The Golf Parent, episode 44
Raising A Major Champion - Mike Thomas
2025-10-21
In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, Ryan Adams sits down with Mike Thomas. Thomas is a veteran golf instructor and father of PGA Tour star Justin Thomas, for an honest conversation about the realities of raising a young golfer. Mike shares what it was really like guiding his son from ju
Tips paraphrased from The Golf Parent (hosted by Ryan Addams). These are our summaries from machine transcripts, not quotes, and times are approximate. All credit to the shows and their guests; listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
After the round, he reaches out and first just asks how it went.
Mike Thomas (Justin Thomas's father, PGA pro) · The Golf Parent
Talking after a round
Be Your Own Caddy: he caddies and berates every shot the way the kid talks to themselves, then asks if they'd fire him. Teaches kids that negative self talk is a terrible caddy.
Mike Thomas (Justin Thomas's father, PGA pro) · The Golf Parent
Sideline and caddie behavior · Confidence and self talk · Parent role
Use launch monitors mostly for feedback and preloaded practice games, not obsessing over numbers.
Mike Thomas (Justin Thomas's father, PGA pro) · The Golf Parent
Making practice fun