2025 was a year of motion…on the course, at the range, on-camera, and in deeper layers of life.

From winter swings at Five Iron Golf to national award recognition with the Golf Fitness Association of America...

From Detroit Golf Club ahead of the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Mortgage Classic to Yellow Stone Club on Trackman Golf...

From writing for GolfWRX and GFAA to building “Professional Golfer & Explorer” into a real identity...from meditation at Belle Isle Golf Detroit to quantum golf experiments...

From bunker work and mechanics to deeper conversations about life with my wife Jen through our new podcast...

This is a look back at some of the moments.

Thanks for being here.

Full videos + podcast episodes are on my YouTube Channel.
 

There’s nothing like seeing someone do what they love in their true “passion space.”

In this clip, I was sharing why that can be even more compelling than a competitive “gladiator arena,” and I reflected on the real pressure that shows up when your bills depend on how you perform.

It’s a reminder that you can grow through it, but the system doesn’t have to be built that way.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

When I was in Morocco to play a tour event, I had a moment in the medina involving a captive monkey used for tourist photos that stuck with me.

Later, recalling that moment led to a deeper discussion about “performing for survival” versus playing for passion and love of the game.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In this episode of The Long and Short of It, Jennifer and Jaacob unpack the idea of “performing for survival,” when your identity and your income are tied to how you play.

Starting with a memory from one of Jaacob's tour events in Morocco and a striking moment of seeing a monkey forced to perform, they trace the parallel to life as a working pro: loving the game, yet feeling the pressure of “if I don’t play well this week, I don’t know how I’m paying my bills.”

From there, they explore the difference between competing like gladiators and playing in a true “passion space,” and why watching someone do what they love can be even more powerful than watching them win or lose.

They end with a grounded reminder: yes, you can grow through the pressure, but the system doesn’t have to be built this way, and we can treat people a little bit better.

Roger Federer, considered by some as the greatest tennis player of all time, only won about 54% of the points he ever played.

This clip was park of a larger conversation Jennifer and I were having about failure, resilience, and success.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

PGA TOUR pro Charles Howell III once topped a fairway shot on a par 5 right in front of me, after driving it perfect all day at Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey, California.

In this clip, I talk about how that moment reminded me that even the best players in the world are still human, despite the perception you might have of them from TV highlights.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In this episode of The Long and Short of It, Jennifer and Jaacob pull a card labeled “Charles Howell III” and trace a story from Jaacob’s early years as a new pro at Pebble Beach into a wider conversation about resilience when things go sideways.

Watching a world-class player top a fairway shot or hearing Roger Federer’s reminder that even he as a GOAT barely won more than half his points, they unpack what it can take to recover after a stumble.

Along the way, Jen brings in her doctoral journey, perfectionism, and performance anxiety, and together they land on a simple mantra, “hit ball, go forward,” as one way to meet mistakes, creative blocks, and everyday stumbles with more neutrality, self-kindness, and courage to keep moving.

Part 2 of my conversation with Ralph Perez of Gotham Golf Blog is out. We get into my time with Mike Austin in California, working with Dan Shauger, hitting balls with Mike Dunaway, the evolution of Swing Man Golf and Sterling Irons® single length irons, and what playing pro golf in my 50s looks like now that PGA TOUR Champions Q-School is gone.

Interested in sponsoring my journey or partnering with me? Get in touch.

New clip from my chat with Ralph Perez on Gotham Golf Blog: we get into how PGA TOUR Champions, already tough to break into, has eliminated its traditional Q-School for senior pro and, as I approach 50, what that means for my path as a tour player.

Interested in sponsoring my journey or partnering with me? Get in touch.

Part 1 of a deep-dive conversation with Ralph Perez of Gotham Golf Blog is out. We got into my path from a 14-handicap computer engineer to a world-ranked pro, the World Long Drive Championships, the Speedgolf World Championships, Sterling Irons® single-length irons, Swing Man Golf, and what’s ahead as I turn 50.

Everyone assumed we were moving for his golf career. In reality, every move—Monterey to LA, Zurich, New York, DC, Detroit—was for her work, and we had to figure out how to keep two careers and one relationship thriving while constantly starting over in new places.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

Of course, it's important to be supportive in relationships for them to succeed. You can also plan life all you want and it's just going to take you where it's going to take you, sometimes to better places than you would've ever even imagined.

The full episode is on my YouTube Channel.
 

In Episode 011 of The Long and Short of It, Jaacob and Jennifer pull an “invisible card” that reads: “Moving around for Jen’s career,” and, while recording from the Eaton DC during a work trip in Washington, DC, trace how more than two decades of relocations for her work have shaped both of their lives. Jen realizes she hadn’t fully seen how each move forced Jaacob to rebuild his local golf community from scratch, which opens a deeper conversation about the dynamics of successful and supportive relationships and co-creating a shared path while surrendering to the flow of life.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Thanks to host Fred Greene of the Golf Smarter podcast for having me on as a guest for the 5th time!

Description:

"Episode 888: Jaacob Bowden of swingmangolf.com and jaacobbowden.com was convinced that someday he would be a competitive Tour level golfer. He’s now been around the game for 20 years and his quest has brought him to the Speed Golf World Championships, World Long Drive Championships, and becoming an excellent golf instructor. In this episode we discuss his journey and how golfers at any age or skill level can increase their swing speeds which results in greater distance."

Chapter Markers:

0:00 Intro
1:31 First time we met
2:41 Making the PGA TOUR
6:27 Being a starving artist
12:50 Mindset in long drive
17:18 Losing the ego
18:47 Swing speed training
20:16 Benefit of swing speed training
25:04 How to increase swing speed
28:56 Speedgolf
31:26 What clubs do you carry in Speedgolf
34:19 Running on a golf course
38:38 Tour experience
40:47 PGA TOUR experience
43:52 Plans for 20th anniversary
47:55 Swing Man Golf

Listen to Episode 888 here:

Listen to "Speed Swing Training - Without Bulking Up Like Bryson, featuring Jaacob Bowden | #888" on Spreaker.
Watch the episode on YouTube here:


Listen to the other 4 episodes with Jaacob as a guest on Golf Smarter below:

02/06/18


11/13/12


06/05/12


12/19/09

Want to hear a little bit about my golf swing philosophies?

Be sure to listen below to my return guest interview on Episode 34 of GolfWRX's 19th Hole Podcast with host Michael Williams.

Show Notes:

"Master Instructor and Long Drive Champion Jaacob Bowden shares his insights on the golf swing with Michael Williams on this week’s edition of The 19th Hole. Also featured is Craig Ramsbottom, President of Dynamic Brands, the company that owns BagBoy, Burton, Riksha, Devant and a host of other top brands in golf accessories."

Listen to Jaacob's interview with Fred Greene on Episode #209 of Golf Smarter Podcasts below:

Show Notes:

"Jaacob Bowden is a golf instructor and writer who is also the subject of a documentary called "Chasing The Dream" about a couple of athletes in different sports who are trying to make the big time. Right now Jaacob is working to qualify for the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach and the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews. This call was recorded via Skype as Jaacob is currently based in Zurich, Switzerland. Jaacob also talks about the difference between swinging hard and swinging fast and how every golfer can achieve great distance and accuracy by eliminating tension in their setup and swing."

Was a guest again on Golf Smarter Podcasts. Have a listen to Episode #336 below!

Show Notes:

"GSfMO#337 Mike Austin over drove a 450 yard hole while in his 60s! Jaacob Bowden lowered his handicap from 14-scratch with his method and now he’d like to share it with you. Austin is gone but Jaacob met and studied his method of keeping the club face square through more of the swing."

Got invited to go back for the 3rd time on Golf Smarter Podcasts as a guest for Episode #357.

Show Notes:

"Jaacob Bowden of SwingManGolf.com came in 5th at this year’s Speedgolf World Championships. He hasn’t been in running shape since since High School, but trained for 2 months running the streets of Zurich with a golf bag over his shoulder to prep for this international tournament. He joins host Fred Greene to discuss the elite class of Speed Golf, how to train, the rules, and the benefits to the mental game that comes with playing at a very, very fast pace."

Have a listen to the episode below.

Many thanks to Dude Spellings and Scott Dawley for having me on Episode 8 of the Pace of Change golf podcast.

Show Notes:

Welcome to Episode 8. Today we’re talking with Jaacob Bowden. It was actually hard to nail down an appropriate title for exactly what it is he does. Let’s just say, in the world of golf, he’s pretty much done it all. Jaacob is someone who understands the value of writing down his goals and plans, and then pursuing them step by step until achieved.
 
Take for example, his goal of becoming a professional golfer. You’d probably guess this was his childhood dream, something he fantasized about since he was a kid. Not exactly. Jaacob was 27 when he got started on this dream. And he was by no means a scratch golfer either. A 14 handicap, someone who admired the single digit player in his foursome. He was quite literally the average golfer. An average golfer with a superhuman belief system and a powerhouse work ethic.
 
His story blossoms from there into a beautiful picture of a late bloomer who falls in love with golf, and turns his love of the game into a budding entrepreneurial career. He’s an out of the box thinker, a swing speed teacher, an accomplished Speedgolfer, a senior writer for GolfWRX.com, and finally, with the recent release of Sterling Irons®, a golf club innovator. Alright, I’ve said enough. Let’s catch up with Professional Golf Entrepreneur, (hopefully that sums it up), Jaacob Bowden.
 
I hope you enjoy our conversation with Jaacob Bowden. Definitely want to encourage you to check out his swing speed training program. Like he mentioned, most golfers have never done any swing speed training, and therefore can see massive gains in just a few weeks time. For his unique view on current topics and events in the world of golf, follow him on your social media platforms of choice: he’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

You can listen to the episode below.

Happy to have been a guest on Episode 57 of Tony Wright’s Golf Improvement Podcast to talk about Sterling Irons® single length irons.

Show Notes:

• Jaacob tells His Story – how he became a Professional Golfer, and how he initially became interested in developing what have become the Sterling Irons® Single Length irons.
• He talks about the initial requirements for the development of the Sterling Irons®, and why these requirements are important.
• Jaacob discusses some of the interesting stories and challenges from the 2-1/2 year development of these irons.
• He (and in fact Tom Wishon) play the Sterling Irons®.  Jaacob discusses some of the surprises he has had related to how these irons perform for him.
• Jaacob talks about a few of the very satisfying success stories from golfers who play the Sterling Irons®.
• Finally, Jaacob provides some Final Words to golfers who might consider playing the Sterling Irons®.

Check out my pre-event interview for the Pace of Change Podcast at the 2016 Speedgolf World Championships at The Glen Club in Chicago.

Thanks to host Jeff Pelizzaro for having me on his 18 Strong podcast.

Show Notes:

• Jaacob shares his story from growing up in St. Louis, MO to becoming one of the world’s leading experts in gaining swing speed.
• He didn’t start his journey to be a professional until after college and working several years in the corporate world.
• He went from a 14 handicap to a professional golfer in a ridiculous amount of time
• Jaacob talks about his mentors Dan Shauger and Mike Austin and how they changed his golf swing and ultimately his career path
• Jaacob tells us about his long drive competitions and what his training consisted of during that time
• He gives us his 2 biggest keys to gaining speed in your swing
• Jaacob explains how his system at SwingManGolf.com has helped thousands get more clubhead speed in short period and how you can take advantage of it, too

Listen on YouTube below.

Thanks to Bernard Sheridan for interviewing me for Episode 99 Breaking Par. One thing we talked about was how to build swing speed in your golf swing.

Show Notes:

"Jaacob Bowden of Swing Man Golf is known world wide for helping players of all handicap levels get more distance. He has written several articles for many popular publications. Appeared on many TV, radio shows and podcasts. He is here to share his insight this week on episode 99 of Breaking Par with Bernard Sheridan. I know this will be an episode that goes down as one of the fan favorites."

Watch the video version of the interview below.