Behind the Bluff

Jeff Ford
  • 4.8 (33)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Behind the Bluff is where wellness meets community. Through conversations with experts, leaders, and members, we explore health, longevity, leadership, and the intentional choices that help us live with purpose. Every episode closes with Healthy Momentum—practical inspiration to help you live with greater intention.   

  1. 5d ago

    How To Make Golf More Inviting | Colby Hyduke

    Golf can be one of the healthiest ways to spend a few hours, but only if the environment feels welcoming. I’m Jeffrey Ford, and I sat down with Colby Hyduke, head golf professional at Crossroads at Palmetto Bluff, to talk about how the game can shift from intimidating to inviting with just a few intentional choices and a lot of care for the people showing up.  Colby shares his path from growing up under the guidance of his father, to playing collegiate golf at Newberry College, to stepping into the business world before finding his way back to golf with a deeper sense of purpose. We get into what real coaching looks like for beginner golfers, why a first experience can make or break someone’s relationship with the sport, and how Crossroads creates a lower-pressure vibe through match play roots, creative shot options, and thoughtful pace of play. If you care about growing the game of golf, golf instruction, or building a strong member experience, you’ll take plenty from Colby’s approach.  We also connect golf and wellness in a practical way: walking a hole as a quick mental reset, balancing competitiveness with enjoyment, and using patience and presence to handle adversity off the course. Colby’s definition of wellness lands with real weight: balance in life, and being in a position to help the people around you.  If this conversation sparks something for you, subscribe to the show, share it with a friend who wants to get into golf without the stress, and leave a review so more listeners can find Behind the Bluff. What helps you feel welcomed when you try something new?

    How To Make Golf More Inviting | Colby Hyduke

  2. Sep 2

    Why Belonging Changes Your Health | MK Stahl

    A lot of people don’t need another pep talk they need a place where someone notices when they show up. I sit down with MK Stahl, mom of two, entrepreneur, and owner of Fitbody Bootcamp in Bluffton, to get honest about why fitness consistency is so hard and why community might be the missing piece. We talk about the moment motivation drops off, the excuses that get loud, and how reconnecting to a real “why” (energy, strength, family, confidence) changes everything. MK breaks down what makes group fitness and 30-minute workouts so effective: structured stations, a clear plan, coaches who correct form and offer modifications, and programming that balances strength training with metabolic conditioning. But the bigger story is the culture. From welcoming new members by name to celebrating first sessions and big milestones, she explains how small rituals create belonging and accountability, the kind that gets you through the door when you don’t feel like it. We also go beyond the gym. MK shares the routines that support her mental health and entrepreneurship, including list-making, “start with one change,” and choosing habits that actually fit your schedule. I close with an airport moment that reframed how we judge strangers and why kindness can be the first step toward building real community. If you want practical fitness motivation, habit-building tools, and a more human approach to wellness, hit play. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

    Why Belonging Changes Your Health | MK Stahl

  3. Aug 26

    Small Details Turn Service Into Care | Yesi Barrientos

    Great service is table stakes. What people remember is how you made them feel when nobody “had to” do anything extra. We’re joined by Yesi Barrientos, Director of Food and Beverage Service at Palmetto Bluff, for a grounded conversation about hospitality leadership, guest experience, and the small details that turn a restaurant visit into a real connection. Yessi breaks down what it means to take care of someone from the second they walk in to the moment they leave, and why attention to names, preferences, allergies, and family details builds trust over time. She also shares a powerful story from a busy Thanksgiving week event when a member’s family couldn’t attend, and how the team chose empathy and action so they didn’t miss out entirely. It’s a reminder that the most memorable customer service often looks simple, but it’s never accidental. We also talk career growth and mentoring, from starting as a banquet server to leading multiple outlets, plus what it takes to plan high-stakes events and train teams to feel confident creating meaningful moments. Then we zoom in on Anson Cottage: how an elevated casual dining experience gets designed, how menus come together through collaboration and “specials” testing, and why a shared vision across departments keeps the member experience seamless. We close with wellness, presence, and the power of gathering around a meal, plus a challenge to reach out to someone you’ve been missing. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

    Small Details Turn Service Into Care | Yesi Barrientos

  4. Aug 19

    What's Your Eating Personality? | Lindsay Ford

    Food can turn into a test you either “pass” or “fail” and that pressure shows up in ways most of us don’t notice until we’re exhausted by it. Jeffrey Ford is joined by registered dietitian Lindsay Ford to talk about the part of nutrition that gets overlooked: not just what we eat, but how we eat, what we believe about food, and the emotions we bring to the table. We break down four eating personalities Lindsay sees again and again in her work with individuals and families: the Compensator (the “I’ll make up for it Monday” cycle), the Perfectionist (rigid rules that look like discipline but can quietly steal your energy and joy), the Floater (inconsistent, fad-driven, nutrition as an afterthought), and the Intuitive eater (attuned, content, able to enjoy food without spiraling). You’ll hear how these patterns can overlap, how they shift across seasons of life, and why body image and self-talk often sit at the root. We also get practical about mindful eating without making it overly “touchy-feely”: reduce distractions, slow down, check in before you eat and halfway through, and notice what stress is doing to your appetite and choices. Jeffrey closes with a simple challenge for the week: spot where food creates pressure, then replace judgment with curiosity. If this helped you name your pattern, share it with a friend, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

    What's Your Eating Personality? | Lindsay Ford

  5. Aug 12

    Making Big Events Feel Small | Stephanie Sekula

    A 2,000-person Fourth of July party with limited power and no kitchen sounds like a nightmare on paper, yet at Palmetto Bluff it can still feel strangely personal. I’m joined by Stephanie Sekula, our Director of Special Events, to talk about what it really takes to build experiences that members remember years later, from the first planning meeting to the last shuttle ride back to the car. We dig into the philosophy behind “member experience first” and why familiar faces matter so much in hospitality. Stephanie shares how our teams bring a small, cared-for feeling into huge outdoor events, how themes like Bluffstock come to life, and what she listens for when defining whether an event was actually successful. Then we flip the script to something wildly intimate: the Off-Course dinner series, where 12 guests win a lottery, receive a hand-delivered invitation, and get transported to a secret location for a fully curated five-course dinner complete with clues, storytelling, and immersive design. After our main conversation, I leave you with a mindset tool I keep coming back to: asking “Is this a fact or a belief?” when imposter syndrome and limiting stories creep in. If you care about event planning, community building, leadership, wellness, and human connection, this one is packed with practical insight and perspective. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

    Making Big Events Feel Small | Stephanie Sekula

  6. Aug 5

    Why Leg Strength Matters More Than You Think

    One fall can change everything, and that’s why we’re putting the spotlight where it belongs: your legs. After months away from recording together, we’re back in a new space and diving into a topic that hits home for anyone who wants to stay active, mobile, and independent for decades. We share a personal story about a hip fracture and the quiet slide into inactivity that can follow, then zoom out to what you can do now to protect your future. We unpack the difference between muscle strength and muscle power. Strength is force. Power is producing that force fast, and that “fast” is often what saves you when you trip, miss a step, or need to stand up quickly. We talk through research and real world examples, plus how power training shows up in practical movements like swings, step ups, and agility work that challenges coordination and your nervous system, not just your muscles. You’ll also get simple, no-frills ways to measure progress, including the 30-second sit-to-stand test you can do at home, and how to think about benchmarks without getting trapped in comparison. Then we give you our most actionable starting point: split squats, a unilateral lower body exercise that builds strength, balance, and control that carries into daily life. We wrap with a 15-minute lower body plan, twice a week, and a Healthy Momentum reminder that results come from accumulation, not one perfect workout. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one leg strength habit you’re starting this week?

  7. Jul 29

    Great Experiences Don't Happen By Accident | Ashley Turner

    Something always goes sideways when you’re running an outdoor event, and that’s exactly why this conversation matters. I’m joined by Ashley Turner, golf tournament and events director at Palmetto Bluff, to unpack the behind the scenes reality of building golf tournaments that feel seamless for members while juggling three courses, packed tee sheets, food and beverage coordination, gifting, themes, and the constant wildcard of Lowcountry weather. Ashley shares how a tournament goes from a wild idea to a real schedule, why Cane Break planning starts the moment the prior year ends, and how her team uses feedback and a SWOT style debrief to keep improving without losing the heart of the club. We also talk about what members may not realize: Ashley manages access and planning for dozens of corporate and resort golf groups through the Montage partnership, which adds another layer to the event planning and hospitality puzzle. The most powerful moments, though, aren’t about scorecards. We get into how pairings can create real friendships, including a father son pairing that turned into something bigger than a round of golf. Ashley explains her definition of hospitality as a servant’s heart, the small details that make people feel seen, and what it takes to make gut wrenching calls like canceling a major tournament for safety during hurricane conditions. We even have some fun with a rapid fire round, including the story behind the Peacemaker signature drink. If you care about event management, hospitality, private club culture, golf community, or simply getting better at pivoting when plans change, you’ll take something useful from this. Subscribe to Behind the Bluff, share this with a friend who leads events or teams, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

    Great Experiences Don't Happen By Accident | Ashley Turner

  8. Jul 22

    Constant Corrections | Pete Cawley

    Flying a plane is not about locking the controls and hoping for the best. It’s about noticing drift and making constant, small corrections, and that single idea turned into one of my favorite metaphors for wellness, discipline, and living with purpose. I’m joined by Pete Cawley, a third-generation Navy man, former fighter pilot, entrepreneur, investor, and longtime CrossFit athlete, for a conversation that goes way deeper than credentials.  We talk about how discipline actually works in real life: it shows up when you have an objective worth chasing. Pete shares why freedom matters so much to him, how family shaped his standards, and what it looks like to be “a rock” for other people while still having the humility to ask for help. We also dig into the practice of staying humble through coaching and curiosity, including the question that can change your relationships fast: “Was it me?”  From there, we zoom out to decision-making under uncertainty, including lessons from real estate cycles and a meaningful pivot into assisted living with a simple mission: taking care of the people who used to take care of us. We finish with tactical mindset tools for staying calm under pressure, plus Pete’s definition of wellness through longevity and the environment you build around you. If you got value here, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

    Constant Corrections | Pete Cawley
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4.8
out of 5
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About

Behind the Bluff is where wellness meets community. Through conversations with experts, leaders, and members, we explore health, longevity, leadership, and the intentional choices that help us live with purpose. Every episode closes with Healthy Momentum—practical inspiration to help you live with greater intention.   

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Ford
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    140
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Behind the Bluff
  • Show Website
    Behind the Bluff

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