next on the tee

Bob Friend Jr. was one of my very first guests back on Season 1, Episode 3, and has been a wonderful friend ever since. His father pitched in the Major Leagues, mostly in Pittsburgh from 1951 - 1966 and helped the Pirates win the 1960 World Series. We talk about his career including being the winning Pitcher in the 1956 All-Star game. I also get Bob's thoughts on whether there is a path back for Jay Monahan and the renovations currently going on at Oakmont Country Club that will make it play even harder during the 2025 US Open.

Rees Jones is one of the all-time great course designers. Son of Robert Trent Jones, and brother to Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Rees carved out his own Hall of Fame career. We hear about the second course he's working on with Bill Bergin up at McLemore called The Outpost. Rees says it's major championship worthy. We also talk about some of his other great designs like Haig Point, Victory Ranch, Lake Isles, Echelon Golf Club, and Brian Harman's home course, Southbridge Golf Club in Savannah.

Rees also takes us through how the picks out the plot of land he wants to use for new courses, the process he uses to determine the path of the course, and how he keeps both the skill level of the membership and average golfers in mind as he lays out the course.

Golf Course Design Hall of Famer Rees Jones plus 3 of the Top Instructors in our game Dr. Alison Curdt, Cindy Miller, and Dave Stockton Jr. join me.

Rees Jones has designed or renovated many of the top courses around the world. He has worked on 7 US Open sites, 8 PGA Championship courses, 5 Ryder Cup courses, 2 Walker Cup venues, and 1 Presidents Cup course. He updates us on The Outpost, a design he's collaborating with Bill Bergin on up at McLemore. We also hear about how he goes about choosing the land, layout, and path of his courses, and how he keeps course membership and the average golfer in mind during construction.

Dr. Alison Curdt earned her doctorate in Sports Psychology. She is one of only a few Instructors who have reached Master Professional status on both the LPGA and PGA sides of Instruction. We talk about getting past the ingrained bad feeling we get every time we play that one hole that always seems to ruin our rounds. We also discuss getting away from all the negative self-talk we do plus tips for shifting our weight, getting out of a greenside bunker, and stabilizing our wrists during our putting stroke.

Cindy Miller was the 2010 LPGA National Teacher of the Year. She is also an expert in improving our mental game. We hear about her alter ego Cynthia and how to quiet her negative voice. We also learn that Brian Harman used to wrestle alligators, plus get a tip for how to make consistent, clean contact.

Dave Stockton Jr. shares his thoughts on the PIF/PGA Tour merger and Jay Monahan's future. Dave was an Assistant Captain when his father captained the US team in 1991. He shares his insights on what that was like and who he thinks should be on this year's team. He also says I'm not imagining things when I'm seeing Tour pros striking their putts on the upswing or follow through versus the center of the putter face.

John Cook shares his insights on the PIF/PGA Tour partnership and whether Jay Monahan will make it through this calendar year as CEO. I get his thoughts on Bernhard Langer's amazing career, how in the world he ever successfully putted with a Bullseye putter, and Ken Venturi's legendary stroke-saver tips.

Tom gets credit where credit is due for accurately picking Rickie Fowler to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic. We also talk about how to pick the right bounce for your wedges, the amazing Bernhard Langer, and how different the game is over in Scotland and Ireland.

Luke is the owner of Whisky Run Golf Club in Ontario, Canada. It's a family-owned course featuring three 9-hole layouts. We hear about each of those, plus their stay-and-play packages, and the Birrdi golf tee sheet software that Luke and friends developed to help increase revenue, organize tee times, and make it faster and easier for players to book and pay for their rounds.

On this episode, I'm joined by Top Instructors Tom Patri and Shane LeBaron plus former 5-time winner on Tour Jim Gallagher Jr., and the Founder & CEO of LOHLA Sport Lisa O'Hurley.

A theme this week is looking back at The Open and the tremendous performance of Brian Harman. I also get reaction to the cheating scandal on the Canadian Tour. You'll also hear:

Tom Patri shares his thoughts on Justin Thomas' struggles, a tremendous Par 3 course in Palm Beach, Florida, and a lesson on how to fix early extension.

Jim Gallagher Jr. shares his experiences playing in The Open including the practice round he got to play at St. Andrews with Jack Nicklaus. He also shares his thoughts on Brandel Chamblee's comment about Rory McIlroy not having as much runway in front of him as he did when he won his last major.

Lisa O'Hurley shares stories from her high school and college golf days at Baylor. We also hear about her roles at The Golf Channel when it got started back in 1995, her friendship with Mr. Palmer and Annika Sorenstam, what inspired her to start LOHLA Sport, and being married to John O'Hurley of Seinfeld J. Peterman fame.

Shane LeBaron has been recognized as a Top Instructor in his former summer and winter homes in Illinois and Arizona. He's now the first-ever Director of Instruction at Cherry Hills in Colorado. Cherry Hills is the site of this year's US Amateur Championship plus several majors including Arnold Palmers come from behind win at the 1960 US Open. We hear about that plus tips for dealing with tournament pressure and why we can make a 5-footer for par but struggle to make it for birdie.

In this episode, I'm joined by one of the all-time great golf writers Ron Sirak, St. Louis Sports Hall of Famer Jay Delsing, 1978 PGA Champion & 1986 Players Champion John Mahaffey, and 1996 Texas Open Champion David Ogrin.

I get all four guys to weigh in on this week's Open Championship, their experience playing in or covering an Open, plus if there is a path back for Jay Monahan. Here is what we also discuss:

Ron Sirak shares his thoughts on the Women's US Open, the escalating purses on the PGA & LPGA Tours, his thoughts on who is the greatest of all-time is on the men's side, and he reminds us of the greatness of Ben Hogan.

Jay Delsing talks about what it was like making it to the quarterfinals of the US Junior Golf Tournament. We hear about his days playing alongside Corey Pavin, Steve Pate, and Duffy Waldorf at UCLA, what it was like being paired with Arnold Palmer, and his final round 61 at the 1993 FedEx St. Jude Classic.

John Mahaffey shares his experience finishing T10 in the 1975 Open Championship and what it was like competing against the superstars of the 70s and 80s.

David Ogrin tells us about his T13 finish at the 1983 US Open at Oakmont and what it's like putting on those greens. Fourteen years later at the 1997 US Open, he finished T10 and why his brother-in-law cost him and Tom Lehman a shot at winning. We also get a lesson about stretching to find what you're capable of on the course.

Maureen Madill is one of the all-time great Golf Analysts and On Course Commentators. Every broadcast she joins, she makes infinitely better due to her knowledge and style. In this special segment of the show we talk:

Be sure to check out Maureen & sister's blog at www.madillgolf.com. It's a really fun read.

In this episode, I'm joined by Top Instructor Tom Patri, former Tour Players Bob Friend Jr. and John Cook, plus Whisky Run Golf Club Owner Luke Nieuwland.

Tom gets credit where credit is due for accurately picking Rickie Fowler to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic. We also talk about how to pick the right bounce for your wedges, the amazing Bernhard Langer, and how different the game is over in Scotland and Ireland.

Bob Friend Jr. talks about his father's illustrious Major League Baseball career including being the winning Pitcher in the 1956 All-Star game. I get Bob's thoughts on whether there is a path back for Jay Monahan and we hear about the renovations currently going on at Oakmont Country Club that will make it play even hard at the 2025 US Open.

John Cook gives his insights on the PIF/PGA Tour partnership and whether Jay Monahan will make it through this calendar year as CEO. I get his thoughts on Bernhard Langer's amazing career, how in the world he ever successfully putted with a Bullseye putter, and Ken Venturi's legendary stroke-saver tips.

Luke Nieuwland rounds out the show. Luke is the owner of Whisky Run Golf Club up in Ontario, Canada. It's a family-owned course featuring three 9-hole layouts. We hear about each of those, plus their stay-and-play packages, and the Birrdi golf tee sheet software that Luke and friends developed to help increase revenue, organize tee times, and make it faster and easier for players to book and pay for their rounds.