Both Sides of the Ball

Bo reflects on his return to the leaderboard with a second place finish at the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree Golf Club. He and Farrell also cover this weeks US open at Torrey Pines. 

Phil Mickelson won the 103rd PGA Championship to become at 50-years-old the oldest winner of a major championship. Bo and Farrell look back on the historic win and the wild scene that ensued on the final hole with the raucous gallery. They also look ahead to the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in June and Phil's chances of completing the career grand slam there to solidify his legacy. Maybe, they suggest, the win at Kiawah Island may have been the greatest achievement of his career, taking him out of the shadow of Tiger Woods.

Steve Scott is best known to the golf world for nearly beating Tiger Woods in the 1996 U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon. On the 25th anniversary of one of the most epic U.S. Amateur finals, Scott is releasing a new book, “Hey Tiger, You Need to Move your Mark back: 9 Simple Words That Changed the Game of Golf Forever. With Bo and Farrell, Scott, now a PGA Club Professional, discusses that historic match and how it has shaped his life and impacted the game.

Summary: Golf is one of those sports where when you come out of college there is no team to help you transition into life as a pro. Pro golfers are independent contractors who pay their own bills and plan their own transportation. It's especially hard when you're a young player without significant financial resources or connections. That's where Ken Bentley comes in. The former Nestle executive started the APGA Tour in 2010 to increase diversity in pro golf and to give mostly minority players resources to prepare their games for the PGA Tour. With Bo and Farrell, Bentley, a former college tennis player, shares his vision for the APGA Tour and some of the lessons he got along the way from icons like tennis great Arthur Ashe.

B.J. Little, a 16-year-old participant in the First Tee Metro Atlanta chapter, is the future of golf, whether he becomes a PGA Tour player, U.S. Senator or the President of the United States. In a wide-ranging conversation on Both Sides of the Ball, Little wowed Bo and Farrell with his maturity, ambition, leadership qualities and love for the game of golf—assets that were sparked first by his grandfather who introduced him to the game, but nurtured and accelerated by his participation with the First Tee.

Roger Steele has a perspective on the game of golf that you should know. With Bo and Farrell, the Chicago native explains his advice to beginning golfers, trash talking and handling people who underestimate your golf knowledge because of the way you look.

Bo played in four Masters and Farrell covered the tournament for many years, but they still get chills talking about golf's mecca. Bo tells the story of his hole in one on the Par 3 16th in the 2012 Masters on his way to a final round 64. They make picks and reflect on the significance of the club making Lee Elder an honorary starter at this year's event. They love the Masters and the reverence they hold for it comes through in this wide-ranging conversation.

A Detroit native, Sommer Woods is the tournament lead for The John Shippen, a golf event in late June that will give the best African-American amateurs and pros an opportunity to qualify for the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club. With Bo and Farrell, Sommer explains the challenges and opportunities of diversity and conclusion in golf. She brings a soulful energy to the game as only someone from the Motor City could.

Tisha Alyn is one of the hottest influencers in the world of golf. The 27-year- old SoCal native is making the game cooler, fresher and more accessible. With Bo and Farrell, Alyn takes us on her journey from the grind of the mini-tours to a one-woman act on the world golf stage. She recalls the first time she met Phil Mickelson and his impact on her confidence and waking up sweating after nightmares of hitting hooks and the pressure of hitting shots at celebrity events.

The U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links champion played nearly a decade on the PGA Tour before retiring in early 2000 to pursue a new career as a golf broadcaster. With Bo and Farrell, he shows off the humor and golf knowledge that have made him a popular podcast host. Full of fresh insights on players and trends in the game, the 35-year Pilot Point, Texas explains his favorite gambling bets on the golf course and how he still has a passion for the game and competing with his friends from the tour.