Willy Wilcox had the ball-striking to compete on the PGA Tour, but behind every 300-yard drive was a painful secret—a crippling addiction that caused his career and life to spiral. For years, he turned to painkillers while on the course to combat severe performance anxiety, playing tournament rounds under the weight of Percocet and heroin. In a raw conversation with host Tom Coyne, Wilcox opens up about how the highs of cashing checks on Tour were overshadowed by the dark lows that led him to rehab in 2022. Since embarking on that journey to sobriety, Wilcox has found himself back on Tour, not as a player, but as a caddie. For a pro who didn’t carry a yardage book in his playing days, it may seem crazy that he’s now making a name for himself on Sungjae Im’s bag, but for Wilcox, it’s his second chance—not just in golf, but in life.The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer’s Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist.
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Episode 183: How We Built Holderness & Bourne
Not all polos are created equal, and neither are the brands behind them. On the latest TGJ Podcast, Tom Coyne visits Holderness & Bourne HQ in New York to sit down with co-founders Alex Holderness and John Bourne—two Yale grads who traded Wall Street for the Garment District with no prior fashion experience and a relentless drive to make the perfect polo. Alex and John share their advice for turning an idea into a physical product, navigating the golf industry, working with your friends and creating a product that cuts through the noise. Yes: the names stitched on pro shop labels around the world are actual people, and they have a story to tell. The Golfer's Journal and this podcast are made possible by reader support. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member here: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYTThe Golfer's Journal Podcast is presented by Titleist
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Mind Game: Cam Avery, Tame Impala
He left a promising junior golf career to chase the rockstar dream, and it came true. Cam Avery has played bass for Tame Impala for the last decade while also producing solo records and playing alongside big-time acts like Arctic Monkeys. Now Avery is back playing competitive golf and documenting his journey along the way. He joins Mind Game to discuss the grind of the music business, not being able to read sheet music, the Venn diagram of life and golf, and whether or not he'd still WD from that Australian amateur event to go see Oasis. Subscribe to The Golfer’s Journal: https://www.golfersjournal.com/Get 10 free AG1travel packs when you subscribe: https://drinkag1.com/event/bts24Put the 2025 ProV1 and ProV1x in play: https://www.titleist.com/All Mind Game episodes: https://www.golfersjournal.com/category/mind-game-podcast/
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Episode 182: Movies with Balls
Enough about LIV and distance rules and slow play. It’s time for golf’s real burning questions: Why did Happy Gilmore qualify for the Tour after winning an 18-hole local in Waterbury? How did Roy McAvoy backspin a 3-wood off the green into the water? And is Caddyshack really the greatest golf movie of all time? We sit down with author Kyle Bandujo to discuss his book Movies with Balls, in which he and artist Rick Bryson apply true-life sports analysis to fictional sports stories, ranking the best accounts of the games we love. Why is golf so richly depicted in literature yet so rarely captured well on film? Kyle and host Tom Coyne go deep on golf movies and wander into controversial territory (Tom’s take: Tin Cup is overrated) as they debate which golf films get it right, and which leave us wishing we’d watched Interstellar again instead.TGJ Podcast is presented by TitleistThe Golfer's Journal is proudly reader-supported since 2017. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a member: https://glfrsj.nl/MembershipsYT
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1:20:37
Mind Game: Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
Steven Pressfield spent 20 years writing and pitching books to publishers without success. His breakthrough came in 1995 withThe Legend of Bagger Vance. Five years later, he releasedThe War of Art, a bestseller that introduced the concept of resistance—a mysterious force that hinders us from doing our work and realizing our potential. Whether exploring the greatest golf match that never happened, the nature of creativity, the path to professionalism, or the resilience of the human spirit, Pressfield’s work reveals a common thread: he views golf and life as one interconnectedMind Game. In this chat with host Casey Bannon, Pressfield reveals the hidden meaning behind Bagger Vance, how to battle with resistance and what it means to swing your authentic swing. Subscribe to The Golfer’s Journal: https://www.golfersjournal.com/Get 10 free AG1travel packs when you subscribe: https://drinkag1.com/event/bts24Put the 2025 ProV1 and ProV1x in play: https://www.titleist.com/All Mind Game episodes: https://www.golfersjournal.com/catego...
Ireland