Guest: Kyle Kalick, founder, Caddie Comfort. Description: Kalick has had a unique vantage point to discover what golfers want and need across varied experiences, including as a professional caddie at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. His start-up, Caddie Comfort, develops technically functional, premium soft goods at a competitive price. Sports & Leisure Research Group’s Jon Last and David […]
Read More » SLRG’s Jon Last and David Klein dive into the latest vital signs from new golf industry research that unpacks what lies ahead in 2026 and the underlying trends and attitudes behind them.
Read More » Guest: Kris Hart, PGA of America senior director of growth and ventures. Description: Hart joins Sports & Leisure Research Group’s Jon Last and David Klein for a candid conversation about innovation in the golf industry and how the PGA of America strategically identifies those ideas that can become “diamonds in the rough.” Talking Points: ▪️ How Kris Hart’s entrepreneurial […]
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We all remember learning about marketing’s “four Ps.” Looking at recent research with sports fans, I found four significant themes for sports marketers looking to hit the ground running in the year ahead. I call them “the four Es”: Emotional connection: Is it just me, or does it seem like every article, sales pitch or […]
Read More » Guest: Whitey O’Malley, owner of Saddleback Golf Club and incoming president of the National Golf Course Owners’ Association. Description: O’Malley joins host Jon Last for a wide-ranging discussion about how golf facilities are leveraging technology to create operational efficiencies while maintaining exceptional customer service. Talking Points: ▪️ Finding the right balance between frictionless service delivery and high touch. […]
Read More » Guests: Casa de Campo Resort and Villas’ Gilles Gagnon, golf director emeritus, and Jason Kycek, director of sales and chief marketing officer. Description: For 50 years, Casa de Campo Resort and Villas in La Romana, Dominican Republic, has been an innovative resort that continues to break new ground in the Caribbean. Gagnon and Kycek unpack the impetus […]
Read More » Guest: Jon Schultz, founder, EZLocator. Description: Jon Schultz and his company, EZLocator, are making it easier for golf course superintendents to automate hole location selection. The process helps preserve the health of the greens and enhance the player experience. Schultz joins Sports and Leisure Research Group’s Jon Last and David Klein for a candid and insightful look at how […]
Read More » Guest: Fraser Marriott, head of golf, LightSpeed. Description: Marriott joins Sports and Leisure Research Group’s Jon Last and David Klein to discuss LightSpeed’s recent acquisition of Whoosh, an operations software firm. LightSpeed seeks to provide private club operators an integrated technology system with a seamless workflow and that connects every touchpoint across the member journey. Talking Points: […]
Read More » As golf’s customer base expands and transforms with the rapid diffusion of new technology, golf facility owners need to stay a step ahead and see through the hype to deliver for the game’s stakeholders. Few have a better handle on this reality than NGCOA CEO Jay Karen, who joins co-hosts Jon Last and David Klein […]
Read More » Guest: Rhett Evans, CEO, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Description: When the GCSAA CEO summitted Mt. Everest in 2024, it was just the latest mountain that he has conquered in a storied career at one of the industry’s most important administrative bodies. Talking Points: > How golf course superintendents are managing labor challenges > The current and future […]
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