Blaine McCallister interviews Steven Umphlett:

An interview with Steve Umphlett,  WereTalkingGolf.com  CEO and Founder at the GolfTalkUSA Network offices.

Blaine McCallister: Steve, Congratulations on the launch of the website, radio show and digital magazine. I have to say you are very busy man this year with this endeavor. For the first time visitors what is WereTalkingGolf.com all about?

Steve Umphlett: Blaine thanks for asking and coming by today.. The GolfTalkUSA Network owns WereTalkingGolf.com. It’s an online golf magazine and live streaming radio show that covers golf. We  conduct interviews of the  stories in and around Professional golf. Additionally, we also interview PGA Tour professionals, Caddies, Course Superintendents, Golf Course Designers. We will travel around the country to conduct these interviews as well as host guests on the radio shows live.

Blaine McCallister: What motivated you to start the GolfTalkUSA Network and WereTalkingGolf.com ?

Steven Umphlett: I have been an avid golfer all my life. I love “talking golf”. I follow the Professional golf tours as well as the rest of the industry with great interest. I have found that so much goes on behind the scenes or “inside the ropes” on the tour that may not get much coverage during the normal weekend on television. This includes the personalities of the  players, caddies, all the way  to the course superintendents who know the course set up better than anyone. I believe our radio show coupled with the feature stories and interviews can develop these stories  further in depth. I believe it will be well received by the “We’re Talking Golf community.

Blaine McCallister: What is your background as a broadcaster and sportswriter in golf?

Steven Umphlett: Thats one of my favorite things to talk about. I made a decision after being “downsized” or “rightsized” in corporate America to grow my skills and talents that I enjoy most. I started WereTalkingGolf  for the primary reasons mentioned so far, and also because I enjoy talking golf. I enrolled as a student in the American Broadcasting School located in Oklahoma full time. Wow. What an eye opener. They offer programs that are very intense and hands on. I have gained so much knowledge from the faculty and their 100 plus years of broadcasting and radio experiences. I will admit they really test and push the students to accentuate their talent in production, engineering, and broadcasting. Its one of the best decisions I have ever made. I now have over 2000 hours of live broadcasting time.

 Blaine McCallister: Thats awesome! Are you interviewing golf industry TV and Radio personalities on the live shows and website?

Steven Umphlett: Absolutely! The website and radio show will showcase industry personalities and expertise these individuals have about the game of golf. My intent is that the listeners and visitors to the site get a more in depth picture into the likes of a Jim Nantz, Johnny Miller, Tim Finchem, Tim Rosaforte etc. These are my coworkers in the industry. They have a feel and love for the game tours that are definitely worth hearing. I also want to bring in the other faces of golf that play a role in the professional tours such as celebrities and athletes. Every tour stop has a personality and charitable cause to bring to light. Our shows and interviews will give time to those stories as they relate to golf and the “WereTalkingGolf.com visitor and listener.

Blaine McCallister: Speaking of charities. What are the charities you hope to raise money for at The GolfTalkUSANetwork Inc.?

Steven Umphlett: I have a big place in my heart for St. Judes Childrens Hospital. I am working with my staff currently on promoting apparel, merchandise, as well as fundraisers to raise money for the families whose children are battling cancer. I mandated that any and all proceeds our company procures from sales of merchandise related to St. Judes go directly to the organization. No funny math. No kickbacks. Just absolute commitment to help the organization any way we can.

Blaine McCallister: Have you interviewed or met Marlo Thomas?

Steven Umphlett: Not yet. I hope that I can have her on the show very soon and let her talk about the great things St. Judes does for so many children as well as the legacy Danny Thomas left behind. She is always a welcome guest for sure.

Blaine McCallister: How are you conducting the interviews on the website and radio shows?

Steven Umphlett: We use the radio show as well as onsite interviews of the different areas mentioned above. Since we cover the entire country as well as Europe and Australia a good portion of the interviews will be at the golf tournaments and broadcast on RadioStreamer.com, Blog Talk Radio Network  and Live365.  You can go to the website and click the link to listen live. We also have all archived shows on the website and uploaded to roughly 44 music servers like ITunes for instance so listeners can enjoy the shows on demand. Traveling to the professional gof tournaments across the country will provide the listeners and visitors to the site different mediums (ie: audio, video and text) to listen or read the content. The PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA are a big focus.

Blaine McCallister: What makes you different from traditional media that already covers golf?

Steven Umphlett: I’m glad you asked that. I started the company and website to offer and provide the content and stories that the traditional magazines, television or radio may not offer. Lets face it. Golf is a huge and growing entity. Its difficult for the networks to cover it all. I’m positioning WereTalkingGolf as a valuable source  for golf coverage through the different mediums already mentioned. That is audio, video and the online digital magazine as well as archived broadcasts  for the listeners and readers to enjoy when they want to. I’m especially excited about talking golf with the caddies, course designers and architects and industry analysts in order to give the listener depth on the game. We also cover the developmental golf tours around the United States. Those are the Egolf Professional tour formerly known as the Tarheel Tour. We cover the NGA Hooters Tour and Gateway Tours.  

Blaine McCallisiter: Will you be broadcasting live from the tournaments on the tours?

Steven Umphlett: Yes. In accordance with the PGA Tour media regulations we will for sure. We cannot broadcast live during play, however we will definitely broadcast shows before and after play.
Thats another area that I believe makes WereTalkngGolf.com different. We want to give the visitors and listeners to the live and on demand shows the behind the scenes ‘feel’ for golf. We typically interview the PGA Club Pros, GCSAA Course Superintendents, and other industry experts on the courses that host  the tournaments. This gives the listeners access to Professional golfers, caddies as well as the teachers and trainers often overlooked on a weekend broadcast. Additionally, I spend time talking to people in and around golf.

Blaine McCallister: Is there a members area or community for We’reTalkingGolf.com?

Steven Umphlett: Yes. Go to the community page at the top of the homepage. Visitors can input their information on the site for full details and benefits of becoming a WereTalkingGolf member. We have tour stops that we are scheduling now to broadcast live from this year for 2009. Members will get access to meet and greets, photo opportunities with the players, as well as favored travel packages through sponsors. Additionally, we have sponsors and advertisers who donate travel packages and merchandise for those who do sign up as a members. One other component for this website is that the demographic that plays and watches golf also enjoys travel and resorts. We are featuring a restaurant, resort and wine section on the 19^th Hole page. We will usually feature locations where the professional golf tours go. It then gives the local economies hopefully good exposure on the website and shows.

By the way, I’m excited about the tour stops as well as they give me a chance to talk golf with our WereTalkingGolf.com  members. 

Blaine McCallister: Final question of the segment. As you set out to get interviews each week who are some of the people you are trying to talk with?

Steven Umphlett :  Great question. I look at the database we built and check to see what players and other professionals are in the news. I then usually invite them to come on of the shows for a segment. Golf isn’t about one or two guys. I’m always trying to give the listeners a better experience of the professional golf tours.

Blaine McCallister: Is it hard to get the interviews?

Steven Umphlett: Like anything worth doing it’s hard work. You really do have  to build relationships in this business. I’m surprised sometimes at how reluctant the guys who the listeners may not be familiar with who would be a great segment on the website or radio show, won’t come on. Then, I’m also amazed at how easy it is to talk to some of the guys who are in the top 50 in the world.Those are the interesting things I have run into.

Blaine McCallister: Whos is your favorite interview of the 200 or so you’ve done?

Steven Umphlett: Rocco Mediate. He is very engaging and is everything you think and hope he will be. What a great guy. I enjoyed having him on the show a lot. Its no wonder why America has embraced him as one of  the favorite guys on the PGA Tour.

Blaine McCallister: Steve thanks for the time today. I know the professional tours and the golf industry professionals I’ve talked with about your efforts are really excited about We’reTalkingGolf.com as well as your live  streaming radio shows.

Steven Umphlett: Thanks Blaine. It’s been a pleasure. We’re looking forward to a great year and talking golf for the 2009 tour year and beyond. Stay tuned to the website for the shows and interviews as well as updates.