In this episode, host Aaron Goldberg welcomes Brendan von Doehren, Vice President at the PGA Tour and Executive Director of PGA Tour University, for an in-depth conversation about the evolution of PGA Tour U and its transformative impact on the pathway from college golf to the pros. Brendan shares insider stories and expert perspective on the program’s origins, the new talent pipeline, and the innovative Accelerated Program that fast-tracks rising stars. With personal anecdotes and data-driven insights, this episode reveals how PGA Tour U is changing the game for athletes and reshaping the future of professional golf. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you’ll find plenty of reasons to tune in and learn about golf’s newest gateway to the PGA Tour.

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Chapters
(00:04) Origins and Vision of PGA Tour U
(02:16) Influence of Other Sports and Draft Models
(04:40) Building a Transparent Pathway to Pro Golf
(06:03) Global Impact and International Player Opportunities
(07:46) Expanding Membership Benefits and Player Transition
(13:23) Introduction and Impact of the Accelerated Program
(22:57) PGA Tour Leadership Support and Business Evolution
(28:48) Coach and University Feedback on PGA Tour U
(31:13) Alumni Success Stories and Lasting Influence

This year marks the inaugural PGA Tour University class that will have immediate access to the Korn Ferry Tour and Mackenzie Tour. Like with any new system there have been lots of questions, plenty of conflicting thoughts, and some incorrect information swirling, that may influence players decisions whether to turn pro or come back for one more year of college golf. We decided to go straight to the source.  

Senior Director at the PGA Tour and creator of the PGA Tour University, Brendan von Doehren, joins us to walk through the genesis of PGA Tour U, how the system works, and clarifies some of the questions and misconceptions we have been hearing on the ground. If you are a player, coach, or part of their inner circles you do not want to miss this episode. 
 

Episode Highlights

• (1:58) How was PGA Tour University created?
• (5:23) Who had input and was consulted?
• (8:42) Benefit to the players and the Tour?
• (11:32) Who is eligible in the rankings?
• (13:16) How do the rankings work?
• (14:00) What events count and why?
• (17:44) What access to Korn Ferry and other tours is available?
• (26:48) How much movement in the rankings is expected the last couple months?
• (31:23) How will the rankings look next year?
• (34:29) Ho will players in the rankings this year who come back, fit in to next year’s rankings?

As a professional golfer you have been given an opportunity to lead by example. Many athletes use their platform to lead in different ways. Giving back to charities and foundations can be a big part of leading your community. I highly encourage you to get involved, whether financially, with your time, or both.

When making donations, raising funds, or starting a foundation make sure that you know the keys to success and how to maximize your impact. Being strategic with how you donate and are financially involved can have a bigger benefit for the places you support and create more savings on your taxes. Be the best in every element of your world!

Episode Highlights

• The importance of giving back (00:01)
• Figuring out who to support and how to support (00:54)
• Should you consider tax deductions with giving? (01:46)
• Starting a foundation, donor-advised funds, and direct giving (02:47)
• Donating shares of stock (04:31)
• Things to consider before starting a foundation (05:41)
• The goal of maximizing your net worth (7:30)

As a professional athlete, you are presented with all sorts of investment opportunities. Is buying into an IPO a good idea? What do you need to know before investing in a company that has just gone public? Are you compensated for the added fluctuation in price with higher average returns?

Let’s look behind the curtain and understand what risks we are taking that may not be obvious. We will also discuss opportunities to possibly invest in companies before their IPO to increase potential returns. Lastly, and most important, where should you be financially before you even think about investing in start up companies, whether through an IPO or Venture Capital.

Episode Highlights

2:02 – Door Dash's stock price was up 80% from it's IPO price on day 1, who made all the money?

4:06 – Where is Door Dash’s stock price 1 month later

5:30 – How do IPOs do in the long run?

6:48 – How to get in before the IPO, going from $22/share to $182/share

8:00 – What money should we use to invest in higher risk investments like IPOs

10:42 – Who to talk to about investing in an IPO or new venture

Though you travel all over the world during the season, where you spend time in your off weeks can impact your taxes. There can also be a lot of bad advice when it comes to your permanent residence that you might receive that typically does not work and can end up coming back to bite you later. There is also a lot of bad advice out there when it comes to what matters when proving where your state of residence is, that typically does not work and can end up coming back to bite you later.

In this episode, Aaron breaks down a framework of the two biggest questions to ask yourself when deciding where you want to live, the differences between how your on-course and off-course earnings are taxed, and shares some of the implications to your taxes and your game that you may not have considered before.

Episode Highlights

• The two big questions to consider when deciding where to live in the off season (00:56)
• The differences between on-course and off-course earnings (1:50)
• The important considerations in filing for residency (3:32)
• The details states look for when determining your residency (5:08)
• If you have kids – everything else with residency goes out the window (5:51)
• Why you shouldn’t determine residency just on tax savings alone (6:04)
• The questions to consider when determining your permanent residence (7:30)

As a professional golfer, tax optimization is one of the most important areas of your wealth to address. While investments are a crucial part of growing your overall net worth, the savings you could see on tax optimization could completely blow out of the water any of your annual investment returns.

In this week’s episode, Aaron is joined by Super Bowl champion, 8-year NFL veteran and AWM colleague Zach Miller to discuss some of the strategies for professional athletes to optimize their tax situation, and weigh the pros and cons of a SEP IRA vs an Individual 401(k). Make sure to listen to find out the one thing to look for to see if your financial advisor is tailoring your plan like a pro, or treating you like the general public.

Episode Highlights

• The importance of taxes (1:38)
• Investments are a great part of your financial picture and we want to do our best on the investment side, but we're paying 50% in taxes in most places…If we can optimize those taxes, that's going to completely blow out of the water any investment returns.” – Aaron Goldberg
• SEP IRA vs Individual 401(k) (2:36)
• The 3 reasons why you’d want to use an Individual 401(k) (3:16)
• Zach’s experience with endorsement income (7:56)
• What professional athletes should consider to have tax savings in the future (11:46)

One of the first pieces of advice many pro athletes hear, regardless of the sport, is that they should set up an LLC or corporation although the reasons given for doing this can range anywhere on the spectrum of the plausible to absurd. Our job here at the PGA Players’ Podcast is to demystify the amateur advice and instead provide the professional advice you deserve.

There are certainly advantages to making this move for the right athlete. Specifically, having an LLC set up can help protect you from unforeseen liabilities and can also help you avoid or reduce some of your taxes.

Join Aaron Goldberg, CFP®, and business partner and AWM Capital co-founder Erik Averill, CFP®, CPWA®, CKA® as they discuss this topic and more including:

• The two main advantages to setting up an LLC (1:05)
• How the PGA is different than other sports like MLB or NFL (2:03)
• The importance of protecting against liabilities (3:03)
• Piercing the corporate veil (5:01)
• 1099 vs W2 income (6:47)
• “From the tax point of view, this is where golfers are so unique compared to other athletes.”
• When it can be beneficial to not be taxed as an S corp (9:03)
• Ongoing tax planning: It’s all about your financial structure (9:28)
• Name, Image, Likeness: The important steps for college golfers, agents, and family members (10:15)
• Advanced planning (11:18)
• Keeping income in the household, lowering tax liability (12:53)
• 401k or Roth 401k: Why you need a personalized, customized solution (13:31)

With the PGA Tour calendar wrapping up this week and players are heading into the off-season, now is a pivotal time to take advantage of potential tax planning opportunities for this year and dive into financial planning for 2021 and beyond. 

As you’re setting up your off-season plans with your swing coach, trainer, and on-course team, now is also the time to check in with your wealth management team. You’re making plans to set yourself up for success on the course next season; why not take the time to review your financial plans as well? 

In this week’s episode of the PGA Players’ Podcast, I discuss the important steps you should be taking in the off-season to wrap up this year and prepare yourself financially for the New Year, so you are free to focus on what really matters: winning PGA Tour events.

Key Topics Discussed:

• (1:11) the importance of year-end planning for pro golfers
• (1:35) The equation for high end performance
• (1:53) Tax planning at end of the calendar year including retirement plan contributions, corporation filings, and more.
• (3:21) Setting yourself up for financial success next year
• (4:53) Communicating personal expenses and goals
• (5:49) How much are you spending? Building a sustainable lifestyle
• (7:12) Leaving a legacy through charitable planning
• (8:38) Human capital and maximizing sponsorships
• (10:45) Putting together an off-season financial plan

As a professional golfer, your financial situation is complex: you’re in the highest tax bracket, you only receive 1099 income as opposed to W2s, you have a public financial status, and you play and are taxed in multiple countries throughout the year – just to name a few.

Your situation is unique, your solution should be, too. That’s the inspiration behind the PGA Players’ Podcast – where each week, former Korn Ferry and PGA Tour golfer turned private wealth advisor, Aaron Goldberg, CFP® will discuss the most important questions you should be asking, the nuances to your situation, and how to make sure you are able to build wealth and create a lasting legacy.

In this week’s episode, Aaron is joined by co-founder of AWM Capital and former professional baseball player Erik Averill, CFP®, CPWA®, CKA® to discuss some of the ways athletes financial situations differ and some of the most important questions to be asking.

Key Topics Discussed

• Who is qualified to be your financial advisor? (1:59)
• What makes your financial situation unique as a professional golfer? (2:24)
• The implications of being in the top 1% of earners (3:04)
• Where should players be getting financial information? (6:22)
• “But if your parents aren’t professional athletes, they’re financial advisor is probably not right for you because they don’t know what to look for” (7:15)
• “What I think is almost equally dangerous is the mediocre advisors, the ones that don’t know what they don’t know.” (7:18)
• Your job as an athlete is to perform on the course – not to know everything that goes into your financial world (7:54)
• “when you hire people that have had that experience with other athletes, whether it be baseball players, whether it be football players, whether it be golfers, they know the pitfalls that come up and the ways that we can maximize net worth for our clients by capitalizing on their human capital and making sure that we take advantage of every opportunity that they have” (7:58)
• How different are golfers when it comes to taxes? (9:55)
• “You are the business, your game is the business. You're going to be the biggest driver of your financial future as a player” (11:29)
• What’s the most important question I should be asking of my financial advisor to see if they’re qualified? (13:29)

Professional Golfers have one of the most unique tax situations of all individuals. We tend to see the same mistakes made over and over when we review new clients previous tax returns. It typically comes down to a lack of knowledge and expertise in how to work with athletes. Your team should be doing everything possible to keep as much money under your control now and minimize your tax liability over the long haul as well.

In this episode we will discuss the three most common Mistakes that we see when it comes to taxes. There are different strategies that professional golfers should be utilizing in high tax years and low tax years, and there are some foundational planning items that should be in place year-round. Why pay more in taxes than you have to?!

Episode Highlights

• (1:10) The two things we see wrong with quarterly estimated taxes
• (3:49) Why your tax planning should be a 365 day per year endeavor
• (4:30) Not taking advantage of retirement plan contributions
• (5:13) SEP IRA vs individual 401k
• (8:37) Actions in a low tax year
• (10:31) Mistakes with residency days

Download your free resource at awmcap.co/pga15

Have you ever wondered why ultra wealthy families invest in private real estate? Why wouldn’t you just buy your own rental property or invest in a public REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust)? How do you even find a quality partner to invest with? What types of real estate investments are out there? As a professional athlete, when would this type of investment make sense for you?

In this episode, we talk with experts from two different private real estate firms to get an insider’s guide on what to look for in a deal, how to evaluate it, and how to choose a partner to invest with. And they both happen to be former professional athletes as well. Dan Kennedy is a Partner at Driven Capital Partners and a retired MLS player, and Peter Tomasulo works for Lyon Living and is a retired PGA Tour player. I learned a lot in this interview and hope you do, too.

Episode Highlights

• (1:00) Why Dan started investing when he was a MLS player
• (5:14) "I thought I was going to play until I was 50 years old and then I was just going to be able to do whatever I wanted." - Peter Tomasulo
• (13:05) What are the different types of real estate investments?
• (22:57) Why do high net worth families and successful athletes invest in RE
• (23:54) Why not use a public REIT?
• (29:08) What to look for when evaluating a new investment?
• (33:06) When does an investment like private real estate fit in my financial structure?

The stakes are higher on Tour: the competition, the opportunities, the money. With this comes even more of a need for expert advise and planning. As an elite athlete, you NEED and DESERVE to have a team that is built to serve elite athletes. Unfortunately, the existing landscape of financial institutions is built to serve the general public.

In this episode we will explore what a wealth management team should be doing for you. You have a unique situation that requires unique solutions. You also have a unique opportunity to secure your financial future at an early age and have a large impact on your family and community. Make sure your wealth management team already understands the complexities that you face, and that their incentives align with your goals.

None of us are walking down the fairway bragging about the returns we got last year with an index fund, or the interest we are getting in our bond portfolio. Whether we should or not is another topic. But everyone seems to know someone that knows someone who can get them in on a private deal that is sure to have amazing returns with very little downside.

Private investing versus public investing is a very different endeavor. Over the next few episodes we will dive deeper into the types of private investments, when they may be appropriate, and why they should be considered. We will have experts in each segment join us to uncover the most important facts and questions to be considered around private investing.

Episode Highlights

• (2:05) Defining the public market vs private market
• (3:22) "In the short term, the stock market can be a voting machine, but in the long term it's a weighing machine." -Benjamin Graham
• (4:14) Accessing outsized returns in private markets
• (5:32) How the biggest and best venture capital and private equity funds are similar to the best college football teams
• (8:26) What are the different types of private investments?
• (9:22) Questions to answer before getting into private investments
• (10:33) What are the risks to look out for? Liquidity, access, and lack of regulation
• (14:35) When are these investments appropriate?
• (16:21) Private investments towards the end of your athletic career
• (17:48) What we're covering over the next few weeks

More info at pgaplayerspodcast.com

Though tax planning is a year round process, the culmination of tax planning each year is tax filing. Most people are familiar with filing their taxes by April 15th, but what are you doing throughout the year to make sure that you are being as tax-efficient as possible?

This week we discuss the different tax documents you will be receiving and what you and your tax team will need to make sure all is accounted for. We go over some of the commonly overlooked items, tax deductions specific to professional golfers, and clarify some of the myths on what you can and can not deduct.

Episode Highlights
1:30 – What you will get from the Tour
2:00 – Tax documents you need
3:00 – Avoid amending your taxes: often overlooked tax documents
3:45 – Foreign tax documents
5:12 – Ways to reduce what you pay in taxes
7:15 – “Tax efficiency is going to be such a good way for you to maximize the money in your pocket now”
8:30 – What is deductible and what is not deductible

The single most important driver of your Net Worth is your physical ability to play golf. If you are hurt or sick and cannot play for an extended period, this has significant impact on your earnings. Not only does it impact your on-course earnings, but it can affect your endorsement deals as well. So why is disability insurance one of the most overlooked parts of players’ financial structures?

The Tour has a disability policy for players with certain exempt status. It is meant to help if you get hurt/sick, but not cover everything. It is important to know what you get as a benefit and when you can receive it if you were to be eligible. Chances are what the Tour supplies, (PGA or Korn Ferry) is not going to be enough to cover what you need. In this podcast we will discuss the unique disability needs of professional golfers and what you can do about it.

Episode Highlights

• 2:00 – “If you get hurt or sick…what are you going to do?”
• 3:22 – Coverage on the PGA Tour
• 4:20 – When would I start getting the benefit?
• 6:12 – Coverage on the Korn Ferry Tour
• 7:15 – Protecting your wealth and future wealth
• 8:03 – “This is one of the biggest gaps I see”
• 8:57 – Top players coming out of college
• 11:20 – Rely on your team to determine the right amount and right type
• 13:00 – Career Ending Injury
• 13:30 – Anthony Kim example 

Waste Management Open week is unlike any other on tour. It brings with it all sorts of craziness: sometimes good sometimes bad. This is a good reminder that sometimes things go wrong off the golf course and can potentially have a major impact on your finances if not protected correctly.

As an athlete you are a public figure and for all the good that brings, it can also be a target on your back. From minor car accidents, someone getting hurt on your property, to dog bites and parties, if someone sees an opportunity to sue, they will. Make sure you understand how to protect yourself from unforeseen liabilities and keep your personal assets and business assets separate so that you maintain proper protection.

Becoming a professional golfer is an exciting time. A ton of hard work, dedication and sacrifice put you in the position to be able to turn pro. Until now, most of what you have had to focus on is ON the golf course. You are now becoming a business, and with that comes OFF the course demands and needs that can take time and focus away from your game.

Follow these 5 steps when turning pro to set yourself up for success. The key to maximizing your potential is to eliminate distractions and take advantage of every opportunity placed in front of you. These steps will put you in a position to do just that.1:15 – Who is on your team?

Episode Highlights

• 00:45 – Who is on your team?
• 1:53 – Taking care of your body
• 3:01 – What do you want from an agent?
• 4:04 – Why a wealth management team not a financial advisor
• 5:28 – Questions to ask a Wealth management team before you hire them
• 7:58 – Get a second bank account and credit card
• 8:49 – Should you set up an LLC
• 9:43 – Where are you going to get better? “Good players push each other”
• 12:06 – What happens if I get hurt?
• 14:01 – “The best investment that you can make is in yourself.”

Find more info at awmcap.co/pga8

In this episode, Aaron welcomes Cory Jez, founder of TourIQ, to discuss how advanced data is transforming the way PGA Tour professionals approach their game. Cory pulls back the curtain on the power of analytics, from building player-specific strategies and practice routines to uncovering surprising truths hidden within golf stats. Learn how the right data can sharpen practice, inform smarter decisions, and ultimately elevate performance on and off the course. If you want to understand what it means to treat your game like a business, this conversation is your first step toward a true competitive edge.

Follow Cory and TourIQ
Cory Jez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coryjez/
TourIQ: https://www.tour-iq.com/

Connect with and follow us
• Website: https://www.athletefamilyoffice.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awmcapital/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/awmcapital/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc1NxpK21N1vKWEExC45YEA
• X: https://twitter.com/awmcapital
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awmcapital/

Chapters
(00:25) Journey from NBA analytics to PGA Tour
(04:40) Applying analytics in golf
(09:40) The player as CEO and integrating analytics
(11:00) Structuring efficient practice and preparation
(16:20) Intentional practice and gamification
(21:10) Using ShotLink and contextual data analysis
(28:30) Designing data-driven interventions and improvement
(41:10) Course-specific preparation and practice planning
(54:20) Adapting analytics for college players and teams

Join us on the PGA Players' Podcast as host Aaron Goldberg sits down with world renowned mental performance coach Brian Cain for a masterclass in building the mindset of elite golfers.

Brian breaks down what separates talent from true professional excellence, revealing the daily routines, core principles, and proven strategies that sustain peak performance and resilience on tour.

Brian also shares stories from his work across multiple sports—including powerful lessons on habit formation, accountability, and turning challenges into growth. Whether you're striving to climb the rankings or looking to make your best the new baseline, this episode delivers the tools and inspiration to elevate your game.

Connect with and follow Brian

• Website: https://briancain.com/
• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mental-performance-daily-with-brian-cain/id1578012159
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briancainpeak/
• X: https://x.com/BrianCainPeak
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briancainpeak
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Cep_ZMSbOtevghwsVZAiQ

Connect with and follow us

• Website: https://www.athletefamilyoffice.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awmcapital/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/awmcapital/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc1NxpK21N1vKWEExC45YEA
• X: https://twitter.com/awmcapital
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awmcapital/

Chapters
(00:00) From Talent to Consistent Excellence
(04:02) Making Your Best Day Baseline
(05:16) Defining Your Mission, Vision, and Principles
(11:39) Designing Effective Routines and Transitions
(23:50) Building and Adapting the Ideal Day
(29:07) Tracking Habits and Self-Accountability
(36:25) Sustaining Success and Redefining Goals