Getting to the Green
39 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 19 ratingsFrom the PGA of America, Getting to the Green explores the many ways that you can find financial success in the golf industry. From caddies to broadcasters to engineers to pro golfers, we’ll share how we’ve navigated the golf business to get to the green!
Hosted by Mackenzie Mack.
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Episodes
Ludvig Jansson: Director of Broadcast Technology
November 09, 2022 05:00 - 44 seconds - 61.2 MBLudvig Jansson began his career at Top Tracer—a startup at the time—as a software engineer straight out of college. Over the years, the company and its software has spread worldwide, providing ball tracking technology for your Friday nights at Topgolf and championship broadcasts. In this episode, learn more about the technology and the skills required to work in developing and implementing golf software around the globe.
Hilary Cronheim: Golf museum director
October 26, 2022 04:00 - 41 minutes - 94.6 MBThe senior director of the United States Golf Association Golf Museum and Library, Hilary Cronheim is dedicated to telling the history and story of the game. Though she knew as a child that she wanted to dedicate her life to working in archives of important items, she didn't anticipate her subject of expertise being golf. In this episode, hear how this life-long lover of museums built a career in an unexpected and rewarding field.
Anthony Taranto: Golf club artist
October 12, 2022 04:00 - 26 minutes - 61 MBAnthony Taranto was a golf club builder at Callaway, building a wedge for a Swedish golfer, when he got the idea to customize the club by using a sandblaster to create the Swedish flag. When his colleagues saw the artistic addition, the encouraged him to keep creating and find new ways to personalize the products. In this episode, hear how Anthony's design skills and innovation led to this new creative career.
Robyn James: Golf inventor and instructor
September 28, 2022 09:10 - 28 minutes - 64.3 MBYears after Robyn James gave a young girl her ball marker to inspire her on the course, she got a friend request on Facebook. In the photo, she saw the marker clipped on the now woman's hat. That story inspired her to begin making ball markers for her friends and golf students, but a solution meant to make the markers smell less like rubber led to an all-new innovation. In this episode, learn the process of creating a successful new golf product.
Ryan Adams: Golf magazine writer
September 14, 2022 10:55 - 38 minutes - 88.5 MBRyan Adams' journalism career began in college, writing for the student paper. But, before that, every job he'd held had involved golf. In this episode, hear how he combined those two loves to become a writer, reporter and editor for PGA Magazine. Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
Keith Cutten: Golf Course Architect
August 31, 2022 09:25 - 35 minutes - 80.6 MBThat one bunker that always gets in your way is there for a reason, and Keith Cutten can tell you why. In this episode, learn what it took to create some of your favorite courses and how Keith gets to the green by designing it. Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
Tisha Alyn: Golf's Social Media Influencer
August 17, 2022 04:00 - 33 minutes - 76.4 MBGolf's social media influencers represent the game in a way that pro golfers can’t. If you’ve ever tried to master a Instagram Reel or TikTok or Facebook Live, you know that it takes a special skill to perfect these posts - and it’s even more impressive when they get these videos to spread virally. Today we're chatting with someone who has made it her career to make golf trend on social - and she's absolutely crushing it - Tisha Alyn. Be sure to follow Tisha on Tiktok, Instagram, and twitt...
Golf Course Photographer Evan Schiller
August 03, 2022 04:00 - 25 minutes - 58.5 MBOne of the reasons we love this game is because of the majestic scenery. The view from the tee box, the finely manicured grass, the par 3 that goes over the water onto an island green… We play a sport where we get to appreciate the beauty of this earth. Today, we’re talking to someone who gets to capture that beauty every day - golf course photographer Evan Schiller. Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
Lauren Thompson: Golf Broadcaster
July 20, 2022 16:00 - 36 minutes - 84.4 MBAs the host of The Golf Channel’s daily show, Morning Drive, for ten years, Lauren Thompson has interviewed some of the biggest players in golf history. But did you know before she was in golf, she got her start in professional wrestling? This week, Lauren is on the other side of the interview as she and Mackenzie talk about getting to the green as a sports broadcaster. Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
Josh Jackson: Long Drive Champion
July 06, 2022 04:00 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBWhen you think about a football player and a golfer, the images in your head are likely drastically different. For Josh Jackson though, he loved both sports and ended up playing on both of his college teams. And then, he found a way to combine the brute force of football with the concentration and finesse of golf - Josh became a long drive champion. Today on Getting to the Green, Josh shares his story of becoming a long drive competitor, how much money is available at these events, and i...
Maria Loza: Golf Ball Engineer
June 22, 2022 04:00 - 28 minutes - 65.4 MBMaria Juliana Loza has made a career of creating, designing, and testing golf balls - to help us golfers hit less houses and water hazards and hit more greens. So what does a golf ball engineer do? And how do they get started in this field? Let's find out! Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
Dottie Pepper: From LPGA Tour Legend to Broadcaster to Author
June 01, 2022 04:00 - 35 minutes - 82 MBDottie Pepper is an LPGA legend, having won 17 tour events and earning almost $7M on tour. But being a golf pro isn't as easy as it can appear, and today Dottie shares some of her early struggles with making a living, why mentorship was imperative to her success, and what it was like transitioning to the broadcast booth. Letters to a Future Champion: My Time with Mr. Pulver is available in hardcover, paperback, or audiobook! Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by th...
Michael Collins: From Comedian to "America's Caddie"
May 18, 2022 04:00 - 33 minutes - 46 MBYou know Michael Collins as "America's Caddie" on his hit ESPN+ series. But what you might not know is how he got his start as a caddie on tour and what life is like carrying the bag on tour. Today, Michael shares his stories and gives advice on how to break into the tour. Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
New Season: Getting to the Green
May 16, 2022 17:55 - 2 minutes - 5.49 MBNew look, new name, new season! On Getting to the Green, we explore the many ways that you can find financial success in the golf industry. From caddies to broadcasters to engineers to pro golfers, we’ll share how they've navigated the golf business to get to the green! Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.
Dawn Darter: The Golf Course That Raised Her
March 30, 2021 17:23 - 20 minutes - 27.7 MBIt came down to golf or softball. Head PGA Professional at The Greens at North Hills in Sherwood, Ark. Dawn Darter obviously chose golf. Catcher wasn’t her destiny, but having a golf club in her hands certainly was. The sixth fairway of The Greens at North Hills was her backyard after all. Her brother was a stellar player. And her dad pushed her to give the sport a try. In more ways than one, golf was meant to me. There isn’t much that Dawn Darter isn’t involved in at her club today. But...
Stephanie Luttrell: Golf Club Engineering
January 28, 2021 20:34 - 26.7 MBStephanie Luttrell, now the Director of Titleist Metalwood Development, knew she always wanted to work in golf. She came from a golf family and played the sport throughout high school and was a walk-on at the University of Michigan. Gifted in both math and science, Stephanie Luttrell ended up pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. The advice from her dad - to find something you love and do it the rest of your life - was always in the back of her mind when deciding on a career path. N...
Anna Redding: Augusta National Women's Amateur Insider
November 10, 2020 17:26 - 26 minutes - 36.9 MBAnna Redding is locked in on her dreams of competing on the LPGA Tour. Even though she has her Sociology degree from the University of Virginia, her goals are channeled into the golf course for now and the foreseeable future. Anna Redding’s dad was a casual golfer, so she was somewhat familiar with the game. However, she discovered and fell in love with the sport when her grandparents put her into a golf camp as a kid. It just took that one experience to pick up a club herself that changed ...
Joanna Coe: Coaching to Grow the Game
October 08, 2020 11:54 - 30 minutes - 41.3 MBJoanna Coe’s lifelong career in golf has been fruitful in more ways than one. Most recently, it has brought her to the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship not far from home at Aronimink Country Club in Philadelphia, PA. Joanna Coe will be one of eight PGA and LPGA Professionals competing on one of golf’s most prized stages for the third straight year. Growing up, it wasn’t just golf that competed for her attention. But after a season-ending knee injury that sidelined Joanna Coe for her seni...
Alison Curdt: Golf Mind Over Matter
October 04, 2020 04:00 - 36 minutes - 50.1 MBBetween her role as a Director of Instruction at Wood Ranch Golf Club, being a licensed Psychotherapist in the state of California and continuing to compete in golf events, Alison Curdt’s pursuit of excellence never stops. Her journey in golf began out of mere jealousy. When she wasn’t quite old enough to play golf with her older brother and dad, she knew in that moment that she wanted to be a part of those experiences. Even at seven-years-old, Alison Curdt was bound and determined to not o...
Nisha Sadekar: PGD Global
September 16, 2020 22:28 - 39 minutes - 53.9 MBGolf was a somewhat foreign sport for Nisha Sadekar as a kid. She recalls her mom, a sports fanatic, watching golf on television. And it was her dad who encouraged her and her sister, Seema Sadekar, to give the game a try. Before long, Nisha Sadekar realized that, contrary to her own belief, golf wasn’t only for “old people.” Although her experiences as an Indian woman weren’t always easy or glamorous, Nisha Sadekar still forged an impactful path in the golf industry. Attending IMG Academy ...
Megan LaMothe: Foray Golf
September 02, 2020 19:54 - 41 minutes - 56.3 MBMegan LaMothe had a successful career with Victoria Secret. But once she took up the game of golf just a short time ago as a young adult, she came to a career-altering realization. This realization was that women’s golf apparel was lacking and she wanted to help fix that. Megan LaMothe used her vast range of experiences at Victoria’s Secret, like attention to detail and obsessing over how clothes fit, to bring her company to life. Foray Golf was born. And for Megan LaMothe, it’s more than ...
Alexis Belton: World Long Drive & Building Golf's Future
August 18, 2020 17:30 - 26 minutes - 36 MBEven though taking up golf started out as a bribe, Alexis Belton’s fiercely competitive side kept her committed to the game. She quickly learned that golf is a sport you can make uniquely your own; it’s a sport where ”everyone paints the canvas of the golf course a different way.” Alexis Belton is doing just that today as both a Symetra Tour player, seeking her shot on the LPGA Tour, and participating in World Long Drive. As she talks about in this episode of Fairway Tales, she wouldn’t be ...
Mackenzie Mack, PGA: A Leader in Golf and Voice for the Black Community
August 02, 2020 18:13 - 25 minutes - 35.4 MBThe fight for a better world isn’t an option for Mackenzie Mack. It’s a must. Outside of being a highly competitive golfer and well-respected instructor, she is making an impact in the lives of many through her role with the Tennessee Golf Foundation as the Associate Executive Director and West Tennessee Regional Director. In this position, she delivers all junior golf programming in West Tennessee. While Mackenzie Mack is perfecting the craft of youngsters, putting her PGA and LPGA Class ...
Molly Gallatin: Brand Management, Being An Ally for Golf's LGBTQ Community
August 02, 2020 17:57 - 34 minutes - 47.4 MBBorn and raised in Minnesota, Molly Gallatin began her career in sports with the Minnesota Twins. A job in Daytona Beach, Florida eventually took her away from her roots and an 11-year stint in baseball—and launched her into a new industry: golf. Molly Gallatin’s first job in golf was with the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) where she served as the Senior Manager of Publicity. Her duties ranged from being the communications leader and spokesperson for the LPGA, to traveling aro...
Natalie Long: Life After Her PGA WORKS Fellowship
August 02, 2020 17:50 - 27 minutes - 38 MBIt was the golf community that brought Natalie Long into the game, and it was the golf community that kept her in it. Through high school and college, she crossed paths with several PGA Professionals who were integral parts in her golf journey and future in the industry—one being Ed Schwent, PGA, who is the Director of Instruction at Old Hickory Golf Club. While Schwent poured his heart and soul into Natalie Long as a player and a person, it was another PGA Professional who sparked a deeper...
Jane Blalock: An Accidental Yet Remarkable Golf Career
July 22, 2020 04:00 - 38 minutes - 53.4 MBWithout the game of golf, Jane Blalock doesn’t know where she would have ended up. She was a natural athlete, and probably would have played softball or basketball if the opportunities existed at the time. But the fact that she didn’t have choices in other sports is ultimately why she ended up choosing golf. To this day, she still considers her journey through the amateur and professional ranks as accidental. Jane Blalock knew she was good at golf, but never really saw it as a long-term ca...
Jeehae Lee: Embracing Your Golf Journey
July 08, 2020 14:19 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MBHead of Growth Initiatives and Business Development at Toptracer, a division of Topgolf, Jeehae Lee can confidently say today she embraces all that the golf industry offers. After her parents introduced her to the game at a young age, she realized that while her sister was a talented pianist, golf was going to be ‘her thing.’ Jeehae Lee ran with her talent on the links up until her time at Yale, where she played college golf her freshman year, but was ultimately more drawn to extracurricula...
Nikki B: Mentoring the Next Generation of Golfers
June 25, 2020 04:00 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MBAt first, playing golf was more of a chore than a passion for now Golf Channel social media correspondent Nikki B. It wasn’t until she met and got a picture with LPGA Tour player Natalie Gulbis that she became excited and ready to take up the game of golf. A former Division I athlete who played for the Sacramento State women’s golf team, Nikki B. hustled to live out her dream playing college golf and continues to hustle for dream opportunities in the industry. But more than getting to experi...
Jess McAlister: Digital Golf Collective
May 05, 2020 04:00 - 53.2 MBAs a seasoned marketer, entrepreneur, and brand development strategist with now 13 years of cross-industry expertise, Jess McAlister found a niche in golf media that’s challenging the status quo one campaign at a time. With a plethora of agency experience under her belt through college and beyond, she first launched McAlister Co. where she advises brands, talent, and agency partners alike. Her latest endeavor, Digital Golf Collective, combines her passion for golf, entertainment, lifestyle a...
Suzy Whaley: Golf Emergency Relief Fund
April 20, 2020 17:17 - 20 MBIn response to the severe challenges impacting golf communities nationwide, the Golf Emergency Relief Fund has been established to provide short-term financial assistance to certain individuals facing significant financial hardship with an initial focus on those impacted by COVID-19. This relief effort was initiated through a lead pledge of $5 million by the PGA of America. PGA President Suzy Whaley joined Fairway Tales to elaborate on this effort and what it aims to accomplish during this p...
Isabelle Shee: Making an Impact Through Golf and Socks
March 04, 2020 05:00 - 38.2 MBIt may have taken Isabelle Shee a few times to figure out where she belonged in the golf industry, but the persistence and positive attitude to get there proved worth it. After playing college golf at UC Riverside and later transferring to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Shee discovered playing professionally wasn't going to be the path for her. On the verge of burnout and still experiencing some uncertainty about her future, Isabelle Shee began to find her niche as a golf influencer. Ev...
Chantel McCabe: From Hockey and Politics to Riding the Golf Wave
February 05, 2020 05:00 - 60 MBThere's a good chance Chantel McCabe's pathway in golf is one in a million. McCabe went to college to eventually become an athletic director to combine her love of athletics with higher education, but life had a different plan. Her broadcasting career started out covering hockey and politics until eventually she landed an opportunity with Golf Channel. Even with little knowledge of professional golf at the start, Chantel McCabe impressed during the interview process and hasn't turned back si...
Henni Zuel: Taking Broadcasting by Storm at GOLFTV
January 15, 2020 05:00 - 5 MBHenni Zuel is a former professional golfer who became the youngest-ever player to join the Ladies European Tour at age 13 as an amateur. After retiring from the sport to injury at an early age, Henni took up broadcasting where she landed a job at Sky Sports and later the new digital home of golf, GOLFTV, where she now serves as Tiger Woods' interviewer among many other responsibilities. Listen to her golf journey that started thanks to her mom, how she transitioned from being a professional ...
Abby Liebenthal: Golf Fore the Ladies
November 20, 2019 05:00 - 5 MBAbby Liebenthal's career in golf started at the American Junior Golf Association and it has taken off from there. From working for the Tiger Woods Foundation, to a social media role at Titleist, to her current position with Imperial Hats, much of Abby's day-to-day life revolves around golf. We talk about what it means to be a non-competitive golfer and how her latest venture with Fore the Ladies is the perfect fit for her journey in the industry. Curious to know more? Follow Abby on Twitter ...
Hally Leadbetter: Eat, Sleep, Breath, Play Golf
October 02, 2019 04:00 - 5 MBHally Leadbetter has been around the game of golf her entire life. Her dad, David Leadbetter, is a highly revered PGA Coach and her mom and two brothers all took up the sport competitively. In this episode, we dig a little deeper in how she eventually came around to giving golf a chance and where it's taken her since. We start with when she picked up the game, to her college career, to the role golf plays in her life today as a Senior Producer of Digital Content at Golf Digest. You can follo...
Alexandra O’Laughlin: Life at Golf Channel and Beyond
September 18, 2019 16:34 - 5 MBAlexandra O’Laughlin is a former collegiate golfer turned Golf Channel Correspondent now paving her own unique path in the golf business. We talk about everything from trying golf for the first time, to growing interest in the women’s game, to playing in college and how she ended up in her current role. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter (@OlaughlinGC) and Instagram (@OlaughlinGC). But most importantly, be sure to check out her new show on Golf Channel YouTube—Go Around with Alexandra O’Laug...
Pratima Sherpa/Kristen Lappas: Chasing A Golf Dream
March 20, 2019 23:16 - 33 minutes - 5 MBSome of you may recognize the name already, but we had the chance to catch up with Pratima Sherpa, the young lady seeking to become Nepal’s first-ever female professional golfer. Last April, she was featured in the Emmy Award Winning ESPN Documentary, A Mountain to Climb. Raised in a maintenance shed on a golf course, Pratima opens up about her upbringing and what she’s up to now. But the excitement doesn’t end there. We also brought on the ESPN feature producer of A Mountain to Climb—Kriste...
Tisha Alyn Abrea: Building Your Personal Golf Brand
March 20, 2019 23:16 - 28 minutes - 5 MBWe spoke with Tisha Alyn Abrea in this episode, who brings a ton of diverse experiences in golf to the table. She’s on a mission to get more women to play the game and show people how much FUN golf is and can be. She is the co-founder of FOREher Sports—more on that in this episode—but is also a well-known golf personality and influencer. She gets real about owning a business, building a personal brand in the golf industry and how she thinks we can grow and evolve the game of golf. Oh, and he...
Suzy Whaley: Golf, PGA Presidency and Motherhood
March 20, 2019 23:15 - 22 minutes - 5 MBWe teed it up with Suzy Whaley, the President of the PGA of America. And while that’s the title she’s the most known for these days after just taking office in November, she wears a lot of other hats. On top of being President, she’s also the owner of Suzy Whaley Golf, the PGA Director of Instruction at the Country Club at Mirasol, a wife and a mother of two. We talk about everything—and Suzy shares her secret sauce to literally doing it all. She’s not only the first-ever female President of...