Grilling At The Green

I speak with Rick Ward, a former NFL punter who transitioned to a career as a golf fitter and instructor, and that transition and his fitting expertise is the central theme of our conversation. We discuss his NFL background, his severe knee injury and later knee replacements, and how those experiences influenced his approach to golf and coaching. Rick and I explain the value ...

I assert at the outset that equipment performance and transparent, data‑driven testing are paramount to achieving predictable results on the golf course. I explain that small factors such as dirt or grass in the grooves can change spin and create unexpected flyers, so we must keep clubs clean and check faces before shots. I describe how experienced testers can read club geome...

I assert that golf technology can overwhelm players, and that well designed tech should recede into the background so players can focus. We discuss how excessive devices produce paralysis by analysis and impair performance on the course. I emphasize that less is more while playing, and that data and devices are more appropriate during practice and fitting. We explain that pro...

We focus on Tom Coyne's management of a golf course and his assertion that professional golf has become increasingly removed from everyday golfers. I describe how my father introduced me to golf and how links golf in Ireland changed my life. Tom argues against rolling the ball back and supports bifurcating equipment to protect the game for ordinary players. We discuss the cur...

I begin with the principal point: Tom Coyne took charge of a nearly one‑hundred‑year‑old nine‑hole course in Sullivan County and now co‑owns and operates the club. I speak with him about running daily operations, from mowing the fairways to managing payroll and the tiny pro shop. We describe how a new logo and merchandise became a vital revenue stream for the club. Tom outlin...