Hello and thank you for joking us in this Golf/Life affirming information. My name is Jesse Perryman and I am your host of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast. Today on the Pod we have 2017 World Long Drive Champion Justin James and Master Instructor Billy MacKinney !
While Golf at the highest level is certainly changing towards more distance, speed and power, what does that mean for the rest of us ? I think it helps a ton to hit it further. If you have shorter shots to the green, most likely you’ll score better. How do we go about this ?
Justin James is one of the longest hitters in the World. Justin is also a TPI Certified Trainer having worked with some of the best players in the World. What he tells is HOW to properly train the body to prepare to speed train SAFELY and the frequency of speed training. Billy and I centralize our questions to Justin about this. What Justin also tells us is the road to increasing distance in NOT linear. As with anything, consistency is key to reaching our distance goals.
Thank you Justin and Billy for coming on. You can find Justin on Instagram and Billy as well under BillMacKinneysecrets.
Hello and welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! My name is Jesse Perryman and it’s my honor and passion to bring you truthful insights to help make you a better player !
Today on the Pod we have Mr. Lou Stagner. Lou notably is the Data lead at ArccosGolf, which is a Golf stat tracking program that is in or at the end of your grip. Lou also is the Assistant Coach for the Golf team at Princeton. Lastly, Lou rounds it off with his Podcast called, “Hack It Out”.
Lou has my favorite Twitter account. Why you ask ? Well, he posts some crazy stats. His stats are usually ranged per handicap genre. For example, Lou will post proximity to the hole from 100 yards, 150 yards, etc, per handicap range. Let’s say you’re a 5. Lou will post some percentages for your handicap family based on data from ArccosGolf and formulate proximity stats, putting stats, averages greens in regulation stats and so on.
What’s interesting to me about Lou’s postings are the Tour stats. I would’ve thought that the best players in the World would have these incredible stats. For example, do you know what the average proximity is from 100 yards for PGA Tour and LPGA Tour is ? I would’ve thought it’d be inside of 10-15 feet. Stats prove otherwise. The best in the World average TWENTY FEET !!! How about putting ? Let’s say your average Tour Pro has an 8 foot putt. Do you know what his/her make percentage is ? Around 50 percent. I would’ve thought it be much higher !!
Lou also has my favorite hashtag on Social Media. It’s called, manage your expectations ! When I look at his stats postings, I look at the example about as it relates to the best in the World from 100 yards. If I hit it 20 feet, I can tell myself that this is the Tour average. I can cut myself a break if I miss an 8 foot putt because the best make this putts HALF the time ! I hear so many players berate themselves for missing putts around or under 10 feet !
What Lou provides is a valuable service from the perspective of taking some pressure off when you play. Golf is a hard game and management of your expectations is a huge, golf/life affirming skill that can be learned.
You can find Lou easiest on his Twitter @LouStagner. I highly encourage all to go and do a bit of contemplation on some of Lou’s stats. I promise it will help you put some things on the golf course in perspective and help you to play better !
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A big hello and thank you for tuning in to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast where we discuss all things Golf improvement ! In this episode, we have Justin Tang and Reeves Weedon. Justin is from Singapore and is a Master Instructor that teaches at the Tana Mara Golf Club in Singapore. Reeves Weedon is from England who is a published author and researcher.
Reeves Weedon specializes in Biomechanics and prevention of lower back injuries in Golf. Reeves is also an authorized Golfing Machine instructor as well as having spent a lot of time with Mac O’Grady, learning the principles of MORAD(Mac O’Grady research and development).
In this episode, Justin, Reeves and I talk about how some swing techniques can cause a lot of low back pain. Also, Reeves talks about how the physical laws of biomechanics create a stable, more powerful and safer swing. I’m pretty sure we can all use Reeves wisdom in this matter.
A big thank you to Reeves and Justin for coming on and you can find him at reeves.weedon@teetogreenciaching.com. You can find Justin easiest on Instagram @elitegolfswing.
Hello and welcome once again to a VERY special edition of The Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! My name is Jesse Perryman and I am your host where we uncover the ways to get better at the game of Golf !
Today on the show we have my occasional co-host Justin Tang and our guest is Dylan Bowden. Justin hails from Singapore where he is The Director of Instruction at Tana Mara Golf Club. Justin is well versed in many different swing disciplines and takes his knowledge to form a dynamic, wholistic approach to teaching and learning.
Dylan Bawden is originally from England and teaches just outside of Vienna currently. Dylan is the author of a best-selling Golf book called, “Hit The Ball” and has a very unique approach to teaching. His approach is more about learning naturally and less about learning HOW to swing. It will be explained on the Pod.
I really enjoyed this conversation. I think we need more teachers like Dylan to help folks learn and understand this great game at a much simpler level. In my opinion, sometimes we can go down the technical rabbit hole far too easy when we’re learning or in distress about our games. This conversation will perhaps steer the seeker in another, simpler direction.
You can get a hold of Dylan at www.DylanGolf.com and I highly recommend his book, “Hit The Ball” ! You can find Justin easiest on Instagram via his handle, “Elitegolfswing”. Thank you both Justin and Dylan for coming on to unselfishly sharing your time and information to us. Cheers !
My name is Jesse Perryman and I am your Host of The Flaghunters Golf Podcast where we discuss ALL things Golf improvement. Today on the Pod we have two very distinguished guests. First is Mr. Brian Manzella of the Brian Manzella Golf School. Brian started is 40 year teaching career under legendary teacher Ben Doyle. After reaching the highest level of The Golfing Machine(G.S.E.D.), Brian left that organization to join forces with Dr. Steven Nesbit and Master Instructor Michael Jacobs to for the Jacobs 3D initiative, developing Kinetic and Kinematic software for analyzing the Golf swing.
Mr. Billy MacKinney is a Southern California Hall Of Fame teacher inductee. His resume includes reaching the Master level in The Golfing Machine (G.S.E.M.), teaching for over 30 years and has working with some of the best players in the World and does some collaborative work with Mr. Bobby Clampett in his Golf Schools.
In this conversation, we talk about the applicable science application to the swing motion as well as understanding the basics of physics in the swing. We also talk about the D plane and other topics.
To find Brian, go to www.Brian Manzella golf.com. He offers private instruction as well as Zoom lessons. He also has Golf schools.
To find Billy, go to billmckinneycare@gmail.com. Billy is also offering Zoom instruction.
Hello and welcome to this enlightening edition of The Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! My name is Jesse Perryman and it is my pleasure to bring you these two great instructors to talk about Golf Instruction, MORAD(Mac O'Grady Research and Development), setting the record straight about the man himself, Mr. Mac O'grady.
Mathew Belsham is from England and got his teeth cut in the instructional space via Homer Kelly's, "The Golfing Machine". Mathew also spent twenty years along the side of Mr. O'grady while teaching many clinics with Mac. Notably, Mathew has taught some of the better European players the likes of Alex Noren, Robert Rock and Charlie Hull of the LPGA Tour just to name a few.
Justin Tang is a teaching pro at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore and is well-versed in "The Golfing Machine" as well as MORAD. Justin is considered one the best instructors in the Orient and works with some of the best young talent in Europe and Asia.
In this Episode, Mathew, Justin and I discuss learning, teaching and Mac. With Mac, we talk about his massive influence in todays instruction that largely goes unnoticed. We also try to change the narrative around Mac because he's been painted negatively by the media when he was on Tour. Mac has been very generous with his hard earned information and we feel it's time to tell the truth about Mac.
A big thank you to Mathew Belsham for reaching out to us to set the record straight so we can celebrate Mr. O'grady in the right way. Also, a big thank you to Justin for arranging this very important discussion. Enjoy this Episode and send out a Thank You to Mac for his massive contribution to our Game !
Hello and a big warm welcome to you and 2023 !! Happy New Year and I trust that this year is shaping up to be Fantastic ! My name is Jesse Perryman, host of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast where we find great information to help you get better playing the game of Golf !
In part two of this conversation with John Erickson, founder of Advanced Ball Striking, we do a bit more story telling and finish up explaining the Modules. Then, we get into the HOGAN modules. John has created a way to replicate Ben Hogan’s dynamics !! This most important subject is explained in the Podcast.
A BIG thank you to John for coming on and sharing his hard earned information with us. If any of you are having trouble with your Golf swing and have always wanted a dynamic, functional move, please check out Bradley Hughes website, www.bradleyhughes.com AND www.advancedballstriking.com for the keys to swing mastery. I can tell you from a very deep and personal experience with this methodology, that it works beyond what you can ever expect.
May 2023 be the best year for all of us ! Jesse
Hello and welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas ! For the next 2 weeks, we have Mr. John Erickson on the Podcast. John is the founder of Advanced Ball Striking and, a well known Golf instructor. In this two part conversation, we talk about John’s storied past in regards to his playing career on the Australian and Canadian Tours. He revealed what he learned in that competitive environment, playing against the likes of Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, just to name a few.
In this first part, we talk about John’s origins and how he came about creating ABS(Advanced Ball Striking) and the steps that he had to take. In part Two, we discuss how John came up with creating the Modules.
This has been an honor for me not only learning from John, also the richness of each conversation that we have. I have no doubt that this conversation will inspire you to see how good you can become playing this beautiful game !
Welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! My name is Jesse Perryman and I am your Host. Today we have Lee Zettlemoyer who is also a fellow Bradley Hughes student !
Lee found Bradley Hughes about a decade ago when Bradley was starting his teaching career. Lee was your typical 7-9 handicap that loved the game but didn’t quite improve from your normal instruction until he found Brad. Brad had Lee start the “Drills” and off Lee went to a brighter golfing future. It does take some time to re-wire your Golf “Mylin”. In Lee’s case, it took him a while before he saw great results. As with any swing change, it takes as long as it takes. You have to be patient and work the system that Bradley has in place. It takes time.
Lee notability taught some of the drills to his middle-school golf teams as he’s also a Middle School Golf Coach. The results were nothing short of impressive as Lee's kids were racking up league wins, many years in a row. The methodology works.
Thank you Lee for coming on the Podcast and sharing your inspirational story ! You can find Bradley on Instagram. More importantly, go to his website, www. bradleyhughes.com. Also, check out www.advancedballstriking.com for further masterclass Golf instruction. Merry Christmas !
My name is Jesse Perryman and I am YOUR host of THE Flaghunters Golf Podcast where we discuss all things related to Golf improvement !! Today on the Podcast we have David Olsen from Sacramento, California !
David Olsen represents a lot of folks in Golf. We played when we were younger, then maybe step away from the game to raise children. Perhaps a career that doesn’t quite afford us the time to do both. Whatever the case was, we find our way back to the game that we love. David found his way back and, also found Advanced Ball Stiking.
What we do in ABS, we work on a set of dynamic principles, through working a set of drills, to incorporate these dynamics. Over repetition and time, these drills become part of our swing DNA where Hogan was quoted as once saying, “ we become trapped by our own good swing”. The principles of what John Erickson and Bradley Hughes teach, accomplish what Hogan was quoted saying.
After working on what we call, “ Module ONE”, after some time and reps, David was able to pull of the “unthinkable “. David shot an even par 72 where his best score ever in his life at any point, was a 77. This massive accomplishment came in the heels of ONLY doing Module One, which sets us up for IMPACT. This should not be understated and will be explained in the Podcast.
A big thank you to David for coming on and I would STRONGLY recommend you to go to www.advancedballstriking.com AND/OR www.bradleyhughes.com for further GAME CHANGING information.
Hello and welcome to a great edition of The Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! In this episode we have MORAD(Mac O’Grady Research and Development) and TGM expert John Dochety who is also the Head Coach of the University of Tennessee Southern Golf Team and Master Instructor Justin Tang from Singapore.
In this episode, John, Justin and I talk in depth about MORAD and Mac O’Grady and his tremendous influence in today’s instruction and his background with Homer Kelly and The Golfing Machine. Also, we talk about the variations in MORAD and how Stack and Tilt was born.
I got to see Mac hit the ball. His striking ability is very hard to put into words other than powerful and in the center of the face, every time. It was obvious to me at the time I saw him play, that there was virtuosity with Mac. I knew I saw a level of mastery that was comparable to the great Strikers in our game.
A big thank you to John and Justin for sharing the magic of Mac and his influence on our great game.
Hello and welcome to this AWESOME edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we’ve got Master Instructor Justin Tang and MORAD (Mac O’Grady Research and Development) expert , Kevin Ralbovsky from the Island of Oahu.
In this episode, Justin, Kevin and I talk about the origins of Mac’s research with the golf swing and his relationship to Homer Kelly and The Golfing Machine as well as Mac’s playing career. We also discuss Kevin’s involvement in MORAD and his contributions as well. Lastly we talk about Mac’s direct influence on Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer (Stack and Tilt).
I’ve always had the upmost respect for Mac and his playing ability. I had the opportunity to see Mac up close in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-AM. For four days, I witnessed ball-striking perfection. Mac hit shot after shot with great accuracy and purpose. Mac also hit the ball extremely hard. I’ll never forget the sound his strikes created. I’ve have not seen the level of mastery ever since that magical week.
I want to thank Mac O’Grady for his enormous contributions to understanding the Swing motion as well as demonstrating his incredible resilience in going to Tour Qualifying School 17 times !!! Mac O’Grady, PGA Tour winner, incredible contributor to the game ,should be held in reverence when it comes to the great ball strikers and celebrated for his massive gift of MORAD !
A big thank you to Justin and Kevin for coming on and sharing this incredible information.
Hello and Happy Thanksgiving ! Welcome once again to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today, we have James Ragonnet. PH.D and Author of "Golf's Three Noble Truths" and, "Your Inner Golf Guru".
In this discussion, James and I talk about being "in the momment" and how to do that. We also go in to unlearning bad habits as well as breaking down the swing and adjusting movement patterns by thinking systematically. In other words, getting down to the "why" while being the "Observer" rather than a harsh, judgmental taskmaster !
Thank you James for coming on and his books are a MUST to those of us that want to not only improve our game.
Hello and welcome to The Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! My name is Jesse Perryman and I am the Host. Today, we have Mr. Cameron Strachan on the Podcast. Cameron hails from a town near Queensland, Austrailia and is the Author of two books. The book that we're discussing today is, " The Look and Shoot putting system". This book is a must read if you want to putt better.
The book is a very simple thought process. The simplicity lies in the title. "Look and Shoot" IS the primary methodology. I think sometimes we get TOO overly concerned of the HOW and WHERE we aim, all the way until we finally pull the trigger and hit the putt. This book gives you a simple step by step process to allow the golfer to simplify the process from getting you your line, aiming, then hitting the putt FREELY !
Since I've applied this simple method, I've been putting the best I have in 20 years ! I now trust this process and putt without so much angst ! True freedom over a putt is when you trust the process and accept whatever happens. I think for me, there's a part in the book where Cameron explains trusting the aim via " approximation" or " ballpark" of where you're aiming the putter head. This thought process allows me the freedom the focus and feel the speed of the putt. In better part, allowing the individual to be an "athlete", vs a tight, fear-based control of the putter head.
I HIGHLY recommend this book. Read it and apply it. Trust me on this one folks. those who know me know I can putt. I'm pretty picky on information, especially as it pertains to the art and skill of putting. If Aaron Baddeley listens to Cameron, it's safe for all of us to listen as well. You can buy and download Cameron's book at. www. AutomaticGolf.com.
Hello and welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today on the Pod we have Mr. Greg McHatton and Mr. Billy Mackinney ! Both of these Gentleman have been deeply educated in The Golfing Machine. Mr. McHatton have achieved the highest level that one can achieve in The Golfing Machine with a G.S.E.D. title, which is the equivalent of a Doctorate Degree. Mr. Mackinney has achieved the title of G.S.E.M. which is the equivalent of a Masters Degree.
For those who are unfamiliar with The Golfing Machine, it is a highly complex Golf instructional book written by a Engineer named Homer Kelly. The First edition was published in 1969. There are 7 editions of the book.
Mr. Greg McHatton is a long-time instructor in the Southern California area that has deeply influenced the likes of John Erickson, Sean Foley, Billy Mackinney, Bobby Schaeffer, Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer.
Mr. Billy Mackinney is a long-time Golf instructor that is now in the Sarasota area. Billy notably is a member of the Southern California PGA Hall Of Fame. Billy is not only is educated in The Golfing Machine, he has also aligned himself with Bobby Clampett in Mr. Clampett's "Impact Zone'.
These two Gentlemen are highly educated in the ways of The Golfing Machine but you would never know given the language that they use to help folks to golfing salvation. One of the misconceptions with The Golfing Machine and it's instructors is that they use complicated techno jargon to relay to the student what he/she needs to know to learn and grow. Thats a big reason why I want to demystify this very polarizing subject. In fact, most Golfing Machine instructors keep it incredibly simple ! They have done all of the deep contemplative work so we don't have to !
I have this book and its practitioners to deeply thank for my Golfing journey. A big THANK YOU to Greg and Billy for coming on and celebrating this masterpiece that Mr. Kelly wrote !
Welcome to another Flaghunters Golf Podcast edition ! Today we have Mr. Lynn Blake and Mr. Justin Tang on the Pod. Mr. Blake is a Master instructior in the discipline of The Golfing Machine and have achieved the highest status earning the title of G.S.E.D. Mr. Justin Tang is also a Master Instructor and is also deeply educated in the principles of The Golfing Machine.
The Golfing Machine was written by Mr. Homer Kelly with the First Edition being published in 1969. There are 7 editions of the book as Mr. Kelly was revising and evolving. This book, perhaps is one of the most comprehensive descriptions of the Golf swing and maybe, the most Polarizing.
I have heard time and again that the book is too complicated. The words are engineering terminology technobabble and anyone that either teaches from the book is bound to confuse the heck out of the student and perhaps get lost in the "variations". As I examine my own golf swing knowledge, all of my deep influences have come directly from the book. And, as I contemplate that knowledge that I have, it comes from the instructors that have learned the book and teach in a very simple way. This is what has inspired me to have the experts come on to demystify the book and describe its influence in a big part of what we all know as modern instruction !
We, that have been on the road in Golf ascension, have benefitted from this book in one way or another and I believe it's as good of time as any, to paint The Golfing Machine in a better light. I cannot better describe the book than Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett did. "Kelly was not a competitive golfer or even a teacher until later in life, but the book showed us how science could be applied to Golf. The same laws that govern the Universe also govern Golf".
A big THANK YOU to Lynn and Justin for taking their time to share this incredible information with us !
Hello and Welcome to this special edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! In this edition, we have Justin Tang from Singapore and Jim Waldron from Balance Point Golf ! In today's episode, Jim, Justin and I explore the very nature of learning proper swing techniques and the mentality behind building a good Golf Game.
Having a proper swing motion is a very important piece to having a good game BUT it just isn't all that. You have to have a good short game as well as being a proficiant putter. What if you have ALL of these important tenants but do not have the mind to manage and control YOUR response to what happens on the Golf course ? WE also explore this very nature and come up with almost a therapeutic response to what we would call, "The Shadow Self" that will raise its ugly head during the course of a round .
I really enjoyed this deep dive and a big thank you to Justin and Jim for taking the time to enlighten us with their hard earned wisdom !
If you’re looking for an Instructor, you may want someone like Justin Tang !! Hello and welcome to another edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast !!
Justin Tang hails from Singapore. He currently teaches at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore and is well versed in The Golfing Machine as well as MORAD. Justin continues to learn and evolve to become a better Coach and takes a wholistic approach in his teaching abilities. What’s important is Justin takes what YOU do and makes YOU better. He doesn’t impose HIS method or any method for that matter. His teaching style fits YOU ! Me personally, Justin clicks all the boxes necessary to make you a better player.
Justin and I talk about his approach to learning and teaching from a multi disciplinary perspective. The conversation will definitely plant seeds and also, I encourage all to go to Justin’s Instagram handle @elitegolfswing to learn more. A big thank you to Justin for coming on !
Welcome to another edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we have Ron Sisson of the Real Swing Co.
In this episode, Ron and I talk about becoming intimately aware of the club head and face when it come to learning the swing motion. We discuss this very methodology to expedite learning and to NOT put so much credence into swing mechanics. Ron and I also throw in a little bit about how heavier gear is better to understand how to accelerate the club and put the feel back in your hands.
Ron has given a great discount to folks that listen to this podcast ! This discount is only available for the first 30 Flaghunters Listeners who sign up... so go torealswinggolf.com and click on the “Live Online Lessons” tab to sign up. Just put “FlagHunters discount” in the subject line of your registration email. Register right away so you don’t miss out!
Enjoy this episode and I encourage you to go to Ron’s website ! You’ll be glad you did !
Hello and welcome to a very special edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we are fortunate to have Mr. Doug Ferreri on the show. Doug is the author of a great book called Golf Swing Construction 101. The Bertholy Method Revisited.
Doug is a direct descendant of Paul Bertholy. Who is Paul Bertholy ? Paul Bertholy is what I would consider, one of The Godfathers of modern instruction. Here’s a short list of his accolades.
Life Member, Class A PGA, 50 years
National PGA Select Teacher, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978
Conductor of the First Nation PGA Workshop in PGA History…. there’s a lot more…
What attracted me to this story was Mr. Bertholy’s teaching methodology has very little to do with ball hitting. He created a set of drills to do. Much like,John Erickson and Bradley Hughes ! Doug Ferreri, in his book, explains in great detail Paul’s drills and a host of other valuable information.
What I think is most important about doing drills and NOT hitting balls is that an individual can focus SOLELY on the movements WITHOUT the distraction of hitting balls. Unless the person has incredible observational powers and limits the attachments of potentially hitting poor shots on the range in the beginning stages of a swing change, this method of golf ascension can have a deleterious affect of one’s psyche.
I don’t want to spoil this special conversation here by divulging too much. I do want to send a big thank you to Doug for his time and dedication to Mr. Bertholy, and the enormous task of organizing all of Mr. Bertholy’s work into this wonderful book !
Hello and welcome to another edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we are fortunate to have Mr. Michael Neff from GEARS Sports ! Michael hails from Portland Oregon and has been a longtime PGA Member and has been voted as one of the best teachers in the Pacific Northwest.
First the first time in Golf evolution, Michael has invented a 3-D motion camera system that can accurately depict what the shaft, club face, AND body are doing during the swing motion. Through GEARS, we can take a deep look at every detail and find root problems with the swing motion and our gear, effectively taking the long-time guesswork out of the swing and what our clubs are doing in motion.
I want to extend a big thank you to Michael for coming on in spite of his very busy schedule ! You can find Michael at, www.gearsports.com.
Welcome once again to a VERY special edition of The Flaghunters Golf Podcast. Today, we have my friend and World number Four on the Pod, Lydia Ko.
Lydia was born in South Korea and moved to New Zealand when she was four. At 15 years of age she became the youngest to ever win a LPGA event and the only person to win 2 LPGA events as an Amateur. Lydia also became the youngest Major Championship winner at 18 years of age when she won the Evian Championship in 2015. Her closing round of 63 became the 2nd lowest to win a Major in Woman’s Golf history. She bested that number with a 62 in the ANA Inspiration in 2021.
While Lydia had so much success early, she did struggle a bit after her meteoric rise. Lydia went though some tough times with her game but bounced back with the help of her Coach, Sean Foley , to come back into the form that she’s accustomed to playing at. Something that I highly recommend that you read is her letter to her public letter she wrote to her 15 year old self. You can find the link directly on her Instagram page. The letter gives a deep, compassionate look into who Lydia really is, a genuine Woman with the wisdom of someone much older than her age of 26.
Although I am 52 years of age, I look up to Lydia. She’s a very humble, grounded superstar that has her life and her game in a very healthy perspective. This is something that we should all strive for.
A big hug to Lydia and a sincere thanks for spending some time to enlighten all of us. I have no doubt that Lyds will continue to be in Championship form for years to come .
Hello and a very warm welcome welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast. Today, we are fortunate to have my two great friends on the Pod. Grant Geertsen I have known for 25 plus years. Grant has taught Golf here on the Monterey Peninsula for that same time and is currently teaching at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach. AJ is a student at CSUMB(California State University at Monterey Bay) and currently on the Golf team. Notably, CSUMB is one of the top Division 2 Golf programs in the U.S.
In this conversation, Grant, AJ and I discuss the student teacher relationship and how important it is to have honesty and, an open discussion, no matter what it is. We also talk about the process from top to bottom. Lastly, celebrating success.
As a result of this sacred process, AJ has had himself quite a Summer. He has won a big local event. He and his parter just qualified for the USGA Four Ball and has consistently played well. The moral of the story is, get going and trust the process.
It was a privilege to be a part of this conversation and it’s a nice x-Ray in to a student/ coach relationship. I have no doubt that AJ’s trajectory is upward and Grant will continue to Sheppard him that way. Cheers to Grant and AJ for coming on.
Jesse
Good Golf is wholistic right ? You most likely need to have most of your game working to play well. What if you want to increase distance and you go to see your Pro and he/she tells you to increase the depth in your backswing. What if you’re trying to REALLY wind up more and you CAN’T ?!?! What if your hips and your hamstrings and tighter than a Drum ? It may me impossible to get a bigger backswing with all of these important factors working against you.
Enter in Mrs. Carrie O’Rourke. Carrie hails from Detroit, Michigan and is a certified T.P.I. (Titleist Performance Institute) Golf Fitness Professional. Carrie has over 15 years of experience as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and athletic team trainer. Carrie has also honed her skills by coaching her son Max to play collegiately at Wayne st. University and her other son Ryan, who is the Michigan Golf Association Junior Player of the Year !!!
Carrie is the owner of COR Golf Fitness In Detroit, Michigan and coaches a virtual 90 Day Program to improve flexibility and speed for Golf. Carrie also is the fitness provider for the Brian Mogg Virtual Golf Academy.
I can tell you personally that this program works ! I am also a student of T.P.I. and at 52 years of age, I play mostly pain-free and my ball striking has become much better because I can actually STAY DOWN through the shot because my back is strong and supple now !
Thank you Carrie for sharing your time with us and I would highly encourage all of you to reach out to Carrie to help get your body in fantastic shape ! You can reach Carrie via email at carrie@corgolffitness.com OR DM her Instagram at corgolffitness.
Hello and welcome to another great edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast. Today we are incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Rob Neal and Mr. Layne Savoie of Wedgecraft. Wedgecraft is the brainchild between these incredibly bright men that has collected valuable short game data that can be used in a teaching capacity.
Layne Savoie is originally from New Orleans Louisiana and has been a PGA professional as well as a NCAA coach. Layne has been taught himself by Chuck Cook and Mac O’Grady and many others. Layne has also worked with TOUR players as well.
Dr. Rob Neal is originally from Australia. Dr. Rob is a world-renowned Biomechanist that has developed his own 3D motion sensor camera system that along with his knowledge of the body and how it moves with a golf club, has developed some great teaching methodologies as it relates to the short game !
When I take an honest look at my own game as well as others, good wedge play can make or break a round. I get concerned when I see folks wailing away at their drivers on the driving range vs working on their short games. The best players in the World are also the best wedge players. So much of today’s talk is about speed. Speed is good but the name of the game is to get the ball in the hole.
Thank you to Dr. Rob and Layne for coming on the Podcast. Thank goodness that we have these fine, educated gentleman to help us get better. These gentleman can be reached at www.Wedgecraft.com and I highly encourage anyone that wants to get better to reach out to them.
How much time and energy have you put into your equipment ? Have you maximized your driver ? Do you have your irons EXACTLY how you want them ? How about your wedges ?
In today’s episode, we welcome Equipment Specialist Mike Ryder. Mike hails from the same hometown I do, Monterey, CA. Mike worked for TaylorMade for a few years and has come away with some very valuable wisdom that he has graciously shared on today’s Podcast. Mike also has his own Club repair business with all the bells and whistles to get ones golf clubs to where they need it to be.
Thank you Mikey for coming on and cheers everyone !
Putting CAN be a Super Power ! Hello and welcome once again to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we have Craig Foster, founder of DynAlign Golf. DynAlign is a system the Craig Foster has invented to get your joints “locked in” when you putt. It’s a pre-shot routine to get you locked-in with with your alignments so you can really focus on one important factor, speed.
Craig Foster lives in Seattle, Washington and invented this system out of necessity. While Craig was in his early thirties, he developed the “yips”. His bout with the yips caused him often times to play alone. The old saying goes, “through adversity comes opportunity “. It was out of this difficult time for Craig that his mind opened to new possibilities to help himself out of the yips. As a result of this, he developed a way to lock in his body to help minimize unnecessary movements out of his small muscles. I compare this system to taking the “timing” out of the putting stroke. This methodology caused Steve Elkington to contact Craig himself to learn the routine and now this system has made its way to some of the best players in the World !
As I’ve mentioned before, putting is near and dear to my heart. A good putter will typically have a special “aura” around them. You just know they’re gonna putt well and if you have to face them in match play, you KNOW you have to play your best to beat them ! You can be in awe of the player that hits it a long way but the good putter, always strikes fear in the undisciplined opponent.
A big thank you to Craig for sharing his wisdom with us and I encourage you to go to his website and also to do a little research on Axis 1 putters !
Jesse
Welcome to another edition of Flaghunters ! In today's episode we have Doug Walker from Greer, South Carolina. Doug represents a vast number of folks that have the normal demands of life. He's a Father, Husband and buisness man. Yet, he's managed with his life demands, to get from a 7 handicap to a scratch !! How in the heck did he do that ???
Welcome in Mr. Bradley Hughes. Doug found Bradley a couple of years ago and immediately found some improvement. Bradley taught Doug the "Drills" and Doug truly began his acsendency in the game of Golf. Through doing the Drills, his progression became appearent as his handicap began to plummet.
What we do through diligent, mindful repetition with the drills is what Author Daniel Coyle would describe in his award winning book, "The Talent Code”, is called, "Deep Practice". We work on these movements, correct them, and keep working. I believe that through these repetitions we are reshaping our swing DNA deeply because we are focusing on the movements WITHOUT the distraction of the golf ball.
Doug is a shinning example of what good, diiligent work can do. I know he is securely on his way to competitive success. A big thank you to Doug and I highly encourage you to go to www. bradleyhughes.com AND www.advancedballstriking.com !
Hello and thank you for joining us in this incredible journey of Golf improvement ! Today we have Neil Gascoigne from Advanced Ball Striking. Neil lives in England and notably has won 4 national Hickory Championships, won his Club Championship, scored 18 consecutive pars in competition recently to go along with a 5 under par 67 and before I forget, he also has 6 hole in ones…all with Hickory shafted clubs.
Neil found Advanced Ball Striking(ABS) around 2009 looking for Golf swing advice on YouTube or anything that’ll help him get better. Neil was never able to get better than a 7- 9 handicap player, until he found Advanced Ball Striking. Now he carries a PLUS ONE handicap !
Neil went onto the ABS forum and read. As he read the information in there, what folks were saying and posting in there as it relates to the swing motion made intuitive sense to him. He bought the module courses and went to work.
In ABS, we work in a series of drills the take the dynamics of the swing motion and break them down in edible morsels as John Erickson would say. I compare the drills that we do to learning the Guitar chords. You learn one chord and go on to the next. That’s how we do it in ABS.
Neil has been as this process for the better part of 5 years. To get really good at playing this game, it takes as long as it takes. There are no shortcuts. What John Erickson has created IS the CHORDS of the swing motion. Neil explains this process in great detail in the Podcast.
Sit back and take Neil’s story in. His Golf ascension is not by accident. It’s consistent, mindful, deep worked practice that are the keys to golfing salvation. I highly encourage you to go to www.advancedballstriking.com AND www.bradleyhughes.com to start this incredible journey of learning, discovery, and general demystification of the swing motion. I promise that this process is well worth it !
Jesse
Ever wonder why some players get the most out of their game ? How about the players that seem to thrive when the lights are the brightest while others falter ? These are the intangibles that make the difference between getting the most out of your game versus struggling when you need your game to show up.
In this conversation, Kathy and I discuss this very deep topic . Kathy expertly dives into methodologies that will make your more aware of what kind of thoughts you’re unconsciously running on. She exposes some of our very reasons why we may come up short on the golf course and has ways to bring some of those fear based thoughts into light and turn them around into positive, self serving thoughts that not only help our games, also in life. This is the kind of self-loving accountability that we can all use to better serve us and the world at large !
Thank you to Kathy for sharing her wisdom with us and I would highly recommend that if you find this information useful, reach out to her via email, kathy@kathyhartwood.com
Jesse
Welcome to this very special edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we welcome Neil Oxman !
Mr. Oxman hails from Philly, PA and has been a Tour Caddy since the early 1970’s. He started his Caddying career early by caddying for his Father and then graduated up to the local Monday qualifying for his local TOUR event. From these early days, Neil found his way onto the Tour and as a result, caddying paid for his undergraduate degree from Villanova as well as his Law degree.
In this episode, Neil and I talk about the Tour and the early days of caddying. Notably, for the last 20 years, Neil has been caddying for Tom Watson. Neil was on Mr. Watson’s bag for that magical week at Turnbeery in 2009. We go into that historic week as well.
It’s always a privilege to talk to “OX” and I’m so glad to share this wonderful and accomplished Man with you. A big thank you to Neil and cheers !
Jesse
Hello and welcome to another great edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we have my good friend and trusted ally, retired PGA Tour caddy Bobby Conlan.
Bobby C, as we affectionately call him hails from Carmel Valley, CA that caddied on Tour for some of the World’s best. He came out on Tour with Bobby Clampett in the early 80’s when Clampett was a PGA Tour rookie. Bobby C’s career spanned from the early 80’s to around 2015 when he finally hung em up as we say.
In this conversation, Bobby C talks about his observations of the World’s best and how we can apply some of his thoughts to help benefit our own games. The conversation is also filled with great stories about his time on Tour.
A big thank you to Bobby C for coming on and thank you for listening ! Cheers, Jesse
Every once in a while, someone defies the odds. Maybe a rags to riches story ? Perhaps a person achieves excellence in a field that we would've thought not possible. I believe that these people are mean't to inspire us to push ourselves to greater heights in life. This is exactly the case with Greg Puga.
Greg was born in L.A. California and didn't get introduced to Golf until he was in High School. He grew up playing other sports and with Golf not super present in East L.A., most kids weren't exposed to Golf from his Neighborhood. Greg was introduced to Golf in High School and the game quickly got a hold of him. Golf at the time wasn't a High School sport at his school so he single-handedly persuaded the school to start a Golf team. Through his persistence, Greg influenced enough kids to play and off they went.
As Greg's game rapidly improved, his parents got up enough money to have Greg take lessons from Jim Petrolia at Annandale G.C. in Pasadena, CA. Greg's commitment to getting better combined with Jim's instruction enabled him to become better rapidly.
I don't want to spoil the conversation with my words here. Take a deep listen to the passion and wisdom of Greg and I hope that his words inspire you, as I did I, to become a better player.
Jesse
Hello and thank you for joining us for this special episode of Flaghunters ! Today we have USC Golf great and PGA Tour winner Sam Randolph.
I first saw Sammy play in the finals of the California State Amateur in 1985. I witnessed ball striking perfection. Sam easily defeated his finals opponent that day, capturing the coveted St Am Championship. Sam struck the ball masterfully that day and left a life long impression on me. I got to see what Golf was like at the next level. He hit a high beautiful cut with his driver and tight little draws with his irons. As we say in golf slang, it was money !
In this conversation, Sam and I discuss what his triumphs and tragedies were on the Tour. From winning, to struggling with his back and then going through a multitude of instructors. His words are full of wisdom and warning to anyone in pursuit of a better swing motion.
JP
Hello and once again, a very warm welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast. I am honored to introduce to you, Author and Performance Coach, Steven Yellin.
Have you ever been perplexed why you can’t access the good things you’ve been working on in your game ? How frustrating is it to have great teachings, do everything we can to get better but when the bell rings, we still struggle with fear, anxiety, or lack of trust ? Just how in the heck do we bring our range game to the 1st Tee ? How can we swing with abandon ? How can we truly "let go" ? In this episode, Steven masterfully explains the "why and the how" behind these all too personal struggles.
Steven Yellin grew up in Florida where he was the Florida High School state singles Tennis champion and went on to have a great career playing #1 singles at the University of Pennsylvania. As a senior at Penn, in a tennis match, he had an experience that would forever change his life. It was a deep experience of the Zone. Inspired by that deep Zone experience , Steven's next 45 years have been dedicated to developing the Fluid Motion Factor program. This program has been taught in twelve sports, including seven pro sports. His latest book, "Simplicity, The Fluid Motion Factor Golf Program", is the latest edition of his methodologies to access our hard earned abilities and have them show up when we want them to.
I recommend listening to this episode more than once because Steven's info is very dense, and, simplistic truth all at the same time. Lastly, a big THANK YOU to Steven for sharing his time and enlightening all of us with his thought provoking and wonderful wisdom !
Jesse
A BIG hello and welcome to this very special edition of Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we have on one of the BEST Putting instructors in the known Universe and his name is Bruce Rearick ! Bruce hails from Indiana and was recently voted THE 2022 Golf Digest best instructor in state AND 2022 PGA Indiana Teacher of the Year !
Bruce is the owner of Burnt Edges Consulting. He offers a better understanding of the science and art of Putting. Much the same as going to a competent swing coach where your body, posture, the way you see things and everything else is taken into consideration when one begins the process to golfing ascension.
Just imagine being a good putter. Imagine draining round saving putts. Imagine not being so terrified of missing short putts and in the case that you do miss a putt, you can quickly identify the "why". This will be well explained by Bruce in this Podcast.
The Art and skill of putting is near and dear to my Heart. Good putters can inflict serious phycic wounds to a undisciplined opponent in Golf. You've heard people say, "He/She made everything they looked at !!" Usually, those people also always say, "I hit it way better than them and still lost !!!" We've all heard those frustrating responses.
I invite you to listen to Bruce with an open mind and I promise his wisdom will help you become a good putter ! And, A BIG THANK YOU to Bruce himself for sharing his hard earned wisdom with us !
Jesse
Tom Watson was quoted as once saying, “ I didn’t learn how to win, until I learned how to breathe. “
In this episode, we have the pleasure of having Andy Mathews from NeuroPeak Pro. NeuroPeak Pro is a neurological training device that teaches us how to breathe consciously. In conscious breathing, we learn how to slow and deepen our breath to have a relaxed, yet alert state of being.
When I think to having sublime Golf rounds, I was in “Flow” or some would call, the “Zone”. In these experiences, we are well aware of our surroundings yet comfortably unattached to any specific outcome yet in total control of ourselves. In the Zone-like state, our breathing is slower and deeper. Our nervous system is operating in a non stressed response known as the Parasympathetic state. This can all be traced back to the breath.
Andy speaks in great detail how we can train ourselves, via the breath, to have such experiences. Though NeuroPeak, we can now learn more about how we breathe, and how we can breathe our way out of “fight or flight” ! We can quell anxiety through breath work training. We can do this with NeuroPeak , and have the proper feedback to continue to train our responses to ones that will not only benefit us on the golf course, also in life !
A big thank you to Andy for coming on in spite of his busy schedule ! You will undoubtedly benefit for Andy’s wisdom as well !
Jesse
Hello and welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! In this edition, we have Ann Claiborne from Concierge Nutrition ! Ann is a professional Dietitian that works with several professional athletes as well as executives to optimize their performance through expert nutritional programs that are tailored to their individual needs.
In this episode, Ann and I discuss the importance of proper nutrition, the effects as well as long term effects of a diet that lacks the nutrition needed to not only properly fuel the body, but to also think well. We also discuss the extreme importance of being well hydrated throughout the day. Lastly, Ann expertly explains the cause and effects of inflammation, and left unchecked, can cause some serious damage to our bodies.
Thank you to Ann for taking time out of her very busy schedule and for sharing this life affirming information !
Jesse
Hello and once again, a very warm welcome to the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we have Marcus Byrd, FocusBand Performance expert and Henry Boulton, Co-Founder of FocusBand.
In this episode, Marcus, Henry and I talk about the “Flow State”,and, how using the FocusBand helps to give the user real time brain feedback to tell if you’re either in “flow”, meaning the Right Brain, or, in the Left Brain, analytical state. What’s important about this ? We all have experienced the “flow state”, aka, the “Zone”. Golf just seemed to be easy, right ? I bet top dollar that you were having a blast ! I’ll suspect that you didn’t really care either. You were most likely playing “lights out” and you were aware of just about everything in your environment ! This is flow personified.
Marcus and Henry do a masterful job not only explaining “flow” and just as important, how we can train to reach this peak state via the use of the FocusBand ! This is a very powerful tool and I would definitely recommend it !
Jesse
Mr. Ben Shear is regarded as one of the best performance trainers around. He works with PGA Tour players as well as NHL players. Ben is also a fitness advisor to Golf Digest Magazine and has also been voted as one of the 50 best Golf Trainers in the genre.
In this conversation, Ben and I cover some of his training modalities and how the application of a fitness routine can really help one's golf game. When a individual gets properly trained, there's an increase in club head speed, better movement, better rotation and playing potentially without pain.
I enjoyed this conversation and a big thank you to Ben for sharing his valuable wisdom !
Jesse
Hello and welcome to the 22nd edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast !Today we have registered Canadian Dietitian Carrie Verishagen. Carrie hails from Saskatchewan, Canada where she is a Dietitian and is starting to help golfers with their nutritional choices.
In this episode, Carrie and I talk about the effects of food choices before, during and after play. We also discuss being properly hydrated and potentially what the negative effects of alcohol consumption will do not only to your body, it will hamper your golf performance !
These are the basic do's and don'ts of proper golf nutrition that we discuss and I highly encourage all of you to find her on Instagram under The Golf Dietitian. What we put in our bodies matter and can definitely affect our performance on the golf course !
J.P.
This was a fun one ! Welcome all to this great round table talk with four of the finest young men you’ll ever listen to. In this episode, Jack, Freddy Dylan, John and myself discuss the different ways they work to improve their games while being student athletes. We also discuss the different terf conditions that Freddy, John and Jack had to adjust to coming from different countries.
John Patterson, a Senior is from St. Andrews, Scotland.
Jack Holland is from Australia.
Freddy Eisenbeis is from Germany.
Dylan McDermott is from Sacramento, California.
I don’t want to spoil the episode by writing too much here because I think you’ll gain a lot of wisdom just by listening in to what these young, great players have to say !
Boys, thanks for coming on and I look forward to to eagerly following your bright careers ! Cheers
Hello and welcome to another edition of Flagunters ! Today we have two of the very best in the business. My friend George Willett who was with Taylor Made for the better part of 3 decades and Bradley Hughes, who is one of the best Golf instructors in the world !
In this round table conversation, George, Brad and I discuss how equipment(loft, lie angles, swing weights, length of shafts,etc) directly impact how you swing a golf club. We also discuss the way you that you have your clubs set up can effect your transition and how you interact with the ground. We also go into trying some different set ups of equipment and not being afraid to experiment. You never know what may work unless you try some different stuff !
I had a great time talking to George and Brad again. I know that you will definitely get some valuable information from these two well experienced and educated men !
Jesse
Hello and welcome to another great edition of the Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! Today we welcome Alejandra(Alex) Barnhard ! Alex lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and is a FOUR time club champion at Sherwood C.C. ! Alex went from a complete beginning golfer to a legitimate scratch handicap in 7 years ! Impressive to say the least !
In this conversation, Alex and I talk about how she got started playing the game, her growing pains, what motivates her to play great golf and lastly, how she has overcome adversity in her life. Alex also taks about her business and how its designed to empower woman play better golf. We also discuss her charitable ideas and plans to help some of the underprivileged youth in the Vegas area get introduced to the game of Golf. In addition, we also talk about her daily bouts with a degenerative bone condition and how she does not let that get in the way of her practicing and playing as much as she can !
I enjoyed this conversation with Alex and I thought it fitting to culminate our celebration of Woman's History Month with Alex ! She exemplifies toughness, mental fortitude, and a sense of giving back and compassion. Bravo to her and cheers !
J.P.
Welcome to another edition of Flaghunters Golf Podcast ! As we continue to honor and celebrate Woman’s History Month, we honor Lara Tennant in this episode.
Lara Tennant was born and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. She played golf at University of Arizona and is married and has five children. Lara is also one of the best woman senior amateur players in the world. She is currently the THREE time defending USGA Sr Am Champion AND is the CURRENT defending British Sr Am Champion !!! WOW !!
In this conversation, Lara and I talk about how to get better. How to manage your game according to the golf course you’re playing. Knowing how far you hit each club ESPECIALLY the wedges ! Playing in competition to find out what you need to work on and feeling a bit of pressure. We also discuss staying in the moment. Training yourself to be in the moment and the importance in that. Lastly, we tie it all together.
I really enjoyed this talk and I have the highest respect for Lara and all of her accomplishments. I know you will learn from the wisdom that she shares in this Podcast as I have. A big hug and my sincere thanks to Lara for coming on !
Jesse
Hello and a very warm welcome to the Flaghunters golf Podcast !! Today we have LPGA Tour veteran and my friend Sarah Kemp on the Podcast. Sarah is one of the best players in the World and in this episode, Sarah shares her philosophies on how she plays, prepares and her mindset behind it all.
Sarah was born in Sydney, Australia and as a young Amateur, she finished low am honors in the 2003 Australian Open and won the Australian Girls Amateur in the same year. She’s won 12 times on the ALPG (Australian Ladies Professional Golf) and her recent best finish in a major was 19th in the Evian Championship last year(2021).
In this conversation, Sarah and I discuss mindset, speed training, exercise, course management, self management, preparation and just about everything else I can throw at her. Her answers are incredibly simple which is a great reminder that the best players in the world tend to keep things simple. We also talk about keeping things in their proper perspective and the importance of staying in the moment which is vital if we want to play our best.
I enjoyed this conversation and I’m sure you will as well. If we all listen to Sarah’s wisdom, I have no doubt we’ll become better players as a result !! Thank you to Sarah 🙏 for coming on and I‘m very confident that we’ll see her on many leaderboards this year !!
Jesse
Hello and welcome to a very special month of Flaghunters. This month, we are celebrating and honoring Woman's History Month by having some of the best woman that I know in and around the game of Golf ! We start the celebration off with Mia Hamm.
I first met Mia through a mutual friend last year and we got to spend some time on the Golf Course. Although I have heard of her, I didn't know much about her. What I found out in the 4 hours we spent together was that she was extremely cool and kind. I could tell that she was passionate about the game and focused on how she can get better. I loved her intensity and great spirit of curiosity. She asked me some great questions on how to manage a golf course to her game and shared some of the things that her and her Golf Coach, Troy Grant work on in her game. It was a great day. Cool right ? Then I get a text from our friend with Mia attached to it asking for me to caddy for her in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
From the middle of Fall until the week of the Tourney, Mia and I texted about the things that I thought she should work on to get ready for these golf courses. As anyone knows that have played Pebble, Spyglass and Monterey Peninsula Country Club Shore Course, they are not easy courses. Mia was eager to get to work and took my advice to heart. She also put me in touch with her coach Troy and we became fast friends.
When it came tournment week, little did Mia know, Troy and I were constantly texting each other. Me, sending Mia's swing on video to Troy and Troy relating back the things that they work on. We did it every day, before and after. Troy was instructing me to keep her as present as possible and don't let her go dark, lol. With all of that being said, we had a great week.
In this conversation, I learned that Mia is a very humble Star. Not only, was she kind to all of the people that asked her for a picture of a autograph, she was very respectful of the Men that we were paired with and has great respect for the game of Golf. We talk these things in this conversation and about the process of improvement and how she took some of the great lessons she learned from her years of playing Soccer into her Golf game. The PROCESS in applicable in any endevor to acheive excellence and Mia talks in great detail about it.
What I learned from Mia was that the road to excellence is NOT a straight path. There are numerous ups and downs, defeats and frustrations. That everyone experiences nerves and anxieties. To be open and ask for help. To show up for people because you never know when you might need people to show up for you. To always have a great spirit of curiosity and, to be teachable. Lastly what I learned from Mia, that even with her great popularity and her star status, these things are trumped by her great character. To me that's all that matters. Thank you Mia for exemplifying these great traits to me and for making the world a better place.
It was my honor to spend time with Mia and her husband Nomar. I'm forever grateful to them for welcoming me in with open arms and I proudly call them my friends. Lastly for Nomar, GO GIANTS !!!!!!!!
Welcome to Flaghunters ! Today, we're fortunate enough to have Troy Grant on the Podcast ! Troy hails from Long Beach, California and his academy is at the Recreation Park 18 Golf Course also in Long Beach. Troy also teaches in Las Vegas and will work alongside Butch Harmon at his school a few times a year.
I was introduced to Troy by one of his students, Mia Hamm. Mia had asked me to caddy for her in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am. When Mia got invited to play, she reached out to me to caddy for her and in the few months of preparation for the Tourney, she put me in touch with Troy. For a couple of months, Mia, Troy and I were in lock-step in getting Mia prepped and ready to roll in her first AT&T. Troy and I became fast friends and thankfully, we share the same views and thoughts on the game and the swing motion. The interaction was seamless and off we went.
Troy has had numerous athletes come to him for instruction. He has a great way of explaining the process and to also enjoy the process and curb expectations that athletes have when they take up the game of Golf. Golf as you all know, can be pretty hard and extremely frustrating, especially to those who have mastered another sport. Good golf requires that right attention in the right places, no matter what your background is. Troy does a fantastic job of explaining that and helping people get better and enjoy the process !
I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and I highly recommend anyone to go and see Troy. I promise you'll get better !
Jesse
Hello and welcome to Flaghunters golf Podcast. Today we have my friend and amateur great, Randy Haag. Randy has been an elite amateur golfer for decades. His accomplishments include, just to mention a few, go as follows:
1993, 1995, 1999, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Northern California Golf Association Player Of The Year.
N.C.G.A Amateur Champion in 1992 and 1993.
Pretty good right ??? Oh that's just a sample size. How about ?? Participant in,
38 USGA EVENTS !!!!
7 U.S. Amateurs
12 U.S. Mid-Amateurs and One Pub Links(Tourney no longer exists).... AND low AMATEUR in the 2011 Senior British Open !!
Let's NOT forget, Randy played in 3 U.S. Senior Opens.....
This accomplishments are a sample size of all the tournament wins and runner ups that Randy has amassed over the years. His insight into playing great golf is a real treat for all of that aspire to play better.
Hello and welcome once again to Flaghunters golf Podcast ! Today we welcome Emily Farell. Emily is a PGA Golf Professional at White Bear Lake Yacht Club whitch is recognized in the Top 100 in the U.S. and Top 150 in the World ! She is the buyer and an instructor at the club. Notably, Emily also started a woman's golf clothing company called Abendroth Golf. She does it all !
In this conversation, we discuss how we can improve in the Winter time via Golf Simulators while focusing excusively on the movements without the distraction of outside attachments. We go through how the basics matter and how important the short game is to immediately improve. Also, we walk through a on-course lession and how helpful it is to have someone look after you on the course to figure out how to deal with different lies and scenarios. I'm a big fan of this because I think its very important to have a proffesional point out some potential pitfalls or blind spots that may be hindering us to play better.
Emily in her spare time of being a full time Professional AND a wife AND a mother of two small children created a woman's clothing line called Abendroth Golf. This idea came to her out of being comfotable is the workplace as well as away from the golf course. Also, Emily wants to encourage and empower woman through Abendroth to look amazing, feel comfortable without having to change clothes from activity to activity !
I really enjoyed this conversation and I encourage all of you to think about what Emily has to say and apply her wisdom ! Love to all of you.
Jesse
Hi and welcome once again to the Flaghunters golf Podcast. Today we have Brad Smith, Co-Founder of FLYT Golf and the inventor of the FLYT sleeve.
Brad Smith is a former tour pro that is currently the Head Men's Golf Coach at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is originally from Austrailia and invented, what I think is a must-have, the FLYT sleeve.
How important is the short game and wedge play ? Ask yourself this. Go through your last few rounds and answer honestly how many times you were able to get it up and down. Ask yourself if you could've saved a few shots around the greens AND if you had wedges into par fours or fives, how close did you get it ?? How much mental energy did you save or NOT save by hitting your wedges closer ? I can tell you firsthand that my best rounds of Golf have not been these sublime ball-striking rounds. My best rounds have ALWAYS been centered around good wedge play.
In this discussion, Brad and I talk about the importance of wedge play. How the sleeve gets a lot of unnessessary moving parts out of the chipping motion. Lastly, how a great short game takes the pressure off the long game. Enjoy this great talk and get yourself one of these sleeves. I promise it'll change your short game forever !
J.P.
Hello and welcome to Flaghunters ! Today we have John Horner on the Podcast. John hails originally from Wala Wala Washington and has been a golf coach for quite some time. John has learned directly from Master Instructor John McLean and is also certified in The Golf Machine as well. He has educated himself very well to say the least.
If I were actively seeking a golf coach, there are several of things that I would look for. Is this Coach a method teacher ? Does he/she work with YOUR body type ? Is he or she still open to learning ? Does this Coach take a wholistic approach to making me a better player ? Short game ? Wedge play ? Putting ? ETC ??? This list goes on but I can personally tell you that John clicks ALL of these boxes other than being a standardized method teacher. He Does take the whole game approach and customizes the correct direction for anyone who seeks out his wisdom and guidance.
John has worked with Lexi Thompson as well as other high level players including some notable Pac12 standouts. He knows what he's doing to say the least. I encourage you to deeply listen to what he has to say and look inside yourself to see where you can improve. John, in this conversation will inspire you to do just that. Cheers and get after it !
J.P.
Welcome to Flaghunters !!
In this episode, we welcome my long-time great friend Rich Yakota. Rich and I met 30 years ago at San Jose st. He was this skinny kid that swung like Nick Faldo and played like him too ! We became fast friends and have been friends ever since.
Rich played professionally and won numerous mini-tour events. His playing career was highlighted by him qualifying for the 1996 US Open at Oakland Hills CC in Detroit, Michigan. In that event, he made the cut and carded the 2nd lowest round on the event by firing a second round 67, only to be bested by one by none other than Greg Norman.
After his playing career, Rich went into college coaching. Rich spent 7 years at the University of San Francisco as an assistant then eventually the head coach.
Now, Rich is teaching full-time at the Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, Ca. Rich has developed a specialty in teaching Junior golfers. Not only does he teach proper swing motion techniques, he teaches the intangibles. We talk about that in this conversation.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the wisdom that Rich shares with all of us.
J.P.
Welcome once again to the Flaghgunters Golf Podcast !
Today we welcome my friend Jeff Ritter to the Podcast. Jeff is currently the Director of Instruction at the Pronghorn Resort in Bend, Oregon and recently was voted by Golf Digest as the #1 Golf Instructor on Oregon !
I first meet Jeff a few years ago when he came to Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach, CA to teach. I started taking lessons from him and we became fast friends sharing our love for the game, Football and Music. Not only did Jeff explain HOW to change my swing motion, he EXPLAINED the mind-set behind changing swing patterns. More on that in the conversation.
In this conversation, Jeff wonderfully explains how to not be attached to poor patterns. Poor patterns are the doorway to playing better once you understand the errors and from there, formulate a fun process to clean-up the fault. When we understand the cause, we can influence the effect....
I am moved by this conversation and I'm sure I will refer to it often in my own golf journey. "The Problem is the Gift", as stated by Jeff is truly the way to get better. When we look at our follies on the course, objectively, we can start to see the root causes and use them as spring boards to get better. Our issues on the golf course are nothing to fear, only opportunities to get better not only as golfers, also as people.......
J.P.
Welcome once again to Flaghunters ! Today, we are graced with none other than Bradley Hughes himself !
Bradley was born in Melbourne, Australia and turned pro in 1988. He has played on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Japan Golf Tour and the European Tour. He won 7 times as a professional, notably the Austrailian Masters twice and in the 1993 Australian Masters, he hit every green in regulation in the final round to shoot 7-under par to catch Australian legend Peter Senior. Bradly also played in the first Presidents Cup and was paired with World #1 at the time, Nick Price. In other words, the man can play...
Hughes quit playing competetive golf in 2008 and now teaches primarily at Holly Tree CC in Greenville, South Carolina. Through his teachings, he has helped Brendon Todd revitalize his career and also coaches Brandt Snedeker, Harold Varner, Cameron Percy, Greg Chalmers, Ben Martin, Robert Allenby and Ollie Schniederjans.
Bradly has created 2 websites, www.bradleyhugesgolf.com and www.bradleyhughesgolf-members.com. Both contain a well-spring of information. I would HIGHLY encourage anyone to visit the Members site and sign up because the info that Brad provides is hard-fought and battle- tested through the crucible of Professional Golf.
I am very proud of this conversation and I am sure that Bradley's wisdom will undoubtedly help anyone, as it has me, to play better golf. Cheers
J.P.
Welcome once again to Flaghunters ! Today we have Amy Simanton of The Golf Farm in Portland, Oregon. Amy partnered with former Tour winner and long-time PGA Tour and Champions Tour member Brian Henninger to create The Golf Farm in Portland, Oregon. Both Brian and Amy were recently voted by Golf Digest as one of the best instructors in Oregon !
Amy played college golf at UC Davis and was All-Conference all 4 years. She briefly turned pro and found her true passion was understanding the golf swing and what can truly make people play better !
In this conversation, Amy and I talk about the different disciplines of improvement. We cover the basic to the advanced forms of improvement while focusing on what's important, getting the ball in the hole !!
To be a top-flight instructor, you don't need to be a great player however, I find it very unique and advantageous to learn from people that have played at a very high level. Amy and Brian know through their competetive careers what it is like to be under the gun and what works !
Enjoy this hard earned wisdom from Amy and incorporate it. I know I will !!!
J.P.
Hello and welcome once again to Flaghunters ! AND, a very Happy New Year ! This was a great conversation with my friend John Grund. I consider John to be one of the best short game and mind-set coaches in the World !
"Grundy" grew up in San Marino California and played his college golf at UCLA with the likes of Steve Pate and Corey Pavin. He learned from the wedge master Paul Runyan himself when Mr. Runyan had retired to Annandale C.C. in Pasadena, CA. When it comes to getting proficient with the wedges, Grundy is the man to go to.
John and I talk about mind-set, staying in the moment, being observant of what your tendencies are and practicing things that matter to get the ball in the hole. John is also a world-class putter and has simple ideas to get us to putt our best.
Grundy is a great storyteller and I'm sure you with get a ton out of this conversation as I did.
Jesse
Hello and welcome once again to Flaghunters ! Today we've got my friend Jeff Britton on the Podcast. Jeff is self-taught in the game of golf. He started seriously taking up the game in his mid to late forties and is now, at 60, one of the better Senior amateurs in Northern California.
Jeff grew up in Reno, NV. He went to the University of Nevada-Reno where he graduated with a degree in Engineering. Shortly after graduation, he joined the Navy where he became a Naval Aviator. After leaving the Navy, Jeff embarked on a very successful Real Estate career and picked up golf later in life. I've known Jeff for 20 years and it's been extremely cool to watch his development from being a 15 handicap to a competitive 0.
I don't want to give up too much here. Have a listen to a great guy and a fascinating story that will undoubtedly inspire us all..
J.P.
Hello and welcome ! Lisa Cornwell is somebody that I respect a ton and hold in the highest regard as a person as well as being an authority in the game of golf.
Lisa was a longtime golf reporter and anchor for The Golf Channel. She just was recently inducted into the University of Arkansas Hall Of Fame as a 2 time All American golfer. Needless to say that not only does she have some extensive golf knowledge, she can flat play.
Lisa and I talk about how to get better, what to learn from LPGA and PGA Tour pros and how to score better via the short game/wedge play. We also talk about speed and what males can learn from the gals on the LPGA Tour.
I had a great time picking her brain and I know you will enjoy listening to her wisdom.
J.P.
Welcome to Flaghunters ! Today we have my meditation teacher Sam Lofton ! Sam is the founder of The Internal Athlete and she teaches the discipline of meditation to athletes of all sports.
I found Sam in April after a disappointing start to my competitive year. In late March, I had a 1st round of match play exit on the 21st hole. I had such high expectations after a great Winter of preparation that I thought I would come into the event with a great chance to win. Instead, I was in my head, unwilling to let go and just play. My find was flitting all over the place. Everywhere EXCEPT the present moment. I was allowing myself to be subjected to my own negative emotions and dark thoughts. In essence, I was miserable during this event.
When I lost on the 21st hole, I was so pissed off at myself that I inherently knew that something was wrong. “ How can I play like this ? Why am I subjecting myself to these dark, self-defeating thoughts ? Why can’t I get out of my own way ? “ Wait a min, I almost ALWAYS get in my own way !!!” . This was the brutality honest talk I had with myself on the 30 minute drive home. I was down. I said to myself on this drive, “ I can’t play golf like this. I can’t play this controlling, fear-based kind of golf anymore. I’d rather not play at all…” As fate has it not too long after that event, I found Sam advertising her meditation for Athletes business on Instagram.
I reached out to Sam shortly after the fateful debacle of that event. We had a conversation and she skillfully explained the reasons WHY my mind was like an uncontrollable hose full of negativity. I knew in that moment, meditation was the way to go. I felt as if I had nothing to lose.
Sam Lofton was one of the best soccer players in the world. She played primarily in the US and then in Europe. She found meditation after her rookie year of pro Soccer and the difference between her rookie and sophomore year was night and day after herself finding and practicing the discipline of meditation. She’ll explain further on the show.
Fast forward to now. Meditation had helped me to not be so damn attached to results. My self-worth doesn’t revolve around how I play. My mind and body are more cohesive. I am incredibly more present on and off the golf course. I am more aware of my thoughts, good and bad and I don’t allow myself to go down a dark train of self-defeating thoughts as much as I used to. Meditation works.
Listen carefully as Sam explains that science behind how meditation reshapes your brain. She also explains how meditation allows us to get out of our own way and play golf with joy and freedom. She also explains how meditation allows the athlete to get into flow, aka, The all exalted Zone..
I am humbled and honored to share this episode with you. We can do all the physical work in the world but without our mind/body being connected, we will also fall victim to our thoughts. I don’t think that there is anything more self-defeating than an undisciplined mind.
J. P.
Wanna know how to get your clubs set up for you ? Listen to this candid conversation with my friend George Willett. George worked for Taylor Made for 30 years and has such a tremendous amount of knowledge in relation to golf equipment. He is also one of the great storytellers in Golf.
George has built clubs for the best in the world and culminated his storied career building clubs for the greats on the Champions Tour. He is somebody that I still lean on to make sure my equipment is right for me.
Have a listen. His wisdom is something that isn't talked about with great regularity with the standard golf equipment conversations. Enjoy.
Hello and welcome to Flaghunters ! It’s a great privilege to bring to you uniquely dynamic insights into playing better Golf.
I have spent decades immersed game of golf. I've done everything from competing at a prestigious amateur level , to caddying, coaching, and being a overall Golf geek.
If you're a golf enthusiast as well, you understand my passion and unconditional love for the game. You share my insatiable, curiosity-driven desire to get down to the bottom of what it takes to truly get better at playing the game of Golf.
This has been one of the greatest expeditions of my life and I am deeply grateful for all that Golf has given me. Thank you for joining me in this incredible journey. It is truely my honor to share it with you.
This is my ever-evolving love letter to golf.
Jesse Perryman
