Lauren Thompson: Golf Broadcaster

As the host of The Golf Channel’s daily show, Morning Drive, for ten years, Lauren Thompson has interviewed some of the biggest players in golf history. But did you know before she was in golf, she got her start in professional wrestling? This week, Lauren is on the other side of the interview as she and Mackenzie talk about getting to the green as a sports broadcaster.

Transcript

Lauren Thompson: That alarm is pretty rough for the first five minutes. But once you’re up and you’ve got your coffee and you’re driving to work, and it’s dark and gaulin and you’ve got this room that’s just happy to talk golf for a living, and you realize that every day, you know, there’s certain days where you have to kind of give yourself a pep talk and remind yourself that it’s not that bad. If you gotta wake up early. If that’s the hardest part about your day, then you’re doing all right.

Mackenzie Mack (PODCAST INTRO): Welcome to “Getting to the Green”. The podcast that explores many ways that you can find financial success in the golf industry. From caddies to broadcasters, to engineers, to pro golfers, we share how we’ve navigated the golf business and gotten to the green. I’m your host, Mackenzie Mack, a former professional golfer turn rising golf executive, and a PGA and LPGA ‘Class A’ member. Today’s guest has interviewed some of the biggest players in the golf industry. And now it’s my turn to interview her. Lauren Thompson was the co-host of Golf Channel’s Daily Show “Morning Drive” for 10 years. Currently, she’s the host for NBC Sports Next, an NBC’s “The Champion Within”. Thanks for coming on Lauren.

Lauren Thompson: I guess, I have to start the conversation by saying that I wasn’t one of those people who had a really early introduction to the game of golf. My grandfather was the one who every Sunday we would go over to my grandparents’ house and he always was watching golf and half the time he’s like asleep in his easy chair. But I knew that we were not allowed to change the channel and deed at was what we call them. So did I was watching golf, we’re not changing the channel. So I started just kind of watching golf of very young age, just because that’s what our grandparents had on the TV. But he was too old to take me out on the golf course. My father, we lost unfortunately, at a very young age because of a brain tumor. But the funny thing is, is I knew he always loved to play golf. And I’ve seen videos of him playing golf and everything. So that was always one of those things that I felt like would have been a connection with my dad growing up. So fast forward to, I’m 18 years old, I’m starting at UCF, I’ve gone out to the golf course here and there with friends just very casually, but I’ve never had a golf lesson. And honestly, up until that point, I had never played around a golf before. And I had a boyfriend who decided for a date that we would go out to the driving range

Full Episode Transcript

Getting to the Green is hosted by Mackenzie Mack, presented by the PGA of America, and is produced by Earfluence.

Amplify Your Expertise
About the Author
At Earfluence, we are proud to produce this podcast. We believe in sharing amazing stories, providing knowledge to the world, and celebrating diverse voices. Through podcasting, our clients are amplifying their expertise, expanding their networks, building a content engine, and growing their influence. If you're interested in podcasting, we'd love to hear from you! Schedule your free 15 minute podcast consult today.