364: Hunter Mahan on His Pro Golf Comeback, Why He Stepped Away, & Coaching High School Golf
The Smylie ShowShow Notes
Six-time PGA Tour winner Hunter Mahan joins Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme to talk about his unexpected return to golf. Mahan opens up on why he stepped away from competing in 2021 — burnout, the grind of travel, and an envy that "took over" and wasn't good for his soul — and what's pulled him back into playing after several years coaching high school golf at Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas, alongside football coach Jason Witten. A few months of posting practice-round videos to social media turned into a full comeback arc, complete with a new equipment deal through Grant Horvat's Primo. Plus: Hunter breaks down the swing videos he's been posting — his takeaway feel, getting the clubface more shut, and clearing up the Justin Rose "shallowing" myth — and walks through his short game reboot under Stan Utley (of Parker McLachlin's Short Game Chef), including the shaft-angle and forearm-rotation keys that turned his chipping around. The guys also get into a wide-ranging Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup conversation: why Team Europe consistently looks looser under pressure, Mahan's own Presidents Cup debut alongside Justin Leonard and Paul Azinger, the case for a real U.S. national team pipeline, and a frank look back at the U.S. team's collapse at Bethpage in 2025. Before they let him go: Hunter's top tips for teaching your kids golf, and a very serious debate over which foursome wins — the Golf Boys or the 2016 Spring Breakers. Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow us on socials @thesmylieshow! Chapters 0:00 Intro & why the beard came off 1:41 Why Hunter Mahan stepped away from the tour — and what's pulling him back 3:03 Coaching high school golf with Jason Witten at Liberty Christian 7:42 The burnout and envy that pushed him away from competing 9:56 What went wrong with his swing after 2015 15:11 Breaking down Hunter's Instagram swing videos 21:53 Inside his short-game reboot with Stan Utley 27:16 Who spins it best around the greens on tour? 29:33 Utley's keys: shaft angle, forearm rotation, hitting it high vs. low 33:09 The "level eyes" fix and driving through the chip 40:33 Ryder Cup vs. Presidents Cup — why Team Europe has the edge 49:44 Mahan's Presidents Cup debut: Justin Leonard & Paul Azinger 52:42 Building a real U.S. national team pipeline 56:18 Bethpage 2025 post-mortem: "everyone's got a plan till they get hit in the mouth" 59:06 Hunter's top tips for teaching kids golf 1:02:32 Hypothetical: Golf Boys vs. the 2016 Spring Breakers 1:06:03 Sign-off #golf #huntermahan #pgatour #smyliekaufman #smylieshow #golfpodcast #golfhighlights
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Smylie Kaufman is joined by Auburn men's golf coach Nick Clinard to discuss winning two national championships in three years ... and somehow, neither of those was the best team he's coached! Clinard tells the story of a phone call from Jackson Koivun about the Presidents Cup, and answers a question from senior Tiger - and recent guest on the show - Josiah Gilbert. Plus: the handwritten letters that nearly got Smylie to UCF, building Auburn's culture, and why roster limits are squeezing out late bloomers. Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow us on socials @thesmylieshow! Chapters 0:00 Welcome Coach Clinard 2:03 Recruiting Smylie at UCF 5:44 Building Auburn golf 7:19 Culture & Blayne Barber 9:01 Roster limits & House settlement 14:06 Koivun's work ethic 17:21 Koivun's Presidents Cup leap 21:56 Josiah's question: best team 24:03 Chris Williams & Buddy Alexander #Auburn #Golf #pgatour #JacksonKoivun #smylieshow #smyliekaufman
Stay tuned for part 2 with Auburn Men's Golf HC Nick Clinard, dropping Wednesday morning! Our college golf tour continues as Smylie Kaufman is joined by Auburn senior Josiah Gilbert! Josiah grew up in an Outback mining town where the only golf course used red dirt for fairways, and didn't take golf seriously until he was 12. Three months after his family moved to Alabama, he was committed to Auburn. Josiah tells Smylie how one casual round with the team changed everything. Plus: junior golf alongside Aldrich Potgieter, living with Brendan Valdes through his cancer fight, and why he switched his flag from Australia to the USA. Josiah also leaves a question for Coach Nick Clinard, who joins the show Wednesday. Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow us on socials @thesmylieshow! Chapters 0:00 Welcome Josiah Gilbert 1:19 Mount Isa upbringing 7:53 How Auburn found him 12:18 Learning from Auburn's leaders 14:47 Brendan Valdes' cancer battle 17:19 Cracking the lineup 25:30 Auburn's best team 27:48 Choosing Team USA 31:25 Question for Coach Clinard #Auburn #Golf #PGATour #AuburnGolf #smylieshow #smyliekaufman
We are checking in on the world of collegiate golf with a bonus episode this week! Charlie Hulme sits down with UNC sophomore Carson Bertagnole ahead of the Williams Cup at Eagle Point (Oct. 18–20) - a course that both Carson and Charlie love. Carson takes us inside the four-man playoff that punched his ticket to the Puerto Rico Open, what two PGA TOUR starts showed him about the gap between college and tour golf, and the importance of "process" and using certain triggers to reset during a round. Plus: his first college win at the Fighting Irish Classic, the best hole at Eagle Point, NIL in college golf, a course-record 61 at Atlanta Athletic Club, and the perfect Chapel Hill day. Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow us on socials @thesmylieshow! Chapters 0:00 Williams Cup preview 1:01 Fighting Irish Classic win 4:11 Eagle Point favorite holes 6:40 Playoff for Puerto Rico Open 9:00 Lessons from PGA TOUR starts 15:00 NIL and college golf 17:29 Record 61, Walker Cup snub 19:29 Perfect Chapel Hill day #golf #UNC #WilliamsCup #thesmylieshow #collegegolf
With Jon Rahm's announcement that he will not participate in LIV 2.0 - and a number of other LIV players looking to follow suit in breaking their contracts - Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss the current state of LIV Golf, what to make of the years that Rahm spent on that tour, and which pathways should be available to Rahm should he want to come back to the PGA Tour. Also: Will Bryson DeChambeau participate in LIV 2.0, or do something else entirely? How many LIV 1.0 players will we see on the DP World Tour next year, and how many cards will be available as the PGA Tour changes its competitive structure in 2028? And why is Charlie broadcasting from a golf cart in his garage? Plus: A shoutout to Austin Hitt as he wins the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, and Smylie laments the state of LSU football. Don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, and follow us on socials @thesmylieshow! CHAPTERS: 0:00 Golf cart garage studio 4:22 Jon Rahm leaves LIV 2.0 12:44 LIV exodus to DP World Tour 15:48 DP World Tour cards 17:18 Rahm's road back 26:09 Championship Series exemptions 31:14 LIV 2.0 deadline & Bryson 35:54 LIV postmortem 41:29 Merit & Challenger Series 48:25 Going global like the NFL 1:00:40 Austin Hitt & UNC on tour 1:02:55 Lane Kiffin's punt 1:06:09 Sign-off
This week on the show - we are taking a deep dive into all of the incredible work happening at the Cobbs Creek campus in West Philadelphia! Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are joined by Jim Wagner of Hanse Golf Course Design, who alongside Gil Hanse and a team of "cavemen," are bringing a historic canvas for golf back to life: the Olde Course, originally established in 1916. Jim walks Smylie and Charlie through the history of the property, its connection to other historic Philadelphia golf clubs, holes and green complexes that are coming to life, and the future of the Cobbs Creek campus - including the potential to host a PGA Tour event. If you'd like to support the Cobbs Creek Foundation - a mission which includes a classroom impact for the youth of West Philly, in addition to making golf accessible to that neighborhood - you can do so here: https://cobbscreek.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate