The ModGolf Podcast talks with golf's top influencers, entrepreneurs, innovators and disruptors about their vision and solutions to re-imagine, transform and grow the game. Host Colin Weston explores the future of golf through conversations with the visionaries and influencers that are shaking up the sport. Thanks for joining us and please subscribe to our newsletter for your chance to win golf products we love in our latest #ModGolfGiveaway contest!

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I recently launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! By joining you will get access to exclusive live weekly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

We'd love to hear from you! Have any ideas or guests you'd like to hear on future episodes? Email me at colin@modgolfpodcast.com to start the conversation.

Want to listen to our most downloaded episode? That would be our conversation with Blue Ocean Strategy co-author Professor Renée Mauborgne! Click to listen in.

CREATING NEW GOLF MARKETS THAT MAKE THE COMPETITION IRRELEVANT - RENÉE MAUBORGNE / BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY

Special Guests: Jared Solomon, CEO and Co-Founder of Five Iron Golf and Renée Mauborgne - Co-author of Blue Ocean Strategy and Blue Ocean Shift.

That's a wrap for Season 15 of The ModGolf Podcast! Our team is currently working on your next twelve episodes for Season 16, which launches in mid September 2024. We heard some amazing stories from a diverse group of guests who discussed how inclusion, technology, entertainment, music, celebrity, hospitality and community building intersect to shape the future of golf.

We want to thank Golf Genius Software for presenting this episode of The ModGolf Podcast!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

If you didn’t get the chance to listen to all of our twelve Season 15 episodes, this bonus show gives you a recap of the great conversations I had with some of the golf industry's top influencers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Hopefully this will inspire you to listen to a couple of the episodes listed below. Let us know which ones you enjoyed the most and why you liked them!

Our Season 15 guests were:

Episode 1
David Hinkle and Rio Valeriano - T36 Golf Co-Founders
"We’re flipping the script on traditional golf and redefining the sport for a new generation of golfers" T36 Golf Co-Founders David Hinkle and Rio Valeriano join host Colin Weston to share how their "Double Loop" design delivers a full 18-hole game experience with a smaller environmental footprint and shorter playtime.
Click to listen >> CREATING A NEW TYPE OF GOLF

Episode 2
Tyler Simmons - CEO and Founder of BucketGolf
"Seeing my roommate throw his clothes into his pop-up laundry hamper, I realized that I should instead make retractable pop-up buckets which cut our product cost almost in half." Tyler Simmons - CEO and Founder of BucketGolf shares how they have created a portable, fun golf game that anyone can enjoy almost anywhere.
Click to listen >> TURNING A HOMEMADE GOLF GAME INTO A GLOBAL BUSINESS VENTURE

Episode 3
Nick Darby - UK non-profit Get Golfing
"It was such a shame seeing all these beautiful golf courses going downhill. So our job is to save as many courses as we can to keep golf flourishing." - Nick Darby with UK non-profit Get Golfing shares how they are on a mission to revolutionize the golfing experience.
Click to listen >> A NON-PROFIT ON A MISSION TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE GOLFING EXPERIENCE

Episode 4
Jared Solomon - CEO of Five Iron Golf
"It doesn't matter that we made a million dollar mistake, let's keep moving forward and learn as we go". Jared Solomon - CEO of Five Iron Golf joins host Colin Weston to share how four co-founders built a successful indoor golf entertainment business starting from the back room of a Manhattan men's clothing store.
Click to listen >> LEARN BY DOING AND JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD

Episode 5
Carolin Pinegger - "The Golf Pitch Challenge"
"I felt like I was treading water and not because I wasn't working hard enough. I was doing my very best and wasn't getting where I wanted to be. I needed to pivot and change!" Golf entrepreneur and Ex-Pro Golfer Carolin Pinegger shares her personal story and latest collaborative venture: The "Shark Tank for Golf Innovators" called The Golf Pitch Challenge.
Click to listen >> EMBRACE CHANGE TO FUEL ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS

Episode 6
Ann Liguori - Author of "Life On The Green"
To celebrate her recent book "Life on the green - lessons and wisdom from legends in golf" host Colin Weston creates a game show called "Who Said That??" to test Ann's ability to recall quotes from the dozen stories told. We hope you like this fun and inspiring episode as much as we enjoyed making it!
Click to listen >> TAKING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH TO BUILD A CAREER IN SPORT JOURNALISM

Episode 7
Igor Vainshtein - Founder GolfTrak.app
Entrepreneur Igor Vainshtein joins us to share his incredible journey that started when his parents immigrated to Australia from the former USSR with $200 and no English skills whatsoever. We discuss the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and Igor's passion to constantly innovate and create products that customers want.
Click to listen >> EMBRACING LESSONS: WISDOM GAINED FROM FAILURE

Episode 8
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SYNTHETIC TURF
Known initially by names such as AstroTurf, ModSod and Artificial Turf, we explore the origins of synthetic sport surfacing with a focus on applications in the golf industry. Host Colin Weston speaks with subject matter experts Bob Johnston (Principal, JSA Sport Architecture) and Jeffery McDaniel (Synthetic Turf International) to uncover the history and explore the future of this multi-billion dollar industry.
Click to listen >> A BRIEF HISTORY OF SYNTHETIC TURF

Episode 9
Tim Briand - Foresight Sports
So how do golf launch monitors work and what is the technology behind them? Tim Briand with Foresight Sports joins host Colin Weston for an engaging and in-depth conversation about the massive growth in the launch monitor sector for both the professional player on the range and the recreational player having fun in a golf simulator.
Click to listen >> TECH-DRIVEN PRODUCTS THAT BOTH TRAIN AND ENTERTAIN

Episode 10
Kevin Carpenter - The GratiDude / Grateful 4 Golf
"I am perfectly content helping one person at a time, as every ripple makes a wave". Kevin Carpenter, aka The GratiDude joins us to share the impactful work he takes on through his Grateful 4 Golf non-profit program and his discovery of "The superpower of meditation".
Click to listen >> SHARING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Episode 11
Jeff Nicholson - VertaCat Mobility Riders
Stand tall, roam free, and “Stand and play the VertaCat way”. Jeff Nicholson joins host Colin Weston to share how their 70 year old manufacturing company saw an opportunity to give back to the sport they love by creating the VertaCat all-terrain mobility rider for paraplegic athletes.
Click to listen >> "THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE MY LIFE!"

Episode 12
Barney Adams - Adams Golf Founder / CEO of Breakthrough Golf Technology
We are joined by golf industry icon and entrepreneurial legend Barney Adams, who shares the trials, tribulations and successes he has encountered over his career that spans more than five decades. This episode provides you with lessons learned, key takeaways and nuggets of wisdom from one of golf's most successful entrepreneurs.
Click to listen >> IF YOU DON'T LOVE IT DON'T DO IT

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: Ann Liguori - award-winning sport’s talk show host, Barney Adams, Founder of Adams Golf and CEO, Breakthrough Golf Technology, Bob Johnston, Principal at JSA Sport Architecture Inc., Carolin Pinegger - CEO of David Leadbetter Entrerprises / The Golf Pitch Challenge / Online Golf Coach, David Hinkle - Co-Founder and Principal at T36 Golf, Igor Vainshtein - Founder of GolfTrak.app, Jared Solomon, CEO and Co-Founder of Five Iron Golf, Jeffrey McDaniel - Global Director of Business Development at Synthetic Turf International, Jeffrey Nicholson - Chief Marketing Officer with VertaCat, Kevin Carpenter, Coach, Teacher and The GratiDude / Grateful 4 Golf, Nick Darby - Golf Retail Sales Manager at Get Golfing, Rio Valeriano - Co-Founder and Principal at T36 Golf, Tim Briand - Director Of Business Development at Foresight Sports, and Tyler Simmons - CEO and Founder of BucketGolf.

"We made a million-dollar mistake on the build-out. We thought plumbing could work one way. It couldn't. It's tough for a company that was started with the money that we had at the time, but you make those mistakes and move on, learn from it and don't dwell on it."

Jared's Five Iron Golf story begins in early 2015 with Mike Doyle teaching simulator lessons in the back of a men’s clothing store in midtown Manhattan. As the demand for Mike’s lessons grew throughout 2015 and 2016, Mike and student Jared started dreaming about an indoor facility where Mike could teach more lessons and golfers could work to improve their games — all while flipping standard golf culture on its head and appealing to everyone.

We want to welcome our new Episode Presenting Partner Synthetic Turf International!

Synthetic Turf International - also known as STI - is the industry’s premier producer and supplier of high-quality, natural-looking grass products for residential and commercial applications, both indoors and out.

I have collaborated on projects and ventures with STI for over 10 years through my Sport Entertainment company, so I have seen first hand how innovative, passionate, and creative they are.

Speaking of Synthetic Turf International clients, Five Iron Golf has installed their turf products in the majority of their venues.

If you are considering an artificial landscaped grass lawn, a putting green, golf tee lines and hitting mats, a synthetic sports field, playground turf or a dog park, then I highly recommend STI for your next project. And all of STI's grass products are crafted completely in-house and proudly made in America.

To learn more about the endless synthetic turf application and installation possibilities that Synthetic Turf International has to offer, contact them at synthetic-turf.com.

"At our Las Vegas location we originally had a putting green in the center. We realized that nobody wanted a putting green. And so we put in shuffleboard. Nobody wanted shuffleboard and we put in the high top tables where people could just drink and were like, "Okay, this is what people want". And I like to believe that I've cultivated the spirit with the other Founders that it doesn't matter what happened, let's move forward. We're literally inventing a concept over here. The best thing that we can do is test and fail, test and fail and move forward and take everything that we've learned and hopefully use those for the franchises and our own future corporate stores and do the best that we can."

Episode Chapters
03:20: How and when Jared was introduced to golf
04:40: The Five Iron Golf origin story. Spoiler: it involves hitting balls in the back of a Manhattan men's clothing store!
07:15: Jared explains how he and the three other co-founders mustered up the courage to launch Five Iron Golf
10:10: The story behind the first Five Iron Golf location opening in mid-town Manhattan
12:50: How Five Iron creates experiences for both the casual and passionate golfer without alienating either one of the groups
16:15: "We want our Five Iron locations to look like modern art museums". Jared discusses their design guidelines and how grafitti art became the focal point for their brand vision
19:10: How Five Iron finds and hires artists to collaborate at each of their venue around the US
20:45: Selection of the Five Iron Golf name and logo design
23:40: How Five Iron scaled from one location to 25 and counting
26:50: Jared's thoughts on starting a company and when to bring in outside investment
28:10: Franchising vs the owership model for venue locations
29:30: Mistakes made along the way and what the leadership team has learned from them
32:50: The power of partnerships and collaborating with golf brands and influencers
34:10: What the future has in store for Five Iron Golf

You can also learn more about Jared on his bio page.

Want to learn more about Five Iron Golf, find out if there's a location near you and to book a fun experience for you and your friends? Have a look at the Five Iron Golf website or email Jared Solomon at jared@fiveirongolf.com

With Mike and Jared clueless as to how to actually execute their grand idea, the final two co-founders, summer camp friends Nora Dunnan and Katherine Solomon (also Jared’s wife) entered the scene. With Nora operating the ship and Katherine navigating through some early legal storms, Five Iron Golf was launched and open for business in mid-2017.

Five Iron has quickly re-shaped Manhattan's golf culture, growing from Mike’s original lesson crew to a re-imagined, high-tech, inclusive urban golf experience for golfers and non-golfers alike. Five Iron is for everyone.

For the serious golfer, Five Iron hosts ten Full Swing simulators, a Trackman lesson studio, four teaching professionals, lessons, club storage, showers, practice time, leagues, 100% top-of-the line clubs to use (complimentary), and in-house club fitting specialists Club Champion.

We want to thank Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guest: Jared Solomon, CEO and Co-Founder of Five Iron Golf.

How do you create new value in the expanding $10 billion golf entertainment sector? Our host Colin Weston sits down with entrepreneur, investor and Gamerz Golf CIO David Grieshaber to learn they are combining mobile gaming, user experience design, augmented reality, environmental sustainability, eSports and architectural design to create the next generation of Golf Entertainment Centers.

"Where I see this market going is the games will become more video game-like, they’ll become episodal, iterative, level based and more addictive. All the venues currently in market have taken the model of a driving range or golf game and tried to create a video game built upon that. Where we differ is that we’re in the heart of Xbox, PlayStation and mobile game land. We’re going with that direction. We’re going to take video game quality, PS4, PS5 type of games and downgrade them to become driving range games. That will be a major differentiator in what we are doing with the technology."

"You can hit the ball and look up as the ball is flying through the air you’d see a tracer following it as it lands in a target and you see explosions everywhere with points flying up in the air. So that is what’s called a “Glasses-less AR (augmented reality) experience”. That’s the direction I think is coming to this scenario in the future and what we’ve been working on as a solution for several years."

Click on the image below to check out our extended conversation with David on our Youtube Channel!
[

To learn more about Gamerz Golf, visit their website >> http://Gamerz.Golf

Enter our latest #ModGolfGiveaway Contest to win an Edison Wedge!

Sign up to our newsletter (https://modgolf.fireside.fm/subscribe) to enter for a chance to win an Edison Wedge. You choose the loft, shaft type and grip to customize it to your liking!

You can also enter the contest by subscribing to The ModGolf YouTube channel and leaving the comment "Enter me in The #ModGolfGiveaway Contest!" for the Edison Wedges ModGolf Product Review video.
Contest closes at 11pm ET Friday December 11 2020.

Special Guest: David Grieshaber - CIO at Gamerz Golf.

"If you don’t have a “Why Garmin?” then why are we even proposing to make this? So when I go to pitch any product idea, for say the next generation golf watch, I can’t just state “let's make this just because we’re Garmin and we have a lot of success with the last one”. I have to propose some benefit for the customer which is why they will be compelled to buy this. Our host Colin Weston sits down with Golf Product Manager Scott Moore to learn how Garmin approaches their design process through rapid prototyping, user experience feedback and a passionate desire to continually innovate.

"Why will the customer go from the previous version or a competitor’s product to this one? That mentality that we have of always trying to add benefit to our products and not just churn out a bunch of similar products and put lipstick on it and say it’s good now, we are looking to add value every time we create a new product. It’s not just something our leadership says, at every level we always ask that question “Why Garmin?”.

Click on the image below to check out our extended conversation with Scott on our Youtube Channel!

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guest: Scott Moore - Product Manager at Garmin International.

What can golf learn from other pro sport leagues when it comes to how content is consumed, fan engagement is amplified, and collective experiences are heightened? Host Colin Weston speaks with DraftKings PGA Fantasy Sports & Betting Analyst Reid Fowler as he shares how they create fun, memorable experiences for every demographic of sports fan.

Want to see what all the fuss is about with the DraftKings One Million Dollar Masters Contest? Or like me, you want to dip your toe in the sports betting pool and place $20 on a six player Masters "team"? Then check out the DraftKings website or mobile app to put some skin in the game and have some fun!

DraftKings’ has launched the first ever multi-sport $100K free-to-play pool combining The Masters and NFL Sunday. Also, in a study of over 1,000 fans of both football and golf, DraftKings found 77% are interested in engaging with multisport gaming.

Click on the image below to check out our extended conversation with Reid on our Youtube Channel!

Our Top 3 Reid Fowler Quotes From This Episode

Number 3
“How do you capture pro golf coverage without spending a ton of money on infrastructure and technology? The logistics of how you film golf at a PGA tournament, you’re talking about acres and acres of land. It’s just not feasible. How do you increase engagement on a Thursday and Friday at a golf tournament? Well there has to be a push on how golf is being consumed. When I was at Sawgrass for The PLAYERS Championship, they were pushing the technology so that you could see every single shot from every player, whether it be live or you click on the player to see that shot. Now at The Masters, they’re introducing an app so you can choose your favourite golfers and follow them and see every shot. That is going to increase viewership and the ability to engage. When looking to monetize golf tournament viewing, there are a lot of opportunities with this. That is where golf needs to progress. While the tournament is being played, how do get golf on TV and digital platforms sooner rather than later."

Number 2
"When you're watching sports - and maybe it’s just bragging rights with your buddies - but when you have a stake in the game it makes it way more engaging and entertaining. DraftKings has created a platform to amplify the fan engagement around the PGA Tour, especially during those early rounds of a tournament."

Number 1
"Golf is the closest to NFL football when you talk about how fans interaction with fantasy games. The cadence on how someone builds a fantasy football lineup is so similar to golf because it is week-to-week. I saw this correlation and said this is something we should really focus on because engagement heavily increased in the 18 to 35 year old demographic, especially on the Thursday and Friday of a PGA event when viewership is historically the lowest over the four days of a tournament."

At the end of this episode I ask Reid about DraftKings' role as an ethical corporate citizen regarding gambling addiction. I was pleased to hear that DraftKings takes this seriously and continues to expand their education and support for people struggling with with a gambling problem. While the vast majority of people enjoy gambling without falling into addiction, the prevalence rate for persons who veer into pathological gambling and potential life-ruining consequences is about 2.2 percent in the U.S., per 2014 findings by the National Council on Problem Gambling.

With an expansion of legal sports wagering in the U.S., a new cohort of citizens, however small, will get introduced to sports betting and struggle to find the line between entertainment and addiction. If you or someone you love struggle with their relationship with gambling, please reach out to Gamblers Anonymous

Special Guest: Reid Fowler - DraftKings PGA Fantasy Sports & Betting Analyst.

“In any industry, especially in our industry one needs to have an entrepreneurial mindset. But the challenge is this: in most clubs it’s not that my fellow club managers lack imagination or innovation. They are pretty bright folks. It’s through no fault of their own but the challenge is that we work in an environment where we change boards frequently, presidents every couple of years and the fear of failure in most clubs is so high that it prevents the management team from experimenting and innovating because the tolerance for failure is very small. Fortunately for us at Medinah we have educated and have the support of the board so that I have a pretty large safely net. So for as many ideas that have succeeded we have an equal amount that have failed. But you know what, it’s okay. We want our employees and our team to think outside the box because just like I have a safety net, I want to provide them with a safety net as well.”

Host Colin Weston speaks with Medinah Country Club GM/COO Robert Sereci to learn how he took an innovator's mindset to transform the iconic golf venue to become a vibrant, welcoming, experience-based community.

______________________________________________

After testing the deWiz biofeedback swing analysis product we were so impressed with the results that we invited them to offer you an exclusive 10% OFF your purchase using promo code MODGOLF! CLICK TO SAVE on deWiz to see (and feel) lasting results in your swing tempo, length and path improvement.

Hired at Medinah in 2015, Robert is a strong collaborator and team builder, and has worked to strengthen and empower the Medinah brand. In 2016, Robert worked with his board, management, and membership to roll out “Medinah 2020,” a comprehensive $25 million phased club improvement plan. All of these investments will move Medinah Country Club into a more modern era of membership enhancements and strengthens its community.

Prior to Medinah Country Club, Robert was GM of The American Club in Hong Kong, a 3000-member club founded in 1925. He has been COO of Northwood Club in Dallas and Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City. In addition to being a Certified Club Manager, Robert holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Cal Poly Pomona and an MBA from Georgia State University.

Check out our extended conversation with Robert on our Youtube Channel!

Special Guest: Robert Sereci - GM / COO at Medinah Country Club.

“When you’re in it every single day you don’t lift your head up to see the progress that you’ve made. That’s something that we're trying to do more, try to step away from it to acknowledge that “actually we’ve created something pretty cool from the ground up starting from nothing”. And the most exciting thing is this is only the beginning.” On this fun and fast-paced episode, Colin sits down with Is and Kat Shee - aka The Shee Sisters - to talk about the creation of their Shee Golfs YouTube channel, building sock and apparel brands from scratch and the connection between entrepreneurship, golf, yoga and friendship.

Isabelle (Is) Shee is the girl next door known for her unique fashion and mission to spread positivity through the game of golf.
Isabelle showcases her love for travel, luxury brands and premium golf courses to her millennial audience.

“I think something that every entrepreneur can relate to is there’s always more to do. It never ends as it’s a constant cycle where we are always working. It’s the only profession where you go into the shower and think about how to improve something. Your business is the first thing you think about when you wake up and the last thing before you go to sleep."... Is Shee

Check out our extended conversation with Kat and Is on our Youtube Channel!

Since launching her sock brand, IS, she has increased brand loyalty with an added mission- to reduce her carbon footprint while maximizing performance. She's taken two recycled materials (plastic & coffee) and made them into the most premium sock ever made. Use the Promo Code MODGOLF15 for 15% off your purchase of comfy, fashionable, environmentally friendly men's and women's Is Golf socks!

Together they created the popular Shee Golfs YouTube channel, where they provide helpful golf tips and create fun, engaging content with their female golf friends.

Special Guest: Is Shee - Golf Entrepreneur and YouTube/Instagram Influencer.

“The biggest mistake I’ve made in my entrepreneurial endeavours is to have a product idea and just run at it as opposed to starting with a curiosity approach and asking open-ended questions. It also helps from a marketing standpoint. You start to write down the things that people are saying and it helps you when you’re putting together the story so that you're speaking in the voice of the customer rather than the one that’s in your head.”

Host Colin Weston sits down with Imagine Golf Founder Malcolm Scovil as he shares how embracing patience, curiosity and tenacity have helped guide him along his entrepreneurial journey. Malcolm is the Founder of TLDR which stands for “Too Long - Didn’t Read”. TLDR's first product Imagine Golf reflects this “Give it to me quick, give it to me clear” content delivery philosophy.

Imagine Golf is currently on Apple iOS but will be available on Android soon. You can follow Imagine Golf on Instagram at @imaginegolfers

Check out our extended conversation with Malcolm on our Youtube Channel!

Quotable Nuggets of Entrepreneurial Wisdom From Malcolm...

"The vision behind TLDR is to build entertaining, educational content that we deliver through mobile apps around passionate pockets of consumers. One of our first products is Imagine Golf, which is focused on “snackable audio content for golfers of all skill levels” to help golfers improve their performance and enjoy the game more."

“Im always tinkering with small products and testing things out with friends. I think there’s a natural tinkerer in us folks who are entrepreneurial. Once of the things in my endeavours I found is getting close to the student or the customer is what helps quiet that voice of doubt or insecurity in the entrepreneurial mind."

"With Imagine Golf we really spent a lot of time before we had any product talking to golfers and asking them questions - not about a product that we are thinking about building but why do you play golf, what got you into golf, what are some of your highlights in your career for amateurs. What are you working on in your golf game? Where are you trying to go in you game? What are some of the ways that you think might accelerate you in getting there? So it’s really applying a curious mindset to the product development process, which leads to all types of unexpected discoveries through the nuggets of insight that you uncover.”

“The biggest mistake I’ve made in my entrepreneurial endeavours is to have a product idea and just run at it as opposed to starting with a curiosity approach and asking open-ended questions. It also helps from a marketing standpoint. You start to write down the things that people are saying and it helps you when you’re putting together the story so that you're speaking in the voice of the customer rather than the one that’s in your head.”

“Once you have a direction the real focus is on building a quality-first product. I think the only way to do that is with simplicity. Something I’ve been guilty of in the past is trying to do too much too early in an entrepreneurial venture. With my latest venture and all my future projects, it’s how do you cut through in a very noisy, cluttered market with a consumer experience that really resonates and adds value to people’s lives. Almost always simpler is better, that focus on simplicity and what adds value.”

“I think why most companies fail is either there’s not a customer or they haven’t been able to find that customer. To big things to in the early days of a startup are can you make something people want and the other part is can you get in front of folks, can you find ways for them to discover it? This is as important as building something people want.”

“For successful new products and companies like Sarah Blakely with Spanx who had a very clear proposition for the consumer by scratching the itch of a personal pain point to create something that wasn’t on the market.”

Reid Hoffman: “if you’re not embarrassed by your first product you shipped it too late.” It takes a lot of bravery to put something out there.

“The best advice I got was to get just one customer, get one person to pay you then the next one and the next one. What it forces you to do is create something of value. That first person you ask to pay ten dollars for your product and they say no, then you need to ask why, what’s missing right now? This combination of our intuition and the data gathered both qualitative and quantitative, those are a couple of ingredients for success."

“Customers are your best partners. Folks that are using and paying for your product are the best source of ideas and ways to grow. Without question, we get the best ideas for new content or courses we should create from the current member of the Imagine Golf community and we are very grateful for that”.

"Being an entrepreneur is tough and it creates a lot of doubt. Although it can be lonely it can also be very rewarding and fulfilling."

“As in business, the biggest barrier to athletic success is our mental game. It’s what separates the Tiger Woods, the Michael Jordans, the Oprah Winfreys and the Elon Musks of the world from the rest of us.

“I recommend that new entrepreneurs do not try to reinvent the wheel or start building something from scratch. Instead create something in your own unique way, find inspiration in something that already exists and do it differently and better.”

Special Guest: Malcolm Scovil - Founder, TLDR and Imagine Golf.

“Wedges are the most frustrating performance part of the golf bag. They are finicky and volatile. We’ve done tremendous things to improve drivers, hybrids and putters but wedge design hasn’t changed much in the past 40 years. I set out to change that.” On our first episode of Season 8, Edison Golf Chairman and Director of Innovation Terry Koehler joins us to share how he created a new standard for wedges that appeal to the massive recreational golf market.

“Whether you’re a tour player or a 20 handicapper, distance consistency with wedges is the biggest problem and it's caused by the club head design. How do I make wedges a forgiving golf club without sacrificing its precision? That is the question we set out to answer with the creation of Edison Forged Wedges”. Terry's 45 years as an entrepreneur, innovator, writer and creative driver has provided a wealth of experience that led to the creatioon of the Edison Golf Company. Accomplished brand manager, product developer, communications driver and writer, for the last two years Terry has been working on a completely new approach to wedge design and the Edison Forged wedges are now available for purchase.

Launched in April 2020, Edison Forged wedges are designed specifically for recreational players, NOT tour professionals and they are unlike anything on the market in spin, launch angle consistency and distance dispersion. Check them out at www.EdisonWedges.com.

Check out our extended conversation with Terry on our YouTube Channel and please subscribe and comment while you're there!

Want to learn more about all things wedges? Terry provides insight and advice on The Wedge Guy blog.

What is Gear Effect on the golf club face? Watch this explainer video to find out >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NceHUbLafOQ

Terry talks about the “Smash Factor” - the efficiency of energy transfer in the golf club - and how he set out to equalize Smash Factor around a bigger area around the face of the golf club compared to what every other wedge does”. Find out about what the optimum "Smash Factor Ratio" number is for each club in your bag >> https://blog.trackmangolf.com/smash-factor/

Don't know what Terry is talking about when he mentioned how they test wedge design performance on Iron Byron? This picture should help.

Special Guest: Terry Koehler - Chairman / Director of Innovation at Edison Golf Company.

That's a wrap for Season 7 of The ModGolf Podcast! Our passionate team of content creators are current working on your next twelve episodes for Season 8, which launches early September 2020. We heard some amazing stories from a diverse group of guests who discussed how technology, entertainment experiences, music, celebrity, hospitality and community building intersect to shape the future of golf.

If you didn’t get the chance to listen to all of our ten Season 7 episodes, this bonus show gives you a recap of the great conversations I had with some of the golf industry's top influencers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Hopefullly this will inspire you to listen to a couple of the episodes listed below.

We're proud to have Golf Genius Software as one of our show sponsor partners and look forward to telling you more about the elegant solutions they create to simplify running golf tournaments. Go to https://www.golfgenius.com/ to learn more!

Our Season 7 guests were:

Episode 1
John Kawaja - President, Honma Golf NA
Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned In The Golf Industry

Episode 2
Shella Sylla - Founder/CEO, SisterGolf
Empowering Women Through Golf

Episode 3
Matt Considine - Founder/CEO at NewClub Golf
Creating a Scalable Business Model Inspired by Traditional Golf Societies

Episode 4
Thinh Tran - Founder/CEO at Transrover
Embracing Resilience, Curiosity and Joy to Fuel The Entrepreneurial Journey

Episode 5
Shayain Gustavsp - LPGA Coach / SJG International
Teaching Golf To Welcome, Elevate and Empower Diverse Communities

Episode 6
Nick Bednar - VP of Operations, Billy Casper Golf
Creating a Launch Point to Grow Golf Participation

Episode 7
Amir Raveh - Founder and President, HYPE Sports Innovation
Building Global Sport Startup Accelerators That Help Innovate Golf

Episode 8
Peter Johnson - CEO and Co-Founder, Phat Scooters
Delivering Great Products That Customers Love

Episode 9
Ian Peterson - CEO ad Founder, Dialed In Golf Solutions
Creating Memorable Golf Experiences For Everyone

Episode 10
Sal Syed - CEO and Co-Founder, Arccos Golf
Combining Big Data and Elegant Design to Create Memorable Golf Moments

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: Amir Raveh - Founder and President, HYPE Sports Innovation, Ian Peterson - Founder & CEO of Dialed in Golf Solutions, John Kawaja - President of Honma Golf NA, Matt Considine - Founder & CEO at NewClub Golf, Nick Bednar - VP of Operations at Billy Casper Golf, Peter Johnson - Co-Founder & CEO of Phat Scooters, Sal Syed: Co-Founder and CEO, Arccos Golf, Shayain Gustavsp - Entrepreneur / LPGA Certified Coach, Shella Sylla - Founder/CEO of SisterGolf, and Thinh Tran - Co-Creator of GimmePro and Founder of Transrover.

“The engine behind Arccos technology captures what you are doing on the golf course which leads to making better decisions and results in better performance outcomes”. Sal Syed, Co-Founder and CEO of Arccos Golf returns to the show for his second appearance to join host Colin Weston and share how his company is innovating, iterating and scaling up.

We've been watching how Arccos has evolved and innovated their product and user experience over the past year and figured it was time to get Sal back on the show for an update. We learned that the power of partnerships and honest customer feedback has propelled Arrcos sensors forward as their product offering has become more robust and refined.

Sal shares some inspiring letters written by passionate users that demonstrate how Arccos Golf helps create memorable moments that last a lifetime. To learn more about Arccos Golf Smart Sensor products and backstory, check out their website.

Special Guest: Sal Syed: Co-Founder and CEO, Arccos Golf.

"We eventually learned how to simplify our product and experience offering while providing even a higher level of service and customer value." Ian Peterson - Founder and CEO of Dialed In Golf Solutions joins us to share his thoughts on innovating the golf industry.

After testing the deWiz biofeedback swing analysis product we were so impressed with the results that we invited them to offer you an exclusive 10% OFF your purchase using promo code MODGOLF! CLICK TO SAVE on deWiz to see (and feel) lasting results in your swing tempo, length and path improvement.

Special Guest: Ian Peterson - Founder & CEO of Dialed in Golf Solutions.

It's funny how random, accidental conversations morph into something special. While returning from The 2024 PGA Show Demo Day in Orlardo on a shuttle bus, host Colin Weston sat beside someone and asked how his day went. That young man was Nick Darby, who was attending on behalf of Get Golfing which is a UK non-profit that acquires and revitalizes distressed golf properties. After an engaging bus ride conversation, Colin asked Nick if he would tell the Get Golfing story on The ModGolf Podcast. Fast forward and here we are. We hope you like this inspiring episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

"Here in the UK we have this issue which I don't see too much globally, where lots of our golf courses are either financially suffering while the land value is increasing. So many golf courses are being bought up, slabbed over with cement and housing estates are being built on them. We are on a mission to change this trend."

"So on the charity side of it, we reinvest and try to acquire golf courses that are going under and put money back into them, back into the communities and really get that golf course to prosper."

Big thanks to Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

"We took over these seven golf courses and we just looked at ourselves and said "Can we actually do this?" We thought "If we don't do this, these golf courses are going to be given to somebody else not necessarily to grow the game of golf." Then we just put our hearts and souls into it."

"It sounds like it's an impossible task because we've only ever operated one golf course to then knowing that we had another golf course that was 300 miles away. It was exhilarating. It was fantastic to go into these golf clubs and say to the staff "You've still got a job, come and work for us. It's going to be fantastic." And then also tell the members of the golf club. "Hey, you're not going anywhere. You're going to stay right here. Your golf course is going to stay open". And that feeling is just incredible and that's why we do what we do. It's because golf is just so important and we owe so much to the game of golf and this is how we give it back".... Nick Darby / Get Golfing

Episode Chapters
03:40: Nick provides an overview of what Get Golfing does and why they do it
05:15: How and when Nick was introduced to golf and who invited him
06:25: The story of the "AHA Moment" and launch of Get Golfing
08:20: How Get Golfing Founder Edward Richardson acquired Redlibbets Golf Club in Kent England
10:15: How during the pandemic Get Golfing went from operating one golf course to seven
13:10: Using Redlibbets GC and the non-profit test case that led to tripling the club membership
30:50: The Festival of Golf... August 2024... 3 day Ladies European Tour Access Series event... includes Night Golf, a Golf Sixes event
32:00: Hosting the first global Ladies Disabled Golf Tournament
39:40: Nick discusses the future of Get Golfing, that includes partnering with innovative technology companies like our show sponsor Golf Genius Software!

FREE membership for ALL junior golfers...2,500 and counting!

You can also learn more about Nick on his bio page.

On this episode Nick shared that their August 2024 "Festival of Golf" weeklong activation will feature a Golf Sixes event. One second ever ModGolf Podcast episode back in 2017 was with then DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley, who talked about their first Golf Sixes event. Click on the image below to listen to this engaging episode.

Want to learn more about the impactful non-profit work Get Golfing takes on, perhaps book a tee time or just hang out at one of their welcoming clubhouses? Have a look at the Go Golfing website or email Nick Darby at nick@getgolfing.org

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guest: Nick Darby - Golf Retail Sales Manager at Get Golfing.

On this episode our host Colin Weston chats with Peter Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO of Phat Scooters who shares insights, stories and business philosophy that has guided him along his entrepreneurial journey.

After testing the deWiz biofeedback swing analysis product we were so impressed with the results that we invited them to offer you an exclusive 10% OFF your purchase using promo code MODGOLF! CLICK TO SAVE on deWiz to see (and feel) lasting results in your swing tempo, length and path improvement.

After college, Peter helped grow the family custom cabinetry business before transitioning into a hybrid world of tech, construction, sustainable product solutions and engineering. All of these experiences led up the founding of Phat Scooters in 2017.

To learn more about Phat Scooters, check out their website and this YouTube explainer video.

Special Guest: Peter Johnson - Co-Founder & CEO of Phat Scooters.

"I’ve been very fortunate at this point in my life to put together my two passions - one is sports and the other one is innovation." On this episode our host Colin Weston sits down with Amir Raveh, Founder and President of HYPE Sports Innovation who shares his thoughts on innovating the golf industry through the Global Sports Accelerator they have built.

"The sports world is going through a massive disruption in terms of innovation. There are dedicated accelerators for many sports but I don’t see one yet in golf. We have the platform with hundreds of startups that would be very happy to change that."

Amir suggests that golf should embrace technology innovations and trends in eSports, blockchain, fan engagement, artificial intelligence, Virtual/Augmented Reality and gamified experiences in order to connect with a younger, more diverse audience.

HYPE has created the first Global Virtual Accelerator with over 350 startups already registered. Do you have a technology-led sport/golf innovation product or service that is past the early prototype stage and has the potential to scale? Then we encourage you to apply to participate in the HYPE Global Virtual Accelerator!

Special Guest: Amir Raveh - Founder and President, HYPE Sports Innovation.

“We’ve always recognized that we are a launch point for people who are picking up the game for the first time. We hold a critical role in growing the game just by the nature of the type of facilities we manage”.

On this episode our host Colin Weston chats with Nick Bednar, VP of Operations with Indigo Golf Partners who shares his industry insights in a COVID-19 "New Normal" world.

In his current position Nick oversees the management and operations of Billy Casper Golf’s portfolio in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia and he also passionately works with The Billy Casper Golf Futures Program.

The BCG Futures Program is centered around bringing access to golf for kids around the country. The program is aligned with the PGA Jr. League. To learn more about one of the many Futures Programs being introduced across BCG’s 151 courses, click to watch this short explainer video.

Special Guest: Nick Bednar - VP of Operations at Billy Casper Golf.

Our host Colin Weston sits down for an engaging conversation with Shayain Gustavsp, Founder & CEO of SJG International and LPGA Certified Golf Coach. With over ten years of experience in the sports industry, Shayain specializes in corporate sponsorship, premium hospitality, customer retentions and event planning.

Shayain is an LPGA Certified Teacher with a passion for creating a safe and welcoming space for all to learn the game of golf. During her time in the corporate world Shayain recognized her ability to play golf and do business on the course was instrumental in fast tracking her career. Her motivation now lies in helping a diverse spectrum of women do the same.

Shayain also runs her own consultancy, SJG International, which services Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams and the entertainment industry. It's services include, VIP Events, Premium Sales and Service, Customer Retention and Corporate Partnership.

Check out and subscribe to Shayain’s YouTube Channel for her fun and informative take on golf, health and business. You can also follow Shayain on Instagram.

Special Guest: Shayain Gustavsp - Entrepreneur / LPGA Certified Coach.

"Making Transrover was like going back to my childhood of creating toys out of what was lying around when I just wanted to make the coolest water gun or air compressed bamboo cannon. That’s all I wanted to do, make something cool for myself and see if I could commercialize it later when I finish college and save some money, because engineering and manufacturing are expensive. At the beginning this method was cheap, just doing it to please myself and to see if I could do this. I knew when Transrover was polished up I'd be ready to take the next step."

After testing the deWiz biofeedback swing analysis product we were so impressed with the results that we invited them to offer you an exclusive 10% OFF your purchase using promo code MODGOLF! CLICK TO SAVE on deWiz to see (and feel) lasting results in your swing tempo, length and path improvement.

On this episode our guest is Thinh Tran, who is the Founder/CEO of Transrover, The All In One Golf Cart. Thinh shares with us his entrepreneurial and personal journey starting when he joined his family in California from Vietnam at the age of 15, his first exposure to golf and the "AHA Moment" that lead to the idea and creation of Transrover.

What's a Transrover? It's a golf bag and pushcart hybrid. Transrover can transform from a cart bag into a pushcart in seconds. Yes, seconds. It also fits perfectly on any riding cart. No more lugging your golf bag over the shoulder or putting up with the cumbersome pushcarts. We invite you to think "outside the bag" and give Transrover a spin. You can learn more about Transrover and Thinh's story on their website .

Special Guest: Thinh Tran - Co-Creator of GimmePro and Founder of Transrover.

“Living in Ireland opened my eyes to a whole different type of golf experience in golf societies, which led to the launch of NewClub Golf ten years later”.

On this episode our guest is Matt Considine, Founder and CEO at NewClub Golf. Modeled after golf societies in Great Britain and Ireland, NewClub is a society of golfers, playing the game as part of a diverse and dynamic community at a selection of compelling courses and honored clubs.

NewClub Golf Core Values

COMMUNITY We are a friendly, generous, and humble society connected by our love for the game of golf. The post-round hang.

INTEGRITY We are honest and trustworthy, unconditionally treating others well, both on and off the golf course.

REVERENCE We share a deep respect and gratitude for golf, its participants, and all those who contribute to its enjoyment.

INCLUSIVITY We cherish the perspectives and experiences of others from diverse backgrounds, living by the principle that we have far more that connects us than divides us.

MINDFULNESS We believe golf is a metaphor for life, striving to learn and improve through its journey and those we share it with.

To learn more, go to https://www.newclub.golf and find them on social media at NewClubGolf.

Special Guest: Matt Considine - Founder & CEO at NewClub Golf.

"One of the things entrepreneurs need to understand is that before you take the leap there are a lot of steps that you need to prepare before doing it because there will be a period of time when you are building the business with no revenues coming in. You need to sustain yourself so you’re not pressuring the business in order for it to succeed. Because what that leads to is you taking shortcuts and doing things that are detrimental to the business and do not move it forward."

On this episode our guest is Shella Sylla, who is a Career Strategist, Business Golf Professional and Founder/CEO of SisterGolf. SisterGolf specializes in showing professional women how to combine the game of golf with the art of business to gain a higher level of access to more opportunities and accelerate their career advancement.

After testing the deWiz biofeedback swing analysis product we were so impressed with the results that we invited them to offer you an exclusive 10% OFF your purchase using promo code MODGOLF! CLICK TO SAVE on deWiz to see (and feel) lasting results in your swing tempo, length and path improvement.

______________________________________________

Mission Statement
The mission of SisterGolf is to educate male and female business professionals on how they can use golf as a tool for developing mutually beneficial business relationships, and creating connections for professional advancement in the Corporate America workplace.

Executive Summary
SisterGolf is the brainchild of Shella Sylla, ex-banking executive with over 18 years in the financial services industry. Shella experienced firsthand how golf can positively impact your career or business after taking up the sport early on in her banking career. As a result of signing up for and taking lessons, in a few short months, she went from struggling to meet her monthly goal of $500,000 to being a repeat member of the “Million dollar” club (a designation given to associates who exceeded $1 million in production in any given month).

While reaping the rewards of this new found “secret” to success, Shella noticed that very few women, if any at all were taking advantage of the business development and relationship building opportunities that golf has to offer. This prompted her to create SisterGolf as a tool for helping women to learn and leverage the game of golf for business and career success.

Shortly after launching a series of workshops, clincs and events designed to help women get in the game, Shella began getting numerous requests from male executives and professionals to provide a similar program for them. As a result, what began as a quest to empower women in the workplace, expanded to include a curriculum that will benefit both male and female professionals interested in using golf as a tool for relationship building and professional engagement.
______________________________________________

If you love golf, we have exclusive deals on golf gear and services that we use and support! We launched The ModGolf Pro Shop to offer you - our ModGolfers - 10-20% OFF exclusive discounts using promo code MODGOLF. We have curated a diverse selection of awesome brands like KINONA, deWiz Golf, ODIN Golf, Back2Basics Golf, Deuce and Project72Golf to help you play better and look great while doing it. CLICK TO SHOP AND SAVE.

Special Guest: Shella Sylla - Founder/CEO of SisterGolf.

"Extraordinary can happen with a belief that you can change the world. A conviction that gives you the boldness and the creativity to imagine something better, something different We developed a division of a great brand that really had no reason for being, but we gave it one. We created purpose to our approach to golf and the result was changing “the uniform” of the game".

On our first episode of Season 7, Colin speaks with Honma Golf NA President John Kawaja about his three decade career in the golf industry. John shares his experience at TaylorMade adidas Golf where they disruptively innovated the performance apparel side of the game, along with how being part of a world champion curling team helped shape his approach to business leadership.

You can learn more about Honma Golf by visiting https://us.honmagolf.com/

Special Guest: John Kawaja - President of Honma Golf NA.

That's a wrap for Season 6 of The ModGolf Podcast! Our passionate team of content creators are feverishly working on your next twelve episodes for Season 7, which launches early January 2020. We heard some amazing stories from a diverse group of guests who discussed how technology, entertainment experiences, music, celebrity, hospitality and community building intersect to shape the future of golf.

If you didn’t get the chance to listen to all of our ten Season 6 episodes, this bonus show gives you a recap of the great conversations I had over the past three months with some of the golf industry's top influencers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Hopefullly this will inspire you to listen to a couple of the episodes listed below.

We're excited to announce our partnership with Golf Genius Software and look forward to telling you more about the elegant solutions they've created to simplify running golf tournaments. Go to https://www.golfgenius.com/ to learn more!

Our Season 6 guests were:

Episode 1
Professor Renée Mauborgne - Blue Ocean Strategy Co-author
Creating New Golf Markets That Make The Competition Irrelevant

Episode 2
Kevin Thistle - CEO of The PGA of Canada
Building Links That Welcome Newcomers To The Game

Episode 3
Tanelle Bolt - Founder, RAD Society / Adaptive Para-golfer
Finding a New Life and Purpose Through Golf

Episode 4
Dr. Roger Hawkes - Executive Director, The Golf and Health Project
Revealing The Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Golf

Episode 5
Gina Rizzi - Principal, Radius Sports Group
Connecting Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sport

Episode 6
Larry Gilhuly - USGA Agronomist with the TEE IT FORWARD program
TEE IT FORWARD To Increase Enjoyment and Participation in Golf

Episode 7
Rich Katz - Founder and Principal, buffalo.agency
Making a Positive Statement About "The State of Golf"

Episode 8
Adam Heieck - CEO of Youth On Course
Growing The Game By Providing Youth Access To Affordable Golf

Episode 9
Azucena Maldonado - Founder of Latina Golfers Association
Transforming Latina Women's Lives Through Golf

Episode 10
Dale Merritt - CEO of Golfpay
Creating Frictionless Customer Experiences For Recreational Golfers

Special Guests: Adam Heieck - CEO of Youth On Course, Azucena Maldonado, Founder of The Latina Golfers Association, Dale Merritt - CEO of Golfpay, Dr. Roger Hawkes, Executive Director for The Golf & Health Project, Gina Rizzi - President of ARCUS Marketing Group and Principal of Radius Sports Group, Kevin Thistle - CEO, The PGA of Canada, Larry Gilhuly - USGA Agronomist and TEE IT FORWARD program advocate., Renée Mauborgne - Co-author of Blue Ocean Strategy and Blue Ocean Shift, Rich Katz - Katz Strategy, and Tanelle Bolt - Founder of The RAD Society and Adaptive Para-Golfer.

"I focus on the behaviours of the modern consumer. It's a fascinating topic to me. How, and why golf is so far behind embracing the customer experience, how it is affecting the golf business, and how it can be solved." On our final episode of Season 6, Colin speaks with entrepreneur and Golfpay CEO Dale Merritt about harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, machine learning and experience design to create a frictionless mobile golf round check-in platform that removes pain points and frustration for both recreational golfers and the course operators.

Almost half way through their second full year in the market with Golfpay (V2), they project to increase mobile check-ins by around 42% in terms of the ratio of reservations to mobile check-ins from 2018 to 19'. This is a 750 to 800% increase in total reservations, averaging 2.41 customer files per reservation across all operators, all collected automatically without a single operator manually collecting contact data like email, mobile phone number, zip codes.

Learn more by visiting www.golfpay.co

Special Guest: Dale Merritt - CEO of Golfpay.

At the annual PGA Show late January in Orlando I always make a point of taking the 30 minute bus shuttle out to Demo Day to kick the tires of the golf industry's latest equipment at the 360º range facility. The product that really caught my attention had nothing to do with hitting balls across the 400 yard diameter driving range. Off to the side was a compact setup that exuded a fun vibe where people were hitting oversized plastic whiffle balls with an oversized plastic club.... at buckets with flags in them.

This was my introduction to BucketGolf. After playing a quick round I struck up a conversation with Founder and CEO Tyler Simmons to learn about how BucketGolf came to be. Tyler's entrepreneurial journey aligns nicely with the stories we showcase on The ModGolf Podcast, so I had no choice but to invite him to share it with all of us.

"I figured out after looking at my roommate throw his clothes into his pop-up laundry hamper that I should just make pop-up buckets which solved a ton of issues for us. The game became cheaper because the box is much smaller and it cut the price in half. Two years in is when the snowball started rolling down the hill. Once I figured out the social media side, marketing strategy and of how to get the game out there, it all clicked at the same time."... BucketGolf CEO and Founder Tyler Simmons

I discovered BucketGolf and Tyler at the 2024 PGA Show Demo Day, where we created a couple of videos for our ModGolf Instragram. Click on the image to watch and give it a 'Like' and follow us while you're there!

We want to thank our Episode Presenting Partner Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

You can also learn more about Tyler on his bio page and purchase your own BucketGolf set from their website.

"The hardest part in the beginning was how long it took me to learn how things work. We really didn't see any success for the first two years. I was trying as hard as I could and put everything I had into BucketGolf outside of my regular day job. The biggest insight for me was learning that shipping is very expensive. You need your box to be small. The light bulb moment that took us from "not doing too much in sales for the first couple years to starting to go upward" was the buckets used to be a soft flexible plastic and the box they shipped in was too big."... Tyler Simmons

Episode Chapters
[03:10] How and when Tyler was introduced to golf and who invited him
[04:20] The "AHA moment" that led to the creation of BucketGolf
[06:50] What it's like to play BucketGolf and set up a course
[09:55] Tyler shares stories of the most amazing BucketGolf shots he has seen
[10:50] We learn about the BucketGolf ball and clubs
[12:45] How BucketGolf opens the game up to people who have never played before
[13:40] The story behind coming up with the brand name "BucketGolf"
[14:40] How "BucketGolf Glow" allows people to play at night
[16:30] Tyler discusses why they decided to attend The PGA Show and value it provided
[18:50] BucketGolf's B2B marketing strategy to sell to businesses, schools and organizations
[20:20] Tyler's background and experience before launchnig BucketGolf (hint: he had a lot to learn!)
[21:10] Steps and sequencing Tyler took to design and manufacture the orginal BucketGolf product
[23:00] The design pivot Tyler took that changed the pricing and sales volume for BucketGolf
[25:50] The BucketGolf manufacturing process
[29:00] The Power of Partnerships to accelerate BucketGolf's growth
[31:00] BucketGolf tournaments, events and social media content creation
[32:40] The best user-created BucketGolf courses that Tyler has seen

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guest: Tyler Simmons - CEO and Founder of BucketGolf.

"We teach women how to leverage golf as a business tool so they can shatter the glass ceiling with a golf ball”. On our latest episode, Azucena Maldonado, Founder of The Latina Golfers Association joins us to share how she has built a nationally scalable business that empowers women in the Greater Los Angeles area both on and off the golf course.

Azucena Maldonado is a trailblazer on a mission to transform women’s lives through golf. She founded the Latina Golfers Association (LGA) in 2008. Introducing women of all ages to golf for their professional development, personal enjoyment, and to promote a healthy lifestyle. With over 1,200 members in Los Angeles County, Azucena has received numerous awards and recognition for making an impact on growing the game of golf in the Latino community including being inducted in the Latino Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

To learn more about The Latina Golfers Association, visit their website.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guest: Azucena Maldonado, Founder of The Latina Golfers Association.

"While everyone recognized the need to work together, there are still so many silos in golf. The industry is so fragmented that we decided to take a collaborative, wholistic approach in order to bring more kids to the game and to transition them through the funnel to the next progressive step”.

This week our host Colin Weston sits down for a conversation with Adam Heieck, CEO of Youth On Course. Adam joins us to share how his organization provides youth ages 6-18 with access to life-changing opportunities through golf.

Are you a golf course owner or operator struggling with the complexities of running tournaments? Do you want to spend less more running them while increasing revenue and profit margins? Check out our friends at Golf Genius to learn how they can help make the magic happen. >> https://www.golfgenius.com/

Youth On Course partners with golf industry organizations such as The PGA of America, PGA Jr. League and The First Tee, which has provided the network and resourses to scale their program nationally. Youth On Course's most recent collaboration is with Golf Canada, allowing them to seamlessly access one of the biggest golf markets in the world. Check out our episode with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Appplebaum to hear about the innovative initiatives they are experimenting with to broaden golf's appeal and accessibility.

To learn more about Youth On Course, check out their website.

By The Numbers - Youth On Course Growth and Traction Data

Special Guest: Adam Heieck - CEO of Youth On Course.

Rich Katz discussing "The State of Golf" on The ModGolf Podcast

buffalo.agency Founder and Principal Rich Katz is our guest on this episode of The ModGolf Podcast, where he shares insights and stories from his nearly 30 years in the golf industry. Rich's engaging conversation with host Colin Weston started with discussing the history of buffalo.agency and covered a wide range of golf innovation topics including:

• the sustainability of golf participation
• the positive effects of the $84 billion/year golf industry has on the environment, the enconomy and society
• growth areas in the game and industry
• The Tiger Effect, both the positives and downsides on growing the game
• the effective use of technology for enhancing both on-course and off-course golf experiences
• the increase in Millennials/women/minorities participation
• diversity and inclusion initiatives such as the WE ARE GOLF #inviterHER program
• golf course closers as a good thing for the health and viability of the sport and the business of golf
• environmental impact / “triple bottom line” sustainability platform - Environmental/Economic/Social
• latent demand in the sport and how to unlock it

Rich talked about the influence of "Generation G", referencing the work done by Dr. Alexis Abramson to highlight the charactistics of this North American market segment who is between age 45 and 65.
Go to https://www.alexisabramson.com/ to learn more.

Are you a golf course owner or operator struggling with the complexities of running tournaments? Do you want to spend less more running them while increasing revenue and profit margins? Check out our friends at Golf Genius to learn how they can help make the magic happen. >> https://www.golfgenius.com/

Special Guest: Rich Katz - Katz Strategy.

In Larry Gilhuly’s opinion, the three biggest issues facing the game of golf are pace of play, player enjoyment and economic sustainability. Larry believes he has the solution for all three: “The answer for all of these, in my opinion, are properly placed forward tees.”

This week our host Colin Weston speaks with Larry Gilhuly, who is an Agronomist with The United States Golf Association and a passionate advocate of the TEE IT FORWARD program.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

TEE IT FORWARD is a joint initiative between the USGA and The PGA of America that encourages players to play from a set of tees best suited to their driving distance. In addition to providing more enjoyment for golfers, teeing it forward also can be one of the most important steps that golfers take in improving pace of play.

A recent survey of TEE IT FORWARD participants found that:
56% played faster
56% are likely to play golf more often
83% hit more-lofted clubs into greens
85% had more fun
93% will TEE IT FORWARD again

New forward tees allow more golfers to play from a yardage that is appropriate for their swing speed and ability. They also help new players take up the game.

For much of his 35-year career with the United States Golf Association, Gilhuly was all about agronomy. His formal title with the USGA is Agronomist, West Region. In other words, Gilhuly is an expert on growing grass. But in recent years, Gilhuly has become passionate - very passionate - about teeing it forward. And by forward, he means way forward. “This topic that I am talking about has got me fired up,” Gilhuly told us. It was hard not to buy his argument. Gilhuly came armed with data to back up his claim that courses are too hard, even from the current forward tees, for average female golfers and senior players.

As we age, our swing speeds decline and so does the distance we hit the ball. The average female player, Gilhuly said, has a swing speed of about 60 miles per hour. She averages about 140 yards with her driver, 120 yards with her 3-wood and about 60 yards with her wedge. That makes it impossible for that player to hit greens in regulation on the vast majority of holes from the current forward tees at most courses. “There are a lot of golfers, males, who can reach the green in regulation with a lot of different clubs, but not the women,” Gilhuly said.

This isn’t a new problem. Gilhuly described an article headlined, “Women Handicapped By Men’s Courses.” It was written in 1917 by Alexa Stirling, a past U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion. “This has been a problem for a lot longer than I think we all realize,” he said.

U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion Alexa Stirling, Circa 1919

Over 100 Years Ago Stirling concluded that golf courses were set up for men to the detriment of female golfers. Thankfully, golf course operators are slowly starting to get it. Gilhuly and other 'Tee it Forward' proponents have been able to convince them that in order to set up a course so it presents an equal challenge to that faced by more accomplished players playing from the regular or back tees, the forward tees need to be moved forward, on average, about 1,000 yards.

“Properly placed forward tees give all players a good experience,” Gilhuly said. “Think about it, if you started a business from scratch and wanted to be successful, would you say 'let’s make sure in our model here that half of the population tries it once and quits.' I don’t think that is what you do. You try and encompass everybody. This is not just for female players. It is for everybody.”
From most current forward tees, which average in the neighbourhood of 5,200 yards, players with slower swing speeds have no chance of hitting greens in regulation on most holes. In fact, on many courses the only greens that can be reached in regulation for those players are the par 3s.

“For (average) females a par 3 should not be longer than 140 (yards), the length of a par 4 should not be over 260 and a par 5 should not be over 380,” Gilhuly said. “There is this magic number that I find at almost every course and it’s usually between 4,000 and 4,300 yards,” he said.

Click to watch the TEE IT FORWARD YouTube explanatory video

“That’s it. It always seems to fall in that category. People look at me and blink. They thought the course was short enough at 5,000. No, not even close. And then you can do combinations with these new tees and the (former) forward tees. That’s the whole idea of this. It is happening. Golf courses are starting to do this.” Players who never stood a chance of making pars and birdies now have that opportunity. And Gilhuly said the game becomes fun for them again.

New forward tees also prompt the stubborn older guys to move up to the former front tees. And they will make it easier for kids to begin the game. “Forward tees are good for the game,” Gilhuly said. “They are. They give everybody an option. Pace of play has improved when forward tees are added. All my friends who have lost their swing speed over the last 10 years are now playing what were the old forward tees.”

Gilhuly had another message for us: “Red is dead,” he said, referring to red tees. “I hate red colours,” he said. “If we could just do this one thing, get rid of the red tees. It is amazing what happens. Gilhuly said some courses have dropped colour-coded tees all together and started simply numbering their tees. “Start with 1 being the forward tee and work your way back,” he said. “Seniors will move forward. I guarantee it. I will buy you a beer if they don’t.

“Pace of play, player enjoyment and economic sustainability all improve with forward tees,” Gilhuly said in closing. “In my opinion this century-old mistake holds the key to our game. That’s a bold comment but it is so simple. If we just add these forward tees we will get more women into the game. There’s no question in my mind.”

Special Guest: Larry Gilhuly - USGA Agronomist and TEE IT FORWARD program advocate..

"I showed corporate organizations how they could save money and make money, all while doing good things”.

This week our host Colin Weston sits down for a conversation with Gina Rizzi, Founder and Principal of Radius Sports Group and President of ARCUS Marketing Group. Gina joins us to share how her companies are unlocking new value between the intersection of sport, sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Are you a golf course owner or operator struggling with the complexities of running tournaments? Do you want to spend less more running them while increasing revenue and profit margins? Check out our friends at Golf Genius to learn how they can help make the magic happen. >> https://www.golfgenius.com/

Gina Rizzi is the President of ARCUS Marketing Group and Principal of Radius Sports Group. Gina is a speaker and passionate advocate for helping businesses, golf, and sports industries drive financial performance while positively impacting society and the environment. She's an expert in marketing, sustainability, sports marketing, and corporate social responsibility.

You can watch Gina's inspirational "Innovate State" talk at Michigan State University here.

To learn more about Radius Sports Group, check out their website.

ARCUS is a business-to-business marketing firm which generates sustainable business growth for Fortune 500 clients nationwide with operations in San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, and Reno. The firm’s focus areas include marketing strategy, sports marketing, media optimization, corporate social responsibility, and activation of diversity, inclusion, environmental sustainability, and community engagement programs.

Radius℠ provides sustainability consulting within the sports industry, partnering with sports leaders, teams, franchises, golf courses, golf management companies, facilities, industry suppliers, and governing bodies to optimize environmental and social sustainability programs, while driving revenue growth and cost reductions.

Special Guest: Gina Rizzi - President of ARCUS Marketing Group and Principal of Radius Sports Group.

“We are changing some hearts and minds, as colleagues in the Department of Health in London who said they never believed golf would be of any health benefit see the positive impact on mental health and physical wellness".

This week our host Colin Weston sits down for a conversation with Dr. Roger Hawkes, Exective Director for The Golf & Health Project. Roger shares how his organization helps drive an increased participation in golf, improve the public image of our sport, and raise support for golf in the political arena.

Are you a golf course owner or operator struggling with the complexities of running tournaments? Do you want to spend less more running them while increasing revenue and profit margins? Check out our friends at Golf Genius to learn how they can help make the magic happen. >> https://www.golfgenius.com/

The British Journal of Sports Medicine published this Golf and Health infographic to demonstrate the fitness benefits of the sport.

To learn more about The Golf and Health Project, check out their webiste.

Special Guest: Dr. Roger Hawkes, Executive Director for The Golf & Health Project.

“My first shot of The Mallorca International Wheelchair Golf Open Championship, off the tee, in front of everyone, cameras are on, people are watching. I hit the ball, nailed it with a driver, and everybody clapped as they do in golf that you hear on TV and it was so perfect."

This week our host Colin Weston sits down for a conversation with Tanelle Bolt, an adaptive paragolfer who was paralyzed from the chest down resulting from an extreme sport accident six years ago. Tanelle shares her difficult yet personally rewarding journey of a life transformed after suffering this devastating injury.

Are you a golf course owner or operator struggling with the complexities of running tournaments? Do you want to spend less more running them while increasing revenue and profit margins? Check out our friends at Golf Genius to learn how they can help make the magic happen. >> https://www.golfgenius.com/

Tanelle is a passionate advocate for universal design and accessible barrier-free rights and still maintains an active outdoor lifestyle. Her love for the outdoors combined with her entrepreneurial spirit has led to the creation of Keener, which is an outdoor adventure app that allows adaptive athletes to “connect to disconnect”. Keenr completed the beta testing phase and launched in Q4 2019.

“My goal with RAD is to provide accessibility for people outdoors who can’t afford it and provide a platform for you to build your own inventory of adaptive equipment based on your own knowledge”. Click here to learn more about the work Tanelle does with The RAD Recreation Adapted Society. All donations go directly to getting an adaptive athletic out of the house and moving with joy in nature.

Special Guest: Tanelle Bolt - Founder of The RAD Society and Adaptive Para-Golfer.

“We need to link a newcomer's first golf experience to a golf course experience in a friendly, welcoming and inclusive way in order for the game to grow." This week our host Colin Weston speaks with PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle to learn about the initiatives and partnerships they are launching to get a club in the hands of non-golfers in a fun and familiar group setting. Kevin also shares the work they do by taking an open and innovative educational approach to teaching the next generation of golf professionals around the world.

Are you a golf course owner or operator struggling with the complexities of running tournaments? Do you want to spend less more running them while increasing revenue and profit margins? Check out our friends at Golf Genius to learn how they can help make the magic happen. >> https://www.golfgenius.com/

You can learn more about The PGA of Canada by visiting thier website.

We discuss The PGA of Canada / Golf Canada Future Links "Golf In School" Program

Kevin talks about the succes of The RBC PGA Scramble

RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company Local Qualifiers Player Registration is NOW OPEN! >> https://rbcpgascramble.com/local-qualifiers/ With more than 150 Local Qualifiers across the country, you're bound to find a venue (or a couple) to tee it up at.

Local Qualifiers provide an opportunity for you and three friends to play a fun round of golf at your club or a course that you have wanted to play but never had the chance, all in an attempt to progress through the stages to the extravagant RBC PGA Scramble National Final at Cabot Links this October.

For more information about the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company of Canada, please contact Brittany Mullin at brittany@pgaofcanada.com

Special Guest: Kevin Thistle - CEO, The PGA of Canada.

“I think those pain points in all areas of golf are tremendous opportunities to rethink the industry in many exciting ways"

To kick off Season 6 our host Colin Weston speaks to Professor Renée Mauborgne, co-author of the best-selling business books Blue Ocean Strategy and Blue Ocean Shift. Renée provides a masterclass on how golf industry businesses and organizations can capture new demand, find new customers and make the competition irrelevant.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

On this episode Renée and Colin cover a wide range of golf industry topics including:
• How non-golf oganizations like Cirque de Soleil, Airbnb and Apple have applied Blue Ocean Strategy to their success.
• How you can shift your organization from competing to creating with tools and a framework in a risk-minimizing way.
• If you want to create a blue ocean, you can’t look at what people are doing in your competitive set. You need to look outside to understand how to shift what you do to creat new value.

To learn more about how Blue Ocean Strategy has unlocked new growth in the golf industry, read Colin's blog post "Turning Green Fairways Into Blue Oceans".

Renée speaks about how successful companies have created new products/services/experiences that appeal to the ocean of "non-customers" that both Topgolf and Cirque de Soleil have captured. Rather than competing over the existing customers your industry fights over, Blue Ocean Strategy allows you to attact a much bigger audience found in the "Three tiers of non-customers".

To learn more about Blue Ocean Strategy, visit their website at https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/

Special Guest: Renée Mauborgne - Co-author of Blue Ocean Strategy and Blue Ocean Shift.

That's a wrap for Season 5 of The ModGolf Podcast! Our passionate team of content creators are feverishly working on your next twelve episodes for Season 6, which launches on April 9. We heard some amazing stories from a diverse group of guests who discussed how technology, entertainment experiences, music, celebrity, hospitality and community building intersect to shape the future of golf.

If you didn’t get the chance to listen to all of our twelve Season 5 episodes, this bonus show gives you a recap of the great conversations I had over the past three months with some of the golf industry's top influencers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Hopefullly this will inspire you to listen to a couple of the episodes listed below.

We're excited to announce our partnership with Golf Genius Software and look forward to telling you more about the elegant solutions they've created to simplify running golf tournaments. Go to https://www.golfgenius.com/ to learn more!

Our Season 5 guests were:

Episode 1
Joanne Cloak / Founder and CEO of JoFit
Empowering Her Team To Reach Their Creative Potential

Episode 2
Jared Williams / The Golf USA Team Coalition
Embracing Technology and Diversity to Create a Bright Future For Golf

Episode 3
Mike Zisman / CEO of Golf Genius
Sharing A Passion For Building Elegantly Simple Solutions to Solve Complex Problems

Episode 4
Dogu Taskiran / CEO of Stambol Studios
How Virtual Reality Will Influence The Future of Golf

Episode 5
Steve Rosen / General Manager of Indian Wells Golf Resort
Re-imaging Golf Experiences With "Shots In The Night"

Episode 6
Gia Bocra Liwski / Founder of Golf Experiences for Her
The Emergence of The Golf Industry "Mompreneur"

Episode 7
Dale Jackson / Canadian member of The USGA/R&A Joint Rules Committee
Revealing The Process Behind Creating The New Rules of Golf

Episode 8
Marc Simon / Event Vice President of PGA Golf Exhibitions for Reed Exhibitions
Creating The Innovation Lab For The Golf Industry

Episode 9
PGA Merchandise Show Recap - Part 1
Featuring Aimee Cho, HYPE Sports Innovation and The Global Golf Innovation Competition

Episode 10
PGA Merchandise Show Recap - Part 2
Featuring Latina Golfers Association Founder Azucena Moldenado and Tagmarshal Co-Founder/CEO Bodo Sieber

Episode 11
Matt Pringle / The USGA's Senior Director of Research, Science & Innovation
Creating a "Lean Startup" Culture At The USGA

Episode 12
Laurence Applebaum / CEO of Golf Canada
Creating Golf Moments That Matter

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: Azucena Maldonado, Founder of The Latina Golfers Association, Bodo Sieber, Co-Founder and CEO of Tagmarshal, Chris Månsson - Founder & CEO of Kinexit, Dale Jackson - Past Joint Rules Committee Member to rewrite of the New Rules of Golf 2019, Dave Shultz - Founder & CEO of NextLinks / REALiTEE Golf, Dogu Taskiran - CEO of Stambol Studios, Fabio Peral - Founder & CEO of GOLFBOO, Gia Bocra Liwski - Founder of Golf Experiences for Her, Ilan Hadar - Partner & CEO at HYPE Sports Innovation, Joanne Cloak - CEO and Founder, JoFit, Jon Claffey - Vice President of Marketing for Tour Edge Golf, Laurence Applebaum - CEO, Golf Canada, Marc Simon - Event Vice President for PGA Golf Exhibitions / RX Reed Exhibitions, and Mike Zisman - CEO, Golf Genius Software.

David Hinkle and Rio Valeriano with T36 Golf are flipping the script on traditional golf and redefining the sport for a new generation of golfers. Their revolutionary "Double Loop" design lets you experience a full 18-hole game with a smaller environmental footprint and shorter playtime.

T36 Golf's unique "Double Loop" layout at Baytown Texas amplifies the player experience while reducing time of play by an hour and the land required to around half of that of a traditional 18 hole course.

"I decided to go down to Key Largo and took my significant other Dina. We walked into this place called The Raw Bar and we sit at the only two seats available next to another couple and we order a drink called a "Dinarita". It's a margarita with a good tequila, splash of Chambord, no salt. So they say "Those sound great! Get us two of those." That struck up a conversation with this gentleman that was involved in golf. Three weeks later, I called him and said "I've got this course, 118 acres. I know we can't do an 18-hole golf course. What can we do?" He said "Actually you can build an 18-hole golf course on that acreage. Let me introduce you to somebody". That led us to a golf course architect which was that "AHA Moment" that ultimately evolved into T36 Golf."... Co-Founder Rio Valeriano

We want to thank our Episode Presenting Partner Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

Episode Chapters
[03:00] How and when Rio and David were introduced to golf
[08:00] How David and Rio met each other and the "AHA Moment" that started T36 Golf
[11:30] Rio shares the "Dinarita" cocktail story at a Key Largo bar that led to meeting the right person at the right time
[15:00] How and why they decided to build the first T36 Golf course in Baytown Texas
[21:10] The "Double Loop" course layout explained
[26:00] course design considerations to ensure the playing experience is fast, safe and fun
[28:00] David talks about their target demographics and how they take a Blue Ocean Strategy approach to their business model
[34:20] Their branding exercise and how they landed on the name "T36 Golf"
[37:30] The importance of supporting youth golf at T36 Golf and Troon
[39:30] How they have created a community gathering place for the people of Baytown
[42:00] amplifying the customer experience through the restaurant, menu and lounge design
[44:30] future expansion plans for the T36 Golf brand

You can also learn more about Rio and David on thier bio pages.

Want to check out T36 Baytown (located 30 minutes east of Houston Texas) and perhaps book a tee time? Have a look at their website to learn more.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: David Hinkle - Co-Founder and Principal at T36 Golf and Rio Valeriano - Co-Founder and Principal at T36 Golf.

"If your best moment is being on the golf course, we want to create more moments like that". This week our host Colin Weston speaks to Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. Since 2017 Laurence has lead the team at Golf Canada - the National Sport Federation and governing body for golf in Canada - with a mission to "have more people playing more golf and to succeed within the sport than ever before”.

On this episode Laurence and Colin cover a wide range of golf industry topics including:
• How Golf Canada is focused on bringing new people to golf: “We are here to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf, to have more people playing more golf and to succeed within the sport than ever before”
• “As a governance body we have a responsibility to take the obstacles down and make golf more welcoming as a sport"
• Laurence talks about Golf Canada’s High Performance Centre at Bear Mountain GC in Victoria BC, which is their Longterm Player Development Program.
• “We adopted an equity and diversity policy and this policy has become so renowned that it’s being picked up by other national sport federations and golf associations and it’s really been driving the growth in female participation”.
• The Brooke Henderson Effect on young girls and boys. “What makes Brooke so special is that she’s incredibly relatable. She’s kind and thoughtful but on the course Brooke is a fierce and focused competitor”.
• They discuss National Golf Day in Canada, taking place May 1st on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
• Laurence talks about the philanthropic side of golf: "Golfers in Canada raise over half a billion dollars for charitable endeavours. That is more than the next 40 sports combined".
• The environmental, economic and social sustainability of golf and golf courses.
• Laurence talks about the new rules of golf and the fine work Diane Barabé - Golf Canada's current rules chair - does
• How Golf Canada looks to "make golf fun, fast and accessible and understandable, speeding it up and make it more relatable".
• “The platform of diversity and inclusion is going to put this sport on a trajectory that we haven’t seen before”.
•Laurence leaves us with this: "If your best moment is being on the golf course, we want to create more moments like that. Our goal is to bring joy to people’s lives in some small way".

Would you like to volunteer for Golf Canada? Recruitment for 2019 Tournament Officials (Starting, Scoring and Rules) is now open. Please click here to register and apply.

Golf Canada supports several charitable initiatives, including Golf For The Cure to raise money for breast cancer research and support. To learn more click here.

Through Golf Canada’s Future Links “Golf In Schools” program supported by Acura, children in 25% of all schools in Canada will have participated by the end of 2019.

About Laurence Applebaum
With a sports management career spanning nearly 25 years in Canada, Europe and the United States, Laurence Applebaum proudly returned home when he was named Chief Executive Officer of Golf Canada, the National Sport Federation and governing body for golf in Canada in July of 2017.

In his role as CEO, Applebaum oversees the executive management and strategic direction of Golf Canada’s multi-faceted business which includes Membership & Sport; Commercial Operations overseeing all revenue and marketing activities; fostering key relationships at the provincial, national and international level; and conducting Championships including the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open. Applebaum also represents Golf Canada on numerous committees and advisory councils including the Golf Canada Foundation, National Golf Foundation, the International Golf & Health Initiative, the PGA TOUR’s President’s Cup, the Canadian Olympic Committee and We Are Golf comprising the leadership of the Canadian golf industry.

Special Guest: Laurence Applebaum - CEO, Golf Canada.

“We’re now up to a team of five and we like to think of ourselves as a scrappy startup within The USGA". This week our host Colin Weston speaks to the USGA's Senior Director of Research, Science & Innovation Matthew Pringle. Beginning in 2016, Matt has lead a new team at the USGA called Research, Science, & Innovation with a mission to "create innovative tools that help golf facilities improve the golf experience and reduce the consumption of key resources".

On this episode Matt and Colin refer to the "Lean Startup" approach to quickly experiment with and validate ideas/products/services. The USGA has embraces Lean Startup's abilitity to "Apply entrepreneurial management to drive innovation in any size organization or sector".

Matt's team also organized the 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium in Vancouver, BC and will be stage it again in 2019 in Tokyo.
5th Golf Innovation Symposium March 2019 in Tokyo

About Matt Pringle
Matt joined the USGA in 2000 after completing his doctoral thesis at McMaster University. He was hired to the position of Research Engineer and from 2000 to 2016, held the positions of Sr. Research Engineer, Research Manager, and Technical Director in the Equipment Standards group. Beginning in 2016, Matt has lead a new team at the USGA called Research, Science, & Innovation with a mission to create innovative tools that help golf facilities improve the golf experience and reduce the consumption of key resources. Most recently, his team organized the 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium in Vancouver, BC and unveiled the USGA Resource Management tool which enables golf facilities to quantify and conduct what-if scenario analysis on the resources used to maintain their course.

Some of Matt's contributions to the USGA include the invention of the pendulum test for spring effect in drivers, the USGA TruFirm turf firmness measurement system used at all USGA championships as well as many other PGA TOUR and major golf championships. Matt is also the co-inventor of the USGA’s GrooveScan portable groove measurement system and the USGA’s flagstick pace of play tool. He is also the inventor or co-inventor on seven United States patents related to golf.

In 2010 Matt was named to Sports Illustrated’s GOLF's 40 Under 40: The most influential people in golf under 40-years-old.

About The USGA
"The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it". This is the USGA Mission Statement and these core values are embraced by Matt's Research, Science and Innovation Team. Visit http://www.usga.org/ to learn more about The USGA and www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rsi.html to see the fine work Matt and his RSI team are delivering.

Special Guest: Matthew Pringle - Senior Director of Research, Science & Innovation with The USGA.

On this episode we continue our recap of the PGA Merchandise Show with more engaging conversations with the innovators, entrepreneurs and community builders who are helping shape the future of golf. Host Colin Weston speaks with Latina Golfers Association Founder Azucena Moldenado, Tagmarshal Co-Founder and CEO Bodo Sieber, Tour Edge VP of Marketing Jon Claffey, Golf Scope Founder Ryan Engles and Perry Reynolds with New Balance Golf.

Latina Golfers Association

Through their participation in the Latina Golfers Association, women are able to break gender and cultural barriers through golf as well as enhance their personal lives. http://latinagolfers.com/

Tagmarshal

Tagmarshal is a golf course intelligence and pace management platform that improves efficiencies and increases revenue through actionable data and intuitive technology. https://tagmarshal.com/

Golf Scope VR putting App

Golf Scope is an iPhone app that uses your phone's camera to understand the topography and speed of a putting green. http://www.golfscope.com/

Tour Edge Golf https://www.touredge.com/

New Balance Golf Shoes

You can watch the video of Colin's conversation with Perry Reynolds from New Balance Golf on our YouTube Channel >>

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: Azucena Maldonado, Founder of The Latina Golfers Association, Bodo Sieber, Co-Founder and CEO of Tagmarshal, Jon Claffey - Vice President of Marketing for Tour Edge Golf, and Ryan Engle, Founder and CEO of GOLF+.

On this episode we bring you golf innovation stories from the 66th annual PGA Merchandise Show that took place January 22-25 2019 in Orlando. The PGA Show is the international golf industry’s annual global gathering that welcomes over 1,000 top golf companies and more than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world to the industry’s “MAJOR of Golf Business”.

The ModGolf Podcast was very active at this year's PGA Show, as our host Colin Weston had two educational series speaking engagements, talking first about "How to make your golf business more entrepreneurial and innovative by unlocking new customer markets", followed by moderating "The Golf Innovators Panel". The ModGolf Podcast was also invited to host a live show from The PGA Show Radio Stage and we've included our interviews Aimee Cho and HYPE Sports Innovation in this episode.

Interviewing HYPE Sports Innovation Partner Ilan Hadar and Global Golf Innovation Competition winner, GolfBoo Founder/CEO Fabio Peral as part of The ModGolf Podcast live at The PGA Show

We spoke with the creators and some of the startups involved with The "Global Golf Innovation Competition", a Shark Tank-like pitch event staged by HYPE Sports Innovation. Over 100 golf startups applied for the ten finalist spots at The PGA Show, where each company had five minutes to pitch in front of a live audience and judging panel comprised of golf industry entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders.

You can find out more about Kinexit and their techology powered AI golf fitness solutions at https://kinexit.com/

CEO Chris Månsson (far right) and the Kinexit team

Colin speaks with TDJ Golf Vice President Dante Reynolds after their participation in The Global Golf Innovation Competition. TDJ Golf has created the technology platform that combines on-course play with fantasy golf to create a "Virtual Pro-Am" that increases the fun factor and awards prizes. Go to the TDJ Golf website to learn more >> http://tdjgolf.com/

HYPE Sports Innovation Partner Ilan Hadar http://www.hypesportsinnovation.com/

Colin and previous guest Aimee Cho, Golf Instruction YouTuber "Golf With Aimee"

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: Aimee Cho - Golf Instruction YouTube Star on "Golf With Aimee", Chris Månsson - Founder & CEO of Kinexit, Dante Reynolds - Vice President at TDJ Golf, Fabio Peral - Founder & CEO of GOLFBOO, and Ilan Hadar - Partner & CEO at HYPE Sports Innovation.

Marc Simon aspired to be both a meteorologist and a PGA Tour Pro. Turns out his actual "Dream Job" is doing what he does now: running the two biggest and most innovative golf industry shows in the world. As Event Vice President of PGA Golf Exhibitions for Reed Exhibitions, Marc has a clear understanding of the golf industry trends and contributors that are evolving the game he loves.
______________________________________________

Attention all you fabulous women golfers - we are partnering with our good friends at KINONA Sport to offer 20% OFF your purchase using promo code MODGOLF! CLICK TO SAVE on tops, shorts, pants, skirts, dresses, skorts, jackets, vests and accessories!

______________________________________________

This week our host Colin Weston speaks to Marc before the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando to learn what it takes to put on a Business-to-Business conference of this magnitude and what industry insights has he acquired over his 20 years working on it. To learn more about The PGA Merchandise Show, check out their website and this short YouTube video.

About The PGA Merchandise Show
The 66th annual PGA Merchandise Show took place January 22-25 2019 at The Orange Country Convention Center in Orlando FL. Featuring over 1,000 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees from 80 countries The PGA Merchandise Show lives up to its tagline: “The Major of Golf Business.”

New for 2019 was The Global Golf Innovation Competition, staged by HYPE Sports Innovation. This "Shark Tank-style" event featured 10 golf startup finalists who pitched in front a distinguished judges panel comprised of golf industry entrepreneurs, investors and influencers.

HYPE Sports Innovation Partner Ilan Hadar

Main Entry To The PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando

______________________________________________

We love and wear the premium, stylish golf accessories that Deuce offers up to take your golf look to the next level. Visit their website and use the Promo Code MODGOLF for 15% off your purchase of hats, gloves, belts, duffle bags and cigar pouches!

______________________________________________
About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the parent company of PGA Golf Exhibitions and a leading B2B events organizer, hosting more than 500 events in 40 countries. They manage two major PGA events, and their portfolio also includes New York Comic Con, ComplexCon and a recently launched show called POPSUGAR Play/Ground. They incorporate many innovations and best practices from those events into our events for PGA.

The first PGA Merchandise Show was in 1954, and they have been at the Orange County Convention Center each consecutive year since 1985. Reed's mission is to "Help companies drive revenue and customer loyalty through exceptional events".

The Exhibitor Floor at The PGA Merchandise Show

Special Guest: Marc Simon - Event Vice President for PGA Golf Exhibitions / RX Reed Exhibitions.

"Although they hold together nicely and are really well written, there was a feeling it was time to take a fundamental look at the rules of golf". This episode we are joined by Dale Jackson, who was the Canadian member of The USGA/R&A Joint Rules Committee. Dale shares his insider's insights to reveal the collaborative, crowd-sourced process that over a five year period led to the January 1st 2019 New Rules of Golf.

Dale begins our conversation with a brief golf rules history, all starting with the first written set of rules in 1744 by The Leith Golfing Society, which evolved into what is Muirfield today. If you are - as Dale refers to himself - a "Rules Nerd", check out The Leith Society Website for in-depth discussions around the New Rules of Golf.

If you are like us and are recreational golfers, have a look at the "Player's Edition of The Rules of Golf" that provides a condensed, easy to read version of the new rules >> https://www.randa.org/en/rog/2019/pages/players-edition

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

The 20 Most Important Changes to The Rules of Golf 2019

Colin joked to Dale how he was happy to see the "double hit" penalty has been reduced from two shots to one, as he double hits a chip around once every five rounds. Dale recounted the sad story of TC (Two Chip) Chen, whose double hit during the 1985 US Open saw his 4 stroke lead and his chance to win disappear in one disastrous hole. Watch the YouTube video to witness the carnage. >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76QRludSXgo

Check out the USGA website for their written and visual explanation for Golf's New Rules.

The New Rules of Golf on Social Media
There are hundreds of YouTube videos covering the New Rules of Golf, but if we need to choose one, this effort by EXPERT GOLF is worth your time to watch.

Special Guest: Dale Jackson - Past Joint Rules Committee Member to rewrite of the New Rules of Golf 2019.

“Being a mom in the golf space has definitely been my biggest challenge and it’s really hard. I wanted to keep my career going but the golf job of being on the lession tee 8-10 hours a day, six days a week doesn’t work in my world. So that’s where the AHA moment for creating Golf Experiences For Her came from. It came out of this desire to keep my career going, combining my love of teaching and those other passions I wanted to incorporate, all while being a really great mom and putting my family first" - Gia Bocra Liwski, Founder of Golf Experiences For Her

On this episode of The ModGolf Podcast, we hear Gia's inspiring story as she combines her golf instruction, broadcast journalism, event hosting and hospitality experiences to create a livestyle business that addresses the pain points and barriers most new women golfers face. Gia is one of a growing legion of "Mompreneurs": female entrepreneurs who simultaneously juggle the demands of building a business from the ground up while raising a young family.

With over 20 years industry experience, and having been recognized as one of America’s Top 40 Under 40 instructors, and most recently a Golf Digest Best of State Instructor, Gia brings a very personalized and special approach to Golf Experiences for Her.

Golf Experiences For Her are customizable, golf and lifestyle centered events providing female executives, clients, and members with an enjoyable opportunity to advance their golf game, while simultaneously incorporating sophisticated off-the-course group experiences – all in an empowering, first-class environment. We recommend going to Gia's website to learn more about Golf Experiences For Her >> https://www.golfexperiencesforher.com/

Are you a woman with an entrepreneurial idea but are overwhelmed and intimidated by where to start? There are plenty of great resources for pre-startup women-lead businesses, and SheEO is a great place to connect for support, tools and inspiration. Click here to learn more.

Special Guest: Gia Bocra Liwski - Founder of Golf Experiences for Her.

"I often get frustrated going to the different conferences, talking to people about what’s wrong with golf and how to grow the game. The problem is they start thinking like golfers and can’t get out of their own way."

Rather than just talk about the problem of how to deliver a more engaging golf experience that appeals to a wider audience, Steve Rosen - who is the General Manager of Indian Wells Golf Resort - did something about it. And that something is the immersive, multi-sensory experience they call "Shots In The Night".

What is Shots In The Night?
Indian Wells Golf Resort - a 36 hole golf property with a 53,000 sq. ft. clubhouse - is owned by the City of Indian Wells and operated by Troon Golf. Troon realized that to create additional value they had to become more entrepreneurial and deliver a different golf experience that would appeal to a different customer. After Steve Rosen met Nextlinks founder Dave Shultz in 2016, he realized they had found their technology partner that could deliver an unexpected, compelling, gamified and fun golf experience that first time golfers right up to professional level players would love.

Lights, music, laser projections, lit targets, glow in the dark golf balls, food trucks and drinks overlayed on both the existing putting green and 12 hitting bay driving range are the mix of ingredients that successfully create Shots In The Night.

You can listen to our engaging episode with Nextlinks Founder Dave Shultz to learn about their technology solutions that transform the golf entertainment experience by clicking here.

Images from Shots In The Night

Special Guest: Steven Rosen - General Manager, Indian Wells Golf Resort / Troon Golf.

On this episode Colin sits down with Dogu Taskiran, CEO of Stambol Studios for a fascinating conversation that tapped into his expertise in military simulator design, sport-themed video games and immersive virtual reality environments. You’ll hear us exploring how the world of Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality and Augmented Reality will impact and influence the future of golf entertainment experiences, audience engagement and game performance improvement.

Dogu's professional design experience across multiple industries allows him to reference validators outide golf to see the trends and patterns that are emerging to influence the future of the game. Here are some of our favourite quotes and insights from this episode:

• “From a venue perspective, a location-based entertainment standpoint, I think golf experiences are moving in a direction that falls in the lines of the movie Ready Player One. There will be worlds over worlds, overlaid on top of the real world that we are experiencing and enhancing and golf is no exception”.
  

• “Virtual Reality in its core is not just about simulation, but to gather data to improve the overall experience as all of your body movements are being tracked".

• "Edgar Dale’s Cone of Learning quantifies the percentage of what we remember after two weeks based on how we experience the information. Virtual Reality creates the learning conditions that allow you retain 90% of the your experience because you are actively participating rather than passively observing".
  

• “Virtual Reality can trigger people’s imagination and trigger intense emotions, creating a bond between the experience and yourself”.

• “Volumetric Movies will be in our future, where you can engage in a first person experience and become a character within a movie, creating a real sense of empathy for the character by literally putting yourself in their shoes. Rather than watching Neo in The Matrix, you become Neo in The Matrix”.
  

• We also discuss the impact the burgeoning eSports industry will have on all traditional sports, including golf. Dogu shares how live streaming video platforms such as Twitch and global eSport tournaments staged by Red Bull Battle Grounds are attacting millions of concurrent users.
  

You can learn more about how Stambol Studios is "Creating Magical Worlds in New Realities" on thier website.

Special Guest: Dogu Taskiran - CEO of Stambol Studios.

Mike Zisman founded Golf Genius after a long career in information technology, starting with the creation of Soft-Switch in 1979, which was one of the very first companies to participate in the electronic mail industry. On this episode of The ModGolf Podcast we learn how Mike combines his love of golf with his passion for IT to help revolutionize the golf industry.

The number of entrepreneurial insights Mike crammed into this episode is truly phenomenal. Here's our Top 10 list of what we're calling "Mike's Nuggets of Wisdom":

• “There’s a difference between building software and building software products. Software products rely on customer self-sufficiency if they want to scale and make money”.
• “What I love about the cloud is the elasticity, the scalability".
• “You have to listen very carefully to your customer because they usually have excellent ideas”.
• “When you look in the code and there is ‘if the customer equals ‘x’ do this, that is the death of you. You end up with this mish mash of spaghetti code”.
• “Great leaders always simplify” (actually a General Colin Powell quote!)
• “We are constantly working on the user experience by reducing complexity”.
• “Elegance is a simple solution to a complex problem. Not a complex solution to a complex problem.”
• “You will never be as smart as all your customers put together”.
• “We’re totally virtual, we live on Zoom and Skype for collaboration and sit on top of all these other software products. If we had to do this all this stuff alone it wouldn’t be very productive. Today you don’t have to do any of that. You can focus 100% of your energy on the business problem you are trying to solve.”
• “Someone will always come up your tailpipe” referencing Clayton Christiansen’s The Innovators Dilemma of how competitors solve a simpler problem for a smaller market that you’re not interested in.

Michael referenced The Trough of Disillusionment" as one of five stages on Gartner Group's "Hype Cycle", which is a graphical representation of the stages a technology goes through from conception to maturity and widespread adoption. You can find out more about the technology Hype Cycle here.

To learn more about Golf Genius, check our their website and YouTube Channel.

Special Guest: Mike Zisman - CEO, Golf Genius Software.

At The 2024 PGA Show host Colin Weston recorded six conversations with golf industry innovators on the Show Floor Media Stage. Fouth up is Geremy Davis, Host, Creator and CEO of The Golf & Gospel YouTube Channel.

Geremy is a former NFL player who along with music producer Torrence Wade, competes against various guests in 9 holes in hopes to win the match and also have conversations about music, sports and most importantly for him: The Gospel.

Check out Geremy's "Golf & Gospel" YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@Gday85

Fifth up is Eddie Fadel, President of apparel brand Ashworth Golf who shares how they reimagined their apparel brand that is "Unapologetically Golf".

Revered by passionate players since 1987, Ashworth is the original, authentic golf apparel brand - designed by golfers for golfers.

Click on the image below to watch Colin's conversations with Geremy Davis, Eddie Fadel, Brett Jaffee and David Rider on The ModGolf Youtube Channel!

Last up are entrepreneurs David Rider and previous guest Brett Jaffee, Co-Founders of Caddy Time. Caddy Time is the "Uber For Caddies" that benefits golfers who play, the caddies who elevate the experience and the courses they are on. Brett and David give us an update on the growth of the business and their expansion into international markets overseas. Visit www.caddytime.com to learn more.

We want to thank our Episode Presenting Partner Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

Episode Chapters
[01:06] Geremy Davis, Host, Creator and CEO of The Golf & Gospel YouTube Channel
[12:09] Eddie Fadel, President of Ashworth Golf
[22:00] David Rider and Brett Jaffee, Co-Founders of Caddy Time

You can also learn more about Eddie Fadel on his bio page and ModGolf YouTube video.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

I'm excited to announce that I just launched our ModGolf Patreon page to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As my Patron you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests.

I'm offering two monthly membership tiers at $5 and $15 USD, but you can also join for free. Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf.

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Special Guests: Brett Jaffee - Co-Founder of Caddy Time, David Rider - Co-Founder / Chief Strategist at Caddy Time, Eddie Fadel - President of Ashworth Golf, and Geremy Davis - Host, Creator and CEO of The Golf & Gospel YouTube Channel.

As golf course owners and managers started to transition their operations over to digital and online platforms, they signed deals with technology providers that negatively impacted their revenues and their ability to control tee time pricing. Needing to overcome the similar issues facing the hotel industry years earlier regarding online reservations, the National Golf Course Owners of America (NGCOA) and The PGA of America recognized the need to create an organization that looked after the best interests of both sides of the marketplace.

A primary purpose of the NGCOA is to support a more competitive and balanced marketplace in public golf that is both supportive of the golf course owner, operator, PGA professional and the golf consumer. They accomplish this by promoting adoption of online tee time guidelines and best practices among technology companies, online agents, marketers, golf course operators, general consumers, and the media.

Want to learn more about Jared and The NGCOA? Check out their website.

Special Guest: Jared Williams - Managing Director of the Golf USA Tee Time Coalition.

"Who the f••k are you and how'd you get in here?" No one told her entrepreneurship would be easy, and this response from a fabric buyer that JoFit Founder Joanne Cloak was looking for advice from proved this point. But rather than let this greeting deter her, Joanne turned the conversation around and used it as the launchpad for her incredible startup journey.

For our opening episode of Season 5, Colin speaks with Joanne about her transformation from high school gym teacher to one of The LPGA Women's Network "22 Disruptive Women who are Spearheading a Revolution in Golf".

Combining a love for golf with insights gained during her modelling career, Joanne set her ambition on creating fashionable, athletic women's golf wear that actually fits properly. Joanne's mix of audaciousness, empathy, passion and tenacity are the character traits that have led to the success of JoFit as a distinctvie golf apparel brand.

After meeting Joanne at The PGA 2018 Fashion & Demo Experience in Las Vegas for a brief yet engaging interview as part of our final episode of Season 4, many of you listeners asked to hear the extended version of the JoFit story. We happily accepted the request, as Joanne is one of the most fun and straightforward guests we've had on The ModGolf Podcast.


Joanne at The PGA 2018 Fashion & Demo Experience JoFit booth

You can find out more about JoFit and Joanne on their website.

One of the themes on this episode was the representation and funding gaps that female founders still face. This Boston Consulting Group article titled "Why Women-Owned Startups Are a Better Bet" explains the situation and the opportunity.

Special Guest: Joanne Cloak - CEO and Founder, JoFit.

Well, that's a wrap for Season 4 of The ModGolf Podcast! Our passionate team of content creators are feverishly working on your next twelve episodes for Season 5, which launches on October 31. We heard some amazing stories from a diverse group of guests who discussed how technology, entertainment experiences, music, celebrity, hospitality and community building intersect to shape the future of golf.

We are very proud to state that we met our personal goal to have women on as at least half of our Season Four episode. We managed to achieve this goal just as our friends at WE ARE GOLF and The LPGA Women's Network announced their #inviteHER campaign to introduce new women to the game of golf. We will continue to tell golf startup and innovation stories from a women's perspective as the golf industry starts to unlock the underserved female market segment and the massive business potential it holds.

If you didn’t get the chance to listen to all of our twelve Season 4 episodes, this bonus show gives you a recap of the great conversations I had over the past three months with some of the golf industry's top influencers, innovators and entrepreneurs. Hopefullly this will inspire you to listen to a couple of the episodes listed below


Click to claim your exclusive ModGolf Podcast listener offer of $50 off a GOLFTEC Swing Evaluation and/or TECFIT Club Fitting ($125 value)

Our Season 4 guests were:

Episode 1
National Golf Day 2018
Letting Washington Know About Golf's $84 Billion Annual Economic Impact

Episode 2
Gianna Rojas / Founder, Adaptive Golfers
Giving The Gift of Golf: Passionately Advocating For Golfers of All Abilities

Episode 3
Engage. Empower. Support. - Stories from Women's Golf Day 2018
Covering Women's Golf Day from Fraserview GC in Vancouver BC Canada

Episode 4
Jennifer Poth / Operation Military Support Golf
Reviving The Golf Courses That Revitalize Our Heroes

Episode 5
Jay Karen / CEO of The National Golf Course Owners Association
Innovating and Advocating For A Vibrant Golf Industry

Episode 6
Aimee Cho
"Golf With Aimee" YouTube Golf Instructor and Social Media Influencer

Episode 7
RISE WITH US.
Stories From The Special Olympics USA Games Golf Event

Episode 8
Rhett Evans
CEO of The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Episode 9
Michael Breed
Embracing Resilience and Gratitude to Shape His Approach to Golf and Life

Episode 10
KINONA
Shaping An Innovative Approach For Women’s Golf Apparel

Episode 11
Donna Hoffman / Founder and President, Women on Course

Episode 12
Innovation Stories From The Las Vegas PGA Fashion & Demo Experience

Special Guests: Aimee Cho - Golf Instruction YouTube Star on "Golf With Aimee", Clint Sanchez - Executive Director, The First Tee of Greater Washington, DC, Dianne Celuch - Co-Founder and CEO of KINONA women's golf apparel, Donna Hoffman - Founder and President, Women On Course, Elisa Gaudet - Founder of Women's Golf Day, Gianna Rojas, aka: The "One Handed Lady Golfer" - Founder of Adaptive Golfers, Jay Karen - CEO, The National Golf Course Owners Association, Jennifer Poth - Founder and CEO, Operation Support Military Golf, Joanne Cloak - CEO and Founder, JoFit, Lewis Myers - Commissioner of The Congressional Golf Association, Megan Coburn - Founder & CEO, ParTee Golf, Michael Breed - Host of "A New Breed of Golf" on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, Rhett Evans, CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Rich Katz - Katz Strategy, Steve Jubb, PGA - CEO/Executive Director of The National Alliance for Accessible Golf, Steve Mona - CEO of The World Golf Foundation, Tami Fujii - Co-Founder of KINONA women's golf apparel, and Tom Monaghan - President, Monaghan Golf Group.