Tales from the first tee

Rich Easton

Stories about my life experiences and others . Interviews with golfers around the world that have one thing in common...the pursuit of excellence on a golf course and everything else that happens along the way.

  1. 30 JAN

    Blades, Mulligans, And Momentum

    Send us a text A teenager shoots 60 on the Nicklaus course and suddenly the game looks younger, faster, and braver. We open with Blades Brown’s breakout and the ripple effect of a prodigy who can go low under cameras and crowds, then zoom out to what early crowning means in a sport that remembers both fireworks and flameouts. It’s a celebration and a caution: talent draws a spotlight, and pressure keeps the bulb hot. That theme of pressure runs straight into the psychology of mulligans. On the first tee, swagger meets physics, and sometimes the shaft meets a tree. We unpack why golfers love do-overs, how self-handicapping protects the ego, and why charity mulligans sell more hope than strokes. Then we take the idea off-course: the text you wish you unsent, the meeting you dreaded, the decision you delayed. Momentum comes from action, not perfection, which is why Mel Robbins’ 5-4-3-2-1 rule becomes a practical tool. Count down, move, and stop negotiating with the couch. If it must be done eventually, do it now. From there, the stakes scale up. College football’s NIL era and the transfer portal have scrambled the map, letting new contenders rise fast and forcing legacy programs to adapt. We break down why playoffs feel different, how peak performance compresses into inches, and what we learn from athletes who execute when the clock refuses to wait. Finally, we turn to power, process, and trust around ICE actions and media narratives—because rules only matter if evidence and accountability keep them honest. Sports teach us to accept shared standards; civic life demands the same, or the game doesn’t feel fair. Hit play for a ride from fairways to front pages, from do-overs to doing the hard thing. If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with one action you’ll start in 5-4-3-2-1. Spotify Apple podcasts Amazon Music all other streaming services

    33 min
  2. 18 JAN

    Inside A Point-Shaving Web And The ICE Hammer

    Send us a text A few unfamiliar names, a 70-page indictment, and a flood of betting data set the stage for a candid look at how games get bent and why so many of us still want to believe the scoreboard tells the whole truth. I walk through the mechanics of a recent point-shaving scheme at mid-major and D2 programs, how sportsbooks and integrity services flagged coordinated prop bets, and why subpoenas, texts, and money trails make “nobody will know” a losing strategy. The result isn’t moral panic; it’s a sober case for uncertainty—and the reason I stopped wagering when hidden variables outnumbered knowns. Then we swing to a different arena where trust is contested in public view: immigration enforcement. ICE operations have surged, detention capacity has climbed, and the country is arguing through headlines, viral videos, and incomplete stats. I lay out the competing claims—historic enforcement gains versus due process concerns—and ask listeners to sit with the uncomfortable math of trade-offs. Policies promise order, but every big lever has an unintended cost, and communities feel it first. To ground it all, I return to the one place where the odds feel honest: the course. “Write about what you know” led me to golf, not because I’m a pro, but because four hours with a scorecard reveals who we are under pressure. From Hogan and Penick to Rotella and Parent, the mental game beats quick fixes, and the best shots arrive after quiet practice, not swing juice. I share a childhood dodgeball moment that rewired my idea of courage, plus four reasons we forget our own peaks—and how to lock them in for the next swing. If you can’t control the whistle or the policy, you can still control your reps, your recall, and your response. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who bets too confidently, and leave a quick review with your biggest takeaway. Your notes shape what we explore next. Spotify Apple podcasts Amazon Music all other streaming services

    36 min
  3. From Irish Goodbyes To The Business Of College Sports And Golf’s Civil War

    5 JAN

    From Irish Goodbyes To The Business Of College Sports And Golf’s Civil War

    Send us a text Ever left a party without goodbyes and felt oddly right about it? That’s our jump‑off point for a fast, funny, and candid ride from a midnight move out of Charleston to a new life in Harrisonburg—where a sore back, a pool streak, and a golf addiction spark a deeper look at how we chase joy and manage wear and tear. We talk about the quiet power of leaving at the right time, then get honest about aging, fitness, and the tradeoffs we make when passion runs hot. From there, the conversation widens to sports culture and the gravity of star power. The PNC Championship felt lighter without Tiger and Charlie, and it raises a tough truth: icons change the temperature of a game. That same force ripples through college sports as NIL and the transfer portal reshape loyalty. We break down how revenue sharing made long‑overdue corrections but eroded season‑long narratives, and we pitch a fix that preserves mobility while restoring meaning—move the portal window until after the national titles so coaches coach, players finish, and fans get closure. Golf’s civil war takes center stage next. LIV’s shotgun chaos and giant purses versus the PGA’s tradition and tension—what did money fix, and what did it flatten? We sketch a realistic path for big names to return: fines, a delayed runway, and limited access to premium events at first. Not out of nostalgia, but because stars lift the ceiling for everyone—attendance, ratings, and the feeling that anything can happen on 18. We close with a sharp watch pick: Plurribus on Apple TV, Vince Gilligan’s mind‑bending series anchored by Rhea Seehorn. It’s a reminder that the best stories—on a course, a stage, or a screen—bind us together. Hit play, then tell us: which rule would you change first—portal timing, LIV returns, or something we missed? And if this resonated, follow, share, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show. Spotify Apple podcasts Amazon Music all other streaming services

    41 min
  4. 29/09/2025

    Ryder Cup, Food Noise, and a Dollar Match

    Send us a text Pressure doesn’t need a trophy to feel real. We start with Bethpage Black and the Ryder Cup’s unique voltage—captains orchestrating pairings, European chemistry in foursomes and four-ball, and a home crowd that couldn’t keep the line between passion and taunting. Golf asks for silence; fandom doesn’t always listen. You’ll hear how that tension plays out in shot routines, heart rates, and the razor-thin edge between competitive fire and corrosive noise. From there, we head to a quiet nine that wasn’t. A new playing partner turns the round into a biography reading, carts stack up behind us, and timing collides with etiquette. That chaos opens a bigger idea: noise doesn’t just come from bleachers or laughter in your backswing—it lives in your head as “food noise.” We unpack the pull toward snacks at 8:01 a.m., planning travel around food courts, and the ritual joy of sandwiches at the turn. GLP-1s, paleo, prepped meals, and Nutrisystem all make cameo appearances as tools that can turn down the volume, but we make the case for a lasting mix of moderation, movement, and cooking with purpose. The heartbeat of the story lands on the back nine with Valdemar. One dollar and a flag-on-flag challenge transform casual swings into committed shots. Concessions disappear. We play it down and putt everything out. Short putts grow sharp edges; focus finds a home. That single dollar ends up framed because it represents the simplest truth in sport and life: stakes create meaning, meaning creates pressure, and pressure—handled well—creates presence. If you’ve ever felt your hands shake over a must-make putt or your thoughts drift to dinner mid-round, this one’s for you. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a golf friend who loves a good sweat on a three-footer, and leave a quick review with your best tip for handling noise—on the course or in the kitchen. Support the show Spotify Apple podcasts Amazon Music all other streaming services

    39 min

About

Stories about my life experiences and others . Interviews with golfers around the world that have one thing in common...the pursuit of excellence on a golf course and everything else that happens along the way.