I dreamt I was in the Masters with Bryson DeChambeau… but then someone stole all my clubs—except the driver, the power club.
 
In the World Long Drive Championships, I’d win locals and set records, then freeze in the final step before Worlds.
 
Fear of standing out → tiny self-sabotage (eliminated by a yard).
 
Ever done something like that?

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

Got cut from JV. Earned a Minnesota Twins tryout. A pickup-game collision tore my ACL, but I still made the college team. How you respond to failure can make a difference.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 010 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer pull a card that reads: “Tearing my ACL after senior year + NBA dreams,” and trace how a knee injury at 17 shifted Jaacob’s trajectory—and his mindset. He describes making a college basketball team while braced and tentative, the long tail of that fear in later competition (from long drive to Speedgolf), and even recurring dreams about performance at moments of truth. Together they examine how early trauma can create protective patterns that mute our power, how to spot those “blind spots,” and how the point of some setbacks may be to redirect us toward a new path.

Would you believe there are golfers far more talented than Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods? In this clip from The Long and Short of It podcast (Episode 009), Jaacob reflects on how the system weeds out potential greats, while Jennifer shares the story of a village kid with a beautiful swing.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

When I turned pro in golf at 27—after starting as an average golfer only six months earlier—I wasn’t sure where the journey would lead. By the time I neared 30, I didn’t know how I was going to keep going. But even if my golf career didn’t work out, I already felt like I’d won—because it brought me to Jen.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 009 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer open with the “rainbows” in the room (spoiler: window crystals) before diving into what they’d tell their 20-something selves—now that Jennifer is 46 and Jaacob is 49 (50 soon). Starting, as usual, from a moment in Jaacob’s golf career, they revisit his mid-20s leap from a stable corporate job to professional golf—despite being an average golfer at the time.

Golf is played in three-dimensional space—swing technique, shot dispersions, equipment, strategy. But what if we can access other dimensions to play differently—and better?

In this Short, I'm talking about shifting awareness into one-dimensional space: no hole, no wind, no separation—just oneness and flow.

Pulled from a longer experimental round blending golf with quantum physics,
spirituality, and philosophy.


The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.

As part of a 6-hole experiment at Belle Isle Golf Detroit, I played across dimensions of space. Felt the wind in strong 3D, then softened into 1D before a birdie putt. 

Putter: custom-fit L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1


The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.

Is it possible that a better way to play golf exists beyond traditional means?

In this experimental round, I push the boundaries of the game to explore golf as a multi-dimensional experience—where quantum physics, philosophy, spirituality, play, and more all collide on the course.

Club: Sterling Irons Lob Wedge

Golf can be more than just mechanics—it can also be a practice in balance and awareness. In this short, I use golf as a meditation by syncing my breath and body with the environment around me. Surrounded by the water, earth, air, and sun of Belle Isle Golf Detroit, I walk into each shot with calm focus, working to release tension and stay grounded. This is golf as mindfulness in motion, where every swing becomes a way to connect with nature and inner balance.

Club: Sterling Irons single length iron 8-Iron


Watch the full video here.

Have you ever hit golf balls as a form of meditation? In this short, I share how I turn a simple driving range session into a grounding practice. Using breathwork, visualization, and educational kinesiology, I connect with the earth’s energy, calm the mind, and find flow through the golf swing.

Filmed at Belle Isle Golf Detroit, this is golf as moving meditation.

Club: Sterling Irons single length iron 8-Iron


Watch the full video here.

Golf can be more than scorecards, technique, and competition—it can also be a form of meditation. In this video, feeling exhausted, I head to Belle Isle Golf Detroit’s driving range to reset, recharge, and re-balance my energy through mindful practice.

I share some backstory on how I use golf as moving meditation, then walk you through a session while hitting shots. Finally, you’ll simply watch the flow of swings—golf as meditation in action.

Club: Sterling Irons 8-Iron

Perseverance is one of the 11 wealth-building habits Jaacob uncovered. In this clip, he shares how obstacles were coming from every direction, forcing a choice: give up or keep going. Neither path is inherently right or wrong, but those who ultimately succeed often credit their perseverance through the inevitable storms.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

Continual learning is one of the 11 wealth-building habits Jaacob uncovered. In this clip, Jennifer discusses how different generations are embracing—or ignoring—AI in their work and lives.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 008 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer break down 11 wealth-building habits and how to apply them—through the lens of a working pro golfer and two entrepreneurs. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with millionaires and billionaires, Jaacob shares the patterns he reverse-engineered as they unpack each habit into practical actions.

Part 2 of 2.

Onto Hole 5 at Belle Isle Golf’s Par 3 course—an island escape in the middle of the Detroit River. Perfect for a quick round, short walk, and nature reset.

Starting off at Belle Isle Golf Detroit’s 6-hole Par 3 with the 65-yard Hole 1. This fun little gem sits right in the city—quick to play and surrounded by the nature and calm of Belle Isle and the Detroit River.

Join me as I play the 6-hole Par 3 course at Belle Isle Golf Detroit. If you’re in the city, it’s a great little spot to get in a few holes, sharpen your short game, unwind after the day, and soak in some nature on Belle Isle.

Ball: Titleist ProV1
Lob Wedge: Sterling Irons
Putter: L.A.B. Golf

Hole 15 at Yellowstone Club on TrackMan at Five Iron Golf Detroit. Hit 3-wood 345 yards, then Sterling Irons 8-iron 195 yards, and got home in two on this par 5. Two-putt birdie.

Playing Yellowstone Club on TrackMan at Five Iron Golf Detroit. On Hole 11, my Sterling Irons Gap Wedge almost went in for a hole-in-one.

I popped into Five Iron Golf Detroit Downtown to play a few TrackMan simulator holes from the Yellowstone Club — a stunning mountain course in Big Sky, Montana.

You’ll see full-room views plus on-screen data for every shot. (Note: the club shown on each hole intro isn’t always the one I used — for example, Hole 11 fly-in says 9-iron, but I actually hit Gap Wedge.)

Need money? Just use the country club!

But what if you can't afford to get in the country club?

A clip from "The Long and Short of It" podcast Episode 7, breaking down 11 wealth-building habits and how to apply them.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

The gated knowledge of using responsible debt to grow...a clip from "The Long and Short of It" podcast Episode 7, breaking down 11 wealth-building habits and how to apply them.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 007 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer break down 11 wealth-building habits and how to apply them—through the lens of a working pro golfer and two entrepreneurs. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with millionaires and billionaires, Jaacob shares the patterns he reverse-engineered as they unpack each habit into practical actions.

Dedicated to Mr. Moses, their 18-year-old cat, who passed peacefully two days after filming (he appears in Ep. 6).

Part 1 of 2.

Here's me playing the first hole of Arthur Hills at The Harbor Springs - Boyne Golf, which I've also played outdoors in Michigan PGA | PGA of America tournaments.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

Here's me playing the first hole of The Heather at The Harbor Springs - Boyne Golf, which I've also played outdoors in Michigan PGA | PGA of America tournaments.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

I ducked into Five Iron Golf Detroit Downtown to play a few simulator holes on Trackman from two Michigan courses at The Highlands at Harbor Springs — The Heather and Arthur Hills (both courses I’ve also played outdoors in Michigan PGA tournaments). Full-room view + on-screen data so you can see the shots and numbers.
 

My strength and extreme risk tolerance was sabotaging approach shots. Digging into the data revealed a hidden edge—and a smarter way to score.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

Data revealed a hidden edge—I was lag-putting better than PGA TOUR player and former world number one Jordan Spieth, widely hailed that year as the best—and it rewired my on-course strategy.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 006 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer explore Jaacob’s high tolerance for risk, how data analysis and self-study (including astrology and personality assessments) have shaped his golf strategy—particularly his approach shots and putting—and the balance between external validation through metrics and internal confidence. The conversation evolves to touch on comparisons, competition, joy, and reframing success beyond purely competitive measures.

What the title said…

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

It’s not so easy to make a hole-in-one, even on a short little 35-yard hole on a par 3 course. In fact, from just 25 yards in the fairway, pros will only make the shot about 1 in 105 times.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

Can I make a hole-in-one on the 4th hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit?
 
It’s a short par-3 course, and this hole is only 35 yards. I’m playing off a mat to protect the tee box, and it’s not a traditional round.
 
Still, the shot isn’t simple. I’ve got to go under a tree and over a bunker. The wind varies. I can’t see the cup. The slope near the hole is an illegally steep 7.51%—for context, the PGA TOUR typically limits pin placements to slopes between 0–4%.
 
A statistician told me that the odds of a pro like me holing out from just 25 yards in the fairway are about 1 in 105. From 35 yards, with these conditions? The odds are definitely worse.
 
Mathematically, I shouldn’t make it.
 
But can clear intention help beat the odds?
 
Let's explore it!
 

In Episode 005 of The Long and Short of It, Jen and I shift from our usual format and dive into a deeper conversation sparked by a difficult round of golf I played the previous day.

Jen references an article I recently wrote for GolfWRX.com about how world ranked #1 golfer in the world Scottie Scheffer doesn't find winning to be a fulfilling life.
 
Read the article here:
 
https://www.golfwrx.com/763664/on-scottie-scheffler-wondering-whats-the-point-of-winning/

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 005 of The Long and Short of It, Jen and I shift from our usual format and dive into a deeper conversation sparked by a difficult round of golf I played the previous day, his day at the office made worse by my attachment of extra perceived importance to the round.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 005 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer shift from their usual format and dive into a deeper conversation sparked by a difficult round of golf Jaacob played the previous day.

Jen observes how Jaacob came home feeling off—wearing bright orange (his subtle signal for "caution")—and they use this moment to explore the emotional layers beneath a bad day at the office.

RIP Mr. Moses
Born June 2007 – Passed August 2, 2025
 

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Many of you came to know our two Bombay cats, Moses and Simone, who we picked up while living in Switzerland and who’ve journeyed with us ever since—from New York to D.C. to Detroit.
 
Early Saturday morning, we woke to find Moses had peacefully passed in bed with us during the night. He’d been doing great, so it was a completely unexpected way to start the weekend.
 
This video was made by our kind neighbor who cat-sat for us over the past couple of years, always sending the most amazing photos and videos—the collection of which Jen and I have called “While You Were Away.”
 
With Simone having passed a couple of years ago, it really feels like the end of an era.

We’ll miss them both deeply.

The dog attacks helped lay a foundation of inner work for our relationship…and her perspective helped me shift my own.

Episode 004 of The Long and Short of It is now live on YouTube.

German shepherd attacks changed both our lives…

Episode 004 of The Long and Short of It is now live on YouTube.

In Episode 4 of The Long and Short of It, Jen's back from Europe and we return to our usual format — pulling a conversation starter card from my professional golf career.
 
This one sparked a deeply personal conversation about something that happened long before golf ever entered the picture.

Imagine you’re in a video game. You get to design your golf avatar—mentality, body, swing style, gear… even your vibe. Break it all down and build out the player you want to play.

Be the CEO of your golf game. That means setting a clear mission, vision, and values—just like a business. When you do, you start attracting exactly what you need to make it happen—and it makes it more clear the decisions that you need to make as far as what direction to go.

Scottie Scheffler, World No. 1 and 2025 The Open Champion, wonders every day why he keeps trying to chase wins on the PGA TOUR when he knows it’s not a fulfilling life.

Based on my research and experience as a pro, I offer one possible answer in my latest piece for GolfWRX.com.

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Putting a bow on 2024, the other day, I received in the mail the physical certificate for the 2024 Golf Fitness Association of America Recognition Award.

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Big thanks to Richard Summers (GFAA Owner) and Dr. Stephen Lorick (GFAA President) for this acknowledgment.

I launched my first innovative, industry-leading swing speed training product through SwingManGolf.com back in 2007—at a time when most people didn’t even believe you could train to increase your swing speed.

We’ve come a long way since then.

Here’s to continued exploration and innovation to improve performance—and to helping more golfers unlock their potential.

In this second of three videos, I continue to elaborate on one of the things I’ve been working on in 2025 — something I call my “Swing Vision.”

In Part 1, I focused on the qualities I want in my golf swing. For Part 2, I ended up finding an old piece of paper with my swing vision, in which I expanded on the qualities. Part 3 will dive deeper into the visual model I’m working toward.

Together, these three videos lay the groundwork and provide context for many things to come.

Hole-In-One alert on the Par 3 65-yard 1st Hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit!

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This is number 11 for me between Belle Isle and the old Pebble Beach Peter Hay Golf Course (since redesigned by Tiger Woods as The Hay).

Video? No.
Witness? No.
AI? No.
Relatively short? Yes.

Still unlikely, really hard to do, and lots of fun? Yes!

Time: 6:31pm
Temperature: 82 Degrees Fahreneheit
Conditions: Mostly Sunny
Wind: 10mph SW

Ball: Titleist
Club: SterlingIrons.com 55-degree Sand Wedge bent to 57-degrees
Glove: Footjoy
Shaft: True Temper Sports Project X LZ 6.0 120-grams
Grip: Golf Pride with Arccos Golf Sensor

My others at Belle Isle Golf Detroit and Pebble Beach Peter Hay Golf Course:

- 1st - Saturday, November 6th, 2004, 9th hole at Pebble Beach’s Peter Hay Golf Course with a 9-iron from 74 yards
- 2nd - Sunday, October 9th, 2005, 8th hole at Pebble Beach’s Peter Hay Golf Course
- 3rd - Tuesday, October 10th, 2006, 3rd hole at Pebble Beach’s Peter Hay Golf Course
- 4th - Friday, September 22nd, 2023, 6th hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit with a SW from 45 yards
- 5th - Tuesday, September 26th, 2023, 4th hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit from 35 yards (on video)
- 6th - Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, 3rd hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit from 35 yards (on video)
- 7th - Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, 3rd hole again at Belle Isle Golf Detroit from 35 yards (on video)
- 8th - Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, 5th hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit from 35 yards (have reaction camera video footage but green side camera failed)
- 9th - Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, 5th hole again at Belle Isle Golf Detroit from 35 yards (have reaction camera video footage but green side camera failed)
- 10th - Tuesday, October 8th, 2024, 4th hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit with a sand wedge, temperature 67 degrees, 11mph WNW wind
- 11th - Sunday, July 13, 2025, 1st hole at Belle Isle Golf Detroit with a sand wedge, temperature 82 degrees, 10mph SW wind

WANT TO SUPPORT THE JOURNEY?
- YouTube – Like, subscribe, comment, share, and click on ads
- SwingManGolf.com – Train online + help me transition the site to Gen 4 (targeting Fall 2025)
- Venmo – Send a tip to @jaacobbowdenllc
- Sponsor Me – Reach out for private or corporate partnership opportunities

MORE FROM ME:
- SterlingIrons.com – The single-length irons I created

We pulled our first conversation starter card — and it took us back to 2003.

That was shortly after I took a leap of faith and left the stability of a corporate job to see if I could make it on the PGA TOUR… starting as an average golfer.

Episode 2 of The Long and Short of It is now live on YouTube.

Ahead of the PGA TOUR Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club, I got in a calm round on the North Course — the same course my fellow pros are playing this week.

Come take in some of the course & shots with me in this short video.

Hope to see you out there!

Who would start a golf podcast that’s not really a golf podcast...with their spouse?

Apparently, we would.

Episode 1 of "The Long and Short of It" is now live on my YouTube channel.

We use stories and prompts from a 20+ year career as a professional golfer as jumping-off points to have deeper conversations — about ourselves, society, the world, and life itself.


Want to support the podcast?

• Click on the in-video ads
• Subscribe for weekly videos
• Like this video if it resonates
• Comment — We love to read your thoughts
• Share this with someone

After 20+ years on tour and in the golf industry, I’ve decided to go through a rebrand.

This raw video is the first of a new chapter—one that’s more aligned with who I truly am, what I stand for, and what I want to share with the world.

In this video, I talk about:

• Why I’m rebranding
• What changes are coming
• How you can be part of the journey


Want to support the journey?

• Click on the in-video ads
• Subscribe for weekly videos: golf, growth, and the road less traveled
• Like this video if it resonates
• Comment — I love to read your thoughts
• Share this with someone who’s into golf or personal transformation

Thanks for being here!

In case you missed it, on April 28th, Roy Akers interviewed me for Sky View Sports, airing on May 5th.

Here’s the link if you want to watch it:

https://skyviewsports.net/golf-instruction-jaacob-bowden-from-ordinary-golfer-to-pga-pro-and-long-distance-champion/

It's normal for me to be interviewed and quoted in golf media but being interviewed by The Detroit News about affordable housing in Detroit is a new one!

414 Yards.
 
A couple weeks ago, I was playing in a pilot league at 5Iron Golf Detroit Downtown when I hit a 414-yard drive on the TrackMan simulator.
 

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As best I can remember, this might’ve been my first drive over 400 yards on a simulator, and I definitely wasn’t expecting it. One of my playing partners even said it was the best drive he’d ever seen.
 
I’ve had a few 400+ yard drives before, but it’s been a long time. My longest officially measured drive ever was 421 yards back in 2007 when I set a grid record to win a World Long Drive Championship qualifier in Warner Springs, CA. That one was with firm ground, some elevation, and a left-to-right cross wind. I played a low-running fade with low spin, and it ran through the grid into the weeds, still bouncing hard.
 
This new one? Simulated course in Montana. Downhill. High elevation. Definitely helped. But still, 49 years old, with no recent swing speed training. I tried to snap a photo with my phone, but the projector screen changed too quickly. Fortunately, I had 5 witnesses.
 
Want to hit it farther?
 
Check out my swing speed training programs at SwingManGolf.com!

What a surprise to be recognized at the Michigan PGA’s Spring Meeting on Monday in Lansing during the Secretary’s Report in front of all those in attendance!

A big thank you to the Michigan PGA and the Golf Fitness Association of America for honoring my work in swing speed training at SwingManGolf.com. Grateful to have won my fourth straight GFAA award as part of a community of 30,000 @PGA of America professionals.

Appreciate the support!

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Tags: golf fitness, Swing Man Golf