Connections abound about in this game we love — to golf itself, to the history, to the land and to the people with whom we share a common passion. In Episode 169 of the “Talking GolfGetaways” podcast, co-hosts Mitch Laurance and Darin Bunch connect on many levels with Malcolm Scovil, founder of Imagine Golf, the No. 1 golf app for the mental game (available now on the Apple Store and soon on the Android platform), offering golfers a new “snackable” three-minute audio lesson every day.
We open the show by asking Malcolm to describe his unusual journey to Imagine Golf, which began in Sandford, North Carolina (not far from Pinehurst). Of course, “Talking GolfGetaways” would know this is a big connection for both Mitch and Darin since Sanford is home to Tobacco Road, the Mike Strantz-designed gem at the top of both hosts’ favorite places to play. Scovil details his college days at the University of St. Andrews, a choice that afforded him the privilege of not only a degree in Economics, but a chance to play the Old Course (and all the Links Trust courses) for a low yearly rate. And those years in St. Andrews laid the foundation for the path that would follow.
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The discussion shifts to courses in the San Fransisco area, where Malcolm now resides. Crystal Springs, a picturesque semi-private course in Burlingame, California, designed in 1924 by the great British architect William H. Fowler is a must-play for the traveling golfer, while Cypress Point and The Olympic Club (no explanation needed) head Malcolm’s list of grateful experiences.
The trio then move to Scovil’s recent entrepreneurial successes in the digital applications world, beginning with his involvement in the popular meditation app Calm. He shares the story of how playing golf with a 10-year old boy was the “aha moment” that lead him to make another valuable connection — the one between any golfer and the self-talk that can either hinder or help not only playing the game but living our lives as well.
Darin explains why two recent segments on Imagine Golf got him hooked on listening, and Malcolm discusses the foundation of how Imagine Golf works: Using simple (a key) “snackable” bite-size lessons from a variety of sources that include classes, stories and drills from best-selling golf books and teachers, Imagine Golf gives golfers a daily method they can rely on to integrate concepts that will slowly change their mindset both on and off the course.
Connecting listeners to the thoughts and teachings of an incredible variety of the game’s great minds is, according to Malcolm, what gives him the most pleasure. And, as Mitch notes, that is what takes Imagine Golf from simply being “snackable” bites to something more like a full six-course gourmet meal.
As with many of our guests, the episode closes with a wide-ranging “Emergency 9” golf-travel quiz with a list of Malcolm’s favorite things in the world of golf (it’s not hard to guess the Best Place He’s Ever Played) — all of which adds mental fuel to a truly enjoyable and enlightening episode for all everyone who listens (and the hosts themselves). Enjoy the connection.
—Words by Mitch Laurance
