UGP is a world-leading golf performance company based out of Los Angeles with three locations in Southern California. UGP improves any golfer through golf coaching, fitness training, physical therapy, club fitting, club building, and mental coaching. In The Urban Golf Podcast, Mac Todd (Founder) and Leo Rooney (Chief Operating Officer) invite high performers to discuss golf performance, business, life, and anything in between. In each episode, we explore the methods and processes these world-class performers have used to succeed that listeners can use.
Ep. 58 | Live From Augusta: What is UGP Tour? Leo & Rian Chab On How UGP Ended Up at The Olympics & Ryder Cup
Send us Fan Mail What exactly is UGP Tour? In this special episode recorded at Augusta National during Masters week, Leo and Rian Chab pull back the curtain on one of golf's most innovative performance teams. From humble beginnings in a tiny Los Angeles fitness space to supporting major champions on the game's biggest stages, Rian shares the remarkable evolution of UGP's tour division. You'll discover how their team of "black shirt ninjas" (as Xander Schauffele calls them) provides integrated fitness and recovery services to elite players like Collin Morikawa and Min Woo Lee. The conversation explores fascinating aspects of Augusta National's mystique – from its underground tunnel network to its strict protocols – while explaining the complex logistics of supporting tour players across a global schedule. Rian reveals the stark differences between training amateurs versus professionals, noting how tour players' extreme sensitivity to performance impacts creates unique challenges. You'll gain insights into team dynamics at the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Olympics, plus hear candid reflections on what it's like building relationships with the world's best golfers. Whether you're curious about career paths in golf performance, interested in the inner workings of professional tournaments, or simply want to understand what those uniformed staff members do for players, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into a rarely discussed aspect of the professional game. Curious to learn more about bringing elite-level training to your own golf game? Visit UGP's website to find a location near you and experience the same performance approach that's helping top players excel on tour. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 57 | Nick Winkelman, PhD on How to Build Movement That Sticks by Shifting from Assembly Line Coaching to Automation
Send us Fan Mail What if the words you use as a coach are more powerful than the technical knowledge you possess? Dr. Nick Winkleman, Head of Athletic Performance and Science for Irish Rugby and author of "The Language of Coaching," revolutionizes our understanding of how communication shapes athletic performance. After nine transformative years in Dublin following a decade at EXOS working with NFL athletes, Winkleman has crystallized what most coaches intuitively sense but struggle to implement: the power of language to unlock movement potential. "I recognized the importance of communication," he explains. "What we say to individuals had a massive impact on the quality of the relationship, but also the quality of the movement." Through compelling research and real-world experience, Winkleman reveals why external cues ("push the ground away") consistently outperform internal cues ("extend your knees") across virtually all sports and skill levels. He describes coaching as being a "marriage counselor between the individual and their body," bridging the gap between knowing what to do and knowing how to do it. The discussion navigates the delicate balance between constraints (tools that guide movement) and verbal cues, suggesting they work best when strategically combined. Perhaps most eye-opening is his distinction between "assembly line coaching" (where athletes depend on constant technical reminders) and true learning (where skills become automated). Quoting John Wooden, he reminds us that "I have not taught until they have learned," emphasizing that real learning only happens when athletes can perform without prompts or feedback. For coaches, athletes, and movement enthusiasts alike, this conversation provides concrete strategies to enhance communication effectiveness, build stronger coach-athlete relationships, and create lasting skill development. Whether you're coaching golf, tennis, or any movement-based activity, understanding the language of coaching could be your most powerful tool for unlocking human potential. Ready to transform your coaching approach? Listen now and discover how the right words at the right time can make all the difference in athletic performance. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 56 | Dr. Manny Garcia On Building The UGP Recovery Department & What Happens When You Say Yes to Something Bigger Than Yourself
Send us Fan Mail Manny Garcia, UGP's Director of Recovery, shares his extraordinary journey from owning a successful physical therapy business to building UGP's recovery department, exploring how saying yes to something bigger transformed his life and perspective. • Leaving behind a thriving business to join UGP in 2018, taking a leap of faith to pursue greater personal growth • Learning that self-accountability has limits, and how teams expose weaknesses while providing the foundation for unprecedented growth • Discovering that self-deprecation can be productive but also self-defeating without awareness and moderation • Building a recovery department by planting seeds in unexpected places and following processes rather than rigid goals • Finding that behavioral change trumps technology in creating lasting physical transformation • Recognizing that orthopedic health is the greatest predictor of quality of life in later years, yet most people won't invest five minutes daily in it • Embracing difficulty, failure and challenging conversations as essential components of growth • Understanding that true impact comes from unlimited caring and service to others If you're ready to discover what's possible when you say yes to challenges bigger than yourself, come visit us at UGP or check out our website for more information about our services. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 55 | Dr. Will Wu, PhD - How To Practice According to Science, The Most Common Mistakes Amateur Golfers Make and The Power of External Focus
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Urban Golf Podcast, Dr. Will Wu discusses the importance of practice science in golf, highlighting common mistakes made by both amateurs and professionals. He emphasizes the significance of understanding practice personalities, the myth of learning styles, and the power of observational learning in skill acquisition. The conversation also delves into the efficiency of communication in coaching and the ongoing debate between internal and external focus in golf instruction. In this conversation, Leo Rooney and Dr. Will Wu delve into the importance of external focus in enhancing movement efficiency, particularly in sports like golf. We discuss how external cues can lead to smoother and more athletic movements, contrasting this with the inefficiencies of internal focus. The duo emphasizes the significance of managing expectations in golf performance, especially among junior players, and the inherent inconsistencies in skill-based sports. They also explore the balance between block and random practice, advocating for a tailored approach based on individual needs and goals. In this conversation, Will Wu and Leo Rooney delve into the intricacies of golf practice, discussing the effectiveness of different practice methods, the importance of frequency, and how to manage both physical and psychological fatigue during training. They emphasize the need for individualized practice plans that evolve and introduce the innovative Practice Coach app, which utilizes AI to tailor practice sessions based on player assessments and performance data. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Practice Science in Golf 03:02 Common Mistakes in Golf Practice 05:57 Understanding Practice Personalities 08:51 Abandoning Techniques: When and How 12:07 The Myth of Learning Styles 15:01 The Power of Observational Learning 17:53 Communication Efficiency in Coaching 20:51 Internal vs External Focus in Golf Coaching 29:40 The Power of External Focus in Movement 33:20 Optimizing Practice Through External Cues 39:19 Managing Expectations in Golf Performance 42:53 Understanding Skill-Based Inconsistency 49:34 The Balance of Block and Random Practice 56:50 Understanding Practice: Block vs. Random 58:59 The Importance of Frequency in Practice 01:01:40 Managing Physical and Psychological Fatigue 01:04:36 Optimizing Practice Sessions for Better Learning 01:08:06 The Individualized Approach to Practice Plans 01:19:08 Introducing Practice Coach: AI in Golf Training Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 54 | Dr. Harry Sese on working with Jon Rahm & Wyndham Clark | The Life of a Tour Physio
Send us Fan Mail Dr Harry Sese Instagram Golfletica Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 53 | Dana Dahlquist On His #1 Advice To Any Golfer & Coaching Bryson DeChambeau & More Insights
Send us Fan Mail Dana Dahlquist Instagram Dana Dahlquist Website Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 52 | David Novak on Recognition, Leadership, Inventing Doritos Cool Ranch and Leading The Biggest Fast Food Brand In The World
Send us Fan Mail David Novak is an American businessman, author, and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of David Novak Leadership, and co-founder and former CEO of YUM! Brands Inc. During Novak's tenure at Yum! Brands, the company doubled the number of restaurants to 41,000, market capitalization grew to almost $32 billion from just under $4 billion and it was an industry leader in return on invested capital. Novak was president at KFC and Pizza Hut, and held senior management positions at Pepsi-Cola Company, including chief operating officer and executive vice president of marketing and sales. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 51 | Growing TEAM UGP from 1 to 50
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mac and Leo talk about how UGP was taken from 1 team member to over 50 in the last 10 years. We discuss the tools required to grow a culture and a team beyond one person in the golf performance industry. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 50 | Dr. Scott Lynn On Ground Reaction Forces and How Science Will Shape The Future Of Golf Coaching
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Scott Lynn, PhD is a professor in Kinesiology at Cal State Fullerton and is the Research Director for Swing Catalyst. Dr. Lynn has done a lot of his research on golf and is the leading expert on ground reaction forces in the golf swing. Swing Catalyst is a Norwegian company making force plates that measures the forces created in the golf swing in all three dimensions. Dr. Lynn has a unique perspective on the biomechanics of the golf swing because he's seen more swings on a force plate than any other person in the world. He's also worked with numerous top 100 players in the world to analyze how the best players create force in the golf swing. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 49 - Roger Steele On His Time with UGP and Beyond
Send us Fan Mail Roger Steele ( @roger_steele ) joins us on this episode. Roger Steele is the founder of HIPE Media and former UGP Team Member back in 2016. His vision to impact the golf industry began at a young age but didn’t come to fruition until he started his journey at UGP, which was his foot in the door to the golf industry. In this podcast, he sheds some light on the lessons and values he’s learned and since instilled in his personal life and throughout his career. As a content creator with an entrepreneurial drive, he seeks to #MakeGolfCool and now partners with big names such as Callaway, Nike, Trap Golf, Five Iron Golf, and more to promote, stylize, and advance the game. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 48 | Beau Hossler On How To Improve Your Putting and The Future of his PGA Tour Career
Send us Fan Mail Beau Hossler ( @the_beau_show_ ) joins us on this episode. Beau Hossler is an American professional golfer from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Hossler was only 17 years old when he qualified for his second consecutive U.S. Open, finishing tied for 29th in the 2012 U.S. Open. He then had a decorated college career at the University of Texas on one of the strongest college teams of all time. He started his professional career in 2016 and has been a prominent tour player ever since. Next season will be his 6th season on the PGA Tour and he has been making some exciting changes to his game in the last 12 months that we discuss in this episode. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 47 | Terry Rowles on the Evolution of the Golf Lesson and the Industry's Adaptations to New Technology
Send us Fan Mail Terry Rowles ( @terryrowles ) joins us on this episode. Terry was named as one of the 50 Best Teachers in America by GolfDigest and Top 100 Teachers in America by Golf Magazine. He is based at Mountain Ridge Country Club in New Jersey and during the winter, he teaches at Cool Clubs in Phoenix, Sunridge Canyon GC in Jupiter, and in Hawaii. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 46 | Colt Ford on His Professional Golf Career to Becoming a Country Music Artist
Send us Fan Mail Singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and former professional golfer Colt Ford ( @coltfordmusic ) joins us on this episode. During his professional golf career, Colt played on the Ben Hogan Tour (now known as the Korn Ferry Tour) for 7-8 years. After shifting his interests to music, he co-founded Average Joes Entertainment and released multiple albums through his label. He has recorded five consecutive Top-10 debuts on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 45 | Conrad Ray on Stanford Golf: Tiger Woods, Recruiting, and the Legacy of the Team
Send us Fan Mail Stanford Men's Golf Coach Conrad Ray ( @cardcoachray ) joins us on this episode. Conrad is The Knowles Family Director of Men's Golf and General Manager at Stanford Golf Course. He is a 1997 graduate of Stanford University where he was a part of the men's golf team alongside Tiger Woods, Casey Martin, and Notah Begay. As a coach, he led the Cardinal to 13 appearances in the NCAA Championships and produced 27 All-Americans, four Pac-12 Players of the Year, three Pac-12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year, three Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and 22 All-Pac-12 first team selections. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 44 | Ben Shear on Golf Fitness and His Insights in the Industry
Send us Fan Mail Ben Shear ( @ben.shear ) joins us on this episode. Ben is a PGA Tour Performance Trainer and has been named Golf Digest's Top 50 Golf Fitness Professionals in the Country multiple times. In this episode, we learn more about his Big 3 and experiences in the golf fitness industry. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 43 | CEO Ken Bentley Talks about the Mission and History of the APGA
Send us Fan Mail APGA CEO Ken Bentley joins us on this episode. We learn more about how the tour started, the current status of the tour, and the future of the APGA. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
EP. 42 | Scott Fawcett on DECADE, a Revolutionary Course Management System Using Complex Analytics to Simplify a Player’s Approach
Send us Fan Mail Scott Fawcett ( @decade_golf ) joins us on this episode. A former college golfer for Texas A&M, Scott Fawcett never got his professional career to where he wanted. He had one appearance in the 1999 U.S. Open where he finished dead last in putts, leading him to create the DECADE Course Management system. In this episode, we talk to Scott about how he came to create DECADE, and how combining shot distribution patterns and PGA Tour scoring statistics has helped countless players since its inception. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 41 | Trillium Rose on Biomechanics and Skill Acquisition, Finding the Best Methods in Coaching, Why Aesthetics Are Rarely Important, and Internal vs External Coaching
Send us Fan Mail Trillium Rose ( @trillium_rose ) joins us on this episode. Trillium is the Director of Instruction at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD. She is featured in the 50 Best Teachers in America by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America. In this episode, we discuss biomechanics and skill acquisition, speaking the right language to the student, finding the best methods in coaching, aesthetics in performance, internal vs external coaching, and more. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 40 | Kolby "K-Wayne" Tullier on Training the Best Golfers in the World Including the Likes of Justin Thomas and Lexi Thompson. And Now He's Changing the Industry to the Point Where Some Say He's "Ruining the Fitness Industry"
Send us Fan Mail Kolby Wayne Tullier “K-Wayne” ( @kolbywayne ) joins us on this episode. Kolby is the Director of Sports Performance at Joey D Golf and is a decorated multi-sport performance coach. He trains some of the world’s top PGA, LPGA, NFL, and MLB players. In this episode, we discuss the importance of understanding your body within the game of golf, the transition from golf performance being a taboo to a necessity, revealing the weaknesses in your body, how fitness is an underrated element of the mental game, and his inspiring story of overcoming club foot and learning how to walk four times. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
Ep. 39 | Dr. Mike Voight on Common Golf Injuries, Hip Mobility, Physical Therapy, and Advice for Aspiring Professionals
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Mike Voight joins us on this episode. Dr. Voight is a tenured professor with Belmont University's School of Physical Therapy and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He has worked with a number of teams in the NFL and NBA, and consulted with various teams in the MLB, NHL, and the MLS. In this episode, we learn more about the most common injuries in golfers and how to prevent them; the importance of hip mobility within the body and golf swing; the progression of physical therapy and training in golf; and advice for aspiring Golf Coaches and Physical Therapists. Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com Follow us on Instagram: @urbangolfperformance Follow Mac: @mactoddlife Follow Leo: @leo_ugp Website: urbangolfperformance.com
