Claim OwnershipTales from the first tee
Subscribed: 1Played: 92
Subscribe
© 2026 Tales from the first tee
Description
Stories about my life experiences and others . Interviews with golfers around the world that have one thing in common...the pursuit of excellence on a golf course and everything else that happens along the way.
50 Episodes
Reverse
Send a text The quiet before a three-foot putt feels a lot like the hush before a quadruple jump—or the breath you take when a headline tries to hijack your day. We open on Jacob Bridgman’s breakthrough at Riviera and live inside that moment where hands go numb, galleries roar, and a life can tilt on a three-and-a-half-foot stroke. What does it take to close when the stakes stretch beyond money to legacy, invitations, and the long arc of a season? We unpack the mechanics of staying present in...
Send a text What happens when a beloved pro-am trades its soul for a signature purse? We unpack Pebble Beach’s $20M pivot—fewer celebrity swings, more surgical golf—and the ripple effects on how fans connect with the sport. The charm of mis-hits and Bill Murray lore gives way to Sunday fireworks as Scotty Scheffler drops three eagles and Colin Morikawa turns a 20‑minute fairway wait into a stone-cold birdie to win. It’s elite theater, but at a cost: the human texture that once made Pebble fee...
Send a text A teenager shoots 60 on the Nicklaus course and suddenly the game looks younger, faster, and braver. We open with Blades Brown’s breakout and the ripple effect of a prodigy who can go low under cameras and crowds, then zoom out to what early crowning means in a sport that remembers both fireworks and flameouts. It’s a celebration and a caution: talent draws a spotlight, and pressure keeps the bulb hot. That theme of pressure runs straight into the psychology of mulligans. On the ...
Send a text A golf journey through St. Simons Island, Georgia showcases both travel recommendations and insights into match play dynamics against memorable characters. Thoughtful putting drills examine perception challenges and alignment solutions for better performance on the greens. • St. Simons Island offers excellent biking, dining at Dorothy's, and nostalgic ice cream at Frosty's Griddle and Shakes • Capybaras in Argentina create unusual hazards despite being protected species • M...
Send a text A few unfamiliar names, a 70-page indictment, and a flood of betting data set the stage for a candid look at how games get bent and why so many of us still want to believe the scoreboard tells the whole truth. I walk through the mechanics of a recent point-shaving scheme at mid-major and D2 programs, how sportsbooks and integrity services flagged coordinated prop bets, and why subpoenas, texts, and money trails make “nobody will know” a losing strategy. The result isn’t moral pani...
Send a text Ever left a party without goodbyes and felt oddly right about it? That’s our jump‑off point for a fast, funny, and candid ride from a midnight move out of Charleston to a new life in Harrisonburg—where a sore back, a pool streak, and a golf addiction spark a deeper look at how we chase joy and manage wear and tear. We talk about the quiet power of leaving at the right time, then get honest about aging, fitness, and the tradeoffs we make when passion runs hot. From there, the conv...
Send a text Finding your zone in golf requires mental clarity, physical precision, and an ability to get out of your own way when it matters most. • What being in the zone feels like - the ball feels "like nothing" at impact • Three Charleston National players share their unique mental strategies • Wright Blanchard's comeback story - from hole-in-one to victory • Brady Nash's technique of focusing on a single dimple on the ball • Willie Charles' data-driven approach from analyzing 1,750 roun...
Send a text Rich Easton dives into the controversial LIV Golf Tour, examining the hypocrisy in responses from the PGA Tour and certain players regarding the Saudi-backed competition. He explores the fundamental differences between tours, questioning why players can't compete across multiple platforms and suggesting how the PGA could innovate to retain talent rather than forcing ultimatums. • The recurring segment "What Annoys Me This Week" focuses on hypocrites who don't recognize their cont...
Send a text Tales from the First Tee returns with a heat-soaked episode full of Southern expressions, golf course characters, and the peculiar relationships we form with our equipment. Your host Rich Easton shares stories from the sweltering fairways of Charleston where even alligators have more sense than the golfers braving triple-digit temperatures. • Team play at Charleston National where all players must contribute for success • Mississippi native "Cloudy Graves" and his colorful Southe...
Send a text Pressure doesn’t need a trophy to feel real. We start with Bethpage Black and the Ryder Cup’s unique voltage—captains orchestrating pairings, European chemistry in foursomes and four-ball, and a home crowd that couldn’t keep the line between passion and taunting. Golf asks for silence; fandom doesn’t always listen. You’ll hear how that tension plays out in shot routines, heart rates, and the razor-thin edge between competitive fire and corrosive noise. From there, we head to a qu...
Send a text Dan Gaeta from Operation VetFit discusses PTSD in veterans and their revolutionary approach to preventing veteran suicide that has resulted in zero suicides among their members. • Clinical definition of PTSD including exposure to traumatic events, intrusion symptoms, avoidance behaviors, and negative alterations in cognition • The "masculine warrior paradigm" that creates challenges when veterans return to civilian life • Success story of Thomas Burke who went from a suicide atte...
Send a text Harry Farthing, author of two novels Summit and Ghost Moths, shares his extraordinary life journey from motorcycle enthusiast to high-altitude mountaineer to writer. His experiences—from boarding school at age eight to climbing Mount Everest and riding motorcycles across continents—have shaped his descriptive storytelling style that brings readers into vivid worlds informed by his adventures. • Sent to boarding school at age eight where he developed independence and discovered Na...
Send a text Journey into the mind of a passionate golfer as Rich Easton delivers an energetic analysis of the upcoming Ryder Cup showdown at Bethpage, New York. With razor-sharp insight, Rich breaks down Team USA's three critical advantages—the raucous New York crowd, Keegan Bradley's all-star coaching staff, and a roster brimming with talent. But don't mistake his patriotism for blind confidence; Rich's detailed assessment of Europe's formidable lineup reveals why this contest will likely co...
Send a text Business golf differs significantly from recreational, competitive, country club, gamblers, and drinkers golf because it's entirely about relationship building rather than winning at any cost. Understanding this distinction can mean the difference between business success and failure. • Business golf is about developing relationships, not winning trophies or small bets • Recreational golf includes mulligans and improved lies while competitive golf focuses on lowest scores and win...
Send a text Tommy Fleetwood's long-awaited breakthrough at Eastlake marks a pivotal moment in golf's mental game saga. After years of Sunday heartbreaks, watching Tommy walk up the 18th with a three-shot lead felt like witnessing the final chapter in a redemption story we weren't sure would ever be written. The revamped FedEx Cup format—where all 30 finalists started on equal footing—delivered exactly the drama and competitive balance golf needed, transforming what Scottie Scheffler had domin...
Send a text Ever found yourself in a heated political argument with a friend or family member and wondered why you're fighting so passionately for politicians who don't even know you exist? In this thought-provoking episode of Tales from the First Tee, I explore this peculiar human tendency and question whether we've become a society that needs coaching just to make it through holiday dinners without conflict. From the fairways of Charleston comes the hilarious true story of "Wi-Fi and Kris ...
Send a text Have you ever made a decision so spectacularly self-sabotaging that you couldn't help but laugh at yourself afterward? That's exactly where we begin this journey—with my confession about renaming a successful golf podcast and promptly losing half my audience. Much like my previous marketing disaster involving overpriced plastic plates during the anti-plastic revolution, it's a perfect example of how ego drives our decisions, often to our detriment. The golf course serves as the p...
Send a text CBS turned a weekend golf tournament into a living eulogy for commentator Ian Baker Finch while simultaneously covering Cameron Young's first PGA Tour victory, creating an awkward juxtaposition that diminished Young's accomplishment. • IBF received an extended farewell after 19 years at CBS with constant tributes throughout the broadcast • Cameron Young's victory and impressive golf was overshadowed by the IBF celebration • Young's victory lacked the typical family celebration mo...
Send a text Rich Easton dives into the fascinating psychology behind Bubba Watson's dramatic collapse at the Travelers Championship, going from leading at 13-under par to a series of bogeys on the final five holes. Harris English eventually claimed victory after an epic eight-hole playoff against Kramer Hickok that finished just as darkness fell. • The number 13 proves unlucky for Bubba Watson when his wheels "fall off" after holding the lead • A confrontation at Patriots Point practice faci...
Send a text Josh and Rich dive into hilariously candid stories about Josh's experiences training Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie and Kate Winslet, revealing the human side of celebrities that fans rarely get to see. • Training Angelina Jolie for Tomb Raider, transforming her from struggling with seven push-ups to doing 20 chin-ups in 12 weeks • Angelina's revelation that "the best high she ever had was being fit" during her physical transformation • The awkward wrestling sessions with Angelin...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States