Tree of Life

31 Mar

S12, Ep14, Pt 2: Inside The Kingdom: Tour-Level Fitting & On-Course Wisdom with Taylor Crosby

published in category: Next on the Tee on Monday, March 31st, 2025 – 7:02 pm

In Part 2 of Episode 14, I’m joined by first-time guest Taylor Crosby, and trust me—you’re going to love this conversation. Taylor brings great energy to the show and an impressive resume, having worked alongside one of the greatest instructors of all time, Jim McLean.

Taylor is now teaching at one of the premier golf facilities in the world: The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee. We dive into what makes The Kingdom such a special place—from their PGA Tour-level fitting experience, to their on-site TaylorMade fitting trailer, and their cutting-edge studio and hitting bays. Unlike most fittings, at The Kingdom, you walk away with your custom-fit clubs the same day—ready to take down your weekend group right away.

Taylor also shares insights into the seven stunning golf courses at Reynolds Lake Oconee, each designed by a legendary architect. And if that’s not enough, he brings along some fantastic playing lessons and tips to help you lower your scores and improve your swing.

It’s a jam-packed segment with gear talk, game improvement tips, and plenty of laughs.

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

31 Mar

S12, Ep 14, Pt 1: Ball Strikers & Ball Hawks: Golf & Gridiron Greats Tom Patri & Vencie Glenn

published in category: Next on the Tee on Monday, March 31st, 2025 – 10:32 am

This Week on Next on the Tee, I’m joined by three incredible guests. In Part 1, I start with one of the game’s all-time great instructors—Tom Patri. Not only is Tom a phenomenal teacher, he’s also a fantastic player. Tom is sharpening his game for the Senior Florida Open, happening April 22–24 at Aberdeen Golf & Country Club in Boynton Beach, Florida. You’ll hear how he dominated the course during his practice round for the qualifier, plus his thoughts on Rory McIlroy’s win at The Players, J.J. Spaun’s valiant effort and willingness to face the media after falling short, perhaps something Collin Morikawacould take a lesson from.

Next up is a longtime friend from our Thursday Night Tailgate football show, former NFL defensive back Vencie Glenn. Vencie played for the Patriots, Chargers, Saints, Vikings, and Giants—and he’s just as popular in golf circles as he was on the football field. I share one of my favorite stories about walking Augusta National with him and how he introduced me to Phil Knight and Tiger’s mom. The golf world knows and loves this guy, and for good reason. We chat about former NFL players who excel at golf, and how Vencie honed his skills to become a ball hawk in the league, racking up 35 career interceptions.

Please come back for Part 2 of this week’s show featuring the Next on the Tee debut of another Top Instructor in our game, Taylor Crosby. Taylor is a disciple of Jim McLean and is now teaching at The Kingdom at Reynold Lake Oconee. He’s fantastic! You’re going to really enjoy his stories plus the playing lessons he shared.

Thank you for pressing play on this week’s show. I appreciate you!

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

26 Mar

Podcast: Pittsburgh Mills’ pothole problems

published in category: From The TribLIVE Newsroom on Wednesday, March 26th, 2025 – 2:00 pm

 

Pittsburgh Mills has spent much of its 20-year existence as part of the discussion about dying malls around the area adn the country.

But lately, it’s potholes — not vacancies — that have people talking. These are not ordinary potholes — we’re talking three-foot-wide, one-foot-deep, bone-rattling holes that have damaged cars and deterred shoppers. For years, owner Namdar Realty has done little to fix roads.

It wasn’t until Monday that a crew hired by the mall appeared to patch the worst of the potholes. However, a full repair job is estimated to cost $4.5 million.

TribLive followed the story as it snowballed into code violations, a civil suit, and even criminal charges against the mall’s owners.

TribLive reporter Jack Troy talks with fellow reporter Shaylah Brown about the story.

Posted in From The TribLIVE Newsroom

 

21 Mar

S12, Ep 13, Pt 2: Golf Under the Lights: Keith Hirshland on LIV, Legends & Literature

published in category: Next on the Tee on Friday, March 21st, 2025 – 2:46 pm

In Part 2 of episode 13, I’m thrilled to welcome back one of my all-time favorite guests—acclaimed author and legendary golf TV producer, Keith Hirshland. Keith is not only one of the nicest people on the planet but also a wealth of knowledge when it comes to golf, television production, and life itself. We dive into his work with LIV Golf, where he leads their broadcasts, and discuss the great broadcast technology they’ve brought to the game including doing a tournament played under the lights in Riyadh. Keith shares the challenges of tracking the ball at night and introduces us to the newest addition to their broadcast team, Pat Perez. We also take a trip down memory lane as Keith reminisces about his role in launching The Golf Channel back in 1995 and his relationship with Arnold Palmer. Plus, Keith gives us an update on his latest book, a sequel to Song Girl, featuring the return of that intriguing CT Mascaro character. Don’t miss this engaging conversation with one of the best in the business!

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

20 Mar

Pine-Richland’s controversial new library book policy

published in category: From The TribLIVE Newsroom on Thursday, March 20th, 2025 – 10:04 am

Pine-Richland School Board has become the latest local school system to join the conversation of library censorship and book bans, thanks to a new policy that was narrowly passed and has engaged board and community members alike.

As the board nears Primary election season, TribLive reporter James Engel and host Zac Gibson discuss the new policy and the potential election impact.

This is “From the newsroom.”

Posted in From The TribLIVE Newsroom

 

19 Mar

S12, Ep 13, Pt 1: From Major Wins to Major Changes: Shaun Micheel & Tom Stickney Talk Golf, Life, Plus Staighter Drives & Closer Chips

published in category: Next on the Tee on Wednesday, March 19th, 2025 – 2:18 pm

This week on Next on the Tee, I’m thrilled to welcome three great friends to the show. I start things off in Part 1 with a player who I believe is one of the most underrated and underappreciated of the 21st century—Shaun Micheel. Most people remember Shaun for his incredible win at the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, but his career extends far beyond that. He finished runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 2006 PGA and even defeated Tiger in the first round of the Match Play Championship that same year. Beyond his playing career, Shaun offers incredible insight into the current state of both the professional and college golf scenes. We haven’t seen much of him on the Champions Tour recently, and unfortunately, there’s a heartbreaking reason why—you’ll hear all about it. He also weighs in on the shrinking number of Tour exemptions and the ongoing struggles the PGA Tour faces in marketing its players, given how much they’ve relied on Tiger Woods for the past 28 years.

Then, I’m joined by Top 100 Instructor Tom Stickney, who shares some fantastic playing lessons and short-game tips. In a fun twist, I recently discovered that not only did Shaun and I attend Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, but Tom is an alumnus as well! Tom has earned a Doctorate from The Golf Machine organization, a system that has had a major influence on the game. Shaun is a big believer in it, and Tom breaks down why more golfers should be paying attention to its principles. He also shares his expertise on how to fix a big slice or banana hook off the tee and offers short-game strategies from 100 yards in.

It’s a jam-packed episode with great stories, insights, and tips. Thank you so much for pressing play!

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

17 Mar

S12, Ep 12, Pt 2: The Confidence Edge & Golf’s Hot Topics with Dr. Bob Winters & Tom Patri

published in category: Next on the Tee on Monday, March 17th, 2025 – 11:30 am

In Part 2 of Episode 12, I welcome back our resident mental game expert, Dr. Bob Winters, The Confidence Doctor. This month, Dr. Bob dives into the crucial role that your dominant eye plays—not just in your swing, but also in your overall confidence on the course. Get your notepads ready because he shares a couple of key insights you’ll want to remember.

Then, we wrap things up with our Resident Director of Instruction, Tom Patri. TP gives us the inside scoop on some of his recent Instagram Live interviews, including conversations with our mutual good friend Damon Hack from The Golf Channel and his longtime pal Jimmy Roberts. And in a hilarious twist, TP must’ve been feeling nostalgic—because for the rest of our chat, he calls me Jimmy…not kidding, you’ll hear it for yourself. We also get into his thoughts on some hot topics in the game right now, like slow play and AimPoint green reading.

It’s a fun and insightful conversation, so stick around and let’s tee it up!

 

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

17 Mar

S12, Ep 12, Pt 1: Inside the TGL & A Champion’s Journey with Ben Helmrath & Wes Short Jr.

published in category: Next on the Tee on Monday, March 17th, 2025 – 10:36 am

On this episode of Next on the Tee, I’m joined by Ben Helmrath, VP of Merchandising at PGA Tour Superstore and Team Coordinator for the Atlanta Drive of the TGL League. Ben is deeply involved in team strategy, working alongside Captain Justin Thomas to set match-day lineups plus helps layout all the winning scenarios for when they should throw the Hammer. He takes us behind the scenes at SoFi Stadium, giving us a look at what really goes into a team’s preparation and what it’s like down on the floor. Plus, with golf simulators becoming more and more affordable, Ben shares insights on how owning one might now be within reach for all of us.

Then, mkaing his Next on the Tee debut is Champions Tour Pro Wes Short Jr. His longtime friend and Next on the Tee favorite, Bob Estes suggested that Wes would make a great guest, and boy was he right. Wes has an inspiring career—after years of grinding, he earned his PGA Tour card in 2004 at the age of 40, won his first event a year later in Las Vegas, and even qualified for his first U.S. Open at 52 years of age. His story proves that persistence pays off and we should never give up on our dreams.

It’s a great lineup with insights, inspiration, and plenty of great stories, so thank you tuning in!

Posted in Next on the Tee

 



Podcasts