The Back of the Range

My guest on this episode is the newly crowned United States Amateur Champion, Josele Ballester from  Castellon de la Plana, Spain. As you would imagine, Josele has been on quite the media blitz as of late.  Lots of questions about the final match at Hazeltine against Noah Kent and his legion of Iowa fans.  We did speak about the match, but we also dove into his start in the game in...

My guest on this episode of TBO is Noah Kent, a rising sophomore for the Iowa Men's Golf team and also the runner-up in this summer's United States Amateur Championship.  I've known Noah for a few years now, I would see him during the Terra Cotta Invitational in Naples, Florida....which is essentially his hometown tournament.  He had a great freshman campaign at Iowa that included five T...

My guest on this episode is Chaz Aurilia, the 2024 Pacific Coast Amateur Champion.  In this episode, we spoke about his collegiate career at Arizona and SMU and what lies ahead as Chaz embarks on a professional career. Chaz Aurilia - Instagram Elite Amateur Golf Series - Official Website The Back of the Range - All Access The Back of the Range Collection at Imperial Sports COUPON CODE: BOTR15...

My guest on this epsiode is Drew Goodman, rising senior for the Oklahoma Sooners, and the new Trans-Mississippi Amateur Champion.  He climbed back into the tournament with a final round 64, and outlasted William Sides from SMU in a sudden-death playoff.  It's been a long time since Drew captured a win, but he has been a model of consistency for the Sooners in his collegiate career. &nbsp...

My guest on this episode captured the Women's Western Amateur title just outside of Chicago last month at Onwentsia Club.  Farah O'Keefe, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year earned medalist honors after the stroke play portion of the championship and then rolled throught the bracket on her way to victory. Farah O'Keefe - University of Texas Women's Golf Elite Amate...

My guest on this episode is the new North and South Men's Amateur Champion, Davis Ovard.  This might be one of the more fascinating wins in amateur golf this year.  Davis is a rising sophomore at Baylor, so naturally we spoke about his freshman season that included a run to the National Championship.  We also spoke about his start in the game and how golf has become a "family affair...

My guest on this episode of The Back of the Range is Ben Warian from Stillwater, Minnesota.  Last month, he captured the 2024 Sunnehanna Amateur title in Johnstown, PA.  This was Ben's first appearance at the Sunnehanna, and he sure did made it count.  We spoke about his career at the University of Minnesota, what lies ahead for him this summer and what it means to him to compete in...

My guest on this episode of The Back of the Range is the new North and South Women's Amateur Champion, Catie Craig.  In this episode, we spoke about Catie's win at Pinehurst.....but also hit upon a lot of great topics ranging from golf course architecture, what makes a good four-ball partner, and a little bit of history from her hometown of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia.  Katie will head int...

My guest on this episode of The Back of the Range is Evan Beck from Virginia Beach, Virginia.  After winning the Coleman Invitational and the George C. Thomas at LACC, he is 2/3 of the way to the Mid-Am Triple Crown... with the Crump Cup at Pine Valley still to come at the end of September.  Fair to say, Evan Beck is the best mid-amateur in the county and perhaps the world......not named...

My guest on this episode of The Back of the Range is the 2024 Northeast Amateur Champion, Anthony Delisanti from Sanborn, NY. Anthony fired a final round 62 to force a playoff with University of Virginia standout, Bryan Lee. After a three hole aggregate playoff and two more sudden death holes, and a short weather delay.......Anthony captured the win after making an 8 foot birdie putt on the par 3...

My guest on this episode is Lance Ringler from Golfweek.   The truth is that Lance Ringler has been covering college and amateur golf for nearly a quarter of a century.  He coached colllege golf, he still writes, he knows rankings inside and out, he will forget more about college golf than I will ever know.  Jack of all trades.  That's what I should have used.....College Golf's...

My guest on this episode is Annabelle Pancake from  Zionsville, Indiana.   She is the 2024 Champion of the Sea Island Women's Amateur, the first tournament of the Women's Elite Amateur Golf Series.  After setting records at Clemson, she has remained amateur this summer while deciding her next move in the game of golf.  Turn Pro?  Make a final push to make the U.S. Curtis C...

My guest on this episode is Luke Clanton.   The native Floridian just might be the hottest golfer of the spring, picking up three consecutive wins at the Seminole Intercollegiate, the Valspar Collegiate, and at UVA's home tournament....the Lewis Chitengwa Memorial.  Luke was one of those mega stars of junior golf that represented the United States at Junior President's Cup.  He won...

My guest on this episode is Jacob Modleski, who is finishing up an impressive freshman season at Notre Dame.  He picked up a win this spring at the Johnnie-O Collegiate at Sea Island, but his big breakout was in January at the Jones Cup Invitational.  Winning that tournament has opened all kinds of doors for Jacob, and I'm sure that I will be seeing quite a bit of him this summer at some...

My guest on this episode is Carter Pitcairn, who had the unique opportunity to caddie for Neal Shipley in the 2024 Masters.  We spoke about his experience as a rookie caddie at Augusta National, what made his partnership with Neal so successful, and yes.....we spoke about the final round pairing with Tiger Woods.  Carter Pitcairn - Instagram The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Docum...

My guest on this episode is Neal Shipley, the Low Amateur at the 2024 Masters.   This episode is all about the Masters, his experience playing with Tiger, the infamous side glance in Butler Cabin, and was there a note from Tiger?  There wasn't....but if there was....what would it have said?  Hmmm.... Neal Shipley - Instagram The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Ava...

My guest on this episode is Amanda Sambach from the University of Virginia.  The reigning ACC Champion is making another trip to Augusta this week to compete against the best amateurs in the world at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Amanda Sambach - University of Virginia The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Available Now on YouTube! The Back of the Range Collection at...

Megan Schofill, the 2023 United States Women's Amateur Champion, stops by The Back of the Range on the way to competing in her fourth Augusta National Women's Amateur. Megan Schofill - Auburn Women's Golf Megan Schofill - Instagram The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Available Now on YouTube! The Back of the Range Collection at Imperial Sports COUPON CODE: BOTR15 for 15% your en...

Looking ahead to the 2024 Linger Longer Invitational, I am joined by the Director of Golf at Lake Oconee, Wesley Forester and the head coach of the Kennesaw State Men's Golf Team, Bryant Odom.  Great discussions leading into one of the biggest collegiate tournaments of the spring season! Kennesaw State Men's Golf - Official Website Reynolds Lake Oconee - Official Website The Story Within - Th...

Charles Fitzsimmons survived a two-hole playoff and emerged as the 2024 Gasparilla Invitational Champion at Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club in Tampa, Florida.   Contact Dr. Fitzsimmons at charles@eclipseperformance.ca Gasparilla Invitational - Official Website The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Available Now on YouTube! The Back of the Range Collection at Imperial Sports...

The HAACKER stopped by The Back of the Range before heading to Puerto Rico for the opening tournament of the season.  And guess what happened....yep, the Dawgs won.  Great conversation with one of the best college golf coaches in the game! Chris Haack - Georgia Men's Golf Coach The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Available Now on YouTube! The Back of the Range Collecti...

Fantastic conversation with the Arizona State Men's Golf Coach, Matt Thurmond.  We spoke about the culture that he has created in the desert and how he is utilizing social media to revolutionize the recruiting process. Matt Thurmond - Arizona State Men's Golf Arizona State Men's Golf on Instagram The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Available Now on YouTube! The Back of the...

After having 330 guests on The Back of the Range since 2018, I thought I'd see what it felt like to be interviewed at The Back of the Range.  Special thanks to Stewart Hagestad for jumping in the chair to host this episode!   The Story Within - The 2022 U.S. Amateur Documentary - Available Now on YouTube! The Back of the Range Collection at Imperial Sports COUPON CODE: BOTR15 for 15% you...

My guest on this episode is Hunter Hamrick, former assistant coach for Alabama Men's Golf.  When Nick Dunlap received his sponsor exemption in the 2024 American Express, he made the call the Hunter to see if he wanted to caddy for him in Palm Springs.  The rest, as they say.....is history.  Great conversation with the man on the bag during Dunlap's historic win on the PGA Tour.&nbsp...

My guest on this episode is Tyson Shelley from Salt Lake City, Utah.  Tyson plays his college golf at BYU and had himself one of the breakout summers of the year.  After capturing the title at the Pacific Coast Amateur.....he Monday qualified into his hometown Korn Ferry Tour event in Utah and would eventually tie for 12th place....which got him another KFT start the following week in Om...