Weekday Golf

Dan Burke has spent nearly his entire life in golf, from growing up playing junior tournaments in Stockton, California, to 17 years as the head professional at Lake Merced Golf Club, to his current role as CEO of First Tee San Francisco.

Dan joins us this week to share stories about his journey into the golf business (after playing his college golf at Santa Clara University), life as a club professional, how a meeting with the legendary Sandy Tatum inspired him to take a different path, and why helping young people discover golf has become such an important part of his life.

We also go behind the scenes of the remarkable transformation of Golden Gate Park Golf Course and learn about First Tee's mission to teach life skills and create opportunities for kids through golf. Plus, we hear how Dan's own relationship with the game has evolved over the years.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Alex Gonzalez has never been afraid to take a chance. Whether it was grabbing a duffel bag and heading to South America to try professional golf or helping launch an early online golf retailer, Alex has a knack for following opportunities wherever they lead.

Alex is Oliver's longtime friend and former Harvard golf teammate, and this week we welcome him to share stories from a life shaped by golf. He takes us back to his upbringing in Juárez, Mexico, explains how Tiger Woods and Notah Begay inadvertently changed his college plans, and recalls winning the Ivy League individual championship.

We also get a look inside two very different golf cultures: Brookside Golf & Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, and Savannah Golf Club in Georgia, with its lively tradition of golf “blitzes.” And we hear about Tee Times & Tequila, Alex's latest effort to bring people together through golf.

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Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Well, we lost our latest best-ball match. It wasn't our finest effort, but we start this week's show with a postmortem of forgettable shots before we burn the tape and move on.

Then we open our listener mailbag. Thanks as always to our listeners for the great questions: we tackle what makes a great tournament partner, whether golf is still fun without keeping score, and our biggest golf pet peeves (or "bugbears," as one listener calls them). We also talk about the best golf advice we've ever received, including a memorable lesson Preston learned as a teenager from Roger Maltbie.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com
Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

This week, we sit down with Matt Jordan, Director of Golf at The Olympic Club, to talk about what goes into building and sustaining a great golf culture.

Matt shares what he's learned from more than 25 years in the golf business, from his time at Streamsong to his work at Olympic. We talk about how to build a great golf staff, which traditions are worth preserving (and which aren't), and what makes a great member.

We also look ahead to the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup coming to Olympic, and hear what it means to Matt to serve as host professional for those storied events. And as always, we put Matt through a round of Ready Golf and hear what the soul of the game is to him.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com
Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Actor, director, producer, and filmmaker Colin Hanks came to golf relatively late — and now he’s making up for lost time.

We met Colin on the golf course a few months ago, and his passion for the game stood out immediately. He joins us to talk about how he got hooked on the game, why The Olympic Club is his favorite course, and what he’s learned from getting comfortable being bad at something again. We also get into golf’s unique culture, white belts, the realization that nobody cares how well you play, and the surprising parallels between golf, acting, and storytelling.

And of course, Colin shares what he thinks is the soul of the game.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com
Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Lou Stagner is one of golf’s best-known voices in data, using data from millions of shots to challenge conventional wisdom about everything from putting and driving to course management and practice.

We talk with Lou about all this and more: golf myths busted by the data, strokes gained, what happens when the “right” statistical answer doesn’t fit the golfer, what Lou’s learned from working with elite players, and how to practice in ways that actually transfer to the course.

Plus: Lou’s unusual journey from left-handed golfer to right-handed golfer, the time he watched Moe Norman bring an entire driving range to a halt, working with the Princeton men's golf team, and his work with Arccos.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com
Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Jacob Goode joins us to talk about his unconventional climb to elite amateur golf — from not being recruited out of high school and arriving at the University of Washington without a spot on the golf team, to winning the California State Amateur and playing the U.S. Amateur at his home club, Olympic. We discuss his determination to prove he belonged, the coaches who helped accelerate his improvement, the mental side of competing at a high level, and the idea that now defines his approach: instead of worrying about his ceiling, he wants to keep raising his floor.

Plus, Jacob shares what comes next as he weighs another season of college golf against the path toward turning professional.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

We catch up on our own golf games after a busy summer, starting with a hard-fought win in our latest Armageddon match. That leads to a bigger question: why does our best golf sometimes show up out of nowhere — and why can it be so hard to reproduce?

We also weigh in on the summer debate over how to define a “good golfer,” and share some early impressions of renowned architect Jim Urbina after spending a couple of hours walking the Olympic Club property with him.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com
Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

This week, we’re joined by Congressional Country Club member Ernest Baynard, whose friendship with Preston helped build lasting relationships between Congressional and the Olympic Club.

Ernest takes us inside Congressional: the golf, the history, the traditions, the characters, and what a perfect day at the club looks like. We also learn about the genesis of the Ryder Cup-style match that he and Preston started, which team takes the competition more seriously, and which club has the better locker room.

Plus, our Ready Golf lightning round with Ernest: Blue or Gold, the best spot at Congressional that isn’t a golf course, the best item on the menu, and his favorite non-Congressional course in the DMV.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

We've always believed that the friendships in golf are a huge part of what makes the game special. This week, we're joined by our friends Malia Lyle and Jojo Wallace, who met through golf more than a decade ago—and have been close friends ever since. From "golf dating" and an 11-year handwritten ledger of their golf bets, to trips around the world and the crazy characters they've encountered along the way, we explore how golf can create a friendship—and become part of what sustains it over time.

We also discuss:

• What makes someone a great golf partner

• Golf trips, unforgettable stories, and a hilarious Bandon Dunes story

• Mindfulness, self-improvement, and the pursuit of better golf

• Golf fashion, music on the course, and other golf debates

• Giving back to the game through leadership and First Tee

• What the soul of golf means to them

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

We originally wanted to make this a "Best Golf Books" draft, but realized we hadn't actually read everything on our bookshelf. So, instead we share the golf books and movies we enjoyed the most and have changed the way we see the game, from The Match and Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect to Caddyshack, The Greatest Game Ever Played, and more.

If you're looking for your next golf read or a classic golf movie to revisit, this episode is full of recommendations—and the stories behind them.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

To us, stories are a huge part of the soul of the game—and every golf club has stories that never make it past the locker room.

This week, we're joined by the anonymous creator behind Country Club Confidential (we'll call him "Scott"), the newsletter dedicated to telling the unbelievable, hilarious, and unforgettable stories that golfers swap over drinks—but rarely share publicly.

We talk about the characters every club seems to have, what inspired Scott to create Country Club Confidential, and some of Scott's favorite stories, including a controversial club championship and a clubhouse fire. We also share with Scott one of our own stories: the wildest golf gift Preston has ever received.

If you enjoy the episode, we'd appreciate it if you'd subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another golfer.

Country Club Confidential

https://www.youtube.com/@CCCnewsletter

https://www.instagram.com/ccconfidential.vip

https://x.com/CCCnewsletter

https://www.tiktok.com/@countryclubconfidential

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Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

What does it take to create one of the world's great golf experiences?

Troy Flanagan, Director of Golf Maintenance at The Olympic Club, has spent decades preparing courses for U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, and the Ryder Cup. But as you'll hear, his work isn't really about grass—it's about giving every golfer four hours to forget about everything else.

We talk with Troy about why championship conditions take years to build, what golfers misunderstand about great greens, working alongside architects Gil Hanse and Jim Urbina, mentoring the next generation of superintendents, and the philosophy that guides one of golf's most respected course managers.

Whether you're fascinated by championship golf, course architecture, or simply what goes into creating an unforgettable round, this conversation offers a rare look behind the scenes of one of golf's most important—and least understood—professions.

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Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Most golfers know the Rules of Golf exist. Not many know all of them. Even fewer agree with all of them.

In this episode, we talk about the rules we love, hate, and question. From fairway divots and tree roots to the "house rules" that become part of every golf group, this is a conversation about how golfers actually experience the game.

Whether you're a rules official or someone who still asks, "Can I get a ruling?", you'll probably recognize a few of your own opinions along the way.

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Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Golf fans see the tournaments. They rarely see what everyday life on a Division I golf team is actually like.

This week, we sit down with William Ma (Harvard) and Matthew Lin (Yale) to talk about the friendships, competition, and team culture that define college golf. We explore their path to college, their most effective practice routines, what they've learned from playing alongside some of the world's best amateurs, and why they think every college golf team has the same two favorite restaurants.

Whether you're a junior golfer dreaming of college golf or simply curious about what it's really like behind the scenes, this conversation offers an honest look inside Division I golf.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com
Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Major championships and Ryder Cups don't just happen—they're built. Brandon Haney helps lead the team that transforms a golf course into one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

We go behind the scenes of what it takes to host golf's biggest events, from building a temporary city around a golf course and designing a better spectator experience to managing unexpected crises (like when a fiber line was accidentally cut on the morning of the PGA Championship) and how he improves on his craft when he's going from one championship to the next, while juggling dozens of future events.

Along the way, Brandon shares what makes the job rewarding, why he's really in the people business, and why creating unforgettable experiences has become his life's work.

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Design by: Austin Wooldridge
Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

In a previous episode, we learned about Golf Digest's course rating framework. We joked that we should become golf's official "Hang Raters," because we remember golf for much more than the actual course.

Which brings us to this episode, where we build the Weekday Golf Experience Rating—our attempt to answer a different question:

After you play a round of golf, what do you really think is important?

From practice facilities and food to clubhouses, post-round hangs, and the intangible moments that stay with you years later, we debate what deserves to count—and how much. Consider this about 90% finalized.

How would you weight a golf experience? Tell us what we missed—or where you think we got it completely wrong.

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

After our conversation with Joe Kwok, Oliver kept the mics rolling.

Joe stayed to answer a series of questions about club fitting—from the biggest mistakes golfers make during a fitting, to premium shafts, loft and lie adjustments, grip size, Japanese craftsmanship, tour vans, and more.

If you enjoyed our main conversation with Joe, this bonus episode offers an even deeper look into the craft of club fitting and the thinking behind one of the country's most respected independent club fitters.

To learn more about Joe or inquire about a fitting, visit his website: https://www.joekwokgolf.com/

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

Golfers love to obsess over their equipment. And for many, club fitting is about finding the perfect clubs.

For Joe Kwok, it's about eliminating doubt.

Joe is one of the country's most respected independent club fitters. With 30+ years of working with everyone from beginners to elite players, he's learned that great fitting is more about understanding the golfer than it is about specs and launch numbers.

We discuss how Joe became a club fitter, why golfers are always searching for "the answer," why club fitting is a long-term relationship, and the psychology behind why we blame our clubs more often than ourselves.

Whether you're an equipment junkie or someone who's never been fit for a club, this conversation offers an expert perspective on what club fitting can—and can't—do for your game.

To learn more about Joe or inquire about a fitting, visit his website: https://www.joekwokgolf.com/

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro

In this listener mailbag episode, Oliver and Preston answer questions about slow play, the friend who backs off a shot to tell a story, where your bag actually belongs around the green, Oliver’s infamous crusty glove, what’s really in our golf bags, bad behavior in a foursome, the biggest on-course meltdowns we’ve witnessed, what makes a round “good,” how to help someone fall in love with golf, and what it means to respect the game.

Plus: Preston’s mysterious piece of golf art, yodeling, and more.

Follow Weekday Golf:

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Email: weekdaygolfpodcast@gmail.com

Design by: Austin Wooldridge

Music provided by: ⁠https://www.classicals.de/mozart-figaro