The Cart Barn Podcast

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:

Birmingham native Gordon Sargent joins The Cart Barn Podcast to walk through his journey from junior golf and Mountain Brook High School to Vanderbilt, Augusta National, and now full PGA TOUR status. Gordon shares insights on college golf, NIL, Augusta nerves, elite ball-speed, mentorship, and what life is really like transitioning from a team environment to professional golf.

In this episode, Gregg Dewalt and Chris Lemley sit down with Gordon Sargent, one of the most exciting young talents in golf and a proud product of Alabama golf.

Topics include:

Joe Gibbs is a Birmingham native and the co-founder of the Golf Channel, built alongside Arnold Palmer at a time when a 24-hour golf network seemed impossible.

In this episode of The Cart Barn, Joe walks us through the real story behind the Golf Channel — from a friendship formed at Shoal Creek, to high-stakes meetings, investor skepticism, and the long road to profitability.

This conversation goes beyond golf media. It’s a story about vision, risk, leadership, and believing in an idea long before anyone else does.

Joe Gibbs shares the inside story of h...

As the year comes to a close, Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt share a short New Year’s Eve reflection built around moments from conversations that truly resonated in 2025.

This episode isn’t a “best of.” It’s a curated collection of clips that sparked discussion, reflection, and connection — moments about process, perspective, resilience, and the human side of golf.

No commentary between clips. Just the conversations themselves.

Thank you for being part of The Cart Barn journey. We’ll see you in the new year.

This Christmas Eve episode of The Cart Barn Podcast is a little different.

Instead of an interview, Chris Lemley and Gregg Dewalt take time to reflect on the conversations from the past year that truly stayed with them — stories of resilience, reinvention, mentorship, history, and the people behind the scenes who make the game of golf what it is.

From powerful discussions with guests like Will Wilcox and Linda Jeffery, to insights from elite teachers such as Mark Blackburn and Wayne Flint, to unforgettable behind-the-scenes moments at the Regions Tradition and East Lake, this episode hi...

PGA Tour Champions Schwab Cup Champion Stewart Cink returns to The Cart Barn for a deep, candid conversation on longevity, focus, and what it really takes to win at the highest level—at any age.

Stewart breaks down:

Michaela Morard returns to The Cart Barn with a candid breakdown of her first full year as a professional golfer. She shares what she learned competing on both the Epson and Annika Tours, the mental shift required to make cuts, the story behind her 6-under comeback win, and the unexpected food poisoning that derailed Q-School and led to hip surgery. Michaela talks about rebuilding her game, preparing for a 2025 return, and how faith, friendships, and family support carried her through the season.

Topics Covered:

A remarkable conversation with golf executive Bob Barrett, covering Augusta National, Shoal Creek, the RTJ Trail, Honors Golf, Troon, and more than five decades of inside stories from the people who shaped modern golf.

This week, we welcome Bob Barrett, one of the most influential behind-the-scenes operators in modern golf. Bob’s 52-year journey includes Augusta National, Shoal Creek, the Robert Trent Jones Trail, Honors Golf, and his current role with Troon.

Inside this episode:
 • How an Augusta kid became ANGC’s first assistant pro
 • Playing with Clifford Roberts, Nicklaus, Weiskopf & more
 •...

Summary In this episode, David Mills shares the rich history and craftsmanship behind TP Mills putters, discussing the evolution of golf putters, the impact of technology, and personal anecdotes from his family's legacy in the golf industry. He emphasizes the importance of quality and innovation in staying relevant in a competitive market while reflecting on his father's dedication to the craft. Takeaways David Mills' father started making putters out of necessity and passion. The craftsmanship involved in making putters is a blend of art and science. TP Mills putters were among the first to introduce a black putter...