Shamrocks and Shanks

My guest for this episode is Andreas Kali. Andreas is one of the elite coach’s in world golf and is world renowned for his development of junior golfers through his program in his native Denmark. An elite player himself Andreas has developed into one of the most knowledgeable coaches who is constantly enhancing his learning and skill set. His payers are well known for their aesthetically beautiful golf swings but there is a lot more to his role in shaping these players than that.  A great discussion on some club golfers’ concepts and tendencies, winter practice advice and then in the second half we get into more technique, some of the foundations of Andreas Junior Academy, plus we take a look at the work Andreas and his student, PGA tour player, Rasmus Neergaard Petersen are currently working on. Already a superstar in coaching and only getting higher in estimation and respect here is Andreas Kali… Usually I would stop the intro there but I think what is said at the end of this episode will really give you a true reflection of the driving force behind this impressive, driven and rising golf coach…www.andreaskaligolf.com@andreaskaligolfSupport the show

My guest on today’s episode is Ewen from Upgame, one of the leading statistics apps in golf. 0:00 – 5:00Introduction to the episode, why stats apps matter, and overview of Upgame’s key differentiator — satellite image–based data entry that makes input easier and more reliable.5:00 – 10:00Explaining Pro vs. Basic versions of Upgame, including features like target entry and dispersions, and addressing the challenge of making stats simple enough for club golfers.10:00 – 15:00How coaches and academies integrate Upgame differently — from elite players to juniors — with examples of dashboards, coach connectivity, and insights for lesson planning.15:00 – 20:00Highlighting overlooked statistics like shot frequency by yardage, and the importance of smarter game planning through target dispersions and course overlays.20:00 – 25:00Example of Sawgrass 17th used to illustrate dispersion patterns; discussion of strategy and the value of tournament-based dispersion data under pressure.25:00 – 30:00Detailing the TrackMan partnership, including automatic stat integration for simulator rounds and shot analysis data syncing to Upgame for planning and preparation.30:00 – 35:00Discussion of new features, especially mental process tracking, where players tag mindset quality alongside shots to measure performance correlations.35:00 – 40:00Introduction of AI insights that auto-summarize rounds, expansion of benchmarking options (PGA/LPGA, Division I, WAGR, juniors), and importance of reliable data.40:00 – 45:00Advice for club golfers: why using stats matters, why Upgame is the most practical choice, overview of subscription options (including 6-month seasonal), and closing thanks with website/social links.Support the show

My guest for this episode is Derek Ingram. Derek is the Head Coach for Golf Canadas National Men’s amateur and Pro teams. Independent of that he is also the coach to Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and many other elite players and a published author. Although Derek's job takes on the road the majority of the year his role within Golf Canada and his experience of the elite amateur game gives him a unique global perspective on the game of golf from all levels.   For this episode we chat about helping club golfers improve and what are some of the stumbling blocks, we discuss winter climate challenges and indoor golf training. We chat about the grip and how its level of importance is not really reflected in the direction of online information… and lastly Derek suggests a few strategies that can help you with your on-course process, direct form his book “Sports Pysch for golf” In the coaching section we chat about Derek's influence to this point on technique and coaching, how he uses tech like 3D to help his understanding of how his players perform their best. We discuss the work he is currently doing with Corey and Taylor and some putting content, and lastly we chat about his current project, Tour Habits, which he co founded alongside Tristian Mullaly.  I always enjoy chatting to experienced and educated coaches and sometimes you come across the trifecta of experienced, educated but still so hungry to learn and improve. Not only does Derek Ingram tick all those boxes with ease but he is also brings with it a sense of appreciation and joy which if we are all honest, this game can sometimes take from us.. Support the show

My guest for this episode is Alex Clapp. Alex is one of the premier golf coaches in Europe and is currently based at Enmore Park golf club in the South of England. As well as helping many club golfers achieve their goals Alex also works with many regional and mini tour players as well as DP world tour golfers. At a time when the online coaching business is growing Alex is one of the most sought-after pros on the Skillest Platform and works with golfers all over the world. In this episode Alex distills some fantastic advice for the club golfer ranging from current misconceptions he sees on the lesson tee and online, to what process or methods might be the best for you assessing your own game. He also gives us some nice drills and tasks for those slicers out there. For the coaching section Alex discusses his road of influence and how he arrived at his current philosophy and preferences, we even discuss how bias can be a good thing. We show some of Alex’s posts online when working with his players and he guides us through what they were working on and why and lastly, we get in to what he is looking forward to in the future both from a tech perspective and a career development view point. I say this in the episode but Alex is one of the Instagram accounts I really enjoy following because he demonstrates his perspective and reasoning so well. From afar I felt he was one of the coaches doing it the correct way as in he wants to get it right not be right and after this chat, I feel he is exactly that. An excellent golf technician, a fantastic conveyor of information and an incredibly hard worker… Support the show

Our guest for this episode is Dr. Mark Bull who is one of the premier bio mechanists working in the game today. He has worked with and helped thousand of golfers from all levels, club golfers to major winners and as far as I am aware there are very few who know more about how the body works in and out of a golf swing.  For this episode we explore the influences around movement and how understanding your own can be a big key in helping improve your performance. We chat about related movements in the golf swing and some of the discoveries Dr.Bull has been working on in 2024 and he also brings us through some of the commonalities that the best movers in the world have.For the coaching section Dr.Bull provides some guidelines for those approaching or working with 3D for the first time, we chat about his coaching discoveries this year and how they are based more perhaps of human interaction and learning as opposed to technical aspects. We have a look at the Bull3D system and look at some 3D tracings of movements and lastly Mark discusses his membership site and how the catalogue of the site represents his view on important aspects to performance.   Mark is without a doubt one of the smartest people in golf. You will gain more information by simply being around him. His level of research, experience, time and dedication is elite and amongst the best in the world. If you ask any coach, player or student that has worked with Mark they will tell you that is level of understanding of the golf swing is only matched by his level of commitment to understand the player in front of him. A man who is expert in seeing movement but committed to knowing what makes it work….  so I hope you all enjoy this Podcast. Support the show

Jason is back for part 2 of our recent sit down and this time he gets in to his players patterns for short game and full swing and gives us a glimpse into how a tour coach works with a player to achieve the players goals. Support the show

My guest today is Jason Sutton, Director of Instruction at Colleton River in Bluffton, South Carolina. Jason is one of the top coaches in the game, working with elite amateurs, college players, and professionals across many different tours. A Golf Digest Top 100 coach and the recent recipient of the PGA Carolinas Section's Top Golf Professional award, Jason’s expertise speaks for itself.This episode is packed with practical insights. Jason starts with a detailed discussion on putting, providing actionable advice for club golfers to not just improve their strokes, but to create a focus on development of other putting skills like green reading and speed judgement. We also explore how students can maximize lessons by asking the right questions and fostering a collaborative learning environment. From there, Jason shares his philosophy on chipping, analyzes the short games of two of his tour players, and walks us through their full-swing actions—explaining not only what they worked on but also what he intentionally left unchanged. It becomes very evident that his clear focus is on helping players achieve their ball-flight goals and not changing aesthetics for self promotion. He relies on fusing his vast knowledge and experience while actively listening to his players to create their idea of success. Jason is not only one of my closest friends but also a mentor to me and many others in the golf world. His willingness to use his journey, including both triumphs and missteps, while giving feedback and advice is what makes him not only a great friend to many but a mentor aswell. His dedication to teaching and mentoring, paired with his growth mindset, inspires both his students and fellow coaches. His work on the Golf Guru Podcast has been a learning resource for countless people, including me.Jim Rohn once said “Your level of success will seldom exceed your level of personal development” and I can think of no finer example of that in our game than Jason. He is a man dedicated to his craft, who gives far more than he receives and who has earned the respect of the golf coaching world while doing it. If what Jim says is true then I have no doubt that Jason will become a familiar name to many more in the years to come.    Support the show

My guest for this episode is Terry Rowles who is currently based at Hudson National Golf Club in New York. As well as been a Golf Digest top 50 teacher he has worked with many notable players, major winners, former world # 1’s, more than 50 PGA Tour, LPGA, DP World Tour and other tour players. Terry has worked alongside PHD’s Phil Cheetham and Sasho Mckenzie on his research into measuring and defining the grip in golf and has also alongside his colleague Mike Adams developed their own system for measuring players, both from a static and dynamic perspective, that can help determine what the best is the best way for you to swing the club for optimal results. On top of all of this Terry has also been one of the leading coaches working with Sportsbox as an advisor in bringing to the Golf Markert the first commercial mobile 3d app for golfers…. I normally at this stage give some highlights on what we discussed but for this podcast I am going to refrain from that and just let Terry talk… this is an amazing insight into growth mindset individual from a golf and coaching perspective. It is an incredibly well versed, experienced and dedicated individual giving his honest and detailed perspective on grip, movement, 3D and much more… we do get into the weed at certain points but that is sometimes where the gold I buried.Flightscope Link below and use SMGFLIGHThttps://flightscopemevo.com/collections/all?sca_ref=6921791.i6b9Nkax1iyNRSupport the show

Part 2 of the Podcast with Sean Kennedy. In part two we move into the world of coaching discussing Sean's process and thoughts on short game, his involvement in a new format for coach education seminars and his thoughts on technology and its place in current coaching. Support the show

My guest for this episode is Sean Kennedy. Sean is the Director of Instruction at the Cliffs Community in the Carolina mountains, one of the most picturesque areas in the US and he works with all levels of players from club golfers to elite players. During this podcast we get to chat about many things in golf and we look to help the club golfer with narrowing the gap between doing and knowing. We get to discuss some of Seans favourite drills and tasks for players as well as his passion for on course and playing sessions.  In the coaching segment, we delve into Sean's inspirations, address queries from the Podcast community, and explore whether his instruction focuses on technical adjustments or skill enhancement. We also touch upon topics such as short game strategies and challenging moments. Finally, we talk about Sean's collaboration with other like minded coaches  in organizing an annual two-day seminar offering advanced education for any golf teacher wanting to enhance their knowledge. For some of you, this may be your first introduction to Sean. I like to delve into the coaching world when I have the opportunity, meeting new people during my travels to learn from them in various ways. Sometimes, I feel compelled when getting to know individuals who may not be as well-known to highlight their work and skill. While you may not hold Sean's words in as high regard as those of Butch Harmon or Mark Blackburn, underestimating them would be a missed opportunity. Sean is one of the most genuine, intelligent, respectful, and exceptional coaches I've ever encountered. He looks at the human and the golf swing as an ever-interacting system and one which must be treated as such…it would be easy to look at the golf swing as simply  numbers on a screen but Sean has uncanny knack for looking past those and bringing out the skills in the person as opposed to bringing the skills to the person…  Ladies and Gentleman Support the show