Pod for the Course

Erin didn’t pick up the game of golf until age 35, but then she went all in. She became a six-time club champion at Snohomish (Wash.) GC, and turned pro in 1996, competing on mini-tours throughout the U.S., winning the senior title of the 2003 Colorado Women’s Open. She became a member of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals (and is now a Life Member), was a founder and director of the Washington State Women’s Open, and is currently the director of the annual Northwest Women’s Open. She is also the head golf coach for the varsity and middle school boys and girls teams at The Bush School in Seattle, and was named Coach of the Year in 2019.

Tyler Johnsen, executive director of the Washington Junior Golf Association, talks about the re-start of the WJGA’s 2020 tournament season, the junior golfers’ enthusiasm for getting back out on the course, and the steps that he’s taking for making sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable championship experience. 

The director of operations at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Jeff Simonds, talks about the resort’s proactive decision to close the resort for six weeks to address concerns during the COVID pandemic, about the opening of the long-anticipated Sheep Ranch course, and about the U.S. Amateur to be held at the resort this August. 

Mike Zinga, the director of sales and sponsorship relations for the Charles Schwab Challenge, joins us from Colonial Country Club to share his thoughts on this brave new world that tournament golf is entering – no gallery on site. Zinga was the tournament director of the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, held at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.

On this edition of Pod for the Course, we catch up with David McLay Kidd. The now-renowned golf course designer gives his take on the soon-to-open short course at Gamble Sands, his renovation of Sand Point CC, and this summer’s U.S. Amateur being held on his course at Bandon Dunes.

On this edition of Pod for the Course, we catch up with Evan Johnsen the Director of Programs and Development at The First Tee of Greater Seattle.

On this edition of Pod for the Course, we catch up with Shane Prante the lead golf instructor at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash.

On this edition of Pod for the Course, we catch up with long-time golf journalist Jeff Wallach.

On this edition of Pod for the Course, we catch up with Kyle Drugge the new head Men's Golf coach at Pacific Lutheran University.

On this edition of Pod for the Course, we catch up with long-time golf course architect and golf course historian John Strawn from Portland, Oregon.