Golf in the Commonwealth is an opportunity to hear fun conversations from people involved with the game at all levels across Virginia. From top amateurs, upcoming juniors, club owners, club owners, superintendents, hall of famers, brands, influencers and everyday golfers like the rest of us, golf in the commonwealth has all types of golfers and we want to share their stories with you. Look for new episodes starting Thursday, January 7 and then every other week thereafter.
Episodes
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
The Club at Viniterra’s Josh Speight is one of 20 PGA members of the Corebridge Financial Team competing at this week’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill. Thanks to his T11 finish at the PGA National Professional Championship, Josh will get his second chance to tee it up against the world’s top players in a major championship, having previously compete in 2016. Chris Lang caught up with Josh prior to the tournament to hear his thoughts on his trip to Oak Hill.
Thursday May 11, 2023
Thursday May 11, 2023
College golf in Virginia doesn’t stop with the Commonwealth’s Division I schools. In this episode, we chat with VSGA members Robb Kinder and Alex Price, who have helped elevate Christopher Newport University into the second-ranked Division III team in the country. The duo will participate in next week’s DIII championship before heading south to Kiawah Island for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Chris Lang speaks with the pair about how they got to CNU and their hopes of leading the Captains to a national championship, among other topics.
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Brinson Paolini won four VSGA Amateur Championships before departing on a whirlwind professional career that took him all over the globe. He played tournament golf in 43 different countries in eight years before starting first a coaching business, and now, a business focused on the nutritional aspect of golf. Paolini chats with Chris Lang about some of his favorite VSGA memories and his new venture, Sharp Focus Nutrition, in this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth.
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
Thursday Mar 30, 2023
In wake of the USGA announcing major changes to the qualifying structure for several USGA championships starting in 2024, the USGA's senior director of championship administration, Brent Paladino, joins host Chris Lang on the pod. He discusses his time playing golf at William & Mary, the evolution of an important junior tournament he helped form, and of course, the major upcoming changes to USGA championship qualifying.
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
In this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth, Chris Lang chats with two members of the VSGA’s championships department – Kent Holubar and Amanda Braun – to preview the 2023 VSGA championship season. We talk venues, players and what’s new on the championship schedule in 2023.
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
In this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth, Chris Lang chats with U.S. Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis, who was in Washington earlier this week for the announcement that she’ll serve a second term as U.S. captain in 2024 when the Cup is played at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville. Lewis shares her thoughts on both playing and captaining in the Cup and talks a little bit about her unique golf journey and her advice to young girls who want to play competitive golf.
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
In this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth, Chris Lang is emptying the notebook, as they say in reporter terms. To supplement the recent Virginia Golfer story on Fat Perez, listen to the full interview with the man himself, otherwise known at Nick Stubbe. Learn more about his journey into golf and how Fat Perez came to be in this interview, which was conducted in November at Keswick Golf Club.
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
In this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth, we chat with Turner Lewis, founder of Fore Craft Cocktails, a Virginia beverage company that features a signature Transfusion drink that you’ll find in grocery stores and golf courses around the Commonwealth. Lewis, a VSGA member who is still a full-time radiologist, describes how the venture came to be and where he sees it going in the future.
Friday Oct 21, 2022
Friday Oct 21, 2022
In this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth, we chat with Lanny Wadkins, the World Golf Hall of Famer, Virginia Golf Hall of Famer, and lead analyst for Golf Channel’s coverage of PGA Tour Champions. Wadkins was back in Virginia to emcee the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony before he turned his attention to his Golf Channel duties for the Dominion Energy Charity Classic at CCV. Lanny talks about growing up at Meadowbrook Country Club in Richmond, his battles with some of Virginia’s golf legends, and his work at Golf Channel.
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
In this episode of Golf in the Commonwealth, we catch up with Darren Clarke, who is in Richmond for this week’s Dominion Energy Charity Classic. Clarke is one of four players to have won both The Open Championship and The Senior Open Championship, and he enters this week ranked 13th in the Charles Schwab Cup points standings as the playoffs get underway at The Country Club of Virginia. Clarke speaks of his role as brand ambassador for Abaco Club in the Bahamas, his relationship with Dr. Bob Rotella, and his win in this past summer’s Senior Open at Gleneagles.