Driving Improvement w/ Mark Russo, PGA artwork

Driving Improvement w/ Mark Russo, PGA

24 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago -

Join Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year & Golf Digest ranked instructor, on a journey to understand improvement from some of the most successful people in golf, fitness and business. Learn what it takes to live your best life and enjoy each step along the way.

Golf Sports Education Self-Improvement
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Episodes

EPISODE TWENTY FOUR: The Codebreakers / Paths to Improvement

December 31, 2023 15:00 - 57 minutes - 39.8 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by the triple threat of golf coaches known as The Codebreakers – Rob Failes, Mark Grace, and Sean Kennedy.  These 3 have joined forces to find the brightest and most out of the box thinkers in golf, fitness, and science in hopes of helping educate themselves and their fellow teaching professionals on ways to create more efficient movement patterns and help golfers find their best swing.  In this episode, ...

EPISODE TWENTY THREE: Lori Russo / Give Yourself a Window

December 26, 2023 02:00 - 1 hour - 43 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Lori Russo, President & Minority Owner of Stanton Communications, for her annual visit to the podcast.  In this episode, they dive into the dark and unsettling leap of learning a language, and how the journey must be embraced while finding consistency in practice.  Mark & Lori also discuss the lessons learned in 2023, and how they provided perspective and a pathway for 2024.  All this, as well as some good...

EPISODE TWENTY TWO: Ask the Pro / Rollbacks, Golf's Future & Tiger Talk

December 22, 2023 17:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, jumps behind the mic to answer questions from social media in this solo edition of the "Driving Improvement" podcast.  In this episode, he discusses the unstable and murky future of the professional game, as well as how to navigate different learning styles and personalities on the lesson tee.  Mark also covers the current situation in golf as the USGA prepares to roll back the golf ball and what that means for the...

EPISODE TWENTY ONE: PGA Show Crew 2023

January 24, 2023 19:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, takes you to the dining room table in Orlando, Florida for the PGA Show 2023.  Joined by Larry Ward, Tim Conaway, and Chris George, the group discusses subjects from all over the game of golf.  Learning environments, what you should be sharing with your coach, and what a good club fitting ACTUALLY is are just a few topics covered.  The group also gives you some helpful advice on misconceptions that may be killing y...

EPISODE TWENTY: Lori Russo / Leaving Behind the Expectations

December 26, 2022 03:00 - 1 hour - 47.2 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, spends some time with Lori Russo, President and Minority Owner of Stanton Communications. Over the course of a fun-filled hour, Mark & Lori discuss global travel, business differences between countries, and the constant search for improvement in a world where the calendar is full.  Plus a discussion on parenting and the nuances of dealing with the person in front of you...it's the Driving Improvement podcast to fin...

EPISODE NINTEEN: Tempee Warmack / The Other Side is Freedom

December 22, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Tempee Warmack, a US Army veteran who has made a name for himself as an accomplished guitarist, recording engineer, and teacher.  On this episode, Tempee shares stories from his career in the Army Band, as well as the experiences that helped mold him into the teacher that he is today.  He also discusses the real "secret" to getting better at your passion, and why he decided jumping out of an airplane w...

EPISODE EIGHTEEN: MAPGA Junior Summit

November 28, 2022 17:00 - 39 minutes - 27.5 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, takes you inside the 2022 MAPGA Junior Golf Summit.  In interviews done from Richmond, VA, he introduces you to some of the brightest instructors in the game today.  Listen in to find out about more than just junior golf, as the podcast covers all kinds of subject matter - from putting instruction, to learning with training aids, and of course, junior golf development.  It's a great look into the movers and shakers...

EPISODE SEVENTEEN: Ask the Pro / Mickelson, Management & Shot Clocks

March 08, 2022 19:00 - 57 minutes - 39.3 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, brings you another solo edition of the podcast, covering the latest topics in golf and answering student questions.  Topics range from the current Phil Mickelson situation to course management ideas to possible shot clocks in professional golf.  Mark also dives into swing changes and how best to balance the changes while still playing the game.  

EPISODE SIXTEEN: MAPGA Super Meeting

March 02, 2022 02:00 - 1 hour - 44.5 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, brings you a fun filled and crazy evening with a table full of PGA Professionals.  Recorded at the MAPGA Super Meeting at Landsdowne Resort, this unrehearsed session features a ton of laughs, some great insight in to what you can work on in your game in 2022, and what it's like to be inside the ropes at a Major Championship.  The passion for the game is on display in this episode, so buckle up and enjoy a wild ride!

EPISODE FIFTEEN: Teachers of the Year, Part 3: Trillium Rose & Bernie Najar

January 18, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 55.7 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, brings aboard Trillium Rose & Bernie Najar, both ranked by Golf Digest in the "Top 50 in America" to discuss ways to help golfers reach new heights.  The discussion ranges from the chase for more distance to how to unlock the mystery that is breaking 80.  Bernie & Trill also discuss the explosion in indoor practice and how it can help or hurt a golfer.  These topics, plus some really cool lessons learned from many ...

EPISODE FOURTEEN: Jason Helmes / Good Habits are Intentional

April 26, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 43.9 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Jason Helmes, a fitness coach and founder of Anyman Fitness.  Since 2013, Jason has dedicated himself to helping others get fit and healthier, and in the process has created a massive online community that are passionate about self improvement.  But starting Anyman Fitness was no easy task, as Jason first had to overcome his own struggles with weight and self image, as the athletic days of his youth were r...

EPISODE THIRTEEN: Ask the Pro / Drops, Distance & Snap Hooks

February 01, 2021 00:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes you to the first "Ask the Pro" podcast, where Mark takes on solo duties and answers questions from Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Want to know his take on Patrick Reed, lifting the left heel, the best ways to get more distance and how to fix a snap hook? Then sit back and listen in on the "Ask the Pro" episode of the "Driving Improvement" podcast!

EPISODE TWELVE: Mark Crossfield / Be True to What You Are

January 26, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 56 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Mark Crossfield, a PGA coach that has created a massive following online through instruction reviews, travel videos, and club testing.  Sitting at over 334, 000 subscribers on You Tube, Crossfield's videos have been viewed over 223 million times!  Over the course of the conversation, he explains his coaching background and philosophy, as well as the lessons learned in 13 years of You Tube content creation....

EPISODE ELEVEN: James Hong / I Can't Believe You're Here!

December 29, 2020 01:00 - 1 hour - 46.1 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes James Hong, a US Kids Top 50 Master Instructor and coach, who is recognized all over the world for his ability to connect with junior golfers.  In this episode, Hong elaborates on what parents can do to help their young golfer get hooked on golf, as well as how he deals with kids that are uncertain and unsure about playing the game.  In his energetic style, Hong brings you onto one of the most successful l...

EPISODE TEN: Lori Russo / Do What's Fulfilling

December 26, 2020 03:00 - 58 minutes - 40.2 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Lori Russo, President of Stanton Communications, a public relations firm that services clients ranging from casinos to statisticians to coaches.  On this Christmas episode, the discussion covers a wide range of topics such as starting at the ground floor in a company as a woman, helping your client find the answers by asking the right questions, and what it is like to be at the top of the company but a...

EPISODE NINE: Teachers of the Year, Part 2: Erika Larkin & Pat Coyner

November 09, 2020 18:00 - 1 hour - 49.8 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year & Golf Digest ranked instructor, once again brings you inside the golf coaching world, this time with 2012 MAPGA Teacher of the Year, Erika Larkin, and 2015 MAPGA Teacher of the Year, Pat Coyner.  The group discusses the difficulty of getting better at a tough game, as well as the impact that social media and online golf content has had on the ability of players to improve.  Coyner & Larkin also dive into the difficult world of self growth on the le...

EPISODE EIGHT: Blaine Forsythe / Love the Challenge

September 21, 2020 16:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, takes you inside the mind of NHL assistant coach, Blaine Forsythe.  A coach with the Washington Capitals, Forsythe has been an integral part of the success of the franchise, culminating in a Stanley Cup Championship in 2018.  In this episode, he speaks to the learning habits of the best players in the world, the importance of keeping an open mind as a coach, and how staying in the moment is so critical to reaching ...

EPISODE SEVEN: Teachers of the Year, Part 1 / John Scott Rattan & Chris George

August 25, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 46.9 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes John Scott Rattan, 2020 MAPGA Teacher of the Year & teaching professional at Congressional Country Club, and Chris George, 2010 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and director of instruction at Kingsmill Resort.  The discussion aims to help golfers of all levels get better by understanding their tendencies and the best ways to find success. If you are a beginner that wants to pick up the game, a regular golfer tryi...

EPISODE SIX: Andrew Rice / It's the Relationships

July 07, 2020 21:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Andrew Rice, one of the top golf coaches in the game today. A Golf Digest "Top 50 in America" Teacher and Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor, Andrew has built a business based on outstanding knowledge and the ability to effectively communicate with students of all skill levels.  In this episode, he gives his thoughts on how golfers can improve faster, how creating a culture is critical to a successful bu...

EPISODE FIVE: Pete Strickland / No Standing Still

July 01, 2020 11:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, discusses teaching and coaching with long-time NCAA coach and former coach of the Irish National Team, Pete Strickland.  In a career that spanned over 30 years and included winning the Big South Coach of the Year in 2000, Strickland dives into the successes and failures that helped mold his teaching style. In this episode, he shares lessons learned from DeMatha coaching great, Morgan Wootten, what it's like to help...

EPISODE FOUR: Dean Evason / Grinding It Out

June 05, 2020 23:00 - 43 minutes - 29.6 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Dean Evason, current head coach of the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League, and veteran of over 800 games played in the NHL.  Evason explains what it takes to make it in the best hockey league in the world, how consistency and enjoying the daily grind can make you a success, and how it's critical in coaching to be able to adjust your message to the person in front of you.  All of this, as well...

EPISODE THREE: Peter Shankman / Failure is Awesome

May 22, 2020 13:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes entrepreneur and author, Peter Shankman, to the podcast.  Bringing his unique energy to the conversation, Peter describes the amazing risk he took to gain the freedom to work for himself, how helping people is one of life's great joys, and why failure is awesome for growth.  He also explains how the difficulties he experienced in school were later attributed to ADHD, and why it's so important to now show o...

EPISODE TWO: Matt Finarelli / Light Bulb Moments

May 08, 2020 18:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Matt Finarelli, a professional chef and author, for a fun discussion on the power of cooking and teaching.  Chef Matt opens up about his love for people, the choice to quit a secure job to follow his passion, and how he lives for the opportunity to give each person a "light bulb moment" in the kitchen.  

EPISODE ONE: Jonathan Ross / Turn on the Spark

April 30, 2020 20:00 - 1 hour - 42.8 MB

In the very first episode of the "Driving Improvement" podcast, Mark Russo welcomes Jonathan Ross, an award-winning fitness coach and author, to discuss his motivation for coaching people and how helping people find their spark can lead them to a more fulfilling life.