#wednesdaymatchplay

Bobby Weed is an award winning golf course designer having designed and renovated dozens of golf courses around the world including Medalist Golf Club, Slammer & Squire and TPC Summerlin. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about his design philosophy, his personal and professional relationship with Pete Dye, how long it takes to build a golf course, and what it was like working with Michael Jordan on his new golf course The Grove XXIII. He also talks about his foundation HEAL! and what it means to him and his family. This was a great discussion and I am honored to have Bobby on the show. Let's tee off.

Now in its 50th year, The Golf Heritage Society exists to share information about the game’s history, players, courses, championships and equipment.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText President Dr. Bern Bernacki will give you an overview of the society, explains The Golf, their quarterly publication, defines what a collection really is and shares insight on their connection to Arnold Palmer and The First Tee. He also talks about the impact COVID-19 has had on their organization and explains the Harris-Wolke Award. This was such a great conversation and I am honored to have Dr. Bernacki on the show. Let's tee off.

Leslie Ludlow is the General Manager at Spanish Hills Country Club. She has a history with CMAA and a passion for member and guest experience. She is also a Certified Hospitality Sales Executive.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about her journey to Spanish Hills, her time with The Golden State Chapter of CMAA, her experience being  awarded the Sally Burns Rambo Scholarship and if she thinks Tiger breaks Jack's record. She also talks about a girl’s travel softball team. Did you know Leslie is a 3 time all American and is in the PLNU Hall of Fame? This was such a fun episode and I am honored to know and to have had the chance to have Leslie on the show. Let's tee off.

My buddy Bill recently introduced me to McEwan Golf, a company producing logo hats and visors. The website is incredible, the product looks great and I wanted to learn more. I reached out to Diego Castro and scheduled time to talk.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will get an overview of the company, hear where the name comes from, learn more about their impressive list of partners, and their plans for future products. Diego also talks about their return policy and patrons only collection. This was a fun episode and  I really enjoyed having Diego on the show. Let's tee off.

Jeff and Tara Ciecko run CK Golf Solutions, a company helping golf course owners and operators make more money! Located in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Jeff and Tara offer insight on websites, mobile technology and provide monthly reporting of Key Performance Indicators.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about their company, all their clients in the Great White North, their relationship with Gallus Golf, the Industry Blog and more. Jeff also talks about the CK Golf Industry Golf Conversations and The 19h Hole Blog and their plans for going fully digital. This was a thrilling discussion and I really enjoyed having Jeff on the show. Let's tee off.

Imagine the PERFECT golfing adventure. Golf Duel can help you be creative AND experience that dream. Inspired by the "Duel in the Sun" Michael McLaughlan has created a business model to get you and your friends on some of the most prestigious courses in the world for a Ryder Cup type golf experience. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText Michael will give you an overview of Golf Duel, he discusses how business has been impacted by COVID-19, shares what courses are on his bucket list and reviews the 5 steps to a golf duel. He also talks about his favorite scotch whiskey! This was a thrilling conversation and I enjoyed having Michael on the show. Let's tee off.

Passion Graham is the Clubhouse Manager at No. 7 at Desert Mountain, a private facility located in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is involved with CMAA and was recently named among 26 managers singled out as "Fabulous Under 40".  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about her journey to Desert Mountain Club, her time with CMAA, what a normal day looks like, how she stays cool during the long hot summer nights and more about the real estate component at Desert Mountain. She also talks about her favorite restaurant in downtown Phoenix! This was such a fun episode and such an honor to have Passion on the show. Let's tee off.

Suzy Whaley is the Director of Instruction at The Country Club at Mirasol, sits on both the ANNIKA Foundation Board and the PGA TOUR Policy Board, is a PGA Master Professional AND is the first woman ever elected to serve as an Officer of the PGA of America. On this, the 200th episode of The Wednesday Match Play presented by MemberText, Suzy talks about her journey with the PGA, her passion for teaching junior golf, her relationship with Michael Whan and the LPGA Tour and her experience playing in a PGA TOUR event. She also talks about her work with the ANNIKA Foundation and who is in her dream foursome. This was an inspiring episode and I enjoyed having Suzy on the show. Let's tee off.

When I lived in Florida I connected with Melissa Hansen, membership & marketing director at The Club at Olde Cypress. We stayed in touch and figured it would be fun to have her on the show during Women's Golf Month. She also has a consulting business on the side and is a leader in the private club world.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about The Club at Olde Cypress, her passion for marketing, her work with PCMA, and how she uses a CRM to sift through over 1,500 leads. She also talks about the club’s pineapple table and how she introduces potential members to the experience at Olde Cypress. Hopefully after this discussion she will be implementing live chat, too! This was a really fun interview and I enjoyed having Melissa on the show. Let's tee off.

This month I am dedicating the podcast to Women's Golf Month. We kick things off with Jenn Holt, a Class A LPGA Teaching Professional based out of Murrieta Valley Golf Range in Temecula, California. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText Jenn talks about the range, a connection to PGA TOUR player Rickie Fowler, her journey with the LPGA, her time at San Diego State and reveals what she charges for a golf lesson. She also talks about her time with the AJGA and what golf ball she is playing. Oh, and how could I forget about her book Two Little Golfers!!! This was such a fun discussion and a great way to kick off Women's Golf Month. Let's tee off!

If you listen to Private Club Radio, then you've heard the name Peter Nanula before. He is a regular guest on the show and they recently started a spinoff called Board Chats. Peter runs Concert Golf Partners, a boutique owner/operator of upscale private clubs nationwide. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText Peter talks more about his company, the different clubs they are working with, their response to COVID-19 and his time working for Arnold Palmer Golf Management. He also talks about the importance of education and the company's stance on debt. Peter is originally from Santa Rosa, so we talked about that a little bit, too. This was a really good discussion and I enjoyed having Peter on the show. Let's tee off.

I'm a sucker for scorecards and yardage books. I have a stack on my desk, actually. Sure golf carts have GPS and I use an app on my phone, but there's just something about a yardage book in my hands that’s tough to beat. That's where Bench Craft Company comes in. In addition to custom yardage books, they are producing tee sings, display boards and golf ball washers. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about their business model, how they work with local businesses to provide these items to courses for FREE, more about the 4,500 golf courses they are working with and how the company is dealing with COVID-19. Chuck will also tell you more about his time as a former TOUR caddie and his long nights at the Javelina Cantina in Tucson, Arizona. This was a fun episode and I enjoyed having Chuck on the show. Let's tee off.

Christopher Alvarez is the Clubhouse Manager at Wyndemere Country Club, a member-owned private facility located in Naples, Florida. He has a background in F&B and a passion for member and guest satisfaction. He is a member of CMAA and will be sitting for his CCM later this year. He's also part of the reason why I wear a suit to work every day! On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play presented by MemberText you will learn more about Wyndemere Country Club, his time at Inn on Fifth, the importance of creating a positive club culture, and his thoughts on networking and having a good mentor. Christopher also talks about the amenities at Wyndmere and a promo video they recently unveiled. This was a great discussion and I enjoyed having him on the show. Let's tee off.

When traveling the world, how do you book tee times? Do you call the golf shop or book online? Maybe email the pro? That's where golfscape comes in. It doesn't matter where you travel, they work with public and private courses around the world and make it easy to book tee times.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will hear from co-founder Daniel Shoar about the technology. He talks about all the facilities they are adding, their Global Marketplace, golfscape offices in the UK and Dubai and dives into revenue management for golf course operators. He also unveils golfscape Plus and talks about his favorite courses in Spain. This was a really fun episode and I enjoyed having Daniel on the show. Let's tee off.

No question fitness plays a big part of our lives right now, and you're seeing that trend translate to different sports, golf included. Tiger might be somewhat responsible for that. That's why I wanted to get John Paul Guidry on the show to talk about what he's doing in health & wellness.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about his time as a physical therapist, his TPI certification, what he charges his clients, his mobile app and all the different ebooks available on his website. He also talks about his blog and a free discovery visit being offered on his website. This was a fun episode and I enjoyed having John on the show. Let's tee off.

Jesse Halstad has been through a lot over the years. While in Santa Rosa, he has battled wildfires and now is in the middle of a worldwide pandemic that has forced the club to temporarily close. But with every disaster that comes his way, he remains calm and is stronger when the dust settles.  On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about Jesse, what he charges for a golf lesson, his time at Palma Valley Country Club, his TPI certification and his experience coaching JV baseball when he lived in Ukiah. Jesse also talks about some of his mentors and his love for golf. I enjoy working alongside Jesse on a daily basis and it was a pleasure having him on the show. Let's tee off. 

The guys over at Take Pride Golf Supply provide the most unique golf accessories that look good, feel good and play good. That is their mission and passion as they strive to have fun on the golf course. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play presented by MemberText you will learn more about this niche brand, all the different products they offer, including Take Pride Golf Patches, and their relationship with Trust Me Vodka. Jon also talks about their M Series Polo and their return policy. This was a fun episode and I really enjoyed having on on the show. Let's tee off.

There are a myriad of companies out there offering website design, SEO, PPC and Facebook advertising. But what sets them apart from the competition? Companies like Long Drive Agency have found a niche offering these services to golf courses and country clubs. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play presented by MemberText you will learn more about the services they offer, their location in McKinney, Texas, their relationship with the PGA of America, how they are using live chat and how they are helping clients deal with the coronavirus. This was a fun and informative episode and I enjoyed having Blake on the show. Let's tee off.

When I lived in Indiana, I met a guy named Peter Hart. We worked together, played golf and have stayed in touch over the years. We were recently chatting about his new project called Homestretch Golf, a pari-mutuel betting solution. Pete is working with David Knox on this project. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn more about Homestretch Golf, David's connection to Rusty Seymour and El Macero Country Club. his time coaching at Napa Valley COllege and his connection to Operation 36. He also talks about the PGA Hope Program. David also explains what a horse race is. I had no idea! THis was a really fun episode and it was great reconnecting with David. Let's tee off.

Last year Claude came on this show talking about everything he's doing to grow the game on the island of Maui. Now he's back to promote his latest creation, Virtual Golf Academy. On this episode of The Wednesday Match Play Podcast presented by MemberText you will learn all about Virtual Golf Academy, the number of videos he has produced and the different types of memberships available. He also talks about steps to becoming a PGA Master Professional and tries to fix my duck hook. Claude's videos have subtitles and he is working to add subtitles in multiple languages coming soon! This was a really fun episode, I always enjoy my time with Claude, and it was great helping him promote Virtual Golf Academy. Let's tee off.