Golf, Identity, and Starting Over

Golf, Identity, and Starting Over

Author: NewClub Golf Society May 11, 2026 Duration: 1:10:22

What happens when the thing you’ve built your entire identity around suddenly stops being your job?

This week, Matt and The Professor sit down with a friend and former PGA Tour player and Korn Ferry Tour winner, Chris Wilson, for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about professional golf, pressure, performance, and life after competition. What starts as a conversation about Q-School, Northwestern, and surviving on Tour slowly becomes something much deeper: how the elite performers learn to let go, reinvent themselves, and figure out who they are when the score no longer defines them.


Along the way, Chris explains why bad weather can free your golf swing, why “be aggressive” is terrible putting advice, how Tour players spiral after missed cuts, and why the best skill he carried from golf into finance had nothing to do with golf at all.


What the conversation dives into:

  •  Why miserable weather sometimes produces the best golf 
  •  The hidden psychological pressure of Tour reshuffles and missed cuts 
  •  What winning on the Korn Ferry Tour actually changes - and what it doesn’t 
  •  The difference between linear and nonlinear putters 
  •  Why Chris says he “never thought about pace” while putting 
  •  The challenge of separating your identity from your golf game 
  •  What elite golf teaches you about business, communication, and relationships 
  •  How learning to “care less” can actually improve performance 

Connect with our guest

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-wilson-98b112127/


Follow The Bag Drop

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebagdrop
 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/thebagdropgolf
 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBagDropGolf


Listen to The Bag Drop

🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf/id1430328006

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xRWtUBJH8RazdLw14oaGH

🎧 Transistor: https://thebagdrop.transistor.fm/


Join the NewClub community

🌍 Website: https://www.newclub.golf

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newclubgolf/

🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/newclubgolf

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@newclubgolf

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newclub


Support our Partners

🐝 NewClub: https://www.newclub.golf

🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com

🌐 Golf Blueprint: https://www.golfblueprint.com
 

Connect with Matt & The Professor

🎙️ Matt Considine — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/consequential85 | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consequence18/ | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-considine-103bb21/

📚 Dr. Kevin Moore ("The Professor") — 🐦 X/Twitter: https://x.com/kevcmoore | 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevcmoore | 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-moore-177b30b3/


Chapters

00:00 - Intro
07:57 - Chris Wilson joins the show
13:08 - Northwestern vs Ohio State
17:06 - The jump from college golf to professional golf
21:51 - PGA Tour reshuffles and surviving missed cuts
31:21 - Winning on the Korn Ferry Tour
35:29 - Leaving professional golf behind
42:53 - The philosophy of putting
49:18 - Why Chris “never thought about pace”

What is The Bag Drop?

The Bag Drop features weekly stories from the culture, community, and characters shaping golf today. Produced by NewClub Golf Society, each episode blends authenticity and expert insights for passionate golfers at all levels. Special guests from clubs, courses and every corner of the changing landscape join us for thoughtful, in-depth discussions on all things golf.


What is NewClub?

Founded in 2017, NewClub is the premier private golf society in the United States. It blends the community and access of a private club with the variety and affordability of public golf. Members enjoy thousands of reserved tee times, competitions and events at exceptional partner courses across our local chapters, as well as signature trips and exclusive perks. NewClub is revolutionizing golf membership, making the game more meaningful for those who love it.


There's a whole world of stories that never make it to the leaderboard or the final green, and that's exactly where The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf finds its voice. This isn't just a series about swings and scores; it's a weekly exploration of the people, places, and moments that truly define the game's rich culture. You'll hear from greenkeepers, historians, passionate amateurs, and tour veterans, all sharing perspectives that go far beyond the typical post-round interview. Produced by the NewClub Golf Society, the podcast is built on a foundation of authentic conversation, digging into the connections between life on and off the course. Every episode feels like pulling up a chair in the clubhouse after a round, where the talk is as much about character as it is about character. It’s for anyone who feels that golf is about more than just a number on a card-it's about community, legacy, and the unexpected lessons found in a walk across eighteen holes. Tune in for thoughtful, often surprising discussions that remind us why this game continues to captivate so many.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf
Podcast Episodes
What makes a great match play golfer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:07
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf In partnership with Titleist > https://www.titleist.com Summary In this episode, Matt and Kevin discuss what makes a great match play golfer. They highlight the importance of being skil…
Cole Rueck, from Boise to North Berwick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:41
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf In partnership with Titleist - https://www.titleist.com Summary Cole Rueck, a collegiate golfer from Boise State, shares his experience playing in the Scottish Open and other high-level…
The Natural, Don Carpenter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:07
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf In partnership with Titleist - https://www.titleist.comIn On his episode of The NewClub Bag Drop, host Matt Considine and co-host Kevin Moore welcome guest Don Carpenter, a legendary go…
Backspin: St. Andrews to Sand Valley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:43
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf NewClub Pilgrimage > https://www.golfgenius.com/ggid/pilgrimage2025 NewClub Charity Classic > https://www.golfgenius.com/ggid/charityclassic2024 Summary In this conversation, Matt and K…
Affordable, accessible golf for kids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:40
Join us at the 2nd Annual NewClub Charity Classic > https://www.golfgenius.com/ggid/charityclassic2024 in partnership with the Chicago District Golf Association Benefitting Youth on Course in the Chicago District. Summar…
Card Carrying Golf Sicko, Shane Ryan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:44
NewClub > www.newclub.golf NV5 Invitational Presented by Old National Bank > nv5invitational.com Shane Ryan > x.com/ShaneRyanHere Shane Ryan, a golf writer from Golf Digest, discusses his passion for golf and his approac…
The Open returns to Ayrshire, Scotland & Royal Troon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:28
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf NV5 Invitational Presented by Old National Bank > https://nv5invitational.com/ Barassie Links > https://www.kbgc.co.uk/ Summary The conversation between Matt and a friend of the program…
Discovering Barassie: A member's club accepting guests in Troon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:36
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf NV5 Invitational Presented by Old National Bank > https://nv5invitational.com/ Barassie Links > https://www.kbgc.co.uk/ Summary In this episode, host Matt Considine interviews David Add…
Emptying the notebook on LIV Nashville [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:52
NewClub > https://www.newclub.golf NV5 Invitational Presented by Old National Bank > https://nv5invitational.com/ Summary The Professor quizzes Matt on his first in-person experience with the LIV golf league. They talk a…
Putting: golf's greatest bar game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:13
In this conversation, Co-Hosts Matt Considine and Kevin The professor dive into putting in the game of golf! They discuss key aspects of putting in golf: mindset, visualization, managing expectations, practicing techniqu…