
871: Tyler Ferrell is a golf instructor, biomechanics fitness pro, and author of “The Stock Tour Swing”. His website, no relation, is GolfSmartAcademy.com. We talk about his years of learning to become an instructor, playing competitively in college, and what we can do to become a better golfer. The book is available from all book sellers. For more go to https://golfsmartacademy.com Watch the complete interview on GolfSmarterTV! https://youtu.be/vLVV8YUMP9w or on today’s blogpost at https://golf...
Nov 29, 2022•47 min
870: “Your final goal is to convert your athletic swing to pure instinct rather than conscious thought” is a David Leadbetter quote that you’ll find in the book “Winning Golf: The Mental Game - Creating the Focus, Feeling, and Confidence to Play Consistently Well” by Sport and Performance Psychologist, Dr. Saul Miller. In this episode Dr Miller discusses the details and teachings of this book. As Nancy Lopez is quoted on the cover “This book can help you to strengthen your mental game and play h...
Nov 21, 2022•50 min•Season 17Ep. 870
869: Jim Waldron of Balance Point Golf is quizzed as if we’re a first time student to his school. What does he look for? What is he helping us to focus on? Is it more practical and less theoretical, or the other way around. This conversation isn’t on video this week, but you can find a taste of the show on Social Media @golfsmarter. This episode is brought to you by Imagine Golf, the #1 app for Golf’s Mental Game. Download the Imagine Golf app now from the Apple App Store or Google Play to start...
Nov 15, 2022•45 min•Season 17Ep. 869
868: Chris Finn of Par4Success.com returns to discuss the key to longevity in golf, which includes no pain, hitting the ball further, and playing golf as long as possible. In this conversation we go over the 4 main rotational mobility tests. Golf Smarter listeners can do the tests themselves and get access to their assessment and a free call to discuss the results and a plan with one of their experts at par4success.com/golfsmarter. Watch this complete interview at https://youtu.be/lp4i8weIvZs . ...
Nov 09, 2022•48 min•Season 17Ep. 868
867: Kelvin Kelley is one of those hot young golf instructors who delivers the entire package of mechanics, course management, and mental game improvement. In this conversation, Kelvin and host Fred Greene sit down together outside the driving range at Peacock Gap Golf course in San Rafael, CA to discuss a number of topics including how to identify what your ball flight is and taking it to the next level. This episode is also available as a complete video on GolfSmarterTV https://youtu.be/EV5n4x...
Nov 01, 2022•46 min•Season 17Ep. 867