Tree of Life

29 Jul

S11, Ep 37, Pt 2: Stories with Jay Delsing + US Kids Masters Teacher James Hongs Joins Me

published in category: Next on the Tee on Monday, July 29th, 2024 – 6:26 pm

In Part 2 of Episode 37, I am joined by former UCLA two-time All-American and Tour Pro Jay Delsing, as well as US Kids Golf Lifetime Master Teacher James Hong.

Jay kicks things off with an entertaining story about previous guest Mark Calcavecchia. He then shares his experience playing in the 1985 Open Championship at St. Andrews, where he stayed until the dramatic conclusion when Constantino Rocca holed a miracle putt from the Valley of Sin to force a playoff with John Daly, which Daly ultimately won. Jay was also in the group behind Arnold Palmer, who was playing his final Open. He witnessed “The King” wave goodbye to the patrons from the Swilken Bridge and on the 18th green. Jay also shares his pick to win this year’s Open and discusses the honor he received from the St. Louis Children’s Miracle Network. Jay is wonderfully positive and a joy to talk to. Be sure to check out Jay’s great show, Golf with Jay Delsing, anywhere you get your podcast content.

James Hong comes highly recommended by Tom Patri and Jeff Smith. Jeff insisted, “You’ve got to have this guy on the show,” while Tom described him as “absolutely one of the best Junior Instructors in our game.” James certainly lived up to these accolades. We delve into his journey in golf, his early desire to play catcher in baseball, and how that influenced his teaching career. He explains how he sets proper expectations for his students and their parents, keeps young players engaged, and shares tips for improving our short game at home. Give James a follow on Instagram @jameshonggolf.

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

25 Jul

S11, Ep 37, Pt 1: Open Insights, Experiences, & Stories from Tom Patri & Mark Calcavecchia

published in category: Next on the Tee on Thursday, July 25th, 2024 – 12:02 pm

In Part 1 of Episode 37, I’m thrilled to be joined for the 100th time by Tom Patri, along with a special return visit from the 1989 Open Champion, Mark Calcavecchia.

Tom Patri and I kick things off by reflecting on last week’s Scottish Open and Robert MacIntyre’s impressive victory. We also discuss the ISCO Championship and the close call for Pierceson Coody, a rising star Tom has been touting. Tom shares his experiences playing at Royal Troon and offers a valuable putting lesson on how to get the ball rolling end over end instead of skidding for the first few feet.

Mark Calcavecchia returns to share memories from his triumph at the 1989 Open Championship, held at this year’s venue, Royal Troon. He discusses the challenges of the 123-yard 8th hole, famously known as The Postage Stamp, and recounts his long par save on the 11th hole, the slam dunk chip shot he made on the 12th that shifted his mindset, and what it felt like standing over a 7-footer on the final playoff hole with three putts to win. Mark also shares his prediction for who will be holding the Claret Jug this Sunday afternoon.

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

25 Jul

S11, Ep 36, Pt 2: Self Taught +3 Handicap Jeremy Jean-Marie & All-Time Great Writer, Host, & Interviewer Damon Hack

published in category: Next on the Tee on Thursday, July 25th, 2024 – 10:35 am

In Part 2 of Episode 36, I am joined by Jeremy Jean-Marie, a self-taught +3 handicap, and Damon Hack, one of the most renowned writers, hosts, and interviewers in the world of golf.

Jeremy Jean-Marie started playing golf at the age of 20, and he embodies what practice and dedication can help you achieve. While it often takes many of us a decade to progress from being awful to just bad, Jeremy has become an elite player during that time. You’ll hear about his journey, his experiences in Minor League Golf tournaments, and his tips for how you can prepare for and hit better shots from tee to green.

Damon Hack is well-known for his years as a host on The Golf Channel. He has also written for Newsday, The New York Times, and Sports Illustrated. In this segment, Damon shares his recent experience interviewing players at the US Open, including thoughts on Bryson’s remarkable bunker shot on the 18th and Rory’s heartbreaking moments. We also discuss his views on the prolonged merger negotiations between the PIF and the PGA Tour, Keegan Bradley’s appointment as US Ryder Cup Captain, and Scottie’s historic run.

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

24 Jul

Podcast: Biden ends his presidential campaign

published in category: From The TribLIVE Newsroom on Wednesday, July 24th, 2024 – 12:00 pm

This past Sunday, President Joe Biden announced he would not seek a second term, becoming the first sitting president since Lyndon B. Johnson to make such a decision.

The end of Biden’s campaign clarified a potential path for Vice President Kamala Harris to emerge as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ahead of the DNC, just weeks away.

Zac Gibson, the host, and Ryan Deto, the political reporter for TribLive, provide the latest details.

This is From the Newsroom.

Posted in From The TribLIVE Newsroom

 

24 Jul

S11, Ep 36, Pt 1: All-Army Golf Champion Jonathan Shuskey and One of the Stars of the Movie Playing Through Julie Rae

published in category: Next on the Tee on Wednesday, July 24th, 2024 – 9:34 am

In Part 1 of Episode 36, I am joined by Jonathan Shuskey, a 20-year Army veteran, three-time Fort Benning Club Champion, and 2013 All-Army Champion, as well as Julia Rae, an actress, singer, dancer, writer, and one of the stars of the movie “Playing Through.”

Jonathan Shuskey enlisted in the Army the week before 9/11. He shares his experience of sitting in the barber’s chair getting his hair shaved when the planes struck the Towers. We also discuss how his confidence secured him a spot in his first Army golf tournament, some of the excellent golf courses on military bases, his transition to playing college golf after retiring from the Army, and his excitement when Michigan won the National Championship. You can follow Jonathan on social media @j_shuskey1.

Julia Rae is not only a talented actress, singer, dancer, and writer, but she is also a Cystic Fibrosis activist and hero. Born with CF, Julia has battled this condition her entire life. She shares her story of how, late in her teens, her situation became life-threatening and how she managed to overcome it. Julia is one of the stars of the movie “Playing Through,” which tells the story of Ann Gregory, the Queen of African American women’s golf, who won hundreds of tournaments and broke the color barrier in women’s golf. Julia plays Babs Whatling, one of the main characters in the movie, delivering a performance that makes you root for her character almost as much as for Ann Gregory. Julia also hosts a wonderful podcast called “A Deeper Look,” available on most podcast platforms, where she shares her warm, genuine, and vulnerable self. You can follow Julia and her podcast on social media @itsjuliarae and @deeperlookpod.

Posted in Next on the Tee

 

10 Jul

Podcast: Western Pennsylvania is experiencing a cultural, economic change

published in category: From The TribLIVE Newsroom on Wednesday, July 10th, 2024 – 3:07 pm

Western Pennsylvania is experiencing a visual, cultural and economic change, and the Beechview neighborhood in Pittsburgh is at the heart of it.

From 2010 to 2020, Pittsburgh’s overall population saw a modest growth of less than 1%. In stark contrast, the Latino population in Pittsburgh experienced a staggering 80% increase.

Latin -American migrants from California, New York, and Florida are coming to Pennsylvania for the affordability and economic growth opportunity.

Pennsylvania’s Latino sub-economy is snowballing. It saw 18% growth from 2011 to 2021, with $36 billion in gross domestic income, representing 4.2% of the state’s gross domestic income.

According to a study from Arizona State University, the growing Latino work force is offsetting the losses from non-Latino workers in the state.

Pennsylvania’s economic growth averages 1.1% per year, while the Latino sub-economy saw averages of 6.2% growth in the same time frame.

Reporter Anna Mares and host Zac Gibson dive into her recent article, which cites the economic growth and cultural change in Western Pennsylvania in relationship to this changing demographic.

This is From the Newsroom.

Posted in From The TribLIVE Newsroom

 

06 Jul

Podcast: Potential nationwide scam hits Carrick event venue

published in category: From The TribLIVE Newsroom on Saturday, July 6th, 2024 – 1:21 pm

 

A recent alleged concert booking scam has affected a venue in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood.

Audiovisual company Hearcorp owns the event venue and former church at 25 Carrick Ave.

Chief operations officer Brendan Elder recalled his conversation with Alex Bowen, who wanted to book a concert featuring orchestral renditions of Dr. Dre songs at the venue on April 20.

Bowen reached out as a representative of ARB Marketing company and said that he would like to book quickly to ensure the sale of tickets.

Elder says he reached out to Bowen and ARB multiple times to secure a deposit for the event, but never received any payment. He later received a mass email from Bowen stating that the company was to close down and file for bankruptcy.

Elder filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office after realizing he had fallen victim to a scam.

According to press secretary Brett Hambright, the office received at least five other complaints regarding the marketing company.

TribLive’s trending news reporter, Megan Swift, joins Zac Gibson to discuss the information that shows a national span of similar situations, and what Elder learned after fielding calls from the event’s ticket holders.

This is From the Newsroom.

Posted in From The TribLIVE Newsroom

 

03 Jul

S11, Ep 35, Pt 1: The Confidence Doctor, Dr. Bob Winters; the Founder of Golf Live, Keith Scioli; and our Resident Director of Instruction, Tom Patri

published in category: Next on the Tee on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024 – 4:45 pm

Dr. Bob makes his regular monthly appearance and discusses the importance of having a SOLID foundation for your game. What does SOLID stand for? He explains it as:

  • Single-minded
  • Optimistic
  • Letting go of score and expectations
  • Intentional and focused over each shot
  • Decisive and determined mindset

Dr. Bob also shares insights about a hidden gem course in Ocala, which he says may be the best in Florida.

Keith Scioli transitioned from being a Landman for Southwest Energy to creating the ultimate golf app, Golf Live. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, this app offers real-time live playing lessons with a PGA Professional, no matter where you or they are. Struggling on the range and wish you could get a live lesson right then? Now you can. Keith walks us through the app’s features, including the soon-to-be-added swing data integration, making it feel like you’re in a simulator with your coach, even if you’re just hitting into a net in your backyard.

Tom Patri is back, and this week we discuss more missed short putts on tour. At least this time, the player didn’t avoid the media and fans. Tom also explains why your handicap might be misleading if you play most of your rounds on the same course.

Posted in Next on the Tee

 



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