The Back 9 - Midlife, Best Life.

It's a long-awaited resource episode of the Back 9, as we bring in Matthew Nadeau, wealth management expert and calculated risk-taker to help guide us through the financial decisions we may confront at this stage of life.  Matthew will share his story of how he left corporate America to build his own firm, then offer practical advice on topics such as how to juice our retirement saving strategy an...

You've likely never asked what man buns, backup quarterbacks and Back 9 dating life have in common, but if you have this is the episode for you.  We welcome Carolina Rush and Andrea Trout from the Sweet and Spicy podcast onto the Back 9 for an unfiltered dive into the wild world of dating after 40. From online dating disasters and matchmaking myths to surprising confessions and unexpected encounte...

On this episode of the Back 9, we explore how to balance the grind of adulthood with the joy of living like a kid again.  Our guest is Matthew Atkinson, a front 9er who founded the Lost Boys lifestyle brand, which explores the art of combining passion and responsibility, and celebrates the commitment to taking time off to recharge, even if we have to break societal norms to do it. Matthew shares h...

Friends, our first episode of the New Year features a guy who may be most comfortable on the edge.  He's been on the edge of being an NFL player.  He's been on stage as a professional stripper.  And he was recently arrested in a remote region of Russia where he had been training with mixed-martial artists.   If that doesn't pique your interest, then listening to Keyen Lage will.  On the show, you'...

If you've been looking for love in all the wrong places, then join us for this special New Year's Eve episode of The Back 9 , with Dating Expert Brian Howie.  Brian is the prolific host of the highly acclaimed Great Love Debate podcast, and as we turn the calendar to 2025, he helps us dive deep into the modern world of dating, relationships, and navigating love.  Brian shares the insights he's dra...

Sometimes our guests take us someplace unexpectedly wonderful, and we kick off Season 6 with a glorious  episode with powerhouse Author Denene Millner.  Denene is the author of the highly acclaimed novel, One Blood , as well as the The Sistah Rules , several books for young adults, and is the co-author of books with celebrities like Steve Harvey, Taraji Henson and Charlie Wilson.  But while she's...

Friends, we recorded this episode the morning after our live anniversary bash, which brought back memories of Vegas benders, sleepless golf trips and other tales of debauchery from our wilder 20-something days.  And those stories put into perspective our takes on relationships, personal growth and other reflections on meaningful middle age.  Those pave the way for what's ahead as we preview Season...

It's a party on The Back 9 ! Broadcasting live from Taco Tuesdays Taqueria in Delray Beach, Florida, as we invite several guests to celebrate our first anniversary, and close Season 5 in style.  With our first ever live audience bringing the energy, this episode is packed with heartfelt reflections, hilarious moments, and inspiring stories.  We update thoughts on dating after divorce with our firs...

In this powerful episode of The Back 9 , Dennis and Josh wrap up Season 5 with an inspiring conversation featuring Matt Gilhooly, creator of the award-winning podcast The Life Shift . Matt takes us on an emotional journey, sharing how a life-altering moment in his childhood shaped his mission to uncover the pivotal moments that define all of us. From personal tragedies to transformative decisions,...

In this very light episode, Dennis and Josh get to know Donna Taylor and Brittany Boo, hosts of the Talk Birdie to Me podcast, for a deep dive into the transformative power of community. Donna shares her story of growing up in a golfing family, burning out as a competitive player, and then deploying other passions – like yoga – to find a new approach to that helped her rediscover her love for the...

In this special guest episode of The Back 9 , Dennis surprises Josh with legendary tough guy and hockey leader Rob Ray.  Razor reflects on his unique career, from scoring his first NHL goal to shaping a legacy that fits the blue-collar spirit of the fans that cheered him on. Beyond the fights and penalty minutes, Ray offers insight into his life after hockey, sharing heartfelt advice on transition...

Ssssh!  It's a surprise!  It's the first of our secret guest episodes and we are starting with an ACE.  It's a compelling conversation with the GOAT of Ladies Golf, Annika Sorenstam.  Annika shares her transformation from childhood tennis prodigy to golfing superstar, as she reflects on her groundbreaking career, the importance of the mentors who guided her, and the moment she decided to step away...

Few of us have ever won a National Championship, and fewer still have won something as large as the Super Bowl.  On this Episode of the Back 9, we introduce you to Pastor Tim Johnson, someone who has done both of those things, and yet neither stands as his largest accomplishment.  Most recently, Tim embedded himself in one of the most violent sections of one of America's harshest prisons, to execu...

This episode of the Back 9 will stimulate the brain and soothe the ears.  We welcome the resonant voice of Nick Warner, a former high-powered lobbyist who made a bold transition to become a successful business consultant. Nick shares his compelling story of how he walked away from a decades-long career influencing California's political arena, to pivot to a new path focused on helping others thriv...

Class is in session on this episode of the Back 9.  Our guest this week is Barbie Boules, aka "The Cognition Dietitian,", and she joins to share her expert insights about how the things we ingest in middle age impact – and potentially impair – our senior years.  She offers instruction on how to monitor our metabolic health, and strategies for creating the robust diet that is going to feed our futu...

This episode starts with a review of great public bathrooms and secret champagne bars, and only gets better from there.  Because we are joined by podcasting star and Boston broadcasting legend Kim Carrigan.  Kim opens up about how she maintains friendships through the volatility of life, how she taps into innate curiosity to help keep her life and her podcast relevant, and how she leaned into her...

In this high-energy opener to Season Five of The Back Nine , we sit down with the dynamic and highly accomplished Kraig Kann, who went from being a top sportscaster at the Golf Channel to the Chief Communications Officer of the LPGA, to then founding his own, now-thriving business.   His journey is packed with engaging stories – from behind-the-scenes moments with Arnold Palmer, to his latest work...

Welcome to Season 5!  We are back with renewed energy, as we dive into a season packed with intriguing new topics that populate the Back 9 of life.  We start with a moment to reflect on something that has left a lasting impact on one of us, and how it is shaping our focus for the season ahead.  We'll preview some of the topics we're going to explore, plus we'll have some announcements about exciti...

We wrap season 4 with a powerhouse episode that explores how simple acts of kindness can resonate in someone's life for decades.  We dive into the power of vulnerability and uncover how being present and truly listening can leave lasting impressions.  We reflect on all the things we learned this season about how we can be better men in our relationships, as partners, as fathers and, most of all, h...

We close out season four of The Back 9 with an episode that simply could not be more relevant and more important for our time.  We visit with author, life coach and old friend Morgan Rich for a thought-provoking conversation on modern masculinity and what it means to be a healthy alpha male.  We weigh the balancing act of how to be competitive and assertive with being emotionally grounded.  We exp...

On this episode of The Back 9 we host a true virtuoso in Brad Gemeinhardt, Principal French Hornist at the Metropolitan Opera, for a truly introspective conversation about nurturing one's dreams, making a commitment to one's craft, and finding one's true calling. Brad shares his remarkable journey, from discovering his passion and talent for the French horn at a young age, to the work he put in to...

It's not every day that we get to visit with a 9-time Pro Bowler and 4-time All-Pro NFL icon, but even beyond the accolades, Ruben Brown is just a great hang.  Ruben played 13 seasons in the NFL, including in a Super Bowl, yet remains as down-to-earth a guy as one could hope to meet.   In this episode, Ruben weighs in on the NFL season ahead, but maybe more importantly he details the challenge of...

On this episode of "The Back Nine," we visit with our long-lost friend Mike Schopp, the incredibly sharp and incisive voice of Buffalo sports radio.  But Mike's insights go well beyond Western New York and the usual sports-talk banter.  He opens up about the evolution of his career in an extremely relatable way, from the pressures of proving himself in early days to embracing a more authentic appr...

As part of each season, we provide episodes that serve as resources for our Back 9 community, but we've never done it like we do on this episode.  We visit with Dr. Michael Barber, the Medical Director and Lead Cardiologist at Colorado's Strata Med, a resort facility dedicated to providing primary health care, rather than primary sick care.  Dr. Barber talks about how his unique health issues led...

Friends, on this episode of the Back 9 we take a look at how Back Niners can keep their relationships healthy and connected.  We're joined by therapists Colette Fehr and Laura Bowman, the sharp and astute hosts of the "Insights from the Couch" podcast.  Together, we take on the emotional hurdles that often accompany midlife relationships, and how partners sometimes create distance between them.  C...