Plugged In Golf Podcast

Matt welcomes Andy Hayes back to the podcast for this eye-opening episode.  After a short Masters recap, they discuss Andy's recent swing changes that came under the guidance of Hank Haney.  This is a must listen for golf swing enthusiasts and any player interested in making serious improvements to their own swing.

This week, we welcome back Terry Koehler from Edison Golf to discuss an interesting question: Can you judge a golf club by how it looks?  Terry argues that in irons and wedges, the answer is yes, and he explains just how to do it.  Matt and Terry also get into several informative tangents, and Matt wraps up by talking about how you can use visual cues to understand how woods and hybrids perform, too.

Check out the lesson on Gear Effect HERE

It's often said that golf is 10% physical and 90% mental, but most golfers do nothing to improve their mental game.  Bo Watson and Shannon Shuskey are out to change that with their In The Zone Mental Training System.  In this episode, Bo and Shannon share loads of practical tips on how to lower your handicap and perform better on the course without spending any additional time on the range.

Buy In the Zone Secrets HERE

Visit the In the Zone Mental Training website HERE

In a break from the norm, this episode is not an interview or a lesson, but Matt ranting about the state of golf.  Find out what's grinding his gears and how he thinks we can fix it.

All golfers should lift weights...but not for the reasons you think.  In this podcast, Matt explains the mental benefits of lifting weights for golfers or people who want to get better at anything.

If you've ever thought about building an indoor golf simulator or practice area, this episode is a must-listen.  Matt talks with Stephen Calhoun from Rain or Shine Golf about every step in the process, every product you'll need, and the common mistakes that you'll want to avoid.  

Visit Rain or Shine HERE

You may think you know Vokey wedges, but you don't know anything until you've listened to this podcast.  Matt speaks with Aaron Dill, Director of Tour Relations, and Kevin Tassistro, Director of Vokey Wedge Development, about the new Vokey SM10 wedges.  They get deep into the importance of CG placement and why centered may not be best, cast vs. forged, and much more.

In this week's podcast, Matt & Matt break down their experience at the 2024 PGA Show.  They name the best products, list some of the biggest trends, and take you inside the SWAG Golf party.

Check out the PGA Recap post HERE

PXG's 0311 Black Ops woods are positioned to be some of the best performers of 2024.  In this interview, Matt learns the whys and hows behind that outstanding performance from Brad Schweigert, PXG's Chief Product Officer.  Brad also shares a great story about us how a bet with his son resulted in an unplanned haircut.

It's that time of year again: excitement around new gear is at its annual high as new clubs are being announced virtually every day.  In this episode, Matt helps you sort through the hype and big claims to make the best additions to your bag.

Brian Jones is a lifelong golfer - a true addict - aiming to bring better utilities and apparel to golfers everywhere.  His company, Sandy Par, has a style that nods to his background in skating.  More importantly, their signature product, the Sandy Par golf towel, truly elevates a necessity that every golfer carries.

Matt Meeker and Matt Saternus look back on over 250 reviews from 2023 to bring you the very best products in every category.  They also start the episode with some quick takes on the USGA golf ball rollback and answer some reader questions, including the very best product of 2023.

Sometimes the best way to learn about something is through a different lens.  In this episode, Matt uses the lessons he picked up learning chess to teach some valuables things about golf.  

The Veteran Golfers Association is a group that allows veterans and their families to enjoy camaraderie and competition through the game of golf.  In this episode, we learn about this wonderful organization from veteran and Plugged In Golf reader Joe Nixon.

Check out the VGA HERE

How do you get started playing hickory golf?  Is it hard?  Can you play well?  What can you learn from it?

We dive into all these questions and more in this discussion with Andy Hayes.  

In this episode, Matt goes behind the scenes at PXG with Caleb Kroloff, Director of R&D, and Product Guru Nick Jahnke.  They discuss what drives the creation of new products at PXG, their focus on club fitting, and much more.  If you're a club junkie, this is a must-listen.

In this episode, Matt speaks with Terry Hanley, the GM at Cantigny Golf.  Cantigny is known for the fierce loyalty of its customers, so Matt and Terry discuss what Cantigny does to generate that loyalty and how other courses can learn from them.  They also talk about the upcoming renovation project and what golf courses need to be at their best, decade after decade.

It's hard to believe this is the 200th episode of the Plugged In Golf Podcast.  Thank you to everyone who has listened, whether you've checked out every single episode or if this is your first one. 

This episode features a short rant about pace of play and etiquette, a lot of questions for the listener to consider, and an introduction to the newest member of the Plugged In Golf staff, Andy Hayes.

Find Andy's Post-Apocalyptic Golf lesson HERE

Andy relays advice from Tiger Woods HERE

L.A.B. Golf Putters ended the 2023 PGA Tour season with a torrid stretch, winning twice including a L.A.B. vs. L.A.B. Sunday showdown.  In this episode, Matt talks with Liam Bedford from L.A.B.'s Tour Department about their recent success and why their putters are unlike anything else out there.

There are loads of options for putter grips these days, but very few are truly unique.  GOAT Grips is one of those few.  In this episode, Matt talks with GOAT Grips founder Dan Ridgyway to learn how he created the GOAT Grip and how it can help golfers play better golf.

"I've collected all this shot tracking data...now what?"

That's the question we're answering this week with Jen Saxton from Shot Scope.  She provides great insight into how data can improve your practice, your on-course strategy, and even the way you set up your bag.

This week's podcast is for the true gear nerds.  Matt is joined by Marni Ines, Director of Iron Development, and JJ VanWezenbeeck, Director of Player Promotions, from Titleist to discuss the 2023 T-Series Irons.  They go deep on the tech inside each new model as well as discussing Tour input and feedback on the new irons.  The podcast wraps up with a discussion of combo sets and how they're becoming more prevalent on Tour and with recreational players.

With the mission statement: "Make the best polos in the world affordable," RealGolfers is a company that we had to know more about.  Matt sat down with their founder Henry McGannon to learn about his path from professional caddie to starting an apparel company and where RealGolfers is headed.

Visit RealGolfers HERE

This week, Matt answers questions from Plugged In Golf readers and listeners about all aspects of golf. 

Topics include:

Should JT make the Ryder Cup team?

Which OEM won 2023?

Biggest equipment surprise and disappointment

and much more!

If you're interested in swing faster and being stronger and more injury-resistant, this episode is a must-listen.  Mike Romatowski is the creator of Mach 3 Speed Training, and in this episode he shares invaluable information about how to train for golf.

This week, a small army of golf course superintendents will descend upon Pebble Beach to get it into the best condition possible for the US Women's Open.  Among them will be Alex Hills, Senior Superintendent at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, and Bubba Wright, Superintendent of Pebble Beach Golf Links.  These two joined Matt for a conversation on prepping a course for a major and how golfers can help their local superintendents to keep their own home course pristine.

By popular request, this episode is focused entirely on putting.  From putting drills to putter fitting, Matt dives deep to help you perform better on the greens.

Canal Shores - a staple of the public golf scene in Chicago - is about to undergo a major facelift.  But this is more than just a standard golf course renovation, it's a whole new way of thinking about how a golf course can connect with its surrounding community.  Learn more about this new model for community golf in this interview with Josh Lesnik of KemperSports.

The calendar has turned to June, so the season is in full swing.  It's time to start thinking about our practice and how we can get the most out of it.  In this short episode, Matt offers two ideas to upgrade your golf practice so you can shoot lower scores.

Koger has created what is, in Matt's opinion, the perfect Sunday bag.  In this podcast, he talks with the company's founders, Johannes and Fredrik, about how they created the bag and what golf is like in their native Sweden.

Are blades the path to elite ball striking or endless frustration?  Matt discusses that question in detail and offers a plan for improving your swing in this episode.

If you could only have one piece of equipment fit to your swing, which one would you choose?  In this episode, Matt discusses that question and gives you his top three list.

Terry Koehler of Edison Golf is back on the Plugged In Golf Podcast to discuss his newest creation, the Edison 2.0 wedge [review HERE] and the results of a wedge survey that we worked on together.  As always, Terry drops a ton of golf wisdom that you do not want to miss.

In this week's episode, Matt dives into the USGA and R&A proposal for a reduced distance golf ball for elite competitions.  He gives you his stance, tips for how to evaluate arguments on this issue, and predictions for where we end up.

The calendar has hit March and The Masters is in sight.  That means that most of us are starting our golf season soon.  In this podcast, Matt offers some tips on reducing decision fatigue on the golf course so that you can play your best without working yourself into "golf shape."

It's that time of year when many golfers are getting new equipment, so Matt talks about what your goals should be for your new clubs.  Are you aiming to raise your ceiling or your floor?  Matt discusses what that looks like in each segment of the bag.

We all have ideas about where golf is headed and what's happening in the game, but, in this episode, we're bringing you the facts thanks to KemperSports.  KemperSports has just completed a massive survey of golfers, and we're diving deep into the results to learn what golfers think about technology, alternate formats, and much more.

In this week's podcast, Matt explains why filming your golf swing is not helping you improve your game.  

This is the week of the PGA Show, so new equipment hype is at its peak.  To help keep things in perspective, this week's podcast discusses what you can reasonably expect from new clubs and how each category has evolved over the last few years.  If you're in the market for new clubs, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, Matt helps you get off to a strong start with your 2023 golf goals.  That starts with setting good goals and continues with finding new ways to improve your game.  There's a lot packed into this short episode, and we think you'll really enjoy it. 

Today's podcast is a companion piece to the feature that's now on the site.  It gives you a look into the world of putter cover collectors, one of the most interesting places inside the world of golf.  These collectors tell us why they started collecting, what they collect, and what keeps them going.

This week, Matt welcomes back one of the first guests that ever appeared on the show, Sam Bettinardi.  As President of Bettinardi Golf, Sam has overseen a tremendous 2022, and he shares some of the highlights as well as giving us a sneak preview of what's coming in 2023.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Preston Toulon, Manager of Marketing and Communications for Mitsubishi Chemicals Group, to discuss all things Mitsubishi shafts.  They get into the reason for creating the new Kai'li family, the evolution of Diamana, and much more.

A recent viral tweet about the green fees at TPC Sawgrass got Matt thinking about the rising cost of golf.  He explores this topic and offers some ideas about how it affects the game in this episode.

In this week's episode, Matt & Matt go through the very best gear of 2022.  They cover everything from drivers to putters to launch monitors and push carts.

SST PURE is a technology that's been trusted by PGA Tour players and equipment enthusiasts for decades, but the average golfer is still unaware of it.  In this episode, we talk with Nick Sherburne from Club Champion about what SST PURE is, its purpose, the benefits, and we dispel some of the myths and rumors that surround it.

In this episode, Matt talks with Dr. Saul Miller about his new book, Winning Golf, The Mental Game.  Dr. Miller has worked with professional and recreational athletes across every major sports to help them unlock their best performances.  In this interview, you'll find practical advice you can take right to the course to start playing better today.

Every week, we receive a comment referencing one of the most tired concepts in golf equipment.  In this podcast, Matt takes on this idea head first in the hopes of retiring it forever.

If you're a regular Plugged In Golf reader, I know you think about golf a lot.  And whether you know it or not, that means you've built up a detailed image of yourself as a golfer.  In this podcast, Matt helps you take stock of your golf self image and shape it into something positive for your game.

This week, Matt is joined by Stephanie Luttrell, Titleist's Director of Metalwoods Development, and JJ Van Wezenbeeck, Titleist's Director of Player Promotions, to discuss the new TSR woods.  They go in-depth on how Titleist uses Tour feedback to create new products and answer reader questions on the new line.

"Will training for speed ruin my swing?"

This is a common concern, but what if I told you that speed training can actually make your swing better?  This is one of the many fascinating discoveries made by Professor Tyler Standifird in his research on speed training in golf.  Learn even more in this week's episode.

Andy Staples started designing golf courses at age 12 and hasn't stopped since.  In this wide ranging interview, we discuss how he learned his craft, his white paper on reviving municipal golf courses, and his recent work at PGA National turning one course into two.

Historically, getting better at golf has meant either improving your swing with hours of repetition or getting stronger and more flexible in the gym.  Chia Chou, the founder of Acceleraze Golf, has shown that it doesn't need to be that hard.  With his background as a world class pianist, he brings a totally fresh perspective to golf that has impressed some of the top coaches in the game.  Learn more in this week's episode.

In this episode, Matt starts out by offering a quick primer on NFTs in golf.  What are they?  Why are golf companies doing them?  How can they benefit golfers?

In the second part of the episode, Matt discusses six steps for improving your golf practice habits so that you can see your skills increase and your scores drop.

Check out the lesson here: https://pluggedingolf.com/how-to-create-better-golf-habits/

In this episode, Matt answers your questions on everything from fitting and favorite courses to biases in review and overlooked products.

This week, Matt sits down with the CEO of Stewart Golf, Mark Stewart.  Mark discusses how the company came to make electric caddies, and how a motorized pushcart can make golf better whether you're hyper competitive or playing for pure enjoyment.  Mark also starts the episode with a scalding hot take that may get him in trouble in his home country.

If you're a regular reader of Plugged In Golf, you're likely a bit of a gear head.  With that comes the constant wondering, "What if I had ____ shaft in my driver?  Would _____ putter fix my stroke?"

In this episode, Matt discusses how to answer those questions and scratch your equipment itches without breaking the bank.  He offers four solutions for players at every stage of their equipment journey.

Jon Sherman of Practical-Golf.com joins the show this week to discuss his new book, The Four Foundations of Golf.  In it, he pulls together over eight years of writing to create a comprehensive guide to lower scores.  If you're interested in dropping your handicap, sharpening your mental game, or getting more out of your practice sessions, this is a must-listen interview.

Check out Jon's book, The Four Foundations of Golf, HERE

Bruce Sizemore has done a lot in golf - PGA Professional, Tour Pro, putter designer - and now he's launched a full-line OEM, MORE Golf.  In this interview, Bruce discusses why he chose to make clubs in the most expensive way possible and what benefits that has for golfers.  Gearheads will love this behind-the-scenes look at the design process and the founding of a new golf company.

James Patrick Harrington, better known as JP to the golf world, has charted a fascinating career in just over a decade.  From a garage in Wisconsin to a spot at Titleist to launching his own brand, his talent for building wedges has taken him a lot of places.  In this episode, we discuss his history and also get a masterclass on the wedge design.  This is a must-listen for short game enthusiasts.

In the last four years, Swag Golf has grown by leaps and bounds.  CEO Nick Venson discusses Swag's accomplishments, their plans for the future, and answer loads of reader questions in this jam-packed episode.

Golf needs to be more environmentally friendly, but what can an individual golfer do about it?  We talked with Mistwood Golf Club's new Sustainability Specialist, Angelica Carmen, to learn just that.  In addition to the big, bold ideas that Angelica is bringing to the golf world, she lets us know that even small actions can make a big difference in golf becoming more green.

In this short episode, Matt shares some thoughts on preparing your mind, body, and game for the start of the golf season.

Breathing is something that we all do without thinking, but it has a huge impact on our bodies and our minds.  In this episode, Matt talks with NeuroPeak Pro's Director of Golf Andy Matthews about how training and improving your breathing can have massive impacts on your golf game and your life.

Find Matt's review of the NeuroPeak Pro NTEL Belt HERE

In this episode, Matt talks with Vokey's Director of Marketing Corey Gerrard about the new SM9 wedges and much more.  Corey answers a ton of reader questions and gives great insight into how to find the right wedge.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Brian Doyle, the Founder and CEO of AXIUS Core.  They discuss Brian's background as a member of the US National Rugby Team and how an injury started him down the path to creating AXIUS Core.  They also talk about how AXIUS can help golfers before diving into an entertaining Back 9.

Check out the review of AXIUS Core HERE

How did Matt turn a typical holiday family experience into a way to turbocharge your golf learning?  Find out in this episode of the Plugged In Golf Podcast.

This week, TaylorMade announced their Stealth Carbonwood Driver [full details HERE], the first major release with a carbon fiber face instead of titanium.  In the first podcast of 2022, Matt discusses why this is the most interesting equipment story of the year and what might happen to TaylorMade as a result of this massive change.

As another year comes to a close, Matt & Matt look back on the best gear, golf courses, and much more.  They also give you a look ahead to some things to keep an eye on in 2022.

The golf industry and the fitness industry are both full of experts and "experts."  Jeff Pelizzaro from 18Strong is definitely the former, and, in this episode, he gives you some great tips for avoiding the latter.  He also runs down 5 Fatal Workout Flaws and gives loads of practical advice for golfers looking to improve their health and fitness.

Check out 18Strong HERE

Get your FREE Fitness Plan HERE

When you're buying a golf club, how do you know if you're getting good value?  How do you even define value in a golf club?  In this episode, Matt takes on these questions and more, as well as giving you a simple three step process for making a good club buying decision.

In this episode, Matt talks with Pinehurst's Head Golf Professional, Matt Barksdale.  Matt gives tremendous insight into the resort and provides a ton of great tips for golfers making a trip to Pinehurst.

There's no argument that, in every category, golf clubs are evolving.  But has this evolution benefitted all golfers equally?  Have certain clubs changed more than others?  We discuss these questions and more with Terry Koehler of Edison Golf.

This week, Matt sits down with the founder of Piper Golf, Michael Gottfried, and Piper's Social Caddie, Dan Staub.  They discuss the company's origin, trying to break into a crowded golf ball market, and much more.

This week, Matt sits down with former professional golfer Jesper Thuen, now the General Manager for ECCO USA, to talk about the evolution of the golf shoe, ECCO's role in pushing spikeless shoes to the fore, and much more.

Most golfers know Brandel Chamblee as a commentator on the Golf Channel.  You may not know that he and Agustin Piza are doing some of the most interesting golf course design work in the world.  In this episode, Matt talks with Brandel & Augie about Piza Chamblee Golf Design and their plans to rethink what a golf course looks like.  Stay tuned to the end for a hilarious Back 9 segment.

Plugged In Golf is very excited to announce the launch of our of Levellr community today!  In this short episode, Matt explains what Levellr is, why Plugged In Golf is taking part, and what it means for you.

https://www.levellr.com/communities/plugged-in-golf

In this episode, Matt is joined by Matt Meeker to discuss when to replace your clubs and when to stick with what works.  They discuss what's in each of their bags, the process they used to pick those clubs, and talk about some of the best clubs they've tried lately.

In this episode, Matt recaps his recent trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, discusses affordable golf travel, and then talks about the five obstacles to playing well on a golf trip.

In this episode, Matt dives deep into practice.  He discusses his own practice routine and how he's arrived at them.  In the second half of the episode, he shares four keys that you can use to get the most out of your practice sessions.  Whether you're working to break 100 or par, these are concepts that will help you achieve your goals.

Matt takes on golf snobbery, indoor vs. outdoor fitting, and online shaft fitting in this wide-ranging episode of the Plugged In Golf Podcast.

Hailey Ostrom is one of the most popular golfers on social media, but, as we learn in this wide-ranging interview, she's a golfer first, influencer second.  We discuss the demands of influencer life, the biggest perks and misconceptions, and much more.

Every golfer loves a well-conditioned course, but very few know anything about agronomy or how we can help keep our courses in better shape.  In this episode, Matt talks with agronomist Jason Bruno about what golfers should know about agronomy and what we can do to contribute to better conditioned golf courses.  Jason also shares his experiences from working on the agronomy team at three US Opens.

Matt sits down with Sean Ogle, founder of The Eighty Club and one of the best-traveled golfers there is, to discuss Pebble Beach.  Sean answers questions ranging from the basic to the esoteric as well as answering the big question, "Is Pebble Beach worth the money?"

Fujikura Tour Rep Marshall Thompson joins the Plugged In Golf Podcast again to talk about the explosion of high end putter shafts and how Fuji's approach to the category is unique.

Putter shafts have been one of the hottest equipment stories of 2021.  In this episode, Matt talks about each of the major offerings - the Stability Shaft, LAGP's TPZ, and Fujikura's MC Putter - and answers a heap of reader questions about this category.

Most golf gear nerds have thought to themselves, "I could design a golf club."  Garret Krynski, a graphic designer with no background in metalwork, actually did it.  Now he's the man behind GEOM Golf, one of the game's most unique young brands.  Learn about Garret's story and check out his flaming hot Back 9 takes in this episode.

The big OEMs pay Tour players boatloads of money to promote their gear.  In this episode, Matt gives you five good reasons why you should ignore what the pros play...and one reason why you shouldn't.

In this episode, Matt discusses two ideas for selecting your clubs.  Spurred by your comments and his favorite guitar YouTube personality, Matt talk about the need to forget categories and the importance of clubs that make you feel good.

Are modern iron sets created to help golfers score or just to win the fitting?  Terry Koehler joins Matt to discuss this controversial question and much more.

Among Bryson's most notable impacts on the world of golf equipment is the way he's changed our thinking about graphite shafts.  The Tour's longest hitter plays LAGP graphite shafts in every club in the bag which is miles from the conventional way of thinking.  In this podcast, Matt talks with LAGP founder Reed Dickens about creating LAGP, working with Bryson, and building one of the hottest shaft brands in golf.

Elliot Mellow, Golf Ball Marketing Manager for Bridgestone Golf, returns to the Plugged In Podcast to discuss the new e12 Contact and e6 golf balls.  He also answers reader questions about Bridgestone clubs and more.

In this episode, Matt answers questions submitted by you, the readers.  Topics include the best training aids for fixing a slice, whether or not putter shafts matter, how to spend your practice time, and much more.

We've recently learned that some of our earliest episodes are no longer accessible, so, by popular demand, we are rebroadcasting some of the best.

Matt talks with Bandon Dunes’s Director of Instruction, Grant Rogers, who is a national treasure.  He packs this interview with practical tips for better golf, wit and humor, plus wisdom that will improve your enjoyment of the game immensely.