48 - Chris Zambri on Building the Future of American Golf; Inside the U.S. National Development Program
Description
In this episode, Jim sits down with U.S. National Development Program Head Coach Chris Zambri to discuss how the USGA is building a national system to develop America’s next wave of world-class golfers. Zambri shares his journey from USC and Pepperdine to leading the program, why the U.S. needed a true national development model, and how it’s inspired by Sweden’s holistic approach to building complete athletes—mentally, physically, and technically.
They dive into how the program identifies top talent, fills key gaps in junior development like course management and performance analytics, and prepares players for elite competition. Zambri also breaks down the boys team’s groundbreaking appearance at the Sahalee NCAA event, where high schoolers competed against powerhouse college programs—gaining invaluable experience under professional-level conditions.
The US National Development Program also has a Grant Program helping deserving families offset the financial burden of pursuing elite junior golf. The application for the 2026 grants is Friday October 31st. For more information, see https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/usndp-home-page/grant-information.html
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Hosts: Jim Colton (@drivengolfanalytics) & Andrew Lewis (@andrewlewisgolf)
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Producer: Joseph Kay (@joseph_kay)
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