Episode 30 opens with a charity night, a tour caddie's putting lesson and a Solheim Cup that got away from the United States.
Mike Hicks, Payne Stewart's former caddie of 11 years, goes twice. First the second annual Cars and Cocktails, the money PGA Tour events give to charity, and where Mike was on September 11, 2001. Then a putting fix you can use this weekend: if you aim left, you have to push it.
Then Emily Nowak recaps Europe's Solheim Cup win, Nelly Korda's U.S. Women's Open, and the Good Good ad that ended a Callaway partnership.
Here's what went down on Episode 30.
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Caddie's Corner: Cars & Cocktails and Golf's Charity Impact
On September 11, Jeff hosted the second annual Cars and Cocktails at Avila Golf and Country Club for Appreciate Your Service, a Tampa 501(c)(3) that keeps veterans, first responders, active military, police, firefighters and EMTs on the road. Sometimes that means maintenance, and sometimes it means handing over the keys to a car.
This year the night raised enough to buy a car for future firefighter Willis Britton. 160 tickets sold, 155 people in the room, and remarks from Commissioner Boles, Plant City Fire Chief David Dittman and Willis. Mike was there and is already signed up for year three.
Thank you to the sponsors: Amalie Motor Oil (lead sponsor), Accurate Advisors, Dimmitt Automotive Group, Pepin Foundation, American Grateful Coin and Genesis Communications.
From there, Jeff and Mike look at the bigger picture. The WM Phoenix Open has given nearly $250 million to charity, $20 million of it in 2026. The Charles Schwab Challenge raised $19 million and the John Deere Classic $16 million, pushing it past $200 million all time. Closer to home, the Valspar Championship has raised more than $50 million, about $1.5 to $2 million a year.
That is why the John Deere Classic sitting on the bubble for the 2028 schedule bothers them both. John Deere equipment maintains most of the courses these players compete on.
On the 25th anniversary, Mike also remembers September 11, 2001. Mike was at Bellerive in St. Louis, on the bag for Justin Leonard. Justin and Mark Calcavecchia wanted to go play the back nine. Mike knew sports and travel were about to shut down, and ended up renting a car to drive home to North Carolina.
Mike takes charity outings, corporate events, special occasions and speaking engagements. Details at mikehicksgolf.com.
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Caddie's Corner: Putting Alignment — Aim, Arc & Soft Greens
Last week Mike walked through SeeMore putters and the President's Cup. This week is the lesson behind the putter.
At Cars and Cocktails, Mike gave a member named Bob a quick putting lesson and spotted the problem right away: Bob was aimed left of the target, so every putt had to be pushed to get there. That is the rule Mike wants every amateur to know. Aim left and you have to push it. Aim right and you have to pull it. Fix the aim and the stroke flaw goes away.
The tools: a chalk line to see the real line, and the Perfect Putter to calibrate speed and line together. On tour, caddies set up those stations every morning. It adds 30 to 45 minutes before the round and takes real math and a read on the weather.
Then the body. Keep your hips, shoulders and feet square to the target line. Mike passes along advice from the late SeeMore putter inventor Jim Weekes: a right-to-left putt feels inside to out, and a left-to-right putt feels outside to in. Either way, the putter head is really just following the line on a slight, consistent arc, not forcing a square-to-square motion.
Mike's tool for learning that arc is The Arc Master. Jeff adds that working with Pat O'Brien, Zach Johnson's putting coach, fixed Jeff's own stance and alignment.
Last, the greens. Tour players love soft bentgrass because the ball stops where it lands and they can fire at pins. Firm and fast is another story: if you don't hit it high, you need a bump-and-run game to score.
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Guest Segment: Emily Nowak on the Solheim Cup, Nelly's Open & Good Good
Emily Nowak joins Jeff for a big month in women's golf.
The Solheim Cup went to Europe, 15 to 13, in the Netherlands. The United States held on early, until the undefeated pairing of Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz lost on Saturday morning and the momentum flipped. Europe went 7-5 in Sunday singles, and Carlota Ciganda clinched it, just like 2023.
Alison Lee was the best American at 4-0, and Lauren Coughlin went 3-1-1 while playing all five sessions. For Europe, Charley Hull and Leona Maguire each went 3-1-1. The United States still leads the series 11-8 but has lost four of the last five. Next up: Valhalla in 2028.
Also from the week: 80,000 fans from more than 40 countries, no cars or Ubers, just shuttles and 5,000 bikes. And a Friday slow-play complaint from Nelly Korda about Ciganda. Officials said Ciganda was never out of position.
Emily also went to the U.S. Senior Women's Open at Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor: $38 tickets, small crowds, and a close look at Annika Sörenstam and Karrie Webb. Then the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera, where Nelly Korda made a clutch par on 18 to hold off Charley Hull and Gaby López for a $2.5 million winner's check.
Last, the Good Good ad. Callaway cut ties, the Good Good Championship in November was canceled, and the Big Break show was suspended. Emily's take: women account for 43 percent of golf's growth since COVID, and golf brands need to act like it.
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