In this inspiring episode of The ModGolf Podcast, host Colin Weston reunites with one of his closest friends and most beloved guests, Kevin Carpenter - better known to the golf world as The GratiDude. Since his last appearance two years ago, Kevin has taken on an exciting new role as US Managing Director for AM Golf, a revolutionary all-in-one platform that's reimagining tournament management, community building, and the entire golf experience from registration to the 19th hole.

Kevin's journey is anything but ordinary. From personal transformation through gratitude and sobriety to fostering a tech revolution in golf, his story reminds us that the greatest innovations come from the heart. In this conversation, Kevin reveals how AM Golf is breaking down barriers, creating genuine community, and turning tournament software from a utility into a social experience.

If you care about the future of golf, technology that actually enhances human connection, or simply want to be inspired by someone who turned his life around through gratitude, this episode is for you.

Three Key Takeaways You'll Discover in This Episode

1. Technology Should Serve Connection, Not Replace It

AM GOLF isn't just another tournament software - it's a unified platform that combines scoring, communication, community building, and side game management in one intuitive app. By eliminating the need to toggle between multiple platforms, AM GOLF creates a seamless experience that allows players to connect before, during, and after events. The result? Deeper relationships, more engagement, and a golf experience that starts the moment you register.

2. Golf's Future is in the "Squishy" Stuff

While scoring and logistics are essential, Kevin argues that the real opportunity lies in enhancing the social and experiential aspects of golf. From pre-event smack talk in community feeds to post-round scorecard celebrations, AM GOLF is designed to capture and amplify the shared memories that make golf so special. The software even allows players to create private side games visible only to their group - turning every round into a customized experience.

3. Distribution Is Everything in Tech

Kevin's growth strategy for AM GOLF is refreshingly pragmatic. Rather than trying to win over every golf course operator at once, he's focusing on three channels: grassroots user adoption through events like the Vegas Baby Invitational, strategic B2B partnerships with golf cart manufacturers and POS companies, and pilot programs with course management groups. The goal? Get the software into people's hands, let them experience the value, and let word-of-mouth drive growth. "I'm not interested in being the best writing software writer," Kevin says. "I want to be the best selling software writer."

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💬 Inspiring Quotes from Kevin Carpenter

"Nobody except private equity gets into golf for the money. So what happens is you get to meet folks that have chosen passion first—chosen to pursue a career out of the heart versus the spreadsheet."

This encapsulates Kevin's entire philosophy. Golf is a relationships-first industry, and the people who thrive are those who lead with purpose rather than profit.

"I'd rather go to a big time point of sale company that has 500 or a thousand golf courses and offer the ability to roll our software in with theirs... But you really need the feedback and the voice of the industry in order to make educated decisions. Otherwise, you're just guessing."

A masterclass in humility and market intelligence. Kevin's approach of testing, listening, and iterating has been crucial to AM Golf's early success.

"Find your gift and give it away and walk away. What would the world look like if we all did that?"

Kevin's GratiDude philosophy in a nutshell. After transforming his own life through gratitude and sobriety, he made it his mission to share his tools and insights with others while asking for nothing in return.

📋 Episode Chapters

00:00 - Introduction & The Power of Podcast Friendships
01:31 - Kevin Returns: "I didn't screw up too badly last time did I?"
03:56 - AM GOLF Overview: One Platform to Rule Them All
07:28 - The Evolution of Tournament Software
09:34 - Lessons from the Vegas Baby Invitational
13:20 - The "VB Bulletin" & Reimagining Event Communication
17:17 - Post-Event Engagement & Scorecard Celebrations
18:28 - Letting "Inmates Run the Asylum": Side Games & Private Leaderboards
22:16 - The Three-Pronged Growth Strategy
28:45 - Market Analysis: Why There's Room for AM Golf
34:43 - Defining the Ideal User & Customer Persona
36:37 - Technological Laggards & The NGCOA Pilot Program
37:07 - The Simulator & Indoor Golf Opportunity
39:34 - How to Try AM Golf (No Paywall!)
40:33 - The 2.5-Hour AI Prompt That Found Kevin
41:42 - The GratiDude Story: Finding Superpowers Through Gratitude
48:26 - Where to Find Kevin & Closing Reflections

🌟 Guest Bio

Kevin Carpenter - aka The GratiDude - is the US Managing Director for AM GOLF, a next-generation golf management platform that integrates tournament software, community building, and player engagement into one seamless experience. With over two decades in the golf technology space, including stints at Parview and other industry leaders, Kevin brings a unique blend of technical expertise, relationship-driven leadership, and personal authenticity to his work.

Beyond his role at AM GOLF, Kevin is a passionate advocate for gratitude, mindfulness, and personal transformation. Through his GratiDude platform, he shares daily insights on sobriety, self-talk, and neuroplasticity - inspiring countless individuals to find their own superpowers.

📲 Connect with Kevin

• Instagram: → @gratidude_abides
• LinkedIn: → Kevin Carpenter
• AM GOLF: → app.am.golf (Download the app - there's no paywall for 2026!)

🎧 Listen to More

Don't miss Kevin's first appearance on The ModGolf Podcast two years ago where he shared his incredible journey to sobriety and the birth of The GratiDude. → https://modgolf.fireside.fm/175-kevin-carpenter

The ModGolf Podcast is your regular dose of golf innovation. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Special Guest: Kevin Carpenter, The GratiDude / US Managing Director for AM GOLF.

In this live episode recorded at the historic Stanley Thompson-designed Highland Golf Club, Colin Weston sits down with Rob Sunstrum, the founder of Smart Golf – a tournament and league scoring platform that's quietly becoming the industry's best-kept secret. From their exclusive partnership with the NGCOA Canada to being a scoring partner with Golf Canada, Smart Golf is proving that a fresh approach to technology can turn a men's league from 50 players to over 350.

If you're a golfer tired of spreadsheet-powered leagues or a course operator looking to reclaim league ownership and drive F&B revenue, this episode is for you!

Three Key Takeaways From Rob You'll Discover in This Episode

1. The Power of Reclaiming Ownership – Most golf clubs let members run their own leagues, losing control over messaging, branding, and revenue opportunities. Smart Golf helps clubs take back ownership, driving participation and giving them the tools to integrate F&B specials and sponsorship packages seamlessly. As Rob explains, a league night can double a club's midweek revenue if managed correctly.

2. Simplicity Trumps Features – Rob's logistics background taught him that onboarding matters as much as functionality. Smart Golf's lean learning curve and short instructional videos mean even the least tech-savvy members – yes, even those "Luddites" – can post scores with ease. Their approach? Tell players what they're about to do, let them do it, and then tell them what they just did.

3. The Canadian Built Advantage – With 350 clubs on board (75 in the U.S.) and exclusive partnerships with NGCOA Canada and Golf Canada, Smart Golf's integration with Golf Canada's handicap system is seamless. Scores post with a single click. Add in automatic email recaps, player stats, and profile pictures, and you have a product that's sticky enough to keep members coming back every single week.

Three Inspiring Quotes from Rob Sunstrum

"My entrepreneurial journey started right at the start of COVID... Rather than thinking about looking for another opportunity in the same role that I was running in, I realized that I had a nugget of a solid idea."

"You're definitely not going to have it right on the first 50 tries. But by the 51st try, you're going to have a large group of people thinking, 'Boy, you've thought of everything.'"

"We think that our program is the best in the marketplace. But not only that – our price point is lower."

Are you more of a watcher than a listener? Then check out the Smart Golf demo with Rob on The ModGolf YouTube channel. Click on this link or the image below to watch.

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Intro: The Road to Highland – Colin sets the scene for this live recording at the historic Stanley Thompson-designed Highland Golf Club, and why Smart Golf is the future of tournament scoring.
01:58 – Icebreaker: Rob's First Golf Experience – The competitive origin story that set Rob on his path, from a junior camp victory to founding a scoring platform.
03:31 – The COVID Pivot: From Logistics to Golf Tech – Rob reveals how he got laid off from DHL and turned a "nugget of an idea" into a product that pros were begging for.
07:02 – Building the MVP: Why 50 Tries Matter – The lean startup approach Rob used, from designing the minimum viable product to iterating based on real pro feedback. Scar tissue and all.
08:55 – Leagues & Ownership: The Highland Model – How Highland's men's league grew to over 350 players, why the pro shop runs it, and how F&B specials turn Wednesday into the club's busiest day.
14:35 – The Player Journey: Email Formula & Stats – Rob breaks down the "tell them what they're about to do, let them do it, then tell them what they did" formula, plus how player stats and profile pictures build community.
17:36 – From Deuce Pots to Proximities – How Smart Golf's flighted games, skins, and deuce pots evolved from pro demands, and why saying "yes" to finicky requests has become a core competency.
21:04 – Growth & Partnerships – The exclusive NGCOA Canada partnership, the Golf Canada scoring integration, and why 75 clubs south of the border are already on board.
27:42 – Simulator Expansion – How Smart Golf is testing new features with simulator facilities in the off-season – and why 90 simulators now run their leagues on the platform.
30:00 – Business Model: Annual Subscription – Rob explains why a single annual subscription (cheaper than competitors) with no paywalls or limits is the winning formula, and why they avoid ads to keep the user experience pristine.
35:21 – How to Connect – Visit smartgolfsoftware.com or email Rob directly at rob@smartgolfsoftware.com.

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Smart Golf Website: https://smartgolfsoftware.com
• NGCOA Canada: https://ngcoa.ca
• Golf Canada: https://golfcanada.ca
• The ModGolf YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@modgolfpodcast

🎧 Subscribe & Review:

Enjoyed this episode? Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with a golf course operator or league captain who needs to retire their spreadsheet for good.

Join our Patreon community at www.patreon.com/modgolf for exclusive live shows, bonus content, and member-only giveaways.[ Click here](www.patreon.com/modgolf) to support The ModGolf Podcast.

Special thanks to Highland Golf Club for hosting this live recording, and to Rob Sunstrum for an honest, inspiring conversation about building a better way to play competitive golf.

We want to thank our partner NGCOA Canada for presenting this episode of The ModGolf Podcast!

The National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA Canada) is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to supporting the business of golf in Canada. Representing more than 1,500 member facilities nationwide, NGCOA Canada provides advocacy, education, marketing, operational resources to help golf course owners and operators succeed, as well as philanthropic support. You can learn more and connect at https://www.ngcoa.ca/

Special Guest: Rob Sunstrum - Founder & CEO at Smart Golf.