Happy New Year everyone and welcome to our first show of 2021 here on Golf Talk Washington. 

Despite the torrential rain, the last thing you want to do is put away the clubs for the winter.  There is no better time than right now to start looking ahead to the new year and making big strides so you're ready to hit the ground running when the ball stops plugging.

Join host Josh Kerns for a visit to the magic kingdom to work on your game over the winter – the PNW Golf Academy in Issaquah.  It’s like Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory for golf with multiple Trackman bays, a short game area and more.   

It’s the brainchild of award-winning PGA professional Alex Dunlop. After a stellar college golf career at WSU, he’s established himself as one of the top teachers in the NW, if not the nation.

Check out our recent conversation…socially distanced of course….

Happy Holidays!  In this special edition of Golf Talk Washington Josh Kerns travels to Santa's Workshop aka Puetz Golf Superstore in North Seattle to visit with head elf  (Manager Chris Johnson) to come up with the ultimate holiday gift guide and how to outfit for yourself for the cold and wet ahead.

And speaking of great holiday gifts, how about a custom green guide for your favorite course, just like pros use?!  Josh visits with Pete Charleston, President and Co-Founder of GolfLogix to talk about the latest in green guides and app technology.

Looking for some helpful holiday hints?  Check out these links to some of my favorites:

https://www.puetzgolf.com/
https://www.golflogix.com/
https://keithbennettgolf.com/
https://pnwgolfacademy.com/
https://eyelinegolf.com/

Cold and rain are coming to Western Washington, but that doesn't mean we have to put our golf games into hibernation.

In this edition of Golf Talk Washington, Josh Kerns visits with Western Washington's PGA Teacher of the Year Keith Bennett to talk about ways we can keep our games going and improving all winter long, on the range or in our homes.

Here are some links to great training aids and books Keith talks about in the episode:

https://keithbennettgolf.com/
https://superspeedgolf.com/
https://eyelinegolf.com/

Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect-Bob Rotella
Every Shot Counts - Mark Broadie

Join Josh Kerns for a visit to the Chambers Bay Academy with Director of Instruction Ryan Young.  Learn why the greatest practice facility in Western Washington is a great place for players of all ability from elite to beginners.

Ryan, one of Washington's top teachers' (and players) offers great insights into how we can start building a winter practice plan to help us all lay the foundation for a strong new season ahead, and he details the inspiring the work he's doing with veterans across the country.

To learn more about Ryan and all of the fabulous offerings, check out the Chambers Bay Academy website https://www.chambersbaygolf.com/cbga/

And visit Ryan's YouTube channel and Instagram feed for more great instruction to elevate your game

In this special edition of Golf Talk Washington, acclaimed golf course architect David McLay Kidd joins Josh Kerns for an in-depth conversation about his mind-blowing body of work spanning the globe from Bandon Dunes to Gamble Sands to Nicaragua and even the Red Sea.

David takes us inside his newest creation, the Quicksands short course at Gamble Sands, we talk about the exceptional US Amateur at Bandon Dunes, his surprising renovation of Seattle's venerable Sand Point Country Club, and he gives us a sneak peak at his newest and potentially most audacious project to date: a dramatic new development on a sand island in the middle of the Red Sea between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

David also offers insights into the evolution of his design philosophy and craft, and offers some thought provoking takes on how to make golf more fun.

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What's the best way to buy new clubs or dial in your current set?  In this special edition of Golf Talk Washington, Josh Kerns visits with master club builder and fitter Ben Giunta about all the things you need to know before spending another cent on new sticks.

Ben is a former PGA tour club fitter/equipment tech who worked for Nike and Taylor Made for a number of years.  When Nike quit the equipment business, Ben bought one of their tour vans and established his own fitting service called…wait for it…The Tour Van.  He spends his summers at Pumpkin Ridge outside Portland and winters in Tucson.  He’s worked with the likes of Rory, Kevin Chappel and other PGA Tour standouts, as well as hacks like you and me, so suffice it to say he knows his stuff!

https://thetourvan.com/

Desperate times call for desperate measures...with courses closed and our air unhealthy, join me for a visit to the indoor golf playground Back9 Parlor in Lynnwood.  If you haven't been in a state of the art simulator with a screaming fast launch monitor lately, you're in for a treat.

https://back9parlor.com/

In this totally subjective and highly opinionated edition of Golf Talk Washington, your humble caddie Josh Kerns is joined by golf snobs...err, afficianados...Ben Garrett and Jesse Jones, for a wide ranging debate about which courses are tops in Washington.

Ben is one of the top amateur players in the state and counts multiple victories in the Sahalee Club Championship among his golfing accomplishments, while Jesse...suffice it to say Jesse sees more of every course than most of us!

Seriously, both are fellow golf lovers who've had the good fortune of playing many of our state's finest courses.  Ben is an official panelist for Golf Digest while Jesse is an official rater for Golfweek.  Both bring unique and insightful perspectives to the debate about which courses are best in our state.

For reference, check out some recent rankings, and enjoy.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/washington-best-in-state-rankings
https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/golfweeks-best-2020-best-courses-you-can-play-state-by-state/

In this edition of Golf Talk Washington with Josh Kerns, Tacoma native, PGA Tour veteran and acclaimed instructor Brian Mogg joins the show to offer his unique insights on how to learn to play better golf, the advantages of going to a golf school like the Brian Mogg Academy at Chambers Bay, how online video can help and more.

Brian Mogg is repeatedly tabbed as one of America's top teacher's by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine and his students regularly bring home the hardware from the PGA tour to top amateur tournaments.

Check out the Brian Mogg Academy at Chambers Bay for more information and upcoming sessions:
https://www.chambersbaygolf.com/instruction/

Check out Brian's amazing video series (only if you want to hit the ball farther and play better...)
https://www.performancegolfzone.com/

Straight off his wire-to-wire win in the Washington State Am, champion Sean Kato joins the show to share the secrets to his success we can all use in reaching our own goals.  The Redmond-native and rising Oregon State junior takes us from the opening tee to hoisting our state's most prestigious golf trophy, lessons he's learned along the way that propeled him to the greeatest golfing achievement of his young life, overcoming adversity and so much more.  And we talk about the challenges facing all young people these days as students or student athletes given the continued uncertainty of the COVID-19 challenges.

We also talk about the influence of Russell Wilson's mental coach Trevor Moawad, and how we can all hack our thoughts with his help.  You can buy Trevor's mind-blowing book "It Takes What It Takes" here.

Photo of Sean Kato courtesy WA Golf