The Back of the Range
Weekly interviews from prominent amateurs, coaches, and personalities from the game of golf!
Displaying 1 item of The Back of the Range with the tag "senior amateur golf".
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Mike Sposa - 2026 U.S. Senior Amateur Champion
October 2nd, 2026 | 1 hr 13 mins
USGA, amateur golf, callaway golf, mike sposa, pga tour, senior amateur golf, tennessee golf, walker cup
Mike Sposa’s U.S. Senior Amateur win is only part of the story. The real surprise is how a former pro who spent years grinding on tour found himself energized by amateur golf again, from the pressure of match play to the joy of competing without the weight of a paycheck. Ben and Mike unpack what changes—and what doesn’t—when a lifelong tournament golfer steps back into elite amateur competition. Mike shares what he’s learned about preparing faster, handling nerves differently, and using better self-talk under pressure. He also explains why the mental side matters more now than ever, and why the game can feel freer when it stops being a job.You’ll also hear about the whirlwind after Baltimore, when a championship celebration turned into a sprint to JFK and a next-morning arrival in Ireland for the Walker Cup at Lahinch. Mike revisits the 1991 Walker Cup, the star power of Phil Mickelson and David Duval, the wild atmosphere at Portmarnock, and what it means to be part of a Walker Cup society that lasts a lifetime.Ben and Mike also break down how junior golf has changed from both sides of the equation. Mike, now Senior Manager of Junior Development and Developmental Tours at Callaway, explains what he looks for in elite juniors, how technology like TrackMan and GC Quad is reshaping training, why speed has become nonnegotiable, and where today’s players still need more touch, creativity, and wind game. He also pulls back the curtain on what parents and players often misunderstand about equipment, brand relationships, and what companies actually look for beyond rankings and scorecards.Mike is the reigning U.S. Senior Amateur champion and a former PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour player who won in Boise in 1998. He now leads Callaway’s junior development efforts, working at the intersection of equipment, player growth, and elite amateur golf.