Golf

Albury Golf Club looks pretty fantastic from the clubhouse - that was as close as I got on this trip - the greens were being cored as I chatted with Henry Brind, the club pro who's done an awful in golf for a young man. Something of a younger prodigy, he's making moves in all the right directions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob Nixon was a bit late to golf, but boy did he make up for lost time. Lessons, a solid goal, a dream of his own course/club/tournament, and then the very best of the world's golf. It's quite a story and he's clearly quite an operator. Yarravale was the dream, and as you'll hear, dreams do come true. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between them, Geoff Everett and Colin Kaye have won just about everything there is to win in Australian Amateur golf. At 91 and 82 respectively, they've hoarded titles at The Lakes and beyond since the 60's, represented state and country, even played with Sam Snead. It's a colourful, joyful, memorable chat with two greats. They came armed with photos and scrapbooks - it was a hell of a morning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob Curtis is the Head Teaching Pro at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. It's a big role needing a big thinker to take it on. Rob is just that person, and a prime example of how old fashioned personal teaching has it all over youtube and AI lessons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Theo Venter is one of the lucky ones - A catastrophic workplace accident - 22000 volts of electrical current through his heart - word from the doctor that his death was imminent - and yet, he's back... and on the golf course. It's an amazing tale of resilience, a cautionary tale certainly, but one of determination as well... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Infanti is a golf professional who worked out pretty early that if anyone was going to be accountable for the result on the scoreboard, it might as well be him. Golf was perfect, and it's been the epicentre of his life ever since - pretty much... there was one mighty hiccup along the way, one that took true determination and guts to deal with. All his guts. It's a great story... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are a stack of reasons to be excited about visiting Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula . for a golf trip - and one you may not know about. Swan Island sits just off the town of Queenscliff - it's where you come and go from the ferry to Sorrento - and is home to Queenscliff Golf Club. It's good, honest, old fashioned fun golf - while you're there, say hi to the GM, Rob Aulich. He's easily as good as the course... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bairnsdale Golf Club, which is closer to Paynesville, is down the coast from Lakes Entrance and may well be the start or the end of your golfing road trip between Sydney and Melbourne. It's a classic country course in exceptional condition. Jeff Graham's at the helm in Bairnsdale, avid golfer and fisher, he's right where he wants to be, and where we should definitely visit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darren Adam's a brick laying renovation expert who makes old things look great again. He strikes me as being entirely normal, especially when he talks about golf because he loves it. LOVES IT! One of my favourite chats about golf - and it's all about golf. A game he says is, amongst other things, solving problems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Erskine - the 'Pioneer of Sports Management in Australia' has had a hell of a life. Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Shane Warne, Michael Parkinson, Tiger Woods - he's been involved with the very very best sport has to offer. And entertainment, think Michale Parkinson. What about V8 Supercars? Golf Tournaments? Tennis? He's been in and around some of the best bits of our lives since the 70's, and he's good enough to share the stories, the lessons and the life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Dean is an A Grade golfer with a vision - not just for good golf, but free golf. For someone at the very least. Build it, and they will come, he says. Is it that simple? It's a great idea, could it work at your club? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christian Small is a 20 year PGA Pro who's been involved in golf at just about every level. He sees the game quite simply but understands how complicated it really is. Or is it? Are we overthinking, over-feeling, over-analysing and not really understanding how to get the ball where we want it to go? It's a fun chat, we cover a lot of ground. He's a big, deep thinker with some very good thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hickory golf? Kooky? Of course. Fun? Most definitely! Good for your 'real' golf game? Obviously - though I'm not sure why, but it is. Consider this an invitation to become a national champion! Phil Baird is mad for it, he plays the wooden shafts Friday afternoons at Manly Golf Club and he's really very good. Funnily enough, since playing a bit with him, my handicap's come in. Coincidence? Maybe... but maybe not. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Clayton's got his name in the credits of a stack of great golf courses, not just in Australia but around the world. Barnbougle Dunes, Victoria, Kingston Heath, Metropolitan and now, the new darling of Australian golf, 7 Mile. He's refreshingly honest about anything to do with golf. Here, we go from his beginnings in golf to playing to Greg Norman and architecture and end up with LIV. What an hour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karen Lunn had a terrific life as a pro golfer, winning 16 times around the world in a career spanning over 30 years. Surprisingly, her legacy may not be her playing, but her role as a golfing administrator. She's at the forefront of bringing women's golf to the masses, and it's working. Beautifully. We caught up on ABC Radio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it me? Is it the clubs? Is it my brain or my back or what? What is it that surprises us ever so rarely with sheer beauty in our golf game, only to depart? And how do we find it again? Change things, obviously. Paul's an amateur golfer and a great guy on the hunt. This may well be a podcast about most of us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rod Tucker is a beautiful golfer. Straight, precise, on target almost all of the time - probably a lot like his umpiring around the world in the great game of cricket. From Dennis Lillee to Daryl Steyn to Warnie and beyond, he's seen a lot and is generous enough to share some of it. A great chat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Royal Canberra Golf Club - of the famous Royal Golf Clubs has had a bit of work done - the Championship Nine has had more of a resurfacing than a face lift from the team at OCM and as it emerges from winter into spring, it's not just looking the goods, it's playing beautifully. Russell Ingram is the kind of captain any club would love, deeply passionate about the club, the course and the members. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sri Lanka's probably better known for surfing than golf - definitely sapphires - but maybe there's a new jewel in the crown. On the southwest coast you'll find Shangri-la Hambantota: A relatively new hotel with a championship golf course that'll test any holiday player. Through an old sapphire mine, a coconut plantation and along the ocean, it's got beauty and challenge in equal measure. Luke Sahabandu runs the golf and is a great ambassador for Sri Lanka. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chunta Wu is a Freshman at Minnesota University - One of two Gophers to compete in all 11 tournaments and twice led the team during an event this season, he has the second best scoring average and he's pretty much self taught, with a lot of love and help from his dad Martin. He's a young man on the move, and after completing his Freshman year as one of the Gopher's best golfers, he's back home for the winter - and golfing every day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.