Mike Smith is the founder of ForeCollegeGolf, a recruiting consultancy that has helped over 200 families in 40+ countries place junior golfers at college programs. He's a two-time Florida Foursomes champion, a 2024 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball semifinalist, and according to his Four-Ball partner Will Davenport, the most clutch golfer he's ever played with. He also has two boys under four and runs his business full time. In this conversation, Mike walks through what golf parents get wrong about recruiting, why he refuses to practice his weaknesses, the partnership and the wedge shot that nearly took him and Will to a USGA title, and the mental shift he made after becoming a dad that completely changed how he competes. For golfers who feel stuck between wanting to improve and not having time to grind, this is the reframe. Get a 7 days of free personalized practice plans: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/play-ready-golf/id6752723937?ppid=af3c9fac-74c5-46b7-9bea-e41648182e7d Follow Mike: instagram.com/forecollegegolf ForeCollegeGolf: forecollegegolf.com Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:16 Showing up to a USGA championship missing a shoe 02:18 What growing up at TPC Sawgrass actually does to a kid 05:28 Why he chose James Madison over bigger programs 09:54 Climbing the junior golf ladder without skipping rungs 11:46 Becoming team captain as a junior at JMU 14:47 Starting ForeCollegeGolf in 2014 16:13 The biggest thing parents get wrong about college golf recruiting 17:49 What to tell the dad whose 13-year-old just broke 80 22:53 Why his real passion is not college recruiting 27:10 Meeting Will Davenport at the Womet Invitational 29:21 The broomstick putter that changed Will's game 31:43 The Lago Mar eagle (and the rule that got changed the next year) 34:22 The Sam Bradford putt at Plainfield 37:53 Why he refuses to practice his weaknesses 40:28 Faith, family, and the mental shift after becoming a dad 42:19 What he'll teach Lucas and Graham about competing 44:25 Scotty Scheffler, cross-training, and praising effort over outcome 48:04 The holy grail: course management and outcome detachment 49:12 Wrap #golf #collegegolf #midamateur #golfpractice #usga

The driving range business model hasn't meaningfully changed since the first one opened in Pinehurst in 1913. Lights, mats, and automatic ball dispensers. That's it.

But the science of how people learn motor skills has changed dramatically. And none of it says "hit the same club to the same target until it feels good."

In this episode, we break down exactly how to structure your limited practice time using strokes gained data, random practice principles, and pressure finishes. Three complete sessions: 15 minutes at home, 30 minutes at the range, and a full 59 minute plan that covers every part of your game.

Hayden, a professional golfer who practices 3.5 to 4 hours a day, has a specific target on every single shot. If the guy with the most time is the most intentional, that should tell you something about how you're spending your 30 minutes.

Download the free practice plan PDF: ⁠playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/59minuteplan⁠ Try the Play Ready Golf app: ⁠https://apps.apple.com/app/id6752723937⁠

⁠https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.playreadygolf.app⁠

00:00 Why "feel" is lying to you 02:00 Practicing to say you practiced 03:00 Bob Rotella's 60/40 rule 03:59 Strokes gained breakdown: where your shots actually come from 04:44 The 5 rules of effective practice 06:12 "If you aim anywhere, you'll hit it everywhere" 06:33 Full pre-shot routine on every shot 07:37 Track something. Write it down. 08:12 End every session with pressure 08:30 15 minute home putting session 11:49 30 minute range session 14:09 Stop training for penalties 17:14 Wedge distance control 18:43 The 59 minute practice plan 22:13 Why iron play is where you improve the most 23:17 Tee ball: keep your shoes on 25:05 Putting and chipping: don't fluff the ball 27:27 Full routine or no routine. Pick one. 28:06 Why people don't practice like this 29:09 The range hasn't changed since 1913 30:37 Practice for the golf course, not your swing

He works 60+ hours a week at Boston Consulting Group. He's ranked #16 among mid-amateur golfers in the entire country. Will Davenport is proof that structured, intentional practice beats volume every time. In this episode, Will walks through exactly how he structures his limited practice time into three buckets, why he switched to a broomstick putter (and the one missed putt that forced the decision), the story of how he went from losing his match at the U.S. Mid-Amateur to caddying at the Masters, and why he thinks every golfer needs to play faster. Will is a member at Pine Tree Golf Club, a Yale grad with a molecular biology degree, a Wharton MBA, and one of the most decorated mid-amateur competitors in the country. His competitive resume includes a U.S. Amateur Four-Ball semifinal, a U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinal, and the 2024 FSGA Player of the Year award. Follow Will @willywonka93: https://www.instagram.com/willywonka93/ Will’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wcd-fl/ If you want to practice smarter with the time you actually have, Play Ready Golf builds you a personalized practice plan based on your limited time. Download the app and start your 7 day free trial IOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/play-ready-golf/id6752723937 Google Play (US Only): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.playreadygolf.app

 CHAPTERS: 0:00 Cold Open 0:55 How Will balances BCG and elite golf 2:05 The moment he knew pro golf wasn't the path 4:54 Does a molecular biology degree help your golf game? 7:56 A typical practice week (3 buckets) 11:59 What gets cut first on busy weeks 13:47 The biggest practice mistake he sees at every club 18:20 Why he switched to a broomstick putter 23:14 The 2019 U.S. Mid-Am and the Lukas Michel story 29:08 What it's like to caddy at the Masters 33:55 Why he's elite in team golf 36:08 Playing fast vs. playing rushed 41:07 The hardest mid-am golf course he's played 43:45 Advice to his younger self 46:46 What's next on his schedule