Birdiecast | Golf & Life on Tour

Catch the latest episode of Birdiecast where pro golfer Leslie Cloots shares an insightful conversation with Betsy Kelly. Watch as they dive deep into Betsy's current life, her ventures, struggles, and path to success in the golfing world. Tune in to know more about Betsy's roots in Minnesota, her lifestyle split between there and Arizona, a glimpse into her professional journey beginning from her early golfing days, and her unwavering support system.

How did she manage to fund her golf career while working in the finance industry? What roles do her coaches, boyfriend, and family play in her career growth? How does she create a balance between her professional golfing life and an influential social media presence? Find answers to all these in the episode.

Reflecting on her journey, Betsy shares, "I had no idea the finances that were involved and how all that worked. I feel stupid that I never even thought about it." Listen as they explore their US Open qualifier preparations and share an exciting putting challenge. Betsy also talks about her challenging fitness journey, highlighting that, "The fitness and nutrition side is actually a big component to it."

This Birdiecast episode is packed with interesting conversations, personal experiences, and tips for golfers at any stage of their career. Don't miss out!

This episode is brought to you by Skillest, and have kindly offered Leslie's bunker class for free to Birdiecast listeners. Click on the following link to check it out: https://coach.skillest.com/leslie-cloots

In this episode of Birdiecast, hosts Leslie Cloots and Maia Schechter catch up after a hiatus and share updates on their golf careers. They discuss Maia's incredible transition from professional golf to pursuing a career in medicine. Discover her experiences on the LPGA tour, the reasons behind the decision to step away from golf, and current path towards becoming a doctor. Gain insights into Leslie's off-season, tournament plans, and newfound passion for golf coaching. Don't miss this inspiring episode of Birdiecast!

This week Maia sits down with Symetra Tour athletic trainer, Alex Herzlin. We discuss what his role entails and the challenges he faces. Listeners get an inside look at how the medical staff on the tour works and what they do for the players. 

Don’t forget to check out snipergolfballs.com and use code Birdiecast for 15% off your order.  And go to Chippogolf.com and use code Birdiecast for 15% off your order   

Halftime sponsor: @juniorgolflive 

Guests: @dralex_and_evilbetty

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots 

Recording date: August 11, 2021 in South Bend, IN

The 2019 season is officially over! This week we talked about Q Series: how it works, how it went, and what we learned. Listen in to hear the inside scoop

Sponsor: Playoff Dating App (www.playoffdatingapp.com)

Recorded: November 4, 2019 in Raleigh, NC

Hosts: @lesliecloots @maschechter

This week we brought in an eclectic group to discuss the journey of golf. Why do some people stop playing? How do players navigate the change in direction? It can be a struggle to keep going but we discuss ways in which players rekindle their passion and reach out to others for support in the pursuit of their dreams. 

Sponsor: Playoff Dating App (www.playoffdatingapp.com)

Guests: @guags88 @cd.golf @summarro and Allie White

Hosts: @maschechter

Recording date: September 19th 2019 in Prattville, AL

This week we sat down with Michelle Piyapattra to talk about her side hustle endeavors off the course. We learned a lot from this episode, and we hope that you do too.

Sponsor: Playoff Dating App (www.playoffdatingapp.com)

Guests: @montanee555

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recording date: August 7th 2019 in Milwaukee, WI

Enjoy our short conversation with repeat guest, Matt Clark. He has been promoted to Tournament Business Affairs and has an interesting new take on tour operations. Listen in to hear what a tour owned tournament is, or if you just want to whether Matt finally got a car. 

Guest: @mattclark_ 

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots  

Recording date: July 24th 2019  in Albany, NY 

While in Rochester, NY we had the privilege of attending the local Women's Executive Forum. We tried to soak up as much wisdom as possible from the three incredible speakers. Listen in to hear the keys to success and ways to wake up tomorrow morning with a million dollars in you bank account. Just kidding. But you can learn how culture affects productivity, and how being successful isn't a solo journey. Enjoy!

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: July 17, 2019 in Rochester, NY

Do you believe in life after golf (sung to the tune of Believe by Cher). Tracy Hanson played 15 consecutive years on the LPGA, but if you ask her about it, she'll likely tell you that golf is just one step in this journey we call life. Professional golf is a world where your identity can easily get tied to the scores you shoot. Play well and you're on top of the world; miss a few cuts and the self-doubt creeps in. In a society where we are measured, compared and evaluated, we have to learn to separate "what we do, from who we are." Listen in to hear what Tracy has to say on the subject.

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Guest: @tracyhansoninitiative 

https://tracyhanson.com/

Recorded: May 22, 2019 in Auburn, AL

Everyone in the working world answers the question "what do you do for a living?" But with our unique lifestyles, sometimes it can be difficult to explain what exactly we do. From illustrating that status is like a ladder you climb, to clarifying that "Q school" isn't actually school at all, listen in to hear some tips on how to talk to non-golfers about golf.

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: May 4, 2019 in Chapel Hill, NC

We are on week 2 of an 8 week stretch of tournaments! Life on tour can be a grind especially if you're away from home for 2 months straight. But with a few years of experience, we have learned how to take care of ours bodies and minds. Listen in for ways to tackle long drives between tournaments, and for ways to conserve energy so that you feel just as fresh for week 8 as you did for week 1. Happy golfing!

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: May 4, 2019 in Chapel Hill, NC

Life on tour can get a little pricey, but with a few of these tips maybe you can save yourself some moola. Listen in for some pointers on where to find cheap flights, how to save money on rental cars, and a way to get that Airbnb you're eyeing for less money than they are asking. Enjoy those extra dollar bills in your pocket!

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: May 4, 2019 in Chapel Hill, NC

This week we have our first book club meeting! We all read Becoming by Michelle Obama over the past month and met up to discuss our thoughts about the book. Listen in to hear how professional golfers can learn a thing or two from the former First Lady. 

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Guests: @augustk1m

Recorded: April 7, 2019 in San Francisco, CA 

This week we talk about the LPGA's new branding campaign called #DriveOn and many related thoughts to gender in sports. Hopefully this episode will spark some conversation topics for you and perhaps even questioning how your surroundings came to be. 

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded on March 26th 2019 at Beaumont, California.

Write us at birdiecast@gmail.com - we love to hear from you!

As professional golfers there is a lot on the line. But it's not just our skin in the game, there are a lot of other people in our lives that have a stake in how we do. Listen in to hear about the pressures of playing professional golf and to learn more about how to deal with that pressure. Are you willing to put it all on the line to achieve your goals?

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: March 18, 2019 in Chapel Hill, NC

This week we discuss the hot topic in golf right now: the rules changes. Listen in as we chat about how the rules changes have affected our golf and what we think about it all. You may even learn a thing or two!

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: March 11, 2019 in Winter Haven, FL

Listen in to see what we have been up to for the last couple of months! The off season is a time when we relax, travel, maybe change equipment and get ready for the next season. 

Hosts: @maschechter @lesliecloots

Recorded: March 1, 2019 in Raleigh, NC