Off TRAQ Podcast — Golf's Real Conversations

If Tiger Woods is golf's Michael Jordan, who's the NBA equivalent of Phil Mickelson? What about Jack Nicklaus, John Daly, or Anthony Kim?

This week on Off TRAQ, Charles and Roy go head-to-head pitching NBA counterparts for 12 of golf's most recognizable players, while Alex serves as the judge.

We're going beyond wins and championships to compare playing styles, personalities, rivalries, cultural impact, and the legacies that define these athletes.

From the undisputed greatness of Tiger and Jordan to the unfulfilled potential of Anthony Kim, some comparisons are obvious, while others spark serious debate.

Whether you're a golf fan, an NBA fan, or both, join us as we explain golf's greatest players in basketball terms.

Who did we get right, and who deserves a different comparison?

Does playing in golf tournaments actually make you a better golfer, or does it just expose the weaknesses you already have?

This week on Off TRAQ, Charles and Roy debate whether amateur golfers should compete in tournaments and what tournament pressure teaches you that a casual round with friends can't. Charles shares his experiences in individual competitions, team scrambles, and the Audi Quattro Cup—including why overpreparing has sometimes made him play worse.

We get into course management, mental resilience, playing under pressure, and why tournament golf might be the best way to discover your true scoring ability. Plus, how much money would you have to bet with your friends to recreate that same competitive pressure?

Then we lighten things up with a round of Golf Would You Rather, where Roy puts Charles through some impossible choices:

•

Never three-putt again or never lose another ball?

•

A perfect driver or perfect wedges for life?

•

Driver off every tee (even par 3s) or never hit driver again?

•

Break 80 but lose every bet, or win every bet but never break 90?

•

Shoot 69 once or shoot 77 every round forever?

Some answers might surprise you.

Whether you're looking to take your game more seriously or just enjoy debating ridiculous golf hypotheticals, there's something for every amateur golfer in this episode.

Off TRAQ is brought to you by TRAQ Golf. Practice with purpose using TRAQ Spray and Blueprint. Learn more at TRAQGolf.com.

Brian Kim, founder of Liteyear Golf, joins Off TRAQ to talk about what it really takes to build golf equipment from scratch and why most junior clubs are designed the wrong way.

Brian shares how he went from DocuSign to launching a golf equipment company, what goes into designing clubs specifically for kids, why Liteyear chose blade style irons, and how weight, shaft design, feel, sizing, and manufacturing all come together.

We also get Brian’s perspective on Grant Horvat’s Little Legends launch, the $200 junior golf club controversy, and whether more competition is ultimately good for the junior golf market.

Then Charles and Roy get into this week’s bigger golf debates: whether the Presidents Cup is still a real rivalry, what could make the event more competitive, the latest equipment and golf ball rollback discussion, whether amateurs really play the “same equipment” as tour pros, and electric push carts being allowed in NCAA golf.

CHAPTERS

3:14 Brian Kim + story behind Liteyear Golf

5:59 How Liteyear Golf got started

12:05 Blade Irons for Kids?

33:30 Brian Reacts to Lil' Legends Golf Set

47:57 Rapid Fire Qs with Brian

55:20 Near President's Cup Clash, Equipment Rollback, and Carts in College Golf?

Which golf stats actually help amateurs improve, and which ones are mostly noise? Charles and Roy go through driving distance, fairways hit, putts per round, greens in regulation, double bogeys, and handicap and decide what they would keep, kill, or replace. They also reveal the three stats they would track if they could only choose three.

Then, they break down LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 restructuring, what it could mean for its biggest stars, and whether LIV ultimately changed professional golf for the better. Plus, TaylorMade is up for sale. Why now, what could the company be worth, and would Charles or Roy put their entire $3 billion portfolio into buying it?

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Intro

03:43 Are Golfers Tracking the Wrong Stats?

15:00 Driving Distance: Keep It or Kill It?

22:40 Why Fairways Hit Is a Flawed Golf Stat

30:54 Are Putts Per Round Misleading?

38:57 Is GIR the Most Important Golf Stat?

53:23 The Stat Amateurs Should Track

58:00 Is the Golf Handicap System Broken?

1:03:39 The 3 Golf Stats We'd Actually Track

1:07:12 What LIV Golf's Bankruptcy Means

1:12:14 Why TaylorMade Is For Sale

1:17:21 Would We Buy TaylorMade for $3 Billion?

1:21:30 Golf Jeopardy: Test Your Golf Knowledge

Golf instruction has never been more accessible, but has it actually made golfers better?

Charles and Roy break down golf’s biggest swing trends, including the one plane swing, Stack and Tilt, Sean Foley’s controversial years with Tiger Woods, George Gankas and the shallowing craze, and the modern “hold and turn” release.

Which ideas can actually help amateurs, which require very specific physical matchups, and how does combining random YouTube tips create a Frankenstein swing that is worse than the one you started with?

Plus, we react to the Good Good and Callaway ad controversy, debate whether Grant Horvat’s $200 toddler golf clubs are worth it, and discuss TaylorMade moving to a two year driver release cycle.

Follow Off TRAQ for honest golf conversations, questionable swing advice, and a little chaos along the way.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

02:02 One Plane Swing: Simple or Unnatural?

13:18 Stack and Tilt: Useful or a Dead End?

27:14 Did Sean Foley Ruin Tiger’s Swing?

38:58 George Gankas and the Shallowing Craze

49:30 Hold and Turn vs. the Traditional Release

1:03:44 Why YouTube Tips Create Frankenstein Swings

1:06:48 The Good Good and Callaway Ad Disaster

1:14:30 Are Grant Horvat’s $200 Toddler Clubs Worth It?

1:21:00 TaylorMade Moves to a Two Year Driver Cycle

What does it actually take to build a golf company from scratch?

This week, Charles and Roy share the story behind TRAQ — from the early range session that sparked the idea, to failed prototypes, manufacturing problems, 3D printing, supply chain chaos, and figuring out how to turn a golf obsession into an actual business.

We also break down how we personally use TRAQ, what happens when your passion becomes your job, and where we want to take the company next.

Then we get into this week’s golf news: the rumors surrounding Jon Rahm potentially leaving LIV Golf, why the best players in the world are suddenly hitting it farther, and whether LeBron James becoming a YouTube golfer is actually good for golf.

And to finish things off, we rank the best golf course snacks from S tier to F tier.

Chapters

1:40 — How Our Golf Startup Started
13:45 — How We Use TRAQ
24:07 — What It’s Like to Blend Passion With a Job
39:38 — What’s Next for TRAQ?
53:17 — Rahm, Distance Gains & LeBron’s Golf Channel
1:05:48 — Ranking the Best Golf Snacks

Follow @traqgolf on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and learn more at TRAQGolf.com.

Charles just played his worst golf in years: shanks on the range, topped drives, push slices, a triple, and more doubles than he would care to remember.

In this episode, Charles, Roy, and new co-producer Alex break down exactly what went wrong, why a medicine-ball drill may have quietly thrown Charles’ swing out of sync, and the one swing thought that helped him turn things around on the back nine.

Along the way, they discuss how to reset when your swing disappears mid-round, whether you should ever “play your miss,” and the pride that keeps amateurs fighting a lost cause until hole 15.

Then the guys get into the news: Is LIV Golf finally nearing the end, and do performance-enhancing drugs really give golfers an advantage?

Finally, Charles and Roy draft rival Ryder Cup-style teams in a $20 auction and let AI decide the winner. Loser buys Wendy’s.

Subscribe and follow wherever you listen, and find us on Instagram and TikTok at @traqgolf

Stop guessing and start practicing with real feedback at traqgolf.com

Chapters

00:45 – Meet Alex, Our New Co-Producer
04:48 – Charles’ Worst Round
12:27 – What Went Wrong?
18:40 – How to Reset When Your Swing Disappears
28:43 – The One Swing Thought That Fixed Everything
40:49 – Is This the End of LIV? & PEDs in Golf
50:04 – Build the Best Golf Team: $20 Auction
01:03:48 – AI Decides the Winner

Mini drivers and 7 woods are two of the hottest clubs in golf right now, but do they actually belong in the average golfer’s bag?

Charles and Roy break down why mini drivers have surged in popularity, what they are really designed to do, and why buying one may not solve your driver problems. Then they dig into the 7 wood boom, why more tour players are using one, how it compares with long irons and hybrids, and which golfers could benefit most from making the switch.

Later, they react to the biggest controversies from The Open, including Bryson DeChambeau’s penalty, Scottie Scheffler’s free relief, and whether golf’s rules are being applied consistently.

To close the episode, Charles and Roy draft competing golf bags from a limited pool of clubs. The result includes aggressive strategy, questionable selections, a chipper, and one host attempting to use a 2 iron as a putter.

Chapters

00:18 Golf at Yosemite?
04:10 What’s the Hype With Mini Drivers and 7 Woods?
13:45 Should Amateurs Buy a Mini Driver?
27:04 Why the 7 Wood Became a Tour Favorite
36:08 Should You Replace Your Long Irons With a 7 Wood?
44:21 The Open: Penalties, Drama and Controversy
1:00:39 The Ultimate Golf Club Draft
1:07:39 Who Built the Better Bag?

On this episode of Off TRAQ, Charles and Roy ask a deceptively simple question: is modern golf actually better? With better equipment, launch monitors, rangefinders, YouTube instruction, and more data than ever, golfers should be getting dramatically better… so why has the average handicap barely moved?

They break down how golf has changed from the early 90s and 2000s to today, where technology has genuinely helped, and where it may actually be making golfers more confused, dependent, and cluttered. Then they hit current events, including Scottie Scheffler’s playoff loss, Jordan Spieth testing a new putter, and first reactions to Your Golf Tour. To close, they put each other on the spot with a bag audit and call out the one club the other probably shouldn’t be carrying.

Chapters:
00:32 Happy 250th America
03:28 Is Modern Golf Actually Better?
39:53 Scottie's Playoff Loss, Spieth's New Putter & YGT
46:08 Bag Audit: What Club Has to Go?

What if the biggest thing hurting your golf game isn’t your swing… it’s the golf you’re watching?

This week on Off TRAQ, Charles and Roy explore why the modern PGA Tour may actually be teaching amateur golfers all the wrong lessons. From flop shots and hero recoveries to going for par 5s in two, they discuss why what works for the best players in the world often leads to bigger scores for the rest of us.

Then they dive into Wyndham Clark’s U.S. Open victory and why the tournament felt strangely flat, why so many fans seem to be rooting against him, and what his win says about personality in professional golf.

They also discuss the latest developments surrounding the golf ball rollback, why the governing bodies suddenly appear to be reconsidering their plans, and whether professional golf is finally moving toward a true shot clock to combat slow play.

To wrap things up, they play a round of Overrated or Underrated on some of golf’s biggest traditions, including:
• The halfway house hot dog
• Mulligans
• Pre-round range sessions
• Matching headcovers
• Gimmes
• Hitting a 3 wood off the deck

Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:56 Is Watching the PGA Tour Making You Worse?
26:42 Wyndham Clark and Weird U.S. Open Vibes
30:28 Ball Rollback Drama and Golf’s Shot Clock
36:32 Overrated or Underrated: Golf Rituals

If you enjoy thoughtful golf conversations from an amateur’s perspective, follow Off TRAQ for new episodes every week.

The PGA Tour has changed forever.

In a surprise emergency episode of Off TRAQ, Charles and Roy break down the biggest structural change to professional golf in decades.

Starting in 2028, the PGA Tour will split into a new Championship Series and Challenger Series featuring promotion, relegation, smaller fields, and dramatically different purses.

We discuss:

• What actually changed

• Why the Tour is doing this now

• Whether fans will care about relegation battles

• Which recognizable names could be in danger

• The return of match play

• The winners and losers of the new system

• Whether this helps reunify professional golf

Chapters:

2:03 What Actually Changed?

6:39 Why is the Tour Doing This Now?

9:58 Who’s in Danger?

13:14 The Match Play Twist

14:06 Winners and Losers

17:46 Buy or Sell?

Is this the future of professional golf—or did the PGA Tour miss an opportunity to go even further?

Most golfers improve quickly at first… until they hit the same wall.

The scores stop dropping. The handicap stays stuck. And no matter how much they practice, nothing seems to change.

In this episode of Off TRAQ, we break down why golfers plateau at every stage of improvement — from beginners trying to break 100 all the way to low handicaps chasing scratch.

We talk about the biggest mistakes golfers make at each level, what actually unlocks the next jump in scoring, and why so many players get trapped around the 10 handicap range.

We also discuss:
• Why improvement gets harder the better you become
• The practice mistakes keeping golfers stuck
• The jump from 15 → 10 handicap
• What separates 10 handicaps from 5 handicaps
• How scratch golfers think differently
• The role of short game, expectations, and course management
• And what finally helped us improve ourselves

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your golf game, this episode is for you.

⛳️ CHAPTERS

00:23 Why Golfers Plateau

01:26 Beginner → 15 Handicap

8:46 Why Most Golfers Get Stuck at 10 Handicap

19:55 The Jump from 10 → 5

27:42 What Scratch Golfers Do Differently

32:17 PGA Tour’s New Relegation System

36:32 Brad Dalke Gets PGA Tour Sponsor Exemption

39:17 Slow Play Is Becoming a Problem

42:45 Building Our Dream Golf Trip

Is 10 handicap the hardest plateau in golf?
And what really separates good golfers from great ones?

Follow Off TRAQ for weekly conversations about golf, competition, improvement, and the modern game.

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4VUqJIu…
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast…

📸 Instagram: / traqgolf
🎵 TikTok: / traqgolf

Learn more about TRAQ Golf:
https://www.traqgolf.com/

This week on Off TRAQ, we ask a massive question:

Could YouTube golf actually become the future of the sport?

With YGT officially launching and creator golf exploding in popularity, we break down why this could be one of the biggest shifts golf has seen in years and why the PGA Tour may need to pay attention.

We dive into:
• Why YGT feels different from LIV Golf and TGL
• Why YouTube golf connects better with modern sports fans
• How pacing, editing, storytelling, and personalities are changing golf media
• Whether creator golf could eventually become a path to the PGA Tour
• Why traditional golf broadcasts may struggle against personality driven content

We also react to several major storylines from the PGA Championship:
• Bryson DeChambeau missing another major cut and what might be going wrong
• Rory McIlroy snapping at a fan during the PGA Championship
• Aaron Rai winning a major and why almost nobody seemed emotionally invested
• Cam Smith’s resurgence and whether he’s finally back

Then we close the episode with a fun golf version of Deal or No Deal:
Building the ultimate golfer one category at a time:
• Driver
• Irons
• Short Game
• Putting
• Mental Game

Would you take Prime Tiger’s irons? Phil Mickelson’s short game? Bryson’s driver? Tiger’s mentality?

⛳️ CHAPTERS

00:27 Byron Nelson & “Arcade Golf”

02:39 Is YGT the Future of Golf?

07:09 Could YouTube Golf Lead to the PGA Tour?

10:09 Is YGT Real Competition or Just Content?

13:43 The Genius of YGT’s Wildcard Format

25:16 The Biggest Risk for YGT

31:48 Bryson’s Struggles Continue

34:24 Aaron Rai Wins the PGA Championship

35:39 Rory vs the Fans

37:45 Is Cam Smith Back?

40:04 Build the Perfect Golfer: Deal or No Deal Edition

Follow Off TRAQ for weekly golf conversations covering the PGA Tour, YouTube golf, equipment, media, culture, and the future of the game.

This week on Off Track, we discuss the end of LIV Golf funding and whether the league ultimately failed or changed golf forever.

We break down why fans never fully connected with LIV, what the PIF may have originally wanted from golf, and what happens next for players like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.

We also discuss Bryson’s possible PGA Tour return, YouTube golf’s growing influence, and the PGA Tour’s changing media policies.

Finally, we dive into the real reason most golfers make double bogeys and why course management, decision making, and putting matter more than most amateurs realize.

Chapters:00:47 What was LIV Golf's real purpose?03:22 Why fans never connected to LIV12:06 Did LIV actually change golf forever?22:13 Bryson's strange conditions for returning to PGA Tour27:06 Why did PGA Tour create the Bryson rules?31:24 Can YouTube golf replace PGA Tour?37:45 Double bogeys are usually emotional, not technical

Roy gets fitted for a new putter… but does a putter fitting actually make you better?

In this episode of Off TRAQ, we break down our real experiences with putter fittings — what actually matters, what most golfers get wrong, and why a “perfect fit” doesn’t always translate to better results on the course.

From high-tech tools like TrackMan and SAM PuttLab to simple setup adjustments, we explore the balance between data and feel — and how much each should influence your decision.

We also get into:
• What happens during a real putter fitting
• Why length, lie, and roll are critical (and often overlooked)
• The biggest misconceptions about putter fittings
• When you should (and shouldn’t) get fitted
• What to do if your fitted putter doesn’t actually work

Then we shift to this week in golf:
• The PGA Tour pulling out of Hawaii — and what it means for the future
• LPGA majors and whether they’ve gotten the format right
• The Zurich Classic team format — and if the PGA Tour needs more events like it

And finally, we ask a bigger question:

What if golf had a 3-point line?

Would adding risk/reward elements make the game more exciting — or take away what makes golf great?

⛳️ CHAPTERS00:20 Look Inside Putter Fitting14:38 What People Get Wrong About Putter Fitting16:42 Why Does Lie, Length, and Loft Matter?21:41 When Is the Right Time to Get Fit?33:37 PGA Tour Leaving Hawaii38:47 LPGA Majors43:22 Should PGAT Have More Events Like Zurich Open?46:26 Does Golf Need a 3-Pt Line?

If you love golf, strategy, and honest takes on the game, follow Off TRAQ for new episodes every other week.

Rory McIlroy wins the Masters in dramatic fashion, but the bigger question remains: is something happening at Augusta?

In this episode of Off TRAQ, we break down Rory’s performance and what this win means for his legacy, while also examining the subtle shifts surrounding The Masters. From changing broadcast dynamics to course setup and scoring conditions, this year’s tournament raised new questions about the future of Augusta National.

We also discuss:

•

Whether Augusta is influencing course conditions

•

Why LIV golfers continue to struggle in majors

•

Justin Rose’s latest near miss

•

Collin Morikawa’s swing adjustment through injury

•

Sergio Garcia’s meltdown

•

Gary Player’s comments on distance and the modern game

Finally, we evaluate where Rory now ranks all-time and whether he has become the defining golfer of this era outside of Tiger Woods.

CHAPTERS

00:34 The Masters Felt Different

08:35 Did Augusta Manipulate the Course?

15:25 LIV Golfers Struggle Again

19:39 Justin Rose Falls Short Again

21:39 Morikawa Adjusts His Swing and Still Contends

23:46 Sergio Garcia’s Meltdown

26:22 Gary Player’s Distance Rant

31:48 Rory McIlroy Wins the Masters

37:52 Where Rory Ranks All Time

52:34 Is Rory the Best of This Era After Tiger?

Is Something Happening at Augusta? Rory Wins Back-to-Back Masters

Can you win the Masters… without ever hitting a tee shot?

We created a 125-yard challenge at Augusta National Golf Club to test a simple idea:

Would an amateur actually have a chance?

In this episode, we go hole-by-hole through Augusta, breaking down strategy, scoring expectations, and where things fall apart fast. Because it turns out… distance isn’t the real defense of Augusta.

By the end, we simulate a full 4-round Masters to see if either of us is actually walking away with a green jacket.

We also get into the latest on Tiger Woods — from his TGL Finals appearance to his recent car incident — and ask the bigger question: how does this stretch impact his legacy?

And we bring back a fan-favorite segment:

What’s the fastest way to break 100?

We break down the real stats, what actually matters, and the biggest mistakes amateur golfers need to eliminate.

⛳️ Chapters

00:00 Podcast Update (Bi-Weekly Schedule)

00:21 Can You Win The Masters from 125 Yards?

06:49 Hole-by-Hole Breakdown (Front 9)

26:10 Back 9 Breakdown (Amen Corner Pressure)

46:20 Final Scores: Do We Win The Masters?

50:06 This Week in Golf (Tiger Woods TGL Debate)

53:33 Tiger Woods Car Incident + Legacy Discussion

1:00:02 Fastest Way to Break 100 (Real Stats + Tips)

If you started every hole at 125 yards…

what are you shooting at Augusta?

Is the golf ball rollback actually necessary… or is it solving a problem no one asked for?

In this episode, we break down the rollback rule (00:00), what the USGA and R&A are changing, and why the PGA Tour might not fully adopt it. We debate whether distance is really an issue in golf, who could be behind the decision, and what it means for both pros and everyday players.

We also cover:

• Colin Morikawa’s mid-round withdrawal and the reaction (40:34)

• Why golf movies and shows rarely live up to expectations (42:49)

• A blind ranking of the most intimidating shots in golf (47:00)

If you’ve been hearing about the rollback but aren’t sure what’s actually happening, this episode will get you up to speed.

In this episode of Off TRAQ, Charles and Roy go through the bag and debate which brand performs best in each category.

Starting with the first brand that comes to mind, they talk through their picks for:

• Drivers (00:49)

• Irons (09:25)

• Wedges (16:09)

• Putters (23:22)

• Golf Balls (28:58)

The episode also covers two other big topics in golf this week:

- Rory McIlroy withdrawing from The Players Championship with a back injury and what that might mean for the season. (36:17)

- And a debate around whether The Players Championship should officially be considered the 5th major in golf. (39:11)

In this episode of Off Traq, we unpack the business drama behind Bryson DeChambeau’s reported push for 51% ownership of LA Golf and what majority control really means in corporate structure.

We also discuss:

• Michelle Wie joining WTGL as both player and investor

• LIV Golf receiving another $267M from PIF

• The evolving power dynamics in professional golf

• A legacy debate: Masters vs the other three majors