The Cart Barn Podcast

Summary
Alabama Open champion Carter Goodwin on missing the cut at Shoal Creek, winning the Spirit of America the next week, and heading into Q School first stage.

Description / show notes

Carter Goodwin is an assistant pro at Turtle Point Yacht and Country Club, a former UNA golfer, and the 2026 Alabama Open champion. He joins Chris and Gregg in the Cart Barn to talk about how he got here.

In this episode:

Former LSU and South Alabama golf coach Greg Jones explains why every hole is a par three, why wedges win tournaments, and tells stories about Floyd Horgan, a silver watch that never arrived, and walking with Jack Nicklaus.

Greg Jones grew up as a cart boy at Skyline Country Club in Mobile, played college and pro golf, and went on to win five Sun Belt titles at South Alabama before rebuilding the LSU program. After a stint as a State Farm agent, he returned to teaching and is now director of instruction at Steelwood Country Club in...

Huntsville golf coach Craig Bocking of The Ledges explains how Tyler Watts uses the ground to hit a 355 drive at 140 pounds, how force plates and 3D motion capture shape his lessons, and why he tells players to have fun.

Craig Bocking coaches golfers from his studio at The Ledges in Huntsville, Alabama, using force plates, TrackMan and 3D motion capture to work with everyone from weekend golfers to college and professional players. He joins Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt to talk golf instruction, how the body is designed to move, and what he has learned from more...

Jerry West spent a week taking lessons from Jimmy Ballard at Pine Harbor in Pell City. When he got back to the LA Country Club, 23 of his next 24 rounds were in the 60s. The 24th was a 59 that set the course record.

In Part 2, Jimmy picks up right where we left off. Curtis Strange showed up with a back so bad he had to sit down after five shots. Jimmy put his swing side by side with Ben Hogan's and told him the rebuild would take five years, because that's how long it took...

Long before he became one of the most influential golf instructors of the last 50 years, Jimmy Ballard was a teenager in Birmingham who'd quit playing golf entirely. A chance round with Lee Mackey (the man who shot 64 at the 1950 US Open) got him back on the course, and got him introduced to Sam Byrd, the man who'd define the rest of his life.

Byrd played outfield for the Yankees alongside Babe Ruth, and the two were genuinely best friends. Babe was best man at Byrd's wedding. And the single move Babe taught Byrd about hitting a baseball...

Zoe Walker went from a reluctant cheerleader who wanted nothing to do with golf, to a preferred walk on for the University of Georgia women's golf team, to a professional golfer competing on the Women's All Pro Tour and Annika Tour, all while building Zalea's Golf Co, a women's golf headcover brand that started with a bag of fabric from Hobby Lobby and her grandmother's sewing machine.

In this episode, Zoe talks about growing up in Palm Desert, California surrounded by golf she had no interest in until watching Bubba Watson win the Masters changed her mind...

Two years ago, Stewart Cink was our very first guest. Now he's back to celebrate The Cart Barn's anniversary, talk grandkids, his six win season, and the phone notes that are running his golf game.

Full description / show notes

Two years ago, Stewart Cink sat down for the very first episode of The Cart Barn Podcast. Now he's back to help us celebrate our second birthday, and he brought a lot to talk about.

The 2001 U.S. Open champion and six time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this season opens up about...

On this week's episode of The Cart Barn, Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt are joined by returning guest Matt Terry, the new head men's golf coach at the University of North Alabama after nine seasons at Louisiana Tech. Terry, a Moulton, Alabama native who met his wife on the UNA campus, talks coming home to Florence, why he left Louisiana Tech to take over one of UNA's flagship athletic programs, and how the transfer portal and new nine man roster limits are reshaping college golf recruiting.

He also breaks down his young roster of four freshmen and...

On this week's episode of The Cart Barn, Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt are joined by Samford University senior and reigning Alabama Women's Amateur champion Gabi Nicastro, fresh off a semifinal run at the 2026 U.S. Women's Amateur. The Huntsville, Alabama native talks entering the national tournament as the 44th seed and ranked 380th in the world, beating four higher seeded golfers to reach the final four, and falling to top seeded Anna Iwanaga after playing in a field alongside nationally ranked names like Asterisk Talley and Scarlett Schremmer. Gabi also talks her path from softball to golf, working...

UAB football head coach Alex Mortensen joins The Cart Barn for a 2026 season preview, recorded on the range at the Regions Tradition just days before college football kickoff. Mortensen, who spent nine seasons on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama, breaks down NIL, revenue sharing, the transfer portal, and how UAB football is closing the recruiting gap on American Conference contenders like Tulane, Memphis, and USF.

Mortensen also tells the story of UAB taking the field against Tulsa 40 players short, and winning the program's first road game in three years.

Alex Mortensen is the head football...

Jason Bohn is a two-time PGA Tour winner, University of Alabama golf alum, and now a PGA Tour Champions player competing this week at the 2026 Regions Tradition in Hoover, Alabama. On this episode of the Cart Barn Podcast, Bohn tells the story of the day Ernie Els, a four-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Famer, walked up to him on the practice green and asked him for putting tips. Bohn's response: "you're a Hall of Famer, bud, what are you asking me for?"

That moment lines up with what Bohn says makes the PGA Tour...

Freddie Jacobson's path to professional golf wasn't typical.

Growing up in Sweden, he played multiple sports before committing to golf. That journey eventually brought him to Wallace State Community College in Alabama, where he arrived speaking very little English but found an opportunity that helped launch a career spanning the European Tour, PGA TOUR, and now PGA TOUR Champions.

Recorded on-site at the Regions Tradition, Freddie joins Chris Lemley and Gregg DeWalt to discuss:

This week, we're taking a short break from guest interviews to catch up on what's happening in golf and share one of the most memorable golf trips we've ever discussed on The Cart Barn Podcast.

Gregg recently traveled to Nebraska, where he played everything from nationally ranked courses to hidden nine-hole gems. Along the way, he discovered something neither of us had ever seen before—a golf course with sand greens, including one unforgettable hole known simply as "The Bull Pen."

We also discuss:

What happens after you shock the golf world at 16?

In this episode of The Cart Barn Podcast, Chris Lemley and Gregg DeWalt sit down with Anna Davis, the 2022 Augusta National Women's Amateur Champion, Curtis Cup champion, and Auburn University standout.

Anna reflects on how her life changed after Augusta, representing Team USA, competing in one of college golf's toughest conferences, and preparing for the next chapter of her career. She also shares stories from Augusta National, Pine Valley, Bel-Air, Muirfield, and other legendary golf courses while offering an honest look at the pressure, growth, and...

What does it really take to build a championship golf tournament?

Tournament Director Wade Dockery of the Alabama–Northwest Florida PGA Section takes Chris Lemley and Gregg DeWalt behind the scenes of the Alabama Open, revealing what most golfers never get to see. From preparing the golf course and building the purse to attracting the region's top professionals and amateurs, Wade explains what it takes to stage one of the South's premier state championships.

The conversation also explores the rich history of the Alabama Open, its partnership with the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, and th...

Golf has always been about more than scorecards.

It's about the people we meet, the courses that shape us, and the stories that stay with us for a lifetime.

In this episode, Daryle Sager joins Chris Lemley and Gregg DeWalt to reflect on a different era of amateur golf. From Bonnie Crest Country Club and the legendary players who came through its fairways to the lifelong friendships formed through the game, James shares why these stories deserve to be remembered.

The conversation also explores how amateur golf has changed, what has been gained...

Winning the Alabama State Amateur doesn't happen by accident.

Fresh off his victory at the Country Club of Birmingham, Ryley Heath joins The Cart Barn Podcast to discuss the journey that led to one of the biggest amateur titles in the state. But this conversation is about much more than one tournament.

Ryley reflects on growing up at Burning Tree Country Club, learning the game alongside his sister Ginger, and the players and mentors who helped shape him into one of Alabama's top amateurs. He explains why difficult golf courses helped his game, how practicing...

Every golfer has a story they still remember.

A shot from thirty years ago. A round with their father. A tournament that changed everything. A playing partner who later became someone they never expected.

This week, Chris Lemley and Gregg DeWalt welcome Curt Thompson, creator of Dear Golf Journal, for a conversation about why golf memories stay with us long after the scorecard is forgotten.

From Future Masters memories and lifelong friendships to rounds with family and the shots that still come to mind decades later, Curt shares why preserving these stories may...

This week on The Cart Barn Podcast, Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt continue their coverage from the practice range at the Regions Tradition with two guests who Alabama sports and entertainment fans will immediately recognize.

First, U.S. Senator and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville joins us to discuss golf in Washington, playing with fellow senators, the future of NIL and the transfer portal, his campaign for Governor of Alabama, and why golf remains one of the best ways to learn about people.

Then, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks stops by to talk music...

For more than 77 years, the Future Masters has been one of the most respected junior golf tournaments in America.

Long before they became PGA Tour stars, major champions, and household names, players such as Scottie Scheffler, Stewart Cink, Trevor Immelman, Hubert Green, Ben Curtis, Jerry Pate, Russell Henley, Bubba Watson and many others competed in Dothan, Alabama at the Future Masters.

In this episode, Future Masters Tournament Coordinator Angelia Turner joins Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt to share the history behind the tournament, the stories that have shaped its legacy, and how a community-driven event...

Collin McCrary joins The Cart Barn Podcast to share the incredible story and legacy of Alabama golf legend Mac McClendon. From winning SEC titles at LSU and PGA Tour events to becoming one of the nation’s top financial advisors, Mac’s impact stretched far beyond golf. Collin shares personal stories involving Hubert Green, Shoal Creek, the Masters, and the scholarship foundation that has helped more than 200 Troy University students pursue their education. A powerful episode about golf, family, mentorship, and legacy.

Boo Weekley stops by The Cart Barn at the Regions Tradition for a laid-back conversation on the range.

We talk with Boo about his early days around golf, memories of playing in North Alabama, his love for fishing and hunting, his current game, the Legacy Course at Greystone, and what makes life on the PGA TOUR Champions different from the regular tour.

This one is short, funny, and exactly what you’d expect from Boo Weekley.

For this episode of The Cart Barn Podcast, we sat down with Regions Tradition Tournament Director Gene Hallman live from the range at Greystone Golf & Country Club during tournament week.

Gene discusses the continued growth of Regions Tradition, how the event has evolved into one of the premier stops on the PGA Tour Champions schedule, and why Birmingham continues to support the event at such a high level.

We also talk about:

Stewart Cink joins The Cart Barn Podcast to discuss his recent success on PGA Tour Champions, the mindset changes that helped him start winning again, and how modern analytics and AI are shaping the way he practices and competes.

Episode Description:
Friend of the podcast Stewart Cink returns to The Cart Barn Podcast after an incredible stretch of golf that has already produced multiple wins on PGA Tour Champions.

In this episode, Stewart sits down with J Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt at the Regions Tradition to discuss:

Wes Tuck joins the Cart Barn Podcast to tell the story of a life spent inside the game — from growing up around Alabama junior golf, winning the Future Masters, playing at Troy and Auburn, competing in the 1988 U.S. Amateur, chasing professional golf, and eventually finding a second career on the course maintenance side of the game.

Wes Tuck has lived almost every version of a golf life.

He grew up around the game in Alabama, learned under influential pros like Billy Eastep and Chris Rigdon, won the Future Masters, played college go...

Episode Summary 

Legendary college golf coach Mike Griffin shares stories from Troy and Auburn, including coaching elite players, building championship programs, and the lessons that shaped his career.

Full Show Notes 

Coach Mike Griffin is one of the most respected names in college golf, with a career spanning decades at Troy and Auburn. In this episode, he shares the stories, decisions, and lessons that defined his journey—from small-town beginnings to building nationally competitive programs.

We get into what it takes to develop players at the highest level, the evolution of coll...

Lawrence Auer shares lessons from playing 500+ golf courses worldwide, his journey from Australia to Alabama, and why small-town golf still defines the game.

Show Notes

Travis Key joins Chris and Gregg to talk about growing up around golf, falling in love with competitive golf later in life, and how a frightening dehydration incident on the course led to the launch of Strokes Gained. Travis shares the origin of the brand, how they developed the product, what makes it different, and what it has been like building a golf business while raising a son who is now deep into junior golf. This is a conversation about golf, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, and the realities of trying to build something in the game. 

Show notes

Chris and Gregg spend a few minutes talking Masters Week, why Augusta still feels different from every other tournament, the traditions that make the event special, favorite memories, and Gregg’s firsthand stories from covering the Masters during Stewart Cink’s early career.

Full show notes

Masters Week hits different, and this episode is a quick conversation about why.

Chris and Gregg talk about what separates the Masters from every other event in golf: the familiarity of Augusta National, the traditions, the music, the visuals, Amen Corner, the Par 3 Contest, and the way the...

Jason Deegan of Golf Pass joins The Cart Barn to break down the Golfers Choice rankings for Alabama’s best public golf courses. The conversation covers how the list is built from real golfer reviews, why Alabama continues to offer exceptional value, and how the RTJ Trail remains the foundation of golf in the state while other courses continue to gain recognition.

This week in the Cart Barn, Chris and Gregg welcome Jason Deegan of Golf Pass to discuss the Golfers Choice rankings for Alabama’s top public golf courses.

Unlike traditional rank...

Kim Evans shares her journey from Decatur, Alabama to building Auburn Women’s Golf into a national powerhouse — and the life-changing moment that put everything into perspective.

What does golf really give you?

For Kim Evans, it was more than championships, coaching success, or building one of the most respected programs in college golf. It was relationships, resilience… and ultimately, a moment that changed everything.

In this episode, we sit down with Kim Evans — Decatur native, former Auburn Women’s Golf Head Coach, and one of the most influential figures in college golf — to talk abou...

Joy Green shares what it was like working inside a startup television network before it became The Golf Channel—and the unexpected moments that surrounded the early days of Tiger Woods.

Joy Green takes us inside a moment in golf history that most people never saw—the early days of The Golf Channel before it became what it is today.

From walking into a completely unstructured startup environment to witnessing the habits of a young Tiger Woods before the world knew his name, Joy’s story gives a rare, behind-the-scenes look a...

In this episode of The Cart Barn, Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt sit down with Mike Beverly, President and CEO of Sunbelt Golf Corporation, the company that operates the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Mike shares the inside story behind one of the most ambitious golf development projects ever created. With 26 championship courses across Alabama, the Trail attracts golfers from all 50 states and more than a dozen countries each year.

They discuss the vision of Dr. David Bronner, how the Trail continues to grow, the operational challenges of managing hundreds of holes of championship golf...

The Golf Channel was founded in Birmingham, Alabama — and nearly collapsed before it ever became profitable.

In this episode, Del Woods, founding CFO of The Golf Channel, shares the inside story of building the first 24-hour golf network, bringing Arnold Palmer into the deal, raising startup capital, and surviving the financial pressure that nearly ended the company.

You’ll hear:
 • How the idea for a 24-hour golf network began
 • How Arnold Palmer became involved
 • The capital raise that made it possible
 • The near-bankruptcy moment in 1996
 • What it was like playing Bay Hill during tha...

Patton Kizzire opens up about the six-year gap between PGA Tour wins — what went wrong, what changed, and how discipline and mental preparation brought him back.

This isn’t just tour life. It’s a conversation about doubt, drift, habits, and rebuilding at the highest level of professional golf.

📄 FULL SHOW NOTES 

Two-time PGA Tour winner Patton Kizzire joins The Cart Barn for a candid conversation about the six-year stretch between victories — and what it really took to win again.

After winning twice early in his PGA Tour career, Patton enter...

Florida State Head Coach Trey Jones shares his recruiting philosophy, non-negotiables, NIL perspective, and what separates elite players from the rest in today’s college golf landscape.

This conversation with Florida State Head Coach Trey Jones was recorded before recent recruiting news surrounding the program.

Listening back now, his perspective on culture, recruiting, and player development offers timely insight into what attracts elite talent to Tallahassee.

In this episode:

• The “non-negotiables” inside the FSU program
 • What separates elite 18–20 year olds from good players
 • How NIL is reshaping recruiting
 • Why inner confidenc...

Gary Williams is one of the most recognizable voices in modern golf media, best known for his long run on Morning Drive and now as the host of Five Clubs on SiriusXM and Golf Channel.

In this episode of The Cart Barn, Gary joins Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt for a wide-ranging, story-driven conversation that goes far beyond television golf. Gary reflects on his journey into the game, the relationships that shaped his career, and the moments behind the scenes that most fans never see.

We talk about:

In this episode of The Cart Barn, we sit down with Tom Lovelady, one of the defining figures from Alabama golf’s modern golden era.

Growing up in Birmingham, Tom cut his teeth at Vestavia Country Club before becoming a cornerstone of the University of Alabama teams that captured back-to-back NCAA National Championships. From relentless Monday morning workouts to qualifying battles against future PGA Tour stars, Tom shares what truly separated those Alabama teams.

He also tells the full story of how he met — and eventually roomed with — Justin Thomas, the brotherhood that defined Alabama golf...

John Gibbs takes us inside the untold early days of the Golf Channel—from a bold idea to a full-scale network launch. As a founding executive, John shares how the channel came to life, the critical role of Arnold Palmer, near-miss financial moments, and what it took to build a 24/7 golf network from scratch.

The conversation also dives into John’s own competitive golf journey—playing in U.S. Senior Opens, Senior Amateurs, and his lifelong passion for the game at Limestone Springs Golf Club. Packed with golf history, wisdom, and classic Arnold Palmer stories, this is a must...

Damon Green joins The Cart Barn to share one of the most fascinating behind-the-scenes journeys in professional golf. From grinding on mini-tours to caddying for legends — including Zach Johnson’s iconic Masters win at Augusta — Damon opens up about pressure, preparation, player-caddie dynamics, and what truly separates those who make it from those who don’t.

We dive into: