In Episode 4 of Divots & Skins, Jake and Brett dig into the highs and lows of amateur tournament golf.

Brett shares his recap from the latest US Am Tour stop at Normanside, where swirling winds, thick fescue, rough putting, and late-round pressure made for a grind to the finish. Even without his best stuff, he held on for a one-stroke win and proves one of golf’s biggest truths: sometimes your best round is not required, just your best effort that day.

The guys also celebrate Erin’s back-to-back tournament wins at McGregor and Normanside. Her story opens up a great conversation about confidence, staying calm after bad holes, handling tournament nerves, competing in a male-dominated space, and why more women should feel welcome joining amateur golf tours.

Plus, Jake and Brett talk about what makes the US Am Tour experience so much fun, from local competition to national travel opportunities. The episode wraps with the Rule of the Day, covering putting alignment, using your putter as an alignment tool, caddie restrictions, and whether you can legally stand behind another golfer to read a putt.

If you love amateur golf, real tournament stories, course talk, and trying to figure out how to get better one round at a time, this one is for you.

Links:
Divots and Skins Podcast: www.divotsandskins.com
US AM Tour: www.usamtour.com
The Luxury Box: www.theluxurybox.net
Normanside Golf Course: https://www.normanside.com
McGregor Links Country Club: https://www.mcgregorlinkscc.com

In Episode 3 of Divots & Skins, Jake and Brett cover two very different golf experiences: competitive tournament golf at McGregor Links Country Club and a fun charity scramble at Hiland Park.

The episode starts with a recap of the latest US Am Tour Albany Region stop at McGregor in Saratoga Springs (Wilton), a course that recently went fully private. Jake and Brett talk about the course conditions, the challenge of playing tournament golf, and Erin’s win in the event.

They also dig into the Rule of the Day, focusing on provisional balls and why knowing the rule can matter when you’re playing in a more structured event.

Later, the conversation shifts to The Conklin Center’s charity golf tournament at Highland Park in Queensbury, where the team finished second, made some clutch putts and helped support a great local organization.

It’s a mix of course talk, tournament lessons, golf rules, scramble stories and the kind of conversation everyday golfers can relate to.

Links:
US AM Tour Albany Region - https://www.usamtour.com
The Luxury Box - https://theluxurybox.net
McGregor Links Country Club - https://www.mcgregorlinkscc.com
Hiland Park Country Club - https://www.hilandparkcc.com/golf
The Conklling Center - https://www.theconklingcenter.org

Episode 2 of Divots & Skins is all about adjusting when the course refuses to let you get comfortable.

Jake and Brett talk through their early rounds at Brookhaven in Greenfield, N.Y., a course that has already forced both of them to rethink club selection, course management and the urge to pull driver on every tee box. They also get into birdie tracking, breaking 90, Jake’s chip-in birdie and why golf can feel like one big Rubik’s Cube.

The episode also covers a few practical golf rules, including embedded ball relief and whether stakes can be moved when they interfere with your swing.

Then the conversation shifts to the growing world of YouTube golf, including Grant Horvat, the Bryan Bros and the launch of the Your Golf Tour. Is it good for the game? Is it entertainment, competition or a potential circus? Jake and Brett have some thoughts.

A little course strategy, a little rule talk, a little ranting about pace of play and plenty of amateur golf honesty.

Welcome to the first episode of Divots & Skins, a golf podcast for everyday golfers who love the game, the stories, the competition, and the occasional bad decision.

In this episode, Jake and Brett introduce themselves, share how they got into golf, and explain why they decided to start a podcast built around amateur golf, local courses, tournament stories, golf rules, and the conversations golfers have before, during and after a round.

They also break down their first Albany-region US Am Tour event at Fairways of Half Moon, including tournament nerves, fast greens, course management, mental-game struggles, flighted competition, and what it feels like to have your name announced on the tee like the pros.

The episode also includes a look at indoor simulator golf at Luxury Box, how winter practice helped build confidence, and the first “Rule of the Day” segment, focused on playing from red and yellow penalty areas.

Whether you’re a high handicap golfer, weekend player, competitive amateur, or just someone who loves golf talk, this episode sets the tone for what Divots & Skins is all about.