Beltway Golfer: Recent Episodes
Beltway Golfer
Shining a light on golf in & around our nation's capital. The Beltway Golfer podcast is all about engaging conversations with the game's movers and shakers throughout DC, Maryland & Virginia. Check out the full podcast site & proshop at beltwaygolfer.com Find us on social @beltwaygolfer
Launching in 2023, BoBirdie magazine is the product of two of founder, Jefferson Burgess’ biggest passions…golf & the Shenandoah Valley. The second print edition was just recently published with subject matter covering the entirety of the valley from Roanoke County on the south end to Berkeley County, WV up north. With golf as the brand focus, BoBirdie also shines a light on many of the beloved and sometimes quirky businesses throughout the valley that Jefferson and his team frequents and finds on their travels. He joins the podcast to share stories on some of the unique characteristics of golf in […]
The 75th U.S. Girls Junior kicks off this week at El Caballero CC in Southern California, and three young ladies representing Northern Virginia are among the field competing in the event. Emerson Roychoudhury, Sophie Cao & Kanchana Duangsam have competed against one another on the junior circuit for some time and join the podcast to talk about their young careers in the game and expectations competing in the top event on the girls junior golf calendar. Listen to Episode 84 below!
Claude Jennings of the Golf DMV podcast joins the show to hit on a wide range of topics. We both share stories and strategies we’ve employed with our own sons to help them fall in love with the game, before jumping into some of the traits we love and don’t love about courses in our region. The conversation dovetails into Claude’s dayjob working production for several local sports teams and leads to reminiscing on Tony Kornheiser’s former podcast studio in a NW DC bar and much more. Listen to Episode 8 of the Surrender Birdies podcast below!
At 19 years of age, Bryan Kim is playing in his first U.S. Open this week at Pinehurst #2, earning his spot after winning the prestigious U.S. Junior Amateur last summer. The Montgomery County native and Argyle Country Club member just finished his freshman year playing golf for Duke University. Bryan joins the podcast to talk us through his prep for next week’s major, some insights on his own game and his path to golf’s biggest stage despite picking up a club for the first time just 8 years ago. Listen or watch Episode 83 below! https://youtu.be/L6b8V8GAxwM
Adam Hallenbeck from the Mediocre Golf Podcast joins Surrender Birdies for a fun conversation about golf in our area. We cover some of his own takes on other golf podcasts & the youtube golf phenomenon before jumping into a discussion on the cost of public golf in our region and what we value when looking at golf courses we enjoy or not. Listen to Episode 7 of the Surrender Birdies podcast below!
Playing in his second PGA Championship this week, Larkin Gross will be competing at Valhalla after qualifying to be one of the 20 club professionals in the field. The Westwood CC assistant pro is one of two to make it in from the Mid-Atlantic PGA section after a top-ten finish in the PGA Professional Championship in Frisco. Larkin joins the podcast to share what he learned from his week at Kiawah in 2021 that can help him this week, how he has been prepping for his second major, some insights into the PGA Professionals Championship, learning the game at Hobbs […]
Joining Alex on the show is Dom Lee aka @bandondunes to talk about the 2024 Masters, including his first trip to Augusta National earlier in the week. We discuss an amazing golf deal that he jumped on pre-covid at Worthington Manor and learn about a local golf group called The Hive. Listen to Episode 5 of the Surrender Birdies podcast below!
For nearly three decades, The Sports Junkies have been on the air in the DC market bringing their unique brand of radio to the masses. Affectionately known as Lurch on their show, Jason Bishop is the big man of the foursome that makes up the broadcast team, and has been an avid golfer eager to talk about the game ever since the Junkies got started on cable-access in PG County. Jason joins the podcast to talk about this week’s Masters, some betting strategy, his favorite spots to tee it up and the impact of gambling on golf. Episode sponsor: PINNED […]
Alex talks Grapefruit League golf and public options down in West Palm Beach as well as a visit to Tiger Woods’ booming mini-golf business. Josh stops off at Furnace Creek GC north of Charm City and the discussion turns to a shared love of the nine-holer at Sligo Creek, along with an offbeat anecdote related to the course. Listen to Episode 4 of the Surrender Birdies podcast below!
With a professional golf career spanning 43 years and counting, Fred Funk has experienced close to all you can imagine on tour. The PG County native who played for and coached the UMD golf team before his long journey on tour, joins the podcast to share stories from his career, memories from golf around the beltway, and insights on the modern game. Fred’s incredible career includes 29 professional wins, eight of which came on the PGA Tour, and has made the cut at an astonishing 769 events between the PGA and Champions tours. Our conversation spans it all and is […]
Josh talks a few recent coastal first-state rounds at Baywood Greens, The Rookery & Midway. Alex plays a blustery round at Bull Run and shares some recent observations down at East Potomac. Listen to Episode 3 of the Surrender Birdies podcast below!
Alex and Josh dive into night golf after watching the latest iteration of The Match as well a recent round under the lights played at Knights Play in North Carolina. The discussion dives into the economics of adding lights to a course and where in the DMV night golf could work. Josh goes into the history of the golf course at Georgetown Prep. Listen to Episode 2 of the Surrender Birdies podcast below!
For the past eight years, superintendent Chris Navin has led an on-course resurgence at PB Dye GC, with a continuing series of projects designed to have the course in the conversation as one of the best public options in the region . In the mid-2010s, conditions were in a rough stretch which led to ownership letting the hired golf course management company go and bring all operations in-house and the results have proven overwhelmingly positive. As the course celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the course is looking better than ever, is hosting a US Open qualifier for the second […]
We kick off our new show with a review of the format, a couple host introductions and the plans for the podcast orgoing forward. A recent invite to BHCC gets interrupted by an urgent call from the homefront and the police have to be redirected from looking for one of our hosts mid-round, reflections on a loop at Northwest and more takes on Tiger’s new brand and the Waste Management that no one asked for. Welcome to the new show! Listen to the first SB episode below!
The 2024 PGA Show in Orlando kicks off a conversation with Golf News Net’s founder, Ryan Ballangee. We discuss what Ryan saw at the show and how he’s seen the event evolve over the years before our discussion dives into his career in golf media. Just last year, Golf News Net launched a 24-hour golf radio platform with iHeartRadio and is getting ready to launch a similar concept for streaming video. We also touch on the latest news in the pro golf world as well as the recent ownership movement with our local sports franchises.
thegolfnewsnet.com
Listen or watch episode 78 below!
Fresh off last weekend’s PGA Tour Q-School, Davis Lamb joins the podcast to talk through his young career, which saw back-to-back wins on PGA Tour Canada this past summer. Those victories and a top 5 finish in the Fortinet Cup have earned him status on the Korn Ferry Tour with a handful of guaranteed starts to kick off the season in just a few weeks.
Davis is a DC area native who won All-Met POY his senior year at Georgetown Prep in 2016, won a Maryland State Open while playing golf at Notre Dame and can still call Congressional CC home. In our conversation he provides us a glimpse into life on tour, overcoming swing issues, his mindset during the summer’s hot streak as well as some opinions on the golf world’s current hot topics.
www.pgatour.com/player/59125/davis-lamb
Listen or watch episode 77 below!
Jim Estes has enjoyed a long journey tied to this game. The DC area native and long-time resident spent years playing professionally on various tours both domestically and abroad, playing in five majors and earning his PGA Tour card for a year in the late 90s. But his enduring contribution to the game is co-founding the Salute Military Golf Association, created in 2006 to help post 9/11 wounded veterans improve life after combat through the game of golf.
Jim talks with us about making an impact on the lives of wounded veterans, his time playing for Fred Funk at UMD, coaching the Good Counsel program for a decade and moving to Blue Mash after over 20 years at Olney Golf Park.
jimestesgolf.com
smga.org
Sponsored byUnion Green
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Listen or watch episode 76 below!
In our 75th podcast episode, we speak with five young golfers about their experience with the First Tee of Greater Washington DC and the impact both the organization and the game of golf has made with each of them. This impressive group each continued with The First Tee well into their teenage years, representing the chapter at an array of national events, all while competing on their high school teams.
The episode is finished off with a conversation with Executive Director, Clint Sanchez, who talks about the state of the organization, it’s recent growth, and what lies ahead.
FirstTeeDC.org
Timestamps:
04:52 – Daryn Dickens
23:24 – Joey Nguyen
43:44 – Eugene Choi
1:00:24 – Christina Fuentes
1:24:40 – Diego DeJesus
1:39:23 – Clint Sanchez
Sponsored byUnion Green
Locally inspired gear and exceptional-quality golf products designed for both comfort and style, wherever you are.
Enter code “BeltwayGolfer20” for 20% off your order
Listen or watch episode 75 below!
Retiring this season after a 27-year run as head golf coach for the Langley HS Saxons in McLean, Al Berg has led his program on a remarkable run of success. His team is competing to extend a run of seven consecutive Virginia Class 6 State Championship, and add to a total of 9 state titles with Coach Berg at the helm.
He joins the podcast to share stories, talk about his career, provide some insights into what has led to his program’s success and how he has made it all work despite moving to Richmond over a decade ago.
Sponsored by
UnionGreen.com
Locally inspired gear and exceptional-quality golf products designed for both comfort and style, wherever you are.
Enter code “BeltwayGolfer20” for 20% off your order
Listen or watch Episode 74 below!
Recently named as one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 teachers and having already been included in Golf Digest’s Top 50, Trillium Rose has established herself as one of the preeminent instructors in the game. Based at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD, she has also attracted a legion of followers to her social media channels where she has applied her film production background into impactful videos helping golfers of all skill levels.
Trillium joins the podcast and shares the details of her career journey, talks Woodmont Country Club and how her graduate studies in motor learning have helped her students improve their game.
trilliumrose.com
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UnionGreen.com
Locally inspired gear and exceptional-quality golf products designed for both comfort and style, wherever you are.
Enter code “BeltwayGolfer20” for 20% off your order
Listen or watch Episode 73 below!
Having been named one of the top 50 Golf Fitness Trainers in America by Golf Digest every year since the list began, Jason Meisch is about as trusted a source for golf exercise training and performance enhancement as you'll find.Jason and the PEAK team have been training golfers at their Rockville location since 2009 and have just opened their second larger facility in Ashburn. Much of the region's top young talent has been trusting PEAK to help them reach the next level and optimize their physical performance on and off the course.peakgoffitness.comEpisode sponsor:UnionGreen.comUnion Green is a lifestyle golf brand offering affordable performance golf balls, apparel, and gear to support local golfers—especially at the municipal and public courses, where so many first fall in love with golf.Check out Episode 72 below!https://youtu.be/ihbmJmhLiOI
With a lack of an end-of-season tournament available for his Stone Ridge golf team and other local private schools girls golf programs, Justin Nogay recently launched the Washington Metro Private School Girls’ Tournament, which in its second year fielded high school girls from 12 area schools. The success of his team and his contributions to girls golf helped land Justin, All-Met Coach of the Year honors this Spring.
This past fall, he moved to Charleston, SC to launch his golf performance business and commuted back to DC every week during the season to coach the team. Justin joins the podcast to talk about his journey with Stone Ridge golf, his passion of making golfers better through bio-mechanics and the challenges that currently face assistant golf professionals in the industry.
elitegolfperformanceusa.com
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UnionGreen.com
Uniting people on and off the course through public golf #alwaysinplay
Check out Episode 71 below!
Playing golf six times a week is a dream that many who play this game imagine spending their golden years. DC Native and World War II veteran, Bernie Smoot has been living that dream for over 4 decades now since retiring in 1980. Weather permitting and when not visiting his sister and playing golf in Williamsburg, he can be found at the University of Maryland Golf Course nearly every day of the week.
At 97 years of age, Bernie has seemingly found the secret to longevity in this game. He reluctantly only started riding a cart at age 91 and has stopped counting how many times he shot his age many years ago. Mr Smoot was gracious enough to wear a mic during a round and share some of his stories on and off the course.
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Union Green
Uniting people on and off the course through public golf
Listen to Episode 70 below!
Jack Bonifant’s golf career alone is one most golfers would be impressed by. Junior champion at the Bobby Bowers at the age of 16, All-Met in high school, walk-on D1 golfer at James Madison University, and today a plus-handicap who competes for and sits on the board at Argyle Country Club.
His story becomes truly remarkable and inspiring when you add that at just six weeks old, Jack suffered a traumatic brain injury that resulted in him being left-hemiplegic and living a life of constant rehab.
Next month, the second U.S. Adaptive Open will again be held at Pinehurst Resort, where Jack will return to compete against of a field of talented golfers with a wide range of disabilities. He joins the podcast to cover a wide range of topics including how his disability impacts his life, competing in this area, and his love for Argyle Country Club.
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Uniting people on and off the course through public golf #alwaysinplay
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As one of less than 500 PGA Master Professionals, Mike Dickson exudes a passion for seeing his students improve along with a deep understanding of the mechanics of the golf swing. After a seventeen-year run at Congressional Country Club, Mike now leads instruction at the MCG Academy at Little Bennett Golf Course.Earlier this month he officially launched The Lagmaster, a swing-aid he personally conceived and designed that as the name suggests, trains the user to create a proper lag in their swing. We sat down at the Little Bennett range and talked about his career, how Homer Kelley's The Golfing Machine has influenced his teaching, his time at Congo and the process of bringing the Lagmaster to market.lagmastersports.comEpisode Sponsors:Register today to get up to two-hundred-and-fifty dollars back in Bonus Bets if your first bet loses! All you need to do is sign up, make an initial deposit, and you’llbe ready to bet with Betway.Please gamble responsibly – must be twenty-one years or older to wager withreal money. Terms and conditions apply.Uniting people on and off the course through public golfUnionGreen.comListen or watch Episode 68 below!
For over 20 years, Jimmy Garvin ran programs at Langston Golf Course that included creating a learning center in the clubhouse where he used the game of golf as a carrot to get kids to focus on their education as well as exposing new destinations to a traveling team of All-Stars that competed against their peers abroad. Jimmy Garvin served as President of Golf Course Specialists, the longtime lease-holder of the three DC courses. He and his Legacy Foundation had a profound impact on many kids in this region who were able to see the game of golf as a vehicle to something greater.His programs came to a halt in 2012 after a well-publicized case involving a DC Councilmember who misused funds intended for these programs. Jimmy was forced to restart and eventually became part of the ownership group at Marlton Golf Course in PG County and today manages Rock Creek Park Golf Course.jimmygarvingolf.orgSponsored by Union Green - Uniting people on & off the Green through public golf - uniongreen.comListen or watch below!https://youtu.be/-o4n5yJuyR4
The indoor golf market has exploded in the US over the past few years with simulators popping up seemingly everywhere you look. After well-establishing itself as a global leader in the industry, Korean-based Golfzon opened its North American headquarters in Northern Virginia and is methodically pursuing US market share as this trend shows no sign of slowing down.Golfzon America's James McDonald sat down with us at their Chantilly offices to talk about all aspects of indoor simulator golf including what the future of this market and technology holds.Listen or watch below!https://youtu.be/zPYXzCix1Yo
When not working behind the camera on some of DC's most-watched shows like Meet The Press & Scott Van Pelt's SportsCenter, Garrett Johnston has been hustling to make a name for himself in the golf world, both as a writer and with a microphone. The Alexandria-based fellow podcaster has hosted over 140 episodes of Beyond The Clubhouse where he talks primarily with Tour Players, their Caddies and other media members covering professional golf.Garrett joins the show to talk about his journey in the game, his strategies in getting that hard-to-get interview, the guidance he's received from a few folks at the very top of the profession and we also talk about this week's Master Tournament.Episode sponsored byRegister today to get up to two-hundred-and-fifty dollars back in Bonus Bets if your first bet loses! All you need to do is sign up, make an initial deposit, and you’llbe ready to bet with Betway.Please gamble responsibly – must be twenty-one years or older to wager withreal money. Terms and conditions apply.Listen or watch Episode 65 below!
One of the best stories in DC-area sports the last few years has been not just the resurrection, but the play of the Howard University Golf team. Leading the way on the course has been Gregory Odom Jr who has won several events since transferring into the program from Memphis, and got the opportunity to compete in the Wells Fargo Championship at TPC Potomac in 2022. While Steph Curry's highly publicized donation got the Howard Golf Program off the ground and thrust into the national spotlight, the play by Odom and his teammates under the guidance of Coach Sam Puryear has helped them stay there.He joins the podcast to talk about his journey from Memphis to Howard, his relationship with Coach Sam Puryear, the success he's had on the course, and what it's like playing with the national attention of a superstar's commitment to the program.Listen or watch below!https://youtu.be/YzJebnFOa7g
With 190 episodes under their belt and counting, Adam Hallenbeck and Eddie Taylor have been sharing their light-hearted stories and golf takes for four years. The Maryland-based duo tape the Mediocre Golf Podcast every week where they banter about their observations, recent rounds, buddies trips and whatever else is on their mind. We sat down to hear about their journey into podcasting and learn more about what drives this pair to tape their golf thoughts each and every week. Our discussion was taped in the clubhouse at Northwest Golf Course in Silver Spring, MD.Listen or watch below!https://youtu.be/d0opNxwiyHA
This episode was taped on the convention center floor during this month's PGA Show in Orlando, FL The annual industry event looked a bit more normal this year after going virtual in 2020 due to covid & last year's which was skipped by almost every major OEM.A couple weeks prior to the event, David Grossman of the Gibson Island Club was awarded Merchandiser of the Year in the private club category by the Mid-Atlantic PGA. He explains a bit of his strategy in stocking his shop, what he looks for at this show & gives us some history on the architecturally rich golf club as well as some background on its popular logo. SuperSpeed Golf is a training aid and program that has capitalized on the movement across both professional & amateur golf to maximize swing speed and hit the ball farther. Co-founder, Michael Napoleon gives us some background on how the company got started and the science behind why it can have such a quick and lasting impact on a golf swing.Tyler Golf Bags was launched less than three years ago to fill a gap in the market that founder, Tyler McDaniel and his peers were looking for themselves. Thin profile, fully customizable carry bags at an affordable price. At last year's show, we shared some laughs with him and his club pro father, Jay, during a chance meeting at a nearby watering hole. Tyler joins the show to provide some insight on his growing business and his notable show marketing strategy of walking the floor with golf bags over each shoulder in lieu of a traditional booth.12:18 David Grossman29:28 Michael Napolean51:14 Tyler McDanielListen or watch below!https://youtu.be/jZVnneGUh20
With the highest population of any county in Virginia and the third highest median income in the country, Fairfax County has golfers galore. Its Park Authority provides and manages seven properties that run the gamut of municipal golf. A 36-hole property at Twin Lakes, two-executive nines at Pinecrest & Jefferson District, a pair of par […]
Flying under the radar while in the ear of some of golf’s top stars has been Julia Elion’s modus operandi for going on two decades. While most golf fans likely aren’t familiar with her, she is still very active in working with tour pros at the very top of the sport. With a resume that […]
Striving to elevate a Division 1 golf program to new heights as a first-time coach takes a tremendous amount of passion and work. Coach Greg Pieczynski was hired to lead the George Mason team just prior to the pandemic shutting down sports around the country and ever since has been managing all aspects of the […]
Wearing multiple hats in the world of golf as both the founder of a consultancy to brands & companies in the golf space as well as co-founding a player agency, Nick Green has points of view into this game from all sorts of angles. His career began in his native UK representing up-and-coming players that […]
As general manager for the past fourteen years at Golfdom, Matt Trenton has been a mainstay at the long-standing Tyson’s retailer. Earlier this year, the business agreed to be acquired by Worldwide Golf Shops, a Bethesda-based parent company of several well-known golf retailers throughout the country. Matt joins the podcast to discuss what went into […]
A fixture on the grounds of Langston Golf Course for the past three decades, Ray Savoy’s contributions to golf in DC have been significant. The DC native is in the US Golf Teachers Federation Hall of Fame and founded the Langston Boys & Girls Golf Club in 1990 despite only coming to the game of […]
As Ocean City, Maryland’s golf course development started to boom in the early 90’s, Bobby Vermillion saw an opportunity to merge his love of golf with his advertising sales career and start a television show to help promote the area as a golf destination. Thirty years and still going strong, Bobby has been the face […]
Putting together charity golf outings where attendees not only enjoy themselves and want to come back, but fundraising goals are consistently hit can be a tricky endeavor. Walter Kirkland puts together several tournaments each year for both organizations he runs or is a part of as well as events where he is hired simply to […]
Responsible for some of the highest profile golf course renovation & restorations in the country right now, Andrew Green’s profile has risen dramatically over the past several years. His transformational work on Congressional’s Blue Course is getting it’s first look from a national audience this week for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Andrew called into […]
Despite being retired from tour golf for six years as well as having her first child just a few months earlier, Jenny Suh Thompson grabbed the lone qualifying spot for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at the PGA Stroke Play in February. Congressional is a homecoming for the former junior golf standout from Fairfax, who […]
Brought on to lead the maintenance & grounds teams prior to the renovation of the Blue Course, Pete Wendt and his staff have had extremely busy few years. First working hand in hand with the architecture team, the builders & contractors during the course transformation and re-opening just last year. And now ensuring the course […]
When the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship comes to town next week, it will not only be the first in a series of PGA of America championships to be hosted at Congressional Country Club over the next decade and a half, but it will also be an unveiling to a televised global audience of the Blue […]
Created to bring together golfers with all types of disabilities to compete in a single national open, Jason Faircloth and the United States Disabled Golf Association brought the 2022 event to Laurel Hill GC in Lorton, VA. Golfers from all over the country and a wide range of impairments competed this week for 54 holes […]
Launched in 2015 by a pair of grad school pals that saw a gap in premium apparel in the pro shop, Holderness & Bourne has grown from four early pro shops stocking their shirts to now over 1000 accounts and growing offering belts, hats, bags, pullovers and more. Headquartered in New York, founders Alex Holderness […]
While many prominent black golfers from the mid-20th century had significant roles in knocking down golf’s color barrier, Charlie Sifford is often referred to as the Jackie Robinson of golf for being the first African-American to be a card-carrying member of the PGA Tour and contributing to the removal of the PGA’s shameful Caucasian-only clause, […]
This Memorial Day weekend the Mid-Atlantic PGA along with the PGA of America is engaging in a nationwide fundraising effort to support veterans and increase opportunities to expose them to golf. As part of the PGA HOPE program courses throughout the region and country will be helping raise funds and awareness of their programs geared […]
Having won at every level from junior golf while at Georgetown Prep, to global amateur events while at the University of Virginia & later the Korn Ferry Tour championship, it seems just a matter of time before the Montgomery County native & five-year PGA Tour veteran, Denny McCarthy finds the winner’s circle at the highest […]
The preparation that goes into getting a golf course ready to host a PGA Tour event requires a tremendous amount of planning & coordination, to ensure conditions are ideal when the tour pros visit and throngs of attendees pack the grounds. Leading this effort at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm is Tim Connolly, who along […]
While it would be true to say that Billy Hurley III’s win on the PGA Tour put him on a very short list of winners at the highest level of golf from the capital region, that fact is hardly what makes that win & his career so unique. Having served 5 years in active service […]
Not many caddies on the PGA Tour are as well known & well respected as Jim “Bones” Mackay. After 25 years working with Phil Mickelson, his perspective on the game reached new heights spending 4 years on the NBC/Golf Channel broadcast team, receiving seemingly universal approval for his contributions as a tournament commentator. This past […]
The Mid-Atlantic Section of the PGA has been serving its membership comprised of over 1100 PGA Professionals throughout Maryland, DC & Virginia for almost a century. The MAPGA maintains a wide range of responsibilities, including running an extensive tournament schedule, a robust junior golf program & assistance in a variety of ways to its membership. […]
Beginning as a way for a group of college friends to stay in touch and talk golf, then evolving into a modest hustle selling extra hats and shirts, Sugarloaf Social Club has deftly leveraged social media to become a thriving business with a passionate community of golf-loving supporters. Founded by Ian Gilley & Harrison Lewis, Sugarloaf not only has a merchandise shop that often sells out of their sought-after gear minutes after release but they have also been hired by some of the most revered golf properties in the game seeking fresh perspectives and creative design work.
The impact that the Virginia-based duo has had in the golf world in a relatively short amount of time, while remaining a two-person business has been remarkable. Ian sat down with us at the East Potomac Park Miniature Golf Course for a wide-ranging conversation providing insight into the story of Sugarloaf, what has helped drive their success and what’s in store for the future.
Few have had a life in golf as impactful as Deane Beman. Before a two-decade run as PGA Tour Commissioner where he ushered the sport from small-purses and minimal television coverage to major network deals and the big dollars that go with it, he was a standout golfer in his own right.
Twice he qualified for the US Open as a teenager while at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Before turning professional he won the US Amatuer twice, the British Amatuer as well as played college golf for the University of Maryland. After four tour wins, he was convinced to give up his playing career and lead the PGA Tour into a new era. As commissioner his impact is immeasurable, ushering in television deals the sports world had never before seen, starting both Ben Hogan & Senior Tours (now Korn Ferry & Champions) & creating the TPC.
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Sustainability in the game of golf is an increasingly relevant multi-faceted topic within the industry. Andrew Szunyog is the DC-based co-founder of Driving The Green, a golf sustainability consultantcy. At next week’s Symposium on Municipal Golf, Andrew will be leading a panel on the subject, covering a wide-range of how golf courses can help themselves and the communities around them be more sustainable. (Listen to the episode for a 25% discount code on tickets to the Symposium presented by National Links Trust)
Driving the Green has also partnered with Hunter Industries Golf Division to plant 1,000 trees through the use of the health and wellness app Active Giving. Active Giving converts your activities and sweat equity into planted trees that provides income and economic opportunity for farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa while helping to sequester carbon. Link below..
https://www.drivingthegreen.golf/projects/agroforestry-trees
The land that Laurel Hill Golf Course sits on in Lorton, Virginia has a rich history written about by Joshua Stueve in his piece titled “Ground Under Repair” in The Golfers Journal #5 (fall 2018). During the research for the article, he interviewed Laurel Hill’s course architects from Love Golf Design, Bill Love & Brian Kington. Joshua & Brian became fast friends & golf partners seeing eye-to-eye in their views and approach to this game.
Brian Kington is now out on his own leading Kington Golf, his own golf architecture firm that is busy with exciting projects in the mid-atlantic & beyond. The three of us had a conversation that spanned the history and building of Laurel Hill, projects that Kington Golf is working on & where the industry is headed.
kingtongolf.com
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Brought into the golf course design business by his father, the prolific Ed Ault, Brian has carved out a career that is approaching 50 years with golf course work completed all around the globe. While many of the projects Brian led in this region were renovation & course improvement jobs, his notable new-build designs include Worthington Manor, Andrews Air Force Base’s South Course & Wyncote Golf Club.
We sat down with Brian at Montgomery Country Club, where he has long been a member and a course his father designed back in 1963, to talk about his lengthy career in golf course architecture and the firm’s impact on golf in this region.
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Open up the current issue of Golf Digest (Sept ’21) and you will see an 8-page feature by the Club at Creighton Farms’ first ever Director of Instruction, Erika Larkin. Having been named the #1 teacher in the state of Virginia by her peers in every vote conducted by the publication since 2014, Golf Digest recently brought Erika in as their newest staff teaching professional.
The New York native played her college golf in Harrisonburg and has been teaching the game at various northern Virginia clubs ever since. Erika’s social media presence is huge and continues to rapidly grow as her ability to take what can be complex swing concepts and boil them down to fun, understandable tips, appeals to golfers of all types. She joined the podcast to talk about her career, teaching methods, students and what is in the works going forward.
erikalarkin.com
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It has now been one year since National Links Trust took over operations of the three public golf courses in our nation’s capital. Seemed an appropriate time to have another key piece of the operation on the podcast to hear some insight on the day-to-day operations as well as updates on the progress for the long-term vision of the properties.
Tim Krebs is the Area Director of Operations for Troon Golf & National Links Trust overseeing the goings on at East Potomac Golf Links, Langston GC & Rock Creek Park Golf. Tim is not new to these properties having spent a decade in this role for the previous operator, but now with the resources to implement for the long-term , he can now help execute on improvements both big and small that he and so many in this DC golf community have sought for the three courses for a long time.
National Links Trust – PlayDCGolf – Troon
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So many golfers have lists of courses in some form of another that they are seeking to play. Whether it be best-of lists from magazines, the catalog of a certain architect or bucket-list big ticket destination golf, mapping out future rounds at yet unplayed tracks is common practice for most that play this game. For Jim Wilcox, who fell for the game later in life, his pursuit was the golf landscape within the Old Line state… all of it. Shortly after his retirement, Jim sought out & accomplished his goal of playing play every public, private & short course in Maryland. He joins the BG podcast to recount his quest and tell a few of his stories of getting on some of the more exclusive clubs in the state.
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Often overlooked when trying to improve the golf swing is what the golfer’s body is physically capable of. Mobility, strength & flexibility play an enormous role in how balanced, fast & complete the golf swing has the potential of being.
Casey Edwards is a physical therapist & golf performance coach, and not only does he sit down to talk about how the body functions with the golf swing and how golfers can increase range of motion & strength but also puts us through the 16-point Titleist Performance Institute physical screen.
Based in Reston, Edwards Golf Performance Training helps golfers of all shapes and sizes increase mobility & strength as well as recover from injury.
edwardsgolfpt.com
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And here for the
As golf simulation tech has made huge advancements over the past decade, indoor golf businesses have been populating the urban landscape. On the forefront of the U.S. market is Five Iron Golf, which recently opened up their 9th location in Washington D.C. Founded by Jared Solomon, Five Iron offers a venue for the casual, the serious & even the non-golfer. The D.C. location is outfitted with 10 trackman equipped hitting bays, two bars and ample room to socialize just a half-block from the Capital One Arena.
Jared joined us to talk about why Five Iron Golf has been successful, what they hope to offer the DC market & where the industry is headed. (He also offers a couple dynamite incentives to check out Five Iron DC for listeners of this podcast!)
Five Iron Golf
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This episode brought to you by Fore Craft Cocktails
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This summer is the 100th anniversary of the lone golf major hosted at Columbia Country Club, the 1921 U.S. Open. The USGA awarded the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship to the historic club in Chevy Chase in part as a commemoration, but also as a return to the course that hosted the U.S. Boy’s Junior back in 2003 won by Brian Harman. A field of 156 players from 13 countries, ranging in age from 18 to as young as 12 years old will compete in this 72nd year of the event, with the champion gaining exemption to the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.
Head Pro, Bob Dolan & members of the committee for the event, Molly LeBlanc & Jesse McCollum joined the podcast to talk about what has gone into the preparation for the event, both on the course and off, the history of the club & what to expect for the players, attendees, and viewers of the weekend coverage on Golf Channel.
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Looking to become the first golfer to represent Washington D.C. in the Special Olympics USA Games and perhaps beyond, Perez Plater is actively putting in the work necessary. He and Coach Nat, his coach and a former Olympian himself, sat down for this podcast at Langston GC, their home course, to talk about Perez’ progress, his journey within the sport and what needs to be done to prepare for Orlando next Summer. A DC native and local to the adjoining neighborhood, Perez has not only been helped by Langston staff and the community, but he is very much a part of it.
Nicole Preston, the CEO of Special Olympics DC, also joined to discuss the program and the process for Perez to compete in the USA Games and possibly the Special Olympics World Games.
specialolympicsdc.org
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The dream of many an avid golfer is to have their own course designed just how they want, to play anytime they’d like on their own property. Cliff Miller not only accomplished this with The Schoolhouse Nine, built on farmland in Sperryville, Virginia that has been in his family for generations, but he made it available & welcoming for golfers of all types to enjoy.
To help get his course built Cliff reached out to Tom Doak, who recommended Mike McCartin, one of his former shapers, being local to the region & looking for projects of his own.
Mike & Cliff saw eye to eye on the vision of Schoolhouse Nine, and the result is an immensely enjoyable, minimalist, par 27 layout set in the shadows of Shenandoah National Park and makes for a perfect day or overnight trip from the beltway.
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In 2019, Henrico County issued an RFP to operate Belmont Golf Course, which was purchased by the county back in 1977. The historic A.W. Tillinghast design played host to the only major in the history of the state of Virginia, the 1949 PGA Championship won by native son Sam Snead.
The contract was awarded to the First Tee of Greater Richmond, who’s unique proposal included restoring 12 original holes as well as adding a six-hole par-3 course, putting course and expanded practice facility. Leading these efforts is Brent Schneider, the chapter’s CEO, who joined the podcast to discuss the plan, the reopening in May, what the future holds for Belmont and the role this project plays in municipal golf going forward.
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The DC area’s chapter of First Tee got going back in 1999, not long after the national organization was founded in partnership with several of the sport’s governing bodies. After operating solely at East Potomac & Langston golf courses for its first 15 years, the First Tee of Greater Washington DC expanded into Northern Virginia […]
This is part 2 of the conversation with Tom Clark. Here we focus more on his most recent project, Cutalong at Lake Anna, where we did the taping after playing the course.
After two decades of starts and stops, all 18 holes are now open and Cutalong is having its official grand opening later this summer. Tom partnered with longtime Golf Digest Architecture Editor, Ron Whitten, to create an eclectic layout, where each hole is inspired by or pays homage to the game’s great architects and golf holes. The result is a unique course comprised of a wide array of features & design styles.
We also touch on a few more areas of Tom’s extensive career and impact on golf in the region as the conversation progresses.
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Having been a golf course architect for 50 years, Tom Clark has experienced just about all one can within the business. Hired by Ed Ault upon graduating college in 1971, Tom has been creating & reworking golf courses ever since.
With the firm that eventually became Ault, Clark & Associates being based in suburban D.C., the amount they did in the area over five-plus decades is astounding. The firm has worked on, designed or renovated a wide-ranging list of courses ranging from munis to daily fee publics to some of the top-tier private clubs in the area. Tom himself can be solely credited with over 100 new designs, many being in the region, among them Blue Ridge Shadows, Pleasant Valley & River Creek. He was integral in the original layout & building of TPC Avenel & his latest, Cutalong at Lake Anna, officially opens later this year.
This is part 1 of our conversation where we talk about his career and extensive work in the region. For part 2 we will go into more detail on Cutalong.
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-UPDATE: Not long after this podcast was recorded, the sale of the golf course was completed and new ownership did not retain staff. Shawn, Donny & Michael have each moved to new positions at other golf facilities-
For our final episode of the year, we dive into the goings-on out at Lake Presidential Golf Club. After opening twelve years ago, LP was immediately a must-play for any public golfer in the dmv looking for a hefty layout without getting too far outside the beltway. Its reputation took a hit after conditions slid significantly in 2016 and new management was brought in to bring it back to what it had been. Unrelated to that period, ownership of the property have stuck to their original plan of selling the course when the larger development was complete, which makes for an uncertain future as the process plays out.
The head superintendent brought in back in ’16 was Shawn Gill, who sits down with us to talk about what was done to get it back to the great shape its in now, and what his team continues to do to keep it that way. Donny Ernakovich leads operations today and joins the conversation providing insight on where everything stands presently. Finally, Mike Chiadis also sits down with us, who joined the team from sorely missed Glenn Dale GC and wears several hats here at Lake Presidential.
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Having some of the longest hitters of a golf ball on the planet come to Washington D.C. and bomb drives on the National Mall seems almost too far-fetched & logistically challenging of an idea to be able to pull off. Yet in four short months since the concept was thought up, the event has not only became a reality, the taping of the production is ready to air on Golf Channel next week.
We sat down with Justin Harrison, the founder of My Brother’s Birdies (starts at 6:35 mark), who can be credited, along with the team at EventsDC, with the creation of the event. Greg O’Dell, EventsDC’s CEO (37:14) and self-identifying golf-nut, then talks about the production of the CLDC and the future of the city’s relationship with golf. And since the stars of the show are the long-drivers themselves, we sat down with the lone local competitor in the field, Josh Jackson (53:01), who is a dynamic athlete beginning to make a name for himself within the sport of long-drive.
The Capital Long Drive Classic airs on Golf Channel on Thurs, 12/17 at 11am & Sun, 12/20 at 5pm
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Despite coming to the game later in life, Michael Williams has held numerous interesting roles within golf, has traveled the globe covering the game & spoken with a who’s who of the sport over the years for his own show, the 19th hole on GolfWRX.
Earlier this year in the wake of the social upheaval that gripped the country following the killing of George Floyd, the native Washingtonian penned a letter to the golf industry, directed at the game’s governing bodies that were struggling for a response or how to take action. In Michael’s letter he talks about his frustration with how the game he loves has not sufficiently progressed on issues of diversity and inclusion and provides his thoughts, ideas & proposals on how the sport can & must do better.
In our conversation, we hear Michael’s backstory growing up in D.C., and journey in life & golf that has formed his opinions and perspective today.
GolfWRX – Michael Williams
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After spending nearly a decade at SBNation writing primarily on golf, Brendan Porath’s byline begins with podcast host. Three times a week, Brendan(!)and his co-host Andy Johnson (The Fried Egg) publish their off-the-cuff takes and musings on professional golf. Never shying away from calling out players or the industry in often hilarious ways traditional golf media never would, coupled with top-shelf knowledge of the game they have earned the credibility and a following that includes many that work inside the ropes.
Based just outside the beltway, the Cleveland native has called the DC area home for over ten years and shares some of our views on the DMV’s significance to the game. We cover his backstory on becoming a golf writer, his time at SBNation, the success of The Shotgun Start, a few local tour players and since the first ever Fall Masters is next week, he provides this show with its first ever Masters preview! (kinda sorta)
thefriedegg.com/category/podcasts/shotgun-start-podcast/
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Earlier this month National Links Trust took over operation as the long-term lessor of the three golf courses on National Park Service land in Washington D.C., East Potomac Park, Langston & Rock Creek Park. This project, which has justifiably garnered a tremendous amount of excitement not just locally but nationally, has years of work ahead has only just gotten started.
National Links Trust was founded by Will Smith & Mike McCartin, the latter of which was the inaugural guest on this podcast back in June before the National Park Service had chosen a winning bid to operate the courses. With NLT in place as the operator, we sat down with Will Smith to learn about the bidding process, more details on their plans, the timeline of work ahead & his journey in golf that has led him to help lead this project.
nationallinkstrust.com
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Over the past several years, the crew from No Laying Up has turned into a major force in golf media, with several highly quality video series & podcasts, a massive following on social media, in-demand golf trips and an online community spawned from their message board, The Refuge.
Last month we participated in the first NLU/Refuge outing in the DMV out at Westfields Golf Club and sat down with four “refugees” as they call themselves, and talked about the appeal of No Laying Up, the golf media landscape and potential Strapped itineraries in the region.
One of the NLU fivesome, Todd Schuster aka Tron Carter, joined us for a conversation as well and filled us in on their future plans involving D.C.
refuge.nolayingup.com
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During the late '90's boom of golf course construction, high-end public courses were beginning to open at a rapid pace. In Frederick County, Bob Sturges saw opportunity and was the first to open when in 1997, he purchased the piece of farmland that would become Worthington Manor Golf Club.
Twenty-three years later the family-run operation is going strong and is one of the premier courses in a county with a handful of great options. Bob is the first proprietor to join the show and we got to hear his perspective on running a golf club & the history of Worthington Manor.
worthingtonmanor.com
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As the host of two popular Ringer podcasts, Fairway Rollin’ & House of Carbs, Joe House is very comfortable speaking into a mic. The DMV native and longtime DC resident has been teeing it up on courses around town for decades and jumped at the chance to sit down and chat about local golf.
We met up with House and talked everything from local clubhouse food options, to old-school Bullets basketball, to the history of his working friendship with Bill Simmons throughout his rise in media and much more.
https://www.theringer.com/fairway-rollin
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For the past 15 years, Donna Hoffman has been helping expose the game to women throughout the country with the company she founded, WomenOnCourse. The organization focuses on the social & networking benefits of golf above competition and has found this approach to be extremely successful having a membership that exceeds 20,000 (mostly) women, hosting over 800 events a year in 14 different markets.
Donna is a dmv native and both she and the company are based in their flagship market of Northern Virginia, where they host happy hours, social events, and outings at courses all around the area. She joined us to talk about the history of WomenOnCourse, barriers women face getting into the game & where the company is headed.
womenoncourse.com
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Optimizing the precise club component specs for each golfer's unique swing is big business and the impact that club fitting can have is growing every year along with expanding options. With nearly a quarter-century of experience as an independent golf fitter, Matt Grabowy is one of the most knowledgable you will find on the subject in the area.
After 18 years in Georgia, Matt relocated The Golf Doctor to DC, and his third floor K St studio is situated to easily accommodate the fitting needs for many of the power players working in our nation's capital. Matt details his process when fitting a golfer, why he builds the clubs himself on-site & shares his views on the impact each component and club can have on a golfer's game when fitted correctly.
www.golfdoctordc.com
After years of teaching at several area courses and it came time to find a home for his own golf instruction business, Mark Russo came back to where his career began.. Night Hawk Golf Center. The fun driving range & par 3 course on a bustling section of MD route 3 maintains a neighborhood atmosphere and a laid back vibe.
Mark is one of Golf Digest's top teachers in Maryland, MAPGA's 2018 teacher of the year, their current Northern Chapter president and now also a podcast host himself. We sat down at Night Hawk and talked about Mark's journey in golf, his philosophies on teaching and the state of golf in the area.
markrussopga.com
It is well -documented that hockey players love to golf. For Ethan Siemiesz, the perfect home to work within both of the sports he loves is Chevy Chase Club. One of the more prestigious clubs in the region and located just inside the beltway, CCC is also home to one of the only full-size outdoor ice hockey rinks in the area.
Ethan keeps himself busy with his several roles, including assistant director of Hockey, caddie & member of the ice crew for the Washington Capitals for every home game down at the Capital One Arena. He sat down with us to give us some inside stories and knowledge from both the fairways and on the ice.
This game is all about having fun, and the guys at the GolfDMV keep that a priority at all times. Launched in 2017, the GolfDMV podcast focusing on their adventures in golf around the area, has been full of laughs, stories, and insights into the rounds they play and people that meet along the way.
Last year, they had us on the GolfDMV as a guest, and they were one of the first that we reached out to when the BeltwayGolfer podcast got underway. Despite some technical hiccups on our virtual meetup, Claude, LB & Vernon were a blast to sit down with again, learn more about how it all got started and hear all the latest at the GolfDMV.
www.golfdmvpodcast.com
Traveling the country in a custom van going from course to course playing with subscribers of The Golfer's Journal, Casey Bannon is living out an absolute dream of a summer roadie. Now based near the TGJ's headquarters in Southern California, the DMV native is making his way through the area in preparation for several events in the mid-Atlantic.
Launched in 2017, The Golfer's Journal has provided a much-needed alternative to traditional golf publications as an independent quarterly packed with stunning photography & stories that focus on the soul of the game.
We met up with Casey at Fort Belvoir where he first caught the golf bug, played a few holes & got to learn his story in golf, how he got connected with TGJ & where the van is headed next.
www.golfersjournal.com
With a resume that includes All-Met Player of the Year, All-SEC, Mid-Atlantic PGA Teacher of the Year & multiple stops as a coach at D1 programs, John Scott Rattan has experienced this game from all angles. Today, he works as a teaching professional at the prestigious Congressional Country Club which is currently going through a highly anticipated renovation.
A proud native of the area, he could not have been a more accomodating guest as he willingly shared his story in golf with us. John Scott works with, has played against & even caddied for some of the best in the sport and wants people to know that the DC area is under-appreciated when it comes to the level of talent the region produces, as he sees it firsthand every day.
www.jsrgolf.com
Over the past decade, the golf retail industry has gone through tremendous change, with national chains scaling back their operations & independent off-course stores becoming few and far between. Buddy Christensen and his Golfdom team in Tysons Corner have persevered as a beloved business for their outstanding service and remain an invaluable resource for players of all levels throughout the dmv.
We spoke with Buddy about everything Golfdom has to offer, the history of the business founded by Joe Chang as one of the Washington Golf Centers, how his team stays on top of the latest industry trends and the ways they've had to get creative to overcome the covid-related challenges still affecting the business today.
www.golfdomgolf.com
While golf simulators are seemingly popping up everywhere recently, CitySwing was the first to open in Washington D.C. and remains the only option in the city. Since that will likely change sooner rather than later, Tari Cash and her team are working hard to stay ahead of the competition and continue to grow their operation.
We got the privilege to sit down with Tari and learn more about her impressive background, her inspiration to start CitySwing and the team's exciting plans for growth & expansion.
CitySwing can not only be rented by the hour to play a simulated round or get some indoor practice in, but hosts weekly leagues, offers lessons and is a great spot for a private event.
www.cityswingdc.com
As founder of Road2Par, a social event company built around the game of golf, Desiree Walker focuses on exposing people to the lifestyle of the game and creating comfortability around a sport that can be intimidating for the uninitiated.
By day, she is a police officer, striving to help set the example of how best to serve & protect the community. The rest of her time is spent on or around the golf course, hustling to build a business and make an impact using the game she loves.
We sat down at the Country Club at Woodmore, in Prince George's County, where many Road2Par events will be held in the months and years to come.
www.road2par.com
With change on the horizon at Langston and the other DC publics, we wanted to hear from Ernie Andrews, who has been working in some capacity at the historic course for five decades and counting.
Ernie has seen it all and played with them all. Langston Golf Course was once a destination for golfers of all types and was affectionately known as the mecca for black golf on the east coast. There are not many people as qualified to talk about the history here and very few as deserving to have input on its future.
We sat down with Craig Kirby out at Langston GC in Northeast DC, where he was helping one of the young men he works with get settled into their first day interning at the golf course.
Craig is the founder of Golf. My Future. My Game., based in Washington D.C., whose mission is to create opportunities for communities of color within golf. His organization is all about increasing diversity in the sport.
Golf. My Future. My Game. is one of the organizations National Links Trust is planning to work with to ensure accessibility & opportunities for underserved communities at the golf courses in D.C.
For episode three, Jon Eisman had us out to his new teaching studio at Laurel Hill GC in Lorton, Va. Jon talks to us about his start in coaching, who he teaches as well as some of the methods & technology he uses to do so.
Jon was recently named to Golf Digest's Best Teachers in the State of Virginia for 2019-2020 & Eisman Golf Academy has been going strong for several years with locations at both Laurel Hill & Twin Lakes GC in Clifton.
In our second episode, we visit Ben Ellis at Fort Belvoir Golf Club, who along with a skeleton crew, is working to ensure the 36 holes on the property are in the best possible condition when it re-opens after closing due to Covid-19.
Ben has extensive experience as a superintendent at several area facilities, is President of the Maryland Turfgrass Council and has recently been featured on PGA Tour Radio's Katrek & Maginess show and Golf Course Management Magazine.
In the inaugural episode of Beltway Golfer, Mike McCartin provides detail on the National Links Trust bid for the lease of East Potomac Park GC, Rock Creek GC & Langston GC.
Our discussion takes place at Rock Creek Golf Course, where we also cover some of Mike's other local projects such as the recent renovation at Washington Golf & Country Club and the Schoolhouse Nine.