Driven Golf Podcast

In this episode, Jim sits down with U.S. National Development Program Head Coach Chris Zambri to discuss how the USGA is building a national system to develop America’s next wave of world-class golfers. Zambri shares his journey from USC and Pepperdine to leading the program, why the U.S. needed a true national development model, and how it’s inspired by Sweden’s holistic approach to building comp...

In this episode, Andrew chats with "The G.O.A.T." of amateur golf, Stewart Hagestad on his incredible journey in the game as career amateur -- 16 U.S. Amateur appearance, 3 Mid-Am titles, 5 U.S. Opens, 3 Masters appearances and, this weekend, his 5th Walker Cup appearance. Stew openly shares how his competitive drive and love of the process are the fuel for his ongoing success. In Angle...

In this episode, Jim, Andrew and Joseph discuss the two big Amateur events coming up -- the U.S. Junior which started this week at Trinity Forest and the U.S. Amateur set for the Olympic Club in August. Joseph provides a caddie's perspective on what to expect on these two championship courses. And Andrew & Jim get into a discussion around the gamesmanship that is unique to the match play f...

In this episode, Jim sits down with Mac Thayer, founder of Junior Golf Scoreboard, to trace the 25-year journey from a dial-up, closet startup to the gold standard for junior golf data and rankings. They explore how Mack’s experience as a golf parent and a nascent internet entrepreneur sparked a vision to centralize every multi-day junior golf tournament in one online database. JIm and Mac dive de...

Jim and Joseph sit down with Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine for a deep dive into the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at Omni La Costa and a way-too-early look at the top contenders for the 2025–26 college season. Jim and Brentley reflect on their time in San Diego, praising La Costa’s potential as a permanent championship venue and drawing parallels to Omaha in college baseball. The second half of th...

Jim sits down with PGA Tour professional Hayden Springer to discuss his journey through professional golf and the profound impact of his daughter Sage's life on him, his family and others familiar with her life's story. The conversation explores Hayden’s development from junior golf in Texas to competing on the PGA Tour and the personal resilience that has shaped his career. Hayden reflect...

This episode is a compilation of all the Angle of Attack segments from DGP Episodes 33 to 41. Golf coach Andrew Lewis and Jim discuss a wide-range of topics around junior and amateur golf development. 0:08:07 - Impact of Roster Changes 0:23:02 - Andrew Lewis, Coach of the Year Reflection 0:37:16 - Juniors Going Pro 0:49:16 - Handling Crummy Winter Conditions 1:02:27 - Wholesale Swing Changes 1:15:...

In this episode, Jim Colton continues his conversation with Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh in part two of their in-depth interview. They discuss the unique journeys of Vanderbilt captains Gordon Sargent and Jackson Van Paris, highlighting how their contrasting paths through college golf have shaped them as leaders. Coach Limbaugh reflects on the importance of perseverance, trust,...

In this episode, Jim sits down with Vanderbilt Men’s Golf Head Coach Scott Limbaugh for an in-depth discussion on his journey into coaching, his competitive mindset, and the 'soul' he's helped bring to Vanderbilt. Part one of this two-part episode explores Limbaugh’s roots in Childersburg, Alabama, his early playing days, and how he transitioned into coaching. Coach Limbaugh shares his...

Andrew sits down with Coach John Fields, the hall-of-fame head coach of the University of Texas Men's Golf team. With 38 years of coaching experience, Fields has developed a reputation for producing PGA Tour talent, including Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler. In this episode, he shares his journey through playing professionally, transitioning to coaching, and building one of the most succes...

Jim welcomes back Ryan Frazer, founder of Agora Golf, to share his insights on junior golf tournaments and navigating the increasingly competitive junior golf landscape. Jim and Ryan conduct what might be the first-ever fantasy draft of elite junior golf tournaments, analyzing key events such as the U.S. Junior Amateur , Junior Invitational at Sage Valley , Ping Invitational , and Western Junior C...

Jim sits down with Lawrence Donegan, golf journalist and co-founder of McKellar , a golf magazine celebrated for its thoughtful storytelling and focus on the soul of the game. They discuss the magazine’s origins, its commitment to high editorial standards, and the unique stories it brings to light in the golf world. The conversation explores Lawrence's submission from the latest issue (No. 8)...

Jim sits down with Coach Ryan Hybl, the head coach of the University of Oklahoma Men's Golf team and recent inductee into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. Coach Hybl shares his journey through junior golf as a top ranked played, playing collegiately and starting coaching at the University of Georgia and eventually coming to Norman in 2009. We discuss how he rebuilt the Sooners...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Jim sits down with Mike Carroll , the creator of the Fit for Golf app , to discuss how strength training can transform golf performance. Mike shares his journey from Ireland to California, where he developed the app that provides tailored programs to help golfers of all levels improve their clubhead speed and overall physical preparation. The episode als...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Jim sits down with Mike McGraw, the Hall of Fame coach of Baylor Men's Golf and host of the "Better Than I Found It" podcast. Coach McGraw shares stories from his legendary coaching career, including his involvement with national title teams at Oklahoma State and Alabama, as well as coaching and recruiting stars like Rickie Fowler, Charles Howell III and...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Jim sits down with Shane Bacon, renowned national broadcaster, podcaster, and writer, to discuss his journey through the world of golf media and his passion for the game. They dive into Shane's multi-faceted career, from hosting the popular "Get a Grip" podcast to broadcasting the Masters and other golf events, to creating golf logos through his business...

Join us in helping celebrate the recent class of 2025 golfers who just signed with their respective college programs. We hear from eight different mens D1 coaches to learn more about these players, what stood out and what make the coach realized they wanted that player on their roster. Our hope is this is the first of a multi-part series recognizing the 2025 golfers for their tremendous achievemen...

This episode is a compilation of all the Angle of Attack segments from DGP Episodes 22 to 29. Golf coach Andrew Lewis and Jim discuss the lowest hanging fruit items for whittling down your scoring average over time. They also take on hot-button topics in junior golf such as the impact of NCAA roster limits and rise of players withdrawing in tournaments. 10:43 74 to 72: Match Play Mindset 25:12 74...

Brentley Romine from Golf Channel and NBC Sports comes on to discuss the recent USGA announcement of the 16-man Walker Cup practice squad. Brentley, Joseph and Jim discuss the locks, the snubs and the long shots, and each make their bold prediction of the 10 golfers who will be representing the U.S. at Cypress Point next September. The Driven Golf Podcast is produced by Joseph Kay.

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Jim speaks with Josh Jacobs, founder and CEO of College Golf Experience (CGX). They discuss how CGX is helping to bridge the gap between junior golfers and college coaches through its golf camps, giving players and parents critical insight into the college recruiting process. The conversation dives into CGX’s unique camp structure, including seminars on...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Andrew speaks with Auburn head coach Nick Clinard and star sophomore Jackson Koivun. The conversation dives deep into Auburn’s historic 2023-24 season, where the Tigers won 10 tournaments, including the SEC Championship and the program’s first-ever national title. The discussion covers Koivun’s historic season, where he swept the player of the year award...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Jim speaks with Jeff Bullock, co-founder of The Universal Golf Ranking ( TUGR.org ), an innovative golf ranking system that aims to bring accuracy and fairness to the professional and junior golf landscapes. The conversation dives into the creation of TUGR and the motivation behind developing an alternative to traditional point-based ranking systems, lik...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Andrew interviews Bobby Massa, a Mid-Am golfer and recent U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist, who opens up about his journey through the ups and downs of competitive golf. From his humble beginnings in junior golf to navigating the intense pressures of college and professional competition, Bobby offers listeners a candid look at the mental and physical demands...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Jim interviews Mason Carmel, the tournament director of the Elite Invitational Junior Golf Tournament. Carmel shares the journey of creating one of the most prestigious junior golf events in the U.S., from its humble beginnings to becoming a top-ranked tournament attracting elite junior golfers worldwide. Listeners will hear how Carmel’s lifelong connect...

In this episode of the Driven Golf Podcast, Andrew Lewis interviews Bill Allcorn ( @TCUCoachBill ), the Men’s Golf Coach at Texas Christian University. Allcorn shares insights into the busy summer recruiting season, the qualities that college coaches look for in recruits, and the importance of communication and social media in the recruiting process. Listeners will gain valuable knowledge about th...