Golf Yeah

Marty Carr, Founder and CEO

Carr Golf Group

Dublin, Ireland

For someone who was raised in the shadow of a man who’s recognized as Ireland’s greatest amateur golfer of all time, and who was the youngest child in a family with 6 kids, Marty Carr seems to have done pretty well for himself over the past 30 plus years.

Since 1989, Marty Carr has overseen the growth and success of Dublin-based Carr Golf, which is one of the world’s most respected operators of customized golf tours in Ireland, Scotland, England (and elsewhere). In fact, Carr Golf has received Golf Digest’s Editors’ Choice Award four years running for “Best Tour Operator” from 2016 – 2019

Under Marty’s direction, and with help from his brother Roddy, Carr Golf has expanded beyond travel, into two other business lines that leverage the company’s expertise in golf: those include a golf course maintenance company; and a business that provides course management and marketing services. Carr Golf currently employs more than 80 people on a full-time basis, and a team twice that size for various projects. Carr Golf has been involved a number of renowned golf projects, including Old Head of Kinsale, Dromoland Castle, Mount Juliet, Carton House and Barbados Golf Club.

I’d like to suggest that the key to Carr Golf’s growth and success can be found in the company’s 6 core values, which are displayed prominently on its website. Here are the first two:

• We offer service and respect to staff and customers (interesting that staff is not only included, it’s listed before customers)
• We understand the value of reputation, integrity and trust

It’s refreshing to see a company that stands for something more than making money.

Show Highlights: 

• What life was like growing up with a father who was a golfing legend in Ireland
• Marty's explanation of why, "I've got the name, but not the game." when it comes to golfing talent.
• [caption id="attachment_2969" align="alignright" width="300"] Marty's father, Joe (J.B.) Carr, is considered the greatest amateur Irish golfer of all time.[/caption]
• His initial career path as a financial advisor in the US and Ireland
• The backstory behind how and why Carr Golf was started
• The competitive challenges of running a golf travel and events business
• Why Americans and the Irish "get each other"
• Key differences between golfing in Ireland and Scotland
• Why his Father & Son, and Father & Daughter World Invitational Golf tournaments have been so successful
• "Tough love" advice for someone who's thinking about starting a golf business

Notable Quotes:

On his father (J.B. Carr) being raised by his mother’s sister: “It was always a bit of a stigma, and certainly had an impact on him. My father never spoke of it, or acknowledged that he was adopted, or sought to connect with his adopted family.”

On his father’s golf game: “He was very big and all hands, was very powerful and could hit the ball a long way. He had the ability to power through the ball, even in the deepest of rough or toughest of lies. His putting was the most suspect part of his game, but he was a very fierce competitor, particularly in match play.”

On his own golf game: “I’m pretty much self-taught. I do remember being on the practice range with a bunch of guys, and maybe Henry Cotton would be there. And he would have a new technique for hitting a car tire one-handed with your left hand. I remember all of these cutting edge techniques, and John Jacobs staying in our house...but I never really engaged in the game. But I don’t regret it. I can’t look back and I can’t complain, because I’ve had a good run.”

On being the youngest member of the Carr family: “In those days all of the grief rolled downhill, so I got all of that grief. That’s why I was a bit of a rebel growing up.”

On the origins of Carr’s golf travel business: “There were many personal requests from people who were coming to Ireland, calling J.B. or Roddy or John, asking where they should stay, and if they could get them on courses. So our business was like formalizing something that had been happening informally in our family for decades.”

On American pushback against playing on Trump courses: “Yes, there is pushback, but not as much as some people think. But the only Trump course that’s outperforming its prior results is Doonbeg.”

On increased difficulty to get on well-known Irish / Scottish courses: “Most of the tee times and inventory for 2020 is gone already, and that’s not just at St Andrews. Portrush and Royal County Down are pretty much sold out for the coming year, and you’ll find it very difficult to get a tee time at Old Head of Kinsale.”

On his source of inspiration in business: “I’ve been inspired by Dermot Desmond, who is a really smart, forward-looking individual. Dermot once said to me, “The only mistakes you learn from are those where there is pain involved.” This is very true. You need to learn by your own mistakes, and if you get away scot-free, then you don’t learn the lesson.”

On Carr Golf’s business strategy: “We are very data-driven. The technology that drives our businesses is a huge part of what we do, in every respect. When you gather data over several years, the power of that information becomes really important.”

[caption id="attachment_2968" align="alignright" width="300"] Marty developed a friendship with Arnold Palmer through his father. Arnold noted that, "You could never tell from J.B.'s demeanor, walking off the golf course, whether he had won or lost."[/caption]

Resources: 

Carr Golf Group's Website

Carr Golf's Father & Son Invitational Golf Tournament

Carr Golf's Father & Daughter Invitational Golf Tournament

Tom Cox

Founder and CEO - Golfballs.com, Inc.

Lafayette, Louisiana

We’ve had a number of golf entrepreneurs on the Golf Yeah podcast, but it’s safe to say that none are as hard-wired or successful as Tom Cox. Tom is the co-founder, president and CEO of golfballs.com, a company he started in 1995, which was one of the first eCommerce businesses for golf products. Golfballs.com has been on a rocket ship since then. In 1996, for example, the company had sales of $16,000...and they currently are around $35 million.

There are three things I find interesting about Tom. First of all, he already had a solid 10+ year golf industry career before he started golfballs.com...as the manager of a prestigious golf club in Broussard, Louisiana. But Tom knew that he wanted something more...and had self-confidence to reach for it.

Secondly, Tom had the innate ability...not only to see a market opportunity in used golf balls, but also had the flexibility to change the focus of his business into mass customization of new golf balls and other golf-related items. So he had the talent of most great entrepreneurs...which is the ability to connect the dots, and to adapt quickly based on what he learned.

The third thing I find interesting about Tom is that he has not allowed his success to get in the way of giving back. And the way that Tom gives back is by serving as an advocate, advisor and fan of startup companies and their founders. Toward that end, he is co-founder and volunteer President of Opportunity Machine, a business accelerator. Tom is also a limited partner in Tectonic Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on technology companies with high growth potential.

Here's a fun fact about Tom. On the Meyers-Briggs personality test, which classifies people as one of 16 personality types, Tom is an ENTJ, which means he is Extroverted, Intuitive, Thinking and Judging. Meyers Briggs calls this personality type “Commanders;” and describes them as natural born leaders with charisma and confidence, who project authority in a way that draws people together behind a common goal. Other ENTJ people included Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. That group also included Richard Nixon, but we steer clear of politics in our podcasts.

Show Highlights: 

• Why a passion for golf was NOT the key to Tom's success
• How Tom came to connect the dots between two concepts -- used golf balls and internet marketing -- to create golfballs.com
• Behind the scenes insights into the world of used golf balls
• What happened in the market that caused Tom to change his business model
• The value of owning the golfballs.com domain, and how he also acquired golfball.com
• Why most people do not pay an additional fee for customizing their golf balls
• What types of things that Tom refuses to imprint on a golf ball
• The key to success in running a business with 120 employees
• The next step in Tom's plan for golfballs.com
• Why Tom invests so much time helping other entrepreneurs to succeed

Notable Quotes: 

On his original business plan: “It was simply to have a website as a marketing engine, and to employ guys who dive for golf balls do the fulfillment. It was not to run an operation with 120 employees."

On changing his business model: “You can pick ONE thing and be really good at it, and the ONE thing we work to be really good at is customized golf products....which means that you have to give up on some other pieces of the industry...and one of those pieces was used golf balls.”

On market timing in 1995: “We were a unique differentiated product selling online. Back then, golfers were one of the first demographic groups who were buying online. Golfers were early adopters of the internet.”

On who buys personalized golf balls: “If you want to play the least expensive golf ball, then you will probably not be a customer. But if you play a lot of golf and you like customized products -- and an increasing number of people do want their products customized -- then you're likely to buy a customized golf ball."

On his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Entrepreneurs fall in love with ideas, and think that the idea or product will win the day. But it’s people that make a successful business.”

Resources: 

Tom's successful mass customization eCommerce business: https://www.golfballs.com

The Lafayette, LA-based business incubator / accelerator designed to grow business and entrepreneurship, create quality jobs, economic diversity, and regional prosperity: https://www.opportunitymachine.org

Jason Pearsall

It might be an understatement to say that Jason Pearsall is hard-wired as a golf entrepreneur. Since graduating from college in 2007, Jason has either started, or played an important role in a number of successful businesses – both cutting edge and traditional.

While in college, and prior to co-founding Club Caddie Inc. — his current entrepreneurial venture —  Jason had created and sold Performance Personal Computers, a successful e-commerce company. He had also built an app called “Golfler,” a tee-sheet and on-demand food and beverage delivery system for golf courses that was acquired by Supreme Golf.

Together with Solidea, a New York venture advisory firm, Jason is now working to establish Club Caddie’s reputation as the world’s best course cloud-based course management system; offering all types of clubs a contemporary SAAS subscription service with an affordable and transparent pricing model.

Jason also currently serves as an owner and Managing Partner at Flushing Valley Golf and Banquet Center in Flushing, Michigan, where he is able to test Club Caddie’s software every day this 18-hole, daily fee, semi-private golf facility that features an extensive food, beverage and banquet operation.

Jason is the kind of person who generates more great ideas than he has time to do them.  And I suspect that he’s only just getting started as a business builder.  If Jason’s resume doesn’t make you feel like an underachiever, here’s another fact that might push you over the edge: he also earned a law degree and is a licensed attorney.

But is Jason a nice guy? A review that was posted on Glassdoor.com from a former employee of his golf app company reported that, “Jason Pearsall is an amazing leader with both muscular intelligence and creative vision. His charisma is a major determinant guiding the company’s success.” But there was also one negative comment. He wrote “Detroit is cold. Perhaps move the company Headquarters to Florida or California.” [In his interview, Jason explains that he lives in Michigan only because his wife’s family is located there.]

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On his career path: “My career plan was not to run an e-commerce business. I wanted to go to law school. Someone offered to purchase my company, so I sold the company and continued on to law school.”

On his goal to be a lawyer: “When I was young, my grandfather told me that he always wanted to be a lawyer, but never did. He told me that I should go to law school. So I set that as a goal from avery young age, and I am still a licensed lawyer and do much of the legal work for our businesses.”

On his decision to co-found Club Caddie: “It was an opportunity to leave a safe job and to try something new, and I thought, “If I don’t do it now, I am never going to do it. So I seized it.”

On the turn-around strategy for Flushing Valley Golf Club: “When we bought Flushing Valley, we wanted to have a great golf course because we are all golf guys. But we recognized that we were not going to make it if we just tried to survive as a golf course.”

On his bucket list: “I have no bucket list.  I rarely think about anything other than what’s right in front of me. My wife calls Club Caddie my baby, because I’m working on it every moment that I can.”

On his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: “It’s important that you take the leap, but you just don’t leave your job to do it. Most people don’t understand how difficult it is to start a business ,and more importantly, how expensive it is to start a business.”

Resources: 

Jason’s Club Management Software Venture: https://www.clubcaddie.com

Jason’s Golf Club Venture: Flushing Valley Golf and Banquet Center: https://www.flushingvalley.com

Woody Lashen, Owner

In the tradition of golfing legend Old Tom Morris, Woody Lashen is a master clubfitter. And decades before the national, multi-location companies like GOLFTEC and Club Champion got into the clubfitting business, Woody and his partner Pete Makowski were providing golfers with the equipment they need to play their best. In fact, their company, Pete’s Golf — located in Mineola, New York — after more than 75,000 custom fittings, is celebrating its 40th year in business.

Similar to Old Tom Morris, Woody is also an accomplished golfer, and he competes regularly in amateur tournaments. So Woody’s connection with the game, and his clubfitting skills, are rooted in his first-hand experience on the golf course, not just in the workshop.

In his Golf Yeah podcast, Woody shares the details of his life’s journey; provides insights into the world of clubfitting; and offers some helpful advice for golfers who are looking to improve their scores as well as their enjoyment of the game.

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On the golf equipment industry: “It’s difficult for small manufacturers to build a better product. They might have one engineer, wile the big companies can have 50 or 100 engineers who are true rocket scientists, and multi-million dollar budgets. The USGA also has a huge book of rules that holds back innovation. That’s why so few small manufacturers survive.”

On industry acceptance of clubfitting: “Right from the start, we wanted to become a member of the PGA, but the organization rejected that idea. But now, clubfitting is embraced by the PGA. So it was somewhat of a battle at first, trying to have people understand value of fitting.”

On selecting what golf equipment to carry: “We speak directly to the engineers; not the marketing guys. The manufacturers give us their clubs and all the technical information. Then we do our own testing. We understand what will work what won’t. We ignore the marketing mumbo jumbo.”

On maintaining his professional edge: “I play a lot of golf. To remain good at what I do, I need to be out there, on the golf course, trying different equipment under actual conditions.”

On buying clubs with the latest technology: “The big golf manufacturers need to produce a new driver constantly. For exaple, Callaway every year; Titleist every two years; Ping every 18 months. But the latest technology may not be better for your game. For example, a 2018 Callaway Epic may be better for you than a 2019 Epic Flash driver.”

On buying clubs at a “big box” store: “When people tell us that they were fitted for clubs at a big box sporting goods store, we tell them, “You didn’t get fitted. You got sold.”

Resources: 

Pete’s Golf”s main shop on Long Island: https://www.petesgolf.com/

Pete’s Golf’s Manhattan fitting studio: https://www.golfbodynyc.com/

Tony Brooks, PGA Legacy Master Professional

Owner

If I had only one word to describe Tony Brooks…it would be “contrarian.” And that’s because my definition of the word contrarian is someone who looks at the world through an unfiltered lens. Contrarians usually have opinions that cut through politics and personal agendas, and that come from the heart. Contrarians are not always interested in achieving a consensus, and are never afraid to rock the boat.  They’re more interested in getting to the heart of any matter, uncovering the truth, and finding solutions that work.

Tony Brooks — a man with more than 30,000 LinkedIn followers — is entitled to be a contrarian for two reasons: First….Tony is recognized as a master of his craft. When it comes to golf, he speaks from authority. Secondly…He cares deeply about the game, and about how he uses his craft to benefit people’s lives. And we’re not talking about lowering handicaps.  One example of that?  The legal name of Tony’s company…GOLF, Inc…stands for Game Of Life First, Inc.

Here’s a biographical snapshot:

Tony grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa as a 3rd generation golfer. He’s played the game since he was 5 years old; and remembers how he was treated as a marginalized junior golfer. Based on that experience, Tony has dedicated his career to ensuring the growth of the game through junior golf. And toward that end, ​​for the past 13 years Tony has been the owner of the Lion Junior Golf Academy in Diamond Bar California, which is located east of Los Angeles.

Prior to that, Tony worked as a golf professional at a number of California golf facilities, including the famed Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Mission Viejo Country Club, and Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda. He has also served as a Director of Instruction for the PGA Tour.

Notably, Tony is one of around 375 PGA Master Professionals in the country, which represents around 1% of the current PGA membership. The PGA of America created its Master Professional program in 1969 for PGA members who wanted to pursue the highest level of golf education possible. Tony’s specialty for his Masters program was teaching and instruction.

Tony has a long list of other professional certifications and recognitions. Last year, for example, he was a recipient of the Golf Range Association of America’s “Top 50 in the U.S. Growth of the Game” Awards. He also is a GolfTIPS National Magazine Junior Academy contributor.

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On the future of the golf industry: “The golf business needs to wake up.  Those that do wake up will stay in business and make a good living for themselves. Importantly, millennials are the future of the game, and the golf industry needs to figure out how they think, and what they want.”

On the leadership of the PGA: “Most PGA members don’t make a lot of money. They do what they do based on their love for the game. To keep them, things need to change at the PGA. For example, they could have easily beaten TopGolf to that market, but they didn’t have the foresight to see that opportunity. They’re stuck in their traditional ways.”

On online golf instruction: “There is a place for online instruction, but online tips do not address the need for personalization…I stopped writing articles for magazines because I felt that I was doing a disservice to people by offering them tips that probably wouldn’t work for them, because the game is so personal. People need to work with an instructor to figure out what works for them.”

On working with kids: “Adults are often needy and theoretical, and mull over every direction they’re given. I’m not a shrink; I just want to help people play better golf. Kids are easier to teach and more fun to work with, which makes time go much faster. We only work with families that want to make a commitment to golf, and to stick with it for a while. So junior golf is not only more fun for me, it also provides greater job security.”

On the educational system: “I failed in school because I was a daydreamer. I was able to do the work, but wasn’t interesting or fun for me. Teachers need to find out what makes students tick.  Genuine wisdom that you need to survive in life is very different from regurgitating facts.”

On finding a career in golf: “My biggest advice is to stay away from big corporations.. They will bleed you, and when you have nothing left to give, they’ll replace you with someone they can hire cheaper. Do it yourself. Don’t be afraid to make that commitment. There are plenty of opportunities.”

Resources: 

Lion Junior Golf Academy (LJGA) website: https://www.liongolfacademy.com/

LJGA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lionjuniorgolf/

Tony’s LinkedIn Profile:linkedin.com/in/anthony-b-78446b114

Tony’s wife Etsy Shop: H2O Kreations

20% of LJGA’s net profits, plus a 50/50 adoption program with EPEC Junior Clubs, are donated to “Heal the Hood” in South Africa — a charity for underprivileged children.

Bradford A. Becken, Jr.

President

Brad Becken is one of a relatively small group of dedicated amateur golfers who share a common purpose: which is to safeguard the life’s work of a man from Scotland named Donald J. Ross…a man whom many consider to be the most importance influence on the game of golf in America.

Serious students of the game, and of golf course architecture in particular, are well aware of the contributions of Donald Ross. But it’s fair to say that the average golfer has scant knowledge or appreciation of who Donald Ross was, or his enormous impact on the game.

Hopefully, Brad Becken’s interview with Golf Yeah will increase, by some measure, the golfing public’s understanding of who the man was, and more specifically, why there is an organization called the Donald Ross Society…for which Brad Becken currently serves as President.

After a distinguished career as an investment banker, working for some of the most respected firms on Wall Street, Brad served as CFO and then President of a Los Angeles-based entertainment company until his retirement in 2005.

Brad will fill in the details regarding his own life’s story, and regarding the work of the Donald Ross Society…but I will disclose that his progress through the ranks of the Society has been somewhat impressive. Brad joined the organization in 2012, was elected to the board in 2016, and assumed to role of President in 2018….which suggests to me that Brad has a true calling for the Donald Ross Society…that’s been recognized by people who share his passion.

Another measure of Brad’s passion: over the past 8 years, he has played on 367 courses designed by Donald Ross.

Pinehurst is considered by many to be Donald Ross’s greatest masterpiece.

10 Key Facts You Should Know About Donald J. Ross: 

ONE: Ross was born in 1872 in Dornoch, Scotland to a family of modest means. An accomplished golfer, he was sent to St. Andrews to learn from the most highly recognized golf professional of that era, Old Tom Morris.  Ross returned to Dornoch, where he served as club professional and greenskeeper.

TWO: Ross emigrated to the United States in 1899 to become club professional and greenskeeper at Oakley Country Club in Watertown, Massachusetts. His arrival coincided with growing interest in golf in America, and the need for new courses to accommodate the invention of the Haskell wound golf ball…which traveled further and higher than gutta percha balls.

THREE: Ross redesigned the Oakley course, and met member James Tufts, a successful businessman who convinced him to build a golf course on a piece of land he owned in the sandhills of North Carolina, known as Pinehurst. From then until the remainer of his life, Ross would work in New England during the summers, and in North Carolina in the winters. Ross served as director of golf at the Pinehurst Resort for many years.

FOUR: As his reputation and demand for his course design services grew, Ross remained close to the game as a player. He competed in a number of tournaments, winning the Massachusetts Open, as well as the North and South Open. He also finished well in a number of U.S. Opens.

FIVE: By 1916, Donald J. Ross Associates had been established, and during the first three decades of the 20th century, Ross employed 30 building crews and 2,500 men, who were responsible for the design and construction of more than 380 courses.

SIX: Ross’s reputation as an architect was so strong that he solicited projects on only two occasions over the course of his career. One of those projects he won: Seminole Golf Club in Florida. The other project he lost to Alister Mackenzie: Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia…which he considered his greatest disappointment.

SEVEN: Unlike most of his competitors, Ross’s hole design did not repeat from course to course. Each course design was original, and took advantage of the existing landscape. His design philosophy was that golf should be a pleasure, not a penance. His courses were intentionally designed to be playable by nearly every level of golfer.

EIGHT: Ross likely foresaw how technology would lengthen the distance that players can carry the ball. Unlike other designers, he built a high degree of difficulty into his greens, with dramatic slopes and subtle contours. His greens continue to make par difficult for even the most skilled players; thus giving course designs to the game of golf that would last for the ages.

NINE: Ross courses have been, and continue to be favorite sites for professional and amateur championships. Over the 20th century, more than 120 USGA Championships have been played on Ross-designed courses.

TEN: Ross died of a heart attack in 1948 at the age of 75. At the time of his death, at least 413 courses had been designed by his firm, in 30 states across the United States, and in Canada, Nova Scotia and Cuba.

Resources: 

Donald Ross Society website: https://rosssociety.org

“Golf, As It Was Meant To Be Played: A Celebration of Donald Ross’s Vision of the Game,” by Donald Ross Society Co-Founder, Michael J. Fay

“Golf Has Never Failed Me: The Lost Commentaries of Legendary Golf Architect Donald J. Ross” The only book containing the thoughts of Donald J. Ross

The Tufts Archives (Given Memorial Library): A comprehensive collection of information on Pinehurst and Donald J. Ross

Donald Ross: Discovering the Legend  A documentary film on the life, work and legacy of Donald Ross

Kate Tempesta

Founder, Owner and President of Fun

As you can see, part of Kate Tempesta’s  title at the Urban Golf Academy includes “President of Fun.” In fact, you don’t have to dig too deeply into her website to believe that she really does enjoy her life’s work. And I suspect that the source of that happiness is based on the fact that she’s combined two of the things she enjoys most in life. And those would be her love of children, and her love for the game of golf…which also seems to be a recipe for her success in business.

Kate Tempesta’s education, and her early career, focused on exercise science and fitness. She later transitioned to the educational arena where she created and taught the movement education program at St. Thomas More Play Group for ten years. After becoming an LPGA Teaching and Club Professional, she founded the Urban Golf Academy, located in the heart of New York City.

According to Kate, “Children are always my source of daily inspiration.”

With Kate at the helm over the past 12 years, UGA has delivered the joy of golf to at least 1,000 children each year. Most recently, Kate and her team have developed the Birdie Basics and Birdie Basics Pro boxes; a joint curriculum, lecture series, and utility kit that gives parents, teachers, and professional coaches the tools and access to implement UGA’s proven methods designed to turn their children and students into lifelong golfers…but more importantly, to empower them as individuals.

Kate has consistently been recognized by Golf Digest magazine as one of the best women teachers in the game of golf (which is even more remarkable, given that she was 30 years-old when she started playing.)  She’s spoken on several panels about growing the game of golf, including the Inaugural PGA of America’s Junior Golf Summit, as well as the Youth & Family Golf Summit at a recent Merchandise PGA Show.

Additionally, the PGA of Canada invited Kate to take part in their professional development series, offering Canadian PGA members the opportunity to learn some of the best practices of UGA. These include UGA’s trademark “Birdie-isms”; which are effective and engaging metaphors that take the complex physical, mental, and emotional concepts of golf and make them both accessible and memorable for children.

Kate resides on the Upper West Side of New York City. In her spare time, you can find Kate kickboxing, swinging a sword and planning how UGA can positively effect children the world over. Kate believes in leaving each day a little better off than when it started…and I’m confident that hearing what she has to say will brighten your day.

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On how children learn: “Academics, play, and learning are not mutually exclusive. Play is the method for teaching, and learning is the outcome…I’ve built my entire program on that philosophy.”

On her discovery of golf: “I had played maybe a handful of times as a kid, and I hated it, I thought it was boring…but when I was 30…I was invited to go play at a municipal course out in Yonkers, New York, and I fell in love with it. It hit me like a ton of bricks.”

On why golf makes sense for kids: “This is a great sport for young children, because it teaches movement, perseverance, creativity, and the fine and gross motor skills…all of it.”

On her approach to life: “My mom and dad told me, “You always jump into the fire, and you come out on the other side…I’m somebody that truly lives by my heart. If it doesn’t feel right, in my heart, I don’t do it.”

On how she knew her business would succeed: “When I saw the faces of the children, when I saw other coaches responding to the program, and parents responding to the program, I knew I had something.”

On her Birdie Basics program: “It’s a turnkey program for any golf professional, for sports camps, or for parents…We give them the same tools: the branding, the Birdie mascot, the story lines, the video support, the in-person trainings…you have the ability to run the same programming that we have here in New York City.”

On her broader mission: “I want to see more substantial learning and coaching opportunities for three to seven-year olds, which is a very specialized coaching field that could really move the needle. I’ve heard about broad strokes of how we develop young children, but I want it to go way deeper than that, because there’s an incredible opportunity. I’m never gonna stop until that happens.”

Resources: 

Urban Golf Academy website: www.ktuga.com

Birdie Basics’ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KTUrbanGolf/

Instagram: birdie_basics

One of Kate’s Sources of Personal Inspiration:

Brene Brown’s TED Talk on Vulnerability:

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en

Ryan Carey

Owner, Green Jacket Auctions

Ryan Carey is exactly the type of person that the Golf Yeah podcast was created to showcase. A lawyer by training, and a practicing attorney, around 13 years ago Ryan Carey and his partner Bob Zafian, identified an opportunity in the world of golf memorabilia, and in 2006 they created on online business called “Green Jacket Auctions,” that’s grown into the largest auction house of its kind.

To give you an idea of the scope of Ryan’s business, its most recent auction featured more than 1,000 lots, with items ranging in price from $25 to more than $200,000. To appreciate those numbers, this morning I searched Ebay for golf memorabilia, and found only 124 items…ranging from a Francis Ouimet trophy listed at around $20,000, to an unsigned photo of Jack Nicklaus kissing the Claret Jug for $5.55.

Business partners Ryan Carey and Bob Zafian have established Green Jacket Auction’s reputation as the world’s leading auction house for golf memorabilia.

Based on their passion for golf, and for collecting other rare sports items, Ryan and Bob have created what’s become a thriving enterprise that’s expanded into related services, including appraisals, authentication and private searches for hard to find collectables. And in the process, they’ve established reputations a leading authorities on just about everything related to golf…and as their company name suggests…everything related to the Masters Tournament.

I had not met nor spoken with Ryan prior to his interview, but from what I was able to discern from his footprints on the internet…I learned that he’s a native of Tampa, Florida…an avid golfer, a fly fisherman, and a lover of fine wines. He currently resides in Boston, and hoped he’d made the conversion to being a Red Sox fan. As you’ll learn in his interview, he’s a Tampa Bay Rays fan.

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On starting the business: “For both Bob and me, this was our side gig that we were not telling our employers about.”

On their dispute with Tiger Woods: “In 2010, we were still pretty small when Tiger talked some shit about us; and that was the best thing that ever happened to us.”

On the golf memorabilia market dynamics: “The market is dominated by a couple dozen very large collectors around the world. They move the bigger ticket items that drive our auction.”

On limiting the number of auctions to 3 each year: “Instead of running auctions every month, we like to make them special events and create buzz around them. We’ve got a great core of followers that love to follow our auctions, and if we have them all the time they will feel less special.”

On listing items at all price ranges: “We didn’t want to abandon our roots, and be the guys that only sell the expensive stuff….We still want to sell the $25 stuff like a Fred Couples autographed golf ball. We don’t want to abandon that just because we are selling $200,000 trophies. We don’t want to lose the small collectors because that’s how all collectors get started.”

On golf items sold at charity auctions: “A lot of the items that you find at charity items have not held their value. We don’t want to get into that game. There’s a fine line between collectibles and memorabilia.”

On plans to change the company’s name: “Changing our brand is something we’ve been thinking about, that will help us move forward, so that we’re not pigeonholed into one category or item.”

Resources: 

Several of Tiger Woods’ practice putters have sold in auctions, including this one…that went for nearly $89,000 on GJA’s most recent auction.

Green Jacket Auctions website: www.greenjacketauctions.com

First Season of “Golf Treasures” cable TV show: https://bit.ly/2WtuDjh

Background on Green Jacket Auction’s dust-up with Augusta National: https://bit.ly/2E4q1Z2

Hank Gola

Veteran Sportswriter & Author

Hank Gola has spent more than four decades as a journalist, covering professional football and golf for the New York Daily News and the New York Post. Hank started his career in New Jersey at The Herald-News of Passaic, and the Daily Record of Morris County, where he covered the Cosmos of the North American Soccer League and the New York Giants of the NFL.

​Hank’s talent as a sportswriter has earned several awards over the years. Most recently, in 2018, he received the coveted Lincoln Werden Award for golf journalism from the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association; an honor he shares with the likes of Jim McKay, Chris Schenkel, Dave Anderson, John Feinstein and George Peper.

Hank has also written three books.  In 1987 he published “Hard Nose with Jim Burt: The Inside Story of the Giants’ 1986 Super Bowl Season… and in 1998 he published a pictorial biography of a young golfer named Tiger Woods. This past November, after nearly 4 years of meticulous research –involving more than 75 personal interviews – Hank published “City of Champions“…a book that tells the story of the people and the drama behind the Garfield High School Boilermakers in their quest to win the national football championship in 1939.

Hank with a few cast members from Garfield High School, which wrote and produced a play based on his “City of Champions” book.

As a native of Garfield, New Jersey, this book was a labor of love for Hank, as well as a very personal tribute to a generation of Americans who embodied this nation’s highest ideals; many of whom eventually gave their lives fighting the tyranny of Hitler.  City of Champions continues to receive critical acclaim, and has been particularly well received within his hometown.

Next month, Hank Will receive the Walter D. Head Award from the Garfield New Jersey Rotary Club in recognition of his book’s rekindling of the town’s pride in an achievement that took place 80 years ago, and that has long provided Garfield with the right to call itself “The City of Champions” – a claim that has remained to this day on the road sign that welcomes visitors into the town.

I’m honored to have Hank as a guest on Golf Yeah, and was particularly pleased to learn in my research that we have two things in common: an interest in Civil War history, and Huckleberry Finn as one of our favorite books.

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On getting his start as a journalist: “You either started on the news side writing obituaries, or on the sports side covering high school games over the phone. That’s how you broke into the business back then.”

On being out of work for 2 years after the New York Post layoffs: “I coached a lot of Little League baseball, and got to spend time with my son. I wrote a weekly column for the Bridgeport Post before the Daily News came calling. I don’t regret that period of my life.”

On his preferred working environment: “I always would write from home, the stadium, or the golf course. I only went into the office when my laptop broke. I once turned down offer from the New York Post to work the news desk, because I had to be outside.”

On national interest in high school sports at one time: “In 1939, high school sports were as big as pro sports are in this country. Garfield High School over that year’s season played before 79,000 people in total.”

On his interview with Walter Young, a member of the ’39 Boilermakers: “Mitch Albom had his Tuesdays with Morrie, and I had my “Fridays with Walt.”  I lost my dad in 1986, and talking to Walt about Garfield High School was like being able to talk to my dad again.”

On covering Tiger Woods: “It was always difficult to get a good working relationship with Tiger because he would never open up…He really never gave anyone anything; he was always Tiger behind the mask.”

On his golfing experience: “When I was covering golf, we would take our sticks with us, and play everywhere. I’ve played 873 different golf courses in my life, and I would like to get that number to 1,000.”

Resources: 

Hank with the championship jacket and letterman sweaters given to him by Walter Young, a member of Garfield High School’s 1939 national championship football team.

Hank Gola’s “City of Champions” website: www.hankgola.com

Vintage color footage of Garfield’s 12-6 victory over Passaic before 11,000 fans Oct. 15, 1939 at Passaic School Stadium

The Metropolitan Golf Writers Association:  https://youtu.be/-9vjNqlYKIs

A sampling of Hank’s recent articles in the New York Daily News. Hank will be covering the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black for the Daily News

Montclair State University’s newspaper, where Hank’s journalism career began

Here’s Hank’s book, “City of Champions: An American Story of Leather Helmets, Iron Wills and the High School Kids From Jersey Who Won It  All.”  It’s a real-life story of everyday heroes and lives well led.

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Ben Kline

Executive Director

You won’t find many people with a resume like Ben Kline. You can listen to him tell you his own story, but here are just a few of his career highlights that caught my attention: Ben Kline has been a professional musician who plays trombone and keyboard…but not at the same time; he once played for the pope, and in a USO Show for Bob Hope; he’s worked as a technical writer for Unisys Corp; managed a sales team for Cisco Systems; went back to school after 23 years to earn a masters degree in sports psychology; ran his own consulting practice; was head coach for a high school golf team; worked as a part-time caddy at Pebble Beach and Spyglass…and none of those are the reasons why we interviewed Ben.

Ben Kline currently serves as the Executive Director of the Shivas Irons Society, a California-based non-profit organization established in 1992 that’s based on the deeper mysteries of golf and life found in a book written 20 years earlier in 1971 by Michael Murphy, called Golf in the Kingdom…which is one of the best-selling golf books of all time….and which has been translated into 19 languages and sold more than 1 million copies.

The Shivas Irons Society describes its mission as being for people who love golf and who were deeply touched by the principles contained within Murphy’s book. The Shivas Irons Society is dedicated to furthering golf as a mindful pursuit and as a tool for personal growth and development.

Based on his eclectic resume and his love for the game, Ben Kline appears to be the perfect Renaissance man to represent that organization.

Show Highlights: 

Notable Quotes: 

On what attracts people to The Shivas Irons Society: “It’s a community of people who love the game. It’s not about how well you score, or how far you hit the ball. Our mission is to keep the true spirit of the game alive.”

On becoming a sports psychologist: I figured that, perhaps a bit selfishly, that if I could help others improve their golf game, that I could help myself with my own golf game…which we are all working to improve.”

On coincidences in life: “Coincidences have more resonance if you start paying attention to them.”

On rumors that golfers have died by driving off the cliff on the 8th hole at Pebble Beach: “My understanding is that accident never happened. It’s an urban myth.”

On the box office failure of the “Golf in the Kingdom” movie: “I didn’t love the movie, but it’s tough to make a good movie about golf, which is something that needs to be experienced physically. The movie did not diminish my love for the book, or for the game.”

On his personal definition of “true gravity”: It means getting out of you own way, and being authentic; when you’re playing in a place where you’re grounded and in the zone. Things become timeless and seamless, and that’s when wonderful performance happens.”

On the declining number people who are reading the book: “Golf in the Kingdom is timeless, but it’s not necessary to read the book to join The Shivas Irons Society, or to embrace the ideals that are expressed in the book.”

Resources: 

The Shivas Irons Society Website: www.shivas.org

Esalen Institute: https://www.esalen.org/

“The Practice of Practicing” video with Fred Shoemaker, Founder of Extraordinary Golf: https://youtu.be/-9vjNqlYKIs

Here’s the book, Golf in the Kingdom, that served as catalyst for founding of The Shivas Irons Society. It’s a book that every serious golfer should read:

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