Party of Fore: A Mistwood Golf Club Podcast

This is an exciting Season Premiere because we've added video to our podcast episodes! You can view it on Mistwood Golf Club's Youtube Page, and we'll also share clips on our other social media accounts! This episode we welcome in Scott Hogan, Performance Center Specialist, to join Andy and Ben. The trio discusses a busy winter at Mistwood Golf Dome, the hot golf equipment for 2025, TGL happenings, and what's up with Max Homa? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a big weekend for current Mistwood CAP students and other players our coaches have taught over the years! More than two dozen are competing at the IHSA State Golf Finals in Bloomington & Decatur. Great to be able to catch up with Andy Mickelson for a bit of a LIVE report as he watched his daughter and others work their way through the tournament. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Junior Golf continues to grow, so Ben & Andy welcomed Certified Master Fitting Professional, Eric Russell, onto the program! What equipment is needed for the young golfers? Should they be fitted? What is our professional staff looking at when it comes to data. All of this is talked about in this episode, along with some weekend fun focused on the results of the U.S. Open! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy is back from a day trip to the PGA Championship in Kentucky, and there's plenty to talk about! Summer also means the kickoff of junior golf at Mistwood, and how about Nelly Korda??? She's won 6 of her last 7 starts... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've welcomed a new Performance Specialist to the team, Scott Hogan! In this episode, Andy and Ben talk to Scott about his passion for fitting and teaching. They also dive into a lightning round of questions including whether he would cuddle a Baby Panda or Baby Penguin. You don't want to miss this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this special Holiday episode, former Mistwood PGA Head Pro, Visanu Tongwarin. hops on the pod with Andy and Superintendent Ben Kelnhofer! Visanu is celebrating 25 years as a PGA professional and living the good life out in Colorado. The conversation is packed with semi-appropriate golf trip stories, fun times, and an appreciation for what's been built here over the years! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy spent last week in Texas...and he was working! The PGA Annual Meeting also honored many with Illinois PGA ties, and you won't believe who Andy ALMOST got to golf with. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming off the BMW Championship, we look back at the weekend. But, Andy had a near tournament win the same week at the Illinois PGA Professional Championship. Questions surround the Ryder Cup team and what about the McWethy Cup??? Foursomes are filling up for our charity event. Ben and Andy even go off the rails about wedding music, so stick around until the end! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy and Ben are back with another nice focus on junior golf and getting your golfers to the next level! University of Illinois Women's Golf Coach, Renee Sloan, offers her experience and tips...also the guys put a bow on this year's Member-Guest tournament! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's an emergency episode of the podcast! Andy & Ben discuss what we know about the big surprise announcement of a PGA Tour/LIV Golf merger. So, staying true to form, the guys surprise 1st Assistant, Bobby, and PGA Head Golf Professional, Frank, with phone calls to get their reactions. BUT, the biggest surprise is Andy's wonderful wife, Gail, calling mid-show! It's the most thrilling 20 minutes in the podcasting world...maybe! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy blazed through the competition at the Illinois PGA Match Play Championship this week...until he was tripped up by the talented, Chris French. He breaks it down, and an in-depth interview with the legend...Illinois Men's Golf Coach, Mike Small. He covers recruiting, mentality, preparation for tournaments and much more that will be useful information for golfers of any age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's one of our FAVORITE weeks of the year when it comes to golf, and it's doubled up this year! Opening week at Mistwood and Masters week! Andy and Ben discuss some of the new excitement around the property, and celebrations coming for our 25th Anniversary. Then, it's all about the Masters picks and who we think is going to make some noise at Augusta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What an awesome way to start the golf season! Back fresh from the PGA Show, Andy and Ben dive into the new equipment hitting the market. This episode is packed with interviews with industry leaders, designers and reps from Callaway, Titleist, Mizuno and Srixon. Also, is Orlando and the Wisconsin Dells comparable? Andy weighs in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pro Emeritus Dan Phillips has been at Mistwood since the beginning, and was close friends with Jim McWethy. This is an amazing episode for so many reasons...a look back at Jim, and what he built here--along with the new format of the McWethy Cup! Ben also turned Andy and Dan loose on the coaching and teaching chatter...if you listen, you will most likely become a better golfer! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's important to check-in on the ol' golf game...so for the first half of the podcast episode--Ben picks Andy's brain on what can be worked on this time of year. These tweaks or drills could make a difference in how you play! Then, which PGA players lost their card, what's up with the Will Zalatoris caddie situation...and LIV Golf continues to makes waves. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What a whirlwind week for LPGA Teaching Pro Nicole Jeray! She finished T15 at the Senior LPGA Championship...then got back here for the Illinois Women's Open. Andy and Ben dive into Nicole's approach to teaching and how she coaches golfers that are new to the game. Also, what's her favorite pizza topping? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mistwood Head Pro Frank Hohenadel fired a 63 here...and instantly earned a ticket to be our next guest! He breaks down the record-tying round...and would you believe it's not his BEST round ever? We make our predictions for The Open Championship, and even hit Frank with a lightning round of questions, including his favorite course ever played. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a no-brainer to have Director of Instruction, John Platt, on the program coming off a T5 finish at the Illinois Sr. Open. JP, one of Joliet's finest brings experience (from the old days), knowledge, and his stories are fantastic! We get his thoughts on LIV Golf and his favorite thing to cook on the grill! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The U.S. Open is underway...Andy and Ben have their picks. There's also a new...LIV Golf Tour, if you haven't heard. Safe to say while eyes are on the game...the pot is completely stirred in the golf world, and the focus is on who should be able to play where, who is taking the money, and what will happen next. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Michelob Ultra Man gets his 15 minutes of fame...how did Ben's PGA Championship pan out? AND everyone is talking about LIV Golf. Who is jumping to participate in that tour? Is it the right move, and do we think the PGA Tour will draw a hard line and suspend golfers? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andy and Ben break the PGA Championship down...all the way to the prices at the concession stands. Mistwood Golf Club Director of Food & Beverage, Jimmy Koklas, weighs in. Will Tiger shock the world? Is Scheffler the easy pick? Ben has your 650-1 dark horse! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A big "hello" to our friends in Germany! Great to have you as part of the podcast. Also, Ben is a lucky guy to be in the presence of champions. Andy and assistant golf pro, Bobby Schmelter, won their IPGA event. What's up with the LIV Golf Series, and lastly, some weird food combos make their way into the episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whose Masters picks did better? It's either Ben or Andy! Let's re-live the weekend...and the reasons why we didn't pick Scottie Scheffler to begin with! Also, Andy and Frank are headed back to the PGA Professional Championship...can they crack the Top 20 to earn a trip to Oklahoma for the PGA Championship in May? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It truly is the best week of the year for golf fans everywhere. Will Tiger play...and Dude Perfect takes over Amen Corner! We re-live the magic of Harry Arnett of Municipal sharing what it's like to play Augusta. Lastly, we can't let the week go by without our Masters picks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What a wild and long weekend at The Players Championship...Cam Smith seems cool, and Kevin Kisner/Max Homa = Twitter Gold. Andy and Ben also discuss moving from Mistwood Golf Dome, back to the Golf Club AND when the heck are we going to open? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Coming off the PGA Show--Andy has thoughts. The Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am was a cliffhanger...what was Jordan Spieth thinking? New equipment is hitting the market, what looks good? Let's go! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andy and Ben wrap up the outdoor season, and there is no break as we moved back indoors at Mistwood Golf Dome! Equipped with Toptracer, our friends at Golf360 stopped in, and we'll share Andy's interview with former Chicago Bear Patrick Mannelly with you!Then it's all about the pros and Tiger Woods...and maybe a lame, but great pick from Ben on who could make some noise on the PGA Tour in 2022. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What a week in Wisconsin! The USA won 19-9 over Europe and left plenty of memories along the way for fans to look back on. Andy and Ben jump in the studio to re-live and recap the event. Brooksy and Bryson with the hugs?? How important is the home advantage? What's the future look like for Team USA, and how about golf in general? Hint: THINGS ARE REALLY GOOD. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The BMW Championship had a wild finish...but we have our own Champions in the studio! Andy won the Illinois PGA Championship last week. Frank Hohenadel is a past winner of the event and finished Top 5. Both are headed to Austin in April for the National PGA Professional Championship. What a better time for Ben and the guys to talk about preparing for big events, and staying competitive while maintaining regular jobs. Also, Frank is a big White Sox fan so we had to get his prediction on how he thinks the rest of the season will go! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mistwood's Nicole Jeray is coming off a Top 25 finish at the U.S. Senior Women's Open in Connecticut. Andy and Ben chat with her about the experience, Olympic Golf, and being the baseball fans they are...The Field of Dreams game between the White Sox and the Yankees! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mistwood is so excited to host the 90th Illinois State Amateur Championship this week. Ben and Andy go behind the scenes with Superintendent Ben Kelnhofer and Head PGA Professional, Frank Hohenadel, to get their perspective on the big event! Also, recapping The Open Championship. A big win for Collin Morikawa, and what is the latest on Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We pack the show with top-tier guests and Tracy Butler is no different. She's been with ABC7 for almost 3 decades and is one of the nicest people we know. It was time for her to jump on the podcast with Andy and Ben. With all the severe weather and rain to go along with a passion for golf--It's a lot packed into a half hour! Butler also shares how she landed her job at ABC7 and we reminisce about broadcasting legend, Jerry Taft. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andy and Ben most likely continue their string of bad picks when it comes to Major golf tournaments. Also, is bad blood in golf good for the game? Heck yeah it is. The boys weigh in on the Bryson and Brooks rivalry that has officially begun. Then, it's an all-out brawl on the Korn Ferry Tour...as the news of the weird hits The Party of Fore Podcast! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andy & Ben jump behind the mic to discuss the PGA Championship picks and odds! It truly is up for grabs this year, and who knows...maybe Jason Dufner can win it in 2021 (Hint: The guys don't think so). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ben and Andy welcome Harry Arnett to the program. Arnett is a diehard golf guy through and through who spent a number of years as an Executive Vice President at Callaway. He has since moved on to partner with Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson to build a luxury athletic leisure clothing brand, Municipal. We'll get our first look at the process when "Wahl Street" debuts on HBO Max on April 15th. Plus, Arnett shares what it's like to play at Augusta, along with his picks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The snow is almost completely melted, and once again the maintenance staff is hard at work getting the course ready for play. Currently, it's looking like a late March open, so Superintendent Ben Kelnhofer hopped in the studio to provide an update. Things go off the rails a bit with Chicago Bears talk, and Ben and Andy discuss Bryson's big win--then reveal their picks for THE PLAYERS Championship! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The news of the Tiger Woods beginning his recovery is front and center for the golf world and beyond. Ben and Andy discuss what happened, and what's next...then it's time to dive into Max Homa getting a big win!Chris Campbell, Territory Manager, for Mizuno Golf has a complete breakdown of all of Mizuno's new clubs! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

2020 has been a challenge for everyone. In this episode, Callaway President & CEO, Chip Brewer, joins Andy and Ben. How the company handled the pandemic step-by-step, their relationship with Steph Curry and what's next for 2021. Mistwood General Manager Dan Bradley also joins the pod to discuss the brand new Mistwood Golf Dome, now open in Bolingbrook! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, is Bryson DeChambeau a force to be reckoned with? Ben and Andy recap the U.S. Open, Mistwood Members reflect on Jim McWethy's life, and BREAKING NEWS--A big change coming to the Performance Center for the winter months! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this special episode, Jim McWethy's children, Todd and Gretchen, join the podcast! It's an hour of fond memories, laughs, and stories you've never heard about Jim. What does the future of Mistwood look like? Tune in! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We are still mourning the passing of Jim McWethy. We are also celebrating him. He didn't just own Mistwood Golf Club--Jim created a top-tier golf experience that starts the moment you enter the parking lot, and continues until you leave. He loved that the experience extends to McWethy's Tavern, Weddings & Banquets. Beyond that--Mistwood Golf Dome and McWethy's Sports Bar in Bolingbrook truly separated Jim's dedication to being innovative, and he instilled the importance of sharing our excitement with others.For this episode, Ben & Andy are joined by long-time friends, those who have helped Jim shape Mistwood, to share stories of a man who is already missed.Guests:General Manager, Dan BradleyTeaching & Instruction, Dan PhillipsFood & Beverage Director, Jimmy Koklas See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andy and Ben break down the golf rules as guidelines are loosened in Illinois. How about LIVE golf? The boys discuss the TaylorMade Driving Relief event and "The Match 2" happening this week. Performance Specialist Eric Russell always weighs in on club fittings and the excitement at Mistwood! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Episode 4, Sean Toulon, of Toulon Design/Callaway Golf/Odyssey Golf joins Ben and Andy on the phone to talk about quarantine, Triple Track Putters and the new Mavrik line of clubs. Will there be golf in Illinois soon?Also, a special message from Superintendent Ben Kelnhofer, and Get to Know A Pro featuring Dan Phillips! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ben and Andy go remote for this episode in an effort to practice social distancing. NO GOLF, at least for now after a week of back and forth from the State of Illinois. Mistwood Golf Club is ready to roll when the green light is given. Superintendent Ben Kelnhofer updates on the condition of the course. Donnie Tanski of PXG joined the show to discuss the new GEN3 Iron lineup and the unprecedented company growth in a competitive market. And finally...we are looking out for your waistline, so Ryne Gioviano, owner of Achieve Personal Training & Lifestyle Design offers up some tips to get you ready for golf season. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director of Product Creation at TaylorMade, joins the Party of Fore crew to talk about the new 2020 SIM Family! It's an in-depth look into the growth of TaylorMade's drivers over the last 5 years, and the inspiration behind the equipment. What's it like getting feedback from Tiger, Rory and DJ? Tomo shares his experiences!Ben, Andy and E.J. also share their thoughts on "The Masters" being postponed, and Mistwood Golf Club Director of Instruction, John Platt, has all you need to know about Nike Junior Golf Camps. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In our first episode-Ben, Andy and E.J. discuss the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and their picks for the Players! Also, is it okay to like Patrick Reed? Plus, our interviews with Roger Cleveland, and Tony Toulon from the PGA Show. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.