Explore every episode of the podcast The Amateur Golf Podcast by AmateurGolf.com
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 72: Weekly Recap - Lottie Woad wins low amateur at AIG Open Champion | 26 Aug 2024 | 00:42:47 | |
Sean and Justin discuss the ongoing US Senior Amateur Championship and the impressive performances of amateur golfers in professional events, including Lottie Wode's performance at the AIG Women's Open and Jacob Skov Olesen's performance in the DP World Tour. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 71: Jose Luis Ballester is first Spaniard to win 2024 U.S. Amateur | 19 Aug 2024 | 00:43:22 | |
Sean and Justin recap Jose Luis Ballester's U.S. Amateur win over Noah Kent. They touch on the final match, the TV coverage, the week in general, and some other topics of interest like Jimmy Ellis winning medalist honors, Gordon Sargent losing in the Round of 64 again, the futures of Ballester and Kent, the summer schedules of the final four players. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 62: Auburn Tiger Billy Davis | 12 Jul 2024 | 00:37:23 | |
Billy Davis joins the podcast to discuss the first days on campus at Auburn, the facilities, playing team golf, and Billy's recent trip to Japan. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 61: US wins Palmer Cup and Summer of Clanton Continues | 08 Jul 2024 | 00:39:24 | |
Sean and Justin discuss the recent news and events in amateur golf. They talk about the US team winning the Palmer Cup on foreign soil, Luke Clanton's impressive performance in the John Deere Classic, and the decision he faces about turning pro or staying in college. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 60: Two American Amateurs win in Europe + North & South recap | 01 Jul 2024 | 00:35:48 | |
Sean and Justin discuss this week's events in amateur golf, including the European Amateur Championship, the Women's Amateur Championship, and the North & South Championships. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 59: The Northeast Am and Amateur Championship | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:36:43 | |
In this episode of the Amateur Golf Podcast, Sean and Justin discuss the Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett CC in Rhode Island and the Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in Northern Ireland. They highlight the winners, Anthony Delisanti and Jacob Skov Olesen, and discuss their impressive performances. They also mention other notable players in the tournaments and discuss upcoming events such as the North & South, the European Amateur Championship, and the US Senior Open. They also mention Charlie Woods qualifying for the US Junior and the George C. Thomas Mid-Amateur Championship at LACC. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 58: Shipley earns U.S. Open Low Am and results from around the country | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:35:45 | |
Sean and Justin discuss the US Open and amateur golfers' performances in the tournament. They highlight the impressive performances of amateur golfers Neal Shipley and Luke Clanton. The conversation then shifts to other amateur golf events happening around the country, including the Sunnehanna and the men's and women's Southwestern Amateur. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 57: 15 Amateurs at U.S. Open | 10 Jun 2024 | 00:38:16 | |
Sean and Justin examine some interesting amateur storylines at the U.S. Open and then discuss some other amateur results from the week, including the Dogwood, St. Andrews Links, and Jackson Koivun at the Memorial. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 56: World Golf Competition Co-Founder Jon Kerr | 22 May 2024 | 00:53:20 | |
Jon Kerr, co-founder of the World Golf Competition, discusses the creation of a global amateur golf tournament that aims to provide a unique and luxurious experience for participants. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 55: Scott Tomasello on the Myrtle Beach World Amateur | 14 May 2024 | 00:40:13 | |
Scott Tomasello, tournament director of the Myrtle Beach World Amateur, joins the podcast to discuss the event and the golf scene in Myrtle Beach. Scott shares his journey into organizing golf tournaments and talks about the growth and evolution of the Myrtle Beach World Amateur over the years. He highlights the event's inclusivity, with players of all skill levels and ages participating. Scott also mentions other events that take place in Myrtle Beach throughout the year, including junior tournaments and the recent Myrtle Beach Q event. Myrtle Beach World Amateur Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 54: Wake Forest star Rachel Kuehn | 25 Mar 2024 | 00:44:01 | |
Rachel Kuehn discusses her experiences in the Curtis Cup, winning a national title, and personal growth as a golfer. She shares her pinch-me moments and the unique dynamics of playing in the Curtis Cup on home soil and away matches. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 53: Gasparilla with Palma Ceia Dir. of Golf Joe Hodge | 20 Feb 2024 | 00:34:56 | |
Joe Hodge, the Director of Golf at Palma Ceia Country Club, discusses his background and history at Palma Ceia, including winning club championships and playing in the US Open in 1978. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 70: Evan Thompson of Dual Sport | 13 Aug 2024 | 00:30:12 | |
| Episode 52: Jordan Perez on latest college and amateur news | 08 Feb 2024 | 01:29:16 | |
In this episode, Sean and Jordan discuss recent news in amateur golf, including Nick Dunlap and Caleb Surratt turning pro. They analyze Dunlap's decision and his impressive amateur career. They also discuss Surratt's move to LIV Golf and the valuation of amateur golfers. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 51: USGA's Scott Langley | 30 Jan 2024 | 00:53:05 | |
Scott Langley, Senior Director of Player Relations at the USGA, discusses his golf experience, journey to the PGA Tour, and his current role at the USGA. He shares insights into course setup for the US Open and the importance of player feedback. Scott also highlights the US National Development Program and the efforts to unify and improve junior golf in the United States. The conversation covers various topics related to golf, including the US Open, development programs, national teams, and the performance of American golf. The guest emphasizes the importance of investing in American golf and hopes to see success at the highest levels of the game, including international competitions like the Ryder Cup. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 50: David McLay-Kidd | 23 Jan 2024 | 01:01:31 | |
David McLay-Kidd discusses his experience returning to golf courses he has previously designed, the process of refining and improving courses, and the importance of balancing challenge and playability. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 49: Recapping the 2023 year in Amateur Golf w/ Jordan Perez | 14 Dec 2023 | 01:04:35 | |
| Episode 48: Erick Morales | 31 Oct 2023 | 00:48:02 | |
Erick Morales is one of the founders and organizers of the Devil's Elbow Invitational, a new Mid-Am event in the Dominican Republic that grants the winner an exemption to the Corales Punta Cana PGA Tour event. Morales is a decorated amateur himself, having finished second in the inaugural Mexico Mid-Am last year, and he recently played in the US Mid-Am at Sleepy Hollow. In addition, he has played in PGA Tour events and made the cut in one of them. The best man in Morales' wedding was Rafa Campos, who recently benefited from the Shad Tuten penalty. Campos moved up and secured the 30th and final tour card after Tuten’s penalty dropped him back to 32nd in the rankings. Morales talks about caddying for Campos when he finished in second place to Joel Dahmen in 2021 and why he decided not to hop on Campos’ bag full-time. Erick and I played a round of golf together far from his home in Puerto Rico in early October. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 47: Jordan Perez on the start of the college season | 26 Sep 2023 | 01:33:02 | |
Jordan Perez joins Sean Melia to talk through her reporting on the Spikemark and Golfstat issues that are plaguing college golf right now. The two also touch on the Walker Cup, Rose Zhang's Solheim Cup performance, and dive into the college season. They go through the eight teams that made it to match play on the men's and women's sides in 2023 try to figure out who won't make it back this season and some contenders that might replace them. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 46: 2022 Crump Cup champion Stephen Behr | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:47:18 | |
Stephen Behr arrived at Pine Valley in 2022 for his first Crump Cup and left on Sunday as the champion. The former Clemson standout has had an impressive amateur career. He made the decision after college to pursue a career and remain an amateur. It wasn’t an easy choice, as his father is a club professional. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 45: Walker Cup preview with Jordan Perez | 31 Aug 2023 | 01:08:20 | |
Jordon Perez joins Sean Melia to talk about the Walker Cup. First, they catch up on some lingering thoughts from the U.S. Amateur on both the women's and men's side. Then they go through some storylines from this week's Walker Cup, team selections, alternate shot pairings they'd like to see, and what improvements they would make to the Walker Cup. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 44: Walker Cup member Stewart Hagestad | 29 Aug 2023 | 00:41:10 | |
Stewart Hagestad is one of the most decorated amateurs of this generation. He's competed in dozens of USGA events and has won 2 U.S. Mid-Amateur championships (2016 and 2021). He's also competed in six professional majors. His best finish was a T36 in the 2017 Masters, where he earned low amateur honors. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 43: Minnesota Open and Amateur champion Caleb VanArragon | 24 Aug 2023 | 00:24:14 | |
Caleb VanArragon has had quite a summer in Minnesota. The fifth-year senior at Valparaiso won the Minnesota State Open by 9 shots and backed that up with a 12-shot victory in the Minnesota State Open. Those two performances gained him some attention, and he received a last-minute invite to the 3M Open. During his interview with Justin Golba, VanArragon talks about what helped him get on such a heater, competing alongside the world’s best, and how he hopes to continue the momentum into the fall. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 69: Rianne Malixi completes rare double + Clanton notches top 5 | 12 Aug 2024 | 00:46:41 | |
Sean and Justin discuss the recent happenings in amateur golf. They talk about the Rianne Malixi v. Asterisk Talley rematch and Luke Clanton's impressive performance at the Wyndham Championship. They also touch on the PGA Tour University points system and the challenges faced by amateur golfers transitioning to the professional level. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 42: US Amateur preview and Gordon Sargent | 10 Aug 2023 | 00:55:40 | |
Sean Melia is joined by new writer and editor on the site, Justin Golba, to talk through some storylines of the US Amateur Championship which kicks off on Monday, August 14. Who will earn Walker Cup spots? How has the Elite Amateur Series impacted the summer season? Can an international win at Cherry Hills? Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Ep. 41: Henry Shimp | 01 Aug 2023 | 01:04:21 | |
Henry Shimp played his college golf at Stanford where he won the 2019 national championship. His life is a bit different after graduating in 2022. He’s in the real world, working, traveling, and battling injuries, but he still plays golf at a high level. He qualified for his sixth US Amateur championship this summer. We talk about a bunch of topics: his qualifying mindset, the long two days (and 38 holes) at Wild Horse in Nebraska in July, playing in the Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, his experience at Stanford, how college golf has changed, and we end with a good 15 minutes on golf courses Shimp has enjoyed playing recently. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 40: Mike McCoy | 26 Jul 2023 | 00:41:43 | |
Mike McCoy’s resume would take too long to read through in its entirety. The Iowa Golf Hall of Famer has played in more than 60 USGA events. In his 38th USGA appearance, McCoy won the 2013 US Mid-Am, which opened a plethora of doors for the already decorated golfer. He played in The Masters and was also named to the 2015 Walker Cup team. McCoy’s excellence across many decades earned him the honor of captaining the 2023 Walker Cup team. The event at St. Andrews is fast approaching, and McCoy was kind enough to talk with us about his experience playing in the Walker Cup and what the role of captain entails. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 39: U.S. Open Women's Open amateurs | 04 Jul 2023 | 01:06:30 | |
Golf Digest's Kent Paisley joins Sean and Jordan to discuss the landscape of women's golf heading into the U.S. Women's Open at Pebble Beach. They talk Rose Zhang, primetime golf, the amateurs in the field, and what challenges female golfers face as they leave amateur golf for the professional ranks. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 38: Maxwell Moldovan from the 2023 U.S. Open | 14 Jun 2023 | 00:26:20 | |
After a heartbreaking result at Springfield's Final Qualifying site, Maxwell Moldovan got the phone call he hoped for and learned he had a spot in the 2023 U.S. Open field. Moldovan woke up bright and early to talk with Sean (who was on the road recording from his car) about his week and what he learned in last year's US Open and how he plans to do things in his preparation this year at LACC. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 37: Putting a bow on college season and who turned pro with Jordan Perez | 10 Jun 2023 | 01:11:40 | |
Sean and Jordan wrap up the NCAA college season with some final thoughts on the men's Division 1 national championship at Grayhawk. They look through the PGA Tour U grads and try to project what their first 12-18 months might look like. Then they discuss Rose Zhang's pro debut victory along with amateurs who qualified for the Men's and Women's U.S. Open. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Ep 36: NCAA Women's reactions and Men's preview | 25 May 2023 | 01:12:12 | |
Sean and Jordan are joined by David Tenneson (@CGolfBook) to react to Rose Zhang's individual National Championship and Wake Forest's match play triumph. They also have some flowers for USC who made it to the final match. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 35: NCAA Women's Preview | 19 May 2023 | 00:57:59 | |
Sean and Jordan talk storylines at Grayhawk for the women's NCAA National Championship. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 34: Men's Regional Preview | 12 May 2023 | 00:27:54 | |
| Episode 33: NCAA Women's Regional storylines with Jordan Perez | 05 May 2023 | 00:33:49 | |
Jordan Perez and Sean Melia dive into some of the storylines that have piqued their interest in the lead up to the NCAA Women's Regional. Then they see if they can identify teams that might crash the party and leap the top five seeds in the regions and punch their ticket to Grayhawk. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 68: 2024 U.S. Amateur Preview | 07 Aug 2024 | 00:48:33 | |
Sean and Justin preview the 2024 US Amateur and dive into the course conditions and disparity in length between Hazeltine and Chaska Town Course, the players to watch, and the changes in the qualifying process. They also mention the different age tiers of players in amateur golf and the potential matchups to look forward to. They cover the recent dominance of American players and the potential for international players who could win this year. They wrap up with their picks for the tournament and mention some standout players to watch. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 32: Jeronimo Esteve | 03 May 2023 | 00:46:37 | |
Jeronimo Esteve recently won the 2023 Coleman, it was, in his words, “his biggest victory” and he joined us to share his thoughts on the event. He gives some incredible descriptions of holes and shots at Seminole that made my palms sweat. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 31: College golf with Golfstat's Marcus El | 26 Apr 2023 | 01:27:31 | |
Jordan Perez and Sean Melia open the pod by discussing amateurs at Chevron, Florida's SEC victory, other college results. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 30: Heather Daly-Donofrio | 20 Apr 2023 | 00:45:26 | |
Heather Daly-Donofrio’s role as the USGA Managing Director for Player Relations and Development has kept her quite busy over the last year. She has spearheaded the creation of the USGA’s National Player Development. A program that many felt was a long time coming. After research and discussions with people around the world, Daly-Donofrio and her team rolled out their plan this winter. Daly-Donofrio is a perfect fit for this job, as she started playing the game at 15 and managed to find her way to college at Yale and then played on the LPGA Tour. She has an understanding of the challenges of finding a pathway as a junior golfer, especially having started the game a little on the late side for someone that did play professionally. Daly-Donofrio speaks about the process for rolling out this program, the challenges and the benefits. It’s all very new and very fluid, and it’s exciting to imagine how the program grows over the next 5-10 years as players make their way into and through the program. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 29: 2024 Curtis Cup Captain Meghan Stasi | 11 Apr 2023 | 00:40:37 | |
Meghan Stasi is the youngest individual ever inducted into the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) Hall of Fame. To date, she has won 17 FSGA titles, including two Florida Women’s Amateurs and five Florida Women’s Mid-Amateurs. Stasi is an eight-time FSGA Player of the Year. On top of that, she competed in the 2008 Curtis Cup at St. Andrews and has won four U.S. Women’s Mid-am championships from 2006-2012. Next year, she will captain the Curtis Cup team in England when the event is held at Sunningdale. Stasi talks about how she got into the game, her college experience, the choice to remain an amateur and coach college golf at Ole Miss, and her incredible memories from the 2008 Curtis Cup. Scotland holds a very special place in Stasi’s heart, and she explains that it’s more than just because of the golf. We wrap up talking about Stasi's responsibilities as Curtis Cup captain. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| BONUS: ANWA Recap and reaction with Jordan Perez | 02 Apr 2023 | 00:52:08 | |
| Episode 28: Augusta National Women's Amateur Preview | 24 Mar 2023 | 01:31:36 | |
Jordan Perez joins the podcast to preview the Augusta National Women's Amateur. We tackle the important storylines before Jordan heads to the event. Then Jess Baker, the reigning British Amateur champion, talks to Sean and Jordan about her action-packed summer and her preparation for the ANWA. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Ep. 27: Pete Wlodkowski | 21 Mar 2023 | 00:37:48 | |
Pete Wlodkowski started AmateurGolf.com 23 years ago. He joins me on this particular episode to talk about a project he’s working on for our YouTube channel. He wants to showcase the Carlsbad area in Southern California because it is the mecca for golf club manufacturing. Nearly every major brand has a foothold in Carlsbad. In the first episode of the Carlsbad golf tour, Pete visits Fujikura and learns about how they make shafts, he was also lucky enough to test out some driver shafts in their testing center. Pete shares the goals of this video series and the unique experiences that each manufacturer provides its visitors and the golfing public. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 26: Ellen Port | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:46:45 | |
Ellen Port is one of the most decorated golfers of any generation. She’s won seven USGA events, an accomplishment that puts her in the stratosphere of nine-time USGA winners Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods. Jack Nicklaus and JoAnne Gunderson Carner have eight. We talk about her love of the game and her mentality on the course. She picks out a few highlights from her USGA championships and tells an incredible story about the wildlife in Alaska during the 2022 US Women’s Senior Am. She talks about her Curtis Cup experience as a player and captain and gives us a few things she’s feeling good about for the future of women’s amateur golf. Port’s Seven USGA Championship Victories Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 25: John Ashworth | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:57:58 | |
If you were a 1990s golf fan, you recognize John Ashworth’s last name. His apparel company, Ashworth, adorned some of the best players in the world: Fred Couples, John Cook, and Ernie Els. Over the years, John Ashworth has had his hand in a lot of different projects and companies, all of them connected to the game he loves. We discuss how he got into the game as a kid caddying for his dad, playing competitively in college, looping on the PGA Tour for his friend Mark Wiebe, playing in Scotland, and saving Goat Hill. Ashworth most recently started LinkSoul, an apparel company that feels very much like a culmination of his golfing journey. Easy, laid-back clothing that can be worn on the course and then in a restaurant afterward. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Ep 24: Dave Neville | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:35:23 | |
Dave Neville has been with Callaway for nearly a decade. TopGolf has exploded over the last few years, and Neville tells us how much that has impacted Callaway. He talks about the new sponsorship signings of influencers like Good Good and Bob Does Sports and what it means to help golf continue to grow. As Callaway rolls out its Paradym line, he talks with us about what makes this line the best he has seen from Callaway. Neville and I discuss how Callaway is using A.I. to build their clubs, what it takes to get the driver sounding and looking and performing just right. Finally, we take a walk down memory lane and learn about a club that surpassed Neville’s expectations when it initially launched. Dave Neville on Instagram Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 67: Ian Gilligan wins marathon Western Am and U.S. Women's Am Preview | 04 Aug 2024 | 00:50:28 | |
Sean Melia and Justin Golba recap a quiet yet crazy week in amateur golf. They discuss the Western Amateur, the US Women's Amateur, and the US Women's Senior Open. They also talk about the selection process for the Curtis Cup team and highlight some notable players and storylines for this week's U.S Women's Amateur field. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 23: Lawrence Donegan | 21 Feb 2023 | 01:01:33 | |
Lawrence Donegan might be one of the most interesting men in golf. His journey to Founding Editor of McKellar magazine started as a bassist for two popular Scottish rock bands in the 1980s. He went to journalism school, authored five books, and secured his dream job as the golf correspondent for the Guardian. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 22: Dana Dormann | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:41:26 | |
Dana Dormann keeps finding herself back at San Jose State. After an illustrious playing career at San Jose State where she won the 1987 national team championship and the Pacific Coast Athletic Association Player of the Year award, she helped the Spartans win another national championship in 1989 as an assistant coach. Dormann enjoyed success on the LPGA Tour. But San Jose State’s siren song was strong, she joined the coaching staff as an assistant to her husband, John. The program had fallen on hard times, but in the last five years, under her leadership as head coach, the program has turned around and is winning events and competing with power 5 schools regularly. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Episode 21: Matt McClean | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:39:38 | |
Matt McClean has been a staple in Irish amateur golf over the last few years. He’s collected a number of impressive finishes in events in Ireland and the UK. In 2022 he had runner-up finishes in the North of Ireland Amateur Open and the Irish Amateur Open. He also reached the final 16 of the British Amateur, too. Amateur Golf Links: | |||
| Ep 20: Stephen Proctor | 14 Dec 2022 | 00:56:57 | |
Stephen Proctor has been at the forefront of bringing the history of golf back into modern-day golf discussion. The former newspaper editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and Baltimore Sun has turned his passion for storytelling into two excellent golf books that would be great gifts for a golf lover in your life. “Monarch of the Green” details Young Tom Morris’ life as the golf’s first superstar. Amateur Golf Links: | |||