Wild Golf

Michael McDonald

Welcome to the Wild Golf Podcast with Michael McDonald. We will inspire you to join a community of adventure golfers who step outside the conventional golf box and experience the beauty of the game, and life, in profound ways. We interview the golf pioneers and explorers who, in the face of uncertainty, turned their vision into reality; so you can to.

44 Episodes

43. Richard Pennell - Author behind "Stymied", a Blog about the Writer's Love Affair with Golf
6/6/2022
1:18:29
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest on this episode is Richard Pennell, the passionate author behind Stymied; a blog about Richard’s love affair with the beguiling mistress that is golf. In this episode we discuss Richard’s journey in life and the golf industry, starting with his first golf teacher and mentor and finishing with his current sabbatical away from the golf industry, but still passionately in love with the game and writing about it every morning. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did and hope the readings in this episode will inspire you to subscribe to Stymied and fall in love with the game again.You can follow Richard on Twitter (@pitchmarks) and Instagram (@pitchmarks) and you can subscribe to Richard’s blog Stymied for free here: https://richardpennell.substack.com/If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
42. Robin Down - Author of Golf in the Wild, and Golf in the Wild, Going Home
5/23/2022
1:06:43
Welcome to the first episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest on this episode is Robin Down, author of Golf in the Wild and its sequel, Golf in the Wild, Going Home. Both books are about golf and life, on some of the most beautiful and wild courses in England and Scotland. In this episode we discuss Robin’s first book, including its many diversions, Robin reads a few passages along the way. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did and that it will inspire you to go on your own golf journey in the wild. You can follow Robin on Twitter (@Robin_Down) and you can find out more about Golf in the Wild on Robin’s website (https://golfinthewild.org.uk). You can also follow Allendale Golf Club, the home of Golf in the Wild, on Twitter (@AllendaleGolf) and Facebook and the Allendale GC website is here (https://Allendale-golf.com). Both of Robin’s books can be found on Amazon or you can order directly from Robin’s website.If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
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41. Maulana Dotch - Ground Breaking General Manger, Class A PGA Professional
5/9/2022
54:01
Welcome to the first episode of Series 5 of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest on this episode is Maulana Dotch, the first African American female Class A PGA professional in Texas, and the second in the United States, after the legendary Renee Powell. Maulana is also the first African American female GM at a golf club or course in the United States and is well on her way to becoming a living legend in her own right. She is passionate, resilient and always striving to get better, and provides an atmosphere where her team can develop and be the best versions of themselves. Imagine what your club or course would be like if you had Maulana at the helm with a single minded focus on improving your customer experience. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. You can follow Maulana Dotch on Instagram and Twitter (@golfgirlie21) and Facebook and you can also follow Hermann Park Golf Course on social media and on their website (https://hermannparkgc.com). If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
40. Ian Renshaw - World Leading Skill Acquisition Expert and Coaching Consultant - Part 2
4/18/2022
1:04:04
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. This episode is Part 2 of my discussion with Ian Renshaw, a world renowned academic, expert adviser, coach and mentor in the area of skill acquisition in sport in general, and golf in particular. In this episode we discuss the book Ian co-authored with Peter Arnott and Graeme Macdowell called A Constraints Led Approach to Golf Coaching as well as his course and book in the making with Peter Arnott, called, provocatively, Swing Like Tiger. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did.You can find out more about Ian’s work on Twitter (@ConstraintsColl) and The Constraints Collective website (https://theconstraintscollective.com). You can also connect with Ian on LinkedIn. If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast). Thank you for listening to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast with Ian Renshaw.
39. Ian Renshaw - World Leading Skill Acquisition Expert and Coaching Consultant - Part 1
4/11/2022
1:01:21
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest for the next two episodes is Ian Renshaw, a world renowned academic, expert adviser, coach and mentor in the area of skill acquisition in sport in general, and golf in particular. We following Ian’s journey from growing up as a multi-sport athlete in Northern England, to his many years at university culminating in his PHD and his current academic position, as well as his many coaching and consulting exploits at all levels of sport. Ian is a fascinating guest, and if you listen to these episodes, you will I hope come to understand how conventional coaching and learning in golf is based on age old myths that have no basis in science. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. You can find out more about Ian’s work on Twitter (@ConstraintsColl) and The Constraints Collective website (https://theconstraintscollective.com). You can also connect with Ian on LinkedIn.If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
38. Jayne Storey - Performance Practice Coach discussing her new book "Connected Golf"
3/28/2022
58:27
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest this week, and back by popular demand is performance practice coach Jayne Storey. Before listening to this episode I would encourage you to listen to episodes 23 and 24 with Jayne from last year if you haven’t done so already. Jayne is a performance practice coach whose deep understanding is based on over thirty years practising and teaching formal meditation as well as several Chinese martial arts including Tai Chi. In this episode we discuss Jayne’s latest book Connected Golf which is hot off the shelf, and how the principles and practices discussed in that book, will help you improve in golf and in life. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. You can find out more about Jayne on her website ( https://chi-performance.com) or by following her on Twitter If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
37. Jim Gales MBE - Founder & Chair of Scottish Disability Golf & Curling (The SDGC) and Multiple Open Champion
3/14/2022
58:36
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. My guest this week is Jim Gales, MBE. Jim is a three time Open champion, Canadian Open champion and founder and chair of Scottish Disability Golf & Curling. He is also an international curler; some would say he is a curling mercenary. Like Jim’s mother, Jim is blind. We follow Jim’s journey as an only child losing his parents at a relatively young age, to taking up golf and curling, and developing into an elite athlete at both while at the same time founding and running the biggest disability golf charity in Scotland with well over 1000 members all over the world. Yet, to my surprise, the SDGC receives absolutely no funding from the R&A, the home of golf in Scotland . If you are able to donate, please visit the SDGC website referenced in the show notes. Jim has a wonderful sense of humour and I hope to have a beer with him after a game of golf in Scotland in the not too distant future. I hope you enjoy this discussion with Jim as much as I did. You can find out more about the SDGC on its website (https://scottishdgc.org.u) and you can follow the SDGC on Twitter (@thesdgc ).If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
36. "Just Let Me Play" - The Charlie Sifford Story with Charles Sifford, Jr.
2/28/2022
1:32:32
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. In celebration of Black History Month in North America, my guest on this episode is Charles Sifford Jr., the eldest son of the legendary Charlie Sifford, the first black PGA tour player who paved the way for many including Tiger Woods, who described Charlie as the Grandpa he never had. All Charlie ever wanted to do was to play the game he loved against the best players in the world but he had to courageously fight every step of the way, with the loving support of his wife Rose, in the face of appalling racism from the PGA, Augusta National, and countless sponsors. This is the story of a teenager who left the South just to be able to play the game he loved and who eventually received the recognition he deserved, culminating in his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States, in a ceremony with President Obama in the White House a year before he passed away. As Charlie said in his biography, “Just Let Me Play”, and when he was allowed to play, he proved to the world that he was one of the best at golf, and like his son Charles, he was and will always be remembered as a good man; one of the best. You can find out more about Charlie Sifford by reading his biography, “Just Let Me Play”; the centenary celebration edition is available on Amazon. If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
35. Christine Fraser - Ground Breaking Golf Course Architect
2/14/2022
50:06
Welcome to this episode of The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. In this episode we shine a light on Canadian golf course architect Christine Fraser whose unique experience, vision and voice is filling a gap in the golf industry that has been neglected for far too long. Christine grew up on a public family owned golf course in Eastern Ontario, Canada, and was a Division 1 collegiate golfer in the United States. She went on to do a masters degree in Landscape Architecture and landed her dream job in Oxford working with Martin Hawtree, one of the greatest living architects in the world. With good humour and an enlightened approach, Christine is using her design philosophy and voice to change the culture of the game of golf for the better. If I ever build a public golf course, I would want Christine to design it. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. You can find out more about Christine on her website (https://christinefraserdesign.com) and you can also follow her on Twitter (@cggolfdesign) and Instagram (@christinefraserdesign). If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).
34. The AFRIYEA Golf Academy in Uganda with Founder Isaiah Mwesige
1/31/2022
1:15:11
Happy New Year Listeners and welcome back to The Wild Golf Podcast. I am your host Michael McDonald. We start Series 3 by shining a light on the founder of the AFRIYEA Golf Academy in Uganda. His name is Isaiah Mwesige and he is one of the most impressive young men I have had the pleasure of meeting. He is humble, unselfish and resilient and above all has a passion to change the lives of others and their communities through the AFRIYEA Golf Academy. The Academy does this with a truly unique combination of golf, education and the environmental studies. The Academy is particularly focused on girls and young women, people with a disability, and children from a disadvantaged economic background. The only thing that holds the Academy back from its lofty but realistic goals is limited resources. If you can help financially, please go to the funding page of the Academy’s website; if you can help by other means by donating golf clubs or spreading the word, please get hold of Isaiah directly. All of the details are included below. The sound quality is not up to the usual high standards in a few spots, but please persevere, because Isaiah’s passion for the game of golf and how it can change lives will surely rub off on you. I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. You can find out more about the AFRIYEA Golf Academy and make a donation on its website (https://afriyeagolfacademy.com ) and you can also follow the Academy on Twitter (@AfriyeaA) and Instagram (@afriyeagolfacademy). You can also get in touch with Isaiah directly by sending a direct message via Twitter (@isaiahmwesige) and Instagram (@isaiahmwesige) or by email ([email protected]). If you like this episode, please tell your friends and leave a review on your favourite podcasting service. Please also follow us on Instagram (@wild_golf_podcast), Twitter (@wildgolfpodcast) and Facebook (Wild Golf Podcast).

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Wild Golf

Michael McDonald

44 Episodes

43. Richard Pennell - Author behind "Stymied", a Blog about the Writer's Love Affair with Golf

42. Robin Down - Author of Golf in the Wild, and Golf in the Wild, Going Home

41. Maulana Dotch - Ground Breaking General Manger, Class A PGA Professional

40. Ian Renshaw - World Leading Skill Acquisition Expert and Coaching Consultant - Part 2

39. Ian Renshaw - World Leading Skill Acquisition Expert and Coaching Consultant - Part 1

38. Jayne Storey - Performance Practice Coach discussing her new book "Connected Golf"

37. Jim Gales MBE - Founder & Chair of Scottish Disability Golf & Curling (The SDGC) and Multiple Open Champion

36. "Just Let Me Play" - The Charlie Sifford Story with Charles Sifford, Jr.

35. Christine Fraser - Ground Breaking Golf Course Architect

34. The AFRIYEA Golf Academy in Uganda with Founder Isaiah Mwesige