Episodes
Published 09/20/24
Published 09/10/24
Published 08/28/24
(Season 3: Episode 1) No better way for Grow the Grind to kick off Season 3, than with one of the hottest coaches in the golf world right now. Jeff Smith joined hosts Jason & Alli Wiertel after a redeye flight from The Players, and his schedule is packed with Ryder Cups, college All-Americans, lessons online and at the range, all while traveling around the country to manage a gold standard coaching stable of stars. In between his time with some of the PGA tours top players, he carved out...
Published 03/19/22
Published 03/19/22
(Season 2 Finale: Episode 19) Grow the Grind's last installment of Season 2 was recored live from the Cognizant Founders Cup. Shirley Spork is 94-year old golf legend who can still stripe it. One of 2 living LPGA founders who is responsible for the LPGA tour as we know it today. Shirley is a Hall of Famer, winner of the first national collegiate championship that was held in 1947, twice voted LPGA National Teacher of the Year, an Ellen Griffin Rolex Award winner  and the Commissioner's Award...
Published 03/09/22
(Season 2: Episode 18) The Commissioner of the LPGA, Mollie Marcoux Samaan and the tours Chief Tournament Business Officer, Ricki Lasky sat down with Grow the Grind to talk about the Behind the Scenes Grind of the LPGA. What a different experience this episode is, as its certainly strays away from the usual GTG script. Mollie and Ricki are without question 2 of the most powerful leaders in the LPGA. Both ultra competitive with a strong team behind them working to push the tour to bigger and...
Published 02/11/22
(Season 2: Episode 17) Grow the Grind scored big on this one... a 2-for-1 special on LPGA stars. With 38 cuts made, 4 top-10 finishes on tour, a winner on the Symetra Tour, graduate from the University of Virginia where she was a WGCA All-American and an All-ACC player…. Elizabeth Szokol. Alongside Elizabeth, one of her best friends on tour and in life, winner of the 2019 LPGA Volunteers of America Classic in her rookie season, and the runner up in the 2020 Ladies Scottish Open, a 3-time WGCA...
Published 02/03/22
(Season 2: Episode 16) LPGA Star Annie Park joins Grow the Grind, live from the Cognizant Founders Cup at Mountain Ridge Country Club. Annie is the winner of the 2018 ShopRite Classic, a 2019 Solheim Cup member for team USA, winner of the 2013 NCAA individual championship while playing for USC, a 3-time Symetra Tour winner, and perhaps the nicest player on tour since 2016! Alli and Jason Wiertel sat down a few months ago with Annie during the Founders Cup pro-am. Her smile, laugh, and...
Published 01/13/22
(Season 2:Episode 15) Live from the Cognizant Founders Cup with Jensen Castle a 2-time winner of the Carolina 4-ball Championship, US Open qualifier, University of Kentucky Golf superstar, Curtis Cup team member, runner up in the 2019 Girls Junior PGA Championship, a 2-time member of the WGCA All-American Scholar Team, and the winner of the 2021 US Women’s Amateur! Everything Evens Out is the mantra and the mindset throughout this episode. Jensen’s even-keel approach is as authentic as it...
Published 11/18/21
(Season 2: Episode 14) Live from the LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup in West Caldwell New Jersey! Grow the Grind sits down with the star of the Netflix documentary, The Short Game. Cali born and breed out of Riverside California, the junior golf elite and USC bound freshman Amari Avery. Who was the winner of the 2019 California Women’s Amateur Championship, an ANWA participant, a US Women’s Open participant, a semifinalist in the U.S Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship, a U.S Kids Golf World...
Published 11/05/21
(Season 2: Episode 13) Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls…. Turn the volume up and get ready for this one as Grow the Grind welcomes a 2-time winner on the LPGA Tour with 67 cuts made and over 10 top-10 finishes, a member of 2 Solheim Cup teams for the USA, a Curtis Cup team member, a 2-time First-Team All-American at Mississippi State University, and host Alli Wiertel's favorite player on tour…. Ally Ewing. The talk with Ally kicks off a new series of podcasts from Mountain Ridge Country...
Published 10/18/21
(Season 2: Episode 12) The dynamic pairing from the FINAL match of the 2021 North and South Women’s Amateur. Fresh off the speeches and the Awards Ceremony that took place in front of The Duece, the restaurant that overlooks the 18th green on Pinehurst No. 2, and with Putterboy trophies in hand…. Furman ACE, current Dins #1, and runner-up of this years event Anna Morgan… and the champion, hailing from Duke University, a future LPGA star in the making, and ultimate grinder… Gina Kim. This...
Published 10/03/21
(Season 2: Episode 11) The 1st Annual Grow the Grind Barefoot Scramble Champs sat down with hosts Alli & Jason Wiertel. Addie Baggarly and Siarra Stout LIVE and in front of the main scoreboard adjacent to the 18th green on Pinehurst No 2. This memorable talk is a must listen as The Champs talked winning on The Cradle, mental health, practice and preparation, learning from other athletes, and playing the game the way it was meant to be played.  The background noise in this episode is fun!...
Published 09/27/21
(Season 2: Episode 10) It’s was a Hail State kind of day as Grow the Grind sat down with 2 top DAWGS! The Mississippi State Maroon pride shines throughout this incredible POD. As 2020 Academic All-American, US Open qualifier, and the stroke play Medalist at this years North and South Amateur... Abbey Daniel, and her Bulldog teammate... the winner of the Inaugural Sea Island Women’s Amateur and a 2019 WGCA Academic All-American... Hannah Levi... sat down with hosts Alli and Jason Wiertel to...
Published 09/21/21
(Season 2: Episode 9) It's a beautiful day in Pinehurst..... ALWAYS!......Grow the Grind sat down with Pinehurst tournament director Matt Nunez and Pinehurst lead instructor and former PGA Tour professional Kelly Mitchum during DAY 1 of the 2021 Women's North and South Amateur. Perched in the far corner of the range at famed Pinehurst No. 2 overlooking the 18th green, hosts Jason and Alli Wiertel talk course setup, burnout, Pinehurst history, and so much more. Take this one in and get back to...
Published 09/17/21
(Season 2: Episode 8) A long overdue release with a special guest and some undeniably solid content. Grow the Grind hosts Alli and Jason Wiertel sat down with Illinois golfer Meg Furtney to talk Carolina golf just before the US Kids Golf World Championships of 2021. Who better to share NC intel and the secretes to success at Pinehurst than this Duke senior and All-American human being? Green reading, chipping from tight lies, bermuda fairways and greens, and all the elements that make...
Published 09/07/21
(Season 2: Episode 7) Grow the Grind is live from the Arnold Palmer Cup… GO Horns GO!!! The Texas Longhorns Men’s Assistant Coach, a 3-time All-American, the Assistant Coach of the US team at this years Arnold Palmer Cup, and the 2020 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach of the year… A true Longhorn Legend, Coach Jean-Paul Hebert. Hosts Jason & Alli Wiertel were fortunate to sit down with coach before the US took on the International team at Rich Harvest Farms on day 1 of the...
Published 07/23/21
(Season 2: Episode 6) Hosts Jason and Alli Wiertel took advantage of some rain to record Episode 6 of Grow the Grind, live from the Arnold Palmer Cup. The special guests are two standout college golf shining stars, who will not disappoint. An Arkansas Razorback, 2021 First team All-SEC selection, Curtis Cup selection, Augusta National Women’s Amateur participant, 2-time WGCA All-American Scholar, and a Golfweek All-American…. The Pig Suey Belle and one of the sweetest people you will ever...
Published 07/18/21
(Season 2: Episode 5) Short but packed with gold! Hosts Alli and Jason Wiertel sat down with two incredible coaching talents at The Arnold Palmer Cup. Coach Diana Cantu (Tennessee Lady Vols Head Coach) and Coach Mikkel Bjerch-Andresen (Baylor University Assistant Coach) share insights on recruiting, coaching the International squad, and more. If given the chance to watch Coach Mikkel and Coach Cantu work the greens, talk strategy, or interact in any way with their International players you...
Published 07/10/21
(Season 2: Episode 3) A pair of big time All-Americans, and Arnold Palmer Cup partners sat down with hosts Alli and Jason Wiertel in Episode 4 of Grow the Grind. The Duke Hoosier and southpaw Erica Shepherd & The Gig 'Em Aggie who is pure Texan Sam Bennett were literally lights out guests! Sam and Erica sat down for a quick POD after an Arnold Palmer Cup match and during a rain delay. Recorded in a media room at Rich Harvest Farms just before team USA took down the International team in...
Published 07/08/21
(Season 2: Episode 3) Grow the Grind hosts Alli & Jason Wiertel had the opportunity to sit down with Wake Forest women's HC Kim Lewellen just before she led team USA to a victory over the International squad at last weeks 25th Arnold Palmer Cup. The 2020 Women’s Golf Coaches Association National Coach of the year, former All American at the University of North Carolina, 2-time North Carolina state girls junior champion, 4-time ACC Coach of the Year, 2011 National Coach of the Year as...
Published 06/17/21
(Season 2: Episode 2) The junior golf scene across the US has never shined brighter. With potential stars grinding on ranges and practice areas in every nook and putting green across the landscape, the talent continues to explode everywhere & anywhere. Warren, Ohio is no exception! If you are looking for The Crown Jewel of Warren look no further than Avalon's own Gianna Clemente. 13 year old G, is a 3-time World Champion who is surging throughout the AJGA, JGS, WGAR, and USGA ranks. Grow...
Published 06/11/21
(Season 1: Episode 6) The class of Valparaiso, Indiana joined hosts Jason and Alli Wiertel to talk family golf, the USGA Junior AM, their short game practice focus, and what its like to be recruited by monster D1 golf programs at the ripe age of 13! John, Kennedy, Aiden Gutierrez (and of course mom Sara), truly are a TOP "TIER" family. Their patient approach and even keel demeanor is an example for juniors, coaches, and all families across the golf landscape. Hit play on this podcast, sit...
Published 03/11/20