2d ago

Bryson DeChambeau: Golf Genius or Golf Circus? | Ep. 15

Bryson DeChambeau knows how to get people watching, but is everything he's doing on YouTube good for his golf career? Episode 15 kicks off with Bryson's latest YouTube creation, a $100,000 golf challenge taking place at his own house. Golfers compete head-to-head until one player earns the opportunity to take on Bryson for the money. If Bryson wins, one of his subscribers gets the $100,000. Jake loves what Bryson has done with YouTube and social media. Brett sees it a little differently, comparing Bryson to the P.T. Barnum of golf and questioning whether all the spectacle and side projects have prevented him from reaching an even higher level as a professional golfer. That leads to a bigger conversation about Bryson's career, LIV Golf, his two major championships and what his future in professional golf could look like. Brett even compares him to John Daly, another incredibly talented golfer who knew how to attract attention well beyond what happened on the scorecard. Then Jake and Brett get back to their own golf. For once, they both played charity scrambles without each other. Brett played at Hiland Golf Club in Queensbury in a tournament benefiting Ronald McDonald House, while Jake played at Cronin's Golf Resort in Warrensburg for North Country Ministry. Both teams managed to finish under par, but the bigger stories came from some of the creative contests along the way. At Cronin's, Jake encounters a putting contest where golfers attempt to win bottles of liquor and wine positioned around the green. He also comes away with an idea for future charity tournaments: giving each team one opportunity to move up and play a shot from the red tees. Then Brett presents a golf dilemma that needs to be settled. During a straightest-drive contest on a short par 4, Brett hit his drive beyond the designated contest line and onto the green. The ball was directly in line with the flagstick. Does that count as the straightest drive? Brett decided it did. He took the cooler. Then it's time for the Rule of the Day, and this one comes from personal experience. Brett calls it the "Angry Golfer Rule." After being hit into multiple times during a casual round, Brett finally lost his patience and hit the other group's golf ball back toward them. He later learned that interfering with another player's ball in that situation can result in a penalty during competitive play. The lesson is simple: Don't let your anger cost you strokes. Finally, Jake and Brett look ahead. The 2025-26 US Am Tour season has come to an end and the 2026-27 season is getting underway. That also means this episode marks the end of Season 1 of Divots & Skins. Season 2 will bring more US Am Tour golf, more players and guests, more course reviews and plenty of indoor golf as winter approaches in Upstate New York. The guys also talk about what's coming at The Luxury Box, including a new teaching bay designed to analyze your swing and help golfers work on their games throughout the offseason. Season 1 is in the books. Season 2 is coming. *COURSES FEATURED: * Hiland Park Country Club https://www.hilandparkcc.com Cronin's Golf Resort https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057524286627 *SPONSORS & PARTNERS: * Blueprint Leadership Development https://www.blueprintleadershipdevelopment.com The Luxury Box https://theluxurybox.net US AM TOUR ALBANY REGION: https://www.usamtour.com/ If you're an everyday golfer who loves discovering new courses, amateur tournament golf, golf course reviews, golf rules and honest conversations about trying to get better at this ridiculous game, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE to Divots & Skins and come along for the ride. And tell us in the comments: Do you watch DeChambeau's YouTube stuff?

Oct 1

We Played Golf Around NY & MA and Found Some Gems | Ep. 14

Six courses. Two weekends. Lots of golf! Episode 14 of Divots & Skins starts with Shane Lowry's dominant performance at the Irish Open before the guys turn their attention to the golf they've been playing themselves. And there's been a lot of it. Over Labor Day weekend, Jake and Brett joined US Am Tour Albany Region director Don to check out several courses that could potentially become future tour stops. The trip started at Apple Greens Golf Course in Highland, New York, a unique layout built through an apple orchard with rows of apple trees lining portions of the course. From there they headed to Western Massachusetts for Veterans Memorial Golf Course in Springfield and Chicopee Country Club in Chicopee before returning home and adding one more round at Top of the World Golf Resort near Lake George. Top of the World provided one of the highlights of the weekend, including a spectacular par 3 overlooking Lake George and the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. Four rounds in three days apparently wasn't enough. The following weekend, Jake and Brett headed back into the Hudson Valley to play Casperkill Golf Club and McCann Memorial Golf Course in Poughkeepsie. Jake put together one of his better rounds of the season with a 93 at Casperkill, while the course gave the guys a chance to talk about playing smart from heavy rough, avoiding hero shots and why keeping the ball straight can be far more important than hitting it a long way. At McCann Memorial, they learn about the history of the course, experience possibly the most comfortable golf carts they've ever ridden in and eventually find themselves playing speed golf as they race to get their cart back before the deadline. All of these rounds lead into a larger conversation about the US Am Tour and why Jake and Brett believe more everyday golfers should give competitive amateur golf a try. You don't need to shoot in the 70s. You don't need to shoot in the 80s. Jake won a tournament this season with a 97. Flighted competition gives golfers the opportunity to play against people at a similar ability level while experiencing courses, including private clubs, they might never otherwise have an opportunity to play. The guys talk about the competition, friendships and community they've found through the tour and why the experience has changed the way they look at amateur golf. Brett also brings a couple of complaints for Golfer Gripe of the Day, including golfers who wander into other fairways without paying attention and people who pick up golf balls that clearly might still be in play. Then it's time for another Rule of the Day. If another golfer is smoking a cigarette, can you watch the smoke to determine which way the wind is blowing? Yes. But intentionally creating smoke for the purpose of gauging the wind is another story. *COURSES FEATURED: * Apple Greens Golf Course https://applegreens.com/ Veterans Memorial Golf Course https://vets-franconia-golf.com Chicopee Country Club https://www.chicopeecountryclub.com Top of the World Golf Resort https://www.topoftheworldgolfresort.com/golf/ Casperkill Golf Club https://casperkillgolf.com/ McCann Memorial Golf Course https://www.mccanngolfcourse.com/ *SPONSORS & PARTNERS: * Blueprint Leadership Development https://www.blueprintleadershipdevelopment.com The Luxury Box https://theluxurybox.net US AM TOUR ALBANY REGION: https://www.usamtour.com/ If you're an everyday golfer who loves discovering new courses, amateur tournament golf, golf course reviews, golf rules and honest conversations about trying to get better at this ridiculous game, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE to Divots & Skins and come along for the ride. And tell us in the comments: What's the hidden-gem golf course near YOU that we should know about?

Sep 22

Scottie Scheffler Dominates, Amsterdam Muni Delivers | Ep. 13

Scottie Scheffler does it again, and Jake and Brett kick off Episode 13 with a look at another incredible performance from the world’s top golfer. They talk about what separates Scottie from the rest of professional golf, his remarkable consistency, ability to avoid bogeys and the mentality that allows him to stay locked in regardless of where he stands on the leaderboard. They also discuss the other side of Scottie, including his interactions with fans, his family and why his personality away from the course has made them even bigger fans. Then it’s back to the kind of golf Jake and Brett know best. The guys made their first trip to Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course in Amsterdam, New York, and the course exceeded expectations. Great conditions, excellent greens, an interesting layout and even a par 3 with two different greens made it a memorable first visit. They liked it enough to play another 18. Brett followed an opening 86 with an 82 in the second round, and the experience leads to a bigger discussion about something every amateur golfer should consider: Are you actually playing the right tees? Jake and Brett talk about choosing tees based on your game instead of your ego, why moving forward can make golf more enjoyable and how the US Am Tour determines yardages for different flights. Brett also introduces his Golfer Gripe of the Day, and this time he has one simple request: Play ready golf. That doesn’t mean rushing around the course. It means being prepared to hit when it’s your turn, paying attention to the golfers around you and doing the little things that can keep a round moving. Then the Rule of the Day gets strange. What happens if your golf ball somehow ends up inside the clubhouse? Under the right circumstances, the Rules of Golf may actually allow you to play it from inside the building. Jake and Brett also look ahead to more golf at Brookhaven, Apple Greens, Veterans Memorial Golf Course and Chicopee Country Club as they continue exploring new courses, competing and finding out where their games take them next. It’s PGA Tour talk, municipal golf, amateur golf strategy, golf etiquette, bizarre rules and plenty of the usual Divots & Skins conversation. COURSES: Amsterdam Municipal Golf Course [https://www.golfamsterdammuni.com] Brookhaven Golf Course [https://www.brookhavengolfcourse.com] Apple Greens Golf Course [https://applegreens.com] Veterans Memorial Golf Course [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://vets-franconia-golf.com/&ved=2ahUKEwjZmM6AkYGXAxWRiCsGHYb3FA8QFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0BlThdYVtGEdlmDB_YeuXW] Chicopee Country Club [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.chicopeecountryclub.com/&ved=2ahUKEwits4q5kYGXAxUAlCsGHYNbDTsQFnoECBoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0nTjaCSWeLuYgeqpkvhVIv] SPONSORS & PARTNERS Blueprint Leadership Development: https://blueprintleadershipdevelopment.com The Luxury Box - Queensbury, NY: https://theluxurybox.net US Am Tour - Albany Region: https://www.bluegolf.com/amateur/programs/usamtour_nyalbany/index.html

Sep 5

Scottie Won’t Quit, Gary Player Defies Age & We Survive Wyndhurst | Ep. 12

Scottie Scheffler played through an illness that left him with blisters on his hands and feet. Gary Player is still striping fairways at 90 years old. And then Jake and Brett tried to survive their own battle at Wyndhurst Manor & Club. Episode 12 of Divots & Skins starts with Scottie Scheffler and the grit it took to battle through the BMW Championship while sick. We talk about what makes Scottie so consistent, his ability to avoid bogeys and scramble for pars, and a lesson he learned from watching Tiger Woods bring the same intensity whether he was in contention or not. Then there's Gary Player. Jake watched Bryson DeChambeau's Break 50 with the 90-year-old golf legend, and Player's game, fitness and energy are incredible. We get into his longevity, career, legendary approach to fitness and a golf term Jake hadn't heard before: "ham and eggs." Then it's time for our golf. Can I Break 50 with a 90 Year Old? - https://youtu.be/2WwmlhkXE7k?si=nxX4AjNvFeHGMorh The US Am Tour Albany Region wrapped up its 2026 local season at Wyndhurst Golf & Club in Lenox, Massachusetts. Jake was trying to break 100 and shot exactly 100, while Brett battled through illness, dizziness and his toughest tour round of the season. It leads to a bigger conversation every amateur golfer can relate to: What do you do when the round starts falling apart? Do you quit, or do you reset and keep grinding? We also look ahead to US Am Tour Nationals in Oregon, the beginning of the 2027 tour season, our upcoming Myrtle Beach golf trip and Season 2 of Divots & Skins. And Brett's Rule of the Day gets weird again. What can you legally do when your golf ball ends up next to a cactus? You might be surprised by what the Rules of Golf allow you to protect and what you're NOT allowed to protect. IN THIS EPISODE: • Scottie Scheffler battling through illness • What Scottie learned from Tiger Woods • Gary Player playing golf at 90 • Bryson DeChambeau's Break 50 with Gary Player • What "ham and eggs" means in golf • US Am Tour at Wyndhurst Golf & Club • Battling through a terrible round • When withdrawing from a tournament makes sense • Why you shouldn't quit just because you're playing badly • US Am Tour Nationals and the 2027 season • Our upcoming Myrtle Beach golf trip • Rule of the Day: the cactus rule • What's ahead for Season 2 of Divots & Skins SPONSORS & PARTNERS Blueprint Leadership Development: https://blueprintleadershipdevelopment.com The Luxury Box - Queensbury, NY: https://theluxurybox.net US Am Tour - Albany Region: https://www.bluegolf.com/amateur/programs/usamtour_nyalbany/index.html Courses: Wyndhurst Golf & Club: https://wyndhurstgolfandclub.com Have a course on the East Coast we need to play? Especially in Myrtle Beach? Drop it in the comments. We're building our list and want to hear where YOU think we should tee it up.

Aug 26

Golf Cheaters, REAL Hole-in-One & Big Wins at Brookhaven and Wiltwyck | Ep. 11

A fake hole-in-one, a real hole-in-one and a couple of tournament wins make for a packed Episode 11 of Divots & Skins. Jake and Brett start with one of the craziest golf cheating stories they’ve heard. A former college golfer tried to claim a hole-in-one by dropping his ball into the cup when nobody was watching. Unfortunately for him, a nearby camera caught the entire thing. That leads to a bigger conversation about cheating in golf, questionable scramble scores and why integrity remains such an important part of the game. Cheater Story: https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/49577068/golfer-resigns-club-admitting-fake-hole-one From there, it’s back to their own golf. Jake and Brett recap a great day at the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department charity scramble at Cronin’s Golf Resort, where their team finished third and had plenty of laughs along the way. Then it’s time for the two-day Club Championship at their home course, Brookhaven Golf Course. Brett walked away as the net club champion, Jake finished fifth gross and their group witnessed Peter Taylor make a real hole-in-one on the fifth hole. The US Am Tour Albany Region also took them to Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston, New York, where Jake went into one of the tougher courses he’s played on tour simply hoping to break 100. He shot 97 and walked away with his second tour victory of the season. They also talk about getting an early look at Wyndhurst Manor & Club in Lenox, Massachusetts, ahead of their upcoming tour stop. Plus, the Rule of the Day takes an unusual turn with a look at what the Rules of Golf say when your ball ends up near a dangerous animal, and what happens when that animal isn’t alive. It’s another episode filled with amateur tournament golf, great courses, bad shots, good rounds, golf rules and the stories that keep bringing Jake and Brett back to the game. COURSES FEATURED Cronin's Golf Resort - Warrensburg, NY: https://croninsgolfresort.com Brookhaven Golf Course - Porter Corners, NY: https://www.brookhavengolfcourse.com Wyndhurst Manor & Club - Lenox, Mass: https://wyndhurstgolfandclub.com Wiltwyck Golf Club - Kingston, NY: https://wiltwyck.org SPONSORS & PARTNERS Blueprint Leadership Development: https://blueprintleadershipdevelopment.com The Luxury Box - Queensbury, NY: https://theluxurybox.net US Am Tour - Albany Region: https://www.bluegolf.com/amateur/programs/usamtour_nyalbany/index.html

Aug 19

Bryson’s Penalty, Our Fox Run Playoff Holes & Turning Stone Weekend | Ep. 10

Bryson DeChambeau found himself at the center of a rules controversy, and golfers have plenty of opinions about it. Was his two-stroke penalty justified? Does intent matter? And what about his initial reaction to the ruling? Jake and Brett break it all down, including Rory McIlroy’s comments and why this particular rule isn’t as gray as it might seem. Then it’s time for some golf of our own. On the way to Turning Stone, we made an early-morning stop at Fox Run Golf Club in Johnstown, N.Y., for a head-to-head round. Eighteen holes later, we were tied at 92 and neither of us was ready to call it a draw. That meant extra holes, an unexpected hype man and a memorable finish to a course we’ve quickly become big fans of. From Fox Run, we headed to Turning Stone Resort Casino for a massive US Am Tour weekend featuring 115 golfers from across the country and beyond. We talk about the atmosphere surrounding the event, our winner interviews and what makes Kaluhyat such a demanding target golf course. We also get into Scottie Scheffler’s season, tournament golf, course strategy and why events like this show just how competitive and diverse amateur golf can be. Courses mentioned in this episode: Fox Run Golf Club https://www.foxrungolf.club/ Turning Stone Resort Casino Golf https://www.turningstone.com/golf Brookhaven Golf Course https://www.brookhavengolfcourse.com/ Sponsors & Partners: Blueprint Leadership Development https://www.robshauger.com/ The Luxury Box https://theluxurybox.net/ US Am Tour Albany Region https://www.usamtour.com/ From PGA Tour controversy to our own amateur golf adventures, it’s another packed episode of Divots & Skins. Make sure you SUBSCRIBE!

Aug 12

Play It Foreward 518: How Two Brothers' Journey Became a Foundation for Kids

In this episode of Divots & Skins, we sit down with Ryan Trueba, co-founder of Play It Foreward 518, a family foundation based in New York's Capital Region dedicated to supporting local children and families navigating serious illness and hardship. Ryan shares the deeply personal story behind the foundation's origin — inspired by his brother Joe's own health battle and the outpouring of community support that carried their family through it — and how that experience shaped Play It Foreward 518's mission of paying that generosity forward. We talk about the foundation's annual golf tournament, now entering its 11th year, along with some of the standout initiatives it's helped bring to life: a Make-A-Wish trip to TPC Sawgrass, a long-running partnership with the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center, an honorary captain program with Siena College basketball that's now surpassed 100 honorees, and continued support for organizations like Double H Ranch. Ryan also reflects on what it means to build something rooted in family, community, and the belief that even small contributions can make a real difference. It's a heartfelt conversation about turning hardship into purpose — and the power of a community that shows up.

Aug 4

Ep 9 - Missed Cuts, Mindset, and Playoff Holes at Fox Run

On this episode, we're catching you up from two different rounds, our Thursday league night at Brookhaven Golf Course in Greenfield, New York, and our trip out to Frear Park in Troy for a Capital District Golf Tour stop. I talk about coming one bad stretch away from finally breaking 80, and Brett explains how a positive mindset carried him to a birdie on 18 and a pocket full of skins money to go with it. We also get into the bigger story from the PGA and LPGA this week, Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda both missing the cut on the same weekend, and why that says more about how hard golf actually is than it does about either of their games. Along the way we talk about Bryson DeChambeau's analytical approach to the game, why your best shots usually come on the range, and why nobody, amateur or pro, gets to skip the mental side of golf. From there we head to Fox Run Golf Course in Johnstown for a great round that included a two hole playoff, and wrap up with a preview of the US Amateur Albany Region event at Turning Stone, where we'll be interviewing winners and losers straight off the course. Courses mentioned in this episode: Brookhaven Golf Course, Greenfield, NY - https://www.brookhavengolfcourse.com Frear Park Golf Course, Troy, NY - https://www.troyny.gov/1411/Frear-Park-Golf-Course Fox Run Golf Course, Johnstown, NY - https://www.foxrungolf.club Turning Stone Resort, Kaluhyat, Verona, NY - https://www.turningstone.com/golf/kaluhyat Thanks to our sponsor, Blueprint Leadership Development (https://www.blueprintleadershipdevelopment.com). If you're looking for a business coach, Rob's info is in the show notes. And thanks to The Luxury Box (https://www.theluxury.net) for letting us record in their simulator room, if you're looking for a place to swing when the weather turns, that's the spot. If you enjoy the show, follow us wherever you listen and leave a review, it helps more golfers find us and it means we can get to more tournaments.

Divots & Skins

Bryson DeChambeau: Golf Genius or Golf Circus? | Ep. 15

We Played Golf Around NY & MA and Found Some Gems | Ep. 14

Scottie Scheffler Dominates, Amsterdam Muni Delivers | Ep. 13

Scottie Won’t Quit, Gary Player Defies Age & We Survive Wyndhurst | Ep. 12

Golf Cheaters, REAL Hole-in-One & Big Wins at Brookhaven and Wiltwyck | Ep. 11

Bryson’s Penalty, Our Fox Run Playoff Holes & Turning Stone Weekend | Ep. 10

Play It Foreward 518: How Two Brothers' Journey Became a Foundation for Kids

Ep 9 - Missed Cuts, Mindset, and Playoff Holes at Fox Run

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Divots & Skins

Episodes

Bryson DeChambeau: Golf Genius or Golf Circus? | Ep. 15

We Played Golf Around NY & MA and Found Some Gems | Ep. 14

Scottie Scheffler Dominates, Amsterdam Muni Delivers | Ep. 13

Scottie Won’t Quit, Gary Player Defies Age & We Survive Wyndhurst | Ep. 12

Golf Cheaters, REAL Hole-in-One & Big Wins at Brookhaven and Wiltwyck | Ep. 11

Bryson’s Penalty, Our Fox Run Playoff Holes & Turning Stone Weekend | Ep. 10

Play It Foreward 518: How Two Brothers' Journey Became a Foundation for Kids

Ep 9 - Missed Cuts, Mindset, and Playoff Holes at Fox Run

About

Information