The Amateur Golf Podcast by AmateurGolf.com

Few amateur golf tournaments can match the history and tradition of the New Year's Invitational at St. Petersburg Country Club in Florida.

In this episode of the AmateurGolf.com Podcast, founder Pete Wlodkowski sits down with longtime tournament chairman Richard Hope to discuss one of the most storied events in competitive amateur golf.

First played in 1927, the New Year's Invitational has welcomed generations of talented golfers, including future PGA Tour stars Brandt Snedeker, J.B. Holmes, Bob Goalby, and Johnny Revolta.

Hope, who first competed in the tournament as an 18-year-old in 1969 and became chairman in 1991, shares stories from decades of tournament history, the evolution of St. Petersburg Country Club, and what makes this January tradition so special.

The conversation covers the tournament's legendary champions, its transition from match play to stroke play, the growing presence of elite junior golfers, and the opportunity for the champion to earn a spot in the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic.

With nearly a century of uninterrupted competition, the New Year's Invitational remains one of the premier events on the amateur golf calendar.

In this episode:

• The history of the New Year's Invitational, dating back to 1927
• Legendary champions who went on to PGA Tour success
• Richard Hope's decades of involvement with the tournament
• How St. Petersburg Country Club has evolved to challenge modern players
• The rise of elite junior and collegiate competitors
• How players are selected for the prestigious field
• The Korn Ferry Tour exemption awarded to the champion

Learn more about the New Year's Invitational and find competitive golf tournaments at https://www.amateurgolf.com.

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In this episode, golf course architect Jay Blasi shares his journey from childhood to designing some of the most notable courses, including Sequoia Country Club. We explore his design philosophy, full circle moments in his career, and insights into creating courses that maximize land potential.

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Catch up on the U.S. Women’s Amateur as storms halt the Round of 16, top seeds fall and a marathon Saturday awaits at The Honors Course.

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Stanford golfer Jay Leng joins the AmateurGolf.com Podcast after a career-defining summer that included winning the Western Amateur Championship and capturing the Elite Amateur Golf Series Cup.

Leng takes us inside one of the most demanding weeks in amateur golf—from arriving at Beverly Country Club without seeing the course to navigating weather delays, 36-hole days and most of the championship without a caddie. He explains how resilience, creativity and a shot-by-shot mindset helped him advance through four rounds of stroke play and a loaded match-play bracket.

Jay also discusses his unconventional approach to the golf swing, the influence of growing up in San Diego, his development at Stanford and the confidence he is carrying into his junior season.

Finally, Leng looks ahead to the U.S. Amateur and the PGA TOUR opportunities earned through his Elite Amateur Cup victory—and shares what it means to compete against players he grew up watching on television.

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Stanford men’s golf coach Conrad Ray joins the AmateurGolf.com Podcast to discuss Jay Leng’s Western Amateur victory and breakout summer. Ray explains how improvements in Leng’s putting, strength and confidence helped him capture one of amateur golf’s most demanding championships and enter the Walker Cup conversation. The two also discuss the shrinking gap between elite amateur and professional golf, Stanford’s incoming class, the Silicon Valley Amateur and memorable moments from the program’s storied history—including one remarkable Tiger Woods shot.

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In the latest http://AmateurGolf.com Podcast, Hope Strengthens Foundation co-founder and executive director Jake Ferreira shares the organization’s story and explains how GolfStatus has helped make its charity golf events easier to manage and more effective as fundraisers.

A successful charity golf tournament may appear simple to the golfers participating: Register, arrive at the course, play a round and support a worthy cause.

Behind the scenes, however, organizers are managing registrations, sponsors, fundraising opportunities, event logistics and countless details that must come together before the first tee shot is struck.

In the latest episode of the http://AmateurGolf.com Podcast, host McKenzie Steenson speaks with Jake Ferreira, co-founder and executive director of the Hope Strengthens Foundation, about the organization’s mission, its longstanding connection to golf and how GolfStatus has helped its team manage events and raise more money for the people it serves.

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Doug Roberts, Head of Research and Development at Cobra Golf, joins the AmateurGolf.com Podcast for an inside look at the technology, innovation and culture driving one of golf’s most forward-thinking equipment brands.

Roberts explains the development of Cobra’s OPTM drivers, the role of POI and MOI in improving accuracy, and how 3D printing is changing the way Cobra designs and manufactures golf clubs. The conversation also explores the company’s research and development process, evolving equipment trends and the collaborative culture behind Cobra Golf’s latest innovations.

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Ten amateurs are headed to Royal Birkdale for the 154th Open Championship, each hoping to make the cut and contend for the Silver Medal. We highlight the amateur players to watch, including Mason Howell, Stuart Grehan, Lev Grinberg and Jack Buchanan.

We also provide an update on the final stage of 2026 U.S. Amateur qualifying and look ahead to the championship at Merion Golf Club. Plus, we recap Kylee Choi’s victory at the Women’s Western Amateur and Parker Sands’ wire-to-wire Trans-Mississippi Amateur win before previewing the Southern Amateur Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. The Elite Amateur Golf Series is heating up!

Head to AmateurGolf.com for tournament coverage, live scoring, results and the latest stories from across amateur golf.

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The Elite Amateur Golf Series heats up with two historic championships on deck. We preview the Trans-Mississippi Amateur at Southern Hills, the Women’s Western Amateur at River Forest, recap the North & South Amateur, and update the latest men’s and women’s Elite Amateur Cup points races.

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The U.S. Open is back at Shinnecock Hills, and AmateurGolf.com is looking at the championship through the amateur lens.

This year’s field features 20 amateurs, including top college stars, USGA champions, junior standouts, international players, and several who earned their spots through U.S. Open final qualifying. We run through the names to know, the biggest amateur storylines, and what makes this group especially interesting heading into one of the toughest tests in golf.

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In this episode of the AmateurGolf.com Podcast, we’re joined by Nick Biesecker to take an inside look at the Elite Amateur Golf Series and its role in shaping the summer amateur golf landscape. Nick shares his background in competitive golf and sports management, how the series continues to elevate top-level amateur competition, and what players should know as they try to take the next step in their careers.

We also dive into Nick’s best advice for competitive amateurs looking to raise their game, from preparation and scheduling to mindset and maximizing opportunities in elite fields. Plus, we preview the Sunnehanna Amateur, taking place June 17–20, one of the premier stops on the amateur calendar and a key event in the Elite Amateur Golf Series.

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In this exclusive AmateurGolf.com interview, we talk with David Schnider, President and CEO of Fujikura Composites America.

David joined Fujikura in 1999 and has helped lead one of golf’s premier shaft brands. He is also a standout player in his own right, carrying a +3 handicap and earning a spot in the 2024 U.S. Senior Open.

We discuss:

- His path at Fujikura

- Competing at a high amateur level

- Qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open

- The connection between performance, equipment, and leadership

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In this episode of the AmateurGolf.com Podcast, we dive into the St. Patrick’s Day connection between Bobby Jones, golf history, and Titleist’s special-edition shamrock Pro V1 golf balls. Pete shares why Bobby Jones remains the greatest amateur golfer of all time, the story behind his four-leaf clover good-luck charm, his 1930 Grand Slam, and his lasting role in the creation of Augusta National and the Masters. If you love golf history, Bobby Jones stories, and the traditions that still shape the game today, this episode is for you.

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4-time DP World Tour Champion Mathias Grönberg reflects on winning the Eisenhower Trophy as an amateur, then spending 14+ years on the DP World Tour and seven on the PGA Tour—including four pro wins and a career that took him to 56+ countries.

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Junior golf is booming—and so is the pressure. In this episode of the AmateurGolf.com Podcast presented by Cobra, Kyle sits down with Andrew Sherman, the Varsity Golf Coach at Templeton High School (Templeton, California), to talk about what player development really looks like on the ground.

Andrew shares his own path into competitive golf through San Diego Junior Golf, how he transitioned into coaching, and why the kids on the edge of the lineup—the “varsity bubble”—often face the toughest emotional battle. They dig into how to keep players off the roller coaster, what separates varsity golfers from the rest, and why the 50–100 yard scoring zone and putting fundamentals can change a season.

This episode is for junior golfers, high school players, parents, and coaches who want practical, real-world guidance on building better golfers—and more resilient competitors.

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Kyle and McKenzie break down a wild early-season week in amateur golf, led by Auburn star Jackson Koybun’s video-game scoring at the Amerari Invitational—62-62-67 (-25), a new NCAA 36-hole scoring record (previously held by Tiger Woods), and an Auburn team total that tied the NCAA record at 77-under.

From there, they go worldwide: Jake Buchanan goes wire-to-wire at the Africa Amateur to earn major opportunities, while Billy Dowling and Jazzy Roberts light up the Australian Amateur with closing 63s.

They preview the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in New Zealand—where the winner punches tickets to major championships and the ANWA—and finish with a fast, fun trivia segment: the “Cobra Amateur Blueprint,” featuring staffers’ legendary amateur milestones (Lexi, Ricky, Homa, Woodland, Willett).

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College golf’s “Heisman moment” is here: we break down the 35-player Ben Hogan Award Watch List, what it signals about the season, and why the award’s history basically predicts future tour stars.

Then we go global—Judd Sundelson’s storybook South African Amateur win (a three-generation family feat) and what it could mean with a South African Open/Masters pathway on the line.

We also tee up the Australian Amateur (men’s and women’s) and why these “national” championships are now true world-stage launching pads. Plus: an update on upcoming AmateurGolf.com events (Pebble, Bandon, Sand Valley, Pinehurst) and a fast, fun round of iconic course trivia—from Amen Corner to Pine Valley’s diabolical greens.

Presented by COBRA Golf: Control is KING. From the HIGHLY ADDICTIVE ACCURACY of the KING Tec Mini Driver—built for insanely tight dispersion and confident shot-shaping—to the groundbreaking 3DP irons lineup, the future isn’t forged… it’s printed.

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And it doesn’t stop there: dial in your launch and control with FutureFit33™ adjustability, command the course with COBRA KING Wedges, and experience a true tour-level setup using COBRA’s Fitting Tool or Fitter Locator to find the perfect model for your game.

Visit CobraGolf.com

(Plus: free shipping over $75.)

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Welcome to the AmateurGolf.com Podcast Presented by Cobra—your weekly hit of competitive-amateur golf, told with equal parts authority and personality. In this episode, Kyle and McKenzie break down the latest amateur storylines on the DP World Tour, react to early invites for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and share takeaways from the PGA Show—highlighting Cobra’s 3D-printed irons and women’s-focused ÖPTIM line. Plus: a USGA handicap-by-state trivia segment that gets weird fast.

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Day 1 at the PGA Show and we’re hitting the ground running. We talk about everything we tested from Cobra Golf’s full 2026 lineup—what stood out, what surprised us, and what we’re already excited to get back in our hands. Then we pivot to the headline-making news: reigning NCAA champ Michael La Sasso reportedly joining LIV, what it signals for elite amateur golf, and why this kind of move could change the pathway from college to the pro game.

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We go deep with Cobra’s Jose Miraflor on the engineering behind Cobra’s 3D-printed irons—from Tour-inspired shapes that play far more forgiving, to how internal lattice structures remove ~50 grams so Cobra can reposition mass with tungsten for launch and stability. We also cover pricing, where to get fit, and why these three models are built to mix and match without losing feel across the set.

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