The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts

Why is one of the world’s largest airlines making such a significant investment in golf?

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian joins Jimmy Roberts to explain why the company’s relationships with the Masters, the PGA TOUR and some of the game’s biggest players are about much more than television exposure.

For Bastian, golf sits at the intersection of relationships, travel and the growing experience economy—and gives Delta an opportunity to position its brand alongside some of the most respected institutions in sports.

Bastian also shares the strategy behind Delta’s transformation from bankruptcy to an industry leader, the people-first decision that helped the airline navigate COVID and why he personally invested in the new McLaren Golf venture alongside names including Justin Rose, Ian Poulter and Michelle Wie West.

What you'll hear in this episode:

Why Delta views golf as a strategic brand investment

The value—and challenge—of measuring sponsorship ROI

How Delta dramatically expands service into Augusta during Masters week

The surprising role Delta played in Tony Finau’s journey to professional golf

Why Bastian invested his own money in McLaren Golf

How Delta’s people-first culture shaped its biggest business decisions

Plus, Grant Hill shares the early goal that helped shape his basketball career, and Jimmy reflects on the lasting influence of Caddyshack nearly five decades after its release.

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

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Steph Curry is already planning his next chapter—and golf is becoming a central part of the legacy he wants to build beyond basketball.

In this special episode of The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts, Curry shares how a childhood passion for golf evolved into a much larger mission. Through Underrated Golf, he is investing millions annually to remove the financial and structural barriers that can leave talented young golfers behind.

Curry also discusses his new partnership with Li-Ning, his ambition to build Curry Brand into a lasting global business, and why golf will be its “true north star” moving forward.

Then, American Century Investments’ Jonathan Thomas reveals how a struggling celebrity tournament became one of golf’s most valuable sponsorship platforms—and why the company now directs nearly all of its discretionary marketing budget toward the American Century Championship.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why Steph Curry began planning his post-basketball future at age 30
• How Underrated Golf invests $4–6 million annually in young golfers
• Curry’s plan to build a legacy brand with golf at its center
• Why American Century bet up to 90% of its discretionary marketing budget on one golf event
• How celebrity, live sports and golf transformed the American Century Championship

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

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The biggest threat to your golf game may not be your swing. It may be what your body is doing during the rest of the day.

In this YouTube-exclusive episode of The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts, Jimmy sits down with Dr. Jeremy James, founder of GolfForever, to discuss back pain, mobility, aging, injury prevention, and the physical limitations that quietly cost golfers distance, consistency, and pain-free rounds.

James explains why sitting may be one of the most damaging habits in modern life, how prolonged inactivity weakens the muscles that support the back, and why the golf swing can become particularly stressful when the body is not properly prepared.

Drawing on his experience operating a chronic-pain clinic in Aspen, James shares how he began developing a more accessible system that combined education, movement assessments, personalized exercise programming, and golf-specific training. That work eventually became GolfForever.

The conversation also covers:

• Why so many golfers experience back pain
• How sitting affects the spine, glutes, and overall mobility
• Why improving the body can also improve the golf swing
• How GolfForever personalizes training for each user
• The role Scottie Scheffler played in the company’s growth
• How the product helped Scheffler address knee pain
• Why golfers often begin losing distance and stamina after 30
• The difference between training for pain relief and athletic performance
• How Jeremy grew the company from a back-pain platform into a national golf brand
• His perspective on exercise, nutrition, fasting, and longevity
• Why golfers do not have to accept physical decline as they age

This is a practical conversation about playing longer, moving better, reducing pain, and keeping your body capable of supporting the golf game you want.

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

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Stanford women’s golf has become one of the most dominant programs in college golf — but Anne Walker’s approach goes far beyond swing mechanics.

In this episode of The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts, Jimmy sits down with Stanford women’s golf head coach Anne Walker to talk about leadership, player development, recruiting, practice, NIL, college athletics, and the culture behind one of the sport’s most successful programs. 

Walker explains why she doesn’t see herself simply as a head coach, but as a “performance optimizer” — someone who helps elite players improve every part of their performance pie chart, from golf and academics to family dynamics, confidence, leadership, and life off the course. 

She also shares how Stanford builds intentional practices, why every player needs a custom approach, what separates great players from great fits, and how she teaches student-athletes to think of themselves as the CEOs of their own careers.

Plus, Walker discusses the influence of Condoleezza Rice on the program, the growing challenge of managing amateur golf schedules, the impact of NIL, and why she believes the future of college sports is still bright. 

In this episode:

• How Anne Walker built Stanford into a women’s golf powerhouse
• Why she calls herself a “performance optimizer”
• The custom approach behind Stanford’s player development
• Why elite golfers need small tweaks, not rebuilds
• What Stanford looks for in recruits
• Why loving golf and competition matters so much
• How Stanford designs intentional, competitive practices
• The six-foot / twelve-foot putting drill used to recreate pressure
• Condoleezza Rice’s role as a mentor and influence around the program
• How NIL has changed college golf
• Why amateur schedules are becoming harder to manage
• What college sports can learn from startups

This is a conversation about coaching, leadership, culture, competition, and what it takes to develop elite golfers in the modern college game.

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before Tiger Woods became a global business empire, Hughes Norton was helping build the foundation.

In this episode of The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts, Jimmy sits down with Hughes Norton — the legendary former IMG agent who represented Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Curtis Strange, and other major figures in golf during one of the most transformative eras in the sport’s history.

Norton takes Jimmy inside the early days of golf’s commercial boom, when players were taking $500 outing fees and the PGA Tour was still a “mom and pop” operation. From there, he helped usher in a new era of athlete marketing, sponsorships, appearance fees, global endorsements, and massive brand deals.

The conversation also goes deep on Tiger Woods’ arrival as a professional, including the behind-the-scenes story of Tiger’s first major Nike deal, the role of Earl Woods, the intense pressure around Tiger’s time, and the stunning phone call that ended Norton’s relationship with Tiger for good.

Hughes also reflects on Greg Norman, LIV Golf, Mark McCormack, Arnold Palmer, the changing role of agents, the rise of player entourages, NIL, the new PGA Tour schedule, and how golf became a billion-dollar business.

In this episode:

How Hughes Norton got started at IMG under Mark McCormack

What the PGA Tour looked like before golf became big business

The early endorsement economy around players like Curtis Strange

Negotiating Tiger Woods’ first mega-deals

The Nike deal and Phil Knight controversy

What Tiger Woods was really like behind the scenes

The phone call that ended Norton’s relationship with Tiger

Greg Norman’s role in LIV Golf

Why LIV struggled to gain traction

Arnold Palmer’s role in stopping an earlier breakaway tour

How agents, money, NIL, and sponsorships changed golf forever

What the PGA Tour’s new schedule could mean for players and sponsors

This is a conversation about Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, LIV Golf, IMG, Nike, and the business machine that transformed professional golf from a niche tour into a global sports economy.

If you care about the business of golf, the rise of Tiger Woods, the history of IMG, or how money changed the professional game, this episode is worth your full attention.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every Wednesday

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Golf is booming — but the business behind the game has never been more complicated.

In this special live episode of The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts, recorded ahead of the U.S. Open, Jimmy sits down for two separate conversations with two of the most influential voices in golf, media, and business: Mark Lazarus and Jimmy Dunne.

Lazarus, CEO of Versant and one of the key figures behind Golf Channel, breaks down why golf has become such a valuable business across media, technology, tee times, streaming, content, and fan engagement. From Golf Channel to GolfNow, GolfPass, college golf, the LPGA, USGA relationships, and the future of sports rights, Lazarus explains why golf is no longer just a television product — it’s an entire business ecosystem.

Then Jimmy sits down with Jimmy Dunne, the Wall Street dealmaker, president of Seminole Golf Club, former PGA Tour Policy Board member, and one of the central figures in the PGA Tour/LIV Golf framework agreement. Dunne speaks candidly about LIV, the future of the PGA Tour, private investment, the role of money in golf, and why he believes the game’s biggest strength remains its ability to build relationships.

In this episode:

Why Golf Channel sees itself as the “network of record” for golf

How GolfNow became a major piece of the golf business

Why live sports rights are putting pressure on every league

What the NFL’s next media deal could mean for golf

Why LIV became a “giant distraction”

How money changed the conversation around professional golf

What Jimmy Dunne learned from negotiating the PGA Tour/LIV framework agreement

Why access, affordability, and star power may determine golf’s next chapter

How the U.S. Open, media, private investment, and the PGA Tour all intersect

This is a conversation about more than one tournament. It’s about the future of golf — who controls it, who pays for it, who profits from it, and how the game continues to grow without losing what made people fall in love with it in the first place.

If you care about golf, media, sports business, LIV, the PGA Tour, or where the game goes next, this is a conversation worth your full attention.

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

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Why would one of the most iconic brands in motorsports decide to enter one of the most competitive industries in sports?

In this episode of The Big Swing, Jimmy Roberts sits down with Hoyt McGarity, President of 8AM Golf and advisor to McLaren Golf, to discuss one of the most ambitious equipment launches the golf industry has seen in years.

McLaren is known worldwide for Formula One racing, engineering excellence, and high-performance automobiles. Now, the company is entering the golf equipment business with a long-term vision, a premium strategy, and a belief that golf is ready for something different.

Hoyt explains how the partnership came together, why McLaren believes its engineering expertise can translate to golf, and what it takes to launch a new equipment brand in one of the most competitive markets in sports.

In this episode:

Why McLaren decided to enter golf

The engineering behind McLaren Golf irons

Justin Rose's role in developing the equipment

How Formula One technology influences golf club design

Why McLaren believes golf is ready for disruption

The future of premium golf equipment

Building a brand in a crowded marketplace

The business strategy behind McLaren Golf

From Formula One technology to golf innovation, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the future of equipment, branding, and competition in the golf industry.

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you go from getting fired to building one of the most successful companies in American history?

In this episode of The Big Swing, Jimmy Roberts sits down with Arthur Blank, the billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, co-founder of The Home Depot, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, and one of the most influential figures in modern golf today.

Blank shares the remarkable story of being fired from Handy Dan Home Improvement, the setback that ultimately led to the creation of Home Depot. What started with conversations at a coffee shop and sketches on napkins became one of the most successful retail businesses in history. Along the way, he reveals the leadership principles, customer-first philosophy, and long-term thinking that have shaped every venture he's touched—from Home Depot to the PGA TOUR Superstore, the Atlanta Falcons, and PGA Tour Enterprises.

In this episode:

The story behind getting fired and launching Home Depot

Why trust matters more than transactions

The six core values that guide every business decision

Growing PGA TOUR Superstore into a billion-dollar business

LIV Golf's impact on professional golf

The future of the PGA Tour and player equity

Leadership lessons from building iconic brands

Why listening may be the most underrated skill in business

Plus, from the BMW Championship in South Carolina, Jimmy catches up with Duane Parrish, Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, to discuss golf's massive economic impact on the state, why South Carolina has become one of America's premier golf destinations, and what the future holds for golf tourism in the region.

From entrepreneurship and leadership to sports business and the future of golf, this episode offers a fascinating look at the people and ideas helping shape the game today.

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How does an acclaimed filmmaker become obsessed with golf?

In this episode of The Big Swing, Jimmy Roberts sits down with writer, director, actor, and lifelong storyteller Edward Burns to discuss his newest film, Finnegan's Foursome, and the personal journey that inspired it.

After losing his mother during the COVID pandemic, Burns picked up golf again to spend time with his father. What started as a simple way to reconnect quickly became an obsession that transformed his life and ultimately inspired a feature film centered around family, golf, loss, and legacy.

Along the way, Burns reflects on:

Becoming obsessed with golf later in life

The father-son relationships that shaped his story

Creating Finnegan's Foursome

Lessons learned from Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg

The unlikely journey from The Brothers McMullen to Hollywood success

Getting into Sundance after handing a VHS tape directly to Robert Redford

Why golf creates moments unlike any other sport

The future of independent filmmaking

This conversation is about much more than golf.

It's about creativity, family, obsession, storytelling, and the moments that shape who we become.

If you love golf, movies, entrepreneurship, or great stories, this is a conversation worth your full attention.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every Wednesday

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when a former medical student, startup founder, and self-described golf addict decides to reinvent how people experience golf?

In this episode of The Big Swing, Jimmy Roberts sits down with Adeel Yang, the co-founder and CEO of Dryvebox — one of the most innovative companies in golf’s rapidly evolving off-course economy.

What started as a pandemic passion project inside a trailer has become a fast-growing business bringing mobile golf simulators to music festivals, corporate events, professional sports teams, movie sets, golf courses, and communities around the world.

But Adeel’s personal story is just as compelling as the business itself.

At 14 years old, he moved from Taiwan to Los Angeles and lived alone while learning English and attending high school. Years later, after medical school and multiple tech startups, he found himself obsessed with golf — and searching for a way to make the game more accessible to everyone.

In this episode, we cover:

The unbelievable story of living alone in America at 14

Why Adeel walked away from medicine and entrepreneurship to build Dryvebox

How a golf simulator inside a trailer became a national franchise business

The future of off-course golf and golf technology

Dryvebox’s partnerships with TGL, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy’s league

Why golf simulators are changing how people discover the game

Building startups, raising money, and surviving co-founder fallout

The emotional realities of entrepreneurship most founders never talk about

This conversation is about far more than golf.

It’s about risk, reinvention, obsession, technology, and what it really takes to build something from nothing.

If you care about golf, startups, innovation, or the future of sports business, this is a conversation worth your full attention.

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every Wednesday

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📺 Airing on Golf Channel every Tuesday

The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts is produced by Big Swing Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.