From Tour Wins to Barely Holding a Club | Scott Stallings

Scott Stallings is one of the fittest players to ever walk the PGA Tour. He grew up between Worcester, Massachusetts and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, walked on at Tennessee Tech after the program he dreamed of passed on him, and turned himself into a three-time PGA Tour winner over a fourteen-year career. Then, at the 2024 Players Championship, one swing into the lip of a fairway bunker tore his shoulder and the nerve out of his elbow. Three surgeries in fourteen months followed. During a comeback round at eleven under, the nerve tore loose again and his hand went white on the green. Three different doctors gave him the same answer: the golf he knew how to play was over. In this conversation, Scott opens up about losing the identity he had built his life around, running the Boston Marathon to survive the rehab, getting humbled in occupational therapy, and a surgeon asking whether he wanted to hold his daughter’s hand walking down the aisle. We also talk about choosing his family over one more swing, hosting Knoxville’s Korn Ferry Tour event, training for 29029, playing alongside Tiger Woods, and what the other side of hard looks like when the thing that defined you is gone. One of the most honest conversations we’ve had. Thank you to our sponsors Rho Nutrition: https://rhonutrition.com/ Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ Chapters (00:00) Meet Scott Stallings (00:14) Roots and Accents (01:34) Golf Beginnings (02:02) Tiger Spark Moment (03:20) Why Golf Connects (03:58) Speedgolf Explained (06:08) Growing the Game (08:22) Late Bloomer Path (11:36) Tour Card Reality (13:52) Life on the Road (14:31) Never Off a Heater (19:43) Heater Ends Fast (20:38) Sponsor Break NAD (21:48) Money and Mindset (25:44) Winning Changes Everything (29:43) Imposter Syndrome Drive (32:11) Runner Mindset Parallels (35:46) Competitive Lens (36:34) Easy Days Discipline (37:06) Golf Injury Breakdown (38:36) Three Surgeries Rehab (40:39) Running Boston Goal (43:29) Boston Marathon Joy (47:45) Big Marathon Logistics (49:55) Return to Golf Plan (55:09) Elbow Setback Scare (58:49) Doctors End Career (01:02:53) Nerve Surgery Recovery (01:05:29) Identity Family Shift (01:06:54) Career Highlights Tiger (01:11:31) Majors Versus Regular (01:12:51) Major Prep Logistics (01:13:50) Slow Practice Rounds (01:15:44) Golf Course Fights (01:17:48) Fighting Levels and Jiu Jitsu (01:20:42) Weather Mental Edge (01:22:37) Memorial and Tiger Story (01:23:52) Tiger Crowd Etiquette (01:28:02) Tiger Trash Talk 67 (01:31:32) LIV and Golf Future (01:33:41) Walking Miles and Ultras (01:35:33) 29029 Training Tips (01:40:17) Sponsors and Next Steps (01:42:54) Closing and Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices