The Best Mid-Ams Would Rather Play Than Practice ft. Jonathan Keane | Mid Am Golf HQ

The Best Mid-Ams Would Rather Play Than Practice ft. Jonathan Keane | Mid Am Golf HQ

Author: Isaak Ramsey & Hayden Zimmerer | Smarter Golf Practice in Less Time March 27, 2026 Duration: 51:25

Jonathan Keane carries a +2.8 handicap and plays tournaments at Pine Valley, Garden City, and Oakmont. Instead of chasing his own game, he built Mid-Am Golf HQ to cover the most competitive amateur circuit in the country. In this episode, Jonathan breaks down how elite mid-amateurs actually practice, what the reinstatement debate gets wrong, how to break into the invitational circuit, and why NIL money is about to change competitive amateur golf. Follow Mid-Am Golf HQ: @midamgolfhq on Instagram Newsletter: nichegolfhq.com If you want a structured practice plan that fits your schedule, try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days 👉https://playready.golf/the-app 0:00 The reinstatement test nobody expected 0:12 Why a +2.8 covers everyone else's game 1:16 The moment that started Mid-Am Golf HQ 3:06 How COVID accidentally built a platform 4:33 Competitive golf after college hits different 9:57 How a +2.8 actually practices 12:14 The best mid-ams skip the range 13:29 What 9 to 5 golfers get wrong about practice 14:02 The 4-4-4-4 drill method 15:44 Building a newsletter with 82% open rate 18:00 Why some tournaments are a "black box" 20:30 Building Niche Golf HQ (juniors, seniors, events) 24:42 "Glorified travel services" in golf media 26:35 Where the business brain comes from 29:05 What a mid-am event actually feels like 32:00 The Gasparilla: "the perfect amount of hard" 35:55 The reinstatement debate (full breakdown) 41:57 NIL is about to flood the mid-am circuit 42:42 Defending Stu Hagestad 44:33 How to actually break into mid-am golf 49:00 What's next on Jonathan's calendar


There's a common frustration that settles in when you love golf but feel stuck, watching your scores plateau despite your effort. Play Ready Golf is built on a simple, powerful idea: real improvement doesn't require endless hours or expensive gear you might not have. Instead, this podcast digs into practical, actionable strategies that fit into a regular life. You'll hear straightforward conversations about smarter practice, mental approaches that actually work on the course, and how to make the most of your existing game. The focus is always on tangible takeaways-the kind you can try during your next range session or round. It’s for anyone tired of generic advice and ready for a clearer path to lower scores. Each episode feels like a focused chat with a knowledgeable friend who cuts through the noise, all dedicated to helping you play better with what you've already got. Tune in and start transforming the time and resources you already invest into noticeable, satisfying progress on the fairway.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 38

Play Ready Golf | Strokes Gained for the 9 to 5 Golfer
Podcast Episodes
Your Swing Looks Perfect. That's the Problem - Austin Langdale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:36
Get the free cheat sheet: ⁠https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/secretsofthemidam⁠Want a practice plan built for your game and your schedule? Try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD takes $20 off every year: ⁠⁠http…
Your Driver Isn't the Problem. Your Aim Is [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:43
Try the app free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD gets you 20 dollars off the annual plan for life: https://onelink.to/93ggkvFree stats guide: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/comprehensivestatsCoaches. PRG Teams is built for hi…
The Best Practice Tool Is in Your Bathroom - Payne Denman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:54
Secrets of the elite Mid-AM: ⁠https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/secretsofthemidam⁠Practice smarter with the Play Ready Golf app. 7 days free, code ISAAK takes $20 off the year: https://onelink.to/93ggkvFollow Payne: ⁠htt…
Amateurs Carry 14 Clubs. They Use 10. - Ep. 35 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
Try the app free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD gets you 20 dollars off the annual plan for life : https://onelink.to/93ggkvFree stats guide. Every benchmark from 3 feet to 300 yards, 20 handicap through tour pro : https://play…
He Shot 90. Then He Won the State Am - (ft. Andrew Chapman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:51
Try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD takes $20 off every year, forever: https://onelink.to/93ggkv Secrets of the mid-am: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/secretsofthemidamGet a custom piece from Andrew: andr…
Amateurs Grade Themselves Like Tour Pros (here's what to do instead) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:25
Free stats guide: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/comprehensivestatsGet tour level strokes gained data in 30 seconds a hole with Play Ready Golf. Free 7 day trial: https://onelink.to/93ggkv Code PRGPOD gets you $20 off…
More Practice Made Him Worse - Brett Patterson (Ep. 32) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:38
Try Play Ready Golf free for 7 days. Code PRGPOD takes $20 off every year: https://onelink.to/93ggkvThe Mid-Am Insights PDF. Every lesson from every mid-am we have interviewed, in one download: https://playreadygolf.beeh…
Chipping Was Never About Your Hands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:29
Want 1 science based practice fix a day for the next 30 days? That is the second link: https://playreadygolf.beehiiv.com/30hacksin30The Play Ready Golf app turns 30 seconds a hole into tour level strokes gained data and…
Scratch Golfers Hit the Same Bad Shots You Do - Ep. 29 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:44
Sick of 1 hole wrecking your whole round? Grab the free Disaster Card. It has the 4 rules on the front and a 3 round leak tracker on the back that shows you exactly where your strokes are going: https://playreadygolf.bee…