On the Mark Golf Podcast

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.

Doug Smith is a former professional golfer and a host of "Birdies Not BS" and NBC Golf Channel's "Down the Fairway" podcasts. Now, a sportscaster and announcer for PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+, Doug joins us to highlight and emphasize lessons you can learn from watching the PGA TOUR's best. "Dougie Fresh" spends time enlightening you on how there can be an information overload in the digital era, and how it is important to know how to sift through the abundance of info to find what is best for you.  He breaks that down into elements like: What shot do you have when you are nervous. How to select the appropriate teacher. Which instructors can you trust, and Club-fitting and its importance. He also addresses a number of lessons to look for when you watch golf. He illustrates tips for better scoring and shares advice for aspirant competitors and pro's, as he talks about work ethic, strategy and business plans.

Tyler Standifird had a PhD in Kinesiology and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at Utah Valley University. He specializes in Biomechanics and has been doing research, and Data Collection for Superspeed Golf relating to Speed Training and Clubhead Speed Improvement Protocols. Tyler joins us to discuss and share some of his findings from his exhaustive studies. The topics he addresses include: Speed Training Protocols and Consistency of Training. Speed Training and its influence on Golf Swing Mechanics. Non-Dominant Side Training for improved speed gains. Ground Reaction Forces (GRF) and the transfer of speed to the clubhead and the golf ball.  He dives into Force Production and transfer in terms of Direction, Magnitude and Timing. He also illustrates real-world examples and talks about Rory McIlroy as the ultimate model of speed being a skill and a skill that can be learned. *Vodcast available on YouTube or at markimmelman.com

Peter Dawson is a former European Ryder Cup Team member and a winner on The European Tour (DP World Tour). Since retiring from competitive golf Peter took to teaching and is perennially recognized as one of the leading golf instructors in the United Kingdom. Peter joins us to share his knowledge and experience as a Tour Professional. He shares insights from golf at the highest level and provides lessons on preparation, mindset and handling pressure for competitive golfers and aspirant professionals. He also dives into his book, "Now for The Back Nine" and talks about his "Four Golfing Musketeers" - Grip, Posture, Stance and Alignment and Ball Position. Peter embellishes on each pillar to consistently good golf and talks about principles, tips, drills and mental approaches to ensure you apply each to your own ability to maximize your athleticism and lower your golf scores. As an added bonus, and having earned a Top 20 in The Open Championship, Peter talks about Bunker Play and strategy.  

Ian Mellor works with golfers of all skill levels, from PGA TOUR and LPGA players to club golfers. Vastly researched and educated, Ian is a specialist in 3D motion capture and movement in the golf swing. As an instructor his primary goal is to help players move more efficiently and in a healthy way that works with their body. He joins "On the Mark" to help you build physical awareness and move (in your golf swing) more efficiently. Ian explains how to understand your dominant movement pattern and develop a strategy for more productive work and practice. He elaborates on the importance of standing well at address, with an emphasis on Spine Angle and Hip Hinge. He explains how the Trail Arm moves in the backswing and dives into the appropriate sequencing and how that can improve your golf swing. He also talks about the importance of the Transition in the golf swing and highlights Sequencing, Timing and Creating Speed at the appropriate times.

Jon Sherman is the founder of practical-golf.com, a website dedicated to being an honest resource for the everyday golfer who is looking to improve and enjoy the game more. Already a best-selling author, Jon recently published his second book "The Four Foundations of Golf - How to Build a Game that Lasts for a Lifetime." Jon joins us to discuss the book and dive into the four pillars to better, more consistent play. He discusses: Expectation Management, Practice, Strategy and the Mental Game. Within Expectation he embellishes on his "PGA TOUR Fallacy" and how to avoid unreasonable, detrimental expectations. In Practice his explains how to practice "Outside the Box" to make it easier to take the game to the course. Strategy deals with appropriate plays off the tee and target-selection into the greens, and the Mental Game dives into Mindfulness, Gratitude, Building a Mental Toolkit and a good Pre-Shot Routine.

Greg Chalmers (Australia) is a 2x Australian Open Champion and a PGA TOUR Winner. A back injury has seen him curtail his PGA TOUR playing schedule and now Chalmers is using his extra time to give golf lessons. He has long been one of the best short-game players in the game and he joins "On the Mark" to share simple takes that will help you lower your handicap and your golf scores. Greg touches on the following subjects: Productive Practice including developing a "Second Serve" Off the Tee (to get the ball in play more often.) Dealing with Pressure and Anxiety. Decision-making Processes and Avoiding two or more errors in a row. Becoming Comfortable On-course as well as Learning to Thrive While Being Uncomfortable. Trusting Your Golf Swing and Shot Shape. Recognizing Tendencies and Asking the Right Questions, and Playing Automatic Golf.  

Darren May is the Director of Golf at The Grove XXIII and a sought after PGA TOUR Instructor. He joins us to dive into how professionals practice and prepare to get the most out of their play under pressure. Darren breaks practice and training into three areas - Motor Pattern Training (MPT), Open Space Practice (Distance Control) and Full Process Practice (Proximity Training) - and explains how you should approach each element to best improve Technique, Skill, Trajectory and Distance Control. In his explanation and lessons Darren refers to PGA TOUR examples in Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley.  He also shares practice beliefs and mindsets from the legendary basketballer, Michael Jordan. Darren also talks about important factors such as Wind, Mental Focus, Practice Frequency and Proximity Tolerances that influence productivity in practice.

Henry Stetina is a PGA Professional, the Program Coordinator at New Mexico State Univ. PGA Golf Management, responsible for Player, and Instructor Development Director of Instruction at Red Hawk GC. Henry joins "On the Mark" to discuss his teaching philosophy and share insights from his study and research in the field of "Focus of Attention." He talks about productive mental processes and singular focus on the intent to swinging a golf club. He describes how the human mind works and how adopting the mindset of using the golf club as a tool will improve ball-striking, control and trajectory control. Henry also shares how golfers of all skill levels can make practice more purpose-driven and productive. He shares tips and drills to that end as he also dives into the action of swinging a golf club by simplifying thought and focus.