Next on the Tee: Former national champ John Inman recalls collegiate, amateur triumphs

On this episode of Next on the Tee, host Chris Mascaro is joined by top instructor Tom Patri, along with three Next on the Tee rookies — 1984 national champion John Inman, 1986 Florida State amateur champion Barry Cheesman, and Robert Morris men’s golf coach Steve Shingledecker.

Patri talks this past weekend’s Wasted Management Open and if it has gone from being The People’s Open to needing The People’s Court? We also talk about the rash of 60 and sub-60 rounds we’ve seen recently, plus the resurrection of the Maxfli golf ball.

Inman won the 1984 national championship while at North Carolina. Hear about that victory, what it was like teaming with Davis Love III and Jack Nicklaus II to win the 1983-84 ACC championship, getting the better of Rocco Mediate twice at the 1984 Western Amateur and the Provident Classic, plus whether his brother Joe, a four-time winner between the PGA and Champions tours, would make a great next Commissioner of the PGA Tour.

Cheesman started out as a Minor League baseball player in the Cardinals’ farm system back in the 1970s. He later turned his attention to golf and won the 1986 Florida State amateur championship. Hear that story, plus about his two wins on the Ben Hogan Tour, including at Quail Hollow outside of Cleveland. Also hear what it took to be a long driver out on tour in the days of persimmon woods and balata golf balls.

Shingledecker is a multi-sport athlete who was an All-American baseball player at N.C. State. He coached Franklin High School in the Pittsburgh area to the 2006 Class AAA PIAA basketball championship, and he’s now the men’s golf coach at Robert Morris. He talked about his high school friendship/rivalry with Top 100 instructor and fellow Pittsburgh area native Eric Johnson during their Oil Creek Region days. He also recalled his college baseball days at N.C. State where he was ACC Tournament MVP in 1990. He then got into his golf career and being in the mix at the 2002 Pennsylvania State Mid-Amateur championship, what it was like leading Franklin Regional to that state basketball championship, and now building the Robert Morris golf program.

Listen: Next on the Tee with Chris Mascaro