Hey there I’m Colin Weston, host of The ModGolf Podcast. We just wrapped up Season 17 so I’m here to let you know that after eight years and over 200 episodes, we're taking some time off to develop our 18th season that will include conversations with six time major championship winner Sir Nick Faldo and award winning golf and travel writer Tom Coyne. In the meantime I’ve put together a recap of our previous season to give you a taste of the dozen engaging conversations that we delivered over the past couple of months. We heard some amazing stories from a diverse group of inspirational guests who discussed how innovation, inclusion, technology, entertainment, sustainability, music, celebrity, hospitality and community building intersect to shape the future of golf. Over the next 20 minutes I’ll provide you with a quick bite from each episode that I hope peaks your interest so that you’ll go back and listen to the ones you liked most. The steady growth of the ModGolf Podcast has lead me to expand the content that we create for you, which includes The ModGolf Patreon community. On Patreon I offer you member content like our popular weekly ModGolf LIVE shows on our YouTube channel, guest meetups and exclusive giveaway contests. Joining our ModGolf Patreon as a monthly tiered member helps ensure that The ModGolf Podcast can grow as a sustainable independent media platform, so please consider signing up at www.patreon.com/modgolf Before we get started with our Season 17 recap episode I want to take a moment to thank our Presenting Partner - Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019. Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com. We opened Season 17 where we left off to finish the previous one: at the 2025 PGA Show in Orlando where ModGolf was invited back to recorded four engaging conversations with golf industry innovators on the Show Floor Media Stage. First up on Episode 1 is Hazel Thompson, Founder and CEO of Excelerator Luxury Golf Tours who helped plan my May 2025 Irish golf trip. And if you are considering a golf getaway with friends to Ireland, Hazel is the person that can help make your dream trip a reality. - Hazel sound bite Our second conversation at The PGA Show Media Stage was with Jonathan Marsico, CEO of Ship Sticks. During my conversation with Jonathan you will discover how to take the hassle, complexity and effort out of travelling with your golf clubs. You'll also learn how Jonathan and his co-founder went from an idea that addressed a personal pain point to a scaleable, profitable business. 01/02 - Jonathan sound bite - Jeff MacGregor intro You can listen to my full conversations with Hazel and Jonathan by clicking on the episode link in the show notes to discover more insights of how they both help elevate your golf travel experience. Have you struggled to find balance when juggling the launch of a new business venture while keeping your existing job? On episode two you will discover and learn how Jeff MacGregor manages to maintain the position he loves as a Head Golf Pro while overseeing a startup that is quickly scaling up with The Cart Locker. 02/03 - Jeff MacGregor sound bite - Gina Louise Phillips intro Did you know that we offer extended guest interviews on The ModGolf YouTube channel? After Jeff and I finished up with our podcast recording we jumped on a video call for a deeper dive into his entrepreneurial journey. If you sometimes enjoy watching rather than listening, I encourage you to check out The ModGolf YouTube channel and please subscribe to help us grow! Next up on episode three, I speak with actor, writer and golf personality Gina Louise Phillips who combines her comedic acting experiences to inject a fresh perspective into the golf industry. Gina shares how her journey on shows like The Last of Us with Pedro Pascal and co-hosting Score Golf TV has inspired her to write and develop a golf-themed sitcom called Squat Valley Golf about a dysfunctional family run public course on the brink of bankruptcy. 03/04 - Gina Louise Phillips sound bite - Agustín Pizá intro During my engaging conversation with Gina you will discover key takeaways including: 1. The Power of Community in Golf: as Gina emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming environment for women to the game. 2. The correlation between Improv and Golf that forces you to Embrace the Unexpected 3. The Journey of Self-Discovery: as Gina reflects on her journey in the golf industry, from feeling like an outsider to owning her unique perspective as a woman in a male-dominated space. First appearing on The ModGolf Podcast back in November 2021, Augie Pizá rejoins us for episode 4 to pull back the curtain on his design inspiration and process as he walks us through six of the fun and challenging holes he and his Pizá Golf team created for TGL - which is the indoor Tomorrow Golf League founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. 04/05 - Agustín Pizá sound bite - Don Rea intro Since I was already in Florida for The PGA Show, I stayed a bit longer to attend a TGL match (Tiger's Jupiter Links vs Rory's Boston Common) as a media member. I quickly learned that several of the compelling holes played out on a 60' high simulator video screen and 360º rotating, undulating green are designed by previous guest Agustin Pizá, who is the creative force behind Pizá Golf Design. After listening to this episode I encourage you to watch Augie's ModGolf YouTube video to see animated fly-throughs of his hole designs. All the links can be found in the show notes. Next up on episode 5, PGA of America President and Owner/Operator of Augusta Ranch Golf Club Don Rea joins host me to share his 25 year journey advocating for the game and industry that he deeply loves. 05/06 - Don Rea sound bite - Matt Williams intro If you enjoyed our podcast conversation with Don, I encourage you to watch our extended conversation on The ModGolf YouTube channel as he walks us through the new PGA of America headquarters based in Frisco Texas. Do you struggle to make better on-course shot selection decisions that will result in less blowup holes and lower scores? I know that I certainly do! If so, then Episode 6 is for you! oonan Caddie Co-Founder Matt Williams joins me to share his entrepreneurial insights as a multiple time founder in the golf entertainment and technology space. 06/07 - Matt Williams sound bite - Pete Charleston intro Are you a watcher more than a listener? Then you can watch our video with Matt on The ModGolf YouTube Channel as he walks us through a Noonan Caddie demo. I'm excited to announce that we launched our ModGolf Patreon platform to bring together our close-knit community of golf-loving people! As a ModGolf Patron member you will get access to exclusive live monthly interactive shows where you can participate, ask-me-anything video events, bonus content, golf product discounts and entry in members-only ModGolf Giveaway contests. I'm offering two monthly membership tiers, but you can also join for free! Your subscription will ensure that The ModGolf Podcast continues to grow so that I can focus on creating unique and impactful stories that support and celebrate the future of golf. Come join us at www.patreon.com/Modgolf Never played the course you just booked a tee time on? No problem. Our episode 7 guest has created a mobile app that allows you to preview each hole in immersive simulator-quality graphics before you play.” Pete Charleston - President and Co-Founder of GolfLogix joins us again after his original appearance back in 2018 to bring us up to speed on their newest innovations that include 3D virtual reality hole flyovers. 07/08 - Pete Charleston sound bite - The Links Diary intro Pete Charleston is an experienced entrepreneur with over a quarter century of golf startup reps under his belt. You can also watch our video with Pete on The ModGolf YouTube channel as he walks us through a GolfLogix demo. The creation of episode 8 came about in a very circuitous way. I met Graeme McCubbin at The 2025 PGA Show in Orlando and our mutual love for design and visual storytelling immediately connected us together. Graeme generously gave me a copy of The Links Diary, which led to an invitation to participate in The Stand on Solway, a three day Scottish golf experience with more than a dozen other links-loving people to create memorable experiences and new friendships. While relaxing post-round at the manor house where everyone was staying, I sat down with two of the four Links Diary Co-Founders Kenny Pallas and Graeme for a chat to learn about the magazine's origin story. 08/09 - The Links Diary sound bite - Cory Powell intro I didn't shoot an interview video with Kenny and Graeme in our English manor house, but I did capture my daily adventures during my 18 day trip to Ireland and Scotland. You can watch my fun travel video shorts on The ModGolf YouTube channel and Instagram before, during and after attending The Golf Business Technology Conference in Belfast. My episode 9 guest is an experienced founder who started his first business at 8 years old hustling the neighbours with his "dog poop scoop service". This golf entrepreneur is Cory Powell, co-founder and CEO of Hubble.GOLF. On this engaging episode we discuss Cory's journey in competitive golf, his entrepreneurial spirit, and the innovative platform he aims to create for golfers, their families and event organizers. 09/10 - Cory Powell sound bite - TJ Schier Jr intro I hope you take the time to listen to the full episode with Cory, as his story is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and community in the world of golf and entrepreneurship. Next up on episode 10 of The ModGolf Podcast Season 17, I speak with TJ Schier Jr., founder of SmashSwing Immersive. I had the pleasure of meeting TJ at The Golf Business Technology Conference where we teamed up during golf day at Royal Belfast Golf Club. I was so impressed with his talk at the conference that I had to invite him to join me on ModGolf. On the show we discuss the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the golf industry, highlighting TJ's unique approach to creating an engaging indoor golf experience. 10/11 - TJ Schier Jr sound bite - Teddy / Dr. Berger intro I hope you give this episode with TJ Schier Jr. a listen, as he shares his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative vision behind SmashSwing Immersive. Whether you're a golf enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable lessons on creativity, market understanding, and the power of community feedback. On Episode 11 we celebrate our 200th episode milestone with two remarkable guests: Dr. Richard Berger, a pioneering orthopaedic surgeon, and his knee replacement patient Teddy Koukoulis, who is an avid golfer and PGA teaching pro. They discuss Dr. Berger's minimally evasive knee and hip replacement techniques that are transforming the outcomes and recovery process for golfers, high performance athletes and everyday people wanting to remove the burden of chronic pain and reclaim their quality of life. 11/12 - Teddy / Dr. Berger sound bite - Paras and Bryan Gore intro I love this episode as it highlights the profound impact of physical health on mental well-being. Teddy shares how overcoming his knee pain has not only improved his golf game but has also revitalized his overall lifestyle, enabling him to participate in activities he once thought were lost to him. Dr. Berger's minimally invasive knee replacement technique not only reduces pain and swelling but also enables golfers like Teddy to return to the game in record time to shoot a two-over-par 74 just three weeks post-surgery! On the final Season 17 episode I sit down with Paras and Bryan Gore, the visionary co-founders of Swing Sports and Golf She. Together they discuss their journey in the golf industry, the challenges they have faced, and their mission to elegantly empower women both on and off the golf course. 12/outro - Paras and Bryan Golf sound bite - CW outro Well I hope that you're now inspired to go back and listen to a couple of full episodes based on what you just heard from our dozen Season 17 guests. I included links to all of these episodes in the show notes to make it nice and easy for you to find the ones that intrigue you most. To make sure that you're automatically entered in our latest #ModGolfGiveAway contest, join our ModGolf Patreon community at www.patreon.com/modgolf for a chance to win the golf products that I review. I want to thank our generous sponsor partners Golf Genius Software and British Columbia Golf, who without their continued support I wouldn’t be able to bring you these inspirational, impactful and educational stories. I now need to get back to recording our next season of conversations with the influencers, entrepreneurs and disruptors who are shaping the future of golf. I hope you’ll join us for Season 18 as we continue to explore how golf industry innovators are surviving AND thriving during these turbulent times. Until then, get out there and enjoy some golf, whether you've been playing the game for years or are thinking about picking up a club for the first time. Thank you so much for listening in and I look forward to connecting with you again soon. I'm Colin Weston. Bye for now.