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, golf, Shoal Creek, John Daly's songwriting, Alice Cooper's influence on his golf game, and life on the road.

Topics include:

• Tommy Tuberville on NIL and college athletics
• Golf in Washington, D.C.
• Playing with President Trump and fellow senators
• Running for Governor of Alabama
• Taylor Hicks on American Idol
• Shoal Creek and Alabama golf
• John Daly's music career
• Alice Cooper's golf influence
• Bucket-list golf destinations
• Behind-the-scenes at the Regions Tradition

The Cart Barn Podcast explores the people, stories, history, and culture that make golf special, with a focus on Alabama and beyond.

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 became a destination for elite junior golfers from around the world.

Topics include:

• The origins of the Future Masters

• Hubert Green's unforgettable Future Masters story

• Trevor Immelman's letter predicting future success at Augusta National

• Scottie Scheffler's early appearances in Dothan

• Charlie Woods and the modern era of junior golf

• The selection process for one of the country's most respected junior events

• The impact the tournament continues to have on players, families, and the city of Dothan

Whether you're a fan of golf history, junior golf, or Alabama golf, this episode offers a fascinating look at a tournament that continues to influence the future of the game.

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:

• the changing demographics of golf fans
• attracting younger audiences to the event
• the atmosphere surrounding tournament week
• future plans for the fan experience
• why the Wednesday Pro-Am crowds rival weekend attendance at many Champions Tour events

Special thanks to Gene for spending time with us during a busy tournament week.

The Cart Barn Podcast is presented from the heart of Alabama golf culture — sharing stories, people, places, and conversations that make the game special.

#RegionsTradition
#PGATourChampions
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#AlabamaGolf
#TheCartBarnPodcast

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:

• Why he believes most golfers practice the wrong things
• The mindset shift that changed his performance
• How AI and analytics now influence his game
• Why “strengthening your strengths” matters
• The differences between PGA Tour and Champions Tour competition
• Preparing for the PGA Championship at Aronimink
• Playing alongside longtime friends like Zach Johnson and Ben Crane
• Balancing competition, family, travel, and life after 50

Stewart also shares insights into how elite players evaluate performance, how expectations can sabotage results, and why the Champions Tour is far more competitive than most fans realize.

This is one of the most in-depth golf performance conversations we’ve had on the show.

Recorded on-site at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama.

Stewart Cink, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour, golf podcast, golf analytics, golf mindset, golf instruction, Champions Tour, Regions Tradition, Alabama golf, J Chris Lemley, Gregg Dewalt, golf performance, golf practice, golf strategy, Zach Johnson, Ben Crane, professional golf, golf stories, Cart Barn Podcast

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 golf at Troy and Auburn, and made a strong run in the 1988 U.S. Amateur — including a match against defending champion Billy Mayfair.

In this episode, Wes talks about junior golf before the modern travel-tour era, what he learned from great players, his years chasing professional golf, and how his career eventually shifted into golf course maintenance and turf management.

It is a conversation about practice, perspective, parents, pressure, persistence, and why affordable public golf still matters.

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 college golf, and behind-the-scenes stories involving players like Jason Duffner and Paul Azinger.

Coach Griffin also shares one of the most impactful moments of his career—winning a tournament but not being selected to advance—and how that experience shaped his philosophy as a coach.

This is a conversation about leadership, development, and what it really takes to build champions.

Chapters

• 00:00 Cold Open: “You weren’t supposed to win”
• 01:05 Introduction to Coach Mike Griffin
• 02:00 Early life and learning the game
• 07:30 College golf at Troy
• 12:45 The moment that shaped his coaching philosophy
• 17:00 From player to coach
• 21:00 Building a winning program at Troy
• 26:30 Recruiting and developing players
• 29:15 The Jason Duffner story
• 32:00 The Paul Azinger story
• 42:20 How college golf has changed
• 54:00 Auburn years and legacy

Tags (Transistor)

golf podcast, college golf, Auburn golf, Troy golf, Jason Duffner, Paul Azinger, golf coaching, sports leadership, golf stories, Cart Barn Podcast