Course Record Show

In the first edition of Quick 9—a shorter, more focused version of the Course Record Show—I sit down with Kris Hart, who run innovation at the PGA of America.

Kris talks EP Golf Ventures, the organization’s dedicated innovation fund, and how they evaluate opportunities at the intersection of golf, technology, and business. The conversation explores the challenge of separating passion projects from scalable investments, betting on people vs products, and how the PGA’s 30K+ members, Frisco campus, and Championships serve as a powerful real-world testing and feedback network. 

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In this episode we connect with Jamie Ledford, President of Golf Pride.  We discuss the golf grip industry, how the product is positioned for golfers, supply chain issues and Jamie's unique career trajectory.  You'll likely think differently about your golf grip after hearing Jamie speak.  Enjoy, tell a friend and subscribe for future content!

In this episode we talk to Jay Karen, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA).  Jay represents the supply side of the golf industry, helping owners and operators collaborate on joint issues that are relevant to the business.  We discuss tee times, the complex governance in golf, congressional hearings and even daylight savings time.  Enjoy!

Michael Jolly is Director of Tour Operations for Cleveland/Srixon Golf.  In our conversation, we cover a lot of what goes on behind the scenes at every TOUR stop, how OEMs spot players to contract as ambassadors and the role that professional golf plays in reaching the general golfing public.  Enjoy!

Matt Welter is CEO of Dormy House (www.dormydevelopment.com), a real estate development company focused on destination golf.  Matt's story as a caddie and relationship with Mike Keiser (owner of Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley and Cabot Cape Breton) led to him solving an underappreciated problem in the golf industry.  Matt shares his vision, founding story and how he sees the housing shortage problem for golf resorts.  Enjoy!

In this episode, Chad Mumm joins Roberto for an in-depth conversation.  Chad shares some behind the curtains views of Full Swing (where he is the Executive Producer), the development of his company Pro Shop and how he sees the opportunity for golf entertainment for the years ahead.

Full Swing season 3 drops on Netflix on February 25, 2025.

Golf business stories from 2024, plus some inside the ropes talk. We talk TOUR, LIV, DP World (3:30), big job openings across golf (5:40), Scottie/Xander/Rory (11:00), Nelly/Hovland/Ludvig/Clanton (17:00), Creator/Influencers/SimGolf Market (23:30), and finally...Castro gets back inside the ropes! (31:00). 

Thanks to Holderness & Bourne for the support! 

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Roberto speaks to Joe Assell, Founder and CEO of Golftec.  Joe shares his journey from PGA Professional to Founder, the expansion of Golftec, how digital plays a role in the company's future plans and more.  Enjoy!

In this episode, Roberto and Dan break down the highlights from the past season in golf and share some of the developments they're looking to keep an eye on over the offseason.

In this episode, we cover the renovation at East Lake Golf Club and the implications for the TOUR Championship.  Chad Parker (GM and President, East Lake Golf Club) and Alex Urban (Executive Director, TOUR Championship) give us their views on how the renovation impacts the club operations, what to look out for when watching the TOUR Championship and what clubs should think about when undergoing such a project.  Enjoy!