Golf Course Cryptids: Things on the Back Nine

Spooky season has officially arrived at Chip-n-Chat. 👻⛳After a late-night conversation with Xzraphina, founder of Stix and Stone Golf, sent me down the rabbit hole of golf course cryptids, I realized something: after working in golf shops since 2016, I have a few spooky stories of my own.In this impromptu episode, we're heading onto the course after dark to explore golf course folklore, a famous haunted-course legend, unexplained encounters, and the strange things you experience when you're one of the people opening before sunrise or locking up after everyone else has gone home.Because during the day, it's just the back nine.After dark?That's a different story.And we want to hear your scary stories!! Send them in, and we will share them in the next spooky episode!Welcome to Golf Course Cryptids.

Stories That Carry Us | With Penny from The TEARS FoundationSome stories are difficult to tell. Some stories change us. And some stories carry us forward.In this episode of Chip-N-Chat, Dakota sits down with Penny for a heartfelt conversation about grief, community, remembrance, and the meaningful work of The TEARS Foundation.After joining The TEARS Foundation for its first annual bowling tournament in Lakewood, Dakota witnessed firsthand the compassion, strength, and community behind its mission. Today, Penny joins the podcast to share her own story, what this work means to her, and what it looks like to walk alongside families experiencing the devastating loss of a child.Together, they talk about the stories behind the mission, the emotional weight of showing up for others, the importance of creating spaces where grief can be acknowledged, and the extraordinary things that can happen when a community chooses to care.This episode is a reminder of something at the heart of Chip-N-Chat: our stories matter—and sometimes, the stories we share are the very ones that help carry someone else.💙 Thank you to Penny for trusting Chip-N-Chat with your story and for the work you and The TEARS Foundation continue to do for families and communities.🎙️ Stories That Carry UsA conversation about grief, love, purpose, and the power of showing up.

Season 2, Episode 1 — Morning Always ComesWhere has Dakota been? Where has Chip-n-Chat been? And after more than a year of change, grief, growth, and figuring things out… why come back now?Season 2 begins differently: no guest, minimal editing, and no pretending to have everything figured out.In this deeply personal solo episode, Dakota opens up about losing her father, how grief changed her relationship with golf, stepping away from the microphone, and slowly learning how to show up again. She reflects on identity, faith, community, and the realization that while the podcast may have gotten quiet, the mission of Chip-n-Chat never did.From community events and conversations that matter to a renewed vision for the people and organizations Chip-n-Chat hopes to spotlight, this episode looks back at where we've been — and ahead at what Season 2 is becoming.Because sometimes you don't need to know exactly where you're going.You put the ball down.You pick a target.You show up.Morning always comes.Welcome to Season 2 of Chip-n-Chat.Golf, community, and conversations that matter.

⛳ Episode 7.5: Bringing It Home — Augusta National, Part 2We’re heading back to Augusta.In the second half of my conversation with Robert Silky, we continue our deep dive into his experience at Augusta National — the stories, the atmosphere, the traditions, and those little details that make being there unlike anywhere else in golf.Part 1 took us inside the experience. Now, we’re bringing it home.Whether you’ve dreamed of walking the grounds at Augusta or you simply love hearing the stories that make golf special, this is one you’ll want to hear.🎙️ Episode 7.5: Bringing It HomeFeaturing Robert SilkyPart 2 of our Augusta National conversation.Golf, community, and conversations that matter.

🎙️ Episode 7 — From Augusta to TacomaIn Episode 7, we welcome our very first guest: Robert Silky, Golf & Business Operations Coordinator at Meadow Park Golf Course in Tacoma, Washington. A PGA Member with experience at Gold Mountain, Chambers Bay, and Augusta National, Robert shares his big “why,” what keeps him grounded, and how golf can be a vehicle for leadership, community, and connection.This episode also marks a shift in how we edit and share this podcast. We're moving away from polished perfection and leaning into a more real and human approach. You may hear a mic glitch, a bit of echo, or a few unfiltered moments—because this is Dakota’s first time editing three voices, and also because life doesn’t always come with clean audio.We talk about:Robert’s path from Augusta to TacomaCommunity-building through golf operationsIntrospection, storytelling, and leading with purposeTournaments and their impactPar, handicap, and the math of playA few tangents (Roman Empires, fake ads, and more)Taking up space and giving ourselves permission to be learningThis episode also comes after a short break to care for mental health and family—especially Dakota’s dad, whose love of golf helped shape the heart of this show.We’re learning, growing, and grateful you’re here for it.

Episode 6 is here 'Baby Podcast, Big Conversations'—and we’re back on the mic after a little break, with more questions, reflections, and a healthy dose of chaos.We talk about kids asking big questions in golf class (thanks to our course’s new Relox Robot Picker), sustainability in the sport, and Dakota’s upcoming PAT exam in September. From there, Glenn asks, “What are we learning through Chip-N-Chat?”—then avoids answering his own question with a detour into the zombie apocalypse.Eventually, we dig deep. We talk about the importance of storytelling, the “boom” golf is experiencing, and how this game helps us connect—with each other and ourselves (cue the eye roll). Glenn shares a tough experience on the course, and we reflect on sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly.We touch on podcast goals, the world around us, and the power of saying something—even if it’s uncomfortable. So we pause. We end with a moment of silence—and Glenn, of course, forgetting we were still recording.It’s real. It’s messy. It’s us.

🎙️ Episode 5 — Halfway Home on the GreensWe’ve officially reached the halfway point of Season 1—and we’re settling into the swing of things, one soft chip and spiral at a time.In this episode, we open with a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh about mindful walking, which sets the tone for a more laid-back and reflective vibe. We talk about the sacredness of greens (both metaphorically and literally), how course design affects play, and the differences between public and private golf culture—from dress codes to family support in unexpected ways.Glenn pitches a new segment called Putt and Ponders, Dakota accidentally creates new lore for strangers on the putting green, and we both get way too into a new game. There’s also a short detour through the TV show Lost, a moment of emotional honesty, and a soft reminder that personal growth sometimes means switching wedges mid-round.We wrap by getting meta: how it feels to make this podcast, what it’s teaching us, and how we’re learning to take up space—not just for others, but for ourselves.Welcome to the back nine. Let’s keep walking.

In Episode 4, Glenn and Dakota show up tired—and totally themselves. They talk about the hard parts of turning passion into career, the importance of alone time, and the weird therapy that is balancing a golf ball on a wedge.From slice fixes to D&D reflections, “I’m a delicate flower” moments to emotional aftershocks, this episode is about softness, slowness, and the gift of taking up space.Because good golf doesn’t come from tension—it comes from attention. And the best rounds are when we get lost.

In Episode 3, we wrap up the chipping game and (officially) crown Glenn the winner… even though he never said a word. But just as we gear up for a fun family handoff, we hit a little snag—turns out, the audio from our special guests didn’t make it.What started as a group episode became a solo wrap-up full of good vibes, reflections, and a little lesson in rolling with the punches. We talk golf, growth, and what it means to stay open—on the course and off it.Sometimes the mics cut out, but the message still comes through.

In this episode, we dive a little deeper—into the bunkers of the mind and the game. Glenn and Dakota chip away at the mental side of golf and life, reflecting on pressure, perseverance, and staying grounded through it all. But don’t worry—it’s not all heavy. There’s plenty of laughter, a chipping showdown (that Glenn may or may not have won), and the kind of honest chat you can only have when you’re hitting balls and talking big feels.