The 18STRONG Podcast

Rob Collins is the course designer, architect, and ultimately, the inspiration behind Sweetens Cove. If you haven’t heard of Sweetens Cove yet, you’re about to be introduced to the story of an incredible little 9-hole course near Chattanooga Tennessee (South Pittsburgh) that has taken the world of golf by storm.  But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for what many may simply think was an “overnight success.” After years of struggling to keep the place open, Sweetens has quickly become one of the most talked about tracks in golf and is now considered one of the top-ranked courses in the United States (and remember, it’s only 9 holes!). Rob’s shares the highs and lows of the journey, how the golf experience at Sweetens is different from any other course (so much so that it has developed a cult following) and what’s next for “The Little Course That Could.” Access “How To Add 17 Yards In 17 Minutes” now Discover The Fastest Way To Increase Your Club Head Speed… Click here to access your How-To guide Rob Collins and Sweetens Cove’s Background Rob Collins is the Principal Designer, was nominated as one of golf’s ‘Most Influential Architects’ in the February 2016 issue of Golf, Inc. He obtained a graduate degree in Landscape Architecture from Mississippi State University. His graduate thesis addressed the environmental impact of golf course design and construction. Over the years, he developed a love of site work and designing in the field, an approach to the process that is shared by Tad King. Sweetens was featured a NY Times Article: “The Little Golf Course That Could” in 2017, which was a major catalyst in it’s recent exposure. Golfweek listed Sweetens Cove at No. 49 in its top 100 Modern Golf Courses, a ranking of American courses built since 1960. It is one of only two nine-hole courses included on the list, and it is ranked third among daily-fee public courses.  ahead of numerous sites that have hosted PGA Tour events and major championships, including Hazeltine and Valhalla. The course itself presents an entirely unique golfing experience in the Southeastern region of the United States in that it was conceived, designed, and built as an inland links course. Borrowing architectural inspiration from some of the game’s greatest layouts, King-Collins crafted a course that is reminiscent of the original version of Augusta National according to renowned golf writer and historian, Anthony Pioppi. Highlights from this Episode His background in architecture, how from the beginning, after a trip to St. Andrews, he was focused on expanding his knowledge and skill specifically for golf course design and architecture, and how his journey has unfolded into where it is today into the background and inception of Sweetens Cove. From the rocky start when and how they took over Sweetens and the first few seasons where the future looked bleak, to expansive growth in just a few years, how they knew this course was special, unique, and one-of-a-kind; how the hard times lent themselves to carving out the authenticity and genuine nature that the heart and soul of the course is defined by. The plans to secure the future of Sweetens Cove since bringing on a team of investors that include the likes of Peyton Manning, but have it maintain the vibe and culture that has defined it for years through the growth. He also outlines some of the new improvements and attention to detail the course will offer including indoor plumbing, food, a new putting green, and more. What the popularity and notoriety have done for King Collins Golf and Rob lately as well as other projects he is building and working on. Rob also gives some tips and pointers as to what to appreciate when it comes to walking our familiar golf courses and what to look out for from an architectural perspective. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk up song to the first tee at Sweetens Cove?  Shoot the Singer by Pavement If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? My dad at Augusta National Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?   I think there is a movement in golf where it is more about having fun over your score and your swing: just go out and have a good time. Find out more about Rob and Sweetens Cove at: Website  (Sweetens Cove) Website  (King Collins Golf Course Design) Twitter Facebook Instagram To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.   Access “How To Add 17 Yards In 17 Minutes” now Discover The Fastest Way To Increase Your Club Head Speed… Click here to access your How-To guide

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guest, Tom Coyne. Tom is much more than a golf writer; yes, he’s written multiple best-selling golf books and has many contributions to golf publications, but I consider Tom a Golf Adventurer. He’s a guy that loves the game so much and is willing to do the extremes when it comes to his journeys in golf and thanks to his willingness to do a deep dive into these crazy adventures, we all learn more about the heart, soul, and history of this game we love. It wasn’t until recently that I found Tom’s work and came to find out that he is on a new journey across the States playing an insane amount of golf for his next book A Course Called America. In this episode, we not only get into the details of this latest endeavor but also his previous books A Course Called Ireland and A Course Called Scotland, and the amazing insights he has gleaned into the heart and soul of the game and stories around the game of golf. Access “How To Add 17 Yards In 17 Minutes” now Discover The Fastest Way To Increase Your Club Head Speed… Click here to access your How-To guide Tom Coyne’s Background Tom is Senior Writer at The Golfer’s Journal, and has written for Golf Magazine, Golfweek, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, and numerous other publications.  He is also a host and writer for the travel television series, “Golfing the World.” Tom earned an M.F.A. in fiction writing from the University of Notre Dame, where he won the William Mitchell Award for distinguished achievement. Tom Coyne is the author of the novel A Gentleman’s Game, which was named one of the best 25 sports books of all time by The Philadelphia Daily News, Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer’s Quest to Play with the Pros was released June 2006, and was an editor’s pick in Esquire Magazine and USA Today, and a summer reading selection in The New York Times, as well as A Course Called Ireland: A Long Walk in Search of a Country, a Pint, and the Next Tee, was published by Gotham Books in February, 2009, and it chronicles his quest to walk and golf the whole of Ireland. His anticipated follow-up to A Course Called Ireland was released by Simon & Schuster in 2018: A Course Called Scotland was an instant New York Times bestseller, and chronicles Tom’s quest to play every links course in Scotland, searching the highlands for the secret to golf and a tee time in the oldest championship in sports. He lives outside Philadelphia with his wife and two daughters, and he is an associate professor of English at Joseph’s University. Highlights from this Episode How he got into golf writing, as he claims, accidentally from his background and education in fiction writing and how his history in caddying led to the creation of A Gentleman’s Game. What his journey and research into his upcoming book A Course Called America looks like by traveling to all 50 states to playing every course to ever host a U.S. Open, in an attempt to learn more about what makes American golf great and what the perfect American golf course looks like. The logistics of planning these golf trips where he is hitting up hundreds of golf courses over the course of months, and the importance of keeping the story about the people he plays with and the game rather than a play-by-play of each course. What his expectations for playing these great American courses after playing the greatest links golf in the founding home of golf across the pond and what significant differences he has learned to appreciate and respect with the different games. The pure golf movement that he sees growing where they are focusing on the experience of the game as an enjoyable experience rather than beating yourself up over score. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk up song?  Baba O’Riley by The Who If you could pick TWO people to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play in both Ireland and Scottland?  My Dad and Tiger or Rory McIlroy at Carne in Belmullet (Ireland) and Askernish (Scottland) Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?   Be present when you’re golfing, the game gives you the opportunity to be in the moment that rarely comes in the rest of our lives. Find out more about Tom at: Website Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeed Golf  use the code “18STRONG” To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. Access “How To Add 17 Yards In 17 Minutes” now Discover The Fastest Way To Increase Your Club Head Speed… Click here to access your How-To guide

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guest, Jayne Storey. Jayne is one of the most fascinating coaches I’ve come across in the game of golf. She is a pioneer of an emerging genre, which seeks to unite Eastern spiritual practice with high performance in pressure situations. Jayne’s expertise is based on a lifetime of deep practice and teaching of Buddhist meditation and Tai Chi, and after decades of research and teaching Jayne’s methodology has been proven at all levels of the game of golf. In today’s interview, I get to talk to Jayne about her new book Breath Golf: The Missing Link in High Performance which is the culmination of 7 years of work that she can share with golfers like you and me.  As golfers, we constantly struggle to get the bad thoughts out of our head when we step up to the ball.  In this conversation with Jayne, I got to really dig in to what it means to be present in the moment and truly get out of our head. Jayne Storey’s Background Jayne’s unique approach helps golfers strengthen their mind~body connection so they can bring together their mental game and technique to deliver fluid yet precise shots, especially during competition. Jayne has successfully coached golfers with a range of experience from juniour players, high-handicap players and competitive low-handicap amateurs, to professional coaches and elite players on tour. Jayne Storey’s Chi-Performance GOLF/SPORT (Est. 2002) is a unique methodology for helping golfers bring together their mental game and technique, access ‘the zone’ or flow-state of relaxed concentration, and enable superior performance particularly during the intense pressure of tournament play. To date, the chi-performance GOLF methodology has almost 1,000 students and followers world-wide, with interest from golfers in Australia, Canada, Central America, France, Germany, Hawaii, Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Kenya, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and the United States as well as the UK. Highlights from this Episode Her background in Eastern training through meditation and Tai Chi and how she claims golf is not a mental game like we keep hearing it is. We dive into how her book is counter-intuitive to what most other golf books are teaching us: it’s not about finding more information, but reverting to and mastering the simple process of breathing. How we balance the need for working on the basics of the technique and understanding what our body needs to do on the course and shutting it off when you go out to play, especially in high-pressure scenarios like competitive playing. Her distinction on meditation: what it means to her vs. what it has become in the mainstream. She also dives into what our body and mind are doing when we are in a meditative state and how utilizing these benefits can greatly affect your golf game for the better. How tour players are utilizing this meditation and breathing practice, as well as the similarities between Tai Chi and the golf swing and how Tai Chi can greatly improve core aspects of your game like balance. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Bagger Vance (or Happy Gilmore) What’s you’re walk up song?  Maria Callas If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? Jack Nicklaus at St. Andrews What has you most excited for your work coming up?  The emerging genre of the mind-body connection is a new frontier in the sports fitness and performance world and I like to think I’m pioneering that. Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?   I agree with the 18Strong motto “Train hard (while incorporating eastern training), practice smart, and play better golf.” Find out more about Jayne at: Website Twitter Facebook Youtube Her latest book ‘Breathe Golf; The Missing Link to a Winning Performance’ is now available on Amazon Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeed Golf use the code “18STRONG” To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guest, Brian Stubbs. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but over the last few years, it seems like collegiate golf has been exploding and getting a lot more coverage and attention. There are some incredible players coming through the ranks and into the pros, which is why this week we are talking with Brian Stubbs, the Executive Director of the Fred Haskins Commission. We’re going to talk about the history of the Haskins Award and the Annika Award, which are basically the Heisman equivalents for collegiate men and women golfers.  These awards are presented annually to the most outstanding player, voted on by the peers, mentors, and coaches. Today Brian is on to talk about not only the history of the awards and their meaning to the players but also collegiate golf as a whole. The Haskins Award and Annika Award’s History Since its formation in 1971, the Haskins Commission has been devoted to amateur golf and the presentation of the Haskins Award. This coveted trophy honors the year’s outstanding male college golfer and the memory of Fred Haskins, an obscure club pro that spent his life nurturing and mentoring amateur golfers. The commission, based in Columbus, Ga., oversees the voting conducted among college golfers, coaches and golf media. The ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel, is presented annually to the top female U.S. collegiate golfer; the winner voted on by players, coaches and members of the golf media. Named for and presented by Annika Sorenstam, the ANNIKA Award is comprised of two primary components: a silver pedestal, which will display a commemorative plaque listing each yearly winner; and a hand-crafted, glass presentation trophy presented to the winner, with a copy given to the player’s College or University. Highlights from this Episode How Brian attributes both the media coverage and the success of college-to-pro players like Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth to the new found and growing attention to collegiate golf. The rich history on the Fred Haskins award, the oldest collegiate golf award, and why it is such a huge honor to these players by making it a vote making it a dynamic and meaningful award. He also touches on what qualifies someone for both the Haskins award and the voting board. He also touches on the role of the commission when it comes to naming the award recipient and the voting process, as well as working with the media. The Annika award, the mirror award to the Haskins for women collegiate golfers, from it’s inception to how it has grown today to naming outstanding and up-and-coming female golfers. We break down the NCAA championships, the major differences between PGA Tour events to NCAA events and how it breaks down a little differently from individual and team play, to match and stroke play, as well as the finalists for both awards this year and the leaders as far as schools this year. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What’s your walk-up song? Dreams by Van Halen If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play?  My father at Lahinch Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?   Remain positive, present, and clear-headed to see success both on the golf course and in life. Find out more about the Haskins and Annika Awards at: Haskins Award Annika Award Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeed Golf use the code “18STRONG” To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guest, fitness and mental game coach, Jentry Barton. Normally when wewe talk about the “mental game” we are speaking in terms of on-course tactics and strategies.  But today we have on Jentry Barton to talk the mental game as it relates to our fitness by getting into the gym and staying focused on what we need to do to make our bodies our most important golf tool. We tackle some of the misconceptions that lead people to be lost on what they should be doing, how much they should be working out, and how to keep things simple to play their best golf. Jentry Barton’s Background Jentry is the Director of Golf Fitness at South County Golf Acadamy. She also is an assistant coach for the JSerra Golf teams as their Mental and Fitness Coach, and she is the National Director of Fitness for Nike Golf Camps. With her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from BYU-Idaho, she has a deep understanding of child development and the importance of athletics in developing bodies and minds. She is ACE certified, as well as Titleist Performance Institute Level 1 certified. Jentry coaches our junior athletes in our Junior Performance division and has a passion for helping children grow through athletic development. She has worked with, and trained children ages 5-18 at the Y.M.C.A, Pump it Up, and Frog’s Fitness Club One in Encinitas, California. She designed programs, charted improvement and managed the programs for these corporations to help children grow in their athletic abilities. Jentry has also worked with different levels and all ages looking to improve their golf game as well as their overall health and wellness. She has helped clients lose weight, improve their balance and posture, and increase their flexibility and stamina. Jentry has always had a passion for fitness, being involved in many sports including; golf, volleyball, basketball, surfing, and running. She is constantly looking for ways to learn, improve and help those she works with see the benefit of Fitness, and Healthy Living. Highlights from this Episode How she transitioned from her background in Elementary Education to the golf and fitness instruction she leads today as well as the background on South County Golf Academy and the work she does there today. The story of how she connected with our mutual friend, Jeff Ritter, and how things unfolded for her from listening to a previous episode of the 18Strong podcast. She also dives into how she implements her knowledge on the mental game into the gym and fitness areas rather than just on the golf game and the importance of mindfulness when approaching a workout regimen. The hesitations she sees from golfers that know they need to work on their fitness game but hasn’t totally bought in, and the changes she sees from golfers that fully commit to revolutionizing both their workout and their mentality around fitness and golf. She talks about working with juniors and both the differences with them in implementing the athleticism while knowing they aren’t going to be taking the full written out program like your adult golfers and fundamental movement patterns like being able to separate their upper and lower body and independently load muscles. She expands on her philosophy of keeping it simple when it comes to your workout and steps golfers can take to maximize their workout on their own. We also go into setting expectations as it comes to your workout program for golf: From believing that their workout will have no effect on their game to those that believe the workout is the answer to all of their problems, we talk about the balance of how much our workouts should improve our game and what will not improve our game. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Happy Gilmore What’s your walk-up song?  The Adventure – Angels and Airwaves If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? John Elway at Kingsbarns What has you most excited about your career and what you are doing right now?   I am loving the opportunity to learn from others and be on the ground floor with Nike and Jeff Ritter. Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?  The simple things are going to make you successful, where your mind goes your energy will flow.   Connect with Jentry Barton at: Website Instagram Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeed Golf use the code “18STRONG” To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Movement Facebook Group .

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guest, Nathane Jackson As a listener of the 18Strong Podcast, you know that we preach that your body is the most important piece of golf equipment that you own.  Taking care of it, optimizing it, doing everything you can to improve the way your body moves, the way your brain functions, and the way you do everything on the course is the best way for you to improve your golf game long-term. Today that is going to be a reoccurring theme as we talk with Nathane Jackson, a fellow golf fitness professional based out of Niagara Falls. We talk about how his background in nutrition, competition, and athletics and how he wants to help golfers improve their most important club: the body. Nathane Jackson’s Background Nathane is a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certified golf fitness specialist, an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS), Nutritionist and creator of the forthcoming Lazareth Golf online training program. He transforms golfers by improving their most important club – THE BODY. Nathane is dedicated in bringing greater awareness to the benefits strength training and mobility have on one’s golf game. His specialized fitness, nutrition and recovery programs help golfers reduce the risk of injury, boost confidence and improve overall performance both on and off the golf course. Nathane is a former University Basketball player and physique competitor. Once upon a time, he graced the cover of fitness magazines as well as over 60 Harlequin Romance novels. Now, when he’s not working with clients, he can be found maneuvering his way around the hazards of his local golf course. Additional certifications of his include: Precision Nutrition (Pn1), Holistic Nutrition (RHN), Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), Online Trainer Academy (OTA) Highlights from this Episode His background in fitness and nutrition, how he found himself falling back in love with golf and golf fitness, and how his training and coaching has evolved over the years. With the internet and social media being a huge source of unfiltered fitness regimens, results, and workout plans, Nathane speaks on some of the issues and traps that we can all fall into with expectations whether you are a coach or golfer. He explains how you as a golfer can manage and decide what would be best for your fitness and golf game. How Nathane tailors his workouts to get the time to play and practice. Keeping it simple principals that he works on with new clients from amateur to professionals to make sure they are utilizing their time most efficiently, from balance to power. The difference between a nutritionist and a dietician, what his nutrition work looks like, and the importance of sleep before a match. Overall, why you should start treating your body as being just as important a factor (actually even MORE important) in how you play the game as we tend to think our clubs are. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk up song?  Final Countdown by Europe If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play?  George Knudson at Chambers Bay What has you most excited about your career and what you are doing right now?  Working towards his Lazareth Golf Program and build a golf community at Niagara Falls. Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?  Your body is your most important club. Connect with Nathane Jackson at: Website Instagram Twitter Email: nathane@nathanejackson.com To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guest, Dr. Martin Gibala, author of The One-Minute Workout: Science Shows a Way to Get Fit That’s Smarter, Faster, Shorter. At 18STRONG we believe your body is the greatest piece of golf equipment that you own.  Today’s show falls right in line with this philosophy as we discuss how you as a golfer can optimize what you’re doing off the golf course to make sure that you’re getting the most benefit, but also doing it in a timely and efficient manner. In past episodes, we’ve examined the concept and practices of interval training and how beneficial it can be. We’ve touched on the science that says you can maximize what you are doing in very short periods of time and truly get as much benefit, if not more, from these short bouts of workouts as compared to the long, slow, cardio style workout. But today is a special episode, because we have one of the pioneers in the research behind interval training, Dr. Martin Gibala, with us to break down the science behind interval training and to explain how this just might revolutionize the way you approach training for your golf game. Dr. Martin Gibala’s Background Martin is a professor and the chair of the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, where he studies the beneficial effects of exercise from the molecular level to the whole body in both healthy individuals and those with chronic diseases. His research on the physiological adaptation (how our body adapts) to interval training has attracted immense scientific attention and worldwide media coverage. He is the author of the best-selling book on interval training: “The One Minute Workout: Science Shows a Way to Get Fit That’s Smarter, Faster, Shorter.” While his main interest is the physiology of exercise, including the effects of training and nutrition and application to health and performance, he strives to practice what he preaches and enjoy an active lifestyle, where his go-to workouts are cycling-based interval training and body weight training. Highlights from this Episode How he became one of the worlds foremost experts on the topic of interval training through both his personal athletic background and his professional interest through teaching the integration of human physiology and athletics. He defines the terms we see and will hear throughout the episode (HIIT, SPRINT, etc.) and interval training as a whole and the many faces it can have from simple, alternating periods of varying intensity for your average workout or more complex intensities for your professional athlete. He also dives into what he sees as the two main branches: aerobic-style interval training (cycling and running,) and Resistance-style interval training (bodyweight training.) How you can utilize interval training to directly affect the different techniques of your golf game and which aspects of interval training work best for which level and age of golfer. Weighing HIIT vs. LISS: Pros and cons for both, which should we be focusing on if not both, and which work best for fat-loss. He also talks about the benefits of HIIT at multiple frequencies throughout the week, and how we can best schedule our workouts to get the best results. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk up song? Good Riddance by Green Day If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? My father at our old course back in Windsor, ON What has you most excited about your career and what you are doing right now?  I am very much looking forward to devote more time to my research when I pass on my administrative role as chair of the department.  Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience?  Life is an interval exercise, so train accordingly. Find more information on Dr.Martin Gibala and at: Twitter Website To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. Episode Sponsor SuperSpeed Golf (SuperSpeedGolf.com)- Use the code “18STRONG”

Today I am especially excited to have on our special guests, authors of the fantastic book The Lost Art of Putting, Gary Nicol and Karl Morris. When I first read the book “The Lost Art of Putting,” it was completely different than what I imagined a book on putting would be.  As you would imagine, I anticipated the text would entail an excessive amount of technical conversation on putting, styles, techniques, etc. however, it is refreshingly the exact opposite of what I expected. In my talk today with the authors, Gary Nicol and Karl Morris, we dive into the mental game, attention, and the art of not just putting, but golf altogether. These two world-class coaches explain in more ways than one how the most effective and long term strategies to becoming a great putter rely very little on the actual technical side of the equation, but depend more on your understanding of pace and your personal belief in yourself as a great putter. Karl Morris’ Background Karl has worked as a performance coach to some of the world’s best golfers with over 100 PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour players including six major winners such as Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell, and Darren Clarke. He is the co-author of the recently released book ‘The Lost Art of Putting’ as well as ‘Attention –the secret to YOU playing great golf’ and ‘Golf –The Mind Factor’ with Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke. He has personally trained over 1000 certified Mind Factor coaches worldwide. Gary Nicol’s Background Born in Scotland, Gary Nicol turned professional in 1988. Since then, he has traveled the world coaching golfers of all standards from weekend players to tour pros including Ryder Cup players, Olympians, and winners of major championships. Gary is a certified TrackMan Master and Mind Factor coach and is based at the stunning Archerfield Links on Scotland’s Golf Coast. Highlights from this Episode We kick off the episode diving into Karl and Gary’s book “The Lost Art of Putting,” and how the book approaches the technical aspect of putting in a different way than you might expect. Karl and Gary talk about the common questions and mistakes they see from their readers and students. Gary speaks to one of the six principles of putting they bring up in the book: Attention. It’s so easy for us to know what we should be doing, and yet our mind wonders and we whiff the putt (even though we nailed the same or harder putts earlier in the same game.) Karl takes that and explains the different tactics to hone your attention in when going in for that crucial putt. How their paths as teachers and coaches from two different areas of expertise crossed to culminate into their book. They talk about what each has brought to the book and what they have discovered from each other/together, like the idea of the after-image when putting, and the difference between thinking positively and positive questions. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?   Gary: Caddy Shack  Karl: Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk up song to the tee box? Both: On Day’s Like These by Matt Monroe If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? Karl: Jack Nicklaus at Royal Lytham & St Annes Gary: My Late Father, Seve Ballesteros, and Arnold Palmer at Anywhere. Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience? Karl: Be grateful for every opportunity you have to golf. Gary: Pay more attention to what the golf ball has to do. Find more information on Gary Nicol and Karl Morris and at: The Lost Art of Golf – Twitter Tpegs Website The Lost Art of Golf Website The Mind Factor Website Twitter – Gary Nicol Twitter – Karl Morris To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Today I am especially excited to welcome back our special guest, Jon Sherman. Jon Sherman is the founder of Practical-Golf.com, a website that is dedicated to helping you play and make better decisions out on the course. Jon has spent the last 20+ years researching and learning about the game and joins us today to talk not so much on technique, but the mental, strategic side of golf as well as technology and equipment that he utilizes out on the green to help him play his best game each time. Jon Sherman’s Background Jon Sherman is the owner of Practical Golf, a website dedicated to being an honest resource for the everyday golfer who is looking to enjoy the game more, as well as improve. He is the author of the bestselling book 101 Mistakes All Golfers Make(and how to fix them). Over the last 20+ years, Jon has dedicated himself to learning and finding ways to improve. Jon regularly competes in tournaments around the New York Metro region and is a scratch golfer. Highlights from this Episode He kicks off the episode talking about the background to Practical-Golf.com, from its humble beginnings and why he created the site, to the growth he has seen over the last 4 years. What it is about managing expectations that both we as golfers do wrong out on the course or in our practice sessions, and what we as fitness professionals can do to help manage the expectations of our clients. He also dives into strategy when it comes to the course: should we be focusing on swing mechanics or course-specific tactics. We talk practice and how “just showing up to the driving range or practice tee does NOT entitle you to be a better golfer.” Jon goes deep into intent and purpose behind the swings and quality over quantity when it comes to practice. Different golf tech and training aids that he has reviewed on his site that he thinks are worthwhile for the average golfer to help save strokes on the course; from a GPS to track front and back yardage on the green, to the Orange Whip that many PGA tour players use to help with flexibility, warming up, and setting rhythm and tempo of your swing. The biggest influence he has seen in his personal game since starting the site and the value that his viewers are getting from his reviews and articles. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Happy Gilmore What’s your walk-up song to the 16th at the Waste Management Open? Drain You by Nirvana If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? Tiger at Augusta Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience? This is just a game, Golf is a gift that can be the primary passion in your life, don’t take it too seriously.  Find more information on Jon Sherman and Practical Golf at: Website Twitter Facebook To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeed Golf (SuperSpeedGolf.com)- Use the code “18STRONG”

This week we are talking with Sam Goulden from Sam Goulden Golf, but more recently he started a new company called MNML golf which we are going to dig into and will highlight the new bag and technology he has come up with and the Kickstarter campaign he has going for it. Sam has been all over the nation traveling, teaching golf, playing golf, and connects with so many different people on spreading the MNML golf lifestyle; the simplicity of the game itself and getting people to understand how they can play better through minimal tweaks and embracing the simplicity. Sam Goulden’s Background Sam Goulden is from Washington, Missouri, is the founder of MNML GOLF CO, hosts an online instruction platform and teaches private lessons at his studio in Manhattan Beach CA. He has been teaching for 20 years and is the author of The Square to Square Swing and other instructional books. His students range from billionaire CEOs who want to take their games to the next level to 3-year-olds who just want to have fun. His website samgouldengolf.com has over 9,000 members who have access to multiple video courses and pdf along with swing reviews and personalized coaching programs. Sam credits the development of his methodology to thousands of books, videos, and personal lessons over the past 20 years. His primary goal with all endeavors is to deconstruct the goal, simplify the process, and run a focused program that achieves the greatest return in the shortest time with the least amount of effort. With MNML GOLF CO, Sam seeks to fuse the traditional game with modern technology and simplified design. MNML golfers have no dress code and often trade the collared shirt and spikes for tee shirts and tennis shoes. Highlights from this Episode What he has been up to since the last time we talked with him, from moving out of Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Maria in 2017 and settling in Manhattan Beach, CA, to starting MNMLGolf, Sam hits on all this as well as the new era of minimalistic golf that’s changing the game. Where golf is going in the future as far as technology, indoor golf on the rise, and shifting from the elitist, country club sport of yesterday to the everyman’s “play 9 holes on a Sunday” sport of today. The new MNML Golf bag that he is currently kickstarting, and the features that make it stand apart from the rest (from it’s phone slip pocket for easy swing video recording, to its solar panel powered battery to charge your phone/accessories,) and what niche in the market it fits perfectly. How through his coaching he took a CEO father of three kids under six from 36 to single digit in 9 months, and the top one or two things he focused on with his training program. How learning golf in a simplified way has led to faster improvement for everyone, and his new book “Ladies Let’s Play” which tackles the issue of how daunting getting started into golf can be, especially for women, and getting past the initial discomfort from pressure to perform to enjoy the game and all it has to offer. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk-up song?  Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You by Frankie Valley If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? Just my girlfriend at the par 3 course by our house Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience? Keep it simple! Be a #MNMLGolfer Find more information on Sam Goulden and MNML GOLF CO at: Link to the Kickstarter Campaign   MNMLGolf Website Sam Goulden Golf Website Instagram To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.