Rolling with the Punches: MMA Fights and Fourball Heights
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S1 E265

Rolling with the Punches: MMA Fights and Fourball Heights

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How does a professional MMA fighter go from combat to the course and find meaning in amateur golf? 

In this episode of The Bag Drop: Untold Stories in Golf, host Matt Considine and co-host Dr. Kevin Moore (a.k.a. “The Professor”) sit down with Caleb Bowman (former MMA fighter & Chief Sales Officer at Solid Property Investments) to explore the more profound parallels between combat sports, competitive golf, mental discipline, and the selfless pursuit of purpose—on and off the course.

The conversation dives into:
  • Matt & Kevin’s long-awaited debut at the USGA Four-Ball Qualifier
  • Caleb’s journey from the MMA cage to the golf course
  • How adrenaline, fear, and mental discipline shape performance
  • The power of selflessness, service, and mission work
  • Golf as a mirror for life’s challenges and personal growth
  • Why minimizing mistakes—on the course and in life—creates breakthroughs
  • The birdie game, snacks as strategy, and the psychology of partnership play
Connect with our guest
🔨 Caleb Bowman — Solid Property Investments (Roofing & Construction, GA): https://www.solidpropertyga.com

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

Links & Partners
🐝 NewClub: https://www.newclub.golf

🏌️ Titleist: https://www.titleist.com

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

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

🎧 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/633c8703-5880-4522-bd6d-5967b45fc777/the-bag-drop-untold-stories-in-golf

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

Connect with Matt & The Professor
🎙️ Matt Considine ("The Host") — 🐦 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/

🗣️ Contribute to the show!
📧 thebagdrop@newclub.golf

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:32 The Journey to the USGA Four-Ball
09:47 Meeting Caleb Bowman
12:09 The Social Side of Golf
14:07 Competition & the Fighter’s Mindset
17:14 Where Four-Ball Came From
20:27 Why Four-Ball Is So Popular
22:34 Team Dynamics & Trust
26:07 The Importance of Snacks
30:38 Inside the Birdie Game
35:07 Adrenaline in Golf vs MMA
41:57 Selflessness & Mission Work
55:28 Golf’s Hardest Life Lessons
58:32 Community & Connection
59:30 Major Golf Event Moments
01:05:21 From Beginner to Plus-Two
01:12:04 Mental Strategies for Improvement

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.

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.

Creators and Guests

Matt Considine
Host
Matt Considine
Founder of NewClub and our resident feel player. Matt’s junior golf career led him to the University of Akron where he met our co-host. During his junior year, Matt Studied abroad in Ireland and discovered golf societies. Subsequent trips to Scotland fed his passion for the history, ideals, and culture of accessible, affordable, and sustainable golf, a concept he would later bring to the U.S. with NewClub. Known for his interviewing style, quick wit, and compelling storytelling, Matt brings thoughtful, reflective conversations to The Bag Drop. His professional journey before NewClub included multiple leadership positions in growth-stage startups, where he managed teams responsible for more than $250 million in revenue. Matt actively gives back to the game as a Board Member of the First Tee of Akron and past chair of the Evans Scholar Foundation. Proudly based in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, Matt finds inspiration in family life with his wife, their three children, and their golf dog, Gypsy.
The Professor
Host
The Professor
NewClub's Chief Ambassador and every golf sicko's favorite educator. Kevin is a thoughtful and deeply curious host. His studied, constructivist approach adds intellectual enrichment and balance to the show. As a professor of Math Education at the University of Georgia, Kevin's background in applied mathematics and cognitive psychology uniquely informs his insights on golf strategy and performance. Originally from Ohio, Kevin was a Division I collegiate golfer at the University of Akron, where his passion for understanding mathematical thinking began. After earning his doctorate from Arizona State University, he combined his analytical expertise with his love for golf by co-founding Golf Blueprint, an organization aimed at helping golfers optimize their games through data-driven strategies. Kevin enjoys balancing deep philosophical discussions with simple pleasures, such as indulging his sweet tooth, cheering on college football, and spending relaxed evenings with his friends, his wife, and their beloved dog, Nole.