The Skillest Podcast

Ryan Hager, Director of Instruction at Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey, joins the show to talk about his path into coaching, his time training under Jim McLean, and what it's really like teaching at one of the Northeast's elite private clubs. Ryan shares the story of his mentor Wes Mensing, whose sudden death shaped his decision to go into instruction, and breaks down what makes McLean's six-month certification program so demanding: rigorous critical-thinking training, legendary Monday morning meetings, and a curriculum built to produce coaches who can actually teach, not just demonstrate. The conversation moves through Ryan's own coaching philosophy (built from a "toolbox" of 40+ influences rather than one rigid system), what separates coaching from teaching, and why he believes a swing doesn't need to look perfect as long as it's repeatable and pain-free. He also opens up about building a 100K-follower Instagram audience without chasing clickbait, why simplicity beats technical complexity in content that actually helps people, and how he balances that with a full teaching schedule at a private club. Along the way: golf in the Northeast vs. the rest of the world, why he'd rather play Scotland than anywhere in the US, and the seasonal rhythm of a coaching year that runs from a spring/summer sprint into a well-earned winter reset.

Alex Buckner didn't fall in love with coaching, he fell in love with winning. In this episode, the tour coach behind Marco Penge's breakout three win 2025 season opens up about reverse engineering an entire career: from a failed playing career and three jobs just to fund tournament entries, to becoming an "OG" Skillest power user documenting thousands of in person lessons, to reinventing himself again and again, short game specialist, long game coach, and now full service performance manager for elite players. Alex breaks down exactly how he turned Marco Penge from a player who "twatted" every driver into the tour's most accurate off the tee, why he coaches almost exclusively on the golf course instead of the range, and the real story behind Marco's equipment switch to Mizuno on the PGA Tour (including the sole design mistake nobody talks about). He also tackles the steep vs shallow short game debate head on, explains why "free swing analysis" is a waste of everyone's time, and shares the decision making framework he's used since his early 20s to bet on himself, going a full year on the DP World Tour before he even knew if he'd get paid. If you're a coach, an aspiring tour player, or just someone trying to figure out how much intention it takes to build the career you actually want, this one's packed with it.

Jerome Theunis was a golf pro himself — a Challenge Tour player who represented Belgium in the World Cup — before he became one of the most sought-after (and quietly under-the-radar) coaches in the game. It started with his roommate on tour, a young Nico Colsaerts, who got sick of finding golf technique books in the bathroom and Sharpie diagrams on the hotel TV. "I think you're pure psycho," Nico told him. A few years later Colsaerts was in the Ryder Cup, and Jerome had found his calling. Since then he's worked behind the scenes with players like Adrian Meronk and Thomas Detry. In this episode, Jerome unpacks the parts of coaching nobody puts in a swing manual: why he flies across the world to consult other coaches on his own players — and why Sean Foley called that "the biggest proof of trust" a coach can give; the four things that actually happen when you bring in outside expertise, and why it almost never backfires; the concept of "novelty salience," and the parking-lot debrief with a PGA Tour player that ran 50 minutes over because reframing one piece of technical data changed everything; why touching a tour player's technique "de-skills" them — and how Tiger Woods rebuilt his swing three times without ever disappearing from leaderboards; the grip Jerome refused to fix on a world number 11, because some flaws are load-bearing; Randy Smith's audacious fix for a player who "swings it beautiful" but couldn't close — shaping shots on Sunday, from a 50-yard slice down to dead straight; and why Jerome believes storytelling and emotional framing — not swing data — are the one thing AI won't be coaching any time soon. Equal parts skill-acquisition deep dive and behind-the-curtain look at how tour-level trust actually gets built, this is a conversation for anyone who coaches, teaches, or just wants to understand why the best in the world can shoot 65 on a course that's "long, tight, and high rough" and make it look easy.

What actually separates the coaches building thriving online businesses from everyone else? In this episode of the Skillest Pod, Baden Schaff sits down with Mark Govier and Alex Clapp to unpack what great modern coaching really looks like — and why simply being a great instructor is no longer enough. They dig into how Mark and Alex structure long-term player development, create clear roadmaps for their students, use content to extend their coaching beyond the lesson, and build the kind of high-touch relationships that keep players engaged for years. But the conversation goes much deeper into growth. How do you go from 1,000 followers to your first 15 subscribers? What should you actually post? How do you turn content into conversations? Why can a game evaluation be more powerful than a “free lesson”? And why do coaches need to be willing to do the unscalable work at the beginning? Mark shares why consistency matters more than going viral — including the years he spent creating content when almost nobody was watching. Alex breaks down exactly how he uses social media, DMs and game evaluations to bring golfers into his world. And Baden explains why starting just a handful of genuine conversations every week can completely change a coach’s business. The big takeaway? You’re not selling online lessons. You’re building relationships. And the coaches who understand that are building something far bigger than a lesson diary — they’re building an academy in the cloud.

The coaching industry is changing faster than ever. In this episode, the Skilly boys dive into what modern coaching really looks like in 2026—and why the coaches who thrive over the next decade won't simply teach more lessons. They'll build better systems, stronger relationships, and businesses that extend far beyond the lesson tee. We discuss: Why the traditional "one lesson every four weeks" model is dying. How the best coaches keep students accountable between lessons. Why caring—not technology—is still the biggest competitive advantage. How to structure your week to build an online coaching business without burning out. The habits that separate coaches who grow from those who stay stuck. Why AI will replace average coaching—but make great coaches even more valuable. Practical advice for creating content, onboarding students, and building a coaching brand that lasts. Whether you're a coach looking to grow your business or a golfer curious about how elite coaching is evolving, this episode is a look at where the industry is heading—and how to stay ahead of it.

Sean Foley has coached some of the biggest names in golf, but this conversation goes far beyond the golf swing. Sean joins Baden Schaff and Alex Clapp for one of the deepest discussions we've ever had on coaching, performance and what it really takes to help people improve. They dive into Sean's work with Tom Kim, Lydia Ko and the next generation of elite players, why he's more convinced than ever that skill beats dogma, and how three decades on Tour have completely changed the way he teaches. Along the way, Sean shares his thoughts on: Why caring is still the greatest coaching advantage. The difference between teaching technique and building skill. How he helped Tom Kim rediscover his best golf. Why practice should be harder than competition. The biggest coaching mistakes he made early in his career. AI, technology and whether coaches should actually be worried. Confidence vs competence. Building resilient athletes who can thrive for decades. Whether you're a golf coach, an athlete, a business leader or simply fascinated by high performance, this is a masterclass from one of the game's great coaching minds. Sean is thoughtful, brutally honest and endlessly curious—and this conversation is packed with ideas you'll be thinking about long after it finishes.

Clappy is back from his first major as a coach, and it was a good one. He breaks down how Royal Birkdale played at The Open — pins tucked on the edge of every green, morning waves getting the calm before the afternoon storm, and how firm-and-fast conditions rewarded players like Ryan Fox and Lucas Herbert who grew up on similar ground back home. He also shares what it was like coaching Tom Sloman through his first Open, practice rounds with Harris English, Keith Mitchell, Ryan Gerard and Laurie Canter, and a great conversation with Claude Harmon about the tweaks he's making to Cameron Young's swing. That leads into the real meat of the episode: why almost none of the best players in the world have a "textbook" swing, why "swing your swing" is terrible advice for amateurs but makes total sense for tour pros, and how the best coaches nudge players in tiny increments rather than overloading them with fixes. Plus, why remote coaching often works better than the real thing, and why less really is more once you've earned the trust to say less.

Six DP World Tour wins. One of the most respected short games the sport's ever produced. This week we sit down with Brett Rumford — the Perth kid who was too small to reach par fours in two, so he built a short game that carried him around the world instead. Brett takes us back to chipping for six hours a day at Collier Park, caddying for tour pros as a teenager, and the day TrackMan showed up and blew up every edge he'd spent a lifetime building. We get into shaft lean, "the balance of the club," why he thinks virtuosity beats mastery, and why he flat out doesn't believe talent is born — only built through repetition and suffering. Also in this one: a Scotty Drummond bunker story that has to be heard to be believed, why Brett calls most YouTube swing tips "the biggest load of horseshit," and — the big one — we announce Brett Rumford is officially joining Skillest. Go straight to his skillest profile and learn from a legend here… https://skillest.com/@brett

Baden and Clappy are back after a flat-out couple of weeks. Baden unboxes his first new set of irons in six years (thanks to Tommy Bailey at Avoda) and gets real about lie angle, and finally ditching his "Ben Hogan delusion." Clappy previews his upcoming Titleist shoe fitting and force-plate session in search of extra ground-reaction speed. Then the pair dig into the US Open: the Wyndham Clark heckling controversy, a shoutout to coach Pat Coyner, and Sean Foley's quiet wizardry with Tom Kim. That leads into the meat of the episode — a deep dive on why so many modern tour pros are choosing power fades over draws, the real biomechanics of "shallow early, steep late," and why amateurs trying to shallow the club almost always end up stuck, early-extending, or blocking it right. Tiger's fade-dominant prime gets the credit it deserves. Plus: a Neil Robertson snooker swing breakdown, and a big tease for Monday's guest — short-game great Brett Rumford. Topics covered: new equipment & lie angles, force-plate shoe fitting, US Open reaction, fade vs. draw mechanics, shallowing the club, Tiger Woods' swing evolution, and a preview of Brett Rumford's short-game episode.

When Mark Govier and Alex Clapp are on, it's officially the Skilly Pod — and this one's a banger. Mark joins us fresh from caddying at the Women's US Open at Riviera with his player Pauline Del Rosario (Philippines represent 🇵🇭), giving us the inside scoop on that brutal Kikuyu rough, Charley Hull's refreshingly chaotic pace of play, and what it's like watching Nelly and Gabby bomb it 270+ yards in a practice round. Meanwhile, Clappy jumped on straight off a flight from LA — where he managed to squeeze in a round at Riv with none other than Kevin Hart and crew. We break down what it's actually like coaching someone who bought clubs last week and has never aimed at a green. We also get into the Curtis Cup at Bel-Air (the venue rota they've got lined up might be the most elite in golf), the insane talent pipeline coming through women's amateur golf, the FIFA World Cup, and our US Open Shinnecock picks — Fitzy, Russell Henley, Tommy Fleetwood, and a sneaky Cam Smith mention. Plus: what does coaching a six-year-old golf prodigy actually look like vs. fixing a 40-year-old who's been broken for 20 years? Mark and Clappy go deep on it. Good vibes, great golf chat. Enjoy the pod.

Chris Trott spent 20 years fitting golf clubs for the best players on the planet — from Dustin Johnson to Brooks Koepka to Tiger Woods. Now he's running the Trot Shop, a tour-style fitting trailer in San Diego, and what he's seeing from everyday golfers is blowing his mind. In this episode, Trottie pulls no punches on why most club fitting is broken, why shorter shafts outperform what OEMs sell at retail, and the myths he's spent a career dismantling — tipping, puring, shaft flex, lie angles, and the obsession with launch monitors over eyes and ears. He also shares the full story: from the pro shop at Hoylake that turned him away, to a chance encounter at the Belfry that landed him on the European Tour, to writing Tiger Woods' podcast script and nearly breaking his Scotty Cameron. If you're a coach, a fitter, or just someone who wants to actually understand the clubs in your bag — this one's essential listening.

The crew is deep into summer golf season — and this week there's plenty to talk about. First up, the Women's US Open heads to Riviera Country Club, and the guys make the case for why Riv might actually suit the women's game better than the men's. The iconic par-4 10th gets its due, and Coach Clappy shares why he'll be there in person — supporting his student Davina Zand as she competes in the Curtis Cup at Bel-Air. From there, the conversation turns to one of coaching's great debates: has golf instruction become too technical? With launch monitors, video, and biomechanics data at every corner, the guys ask what would happen if you stripped it all away — and why the best coaches in the world often keep it brutally simple. Think Butch Harmon telling Tommy Fleetwood to "shut the door" with his hip. Then it gets personal. Cam Smith's recent move away from long-time coach Grant Field sparks a broader conversation about when it's right to change coaches — and when it isn't. How do you know it's time to move on? What does loyalty really look like? And should coaches be cutting ties with students more often than they do? Next week: TaylorMade's Chris Trott (Trotty Golf) joins to talk equipment fitting — drop your questions now.

Drew Steckel has coached Kevin Na, Pat Perez, Jason Kokrak, and Chesson Hadley — and he did it all before turning 24. He's not rebuilding swings from scratch. He's unlocking what's already there. In this episode, Baden sits down with one of the most in-demand coaches on tour to talk about what it actually takes to revive a career at the highest level, why working inside the ropes changes everything, and how he thinks about teaching players who've already "made it" but know there's more. We get into his philosophy on keeping it simple in a sport drowning in information, how he approaches the mental and physical sides of the game as one, and why he believes great coaching is never about one system. Plus — Drew on taking his coaching online and what the shift to platforms like Skillest means for how coaches and students connect in 2025. Topics covered: Coaching tour veterans vs. developing young players Why Drew refuses to be tied to one swing model The "veteran whisperer" approach — big results, small changes Being present at tournament sites as a coaching philosophy Online coaching and the future of golf instruction Want to work with Drew? Find him at skillest.com

In this episode, we sit down with one of golf instruction’s most recognisable voices to unpack how a former snowboarder from Vermont became one of the most diversified coaches in the game. Keith gets brutally honest about the mental rewiring it took to stop filling his calendar with back-to-back lessons and start thinking like a business owner — and the friend/mentor who helped him see it. We get into: •Why being an outsider to traditional golf coaching was actually his biggest advantage •How 2,700 Instagram posts cured his introversion (kind of) •The ping pong paddle, the props, and why keeping it stupidly simple is actually the hardest skill to master •The moment a Skillest notification showed “Tony Finau has sent you a message” — and what it proved about social media as a real-time resume If you’re a coach still cramming online lessons in at the end of the day, or telling yourself you’ll start posting next week — this one’s for you.

Baden and Clappy kick off with a deep dive into the oddities of international timekeeping — Mother's Day, Father's Day, and why Adelaide is somehow half an hour ahead of Brisbane in summer — before getting into the golf that matters. Chris Wood's win on the Hotel Planner Challenge Tour gets the treatment it deserves: a former Ryder Cup player who bottomed out, rebuilt on the Mina Tour, and quietly reminded everyone he was always that good. Then Alex Fitzpatrick's near-miss at the weekend sparks a conversation about whether he's already the real deal — back door PGA Tour card or not. Brandt Snedeker. First win in a decade. Baden tries to recruit him at Steph Curry's charity event after three gin and tonics. It doesn't go well. Neither did the Brad Faxon putting lesson pitch at the PGA Show — though apparently there's a mate in Brisbane with $10k and a Scotty Cameron collection who's still waiting by the phone. Lucas Herbert's LIV win leads into a broader discussion on where the rebel league is headed, the pathway problem for players like Laurie Canter and Patrick Reed, and why the Aussie Open deserves more than it's getting from the PGA Tour. Then it's onto the PGA Championship preview at Ermenegildo Golf Club outside Sydney — Donald Ross design, Gil Hanse renovation, and what both mean for how the course will play. Baden makes his pick. Clappy floats Fleetwood and Rahm. Phil Kenyon gets a mention, a story, and a standing invitation to come on the pod. Plus: the Victoria Institute of Sport, the danger of turning everyone into the same swing, and why Herbie's career is basically a masterclass in knowing who you are at 17. Next week: KB joins the show. The hair rankings are officially open.

What happens when one of golf’s smartest media minds sits down with two golf-obsessed coaching nerds? You get a conversation that goes everywhere — tour players, TPI, coaching methods, golf media, LIV, mobility, practice, AI, and the future of instruction. This week on the Skillest Podcast, Baden and Alex Clapp are joined by Luke Kerr-Dineen from Golf Digest — one of the most influential voices in modern golf instruction media. Luke opens up about his journey from aspiring journalist to becoming one of the key figures shaping how golfers consume instruction today. The guys dive deep into: Why tour pros obsess over the “boring” basics The danger of constantly changing swing methods What Luke learned from his full TPI assessment How body limitations shape golf swings Why great coaching is becoming more evidence-based than ever The future of AI, digital coaching, and platforms like Skillest The changing landscape of golf media and instruction LIV Golf, the PGA Tour, and what global golf should look like It’s part golf philosophy, part swing nerd heaven, and part look into where the entire game is heading next. If you’re fascinated by coaching, golf swings, player development, or the future of the game — this one’s a must-listen.

Why do great golf coaches disagree on so many things? And more importantly… does it actually matter? In this episode, Baden and Alex unpack the reality of modern golf coaching — where data is everywhere, opinions are stronger than ever, and there’s still no single “right way” to swing a club. You’ll learn: Why disagreement in coaching is actually a strength How different swing styles can all produce elite results The shift from rigid “methods” to adaptable coaching systems Why players need different solutions based on their body, goals, and time How technology is lowering the barrier to getting great coaching If you’re trying to improve your game — or become a better coach — this episode will challenge how you think about learning golf.

This week on the Skilly Pod, Baden and Clappy sit down with Mark Govier — Welsh Dragon, high performance coach at Altus Golf, and one of the most engaged coaches on the Skillest platform. Mark's coaching journey spans 30 years, from running his own academy in Wales to being recruited by Cam McCormick to join the Altus setup in Dallas, where he works with elite juniors, college players, and tour professionals. The conversation gets into what separates real coaching from the traditional one-off lesson model — and spoiler: it's not about more swing videos. Mark, Clappy, and Baden unpack why accountability, habit tracking, regular touchpoints, and genuine human connection are the real drivers of player improvement. Mark also opens up about how he uses Whoop data to catch things like a student playing Call of Duty until midnight before a tournament round, and why building a player's individual "formula" is the foundation of everything he does. They also get into swing models, Nelly Korda, Fitzpatrick's incredible week, the danger zone between lessons, and why the five-or-six lesson package might be the worst thing that ever happened to golf coaching. If you want to understand what high performance coaching actually looks like in 2025 — in person and online — this one's for you.

Baden and Clappy are back to unpack a massive week in golf. They kick off at Harbour Town — a course that makes the case that great design, not a rolled-back ball, is how you defend par. From there it's a proper debate on the USGA's bifurcation plan: is it pointless engineering theatre, or the future of the pro game? The boys get into why slower swingers barely notice the change, the social awkwardness of "which ball are you playing?" at your home club, and why Trotty Golf reckons driver designers will claw every yard back anyway. Then it's ground reaction forces — the thing Baden famously doesn't have. Clappy breaks down the three flavours (lateral, vertical, rotary), why Scottie Scheffler slides and Matt Fitzpatrick pulls his front foot out of the way, and how understanding ground forces turned his clubhead speed from 116 to 132 mph. Plus a sharp take on why most 18-handicappers should be nowhere near a force plate. The back half dives into LIV's rumoured cash crunch, TaylorMade team rebrands, and the no-man's-land waiting for returning players like Cam Smith, Joaquin Niemann and DJ — while Patrick Reed serves out his suspension. Bryson's stirring up trouble again. And next week: golf media insider Luke Kerr-Dineen joins the pod. Grab a coffee. Plenty to chew on.

The Masters is done for another year — and Rory McIlroy made it look frighteningly comfortable. Baden and Clappy break down how a man who ranked second-last in driving accuracy for the weekend somehow won by three, why Augusta may be more forgiving than it used to be, and whether any of the chasing pack ever really had a chance. Then the conversation turns to a topic that lit up the coaching world during Masters week: Brandel Chamblee's claim that Scottie Scheffler has a "steepening move." The boys dig into why the terminology matters, what the camera angle wasn't showing, and how the steep-vs-shallow debate — however it's framed — keeps causing real confusion for everyday golfers. They wrap up asking a question that's been nagging all season: where are the new personalities? With the same veterans filling the leaderboard week after week, is the game crying out for its next superstar — and is the coaching world doing enough to find them?