Characters: On-Course Reporter John Wood
In 20 years caddying on the PGA Tour and now as an on-course reporter, John Wood has been in the right place at the right time John Wood has been observing greatness in one form or another his entire life. At six, he talked his parents into taking him to an Elvis Presley concert in […]
Characters: Troy Van Biezen
Chiropractor Troy Van Biezen gets his PGA Tour clients aligned to win Troy Van Biezen has many claims to fame, but perhaps the best is being the chiropractor and trainer who helped the surgically repaired and seemingly broken body of Tiger Woods win a 15th major championship. “When we got together,” Van Biezen recalls, “I […]
Characters: Bob Ford
Low-key club pro Bob Ford, of Oakmont and Seminole renown, provides a comforting presence to nervous U.S. Open contestants Please welcome, from Oakmont, Pa., Bob Ford. The vaguely familiar, calmly reassuring voice that greets competitors on the first tee at the U.S. Open belongs to respected club professional Bob Ford. In 2017, late in his […]
Characters: Alan Grant
Alan Grant makes sure Scotland’s Skibo Castle—as well as its guests—don’t take themselves too seriously The exclusive Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle in the Scottish Highlands has an uncommon set of standards. Alan Grant, the club’s unofficial ambassador, describes them this way: “It’s not like standards where you tick a box and say everything’s nice, […]
Angela Moser: Pinehurst X Marks the Spot
Angela Moser’s life led her to a career in course design, and a treasured opportunity at Pinehurst Angela Moser loves baking. The hands-on molding process, creating something for others’ enjoyment, is sort of like shaping a golf course. “Though it’s a little more delicious, I think,” says Moser, who has helped mold such projects as […]
Characters: Golf Statistics Expert Lou Riccio
Whether you realize it or not, Lou Riccio’s statistical studies of golf affect how you play—and how much fun you’re having Looking for an impressive resume, you’d be hard pressed to better that of Lucius (“Lou”) Riccio. The 75-year-old has been Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Transportation, served on a Presidential Commission on […]
No Laying Up: Chris Solomon and Crew’s Golf Crusade
No Laying Up—that’s not just the name but the attitude of the golf media company started by Chris Solomon and a group of his golf buddies Ahead of the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chris Solomon had been beating the drum for Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka to play together for Team […]
Name to Know: CBS Sports Lead Golf Producer Sellers Shy
A year and a half ago, Jim Nantz played in a charity golf outing at Monterey Peninsula Country Club with CBS colleague Sellers Shy, who was in town doing a site survey. They were grouped with budding PGA Tour star Maverick McNealy and, playing from the tips, Shy contributed seven birdies and shot 67. “After […]
Michael Collins: Golf’s Newest Media Star
Comic to caddie to covering golf for radio, TV, and online, Michael Collins is the game’s newest media star Sam MacNaughton, the agent for Rickie Fowler among others, has been known to greet Michael Collins with a friendly, “What’s up, Dream?” It’s an abbreviation of the nickname he coined for Collins—“The American Dream”—a one-of-a-kind character […]
George Gankas: Challenging the Myths of Golf Instruction
The driving range at Westlake Golf Course outside Los Angeles isn’t where you’d expect to find golf’s hottest swing instructor. Artificial-turf mats and striped range balls greet golfers, not plush grass and Pro V1s. Numbered signs serve as targets and golfers come dressed in everything from jeans and sneakers to swimsuits and flip-flops. Tucking your […]
