The 18STRONG Podcast

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guest, John Paul “J.P.” Guidry, physical therapist and strength coach. In today’s conversation, we are talking all about strength and strength training: How much do you need as a golfer? Is there a cap we should be worried about? Is the strength training golfers are doing now hindering their game and causing injury, or rather protecting them from injury and to be more resilient? To answer these questions and more, I have on JP Guidry of Guidry Golf and Sport. JP is a physical therapist that has worked a lot in the clinic working with rehab, prevention, and injuries and is very much a proponent for strengthening golfers of all ages. John Paul (“J.P.”) Guidry’s Background J.P. is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certified golf fitness specialist, an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS), and creator of the Guidry Golf and Sport offering in person and online training for Golf and Sports Performance He trains golfers of all ages working with both recreational and competitive athletes. J.P. believes that golfers are athletes and should train like an athlete. He understands the value of a full evaluation and individualized training program for each person’s goals and needs. He feels that golfers are too often treated as fragile when it comes to their training and that just like any other sport they need to lift heavy in order to build strength, power, and resiliency along with improving mobility and movement quality Highlights from this Episode His background in athletics and physical therapy, how that offered him a segue into the strength and conditioning world, what that transition from PT to Strength Coach looked like for him, and what initially roped him into the Golf Fitness realm and his work with amazing top-level instructors at a great club. Discussing and disputing the idea that golfers are often treated as “fragile” and not thought of so much as athletes, and his philosophy on strength regarding how it should be valued in the golf fitness programming: is it overrated? What his thoughts are on professionals and the criticism they receive for “training too hard” to where it is effecting their game, and how he would respond to those critiques. The importance of training strength for the amateur golfer and the everyday layman to benefit their lives and game by reducing pain from strenuous, sometimes explosive, lifting and swinging movements. His hypertrophy and muscle building programming* he uses for his personal golf game and also with his clients to benefit their golf game. He also gets into ways for the amateur and seasoned golfer to add muscle without hindering their golf game. *J.P. has been working with Eric Bach of @bachperformance as his coach for his hypertrophy programming.  You can find Eric’s website here: https://bachperformance.com/ Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What’s you’re walk-up song to the 16th at the Waste Management Open? Juicy by Notorious B.I.G. If you could pick one person to play 18 holes of golf with, who would it be and where would you play? My best friend who passed away years ago.  We would play at Augusta. Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong audience? Don’t be afraid of getting strong Follow John Paul “J.P.” Guidry on Social Media: Website Twitter  Facebook Youtube Barbells&Birdies Episode Sponsor SuperSpeed Golf To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Once again, we have our buddy Adam Long, PGA tour Player AND Winner, joining us on this week’s show. You might remember that we had Adam on this past September on Episode 207  just after he secured his PGA Tour Card from finishing top 25 in the Web.com tour. We chatted about what his expectations were, how he was preparing for his upcoming rookie season on the PGA Tour, and what his goals were. Well now with a PGA win under his belt, he’ll be playing in both the Masters and PGA Championship and his whole world of golf has changed thanks to his rounds at the Desert Classic, besting the likes of Adam Hadwin and Phil Mickelson with a birdie on 18 to get his first PGA Tour win. This time, Adam is on to talk about his big win, how life has changed since his whirlwind of a time getting into the PGA, and how he is prepping for the next big events. It’s rare that we get such an inside look from a player behind the scenes at what’s going on so I know you will enjoy this interview. Adam Long’s Background Adam Long grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was a four-time all-state All-Metro selection and ranked 8th in the Golfweek Junior Golf Rankings. From high school, Adam decided to start his collegiate golf career He was an All-ACC and Academic All-ACC team selection on the Men’s Golf Team at Duke University. Adam quickly turned pro after graduating from Duke in 2010 with his bachelor’s degree in Sociology. In 2018, Adam earned his PGA Tour card for the 2018-19 season via his Top 25 finish on the Web.com Tour. Adam won the 2019 Desert Classic in Palm Desert, CA with a birdie on the 72nd hole to capture the title over Phil Mickelson and Adam Hadwin. Highlights from this Episode He gives us his perspective on the Desert Classic, being in the final pairing with 2 really well-known golfers, and how he was just expecting to have a good game he could be proud of and goes on to win and when that win really sank in. What that win did for him in terms of scheduling, the exemption this win has granted him which has completely changed the way he views professional golf, how he was struggling to get into the amateur and pro competitions less than a year ago and now he can pick and choose how, when, and where he can play. What getting and being sponsored as a professional player looks like and how getting sponsored works (performance-based bonuses, package deals, caddy sponsorship deals, etc.) What his preparation for the Masters looks like through studying the course, and working on his fitness/mental game and what the MDF scoring is and how they use it to keep the pace of play going when you have too many players.  Follow Adam Long on Social Media: Website Twitter Instagram To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Today I am especially excited to bring back on our special guest, Mike McDonnell. Today, we’re talking with Coach Mike McDonnell from CoachMikeMac.com about the training methods that golfers are using today.   Mike’s explains the philosophy of training movements and not just body parts or muscles specifically, and the importance of assessing yourself or being assessed by a fitness professional when getting started with your golf and fitness program. This episode is packed with a lot of practical advice to take and implement directly into your workout programs and will get you thinking about how you are preparing yourself not just for your game, but everything thing you do. Mike McDonnell’s Background Coach Mike is a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certified golf fitness specialist, an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS), and creator of the Golf Movement Academy online training program He runs an online fitness business (Coach Mike Mac) specifically for golfers with clientele across the country where he trains golfers of all ages from competitive juniors, to recreational players, to Web.com Tour professionals. Mike believes in a movement-based approach to training that is centered around assessments and programs designed specifically for each individual. He connects how movement deficiencies in the gym manifest themselves in swing faults on the course. Fundamental qualities to his approach include mobility, stability, strength, and training in multiple planes of motion. Additional certifications of his include: FMS, Precision Nutrition (Pn1), and the Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) Highlights from this Episode Mike’s background in fitness, how he found himself as a golf instructor and revolutionizing his business through online training, and how his psychology degree serves him a lot more than anything else when training others in terms of a relations stand-point, understanding what motivates people, and overcoming obstacles of what people think they can and can’t do. His past work in assisting in creating the exercise program curriculum while working for Equinox as a Tier X coach, and how that helped him find his passion for teaching and what he took away from his time teaching their that he uses with his clients. What his base-line fundamentals and philosophies that he teaches day one with his clients and the importance of knowing the 3 things all golfers strive for: playing pain-free golf, shooting lower scores, and hitting it further. Making a program golf-specific: the idea of sports specific training and how we can define a golf fitness routine that fights against the caricature of what many people think it looks like, to what professional golf trainers are actually putting into practice. He also dives into why he likes to work on movements rather than target the muscles.  Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Happy Gilmore What is your walk-up song to the first tee-box? Numb (Encore Remix) – Linkin Park/JayZ If you could play 18 holes with anyone in the world, who would it be and where would you play? Tiger Woods, Ed Mylett, and Will Smith at Augusta Any Last Piece of Advice? Train movements, not muscles Connect with Mike McDonnell: Website Instagram Email: info@coachmikemac.com To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeedGolf.com  

In this episode, we are not only going to introduce you to one of the most innovative improvements the golf industry has seen in years, but we are going to introduce you to the incredible serial entrepreneur and inventor of the Triple Track golf ball, Ray Barrett. Even if you’ve never heard of the Triple Track before, I bet you’ve seen it. Recently we’ve seen Phil Mickelson using a Callaway golf ball that has three little lines on it, to which he has attributed a significant improvement in his putting game. Now you’re probably thinking: “What’s the deal with these three little lines?” Every new golf ball that comes out on the market touts the same mediocre changes that make it “unique and better,” be it spin, feel, distance, etc. But, with the Triple Track, it’s NOT ABOUT THE BALL at all, but what is ON THE BALL! And as fascinating as the technology on the ball is, I believe it’s the story behind the ball and it’s inventor, Ray Barrett, that you are going to find most interesting and entertaining in this episode.  After successfully building and selling 2 companies, Ray virtually stumbled upon the idea in a simple attempt to see the ball better when playing with his buddies, and thanks to his big vision and persistence, it is now being sold all over the world via Callaway Golf and is winning championships on the PGA Tour. Ray Barrett’s Background Ray and Dr. Bassi Ray Barrett graduated in 1960 from St. Louis University (SLU) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, where he has received the University’s “Distinguished Alumnus of the Year” award in 1989. Throughout St. Louis, he is widely known as an “Entrepreneurs’ Entrepreneur”. Ray has a track record of founding successful business’, from Landshire Food Systems (a manufacturer and distributor of packaged goods,) Biomedical Systems (a global organization offering clinical trial services, physician/cardiology services, and medical products with offices in the United States, Belgium, China, Japan and India serving several different healthcare markets.) Ray is also the Inventor of golfs Triple Track alignment pattern, distributed worldwide by Callaway Golf. Highlights from this Episode The zany background that led to the conception of the TripleTrack golf ball (from just trying to see a golf ball in the air to the science of accuracy,) and what and who it is designed for. The science of vernier acuity that the TripleTrack system is based on and the tests and studies they ran to show how they measured the 11% improvement in accuracy. His connection with Callaway Golf and how their shared interest in innovation led to the TripleTrack’s success today and the feedback from golfers that use the product. His perspective on the entrepreneur-side of building the TripleTrack brand and the biggest challenges he faced when trying to sell the product in the early years. The science behind the design of the three lines and how the intricacies of the lines are instrumental in improving your accuracy. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Happy Gilmore What is your walk-up song to the first tee-box? Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley If you could play 18 holes with anyone in the world, who would it be and where would you play?  Jennifer Lopez Any Last Piece of Advice? Everyone has the ability to be an entrepreneur and there are so many opportunities to let your ideas grow. Article talking about TripleTrack and Phil Mickelson’s success using it Callaway Triple Track Ball (ERC Soft) To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. *Photos by August Jennewein/Courtesy UMSL

Today I am especially excited to bring back on our special guests, Harry Sese, and Shane Lawlor. One of the things that we love to do here at 18Strong is giving you a glimpse of what goes on on the tour. Trying to take the tour experience and bring it to you at home in your earbuds. This week we are going to do just that with two guys that have been traveling with golfers on the PGA tour as the medical staff for over a decade now: Dr. Harry Sese and Dr. Shane Lawlor. Both chiropractors working with PGA players as well as having clinics at home, that have come on to share their experiences with professionals and amateurs alike and the work they do that can directly apply to your golf game. Dr. Harry Sese’s Background Graduated from Western State’s College of Chiropractic in 2007. Is a Master Instructor and former national champion in Taekwondo. He has traveled and taught with the Titleist Performance Institute and is now touring with PGA professionals including Graham McDowell, Jerry Kelly, Adam Hadwin, Jon Rahm, and many others. Harry’s Approach: The Goal is to play golf for as long as you want/can. Always keep an eye on your body and fitness to stay in peak condition for as long as possible. Dr. Shane Lawlor’s Background Shane is Sports Chiropractor and an expert in the treatment, screening, and rehabilitation of golf injuries. He also has extensive post-graduate training in the treatment of sports & soft tissue injuries including lower back & functional rehabilitation. Shane has traveled with professional golfers on both the European & PGA Tours since 2009 and has worked with over 50 different tour pros. He consults to a number of elite amateur and professional golfers when he is off the tour. Highlights from this Episode  What their routine looks like being PGA golf docs to keep focused and ready to attend to their players, and what aspects of their traveling have they regimented to maintain their peak performance. The difference in structuring between their work on the road with professionals to their work from their home clinic with the every-day golfer. What aspects of their experience with the tour players they bring back to their amateur golfers. Their perspectives on both the new breed of athletic golfers and how golf is progressing to have more of a focus on the “athlete” rather than on the “golfer.” How the players on the Champions tour fitness regiments have changed over the years and what Harry and Shane see most from their older players that are both taking care of themselves and those that aren’t. Any Last Piece of Advice? Shane: Regular manual therapy can change everything for the athlete and golfer Harry: If you’re coming in after there is a problem, all we can do is make it go away quicker. If you come in before, we can help build you up to prevent those issues. Follow the Docs on social media: @thegolfingdoc: Dr. Harry Sese Instagram @golfchiro: Dr. Shane Lawlor Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeedGolf.com To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.    

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guests, Jeff Young and Ken Loewen from Mach 3 Speed Training. “Am I ever going to be able to swing the club faster?” I think it’s a natural question that we all ask ourselves from time to time in the pursuit of peak golf fitness and performance, and especially in today’s game of golf distance is king so club-head speed can make or break your rounds. Our guests today, Jeff Young (Co-founder of the Mach 3 Training System) and Ken Loewen (Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Mach 3 Speed Training Coach) stand by the fact that through the Mach 3 Speed Training System, no matter your age, you can improve your speed to get faster off the tee. Today we talk not only about how the Mach 3 System began but how there is potential in every individual and aside from strength conditioning, speed improvement comes from the mental game we find ourselves in every time we step on the green. The Mach 3’s Background Mach 3 is a year-round golf speed training protocol with the exclusive goal being clubhead speed. Since its inception in September of 2017, Mach 3 participants have gained an average of 11.5 mph in driver clubhead speed. The program is divided into Off-Season, Pre-Season, and In-Season segments. Mach 3 training is dynamic and lively. The routines are designed to be non-exhausting. Mach 3 training will ramp you up, not beat you down. Golf coaches, instructors, and personal trainers who have attended full Mach 3 workshops have been trained to: Conduct group classes featuring Circuit Training and Round Robin techniques Think creatively and out-of-the-box in designing golf fitness programs Create a community of golfers whose goal is to stay healthy, fit, and to play better golf. The Mach 3 program: Promotes equal participation of men, women, and children Is applicable to golfers of all ages and playing abilities Is based on workouts that are fun, non-exhausting, safe, and athletic in nature Can be held indoors or outdoors Gives golfers a way to train for golf using natural golf body motions without “bulking up”  Highlights from this Episode They introduce us to what the Mach 3 Speed Training System, the background on how it got started, and what they do in this system that hones in on the intention, which allows people to create the speed in the swing. What it looks like when you go see them and the importance and use of each of the tools they utilize to help golfers align their swings, like the “essential kit” which includes the jet stick, speed bar, and the velociraptor and the black mamba rope tools. What Rotex Motion is in terms of internal hip and shoulder rotation and mobility, and how they use it in conjunction with the Mach 3 system. They also touch on how intention plays a key role in improving speed, because most of what the Mach 3 speed training works on is your mental game rather than your raw strength. They talk on how there is no need to succumb to losing clubhead speed with age and, if anything, they say they can improve your speed so you can continue to stand out. What the Mach 3 certification process looks like through months of learning how to use the tools and a seminar they host for coaches and golf instructors to learn the tools. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?  Ken: Caddy Shack Jeff: Caddy Shack  What would be your walk-up song to the 16th hole at the Waste Management Open? Ken: “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor Jeff: “Gravity” by John Mayer  18 Holes anywhere in the world with anyone, past or present: Where would it be and whom would you play?  Ken: Darius Rucker at Pebble Beach Jeff: Abraham Lincoln at Whitespring Pines Golf Club Any Last Piece of Advice? Ken: Mach 3 is not everything, its just another tool for the toolbox but it’s an important one to have. Jeff: Speed out front! Learn more about Ken & Jeff and their work at the Mach 3 at: Website Facebook To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guest, Captain Brandon Johnson. Golf is a passion of ours, and it’s a part of life that we cherish. It’s the competition, the challenge, the joys, the frustrations, but in many cases, it’s the camaraderies we have out on the course meeting new people and hanging out with those we love. The Veteran Golfers Association has taken all of that magic and is using it to enrich the lives of veterans and their families through the game of golf. This week we have Captain Brandon Johnson from the U.S. Air Force who is the 2016 and 2018 VGA Champion, on to talk about what the VGA is all about and how we can help get behind such an awesome community that encompasses what we love about the game. Captain Brandon Johnson’s Background Capt Brandon J. Johnson is a Weapons Systems Cost Analyst, Medium Altitude Unmanned Aerial Systems Division, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Special Operations Forces Directorate, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. He currently serves as the Chief Program Integrator and principal Cost Analyst in charge of planning, programming, and estimating procurement and retrofit costs on the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial system for US and International Partners. He received his Bachelor of Science in Management at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado and his Masters of Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. Capt Johnson played hockey growing up and through college but found himself inspired to play golf through Tiger Woods and Happy Gilmore. After caddying from a very young age, he set a goal that, after grad school, he would make the 2016 Air Force Golf Team. He is the 2016 VGA Champion, 2017 US Mid-am Qualifier, and 2018 VGA Champion. Highlights from this Episode He talks about what the Veterans Golfer Association (VGA) is, how the infrastructure of events is set up, and recollects what was going through his head as he sunk the putt and won the championship in 2016 and 2018. What his time in the armed services has brought to his fitness, golf game, and finding ways to improve his life and discipline. The importance of having his daily routine to keep him focused on improvement. How he makes sure he is getting quantifiably better when he goes out on the course and what he focuses on tracking. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Happy Gilmore What would be your walk-up song to the 16th hole at the Waste Management Open?  Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond  18 Holes anywhere in the world with anyone, past or present: Where would it be and whom would you play?  Arnold Palmer What does it mean to represent as the VGA Champion?  It’s an honor and there is a lot of gratitude involved in the beginning stages of their tradition. Learn more about Captain Brandon and the VGA at: VGA promotional video Website Twitter Instagram Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeedGolf.com To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. Are you lost?  Don’t know where to start when it comes to your Golf Training? We’ve got you covered.  Check out the 18STRONG ELITE membership!

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guest, Coach Kevin Duffy. Are you making the most out of this off-season? Some of the most common problems golfers experience on the course when the season comes around are lack of distance, lack of endurance, and not being any better and, if anything, being a little rusty from the year before. Physically, you have to try and balance keeping up with your workouts while making sure you’re not too sore on the links or vice versa. In this episode we dive into “The Strength Window” in the off-season to get you prepared for the workouts when the season comes up and if you listened to “Episode 221: 5 Non-Golf Things You Should Do This Winter”, than this episode with Rotational-Specific Strength and Conditioning Coach Kevin Duffy will be the perfect follow up. Kevin Duffy’s Background Kevin Duffy is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) based out of Sudbury, MA. Known as ‘Coach Duff’, Kevin has a vast amount of experience with training athletes of all levels and he is specifically experienced in Golf and Rotational specific work. Coach Duff specializes in working with rotational athletes especially golf. Kevin has gone on to continue his education through Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) levels 1 and 2 in golf fitness. Duff excels at raising the level of performance with groups of athletes in a team setting as well as with individual programs and small group programs. His outlook: “Do the simple things savagely well, to produce uncommon results” Highlights from this Episode His background as Coach Kevin Duffy in the public and private sectors, and how he branched into the golf world through TPI and his rotational work. His TPI presentation at the PGA show where he talked about how not enough golfers are training early enough in the off-season, and the importance of his 4 exercises and the “The Strength Window” that can be implemented into everybody’s program: Deadlift: The deadlift and the hip-hinge are what help puts you over the ball. Once you get over the ball, you want to feel strong over it, which the deadlift helps with while promoting good posture. Farm Walk: Maintaining a movement and posture while reigning in the spine rotation. Pull-up: Another posture builder, the pull-up sets can help not only with strength conditioning for the new season, but with shoulder strength, stability and confidence. Step-Up: Simple endurance workouts, which can condition you for the upcoming season and carry over into the seasonal power and speed exercises. How he programs these 4 exercises with his clients in the off-season and how it’s about variation and simplicity over trying to over-complicate. It’s always better to do something simple consistently rather than overcomplicate and get lost in the process. He breaks down his famous “door-kick” call sign on each of his videos. Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Happy Gilmore What would be your walk-up song to first teebox?  Rage Against the Machines “Born of a Broken Man” & “Bulls on Parade” 18 Holes anywhere in the world with anyone, past or present: Where would it be and whom would you play?  Jullian Edelman and Tom Brady at Augusta Who has been instrumental in becoming the Coach you are today? Jason Glass and his “gut check” moments that have helped in my growth and keeping me in line with knowing how to grow. Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong Community?  Get after it and enjoy the chase! Learn more about Kevin and his work at Fieldhouse: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page.   Are you lost?  Don’t know where to start when it comes to your Golf Training? We’ve got you covered.  Check out the 18STRONG ELITE membership!

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guest, Lance Gill. Why are you here? Most people can’t answer that question when they go to see a Golf and Fitness specialist like Lance, but it’s important to discover your underlying needs and tailor a regiment that works for you. Lance is on today to talk to us about committing to the learning process and understanding what you are really trying to do and how to get to that end result. So what is keeping you from your end goal or figuring out what your end result looks like? Lance Gill’s Background Lance Gill is the co-director of the Titleist Performance Institute Fitness Advisory Board where he establishes protocols for player development in the fields of functional movement restoration, physical screening, strength, and power screening and development and for player development globally. He is the owner and operator of Lance Gill Performance, a private Golf Performance based company specializing in the betterment of golfers in the areas of; Fitness, Screening, Biomechanics, Instruction, Mental, Nutritional, Programming, and Life Coaching. He has taught over 10,000 experts in the fields of; Golf Fitness, Golf Instruction, Medicine, Junior, and Biomechanical proficiencies, and serves as Lead Instructor for TPI Level 1 and Level 2 Fitness Seminars globally. With the comprehensive approach via the TPI methodology, he has helped countless tour players reach and move towards their personal goals and at the same time gain worldwide recognition for the TPI, Titleist and Acushnet brands. Highlights from this Episode The idea of golfers committing to a learning process. When they are going through their fitness, golf, performance, or mental game, there is always that learning curve and Lance talks on how identifying that is a big process of his and why so many people have trouble with the learning curve. What people tend to struggle with most when it comes to learning and what process he uses to help them boil it down to those one or two things. How he uses consistency to keep them on track to focusing in on what is most important to them and how he can help them achieve that. Battling the “quick fix” mentality and understanding there is no shortcut, Lance dives into how he programs for his clients to map out a tailor-made plan specific to their needs and goals. Most times, the proper plan for you isn’t “sexy” like you see on social media, its just work. The biggest differences and changes he has seen from the inside out in the world of Golf and trends he has noticed of where these changes are taking the game. He also dives into what is happening with LG Performance and his responsibilities with TPI. Parting Question: What would be your walk-up song to the Phoenix Open 16th hole? Brantley Gilberts “Kick It In the Sticks.” Learn more about Lance Gill and his work at LG Performance: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram To continue the conversation and ask any questions you may have, head over the 18STRONG Facebook page. Episode Sponsor: SuperSpeedGolf.com Are you lost?  Don’t know where to start when it comes to your Golf Training? We’ve got you covered.  Check out the 18STRONG ELITE membership!

While normally we’re talking about the physical and mental pieces that you can emphasize to get the greatest edge on your golf game, this week we are talking with Curt Rohe from the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association about the new rules that are coming into play in 2019. If there is one theme that we try to reiterate over and over here at the 18Strong Podcast, it’s that simplicity and consistency are the key to winning at everything, so I thought it would be the perfect time to bring on Curt Rohe, the Executive Director from the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association here in St. Louis, to talk about the new rules that have been changed with the USGA and the RNA, for professionals and amateur golfers across the world. I want to take this opportunity to make sure we are clear on the rules and discuss what they are trying to do because I know there is already a considerable amount of confusion amongst golfers.  Overall, I love seeing the proactive approach of the USGA to try to simplify and improve the game. Curt Rohe’s Background Started with MAGA in 1998 as a PJ Boatwright Intern. Franklin County Country Club (Washington, MO) as Assistant Manager for 2 seasons. October of 2001 returned full-time to MAGA as Director, Tournament Operations. 2010 was named Executive Director and have held that position ever since. Officiated at several USGA championships: the 2015 US Open, 2015 & 2016 US Senior Open. Worked with the NCAA in conducting the NCAA Division II Golf Championship from 2002-2008. Highlights from this Episode Curt talks about the Metropolitan Amatuer Golf Association (MAGA), their role in relation to the USGA, and the services they offer like course handicap and slope rating. We also get into how they are authorities on the rules of golf and the perfect guest to dive into the different changes we will see in the next year. The importance of keeping a handicap record rather than just spit-balling your score each time, and how helpful and motivating it can be to see your handicap trending in the right direction. What sparked the big change in rules through the USGA in 2019 and how this process, started years ago, aims to simplify, expedite, and modernize the rules and game. We breakdown the different new or revised rule groupings and his thoughts on each: Putting Green: Being able to fix damage without fear of penalty (tamp down spike marks, old hole plugs, spike marks, etc.), being able to leave the flag stick in, able to replace ball from accidental movement (e.g. Lexi Thompson Incident), and the naked eye ruling. Bunker: Can remove impediments, still cant ground clubs, brush sand away on your back swing, can get relief from bunker for -2 penalty stroke. Penalty Areas: What used to be “Hazards” are now penalty areas, defining from red stakes and yellow stakes, and allowing the committees to make any area a penalty area (not just high grass areas, water hazard, etc.), able to take 2 club lengths laterally out of penalty area rather than search for ball. Misc.: New standardized dropping height (from the knee.) Parting Questions: Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What would your walk-up song to the first teebox be? Emerson Drive – A Good Man 18 Holes anywhere in the world with anyone, past or present: Where would it be and whom would you play?  Arnold Palmer at Latrobe Any last piece of advice for the 18Strong Community?  Get a copy of the player version of the rules of golf book and get acclimated to the rules. If you have any questions, seek a PGA professional. Find more information on the new USGA rules at: Website App Are you lost?  Don’t know where to start when it comes to your Golf Training? We’ve got you covered.  Check out the 18STRONG ELITE membership!