The Golf Parent

What separates junior golfers who thrive under pressure from those who fall apart when things go wrong? In this powerful episode of The Golf Parent, Ryan Addams sits down with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Bob Winters, also known as “The Confidence Doctor,” to explore the mental skills that shape confidence, resilience, and long term success in junior golf.  Drawing from more than 50 years of e...

What does it really take to develop a successful junior golfer, and what are most parents getting wrong along the way? In this powerful episode of The Golf Parent, Bernie Najar, one of the most respected coaches in the game and the 2026 PGA National Teacher and Coach of the Year, shares the blueprint for long term player development. What does it really take to develop a successful junior golfer,...

What separates golfers who perform under pressure from those who fall apart when it matters most? In this powerful episode of The Golf Parent, Ryan Addams sits down with Will Kelly to uncover the hidden mental habits that shape scoring, confidence, and long-term development. Will explains why so many golfers obsess over swing mechanics while ignoring the real performance driver: mental state. From...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan sits down with Jon Tattersall to challenge some of the biggest myths in junior golf and uncover what actually drives long-term success. From his journey moving from England to becoming a respected coach in the United States, Jonbrings a unique perspective shaped by curiosity, experience, and a willingness to question everything. This conversation di...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan sits down with Harrison Kovelman to explore a non-traditional path into the game and what it reveals about developing junior golfers the right way. Harrison didn’t grow up playing elite junior golf. In fact, he didn’t even pick up the game until age 19. But what started as curiosity quickly turned into passion, and that passion evolved into a career...

Putting is often treated like an art form in golf, something mysterious that only the best players seem to understand. But according to AimPoint founder Mark Sweeney, great green reading isn’t magic at all. It’s science. In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Addams sits down with the man who changed the way many of the world’s best players read greens. Mark explains how the AimPoint sys...

What if your junior golfer could gain real speed without grinding endlessly on the range? In this episode, Dr. Sasho MacKenzie joins Ryan to unpack the science behind speed training, biomechanics, and athletic development in junior golf. As one of the leading minds behind The Stack System, Dr. MacKenzie explains how overload and overspeed training can safely unlockpower while protecting long term...

What if the key to unlocking your junior golfer’s confidence, discipline, and composure wasn’t found on the range... but on the mat? In this episode, Ryan sits down with Patrick Sebastien to explore the powerful crossover between martial arts and golf. From breathing techniques and meditation to visualization and flow states, Patrick explains why the best young athletes are trained as complete per...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan sits down with world renowned coach Jonathan Yarwood to unpack what truly matters in junior golf development and why so many talented kids lose their way along the journey. Jonathan shares decades of experience working with elite juniors and professionals, offering a refreshing perspective on skill acquisition, enjoyment, and long term growth. The c...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Addams sits down with Chris Parra, HeadcCoach at SMU, to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to succeed in college golf. From his early days playing professional golf in Canada to coaching elite collegiate athletes, Chris shares a rare inside look at the mental, emotional, and cultural factors that shape high performing teams. Chris explai...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, tour coach Jeff Leishman shares what truly separates elite junior golfers from everyone else and what parents need to understand if they want real long term development. Drawing on more than two decades on tour, Jeff explains how the modern role of a coach has evolved from basic swing instruction into full performanceguidance that includes preparation, s...

In this episode of The Golf Parent, Ryan sits down with world class coach Mark Govier to unpack what truly separates juniors who rise to the highest levels from those who stall out. Mark explains why real development goes far beyond perfect swings and long practice hours and instead depends on deeper skills like emotional resilience, intelligent practice structure, selfawareness, and long term hab...

In this powerful episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Addams sits down with longtimeStanford golf instructor Josh Zander to reveal what truly matters in junior golf development. From grip fundamentals to mental toughness to the role parents play behind the scenes, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how elite environments actually shape great players. Josh shares why grip is the true g...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan sits down with elite coach Tim Cooke to reveal how juniors truly learn golf skills that last. With a rare academic background in pedagogy, biomechanics, motor learning, and sports psychology, Tim explains how young athletes develop, how their bodies move, and what actually helps a swing stay healthy over time. He shares why posture and a neutral low...

In this eye-opening episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Addams sits down with Scott Fawcett — former pro golfer, data-driven strategist, and creator of the DECADE system that has reshaped how elite players think about scoring. Scott breaks down the real math behind great golf and explains why smarter decisions, not prettier swings, separate top performers from everyone else. Together, Ryan an...

In this powerful episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Addams welcomes back world-renowned coach Kevin Kirk for a deep dive into the realities of youth sports, mastery, and the modern challenges facing golf parents. Kevin shares decades of wisdom from coaching elite players, revealing why intentionality, self-awareness, and personal mastery matter far more than early success or perfect swings....

The college golf recruiting process can feel like a mystery — for both parents and players. In this episode, Coach Todd Oehrlein pulls back the curtain on how college programs actually evaluate prospective student-athletes, what separates elite recruits from the rest, and how parents can best support their junior golfers through the emotional rollercoaster of commitments, calls, and expectations....

Welcome to The Golf Parent, where golf’s top minds share the secrets and systems that help your junior golfer win—on and off the course. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Andrew Summers, the founder and visionary behind the International Junior Golf Academy (IJGA). From its private golf course to its 100-student cap, IJGA redefines what quality training and holistic development look like. Andre...

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Christina Lecuyer, former professional golfer turned confidence coach, to explore what real confidence means in sports and life. Christina’s story — from picking up golf at 18 to competing professionally — is proof that mindset, not mechanics, often determines success. Christina shares powerful lessons on detaching self-worth from performance, finding joy in th...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Adams sits down with Mike Thomas. Thomas is a veteran golf instructor and father of PGA Tour star Justin Thomas, for an honest conversation about the realities of raising a young golfer. Mike shares what it was really like guiding his son from junior golf to the professional stage, and what he learned about balancing the roles of coach and parent. H...

On this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Adams sits down with Ryan Degale to unpack one of the most overlooked issues in junior golf: back health. While many parents and coaches focus on swing mechanics, scores, and tournament schedules, the reality is that golf can put serious strain on the spine, especially for young players. Ryan shares why golf is uniquely dangerous for the back, the m...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Adams sits down with Andrew Lewis to break down the realities of junior golf development and the future of the game in America. From the rise of Texas as a golf hotbed to the importance of tournament experience, Andrew shares insights that every parent of a junior golfer needs to hear. This conversation goes far beyond swing mechanics. Andrew opens...

In this episode of The Golf Parent, Ryan Adams sits down with legendary coach Mike Schy, the man who guided Bryson DeChambeau through his junior career and helped bring the groundbreaking Avoda golf club to life. Mike pulls back the curtain on the science of equipment innovation, from curved clubfaces to one-length shafts, and explains why custom fitting is non-negotiable for serious golfers. But...

This week on The Golf Parent, Ryan Adams sits down with world-renowned coach and sports scientist Tom House to uncover the secrets behind athletic performance and development. Known for his groundbreaking work in biomechanics with elite athletes across baseball, football, and golf, Tom shares how balance, sequencing, and timing are the real keys to long-term success. Parents and juniors will disco...

In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Addams sits down with Casey VanDamme, head coach of the Kent State women’s golf team, to uncover what it really takes to thrive in junior and college golf. Casey shares how self-belief, resilience, and effective practice habits shape great players, and why building a championship culture is about far more than just talent. In this episode of The Gol...