Episodes
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest on this episode is Richard Pennell, the passionate author behind Stymied; a blog about Richard’s love affair with the beguiling mistress that is golf. In this episode we discuss Richard’s journey in life and the golf industry, starting with his first golf teacher and mentor and finishing with his current sabbatical away from the golf industry, but still passionately in love with the game and writing about it every morning. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did and hope the readings in this episode will inspire you to subscribe to Stymied and fall in love with the game again.
You can follow Richard on Twitter (@pitchmarks) and Instagram (@pitchmarks) and you can subscribe to Richard’s blog Stymied for free here: https://richardpennell.substack.com/
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to the first episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest on this episode is Robin Down, author of Golf in the Wild and its sequel, Golf in the Wild, Going Home. Both books are about golf and life, on some of the most beautiful and wild courses in England and Scotland. In this episode we discuss Robin’s first book, including its many diversions, Robin reads a few passages along the way. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did and that it will inspire you to go on your own golf journey in the wild.
You can follow Robin on Twitter (@Robin_Down) and you can find out more about Golf in the Wild on Robin’s website (https://golfinthewild.org.uk). You can also follow Allendale Golf Club, the home of Golf in the Wild, on Twitter (@AllendaleGolf) and Facebook and the Allendale GC website is here (https://Allendale-golf.com). Both of Robin’s books can be found on Amazon or you can order directly from Robin’s website.
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Episodes manquant?
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Welcome to the first episode of Series 5 of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest on this episode is Maulana Dotch, the first African American female Class A PGA professional in Texas, and the second in the United States, after the legendary Renee Powell. Maulana is also the first African American female GM at a golf club or course in the United States and is well on her way to becoming a living legend in her own right. She is passionate, resilient and always striving to get better, and provides an atmosphere where her team can develop and be the best versions of themselves. Imagine what your club or course would be like if you had Maulana at the helm with a single minded focus on improving your customer experience. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can follow Maulana Dotch on Instagram and Twitter (@golfgirlie21) and Facebook and you can also follow Hermann Park Golf Course on social media and on their website (https://hermannparkgc.com).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast). -
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. This episode is Part 2 of my discussion with Ian Renshaw, a world renowned academic, expert adviser, coach and mentor in the area of skill acquisition in sport in general, and golf in particular. In this episode we discuss the book Ian co-authored with Peter Arnott and Graeme Macdowell called A Constraints Led Approach to Golf Coaching as well as his course and book in the making with Peter Arnott, called, provocatively, Swing Like Tiger. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Ian’s work on Twitter (@ConstraintsColl) and The Constraints Collective website (https://theconstraintscollective.com). You can also connect with Ian on LinkedIn.
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast). Thank you for listening to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast with Ian Renshaw.
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest for the next two episodes is Ian Renshaw, a world renowned academic, expert adviser, coach and mentor in the area of skill acquisition in sport in general, and golf in particular. We following Ian’s journey from growing up as a multi-sport athlete in Northern England, to his many years at university culminating in his PHD and his current academic position, as well as his many coaching and consulting exploits at all levels of sport. Ian is a fascinating guest, and if you listen to these episodes, you will I hope come to understand how conventional coaching and learning in golf is based on age old myths that have no basis in science. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Ian’s work on Twitter (@ConstraintsColl) and The Constraints Collective website (https://theconstraintscollective.com). You can also connect with Ian on LinkedIn.
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast). -
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest this week, and back by popular demand is performance practice coach Jayne Storey. Before listening to this episode I would encourage you to listen to episodes 23 and 24 with Jayne from last year if you haven’t done so already. Jayne is a performance practice coach whose deep understanding is based on over thirty years practising and teaching formal meditation as well as several Chinese martial arts including Tai Chi. In this episode we discuss Jayne’s latest book Connected Golf which is hot off the shelf, and how the principles and practices discussed in that book, will help you improve in golf and in life. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Jayne on her website ( https://chi-performance.com) or by following her on Twitter
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest this week is Jim Gales, MBE. Jim is a three time Open champion, Canadian Open champion and founder and chair of Scottish Disability Golf & Curling. He is also an international curler; some would say he is a curling mercenary. Like Jim’s mother, Jim is blind. We follow Jim’s journey as an only child losing his parents at a relatively young age, to taking up golf and curling, and developing into an elite athlete at both while at the same time founding and running the biggest disability golf charity in Scotland with well over 1000 members all over the world. Yet, to my surprise, the SDGC receives absolutely no funding from the R&A, the home of golf in Scotland . If you are able to donate, please visit the SDGC website referenced in the show notes. Jim has a wonderful sense of humour and I hope to have a beer with him after a game of golf in Scotland in the not too distant future. I hope you enjoy this discussion with Jim as much as I did.
You can find out more about the SDGC on its website (https://scottishdgc.org.u) and you can follow the SDGC on Twitter (@thesdgc ).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. In celebration of Black History Month in North America, my guest on this episode is Charles Sifford Jr., the eldest son of the legendary Charlie Sifford, the first black PGA tour player who paved the way for many including Tiger Woods, who described Charlie as the Grandpa he never had. All Charlie ever wanted to do was to play the game he loved against the best players in the world but he had to courageously fight every step of the way, with the loving support of his wife Rose, in the face of appalling racism from the PGA, Augusta National, and countless sponsors. This is the story of a teenager who left the South just to be able to play the game he loved and who eventually received the recognition he deserved, culminating in his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States, in a ceremony with President Obama in the White House a year before he passed away. As Charlie said in his biography, “Just Let Me Play”, and when he was allowed to play, he proved to the world that he was one of the best at golf, and like his son Charles, he was and will always be remembered as a good man; one of the best.
You can find out more about Charlie Sifford by reading his biography, “Just Let Me Play”; the centenary celebration edition is available on Amazon.
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. In this episode we shine a light on Canadian golf course architect Christine Fraser whose unique experience, vision and voice is filling a gap in the golf industry that has been neglected for far too long. Christine grew up on a public family owned golf course in Eastern Ontario, Canada, and was a Division 1 collegiate golfer in the United States. She went on to do a masters degree in Landscape Architecture and landed her dream job in Oxford working with Martin Hawtree, one of the greatest living architects in the world. With good humour and an enlightened approach, Christine is using her design philosophy and voice to change the culture of the game of golf for the better. If I ever build a public golf course, I would want Christine to design it. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Christine on her website (https://christinefraserdesign.com) and you can also follow her on Twitter (@cggolfdesign) and Instagram (@christinefraserdesign).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Happy New Year Listeners and welcome back to The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. We start Series 3 by shining a light on the founder of the AFRIYEA Golf Academy in Uganda. His name is Isaiah Mwesige and he is one of the most impressive young men I have had the pleasure of meeting. He is humble, unselfish and resilient and above all has a passion to change the lives of others and their communities through the AFRIYEA Golf Academy. The Academy does this with a truly unique combination of golf, education and the environmental studies. The Academy is particularly focused on girls and young women, people with a disability, and children from a disadvantaged economic background. The only thing that holds the Academy back from its lofty but realistic goals is limited resources. If you can help financially, please go to the funding page of the Academy’s website; if you can help by other means by donating golf clubs or spreading the word, please get hold of Isaiah directly. All of the details are included below. The sound quality is not up to the usual high standards in a few spots, but please persevere, because Isaiah’s passion for the game of golf and how it can change lives will surely rub off on you. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about the AFRIYEA Golf Academy and make a donation on its website (https://afriyeagolfacademy.com ) and you can also follow the Academy on Twitter (@AfriyeaA) and Instagram (@afriyeagolfacademy). You can also get in touch with Isaiah directly by sending a direct message via Twitter (@isaiahmwesige) and Instagram (@isaiahmwesige) or by email ([email protected]).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest this week, the last episode of 2021, is Rajen Sewgolum, the son of “Papwa”, the greatest South African golfer of all time, who you’ve most likely never heard of as he was a person of colour whose livelihood was cruelly taken away from him by the apartheid state. During this week when we lost Lee Elder, and at a time when countless professional golfers are quite happy to get into bed with serial human rights abusers, I would ask that you please share the story of Papwa, as it is an important story that needs to be told.
You can find out more about Papwa by reading "Papwa: In the Grip of a Champion" by Derrick Hubbard and by following Rajen on Twitter (@PapwaGolf) and Instagram (@rajen_sewgolum). Rajen can also be reached by email on [email protected].
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast). -
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest today is the engaging, entertaining, thoughtful, always optimistic, Emma Ballard, the Editor of Women & Golf, a popular 30 year old magazine that went digital during the pandemic. We follow Emma’s journey from her early sporting life as a child, her first golf lessons at Wentworth, to her path in the sport and golf industry leading up to her current role at Women & Golf which started just eight months ago. We also discuss the R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Development Programme, as well as women’s golf at every level, but as Emma says, at the end of the day, “Golf is just Golf”. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about the Emma Ballard and Women & Golf on this website website (https://womenandgolf.com). You can also follow Emma and Women & Golf on Twitter (@EmmaOffTwitr and @Women_and_Golf), Instagram (@emmaballard21 and @women_and_golf) and Facebook (@Women & Golf).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest today is the inspirational and resilient Amir Malik, the founder of the The Muslim Golf Association (or MGA for short) is the worlds first dedicated golfing platform that caters for the modern, professional, Muslim male & female golfer. We follow Amir’s journey in life and golf, from the early death of both of his parents when he was a teenager, to having to grow up quickly and pay the rent, to his university days and life in the City as a recruitment agent, to his spiritual journeys to Mecca, and his discovery and love of golf. We also discuss Amir’s experience of racism in its many forms along the way. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about the MGA on its website ( https://muslimgolfassociation.com ). You can also follow Amir on Twitter (@AmirWMalik) and Instagram (@AmirMalik and @muslimgolfassociation).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest today is Lauren Cupp. Lauren coaches both the men’s and women’s golf teams at Hamilton College, one of the oldest and most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the United States. She is an educator, mentor and leader, mother of three young children and an elite amateur golfer. She also happens to be the most impressive speedgolfer in the world, period. She is the reigning world record holder, the reigning world number one, and the reigning US national speedgolf champion and she has been undefeated since 2018. That's a lot of reigning. What an impressive role model and leader! What more can I say. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find follow Lauren on both twitter (@speedgolfher) and Instagram (@laurencupp8) and you can follow the Hamilton College golf teams on twitter (@HamCollGolf) and Instagram (@hamiltoncollegegolf).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest today is Mike Romatowski. Mike is a multi-certified personal trainer, golf fitness expert, and post-rehab exercise specialist. He is the creator of the revolutionary Mach 3 Golf Speed training System. Mach 3 is a year-round speed training protocol that has produced an average gain in clubhead speed of 11.5 miles per hour. The tools used in Mach 3 are dynamic and unique, allowing golfers to experience the sensation of “Speed Out in Front,” which is the hallmark of Mach 3. The single biggest barrier to getting better at golf, is insufficient length off the tee. If you want more length, you must increase your clubhead and ball speed. To do that, look no further than Mike and Mach 3 speed training. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Mike and Mach 3 speed training on his website (https://mach3speedtraining.com/) and you can also follow Mike on Facebook (@SusieMeyers60) and you can follow Mach 3 on instagram (@mach3speedtraining).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest today is Susie Meyers. Susie is a former collegiate all-American and LPGA tour player who has competed in five majors. She also happens to be one of the top golf coaches in America and is the author of Golf from Point A. Like the other golf coaches we have had the honour of having on this podcast, Susie takes a learning approach to her coaching. If you want to improve in golf and in life, you should play golf and live life from Point A. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Susie on her website https://susiemeyersgolf.com/ and you can also follow her on Twitter (@SusieMeyers60) and Facebook (Susie Meyers),
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. We are continuing on the speedgolf theme this week with Scott Dawley from Houston, Texas. Scott is an athlete, entrepreneur, pioneer and coach and the founder of Speedgolf USA. But at his heart, Scott is a speedgolfer. We follow his up and down journey from golf phenom in Highschool, to mini-tour golfer to entrepreneur and husband and father. We finish up with Jamie’s speedgolf exploits; winning the US championships in 2020 at the age of 42 and setting the speedgolf world record in the US championships just a few weeks ago. Scott has been on an amazing journey and there is much more to come from this man who has a vision for getting speedgolf into the Olympics by 2040. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Scott on his website www.scottdawley.com and you can follow him on Instagram (@scottdawleygolf) and Facebook (@Scottdawleygolf).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest today is Aimi Bullock. Aimi is a world beating disability golfer and Director of Golf Development at EDGA, a not-for-profit, volunteer organisation, that promotes golf for players with a disability at every level and aims to encourage golf to be fully inclusive. We follow Aimi’s journey from active multi-sport athlete with her own thriving accounting practice, to dabbling in golf, a sport she initially disliked with every bone in her body, to her eventual diagnosis of MS in her thirties; we finish up with an extensive discussion of her many successes as a completive golfer and her current role at EDGA where she passionately grows the game of golf. Aimi’s resilience, sense of humour and passion for golf and her role in the game comes through every step of the way. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Aimi and EDGA at https://edgagolf.com and you can follow her on Twitter (@AimiMSgolfer) and Instagram (@aimimsgolfer).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. Luke Willett, recently crowned the British Speedgolf champion, also joins me this week as a guest host. Our guest this week is Jamie Reid from New Zealand; Jamie is a PE teacher by day and world number one speedgolfer the rest of the time. Jamie joined us from New Zealand and as you would expect has been staying close to home throughout the pandemic. We follow Jamie’s speedgolf journey from the beginning just four years ago to where he sits today at the top of the speedgolf world. We hope you enjoy this discussion as much as we did.
You can find out more about Jamie on Instagram (@jamiereid_speedgolfer).
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. Our guest this week is Jayne Storey. This is the second part of the interview. Jayne is a performance practice coach whose deep understanding is based on over thirty years practising and teaching formal meditation as well as several Chinese martial arts including Tai Chi. This discussion requires all of your attention, which is why I have broken it up into two bite sized episodes. But it is potentially life changing for your game. We discuss the need for a paradigm shift in how sports performance is understood. The conventional view is that to perform at golf, you just need good technique and mental toughness based on positive psychology. But we all know that a pretty swing and positive thoughts is not enough to perform under pressure. We discuss many topics including the mind-body connection, meditation, intention, visualisation, flow or the zone, and performance anxiety. The paradigm shift requires an understanding that the only way to address performance anxiety is through having a deep practice that quiets your mind under the most intense pressure; the sort of practice that Tiger learned from his mother and applied during his last victory at Augusta. Jayne is the real deal; her understanding is deep and profound and is not the sort of understanding you get from a mindfulness app or weekend course. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.
You can find out more about Jayne on her website ( https://chi-performance.com) or by following her on Twitter @breathe_perform.
If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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