Chasin' Birdies

By Jonathan Pepe & Ryan BashourSports Music Golf Music Interviews

Chasin' Birdies episodes

December 23, 2021The Epitome of Chasin' Birdies - Colt Ford
Colt Ford is more than a musician. Former pro golfer, Entrepreneur, and a recording are just a few of the feathers in his cap. He carved out some time with his busy schedule to join us for an in-person interview on Chasin’ Birdies. We dive into the beginning of his music career, his love for golf, and why he loves seeing other people succeed. We also get a quick take of him singing a few lines from “Dirt Road Anthem”, arguably the most well known song he’s written. Tune in and don’t miss this one..you won’t regret listening, we promise.
Colt Ford joins us on Chasin’ Birdies for this spectacular in-person interview filmed at Nemacolin Resort (thank you, Nemacolin). If you’re into country music, you definitely know about Colt. His catchy songs with ‘rap’ style verses makes him one of the most unique artists in Nashville. He’s also a former pro-golfer (All American at Georgia). His love for golf and life is shown throughout this whole interview.We open up the episode talking about how Colt and Bash are 0-1 against Josh Mirenda and Pepe. The pre-interview round of golf lived up to the hype but warrants a rematch. We dive into how he got the name “Colt Ford” and the rest is history. His first single dropped at 38 years old but he’s been grinding on music his whole life.We talk more about golf and what it takes to make it to the next level. Even after grinding, you still aren’t guaranteed a spot on the Tour. Colt talks about the ups and downs you deal with on the mini tour just trying to make a living. We ask Colt what the difference is between John Daly and Bash, besides height? It becomes pure dedication and even then, no guarantees.We switch over to some music talk by asking Colt how “Dirt Road Anthem” came to be. He and Brantley Gilbert wrote this song which became Jason Aldean’s biggest single to date…and it only took 30 minutes to write. Colt tells more stories about music and his life on the road. His quick witted one-liners occur throughout the entire episode.We end the show with our standard Tap-In Segment presented by Bettinardi Golf. We ask Colt questions that require his quick reply. We also get to hear Colt sing a line from “Dirt Road Anthem”. This. Episode.Rocks. Tell your friends, share, and like. We hope you enjoyed this one as much as we enjoyed recording it.Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf
Filmed at Nemacolin Resort.

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
1 hr 10 min
December 16, 2021On the 12th day of Chasin' - Holiday Gift Guide Banter
We got a quick holiday gift guide banter session here, folks. We run through 12 gift ideas for you to give (or receive) that may help your game out on the course. Although help may be impossible, we believe each of these 12 ideas could add something to your round. Tune in for this short episode that highlights great gift options for your holiday season…like legit gift options.
Last minute Christmas shopping or just need a good gift idea? We offer 12 that may or may not elevate your golf experience. Ranging from a putter fitting at Bettinardi to an Omega watch, this episode will add some humor to your day…for sure. Quick banter sesh allows us to express our experiences with the products we’re pushing. Don’t forget to share with your wife (or husband). Drop us a line if you bought any of the ideas we threw out!
Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
20 min
December 09, 2021Outside The Fire Pit - Matt Ginella
If you’re a golfer who owns a TV or has the internet, odds are you know who Matt Ginella is. Former GOLF Channel contributor and golf enthusiast, Matt joins us for this episode full of golf talk. As he manages his busy schedule between running his podcast,The Fire Pit, as well as the Fire Pit Collective, we carve out an hour of Matt’s time to understand his motive and passion behind his love for the game of golf. With some great stories to go along, this episode is one that will keep your attention from start to finish!
Our 26th episode of Chasin’ Birdies and no better guest to have than Matt Ginella. The episode opens up with us talking about our love for the Ashworth family. Matt is close with Mr. John himself and we too have close ties to the Ashworth family. Much love.We ask Matt about his podcast, The Fire Pit, and what he’s doing with this venture. He explains how the podcast has now turned into a full multimedia company and what they’re trying to achieve.
Matt’s dream job was to be the play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres. A turn of events and a love for writing landed him an internship with Sports Illustrated which led to a full-time job as a junior photo editor. In 1998 while with SI, he hired a pilot to take photos of the final round of The Masters which almost barred him from ever stepping foot on the course again. Over time, Matt wound up working for the GOLF Channel and co-hosted The Morning Drive.
We ask Matt about his one-on-one time he had with Arnold Palmer in Latrobe, PA. The story he tells is direct from The King’s mouth and is one you will want to hear. We talk more golf and why it’s more meaningful to be with good people at good courses rather than beating yourself up to shoot a certain score. Golf is an adventure and we often forget it!
We wrap up the show with our standard Tap-In segment where we ask Matt certain questions that generally require a quick response, but with Matt, his passion shows and we get some extra love. Give this episode a listen and a like!
Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
56 min
November 24, 2021Writin' Hits x Droppin' Birdies - Matt Stell (is tall)
Matt Stell, country artist whose song “Prayed For You” went viral, joins Chasin’ Birdies in a recording from Nashville. We cover the ins and outs of his music career as well as his love for golf. We talk about Bluejack National and some experience we all had at this gem of a course. Ladies, take note, Matt is currently single and living the life in Tennessee. Check out this fun episode for some laughs and good banter between us all!
We are hitting this country music scene hard. On today’s episode, we interview Matt Stell. Not only is Matt a successful country artist / songwriter, but he has a slight addiction to..golf. And by the way, extra-long clubs would go a long way for Matt.We open the episode up and talk about his early career. It comes as no surprise that Matt once strolled the courts as a well rounded basketball player. While in college, he picked up a guitar and started writing songs. The rest is history. Matt compares writing good songs to someone trying to get through on the PGA Tour. It takes time and dedication.After some more music talk, Matt explains that his favorite course to play is Bluejack National in Houston, TX. People..we’ve played Bluejack..it’s amazing. We tell a brief story about our one night at Bluejack and what Bash found in the freezer. We send a shout out to our boy Colt Ford and Bash drops a little something for Jana Kramer.We transition over to some more golf talk and how good Pinehurst really is. Speaking of Pinehurst, how about a Duck Hook? Although Chasin' Birdies is currently in a partnership with Links Brewing, at the time of recording, we were all about duck hooks and spotted cows (these are both beers). Take advice from Matt..shoot your shot. His favorite people in the world are those who put effort into life.The show ends with our typical tap-in segment where Pepe asks Matt some questions that require his quick response. This episode is gold. Please listen, share, and comment. We hope (know) you will enjoy this one as much as us!
Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
52 min
November 11, 2021Kelly O'Donnell - Director of Golf at Nemacolin Resort
Kelly O’Donnell, the Director Of Golf at Nemacolin Resort, joins us on this episode of Chasin’ Birdies. Kelly has had many experiences working in the golf industry. His most known claim to fame is that he worked directly for Mr. Ben Hogan. We dive into many topics of discussion covering the golf world. Join us for this episode where we talk golf and hear some stories from Kelly on what it was like working for Mr. Hogan. If you’re an old-school golf junkie, this episode is right up your alley!
Golf is a game that connects us. Whether it’s a scratch golfer playing with a hack or a business deal playing with 3 random people, golf always has a way to humble and unite. Although our guest today doesn’t play on tour or shoot 65’s regularly, he is a well known figure in the golf world. Kelly O’Donnell joins us on this episode of Chasin’ Birdies to talk life and golf. He is the current Director of Golf at Nemacolin Resort which is located in Farmington, PA. This is a far cry from where he previously lived in Texas.
We open the show with just some basic talk about the golf industry.We all agree that golf is growing and it’s headed in the right direction due to the strong desire that exists for golf. We talk about the new renovations to Mystic Rock, one of two championship golf courses at Nemacolin.
Kelly has been in the industry a long time and had an opportunity to work under Mr. Ben Hogan. We get into some deep Hogan stories and what it was like being under his guidance. Last week we had a jeweler on the show..and this week we learn that Mr. Hogan called his irons “jewelry”. Kelly was responsible for facilitating autograph signings by Mr. Hogan. Now that’s good stuff.
We transition the show over to our standard tap-in segment. We ask Kelly several questions that require his quick witted answer. We all now know that Kelly loves his Angels Envy. Enjoy this episode with some cool stories and more golf talk than previous episodes!
Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
53 min
November 04, 2021Banter Sesh from Nashville - Brandon Katzeff x Chasin' Birdies
It’s not always the ‘celebrity’ guest that’s chasin’ birdies in life. Look around your circle of friends and we bet you can name a few who are passionate and driven in their career. We drop this banter sesh with our closest friend, Brandon Katzeff, who runs a jewelry wholesale business as well as his main retail operation, Joyce’s Jewelry based in Uniontown, PA. Given the comfortability between the three of us, this episode has its serious side but also some friendly banter between the three amigos..especially when it comes to golf talk.
We love bringing you fun filled episodes from people who are doing things in life whether it’s people you know or don’t know. This banter sesh is just that. For many, you may not know who Brandon Katzeff is. For others, you’ve seen him around the area playing golf, smoking cigars, being a dad, and potentially three putting. Bkatz joins us on Chasin’ Birdies to not only discuss his love for golf but his passion for his businesses.It always seems like wherever we go, he goes. So it seemed fitting to drop this extra episode and let our best friend tell his story.
While holding back some tears, Brandon dives into his story of success and how he came into the business owner he is today. Running two successful businesses, a loyal husband, AND a father of two takes away from the golf course..however he finds a way to squeeze in more golf than the head pro at a local muni.Ironically, he turns the interview on us and asks us some questions. We get to tell our side of Chasin’ Birdies and how we’ve grown to become the podcast we are today. And we’re just getting started.
We end the episode with our standard Tap-In segment where Pepe fires off questions that require his quick response. After this episode, you’ll understand why some refer to us as the “Three Amigos”. Thanks for listening..and tell your friends.
Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
38 min
October 28, 2021SEC Touchdown Leader x Birdie Chaser - Aaron Murray
It’s October..which pairs well with football. Former Georgia QB Aaron Murray joins us on Chasin’ Birdies to talk all things football, past and present, and his new found love for chasing birdies on the course. Hear from the former Bulldog (current CBS Sports Analyst) discuss his football career, post-college career, and why he feels confident with his driver on any given hole. Tune in to this episode of Chasin’ Birdies to hear more from Aaron..especially if you’re a football nut.
Did ya know? Aaron Murray leads the SEC in all-time touchdown passes. Yeah..that’s what we said. We get to talk with Aaron on this episode of Chasin’ Birdies not just about his amazing college career but his post-football pursuit for birdies.
We open up the episode with Aaron discussing his four year starting role at the University of Georgia. Ironically, as this episode drops, Georgia is currently #1 in the College Football Rankings. Now that’s Chasin’ Birdies.
He committed to Georgia while Matthew Stafford was the starting QB. He explains why his redshirt Freshman year was great for his career. With his dedicated work ethic, Aaron became the leader on the Bulldog’s offense and has more touchdown passes than any other SEC QB (including the Manning brothers). After a small stint in the NFL, Aaron retired to the broadcast booth where he currently serves as a college football analyst for CBS Sports.
The show transitions over to current college players and how they’re able to make money off advertisements. We talk more about football and how he handles his schedule during the week.
Aaron travels with his sticks wherever he goes. We talk golf and how he became addicted to the game. A little on-air lesson occurs when Aaron sends a video of his swing during the episode. Believe it or not folks, his setup is on point. We suggested a little more knee flex.
The episode ends with our standard tap-in segment where we ask Aaron some tough questions that require his quick witted response. Another great episode of Chasin’ Birdies with a new-but-determined birdie hunter. Tune in to this episode of Chasin’ Birdies. We think you’ll enjoy this one.

Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
50 min
October 14, 2021Uncensored with Phil Bourque
Phil Bourque wasn’t just a part of the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup run in the 90s; He crafted a way to get his name on the inside of the cup, too. Now, as he transitioned into radio broadcasting for the Pittsburgh Penguins, he can’t get enough of golf in his veins. We talk to Phil about his NHL career and how his pursuit for birdies on the course is holding up. It’s not often you get to hear from a guy with 5 Stanley Cup Rings (2 as a player, 3 as a radio announcer). Don’t miss this episode of Chasin’ Birdies!
5 Stanley Cup Rings is pretty good, eh? That’s exactly what our guest, Phil Bourque, has. Undrafted and signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1982, Phil knows a thing or two about chasin’ birdies in life as well as on the golf course.We interviewed Phil at the Dirty Dog Cigar Shoppe in McKeesport, PA. Naturally, Phil and Mr. Pepe can’t get enough of their cigars. The episode opens with Phil explaining what it was like being undrafted and coming to Pittsburgh, a pure hockey city. Phil tells a lot of stories regarding their two year cup run from 1990-1992.
We all know there are the names sketched on the outside of the Stanley Cup, but what about on the inside? After being responsible for housing the Cup, we get to hear the story of how his name was sketched on the INSIDE of the Stanley Cup. This is gold.The show progresses into golf talk and why golfing is one of his favorite things to do. He has 5 reasons for why he loves golf..and golf itself is last.
We transition to our final segment, the tap-in segment, where Phil is asked four questions that require his quick, witty response. For you hockey and golf lovers out there, we guarantee you will enjoy this fun episode. Truly an uncensored hour with Phil Bourque.
Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
1 hr 8 min
September 30, 2021Double Play > Double Bogey - Neil Walker Post MLB Life
A hometown hero in Pittsburgh, Neil Walker was ‘the Pittsburgh kid’. In 2015, he turned the first 4-5-4 triple play in Major League history. After Pittsburgh, Neil played for the Mets, Yankees, Brewers, Miami, and finally retired after a short stint in Philly.
This episode was recorded at Nemacolin Resort in Farmington, PA. The Chasin’ Birdies boys played Neil and Eric in a two-man best ball format before recording this episode. We open up the talk with how he adjusted after just being drafted into the big leagues. He admits that it was a hard transition but eventually got easier.

Neil bounced around from various positions until he finally realized he was best at 2nd base. One perk for Neil was being able to peg it up during Spring Training or while on the road. This is where his love for golf started to blossom.
After more baseball talk coupled with life talk, we turn the tables and fire in our tap-in segment. Neil tells a story about Roberto Clemente that will leave chills all over your body. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do!

Key Links:

Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----

Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.

Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
1 hr 4 min
September 16, 2021Shep Rose - TV Star Turned Golf Junkie
Here at Chasin’ Birdies we tend to feel that we’re constantly pushing our brand to bring on guests from all walks of life. This week, we don’t have a hockey player, or an NHL referee, or even a country singer. Instead, Shep Rose, Bravo TV Star, joins us on this week’s episode to talk more than just golf.
We open the episode up with us learning (and you, too) that Shep is off to Alaska for a fishing trip. Boozing and fishing in Alaska sounds like a dream, and for Shep, he’s living it. Close encounters with Grizzly Bears seems to be quite alright with Shep.
We turn the page and talk golf. How he got involved in golf and what his golf schedule is like while balancing his jammed pack schedule. At 6’4, he had to go through a few swing changes to get his game back on track.
We talk to Shep about his experience at the BMW Celebrity Golf Tournament that he played in with Max Homa..which he didn’t know who the hell that was. He rubs elbows with Aaron Rodgers and is still owed lasagna from Max for draining a putt.
After some more golf talk / stories, we turn the page to our final segment of the show, the Tap-In Segment. We ask Shep a few questions that require his witty response. This episode is full of laughs and is one you will definitely want to tune into!

Key Links:
Visit hbgolf.com for great golf apparel now repped by Chasin’ Birdies.
Stay tuned for more info on winning custom headcovers from WinstonCollection.com
Our Tap-in segment is sponsored by Bettinardi Golf

-----
Follow Chasin’ Birdies on Instagram @chasin_birdies.
Chasin’ Birdies is hosted by Ryan Bashour and Jonathan Pepe and is proudly recorded in West Virginia. Produced by Simpler Media.
46 min

About Chasin' Birdies

From the publisher's feed

Booking a tee time with top athletes from the NHL, NFL, or with headlining musicians from the country music scene isn't easy. But we can give you the next best thing!