On the Mark Golf Podcast

Three of the thought-leaders and leading minds in golf instruction to pay homage to the great John Jacobs. Martin Hall, David Leadbetter and Nick Bradley all share personal anecdotes of their meetings with John Jacobs and they also give tips to help your game.  Mark Immelman also shares a few of John Jacobs' observations and lessons you can learn from the great golfers of all time

Get every question you ever had about the "Swing Plane" answered by Chris O'Connell, golf instructor from "The Plane Truth".  An expert in swing plane and the correct application thereof, Chris talks at length about swing plane and it's influence on consistent ball-striking.  He also talks about "D-Plane", Swing Path vs Plane and how top players use these elements to play better golf.  Chris also shares tips that will help you to identify what style of swing would best suit you and then embellishes on a few drills that will help you achieve that end and improve you ball-striking.

Justin Thomas is one of the stars on the PGA TOUR and in the global game.  He took time to chat with us about junior golf, college golf, turning pro, playing on the Web.com Tour and then making it to the PGA TOUR.  He shares insight about competing, and the mind-set required to compete, be successful, and win.  Justin also talks about his practice regimen to help you maximize your talent.  He also shares  golf tips, putting drills and of course he shares a tip to drive the ball with more power.

Todd Anderson is one of the leading golf instructors in the game, and on the PGA TOUR.  Vastly experienced, Todd, brings you tried and tested ideas that will help you improve the quality and the efficiency of your golf swing.  He talks, in depth, about different areas throughout the golf swing, describing those positions to help you get your golf swing on point.  Anderson also talks about improving your scoring clubs, as he has done with Billy Horschel, and he shares tips and drills to that end.

One of golf's notable golf teachers and instructors, David Leadbetter, joins Mark Immelman to talk in depth about golf, golf instruction, golf teachers and how to improve your game.  David also talks about some of the great champions he has coached like Nick Faldo, Nick Price, Seve Ballesteros and Lydia Ko.  David shares some experiences from his long career as a teacher and coach and talks about how his approach to instruction has evolved and the "A-Swing".

Senior Writer for ESPN and ESPN The Magazine, Kevin van Valkenburg joins the podcast and brings insight as he shares his experience and research to forecast the upcoming year in golf.  Kevin talks at length about Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.  He also addresses other leading players in Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Dustin Johnson as he and Mark Immelman set up your 2017 year in golf.

The 2017 year in professional golf is off to a fast start in the equipment industry.  A number of the game's leading players have made "off-season" equipment changes.  PGATOUR.com Equipment Insider, Jonathan Wall, has the skinny on everything that went down and shares it in-depth with you.  Jonathan discusses Tiger Woods' Bridgestone ball change, Rory McIlroy's change in his set of irons to Callaway, Jason Day's new apparel deal with Nike, and Dustin Johnson incredible display of power at the Taylor-Made New Product Launch. 

Of course you have a New Year's Resolution. Maybe it is to get back into the good physical shape and lose a few lbs after the Festive Season.  TPI Certified trainer, Chris Kendrick, joins the podcast to share ideas on eating cleaner, improving your flexibility and getting more limber and strong.  Chris talks in-depth about the correct protein/carbohydrate ratio in your diet. He recommends ideas on good hydration. He also talks at length about stretching and good flexibility and then he issues you a strength challenge for the first quarter of 2017.

Curt Byrum, professional golfer and announcer for NBC and The Golf Channel, joins Mark Immelman to review the 2015/2016 season in golf.  Curt talks about the Ryder Cup, The Olympics, Rory McIlroy's putting, Henrik Stenson's big win at The Open, Jordan Spieth's season, Dustin Johnson's consistently great performances, and "Breakout Players" like Beef Johnston.  Curt also shares his insider take on Tiger Woods and the future.

2016 Metropolitan PGA Section Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest Top 100 Club-Fitter, Kirk Oguri, talks at length about golf club-fitting and how to get the best clubs for you in your hands.  More specifically Kirk discusses golf club- lofts, lies, bounce and sole-widths, and shafts and how they influence golf shots.  He also shares a tip to help you hit the golf ball more crisply.

Noted golf teacher and announcer for CBS Sports, Peter Kostis, brings his wealth of knowledge and experience to the podcast.  He talks of work he has done with Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington and Paul Casey and illustrates things you can learn from them.  He also shares anecdotal lessons from Ben Hogan and other greats. Kostis further talks about golf DNA, understanding ball-flight, the difference between "Feel and Real" and developing control of the clubface.  He also talks about how you can straighten out your hook or your slice shots.

Part 3 of our series of golf tips from some of the best teaching minds in the world includes tips on grip pressure, power off the tee, employing correct "speed producers" in the swing, and better greenside scoring.  Karen Palacios-Jansen, Colin Swatton (coach/caddy to Jason Day), Denis Pugh, Nick Bradley and Martin Hall share their immense knowledge in an easy to understand and apply manner so that you can get the most out of your game.

Part 2 of our 3 part series of golf tips from leading golf teachers and coaches who have joined our podcast in 2016 includes a number of tips to "lower the number in the box on the bottom of your scorecard".  Hear from Gary Gilchrist, Andrew Rice, Michael Breed, John Graham, Pat Goss and Mike Small as they address clubface control and accuracy control, gaining distance off the tee, green-reading, lag putting and course management... All in a effort to help you lower your golf scores

In the first of our three part podcast series, Mark Immelman shares nuggets from conversations with six of golf's best teaching minds.  Hear from Ryan Chaney, Jon Sherman, John Tillery, Scott Hamilton, Tony Ruggiero and Jonathan Yarwood as they talk about approaches to instruction, swing plane, ways to lower scores, ideas on more effective practice and straightening out your SLICE shot.

Newly minted Hall of Famer, Davis Love III joins Mark Immelman to share insights from his years of experience in the game.  He also elaborates on tips and drills that his father, noted golf teacher Davis Love Jr., shared with him as he came up as a young golfer.  Love also talks about the Ryder Cup and the lessons he learned from that experience leading into the victory at Hazeltine in 2016.  He also shares his feelings about his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Mark Immelman shares tips (in the form of soundbites) from World Golf Hall of Famers, Major Champions, PGA TOUR Winners and players that will help you to better understand what is required to play consistently good golf.  Hear from Gary Player, Ernie Els, Billy Horschel, Charl Schwartzel, Notah Begay, Brooks Koepka, Geoff Ogilvy, Nick Price, Max Homa, Trevor Immelman and Will Wilcox.  The "cornucopia of tips" includes tips for power off the tee, consistency with the irons, and success around the greens as well as insights on preparation and practice.

Allistair McCaw, originator of The McCaw Method, brings his immense coaching and teaching experience to the show as he shares his 10 tips for coaching kids effectively.  These simple, easy to apply, tips are tried and tested and guaranteed to help you guide your children, or your clients to success in less time with fewer headaches.  Incidentally, these tips can help you to apply yourself better during practice also.  Result: your goals achieved quicker!

Renowned golf teacher, Martin Hall, brings his wisdom and prolific experience to the podcast as he talks about great golf teachers, different approaches to game improvement and how to improve by employing simple, tried and tested ideas handed down from the legends of the game.  Martin makes understanding of the true principles of golf ball control easy to understand and he elaborates with analogies from champions from yesteryear and today.  He also shares a few tips to help you improve your golf swing, your ball-striking and your short game.

Respected golf instructor, Gary Gilchrist, (Golf Digest Top 50 and Golf Magazine Top 100 Coach) joins the podcast to talk about golf teaching, Golf Academies and golf swing technique.  He specifically speaks about "cause and effect" in the golf swing and shares a ideas on how to develop a "growth mindset" to build confidence.  Gary also elaborates on how to build consistency in your golf game.

Bridgestone Golf pride themselves on the ability to fit all golfers to the golf ball that best suits their respective games.  Consider these numbers: 7 out of 10 golfers use the wrong ball and 75% of golfers swing at speeds less than 105mph.. Futher Bridgestone Golf has measured over 2 million golf swings and performed over 300, 000 live golf ball fittings.  In other words Adam Rehberg (Bridgestone Golf R&D and Golf Ball Marketing) is uniquely qualified to give sound advice on proper golf ball fitting.  Adam shares advice on this element and also speaks about Bridgestone's other equipment offerings that may help improve your game.

Noted analyst and on-course roving announcer, Jerry Foltz, has watched and called all of the top golfers on the PGA TOUR and the LPGA Tour.  He thus has great insight on what the great golfers of the world do and what they employ to become successful.  In this podcast Jerry shares those "trade secrets" and insights.  Hear Jerry's take on what you can learn from: Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.  Jerry also analyses Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson and Brooke Henderson, among others off the LPGA Tour.

Tommy Morrisey (five years old) has made a splash in the world's game over recent months.  Tommy has overcome a congenital birth deficiency and plays golf at a very high level despite not having a completely developed right arm (which he calls "Nemo".)  Hear from his father, Joe, as he shares anecdotes from Tommy's life in golf.  Joe also describes lessons and golf tips that golfers and parents of golfers can learn from young Tommy.

World Golf Hall-of-Famer, Gary Player, joins the podcast to celebrate his birthday, talk about life, golf and his career in golf.  The "Black Knight" shares anecdotes from his travels around the world, he talks physical fitness and health, and he shares his personal workout regimen.  Mr. Player also talks about golfing legends such as Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and elaborates on things golfers can learn from those great champions.  And of course, one of the greatest bunker players of all time shares a tip that will help you to success out of greenside bunkers.

Scott Hamilton brings a simple and easy explanation to help you understand the swing plane and how you can improve yours.  He further explains how to use a video camera or a mobile device to video yourself correctly for the most accurate feedback.  Scott then also shares tips and drills you can learn from a number of PGA TOUR players in his stable of clients.

Aimpoint Certified PGA TOUR Putting Instructor, John Graham, joins the podcast to talk about putting, effective green reading and the mechanics of an effective putting stroke.  John also shares tips to improve your green-reading and drills to practice and improve your putting.  

PGA TOUR and European Tour Golf Professionals use the "off-season" to get into better physical shape.  Why don't you?  TPI Certified Physical Trainer, Chris Kendrick, talks about the value of getting yourself in better physical shape over the "off-season".  He elaborates on the general components that every work-out regimen should contain and he lists exercises that golfers of every physical skill level, from Beginner through Intermediate to Advanced, can do to get into better shape during the "off" months.

Spurred on by a picture of his youngest daughter, Sophia, hitting a golf ball, Mark Immelman chats about ways to get your child to fall in love with golf and improve in the process.  Mark talks about the grip, the stance, the swing and how you can approach your child's correct understanding thereof.  He also talks about ways to keep the child engaged and the learning fun.

Developer of the "Strokes Gained" analytical approach to measuring golf performance on The PGA TOUR, Mark Broadie, takes you inside the numbers.  He makes sense of statistics like: Strokes Gained from the Tee, Strokes Gained on Approach to the Green, Strokes Gained Around the Green and Strokes Gained Putting.  Broadie gives examples of players on TOUR and how they have used these numbers to improve their games.  He also shares tips on how you can use "Strokes Gained" to improve your game and hone your approach to the game.

PGATOUR.com Equipment Insider, Jonathan Wall, brings you up to speed with all of the latest equipment and apparel news on the PGA TOUR.  Jonathan discusses what the Nike Golf staffers, incl. Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau and Patrick Rodgers are doing as they test new equipment.  He also talks about Jason Day and Dustin Johnson and their renewed relationships with Adidas.  Finally, Jonathan brings in-depth insights on getting properly fitted for a Driver.  He also talks about Driver set-ups and how you can match the club-shaft to the club-head to maximize your power and accuracy returns.   

Former PGA TOUR professional and now golf broadcaster, Notah Begay III, gives a Tiger Woods update after his withdrawal from The 2016 Safeway Open. Notah also talks about what it is like to be in a Ryder Cup team room and team environment.  He shares anecdotes about Tiger Woods and passes on things you can learn from Tiger, and other leading PGA TOUR players, that will help your game.  He also talks about his unique approach to putting, what brought it about, and why it is advantageous and could possibly help your putting.

11-time ASP (now WSL) World Surfing Champion, Kelly Slater, joins the podcast and brings fascinating insight on surfing and how he improved his surfing by learning golf.  Slater talks about balance, core strength, physical fitness, spacial awareness and vision and how they pertain to surfing and golf.  He also shares some anecdotes from his prolific surfing career and talks about a good mindset to success.

Long-time PGA TOUR Radio play-by-play announcer, Will Haskett, joins Mark Immelman to break down what you could expect from the brand new PGA TOUR 2016/'17 season.  Haskett and Immelman discuss Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other headliners who may be a part of the storylines throughout the new season.  They also discuss the Web.com Tour Graduates and who may become break-out players on the PGA TOUR.

Shane Bacon joins Mark Immelman to put a bow on what was a tumultuous and eventful 2015/'16 PGA TOUR Wraparound Season.  They talk highs, lows, ups and downs, memorable events, and breakout players.  Shane and Mark also talk a little about Arnold Palmer and his influence on the game, and Tiger Woods' return to competition in the 2016/'17 season.

The 2016 Ryder Cup Matches were spectacular.  Brian Katrek of "Katrek and Maginnes on Tap on SiriusXM) was on-site at Hazeltine calling the action for PGA.com.  He joins Mark Immelman and brings his inside-the-ropes insights and opinions as he and Mark Immelman put a bow on the Ryder Cup.

Get yourself prepped for the conclusion of the 2016 Ryder Cup matches with a summary of all that has transpired at Hazeltine thus far.  Mark Immelman opines about the ebb and flow of the matches; he talks about crowd partisanship and its effect on the players and he forecasts the Sunday Singles Matches.  Mark also brings sound from 2016 FedEx Cup Champion, Rory McIlroy, on how he approaches putting and Mark highlights what you can learn from Rory to help you make more putts of consequence.

Up-and-coming PGA TOUR star, Will Wilcox joins the podcast and talks about College Golf, shooting 59 in competition, life on the PGA TOUR, and his famous Hole-in-One at the Par Three 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course.  Wilcox also shares thoughts on how you can shoot lower by practicing more effectively, and how you can flight the golf ball down under the breeze.

Pat Goss, Director of Golf at Northwestern University and coach former World #1 Luke Donald, joins the podcast to share insights from his four Ryder Cups. He talks about the pressure of playing in a Ryder Cup and gives tips on how Luke Donald prepared for, and dealt with, pressure.  Coach Goss then gives you a complete short-game clinic with tips to improve your putting, bunker play, chipping and pitching.

Respected and decorated NCAA collegiate coach, Mike Small, talks about life on the professional golf tours, finding balance in golf and life, and keys to success as a college and professional golfer.  He also shares tips on how to apply certain course management skills in order to get the most out of your game and shoot your best scores.  Then as a collegiate coach to European Ryder Cupper, Thomas Pieters, Mike shares thoughts and insights on the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine and what to expect from both teams.

John Tillery is one of the leading young golf instructors in the game and he is making waves with his easy to understand and effective approach to golf instruction.  John is coach/instructor to three players (Kevin Kisner, Roberto Castro and Will McGirt) who are playing in the 2016 TOUR Championship at Eastlake.  He talks about what each of them work on to improve their respective games and he shares lessons you can learn from watching them play.

2014 FedEx Cup Champion and 2014 TOUR Championship Champion, Billy Horshel joins the podcast to reminisce about his 2014 Playoff run and subsequent Playoff triumph.  Billy talks about his run of form and the momentum, his play, some of his keys to success and the pressure of playing for the FedEx Cup.  He also relives key moments in the final round en route to his TOUR Championship title.  Horschel also shares his opinion of the changes in golf course routing at Eastlake GC and talks about key holes around the golf course.  And of course we get him to share a tip to help you strike the ball more crisply.

Hear insights on how to put yourself in the position to play your best golf during long and challenging periods of time from Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and TPI-certified Trainer, Chris Kendrick.  McIlroy and Day speak on how they personally combat a drop in performance due to fatigue while Chris Kendrick shares tips (on sleep, nutrition, exercise and practice) on how you can get yourself into the best place possible to play your best.  

Tony Ruggeiro is a vastly experienced and well-respected golf instructor.  He has worked with a number of the game's best players including PGA TOUR Rookie, Smylie Kaufman and College Standout (and now TOUR Professional) Robby Shelton.  Tony brings his knowledge and experience to the podcast and talks about the fundamentals of the game and how you can apply them to get the most out of your game.  The fundamentals Tony and Mark cover are: Grip, stance, posture, ball position, alignment and aiming, rhythm and timing.  Then, as an added bonus, Tony and Mark debunk a few golf swing "myths".

Sean Martin brings deeper insight on one of golf's newest stories and sensations, The Bryan Bros.  Sean discusses both brothers, their family ties, their respective games and he shares a few insider tidbits about the brothers that you may not know.  And Mark Immelman shares a couple of tips for your game that you can learn from the brothers.

Nick Bradley, noted golf instructor and former Strategic Assistant to European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley, joins the podcast to discuss the 2016 Ryder Cup Matches at Hazeltine in September. Nick takes you inside the "Team Room" and opines on strategy, team selection, and potential player pairings.  He also talks about veteran leadership and how the Ryder Cup rookies may feel and play.  Along those lines, Nick shares a lesson for you and how you can identify with playing golf under the highest of pressure.

Garret Kramer helps you understand how your mind works and how you can parlay that very fact into playing well under pressure.  He talks about the pressure of playing at your home course, playing in the spotlight and playing well even though your mind is not clear and you do not "feel right".  Kramer also shares insights on Rory McIlroy's improved putting and Jason Day's championship mindset an what you can learn from them.

Ron Mintz joins Mark Immelman to delve deep into Tiger Woods' announcement that he could potentially return to competition in the Fall Portion of the 2016/2017 PGA TOUR wrap-around Schedule.  Ron and Mark also unpack the 2016 FedEx Cup Playoffs focussing on Rory McIlroy and other top contenders.  And for good measure they contemplate potential US Ryder Cup Team selections and discuss the 2016 Ryder Cup.

Noted golf instructor, Andrew Rice, answers all of your questions about the backswing.  He shares ideas, tips, checkpoints and drills to help you get the golf club into a better position at the top.  Mark Immelman also shares insights and tips to maximize your backswing, feel it correctly and get it into a constructive, repeating spot to deliver the club properly into the golf ball.

The Equipment Insider for PGATOUR.com, Jonathan Wall, joins the show to fill us in on all of the equipment goings-on in the game.  Jonathan focusses on Scotty Cameron's new 33" line of Cameron and Crown putters, Vokey's new High Bounce Wedges, and Callaway's merger with Toulon Design.  He also talks in-depth about Callaway's new Driver and #-Wood design and talks about Nike Golf's staff players who are experimenting with new equipment in the wake of Nike's departure from the golf club manufacture business.

Karen Palacios-Jansen. one of Golf Digest's "Top 50 Best Women's Teachers" discusses the top three golfers (Inbee Park, Lydia Ko, Shanshan Feng) at the 2016 Rio Women's Golf Olympics and what you can learn from their games.  Her observations include how to improve lag putting, wedge play, swing rhythm/tempo, and grip pressure.  She also advises on how to prepare for rounds of golf, maintain a good attitude, and understand your realistic swing speed.  Men golfers, all of these tips are applicable to you too.

Respected global golf instructor, Denis Pugh, joins the show to talk about the fundamentals of the golf swing and how they apply to golf swing mechanics and golf shot dynamics.  Denis talks about the grip, posture and ball position and how they influence the club through the swing and impact.  He also about talks balance, the hand and arm action and how those two elements work together.