Larry The Golf Guy

Larry the Golf Guy -- Brad Klein, long-time golf architecture commentator and consultant

Brad Klein is a long-time commentator and consultant on golf architecture, having spent 30 years as the architectural editor at Golfweek. Brad's journey in the game is an interesting one, and we discuss how he was smitten with the game growing up on Long Island, and then spent a number of years as an academic while also caddying and doing some writing, before pivoting full-time to golf journalism in the late 1980's. We also get Brad's insights into what he is seeing today in golf architecture, as well as his thoughts on the distance debate.

The Golf Guy Podcast -- Mark Newell, 65th President of the USGA

Mark Newell and I were partners at Latham & Watkins LLP for many decades, and we worked together in management as Mark was Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Partner from 2002-2011 and I was global chair of the tax department from 2000-2011. Mark retired early from the firm and became General Counsel at the USGA from 2011-2012 and ultimately served as the 65th President of the USGA from 2018-2019. Mark's time at the USGA was truly consequential, as his accomplishments included chairing the USGA Rules Committee (where he led the rule change on anchoring and then played a key role in the rules simplification process which led to the 2019 major revision of the rules), authoring the 2020 Distance Insights Report, co-chairing the World Handicap Initiative and revising the governance structure of the USGA. We talk with Mark about how he got started in the game and what led to his involvement with the USGA, we touch on his various accomplishments, and we go deep on the various rules initiatives he championed and the distance issue.

The Golf Guy Podcast -- Noted Golf Architect Tripp Davis

Tripp Davis was a celebrated junior golfer and was an All-American selection at the University of Oklahoma in 1989 and a member of the Sooners' 1989 NCAA championship team. Rather than pursue a career as a player, however, Tripp got a masters' degree in Landscape Architecture and over the past 30+ years he has had a notable career as a golf architect. We talk with Tripp about what made him decide to become a golf architect, what his architectural style is, how he compares restoration work to original designs, why Golden Age architecture is so popular today, what golf architects he most admires, and his thoughts on the current period of golf architecture.

The Golf Guy Podcast -- Kevin Vitale, Former GM/COO of Baltusrol Golf Club

Kevin Vitale, who recently retired after a 22 year run as the GM/COO of the iconic Baltusrol Golf Club, is one of the most well-respected leaders in the private club industry. We talk with Kevin about his upbringing in the Boston area, how he got started in the hospitality industry and how that led to his stellar career in the club industry, and the highlights of his time leading Baltusrol. We also get Kevin's views on some of the issues facing private clubs and best practices in that regard.

The Golf Guy Podcast -- Bobby Clampett, Former PGA and Champions Tour Star

Bobby Clampett has had quite the journey in the game, from uber elite junior/amateur to PGA Tour player to Broadcaster to Champions Tour player to full-time instructor and author.  We talk with Bobby about all of his many memorable experiences in the game, and also get Bobby's thoughts on some of the challenges facing the game today.