Listen Now

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, takes you to the dining room table in Orlando, Florida for the PGA Show 2023.  Joined by Larry Ward, Tim Conaway, and Chris George, the group discusses subjects from all over the game of golf.  Learning environments, what you should be sharing with your coach, and what a good club fitting ACTUALLY is are just a few topics covered.  The group also gives you some helpful advice on misconceptions that may be killing your practice and improvement.  These nuggets and a whole lot of laughs coming to you from the PGA Show in Orlando!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, spends some time with Lori Russo, President and Minority Owner of Stanton Communications. Over the course of a fun-filled hour, Mark & Lori discuss global travel, business differences between countries, and the constant search for improvement in a world where the calendar is full.  Plus a discussion on parenting and the nuances of dealing with the person in front of you...it's the Driving Improvement podcast to finish out 2022! Happy Holidays!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Tempee Warmack, a US Army veteran who has made a name for himself as an accomplished guitarist, recording engineer, and teacher.  On this episode, Tempee shares stories from his career in the Army Band, as well as the experiences that helped mold him into the teacher that he is today.  He also discusses the real "secret" to getting better at your passion, and why he decided jumping out of an airplane was a good idea.  All this and so much more on the Driving Improvement podcast - rockin' holiday edition!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, takes you inside the 2022 MAPGA Junior Golf Summit.  In interviews done from Richmond, VA, he introduces you to some of the brightest instructors in the game today.  Listen in to find out about more than just junior golf, as the podcast covers all kinds of subject matter - from putting instruction, to learning with training aids, and of course, junior golf development.  It's a great look into the movers and shakers in the game today that are also shaping the youth of tomorrow.  Don't miss a great interview episode of the Driving Improvement podcast with Mark Russo!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, brings you another solo edition of the podcast, covering the latest topics in golf and answering student questions.  Topics range from the current Phil Mickelson situation to course management ideas to possible shot clocks in professional golf.  Mark also dives into swing changes and how best to balance the changes while still playing the game.  

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, brings you a fun filled and crazy evening with a table full of PGA Professionals.  Recorded at the MAPGA Super Meeting at Landsdowne Resort, this unrehearsed session features a ton of laughs, some great insight in to what you can work on in your game in 2022, and what it's like to be inside the ropes at a Major Championship.  The passion for the game is on display in this episode, so buckle up and enjoy a wild ride!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, brings aboard Trillium Rose & Bernie Najar, both ranked by Golf Digest in the "Top 50 in America" to discuss ways to help golfers reach new heights.  The discussion ranges from the chase for more distance to how to unlock the mystery that is breaking 80.  Bernie & Trill also discuss the explosion in indoor practice and how it can help or hurt a golfer.  These topics, plus some really cool lessons learned from many years on the lesson tee, make this 3-person Teacher of the Year roundtable one you don't want to miss!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Jason Helmes, a fitness coach and founder of Anyman Fitness.  Since 2013, Jason has dedicated himself to helping others get fit and healthier, and in the process has created a massive online community that are passionate about self improvement.  But starting Anyman Fitness was no easy task, as Jason first had to overcome his own struggles with weight and self image, as the athletic days of his youth were replaced by a sedentary life as a school teacher.   On this episode, we discuss how someone can take that scary first step into getting better, what it means to create a coaching community, and how working for yourself is a reward like no other.  All that and a lot more inspiration on this episode of the Driving Improvement podcast!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes you to the first "Ask the Pro" podcast, where Mark takes on solo duties and answers questions from Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Want to know his take on Patrick Reed, lifting the left heel, the best ways to get more distance and how to fix a snap hook? Then sit back and listen in on the "Ask the Pro" episode of the "Driving Improvement" podcast!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Mark Crossfield, a PGA coach that has created a massive following online through instruction reviews, travel videos, and club testing.  Sitting at over 334, 000 subscribers on You Tube, Crossfield's videos have been viewed over 223 million times!  Over the course of the conversation, he explains his coaching background and philosophy, as well as the lessons learned in 13 years of You Tube content creation.  Crossfield also discusses golfer improvement, the trappings of content creation, and how risk is involved in any endeavor.  It's a fun and interesting journey on the Driving Improvement podcast in Episode 12!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes James Hong, a US Kids Top 50 Master Instructor and coach, who is recognized all over the world for his ability to connect with junior golfers.  In this episode, Hong elaborates on what parents can do to help their young golfer get hooked on golf, as well as how he deals with kids that are uncertain and unsure about playing the game.  In his energetic style, Hong brings you onto one of the most successful lesson tees anywhere, and tells you how he got there and how he failed along the way.  Don't miss the opportunity to hear a world-class coach talk about his craft!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Lori Russo, President of Stanton Communications, a public relations firm that services clients ranging from casinos to statisticians to coaches.  On this Christmas episode, the discussion covers a wide range of topics such as starting at the ground floor in a company as a woman, helping your client find the answers by asking the right questions, and what it is like to be at the top of the company but always looking for better information.  It's a Holiday edition of the Driving Improvement podcast...right now!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year & Golf Digest ranked instructor, once again brings you inside the golf coaching world, this time with 2012 MAPGA Teacher of the Year, Erika Larkin, and 2015 MAPGA Teacher of the Year, Pat Coyner.  The group discusses the difficulty of getting better at a tough game, as well as the impact that social media and online golf content has had on the ability of players to improve.  Coyner & Larkin also dive into the difficult world of self growth on the lesson tee, and how bad lessons can happen to even the best teachers.  3 Middle Atlantic PGA  teachers of the year come together to take you inside the game and the lesson tee - don't miss it! 

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, takes you inside the mind of NHL assistant coach, Blaine Forsythe.  A coach with the Washington Capitals, Forsythe has been an integral part of the success of the franchise, culminating in a Stanley Cup Championship in 2018.  In this episode, he speaks to the learning habits of the best players in the world, the importance of keeping an open mind as a coach, and how staying in the moment is so critical to reaching the ultimate goal.  

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes John Scott Rattan, 2020 MAPGA Teacher of the Year & teaching professional at Congressional Country Club, and Chris George, 2010 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and director of instruction at Kingsmill Resort.  The discussion aims to help golfers of all levels get better by understanding their tendencies and the best ways to find success. If you are a beginner that wants to pick up the game, a regular golfer trying to break 90, or a single digit player looking to find the next level, Rattan, George, and Russo have you covered on this entertaining and fast paced episode of the Driving Improvement podcast!

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Andrew Rice, one of the top golf coaches in the game today. A Golf Digest "Top 50 in America" Teacher and Golf Magazine Top 100 Instructor, Andrew has built a business based on outstanding knowledge and the ability to effectively communicate with students of all skill levels.  In this episode, he gives his thoughts on how golfers can improve faster, how creating a culture is critical to a successful business, and why relationships are the key to happiness.  

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, discusses teaching and coaching with long-time NCAA coach and former coach of the Irish National Team, Pete Strickland.  In a career that spanned over 30 years and included winning the Big South Coach of the Year in 2000, Strickland dives into the successes and failures that helped mold his teaching style. In this episode, he shares lessons learned from DeMatha coaching great, Morgan Wootten, what it's like to help a nation love the game of basketball, and the real secret to improving as a player and maximizing your potential.  

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, is joined by Dean Evason, current head coach of the Minnesota Wild in the National Hockey League, and veteran of over 800 games played in the NHL.  Evason explains what it takes to make it in the best hockey league in the world, how consistency and enjoying the daily grind can make you a success, and how it's critical in coaching to be able to adjust your message to the person in front of you.  All of this, as well as Evason's take on the best player he ever faced in the NHL and an incredible story about the night he fought 3 times...with the same player...in the same period.  

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes entrepreneur and author, Peter Shankman, to the podcast.  Bringing his unique energy to the conversation, Peter describes the amazing risk he took to gain the freedom to work for himself, how helping people is one of life's great joys, and why failure is awesome for growth.  He also explains how the difficulties he experienced in school were later attributed to ADHD, and why it's so important to now show others that are diagnosed how to use it as a gift and not a curse.

Mark Russo, 2018 MAPGA Teacher of the Year and Golf Digest ranked instructor, welcomes Matt Finarelli, a professional chef and author, for a fun discussion on the power of cooking and teaching.  Chef Matt opens up about his love for people, the choice to quit a secure job to follow his passion, and how he lives for the opportunity to give each person a "light bulb moment" in the kitchen.