It’s Derek’s final individual stroke-play qualifier of the year — and this time, he’s bringing backup. Derek enlists his cousin-in-law, Mike Kelly, to serve as caddie and on-course correspondent to capture every moment.
Join them for the “before,” “during,” and “after” of the round as Derek takes one last shot in 2025 at chipping away at his ongoing bet with Carson.
It’s episode 13 of The Golfing CEO, and today’s guest is another “chance connection” who fortuitously found his way to the show after it launched. Join Derek and author, speaker, and executive coach, Casey Jacox, as they dive into all things sales, entrepreneurship, and – yes – parenting!
In addition to his “day job” helping people and organizations elevate performance, Casey also hosts The QB Dadcast, a podcast dedicated to the ups and downs of being a dad. And since Casey’s son is a college golfer, you know there’ll be plenty of golf talk, too.
We kicked off Season 1 with Carson Palmer, and in today’s episode, we’re grateful to be joined by his longtime teammate and future NFL Hall of Famer, Larry Fitzgerald. It’s a candid conversation that provides a rare glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the best wide receivers to ever put on a helmet — both on and off the field. Join Derek and Larry as they talk about their mutual love for golf, why “availability” might be the most underrated skill in sports, and the one decision on the 17th tee at Stanford Golf Course that Derek wishes he could take back.
How often does anyone get an inside look at one of the most successful collegiate athletic programs in the world? Usually the first thing that comes to mind when we hear a question like this is a powerhouse football or basketball program… but this time, it’s golf. In today’s episode, Derek sits down with Anne Walker and Conrad Ray, the long-time head coaches of Stanford’s women’s and men’s golf teams. Together, they’ve built dynasties on The Farm – together racking up five national championships and nearly 70 All-Americans over the past two decades. From recruiting in the NIL era to managing superstars both on and off the course, Anne and Conrad share what it takes to sustain excellence year after year – and reveal how much golf they actually plan to play in retirement (spoiler: it’s not exactly what you might think!).
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Have you ever wondered what it takes to build and operate a world-class golf course… or even a collection of them in some of the most remote corners of the world? In this episode, Derek is joined by co-founder and CEO of Cabot, Ben Cowan-Dewar, who has spearheaded Cabot’s two decades of growth from one plot of land in remote Nova Scotia to more than ten golf courses across six different countries. Join Derek and Ben as they dive into the cross-section of entrepreneurship and golf, and why Ben believes the game’s global momentum is only just beginning.
In this episode, Derek is joined by the LPGA’s Chief Tour Business and Operations Officer, Ricki Lasky. Ricki shares how she started “in the kitchen” - literally and metaphorically - as part of her journey through the last 25+ years in the golf industry, as well as how the LPGA is experiencing unprecedented growth as part of the rising tide of women’s sports.
Derek sits down with his golf instructor, Cory Scoggin, for a deep-dive into the current state of his game and his progression over the last three years. Cory also shares nuggets related to his own instructional philosophies, what you can do to begin your own game-improvement journey, and why every golfer - from an amateur to a professional - just wants to make better contact.
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In episode 7 of The Golfing CEO, host Derek Belch sits down with Tom Coyne — Executive Editor of The Golfer’s Journal, host of its acclaimed podcast, and five-time author of award-winning books, including one adapted for film. Together, they explore how golf has given Tom both “nothing” and “everything” in return, why Paper Tiger is the single-biggest influence behind Derek starting this show, and why every American golfer should try their hand at “real links golf” at least once in their lifetime.
In episode 6 of The Golfing CEO, host Derek Belch talks to mental golf coach, author, and podcast host Michael Leonard, whose Wicked Smart Golf platform took him from a successful, yet unfulfilling life in sales to one of the most trusted names in the golf community. Derek and Michael relive their chance meeting during the San Diego City Amateur while discussing the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, course management strategy, and how positive affirmations can go a long way.
And for more from Michael, listeners can check out his podcast Wicked Smart Golf on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Enjoying the show? Be sure to follow and leave us a review if you’re feeling generous. For more episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and updates, visit TheGolfingCEO.com.
Like what you heard? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform—and leave us a review if you're enjoying the show. More episodes are on the way. In the meantime, explore past conversations and share with anyone who believes that chasing greatness might just require a healthy dose of delusion.
Loved our conversation with Michael? Check out his podcast Wicked Smart Golf with new episodes out every week! And be sure to visit WSG’s website, which contains links to his books and mental golf coaching practice.
Welcome to “episode 5” of The Golfing CEO, where host Derek Belch explores how far dreams, drive, and a dose of delusion can take us in the pursuit of the impossible. This week’s guest is Chad Mumm, Executive Producer of the hit Netflix show, Full Swing, and CEO of golf’s newest (and hottest) startup, Pro Shop. Derek and Chad talk about the integral role golf plays in business, how Full Swing took nearly a decade to become a reality, and how Derek’s game stacks up to some of the PGA TOUR’s best players.
And for more from Chad, listeners can check out his show Vanity Index Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Welcome to “episode 4” of The Golfing CEO, where host Derek Belch explores how far dreams, drive, and a dose of delusion can take us in the pursuit of the impossible. This week, Derek talks to Senior Vice President of Golf at Pebble Beach, John Sawin. Derek shares that John’s year-long sabbatical to play in some of the biggest amateur events in America is one of the “pieces of the puzzle” that inspired him to improve his game and start this podcast. John talks about the joys and challenges of managing golf operations at one of the world’s most iconic courses, and relays a story about how someone else’s delusion helped him qualify for his first US Amateur.
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Welcome to the debut episode of The Golfing CEO, where Derek Belch explores how far dreams, drive, and a dose of delusion can take us in the pursuit of the impossible. Joining him to kick off the pod is Carson Palmer, former Heisman Trophy winner, #1 NFL Draft pick, and 15-year NFL veteran. In this candid conversation, they dive into what it really takes to succeed at the top, life after the NFL, the role of faith and family in their lives, a shared love of golf - and the bet that sparked Derek’s “delusional” quest to play with the pros.
Welcome to “episode 3” of The Golfing CEO, where host Derek Belch explores how far dreams, drive, and a dose of delusion can take us in the pursuit of the impossible. This week, Derek is joined by former MLB pitcher Tim Stauffer to recount a milestone moment… proof that his outrageous bet with Carson Palmer (Ep. 1) may not be so delusional after all. Join Derek and Tim as they talk about the ups and downs of a professional sports career, coaching their kids’ teams, and the parallels between pitching and golf.
Welcome to “episode 2” of The Golfing CEO, where host Derek Belch explores how far dreams, drive, and a dose of delusion can take us in the pursuit of the impossible. Joining him this week is Geoffrey Moore, the world-renowned author of Crossing the Chasm. Geoff shares his unconventional path to Silicon Valley and the world of high-flying tech companies that pour billions of dollars into products they hope will achieve mainstream adoption. Derek shares his decade-plus journey founding and running Strivr, and seeks Geoff’s advice on how to think about the future of both his company and his golf game.
Welcome to The Golfing CEO, where host Derek Belch explores how far dreams, drive, and a dose of delusion can take us in the pursuit of the impossible. Each week, Derek tees it up with some of the world’s most successful business executives, pro athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers. Together, they’ll share their stories, successes and failures, and the role that golf has played along the way.