On the Mark Golf Podcast

John Swantek is the voice of PGA TOUR Entertainment. Host of the "Talk of the TOUR" podcast, John also anchors PGA TOUR Champions broadcasts on Golf Channel. As the lead play-by-play announcer for PGA TOUR LIVE, John knows the game and the PGA TOUR intimately and he joins Mark Immelman to revisit the 2021/2022 PGA TOUR Wraparound Season. They discuss the State of the TOUR; their Top 3 Highlights from the Season; they list their respective "All PGA TOUR Teams" and discuss Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year nominees. The two contrast their favorite PGA TOUR event and list their "Most Disappointing events of the season. Finally Immelman and Swantek share their thoughts on "Players to Watch in the New Season". Players discussed are: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Sam Burns, Xander Schauffele, Cameron Young, Cameron Smith, Jon Rahm, Matt, Fitzpatrick, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris. Also mentioned are Joohyung (Tom) Kim, Max Homa, Dean Burmester and Kevin Yu. Events discussed include: Mexico Open at Vidanta, AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm, RBC Canadian Open, The President's Cup, and The TOUR Championship.

Nick Biondi is a former Touring (PGA Tour) Professional who has stepped away from playing full-time and taken up teaching golf.  He parlays his competitive playing experience into his instruction and works with golfers from Beginning to Elite skill levels. Nick is fast becoming a leading mind in the industry and he joins "On the Mark" to help you improve your golf. The elements he addresses have a holistic nature about them and this conversation will help you improve mentally, emotionally and physically. Specifically he focuses on a few items from a golf instruction manuscript he is writing. The Topics are as follows: - Decide Who You Want to Be as a Golfer - Putting Consistently - Chipping and Pitching for Lower Scores - Don't Be Afraid to Be Great - Who is the Best Teacher for You and What Makes the Best Teachers Great. Within those headlines he talks about Managing the Struggle and the tough times when the game is in a slump, Managing Expectations, Self Talk and a Positive Attitude. PLEASE NOTE this podcast is not available as a Vodcast on YouTube.  

Nate Hairgrove is the Director of Golf with OnForm Golf and a High School Golf Coach.  Along with his colleagues at OnForm he is at the forefront of golf instruction with video analysis, focussing on AI "Skeleton Tracking" and how the body moves during the golf swing, and other sports. (OnForm is being used in many athletic disciplines including Baseball and Equestrianism.) Nate joins us to demonstrate how the App works, explain it's many instructional features (including a feature which allows use without somebody to film his/her swing without any outside assistance), how the App can be paired with BodiTrack to enable Pressure Mapping, and share some insights on Power off the Tee.  He references footage from Justin James (2017 World Long Drive Champion). Nate's demo can be viewed on Mark Immelman's YouTube channel or at markimmelman.com

Grant Field is a leading global golf instructor.  Based in Australia he has a large stable of professional clients headlined by Cam Smith (2022 PLAYERS Champion and 2022 Open Champion). Grant joins us to talk about game improvement and using the ever-growing and popular medium of Online and Digital Golf Lessons.  He shares his keys to success including: Finding the appropriate teacher, Frequency of lessons, and Simplifying and Stripping away the unnecessary. Grant also levels advice for Golf Instructors and talks about: Patience and respecting time, Searching for "new teaching stuff" and managing trends, Using technology constructively, Management of student expectations, and Visible and Non-visible skills. As a bonus, Grant takes you inside the ropes and shares insider information on what he and Cameron Smith work on. He shares lessons on Putting, Wedge play, Iron play and trajectory and clubhead speed control.   This podcast will surely empower you to make smart decisions on instructors and technique, develop your game and lower your scores.

Keith Bennett is a recognized Golf Instructor and the #3 ranked Teacher in Washington State. His success is predicated on his understanding of technique and an emphasis on playing and scoring in all his lessons, whether to Beginner or Professional golfers. Keith joins On the Mark to share his take on the mindset shift between hitting balls and going out to play with a score in mind. He also shares 6 ideas that are easily applicable and guaranteed to lower your scoring average. He discusses the following six concepts: Playing one Shot-shape, Reducing the Emotional Attachment to the outcome of shots, A deeper understanding of Course Management, Playing away from Weaknesses, Playing the Correct shot when Out of Position, and  Loving an easy string or Pars or Bogeys. This one is easily digestable and more importantly does not require any changing of your golf swing.  

Teague Balen (Canada) is a bright young mind in golf instruction. Formerly a member of the “Course Kings” stable of golf instructors, Balen adopts a fresh and thought-leading approach to game improvement. He joins “On the Mark” to address Golf, Golf Instruction and Technique and an important, and unaddressed topic, that of Time Management. Specifically the time spent Pre-and-Post Round, in Practice and Preparation, and importantly Between Golf Shots. He delves into the subject by elaborating and sharing insights on Thought Management and Focus, Emotional and Mental Behavior and Control, Breathing for Relaxation and Focus, and Pre-and-Post Shot Routines and Consistent Timing. Remember, the lion’s share of a round of golf is spent between shots; so learning how to manage oneself and one’s thoughts is an important element to lowering scores and better performance.

Have you ever thought of Circuit Training in your Golf Practice?  Zach Parker joins On the Mark to illustrate how adopting that mindset will lead to greater and quicker gains. Zach Parker is a Golf Digest "Best Young Teacher in America" who trains golfers with drills allowing them to learn, feel and immediately apply changes to their golf-swings. His approach allows the golfer to learn through getting them "behind the wheel" to experience and internalize a mind-body connection of the most effective motion for them. He essentially empowers the golfer to drive the car, and not sit in the passenger seat as they learn. Zach discusses: How to Practice and the Skills Required, Planning and Reflection, Good Questions for Improvement, Timing/Spacing during Practice for Recall and Retention, Dealing with Adversity, PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular) Training, and Habits and Drills to Move Emotions from Negative to Positive. Zach also uses PGA TOUR examples to galvanize his arguments. Upgrade your Practice and Lower your scores... Download now!

Bryan Lebedevitch is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor and a Golf Digest "Best Teacher in California". He coaches and teaches a number of winners on the LPGA, PGA and Korn Ferry Tours. A long-time teacher to Major Champion, Christie Kerr, Bryan operates at PGA West in Palm Springs. He joins us to highlight lessons you can learn from watching players on the LPGA. Bryan talks about the following game improvement concepts: Knowing your Strengths and Weaknesses, Using Game-like Training, Understanding Shot Patterns, Managing Yourself and Your Game to Play Bad Better, and Maximizing What You Have and What You are able to do. In those information silos Bryan shares anecdotes from Tiger Woods and Christie Kerr. He talks about loving and hating certain clubs; Using the Mental Game for lower scores, and Resisting excessive technique changes.  

Scott Haskell is the Senior Golf Marketing Manager for Whoop. Whoop is a wearable Fitness Measurement Device that tracks Sleep patterns and Circadian Rhythms, Physical Rest and Recovery, Physical Strain, Cardiovascular Performance and Respiratory Rates. Scott works with number of golfers on The PGA TOUR. He joins us to talk about the Whoop and how leading players, such as Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Nelly Korda, use it for wellness tracking and game improvement. Mark Immelman believes that good golf is a function of good mental health, emotional and spiritual well-being, and physical wellness and performance. The Whoop is able to provide personal data that can be used to make better life-decisions which will inevitably lead to better performance on and off the golf course. Scott uses examples from data derived from McIlroy and other golfers on TOUR to show how to deal with pressure and stress, and how to schedule appropriate workouts and get proper rest and recovery for consistently improved performances.

David Young is a Master PGA Professional and the Head Golf Professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in New York. He is also Cameron Young's (PGA TOUR) father and instructor and he joins us to share anecdotes and lessons from Cameron's meteoric rise to the top of the global game. David shares lessons and stories from Cameron's childhood and years as a junior golfer. He levels advice to parents on how to shepherd young golfers through successes and failures. David talks about Cameron's College Years at Wake Forest and talks about game development from junior years into physical maturity. He then talks about Cameron's graduation from the Amateur game into the Professional ranks. He shares insights on the mental game. He talks about golf swing aesthetics vs. results, and how understanding of self and one's skill-sets are crucial to success and performing under pressure. He shares important lessons from "having faith and patience in the process of development" and how that helps golfers navigate the inevitable ups and downs of golf and competition. Finally David shares insights on shot-making and making pressure shots with anecdotes from Cameron's performance in the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.