Making Golf Cool Again: From Pro Golfer to Entrepreneur | Taylor Artman | Episode 12 Pt 1

Show Notes

Golf is changing—and Taylor, founder of Surf & Turf Golf, is building a brand for the next generation of players.

In Episode 12 of Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics, Kevin and Steve sit down with Taylor to talk about a life spent around the game, his journey into professional golf, and how an unexpected change in his playing career ultimately opened the door to entrepreneurship.

Taylor shares how he first picked up a golf club as a kid in Norman, Oklahoma, eventually played collegiate golf at Oklahoma City University, and spent seven years pursuing the professional game. Along the way, the conversation dives into the competitive side of golf, leadership in an individual sport, and why lessons learned as an athlete translate so naturally into business.

Then comes the story behind Surf & Turf Golf. What began as a Southern California social club evolved into a lifestyle and apparel brand designed to bridge the gap between traditional golf culture and the people discovering the game in a completely different way.

Taylor explains how the Tiger Woods boom made golf cool and the Topgolf boom made golf accessible—creating an entirely new generation that wants to enjoy the game without necessarily looking or acting like the traditional country-club golfer.

From professional golf and entrepreneurship to leadership, community, branding, and building something around a genuine passion, Episode 12 is a conversation about recognizing when one chapter is ending—and having the confidence to start the next one.

Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond Logistics explores the intersection of sports and business through conversations with athletes, entrepreneurs, leaders, and the people building what's next.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome Back to Around the Diamond
05:10 – Meet Taylor, Founder of Surf & Turf Golf
05:49 – Growing Up on the Golf Course
10:30 – When Golf Became More Than a Hobby
11:40 – Greg Norman, Payne Stewart & the Tiger Woods Era
13:49 – How Golf Culture Has Changed
20:00 – Taylor's Big Vision for Surf & Turf Golf
21:03 – College Golf, Scholarships & Oklahoma City University
22:09 – The Championship Golf Program That Got Cut
25:38 – What Leadership Looks Like in an Individual Sport
29:08 – Why Athletes Make Great Business Leaders
32:27 – Competition, Camaraderie & Trash Talk on the Golf Course
36:31 – Athletes Learning the Game of Golf
40:02 – The Road from College Golf to the Pros
41:50 – The Beginning of Surf & Turf Golf
42:40 – The Injuries That Changed Taylor's Career
43:41 – Trading Professional Golf for Entrepreneurship
45:08 – The Problem Surf & Turf Set Out to Solve
46:50 – How Golf Became Cool Again
47:34 – How Topgolf Changed Who Plays Golf
48:32 – Building a Golf Brand for a New Generation
49:19 – What's Next for Surf & Turf Golf

Check out American Diamond Logistics: https://www.adldelivers.com/
Become an Agent: https://www.adldelivers.com/become-an-agent

Follow Around the Diamond: 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/aroundthediamondpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586346530967
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@around.the.diamon6?_r=1&_t=ZP-94XAyjAAYvP

What is Around the Diamond Powered by American Diamond?

Around the Diamond is where leadership meets logistics.

Hosted from their signature corner couch, Kevin Mench and Steve Wineriter sit down with entrepreneurs, athletes, operators, and industry leaders to have real conversations about what it takes to win — in business and in life.

Each episode dives into two core themes, leadership and logistics. 

Whether you’re building a company, scaling operations, or chasing ambitious goals, Around the Diamond brings you inside the candid and insightful conversations. 

Grab a seat on the corner couch and join the conversation.