G&E The Podcast: Golf & Entrepreneurship

If you have been into golf's social media scene over the past year or so, then you have undoubtedly heard of Dave Baysden. It could be from his recent cover with Caddie Magazine, his unreal projects with Seamus Golf, or simply his playful photos of PGA Tour events. Whatever it may be, one thing is for certain. Dave is incredibly talented with the brush in hand, and rightfully so, is being recognized for it.

As an avid golfer and former Victoria Secret Executive, Megan LaMothe came on the podcast to talk about the inspiring story to starting her modern women's golf clothing brand, Foray Golf.

Alex Elliott is a professional golf instructor, caddy and YouTuber who has used the internet to grow his teaching business while becoming an influencer in the process.

Jane Geddes is a major champion, entrepreneur, and businesswomen. We sat down with her to discuss her remarkable life with golf.

Like any great idea, it all started over dinner and conversation at a Carabbas. This was the birthplace of King Collins Golf Course Design. A firm that would grow to break the norm and introduce the world to one of the best nine-hole courses we have ever seen. How they came to be is a remarkable story of persistence. Their belief in a vision to have "manic attention to artistry and craftsmanship" is beginning to pay off, but not without a little blood, sweat, and tears first. Principal Designer, Rob Collins, came on the podcast to share the story of how the firm came to be.

Duncan Littlefield is an ex-professional golfer who left college at the age of 20 to pursue his dream of the PGA Tour. For the next six years of his life, he relentlessly chased his playing goals. While learning a lot about himself in the process, Duncan saw some excellent success culminating in five mini-tour wins while reaching the competitive levels of the European Challenge Tour, and PGA Tour Latin America. Along the way, he began documenting the journey on social media and his life changed forever. At the age of 26, he decided to put the pursuit of the PGA Tour aside to begin a photography business. Just three years later, he has achieved phenomenal success and we talk with him about the journey.

Golf in it's purest form. This is the motto behind The Golfer's Journal, a quarterly print publication that focuses on the rich culture within the game. They don't discuss swing tips or the latest piece of equipment. Just intriguing stories and eye-catching photography from some of golf's most creative minds. And they have quite the origin story to match.

The best damn golf balls under 20 bucks. That's the mission behind Cut Golf and they have done a phenomenal job of bringing it to life.  Since their launch in early 2017, Cut Golf has grown from a great idea, into a robust direct-to-consumer business. This week on the podcast, their founder Sam and his partner Dennis came on the show to talk about how they turned this dream into a reality.

In today's world of online business, the term "side hustle" is thrown around a lot. And regardless of what the phrase means to you, most people who started something around a passion will say it was one of the best decision they ever made. Not just for the possibility of extra income down the line. But more so for the opportunities and like-minded people that will come your way. Trey from Outside The Cut falls in line with this recurring theme. Since starting his content driven golf site and Twitter account at the beginning of the year, he's had experiences that may have never come his way if he didn't just start. So if you're someone who has an idea for starting something in golf or any other industry then this episode is for you as we talk about why he started in the first place, strategies for growth in the first year, experiences that have come from it, and so much more.

This week we have a fun one for you all. Ever wonder what it is like to start a wedge company while working a full-time job? Well, Joshua Haywood is currently doing that with his young start-up Haywood Golf. On this week's episode, we talk about the inspiration behind starting his brand and what has gone into getting it off the ground this past year. 

This week we have a phenomenal guest for you all. Matt Lemman, who is a Partner at the popular Jones Golf Bags, joined us to talk about the rich history of the brand. In the episode, we dive deep into Jones Golf Bags founding in 1971 and why it dominated the market for two decades, the reasons for it's purchase in 1990 and how this lead to the eventual decline of the brand, why the current team came along and bought Jones in 2011 and decided to relaunch it around the vintage carry bag, and everything that has gone into getting the business to where it is today since.

This week, our good friend Matt Cardis joined us. Matt first came on the podcast back in February and on today's show, we are going to catch up with him on everything that has been going on with his business, Golf In Your State, since then. And it is a lot. We also talk about some upcoming projects he has planned, what life is like living on the road, caddying in q-school, and a whole lot more.

This week, PGA Tour's Events Editor, Sean Martin, has joined us on the show to tell us all about his career. Sean grew up a passionate golfer and got into Journalism in college. Since then, he has been pursuing his passion for writing about golf working for Golf Week for seven years and most recently, the PGA Tour. Sean also has some great insights into the current landscape of digital media and some phenomenal advice for anyone looking to start a career in this field. I hope you all enjoy our conversation!

This week, top 50 golf instructor in America, Andrew Rice, has come on the show. Andrew delivers one of the most actionable conversations to date. Since becoming a teacher, he has been able to build a phenomenal brand and career for himself. And one way he did this was through social media. With over 50,000 followers across platforms and a robust email list, Andrew dives deep into his tactics of using the internet to bring in new business. We also talk about why he wrote his book, how he made the recession 0f 2008 a positive for his career, and his advice for any teaching professional getting started. 

This week, Jacob Sanborn, aka the Wedge Wizard as you may know him on Instagram, has come on the show. Jacob and I have a great conversation about how he carved out his niche in the custom club building world, how he built the Wedge Wizard brand, his recent decision to open his own shop, and his plan for where he wants to take it all.

Golf course shaper and designer, Keith Rhebb, is back with part 2 of his interview. In part 1 we discussed the evolution of his career leading up to starting Rhebb Golf Design. This week, we chat about how he went from being in the dirt building golf to also designing it. This includes a discussion around his hit project with Riley Johns at Winter Park, his thoughts on their upcoming restoration at Rolling Green GC, why he started his own company, and his vision moving forward. 

This week, golf course shaper and designer, Keith Rhebb, came on the show. After getting the chance to talk with Riley Johns a few weeks back, I knew I had to chat with Keith. The duo worked together on the highly acclaimed renovation of Winter Park Nine and have joined forces again to restore Rolling Green GC in Philadelphia (which we talk about in part 2). What makes Keith story so great is that growing up he didn't have any plans to be in the golf industry. It just kind of happen by chance. And well, the rest is history. Now he is one of the hottest names in the game and has a strong passion for his craft to match.  In part 1, Keith and I discuss how he got into building golf in the first place, working with Coore & Crenshaw, the unbelievable projects he has been on including Cabot Cliffs, Streamsong, etc, how his career evolved, and more.  

This week, critically acclaimed golf writer, Tom Coyne, joined us. Tom has recently published his latest book, A Course Called Scotland, and was kind enough to come on the show to tell us about his career leading up to it.

In part 2, Riley and I talk about his approach to the highly acclaimed Winter Park Golf Course, aka WP9. His thoughts on why he thinks this course type is the key to growing the game, how designs like this have led to more opportunities, and his plan for his latest project, the renovation of the remarkable William Flynn design, Rolling Green Golf Club in Philadephia. 

Welcome to our weekly series, [G&E The Podcast](https://gandemagazine.com/podcast-home/), where we dive deep into the lives of people creating remarkable careers around this great game. These are entrepreneurs building the next great brand. Pro golfers chasing their dreams of playing on tour. Writers. Influencers. Architects. Photographers. CEOs. I can go on and on, but I think you get the point. Our amazing guest do have one unanimous trait in common though. A passion for making a life in golf and doing so in their own unique way. This week, golf course architect and founder of Integrative Golf Design, Riley Johns, came on the show for a two-part interview. In part one, we discuss how he got into golf in the first place, his incredible work ethic that allowed him to climb his way up the chain, breakthrough projects like Cabot Cliffs, and why he started Integrative Golf Design in the first place.

This week we have a fascinating story for you all on the podcast. Jon Mason joined us on the show. He is the founder of Swing Juice. A golf lifestyle apparel company that focuses on t-shirt designs that golfers would love. But how the company got to this point is incredibly unique. Swing Juice began as an energy drink company that started during the days when the Red Bulls, Vitamin Waters, etc, were becoming a part of everyday life. Jon loved golf and wanted to create a drink for your everyday golfer. He took the idea and ran with it culminating in the drink being stocked in over 300 locations including the holy grail, Whole Foods. But to scale the company to compete with the big name brands at the time was going to take a monumental effort. Jon didn’t know if he wanted to take that next step at this point in his life. Social media also introduced a pain point. He was developing a big fan base around the brand but struggled to ship the product as the model was retail-based so far. So he decided to pivot to what we know as Swing Juice today. Give today’s episode a listen to learn all about the captivating entrepreneurial journey that Jon has been on.

This week’s podcast is a special one. Not just because it is our 50th episode, which by the way thank you to everyone who has been listening to the show. The support we have received so far has been incredible, and we could not be more appreciative to all our listeners! It’s because we have Sean Ogle, founder of Location Rebel and Breaking Eighty, joining us. I could not think of a better guest to have on to celebrate this landmark. Sean was hands down one of the biggest inspirations to me when starting G&E Magazine. When our growing media company was just a domain, I stumbled across his site Location Rebel. On the blog, Sean documented his successful journey from being unhappy at his job, to starting his own online business that allowed him to work anywhere in the world. The life he lived was remarkable, and the below video was the icing on the cake. I just had to get started. Since coming across Location Rebel a few years back, I discovered that Sean also had a growing presence in the golf community around his stellar blog and Instagram account, Breaking Eighty. The blog was focused on his pursuit to shoot that coveted 79 while playing the top 100 courses in the world. And since then, he has turned the brand into another growing online business and community. For anyone who wants to play more golf, travel the world, and work from their laptop, this one is for you. A big thank you to Sean for coming on the podcast, and I hope you all enjoy our conversation about how he started his first online business, his life with golf, advice for people who want to do the same, and so much more.

As our podcast series continues to roll on towards its 50th episode, one thing remains common in each interview. Hustle. Not one interviewee lacked this trait as they pursued their goals. Zack Bates follows suit with that theme. Zack is the founder of [Private Club Marketing](https://privateclubmarketing.com/), an advisory and consulting firm that works with private courses to grow and retain their membership through innovative marketing techniques. What makes his story so fascinating is how he got into this business in the first place. Zack didn’t grow up at a country club but was instead looking for a summer job at one in college. Being in the right place at the right time, Zack met a gentleman who was the VP of a club management company. He was able to land a job where he worked his way up from being a pool boy at one of their clubs, to a marketing position for their membership. Along the way, Zack saw that the landscape of marketing was evolving which culminated in an idea for his own business. Private Club Marketing was born, and he hasn’t looked back since. A big thank you to Zack for coming on the show. Check out this week’s episode to hear us talk all about how his business came to be, the freelance economy and how he uses it to grow his business, the importance of self-branding as an entrepreneur, advice for golf courses looking to excel in digital marketing, and much more.

For all you out there thinking about starting a side-hustle, this week’s podcast with Greg Monteforte, the founder of golf-threads.com, is for you. Admittedly, taking that first step can be a challenge as Greg mentions in today’s interview, but once you get going, it is incredible how it can enhance your life. Since launching the Golf Threads website, Greg now writes a weekly column for the PGA Tour, filmed a segment with the Golf Channel for their design week, and has interviewed the likes of Davis Love, Bubba Watson, and Graeme McDowell. Imagine if he never took that first step to start. On this week’s episode, we discuss the inspiration behind the brand, advice on juggling a side-hustle with a full-time job and family, the golf apparel industry, and more.

Christian Hafer is gifted with something that not many people have. And if you are familiar with his work, then you are probably thinking about his artistic ability behind the lens. This is true. He does have a remarkable ability to project how he sees the world through his photography. But I am talking about the gift of finding your passion at a young age. From the moment he picked up a camera, he knew this is what he loved to do. After taking a year-long photography class in high school and cruising through the curriculum in a few months, Christian was able to work with his teacher to create a unique program that allowed him to hone in on his craft. A few years down the line, Christian found street photography while living near Philadelphia. This artistic technique of photographing everyday life enabled him to find his individualistic style that we now see in his golf photography. And with that style, he has been able to make quite the name for himself under the handle @hafe_life. On this week’s podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Christian about the evolution of his fascinating photography career and how it has culminated in him focusing on golf. We also touch on the opportunities being a creative in today’s economy can provide, how he sees this fitting in with his personal brand, his new charity [Carry Hope](https://www.carryhopegolf.com/) and it’s noble mission, and his vision for where he wants to take it all. A big thank you to Christian for coming on the show!

Matt Parziale just loves golf. The man lives to compete. Most recently, he tested his game on golf’s biggest stage. This year’s Masters. And his story of getting into the game's most sacred grounds is more interesting than most. Coming off of an excellent college career, Matt made the declaration to turn pro in 2009. After bouncing around the mini-tours and Monday qualifiers for a few years, the lifestyle of living broke while chasing the dream was starting to wear on him. He came to an all too often reflection point for many aspiring touring pros. How much longer can I go after this? So he determined it was time for a change. Matt decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming a firefighter while realigning his goals with golf. He was far from hanging up the cleats. If anything, he was just getting started. After reclaiming his amateur status, Matt started his meteoric rise up the ranks culminating in a U.S. Mid-Am title in 2017. With victory came a coveted trophy and a few things all golfers dream of. Official invites to play in the 2018 Masters and U.S. Open. Matt Parziale came on this week’s podcast to discuss his epic adventure with competitive golf. With a major theme of the show being individuals creating remarkable lives around the game, his experience is a pure example of that statement. In this week’s episode we talk about his background with golf, his thought process during his Mid-Am title push, practice rounds with Tiger, his dad on the bag at the Masters and much more. A big thank you to Matt for coming on the podcast!

Social media and golf is a beautiful thing. There is arguably no better sport for platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Golf is visual. And always full of stories. Individuals and brands have been able to leverage social media to build remarkable businesses and careers around the game. Jay Revell saw this happening and thought to himself that he had to get in on this movement. For him, he always loved writing. And golf has been his lifelong passion. He just never thought of combining the two. That was until he went to a course called Sweetens Cove and was moved to write about the experience. So, he took to his laptop and put together an article. Next thing he knew, he was getting such a great reception from it that he decided to do it again. And again. And again. And now, some seven months later Jay is starting to make a name for himself and opportunities are coming with it. He also sees the light at the end of the tunnel that this could one day be his full-time dream job. Introducing our guest on this week’s episode of G&E The Podcast, golf scribe, [Jay Revell](https://gandemagazine.com/author/jayrevell/). On the podcast we talk about his life with golf, what inspired him to start writing, how he is getting his work in front of the right people, his vision for turning this side-hustle into a career, and a whole lot more. A big thank you to Jay for taking the time to come on the show.

From action sports to golf, Electric is a story of entrepreneurship at it's finest. What started back in 2000 as a couple of guys with a vision, has grown into a global brand with a few twists and turns along the way.

Professional golf requires a lot of work. And not just from a practice and tournament perspective. Most mini-tour players have a side-hustle or two to make ends meet while they pursue their ultimate goal. That is the case for this week’s guest on the show, Anna, and Armana of the Graceful Golfer. Two friends that met while pursuing professional golf and decided to start a blog to share their journey along the way.

If you're a big fan of Ben Hogan's Five Lessons like myself, then you know the importance of a good grip. It's arguably the most critical aspect of the swing. So why is it that so often players let their grips wear down to nothing hindering their game? One guy who takes the golf grip very seriously is Bob Lamkin who's company, Lamkin Grips, has been innovating that connection of hands to club for years. 92 to be exact. 

Over the course of our features, G&E has really developed into a community of entrepreneurs in golf. Each new podcast episode adds a unique business and perspective to this collection. And this week's show with Jeremy and Yinyin Wright, the owner's of Louisville Golf, combines an inspiring story with incredible insights into one of the world's premier persimmon and hickory club manufacturers in the world.

Stitch Golf.  A brand rooted in detail. And their founder, Charlie Burgwym, epitomizes the ethos of the business he created. After listening to this week’s episode of G&E The Podcast, you will understand how the companies mission statement is really a reflection of the man who built it.

This week on the podcast, David Helter of Ecco Golf came on the show. We talk all about the evolution of their golf line and how events like Fred Couples premiering their hybrid style streetwear shoe at the 2010 Masters put the brand front and center to the world of golf.

This week’s guest on the podcast needs no introduction. John Ashworth, the founder of Linksoul, came on the show to talk about his remarkable career and life. Needless to say, this man has done it all.

This week on G&E The Podcast, we had Clarke Miyasaki, the EVP of Business Development at Stance Socks, on the show. Coming from small-town Idaho, Clarke landed an internship at a startup during the .com boom and never looked back. He fell in love with the culture. And with his work ethic and charismatic personality, Clarke has lead a fascinating life. In this week's episode, Clarke shares with us the evolution of his career and some great stories he experienced along the way. We talk about working with Snoop Dogg and Slash while at Skullcandy, getting Bubba Watson into the All-Star game which is a must listen, what it is like to close a deal with the NBA, playing golf with his good friend Andre Iguodala and Steph Curry, and his thoughts on entrepreneurship and life.

One of the best aspects of golf is that you can dress to match your style. You could like the classic look or be a fan of the modern apparel movement. It doesn't matter. With golf, you can express yourself through what you wear. And when it comes to getting decked out for you next foursome there is no better place to go then Trendy Golf USA. This week on the podcast we had their Founder, Adrienne Cass, on the show to talk about the evolution of the US branch of the company. Adrienne loves golf apparel and with her passion for what she does has built a fantastic business.

If you haven't heard of Bradley Putters yet, you will. They are literally changing the game with their handmade high tech wooden putters that you are guaranteed to love. Their Founder, Brad Converse, came on the podcast this week to talk about the evolution of his business. He is a hustler. And with that mindset, Brad has built one of the hottest brands in golf in just 14 months.

Meet The Jazzy Golfer. She picked up the game just a few months back and since then has been on quite the adventure with the sport. She has grown a following of over 20,000 people on social media, has been in a Nike golf commercial and is speaking at a conference next month to help improve the women's side of golf. That is just the start. Jasmine is on a mission to show more women why they should pick up a set of sticks and get out on the links.

People create fascinating careers in golf. Our friend, Matt Cardis of Golf In Your State, has done just that with his brand. Matt is a golf photographer who travels the country doing shoots for courses and creates content for his partnered brands. This week on the podcast, Matt came on the show to talk about the evolution of his golf photography business, his favorite road trips, the behind the scenes work it takes to have this type of career, the 2018 PGA Show, and much more. 

A healthy lack of respect for the mundane. This is the motto of Asher Golf. Their products are cool. Their story is even better. Trevor Crump, the man behind Asher's marketing efforts, came on the podcast to talk about the companies evolution and their plans moving forward.

Hands down one of the most fascinating episodes of G&E The Podcast to date. Keith Blakely, co-founder of Oncore Golf, came on the show to talk about the companies evolution and their disruptive technology with their latest product, the GENiUS Ball. They have big plans for golf and your going to want to hear them.

Digital media affects everything. Especially how we market. And creativity has never been more important. With a mostly democratic social media, great work can flourish. Possibly the most famous example, Dollar Shave Club and their iconic Youtube ad that has over 25 million views. This imaginative way of marketing has been adopted near and far. Hudson Sutler, a travel gear company out of NYC, is taking a similar approach.

Like most golfers, you would probably enjoy getting a lesson from Rickie Fowler. But how is that possible. Well, do you have five bucks and a smartphone? Yes, you heard that right. Success Series, an up and coming virtual reality platform, is allowing you to get one on one lessons with sports most prominent stars. And their first ambassador. The man himself. Rickie Fowler. We had the pleasure to sit down with Anthony Puntoriero, the Founder, and CEO of Success Series in this week's episode of G&E The Podcast to discuss his latest venture.

The power of social media is amazing. Not only can you build a brand on platforms such as Instagram, but you can also connect with people you would never have been able to before. That was the case for Jordan Griggs and Matt Cardis. Two nomadic golfers who came together through Instagram for one epic collaboration. The Sprint to Streamsong. 10 days. 15 courses. 1500 miles. 1 gassed up Winnebago. And the open road from New York to Florida.

This week on G&E The Podcast we had on Adam Iversen, co-founder of Swannies Golf Apparel. What started with a golf sandal has grown into a full-blown golf lifestyle brand. In this week's episode, Adam walks us through a detailed evolution of the company from their successful Kickstarter campaign, their experience in a startup accelerator program, to an out of the box marketing technique that helped them gain some phenomenal brand recognition. Adam has excellent insights into what it takes for a modern startup to succeed in today's market.

This week on G&E The Podcast, we had Kevin Lavelle, founder of the industry disrupting brand, Mizzen + Main. The apparel company famous for their performance fabric dress shirts that are moisture wicking, wrinkle-free, and as they put it, Comfortable AF. When he first started out, people thought his idea was crazy. He was basically laughed out of his first trade show and told by supposed industry experts that no one would wear the shirt. Five and a half years later, the business has grown by 400% YOY, has partnerships with iconic athletes such as Tim Tebow and J.J. Watt, and has plans to become the next great American brand.

This week on G&E The Podcast we had on Justin Turner, Partner of Finance and Strategy at TRUE Linkswear. If you have been following along with TRUE, you may have noticed their recent change in shoe design, a revamped website and social media strategy, and an overall relaunch of the brand. This is because the company is going back to their routes. A dedication to enjoying the walk. In this week's podcast feature, Justin peels back the curtains. He gives us a behind the scenes view into each step of the brand's change of business plan. From the development of their new shoe models to the tools they used to enhance their direct to consumer channel, we talk about it all. Enjoy.

This week on G&E The Podcast we had Bart Walker, founder of Jack Grace USA. Aka the #coolestgolfshoesever, Jack Grace is an up and coming revolutionary golf shoe brand that allows for total customization with their interchangeable saddles technology. Bart's story to starting his brand is fascinating. As a self-proclaimed shoe fanatic, Bart had to make the bold decision to leave his job and go all in on his dream business. With the support of his wife, and a lot of hustle, the phenomenal brand we see today was born. Check out this week's podcast feature to learn about what it takes to start your own shoe company.

If you are on Instagram at all and are into golf, then you may have seen a divot tool recently that peaks your interest. Kind of like the swiss army knife of divot tools if you may. Introducing Brian Kang, founder of Birdicorn Golf. The brand behind the amazingly simple yet awesome golf product. And this is just the start for Birdicorn as they continue to grow. Check out this week's episode with Brian as we discuss his love for golf, the process of creating a great product, how to build your brand on Instagram, Birdicorn's upcoming charity golf tournament, and so much more. Enjoy!

This week on the podcast we had Jeff Eggen, Founder of Monument Golf. Three years ago, Jeff was a mini-tour player thinking of ways to make a few bucks. By accident, he came up with the idea for the Stick It. A magnetic rangefinder strap. Now, Monument Golf is exploding across the industry, and the team has big plans for its future. Check out this week's podcast feature to learn how Jeff and his team took an idea and turned it into an incredible business.

Lie + Loft is one of the most exciting start-ups to follow in golf. This week on the podcast, we had the pleasure of sitting down with the founder, Luke Davis. Lie + Loft sells some of the most eye-catching golf art you will ever see. And that is just the start of where he plans on taking the company. Luke has a fascinating journey with golf that culminated in the creation of his brand. Check out the feature and this weeks episode to learn all about it.