Teetalk

Week two of the PGA TOUR return finds us talking about efficient golf, including the win by Webb Simpson and runner-up finish by Abraham Ancer. Of course it was not the only story of the week as the PGA TOUR had their first on-site positive test for COVID-19 and Brooks Koepka takes on Nick Faldo over the role of television analysts. Chris Kirk wins on the Korn Ferry Tour on the heels of time away from golf to deal with alcohol dependency and depression. As a result we discuss the "human" factor of golf pros. We also chat about the decision to have no fans at the PGA Championship and the possibility that the Ryder Cup will be delayed. Fraser Mulholland, the Commissioner and President of the Vancouver Golf Tour, joins us in the feature interview. He shares the origins of the tour, its role in developing players on Canada's west coast, and the loyalty of the players, including those like Adam Hadwin, and Nick Taylor who recently played two events on the circuit while on hiatus from the PGA TOUR. We preview the

It's an exciting episode with the return of the PGA TOUR at the Charles Schwab Challenge and we break it down - the good, the bad, and the indifferent. Who played well, whether Collin Morikawa and Rory Mcilroy have some serious work to do, and how the PGA TOUR handled an event in the midst of a pandemic. We share news on new events for the LPGA and PGA Tour, the fate of the Golf Canada Amateur events for the rest of 2020, and why a 2-time PGA TOUR winner is playing on the Vancouver Golf Tour. We take on the enigma that is Bryson DeChambeau and his strategy to blitz courses off the tee, and talk ratings for the return of the TOUR, both on broadcasts and with gamblers. In our feature interview we welcome Vancouver entrepreneur Joshua Haywood to lay out his story of developing a Canadian-based golf equipment brand from scratch. He delves into the origin, the challenges, the joys, and where he feels he can fit into the golf retail landscape. We preview the RBC Heritage as it returns to Hilton Head Island and who

It's a busy show as professional golf returns on the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour. We break down the Charles Schwab Challenge from many angles with a look at official and non-official prop bets and what we expect from the week. We update you on a schedule changes for the LPGA TOUR and bring news of new events for female pros in the United Kingdom. The meat of the show is a heartfelt and insighful feature interview with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum where we take a swing at many topics that concern golf in the country. We review what he has learned in three years on the job, the challenges and opportunties ahead for golf in Canada, and how they are working to be more inclusive and impactful. We also discuss the RBC Canadian Open, the prospects for the 2020 CP Women's Open happening, and explore the 125th anniversary of the organization. The Mail Bag is deep this week with questions on bunker play during the pandemic, becoming a PGA of Canada member, the worst feeling club of all time, where you should f

The uncertainly of the world also extends to golf. First year touring pro and the former #1 amateur in Canada, Josh Whalen, joins us on the podcast this week to talk about it all. The Kent State graduate explains how achieving success in golf is not always a linear path whether that is setbacks with your game, health issues with people you love, or having your season halted by a pandemic. He also gives insight into his time with Team Canada, playing amateur golf around the world, and teeing it up at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open. Stefan and Scott discuss inclusiveness in golf, the latest news from the PGA TOUR, Mackenzie Tour, Symetra Tour, and Lorie Kane being inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. We introduce a new game with a golf version of Two Truths and a Lie, we talk about some equipment options and playing decisions, and discuss players who cheat at the game. We cap it all off with a putting tip. Josh Whalen Twitter (https://twitter.com/JWhalen8) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jwhalen_

Another one of our Canadian favourites, Michael Gligic (Stefan can pronounce it now), returns to the podcast this week for this third appearance. The PGA TOUR rookie gives us a look at what his preparation has been for his return to play, how his schedule is shaping up, and shares his perspective on how the PGA TOUR may look under new COVID-19 protocols. That includes his caddy and travel situation, and we speculate what winning may look like on the TOUR in the days ahead. He also shares what it was like to take part in a surprise 50th birthday call with Mike Weir. We break down The Match II with our thoughts on the good and bad of the match involving Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Payton Manning, and Tom Brady. We also choose four female athletes for a hypothetical Match III. The show also has us discussing the proposed return of the European Tour and what that may look like, the affects of Covid-19 on golf equipment companies, and we delve into the big opportunity for golf with many other sports still on th

With some of the game’s top male players returning to golf this past week at the TaylorMade Driving For Relief Charity event, we have Tournament Director Ryan Hart on the podcast to give us the inside scoop. He shares how it came together, the issues that had to be resolved to make it happen, and things learned from it that could be used for other events moving forward. Hart’s main role with the PGA TOUR is the Tournament Director for their showcase event, The Players Championship. He gives us his perspective from the tournament this year as the event came to a sudden halt, the epic level of logistics to make the championship happen, and how they are working to make one of the biggest events in golf better each season. Outside the interview there is plenty to talk about as golf courses in Canada open up under new Covid-19 restrictions. We got out to play and lay out our impression of golf in a new way. We also discuss recent decisions by the USGA to run only four championships in 2020, with no qualifiers, our

It's a huge show for Episode #65 as we are joined by the man who completed the Grand Slam of golf majors in 1965, Gary Player. The 9-time major champion (he also won 9 more on the Champions Tour) joins us from self-isolation near Philadelphia to dig into a wide range of topics, both golf and non-golf. As he is always keen to do, he provides commentary on world issues of the day. We also get his thoughts on Canada, the 2007 Presidents Cup in Montreal and the choice of Mike Weir to take on Tiger Woods in singles, the choking factor in golf, the faults he sees in Jordan Spieth's golf game, how he's been like a teenager during self-isolation, what he expects when the PGA TOUR comes back, the charitable impact of golf, and the Masters being moved to the Fall. In the balance of the show we preview some of the bets available for the TaylorMade Driving For Relief skins game coming up this weekend, the return of the Korean LPGA Tour, how bad would we play with persimmon woods, and the "controversy" of Vijay Singh play

One of Canada's most-respected sports journalists joins us this week on TeeTalk. Chris Stevenson has covered hockey and golf for many decades and his depth of knowledge and wide perspective is apparent in our chat. We dip into the prospects of major sports and what the coverage may look like post-pandemic, touch on his many years covering the NHL, get his favourite memories from covering Brooke Henderson on the LPGA TOUR, and tap into his knowledge as the host of the Ottawa Craft Beer Insider. In this epsiode sponsored by TaylorMade, we update you on golf opening up around North America, the upcoming PGA Driving Relief Skins Game at Seminole, and the latest schedule announcement for the Korn Ferry Tour. We take on the FootJoy Bracket contest and each choose our favourite four FootJoy shoes of all-time, and examine the Netflix Documentary Epsiode of "Losers" that tells the story of Jean Van De Velde at the 1999 Open Championship. In the MailBag we answer questions about using the same golf balls when you prac

We jump in for talk about pro golf in Canada this week as newly-appointed Executive Director of the Mackenzie - PGA TOUR, Scott Pritchard, is our featured guest. We relayed some thoughts on the suspension of pro golf, the evolution of their circuit, what their plans are for 2020, and beyond. It's great insight on the TOUR from one of the best sources possible. Outside of the interview we discuss course re-openings around Canada and the new conditions of play, speculate about a "Last Dance" type of documentary for golf, and agree to disagree about world class players playing mini-tours while their main circuits are shut down. We each choose and discuss our favourite PING irons of all time, ponder Nick Faldo's proposal to make golf better by having smaller drivers and eliminating tees, and take a look at the adjusted schedule for the LPGA TOUR and new Olympic Golf qualifying parameters. In the MailBag we answer questions about local/regional golf tournaments, making a record number of birdies but still shootin

We continue to bring you interviews with people who love the game of golf, and among them is well-known Canadian sports broadcaster James Duthie. Best known for his work in hockey, Duthie has been part of the TSN broadcast team at The Masters for many years and he shares some thoughts and stories about Augusta National Golf Club. That includes winning the media lottery to play the course, arriving way too early for his tee time, then facing the possibility of playing one of the greatest courses in the world with value-priced Top Flite Hot XL golf balls. Duthie recounts his start in golf in his hometown of Ottawa, which may have included sneaking on to the municipal golf course, and also gives us a preview of some stories included in his next "Insider" hockey book. Along with the feature interview we discuss the chances of the proposed PGA TOUR schedule happening, should Tim Finchem be in the World Golf Hall of Fame, and if playing a Ryder Cup with no spectators makes a difference. We break down a Shell's Wond

We often have tour players or caddies on the show but in this episode we blend both worlds. 2019 Valero Texas Open winner Corey Conners AND his caddy Kyle Peters join us to talk taking time off, watching the rewind of the 2019 Masters and Valero Texas Open, what they'd serve at the Masters Champions dinner, video games, and what they miss about golf right now. They also help us answer this week's mail bag, including questions about odd golf partners, things they're particular about in golf, and who between Rory and Jordan will be the first to secure the career grand slam. Scott and Stefan break down the 2019 Masters final round, pick their top five TaylorMade irons of all-time, and discuss which pro golfers they believe benefit most from this extended break in play. Corey Conners Twitter (https://twitter.com/coreconn) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/coreyconners/?hl=en) Kyle Peters Twitter (https://twitter.com/Kyle_pepperz) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kyle_pepperz/?hl=en) Instagram: Flagstick

It's the Masters week, but not the Masters week (postponed, of course) but we serve up some Augusta National content anyways in this episode sponsored by TaylorMade and the new SIM Driver. We both sat down and watched the final round of the 1997 Masters and gave our own generational perspective on the historic victory by Tiger Woods. We get you updated on date changes for the men's major championships and detail howe some of they may look different going forward. Joining us for a feature interview is the General Manager of adidas Golf Canada, Lesley Hawkins, for an insightful chat about her golf origin story, busting through the glass ceiling in golf, the value of support and mentorship, and the move to more sustainable products with adidas and the entire golf industry. With major golf tours on a break we each pick out five players we are worry about now that they have a lot of time on their hands. How will they spend their time and what will they look like when they return? Or will they return? Lesley Hawki

One of the most exuberant and compelling junior golf coaches in the business, Doug Lawrie, join us on the show. Lawrie, who is based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, explains his road to golf and the many influences that impacted how he became the coach he is today. We talk about the road map to getting better for all golfers, have him answer some junior related mail bag questions, and even dig into some comparisons between NBA players and golfers when it comes to positive skill sets. We have a little fun by reviewing the 1975 Masters. Scott and Stefan went back and watched the final round broadcast and compared notes on what stood out for them from the championship that year. On the back end of the show we freewheel and each make fantasy team picks for the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straights. Stefan takes the captaincy for Team USA and Scott handles the European squad, laying out the twelve players they would each choose for their teams if there were no restrictions in place. In the Mail Bag we talk private

We push through another week of isolation with a wide variety of golf talk including the latest tournament cancellation updates from the Olympics and the LPGA. University of Tennessee Men's Head Coach Brennan Webb joins us for a lengthy interview about the unusual end to the NCAA golf season and a perspective on his career. Webb tells us how he progressed from a junior golfer growing up in the Muskoka region of Ontario, Canada to an NCAA golfer at East Tennessee, teaching golf, working his way from mini-tours to full-time status on the Korn Ferry Tour, progressing to caddying on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and then his move into coaching. He tells us how that comprehensive resume has helped him be a better coach at one of the top NCAA golf programs. On the back end of the podcast we delve into the final round broadcast of the 2003 Masters (which we went back and watched) and share all the things we noted as we looked back at the Mike Weir win. With so many challenges going around on social media, we

It's been a wild week since our last episode. With the Covid-19 pandemic underway we talk a quick look at its impact on the world of golf, for top tours, mini-tour players, caddies, and for every day golf courses. Our feature interview with Canada's Brittany Marchand dominates the episode. Currently playing the Symetra Tour but an LPGA member for the last couple years, the Canadian details her ups and down in the last few seasons, the adjustments she has made for 2020, and details how she works with and without a caddy. The North CarolinaC State graduate also details why STEM (Science , Technology, Engineering, and Math) education is so important to her and why she has become an advocate for it. During her interview, where we are also joined by LPGA caddy Ryan Desveaux to conduct the interview, Brittany allows us to delve back into her career/life for some fun stories including an oral history of her home in one at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, her movie "career" alongside Robin Williams, and the art of

It's a busy week with The Players Championship underway so there is plenty to talk about related to one of the biggest non-majors on the PGA TOUR. LPGA caddy Ryan Desveaux (Mel Reid) joins us in-studio for the entire show to add a third voice with a unique insight. That includes how the COVID-19 Coronavirus has effected life on the LPGA TOUR so far for players and caddies alike. Related to the PGA TOUR we wrap up the Arnold Palmer Invitational, then dive deep in The Players with our picks, discuss the new PGA TOUR domestic broadcast rights deal, and talk about where the TOUR will go in the future with media coverage and growing purses. In Birdie vs Bogey we talk about Brooks Koepka's attitude of late, the value of tickets at the RBC Canadian Open, and the possibility of appearance money on the PGA TOUR. The Mail bag serves up questions on how golf can be more accessible, the highest score we've ever made, what will Dez do with the money from his first big win, how we rate the greatness of TPC Sawgrass, and w

Sungjae Im's triumph at The Honda Classic grabs our attention this week as we break down his first PGA TOUR victory, the 2nd place finish by Canada's Mackenzie Hughes, and the appearance of another Canadian, Albin Choi, as a winning caddy. Golf fitness is in the spotlight this week as we welcome Mitch Sadowsky, the Fitness Director at the prestigious Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. Sadowsky, who works with a number of LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR players, like Ian Poulter, breaks down the key elements of getting the most from your body to benefit your golf swing, He also shares insight on the unique needs of tour pros when it comes to their schedules and tuning their body for the best performance. Other topics include: -Tiger Woods on the ballot for the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021 -The Bay Hill Invitational and its importance on the tour -Paul Azinger's comments about Tommy Fleetwood and his "need" to win on the PGA TOUR -Details of the Flagstick Open Amateur Championship In Birdie vs Bogey we discuss hole in on

Stefan returns from Mexico, leading to an extra helping of content this week. The boys discuss the implications in the play of Patrick Reed and Bryson Dechambeau at the WGC Mexico Championship and the life-changing play by Viktor Hovland at the Puerto Rico Open. We touch on separating a pro golfer's skill level from their character as a fan and our opinions on the potential of the Premier Golf League. In hypothetical talk, we take on what to do when you spot a pro golfer in a public and how we might react. PGA of Canada Professional Casey Ward joins us as the feature guest and shares her unique story of going from an academic to a golf pro. It includes a story about doing some work with UFC star Conor McGregor, growing up as the daughter of a golf course designer, and living out a dream as a player at the 2019 CP Women's Open at the Magna Golf Club. She also gives us some ideas on how golf can be more welcoming to new golfers, particularly women. In Birdie vs Bogey we take on golf course renovations that are

Scott takes on the show alone this week with Stefan away in Mexico and welcomes Craig Loughry of Golf Ontario as the feature guest. Craig was a member of the committee that developed the new World Golf Handicap System and he explains some key points and nuances of the system and how it works. He also puts on his hat as the Tournament Director of the Ontario Open as gives some details on the event that is now an event on the Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada. Scott wraps up the past week in golf including a surprise performance by Mike Weir on the Korn Ferry Tour and looks ahead to key events. The Mail Bag has a few travel questions, some equipment talk, and dips into the world of Social Media. The episode also shares some details on the 2020 Flagstick Open Amateur presented by TaylorMade Golf Canada and Adidas Canada. Instagram: Flagstick (https://www.instagram.com/flagstickgolf/) Scott (https://www.instagram.com/scotmac1970/) Stefan (https://www.instagram.com/steedorf/) Twitter: Flagstick (https://twitter.com

Big-hitting Canadian Taylor Pendrith joins the show fresh off play in Panama and Colombia on the Korn Ferry Tour. The two-time winner on the Mackenzie Tour in 2019 shares thoughts on his game, the difficulty of playing some shorter golf courses, the travails of pro golf travel, and his aspirations to play in the RBC Canadian Open this year. We discuss the triumph by Nick Taylor at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the fine play by Alena Sharp at the Vic Open in Australia, and the impact of the coronavirus on the LPGA Tour schedule. We bat around whether Bryson Dechambeau should be listed among the "fittest" athletes in the world, and discuss Rory McIlroy's return to #1 in the world. In Birdie vs Bogey we take on dogs on the golf course, courses adding hickory shafted clubs to their rental fleets, courses charging people more to walk, and speed rounds by tour pros. The Mail Bag brings us questions on deciding if you are ready for tournament play, our favourite piece of golf equipment all-time, and choosing one thi