On the Mark Golf Podcast

Mike Maggs is a golf instructor from Temecula, California and is the Academy Director at the Southern California Golf Academy. A product of the Jim McLean Golf Schools, Mike is insightful and brings a simple, yet profound approach to building and improving golf swings. He joins #OntheMark to share his philosophy on the golf-swing while also sharing a few simple drills that are guarateed to improve your ball-striking and accuracy. As Mike describes his technique of "Balance and Letting Go" he shares 5 Drills to help you: A Drill to Improve the Takeaway A Drill to Improve the Top of the Backswing and Transition A Drill to Find and Improve Balance The Tiger "Pause" Drill with a new spin, and The Rubber Tee Drill As he weaves his way through the drills, Michael instructs on Bad Movements and Clubface Awareness.  He also elaborates on the Leverage Point in the Downswing and how maximizing that all but guarantees success.  He talks about Productive Practice and how awareness of 'Two Big Toes and the Nose" will improve your backswing. This podcast is also available as a vodcast.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube.

Michael Breed is one of the foremost golf instructors in the game.  He is the 2012 PGA National Teacher of the Year and a Golf Digest Top 100 Golf Instructor.  He is also the host of “Course Record with Michael Breed” on CBS Sports, and is a regular contributor to CBS Sports HQ.  Breed hosts "A New Breed of Golf" on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and is best known for his infectious energy and insightful golf lessons. Michael joins Mark Immelman to recap the 2024 Masters Tournament and highlight lessons to be learned from the tournament's leading contenders. He illustrates lessons and tips on the golf swing, short game, course management and mental game from: Scottie Scheffler - The Value of Fundamentals Rory McIlroy - Freeing up the Mind Ludvig Åberg - Priorities in the Game Max Homa - Understanding Yourself and your Tendencies, and Jon Rahm - Attitudes for Success Breed also discusses game improvement elements like: How to achieve Consistency What does a Good Shot look like? "Running to Your Fear" Embracing Moments for Success Having the "Moneymaker" in your Mind Praticing under Pressure, and Renaming the Practice Facility for Success on the Range and on the Course. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Michael Leonard is a published author, a mental coach and the founder of "Wicked Smart Golf."  Michael is fast becoming one of the leading minds in golf performance thanks to his insightful and easy manner, and he brings his wicked smart insights to the #OntheMark podcast to help you play more consistent golf. Michael shares 8 tips that will help you become more consistent: Swing your swing Play one shot shape Create a tee-shot strategy Stick to a pre-shot routine despite the results Develop a post-shot routine Follow a productive warm-up Track statistics, and Keep persevering As Michael elaborates on how you can be more consistent he also speaks about Mental Health, Figuring out your own game, Knowing your tendencies and misses, and Managing emotions. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.    

Mark Immelman previews the 2024 Masters Tournament at The Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. He talks about the golf course, the players, and he highlights five skills/elements that competitors need to perform well to excel in The Masters. He dives into, and shares insights to help your golf on: Lag Putting / Green Reading Playing off Uneven Lies Trajectory and Distance Control with the Irons Eliminating a Left Miss, and Commitment, Managing Emotions and Mental Acumen Set yourself up to watch The Masters from an informed point of view, while getting insights to improve your golf.  Download and share this podcast.  You can also view it on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube.

Bo Watson is a former Tour Professional who turned to Golf Instruction and has become a respected Golf Teaching Professional.  Shannon Shuskey is a former Professional Soccer player and a USA National Champion and record-holding In Line Speed-skater who is now a Mental Performance Mastery Coach. The two teamed up to form "In the Zone Mental Training" and over the last 4 years Bo and Shannon have helped over 300 golfers find their best performances.  Their success rate has been astounding with over three quarters of the clientele shaving an average of 6.7 strokes off their score in 90 days or less. They join #OntheMark to share their insights, talk about performing while "In the Zone' and the lost art of kinesthetic Mental Imagery.  As they teach about how athletes can get into the zone to perform freely and at their best they elaborate on a few key concepts: The Importance of Mental Imagery Breaking the Internal Thermostat of Shooting the Same Score PsychoNeuromuscular Training and How to Practice it The Importance of Correct Practice over an Obsession with Swing Mechanics, Playing "Caveman Golf" and How to Accelerate Swing Changes They also discuss the "King of Breathing," the physiological sigh and how that acts as a dishwasher for the brain, and how you can involve your "Seven Senses" for better performance on the golf course. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.  

Michael Finney is the Director of Golf at The University of Lousiville Golf Club.  One of the most thoughful and incisive minds in golf instruction, Finney has the ability to boil down complex theoretical instructional concepts to easy to understand tips for game improvement. Mike joins #OntheMark for a second time to talk about 7 concepts sure to improve your golf-swing and your ball-striking.  More importantly, he will most certainly improve your understanding of a few theoretical topics currently at the forefront of the game. He discusses and elaborates on: Difference between Shaft Lean and Angle of Attack Misunderstanding and misinterpreting the D-Plane Early Extension and its costs and benefits Rate of Clubface Closure through impact Trail Elbow positions and "Getting Stuck" The Pivot's influence on Clubface Alignment Lead Wrist Positions at the top of the swing Michael elegantly describes the paradox of golf and explains the nature of the game and what is, and is not, required to swing the club effectively and consistently.  He talks about the value of questioning everything and is sure to equip you with a good understanding of what your golf-swing requires. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube to watch this as a vodcast.

Jonathan Elsdon is a British PGA professional and golf instructor in the South of England.  A former Tour Pro, Jonathan brings a wealth of playing experience to his lessons and is quickly becoming one of the most sought after coaches in the game. He joins #OntheMark to share his philosophy on golf technique and instruction, as he dives into the inner workings of the golf swing and how Rhythm, Tempo and Timing are integral to consistent ball-striking and success. As he teaches you how to develop reliable rhythm and a consistently smooth swing tempo he elaborates on a few concepts such as: How rhythm can heal a faulty golf-swing, and The era of swinging hard and fast. He then makes learning the concept of tempo, timing and rhythm linear by highlighting various instructional concepts: The nature of golf and how golf is "what the ball does"  Understanding the correct process to hitting quality shots The value of Timing  The boundaries for Swing Positions, Sequencing, Timing and Tempo The Effortless Swing and what it should feel like Speed vs Effort Understanding ones natural cadence, and How naturalness trumps manipulation. Jonathan also shares tips and drills on how you can understand and improve your swing rhythm, tempo and timing for more consistent golf-shots. This podcast is also available as a vodcast. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman on YouTube.    

Carl Reader has a BSc (Med)(Hon) Biokinetics (Exercise Therapy) Degree from the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.  Based in Cape Town, South Africa he has over 20 years of experience and expertise in helping golfers of all levels optimize their functional movement patterns to move and play better. Carl makes a second appearance on our podcast to discuss his theory on "Right Side Posture Bias" and how that can adversely affect a golf-swing. As he elaborates on the concept he illustrates the issues it creates: Improper posture, aim and alignment An inability to get to the lead or front side in the down-and-through swing, and An inability to properly and powerfully clear the hips through impact As he addresses those maladies he talks about the mindset of golfers who suffer from Right Side Posture biases.  He also illustrates how this syndrome is oftentimes the cause of lower back pain. He also shares moves, drills and remedies for this posture bias: Techniques for muscle release and stretches to alleviate tightness and pain, and Releasing muscles by way of strength training as opposed to stretching, and Overall body awareness This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Dr. Raymond Prior is a Performance Psychologist and is widely regarded by the world's best performers as one of the best minds in the field. His clients include Major Champions, World Champions, Olympic Gold Medalists, Award-winning Coaches and numerous NCAA Champions and All-Americans. He also consults to  Grammy Award winners, Oscar winners, Tony and Emmy Award winners. Dr. Prior joins Mark Immelman to discuss his book - "Golf Beneath the Surface" and to illustrate how the brain works and how you can train your mindset to re-wire your brain. As Dr. Prior takes you on a whistle-stop tour through the contents of the book, and his area of expertise, he elaborates on the following topics that will help you stack the proverbial mental odds in your favor: The Old Brain vs The New Brain Composure Under Pressure Resilience to Adversity High Performance Habits Performance Disruptors, and  Changing the Brain by Training the Mind He also talks about the Mindset for Success and Impulse Control, Understanding Risk and dealing with Anxiety, and Dopamine and its influence on behavior. This podcast is also available as a vodcast.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Eric Cole is the 2023 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year. He has also won over 56 Mini Tour Professional Tournaments and is the ultimate story of resilience and dogged perseverance.   Eric joins Mark Immelman to talk about his career in golf, his journey to the PGA TOUR, and the 2013 Rookie of the Year title. Cole shares stories from his childhood.  He talks about getting to know and play golf with Sam Saunders and Arnold Palmer, as well as growing up with a famous golfing father (Bobby Cole) and an equally famous golfing mother, 1973 LPGA Rookie of the Year, Laura Baugh. Eric shares intimate stories like his battle with Type 1 Diabetes and Addison's Disease.  He talks about NCAA college golf, Mini Tour battles and his ascent to the Korn Ferry Tour and ultimately The PGA TOUR.  He shares how he broke through barriers at each level with a mindset shift and a change in how he views challenges. Growing up in Florida Eric speaks of his affinity to Florida tournaments and shares inside-the-ropes takes of his final round battle with Chris Kirk in the 2023 Honda (now Cognizant) Classic. A master around the greens, Eric talks about the short game and how he pitches and chips off Bermuda grass.  He also talks about putting and shares the drill he does to manage the quality of his putting stroke.  He also shares insights on how to make pressure putts as he elaborates on the importance of beings true to yourself and your technique - a lesson he learned from his dad.   Eric has made a a success of himself in life and in golf by way of a positive mindset and positive thinking - he talks about this trait, something taught to him by his mom. This podcast is als available on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Matt McKay (BS Kinesiology - Purdue University) is a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Certified Golf Fitness Professional and CHEK Institute Golf Performance Specialist based at The PGA TOUR Golf Academy at The World Golf Village in St. Augustine, FL.   He joins #OntheMark to help you to better physical shape for better golf-swings and improved performance. Matt addresses his 5 tenets for improving physical condition and well-being: Gaining Self Awareness & Education  Improving Posture & Pelvis Positions Improving Pelvis Control & Core Stability Improving Footwork and Balance, and Improving Athleticism by Moving - Walking, Throwing, Jumping, etc  He also illustrates and describes (videos on YouTube) 3 Exercises that will lead to fulfillment of his 5 beliefs:  Glute Activation and the Bridge pose Knee to Full Plank exercise, and Single Leg Balancing  This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Dr. David Spiegel is Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, and Medical Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.  He has more than 40 years of clinical and research experience studying psycho-oncology, stress and health, pain control, psychoneuroendocrinology, sleep and hypnosis. He has published 13 books, 404 scientific journal articles, and 170 book chapters on hypnosis, psychosocial oncology, stress physiology, trauma, and psychotherapy.    Dr. David Spiegel is an Psychiatrist and the Wilson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he is known for his research into psycho-oncology; the neurobiology of therapeutic hypnosis and the role of the mind-brain-body connection in cancer outcomes and management among other topics.  He directs the Stanford Center on Stress and Health and is a recognized authority on hypnosis's clinical utility and neuroscience. A true expert and trendsetter in the field of hypnosis Dr. Spiegel has appeared on the Andrew Huberman podcast, and he joins #OntheMark to dive into the topic of hypnotherapy and hypnosis for health, well-being, and for increased and improved focus and performance on the golf course. Dr. Spiegel answers the following questions: What is Hypnosis and how does it work? What does Hypnosis do the the Brain? What is is like to be hypnotized? He explains the different parts of the human brain and how they work, and perhaps don't work, together, and he elaborates on the three things that happen to the brain while in a state of hypnosis.  By way of explanation he also talks about brain activity in stages of stress and relaxation, in panic and in calm. Dr. Spiegel then talks about his work with competitive athletes and illustrates how hypnosis has allowed them to perform at the best in high pressure situations.  He and Mark Immelman also discuss the mental state Tiger Woods gets into during competition.  To that Dr. Spiegel illustrates how athletes and people can perform self-hypnosis, through the Reveri App for peak mental and physical performance. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman. There is also a discount code for listeners for the Reveri App.  Go to https://reverihealth.app.link/onthemark for a free 14 Day Trial.

Kevin Redfern is an award-winning clubmaker and the founder and owner of Custom Golf Stix.  He has crafted, made and repaired golf clubs for over 25 years has been a trusted advisor to amateur and professional golfers alike.  He has helped some of the game's best including Seve Ballesteros, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Matt Wallace and Suzann Pettersen to dial in their equipment for peak performance. Kevin is also a respected golf instructor and he joins #OntheMark to talk about the value of club-fitting for better scores.  As an added bonus he demonstrates his training aid, The Wedge Trainer, and illustrates how it can help iron the kinks out in your chipping and pitching swings. With regard to club-fitting for success Kevin addresses: The importance of properly fitted golf clubs, and  The biggest errors he sees in clubfitting, incl. shaft length, grip size, shaft weight and swing-weight, shaft kick-points for trajectory control, and the sole of the club incl. Bounce. He also talks about the Wedge Trainer training aid and shares the inspiration for the design.  He illustrates how to use the Wedge Trainer and what it is used for, incl. eliminating flipping and excess wristiness, inproving incorrect angles of attack and inconsistent landing points, and enhancing poor swing rhythm and tempo. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.  NOTE: Kevin has also offered a discount code of 10% off your purchase of a Wedge Trainer.  Use code: OntheMark  

Ian Peek is a Performance and Transition Coach with over 35 years of ‘hands-on’ coaching experience.  Ian has a Master’s Degree and a PhD in Sports Coaching.  He understands every client’s needs are unique and his coaching style and training methods are holistic and all-encompassing.  Ian joins us to share insights from his doctoral thesis and information on how the elite players improve their performance by focussing on more than their golf game, i.e., also on certain mental, emotional and behavioral concepts. He discusses the his idea of "Adaptation to Exceed the Demands of the Field" and breaks them into four buckets - Biological, Physical, Psychological and Social.  He also illustrates how you can see the "Big Picture" to improvement and elaborates on a few of those concepts: The coach/player and player/caddy dynamics A player's game-face and their media/personal game face Mental health challenges to players and competitors Gratitude as a superpower, and How to find a way, your individual way, to success. Dr. Peek uses PGA TOUR and DP World Tour examples in Sir Nick Faldo and Rory McIlroy to personalize some of his lessons. This podcast is also available as a Vodcast on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.    

Jordan Spieth is one of the great American golfers of all time.  His resume is extensive; he is: A 2-time US Junior Amateur Champion, a NCAA National Champion, a 3-time Major Champion (The Masters, The US Open and The Open), a former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year (2013), the PGA TOUR and PGA Player of the Year (2015), the FedEx Cup Champion (2015), a Vardon Trophy winner (2015, 2017) and he has been ranked #1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Spieth has 13 PGA TOUR victories (and counting) and his career has seen the highest of highs and also some heartbreaking lows.  Jordan joins Mark Immelman to talk about his career in the game, highs, lows, tournament victories and defeats, and his approach to the golfswing, the short-game and scoring. He addresses his appearances as an amateur in the Byron Nelson tournament, his first PGA TOUR win at The John Deere Classic, his career at The Masters including the 2015 win and the 2016 defeat.  Jordan also revisits the victory at the 2017 Open Championship and his mindset to chase down Matt Kuchar. Spieth also talks about his slump in form, injury, and how he managed the journey back to the winner's circle at the 2021 Valero Texas Open. With regard to technique and playing, he talks about: The Mindset of being "Mastery Driven vs. Ego Driven" Being Aggressive on and around the Greens Golf-swing "Feels" Beliefs for Playing your Best Wedge Play, Chipping and Pitching Holing Short Putts, and How he Manages Emotions and Expectations. This podcast is also available as a Vodcast on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Seth Pepper is a former World Champion and #1 Ranked Swimmer in the World.  He has also been a multiple National Champion and All-American at the University of Arizona.  Seth is now an elite High-Performance Mental Coach and helps athletes of differing sporting codes, including PGA TOUR and LPGA golfers, perform fearlessly and achieve their best under pressure. Seth joins #OntheMark to share his incredible story.  A story of a young man who had a dream to become a champion and an Olympian.  A young man who was obsessed with discovering the secrets to success and unlocking the path to greatness.  A young man who worked hard, competed without concern, and rose to the top of his game and became a champion. As Seth tells his story he weaves (1) Life Lessons, (2) Insights on How to Make Winning a Lifestyle, and (3) Llessons on How to Practice and Compete with No Limits or Fear. Concepts discussed include: The Blueprint of Greatness Building a Lifestyle of Winning Learning from Failures Personalities that are likely to become Champions Sacrifice and Intrinsic Motivations Strategy and not Story as a Mindset Stoicism and realizing Resistance is the Way Repeat Exposure to Train the Mind, and The "Performance Battlefield" and (1) Relationships to Success, Failure and Pressure, and (2) Reframing Uncomfortable. This podcast is also available as a Vodcast.  Search and Subscribe to Mark Immelman.    

Terry Hashimoto is the founder of Jazz Golf in Canada, a co-developer of the BodiTrak Golf Pressure Mapt, and inventor of the world's first inertial measuring unit for golf and other major golf products.  He is a PGA Professional and one of the foremost experts in the field of Pressure Mapping and Ground Reaction Forces (GRF) and he joins #OntheMark to teach you the mechanics of building a good golf-swing from the ground up. He talks about GRF at length and illustrates important charts and data that pertain to the "Flow of Energy" with specific regard to:   Efficient and Inefficient Pressure Traces, The Center of Pressure and what it represents, Velocity Charts and how Peak Velocity is created, and Vertical Forces, what they are, how they are exploited and when they are exploited in the swing. He also shows the differences between Professionals and Amateurs, Long Drivers and Short Drivers.  He shows what Long Hitters do in the swing for power and he describes and illustrates Power Address and Impact positions.   He talks about Rotary, Lateral and Vertical Forces in the swing and when and how they should be used, and he shows how Pressure Mapping and the correct use of the ground can mitigate injuries. This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Andy Johnson is the founder of The Fried Egg newsletter, golf blog and podcast.  He has quickly become one of the more respected voices in golf and he joins #OntheMark to talk about Golf Course Design, his philosophy on Design, and Course Management for better golf. Andy shares his favorite courses, both on a budget and not on a budget, to play.  He talks about his likes and dislikes in Course Design and setup. With regard to better Course Management, Mindset and Decision-making Andy addresses and elaborates on the following: The Mindset of Playing Par 5's as Par 4's and vice versa, Understanding the Design of the Hole and Playing with the Correct Mentality, Making Golf Fun, Turning Disadvantages into Advantages, Playing Outside of the "Book", Conservative Approaches, and Understanding the "Pulse" on Your Game. This podcast is also available on YouTube.  Search and Subscribe to Mark Immelman.

Michael Kim is a former All-America at The University of California, Berkeley and the 2013 winner of The Jack Nicklaus Award as the National Collegiate Player of the Year.  He was also the  2013 winner of The Haskins Award for the Outstanding College Player of the Year.  Michael is now a winner on the PGA TOUR and he joins #OntheMark to discuss his career in golf, winning at the highest level, golf instruction, and navigating slumps and dips in form. Michael shares lessons learned in Junior and Collegiate Golf, including insights on acclimatizing to different golf courses and conditions. He talks about his ascent to the PGA TOUR and his 2018 win in The John Deere Classic. He addresses work on his technique and his golf-swing and he shares his mindset to navigating tough times. Michael then shares advice on Method and Technique and other elements key to good golf including: The Golf-swing Pivot and Rotation, and the influence as either a Clubface "Opener" or "Closer," using Viktor Hovland as an example. Putting Consistency with a reference to Strokes Gained Putting. The Mental Game and Thought-life for Success, including insights on dealing with Nerves and Anxiety. Making Changes for Improvement and how to do so successfully, and Long and Short Golf-swings and how to make a longer, more powerful swing properly. This podcast is also available on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.  

Andy Matthews is a former Professional Golfer and a winner on the Mackenzie (Canadian) Tour.  He is now a Pilot, and the Director of Golf Performance for Neuropeak Pro and he joins us to talk about the importance of good breathing and its influence on overall health, well-being, stress reduction and golf performance. Andy delves into Precision (Diaphragmatic) Breathing and how it can can help you (1) Relax,  (2) Improve Muscle Function and prevent strain during exercise, (3) Increase Blood Oxygen levels, (4) Make it easier for your Body to Release Gas Waste from your Lungs, (5) Reduce Blood Pressure and (6) Lower Heart Rate.  As part of the Precision Breathing discussion Andy also contrasts Nasal and Mouth Breathing and their commensurate effects on the Nervous System. He also talks about how proper breathing can improve Heart Rate Variability (HRV) which is a function of a balanced Autonomic Nervous System.  A higher HRV can lead to better Sleep, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, Increased Adaptability and Resiliency and a Better Stress Response. All of these factors lead to better performance on and off the golf course and Andy talks about how Intentional Breathing can lead to an improved Physiological state and the ability to prepare for both powerful Drives and deft touch Greenside shots. You have heard countless PGA TOUR professionals and coaches talk about breathing properly under pressure.  Thanks to Andy Matthews, and the Neuropeak Pro NTel Belt, you can know how to do so, practice properly and chart your improvement. Also, take advantage of a special promo code to get a 1-Year Free Membership to the Neuropeak Training module with the purchase of the NTel Belt.  Code - OntheMark This podcast is also available on YouTube. Search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.