Attitude is Everything: How Kay McMahon empowers women in the golf industry

Kay McMahon: The Golf 8.5 System That Changes EVERYTHING About How You Swing a Club

What if everything you've been taught about the golf swing is backwards and the real reason you're inconsistent has nothing to do with your talent?

Host Colin Weston sits down with Kay McMahon - LPGA Professionals Hall of Fame member, LPGA Elite Top 50 Best Teacher, PGA member, president of Women in the Golf Industry (WIGI) , and creator of the groundbreaking Golf 8.5 teaching system - for a deep dive into why traditional golf instruction has been failing millions of golfers for decades.

Kay reveals the simple but revolutionary truth she discovered early in her career: we teach the setup positions backwards and in the wrong order. By flipping the sequence and breaking the swing into "chunks," she's helped golfers of all ages and skill levels retain 300% more of what they learn, shave 15–25 seconds off every shot (that's a half-hour round!), and finally understand their own golf swing, instead of trying to copy someone else's.

Whether you're a beginner searching for simple golf swing tips, a frustrated mid-handicapper stuck at the same score for years, a golf instructor looking for a better teaching methodology, or someone passionate about making golf more inclusive for women and underrepresented groups, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can take to the course today.

🔑 What You'll Learn in This Video
The Golf 8.5 System explained - why there are only 4 things to do before the swing and 4.5 things to do during it, and how "binary feedback" (yes or no) accelerates learning

Why traditional golf instruction fails - the setup order mistake that keeps golfers coming back for lessons without improving

How to improve pace of play - the surprising connection between proper setup and faster rounds

The truth about golf course design - why courses are built for men and what needs to change

The power of WIGI - how Women in the Golf Industry connects, mentors, and amplifies women's voices across the golf industry

Lessons from Arnold Palmer - the humility and people-first philosophy that shaped Kay's career

Golf's uncomfortable culture moment - Kay's thoughtful response to the Callaway/Good Good controversy and what real inclusion looks like

⏱️ Video Chapters
00:00 Welcome to ModGolf — Meet Kay McMahon
01:16 Kay's First Golf Experience: A homemade golf course and a lemonade stand
04:30 What is Women in the Golf Industry (WIGI)? Mission and history
09:00 WIGI Goes Global: Connecting women across the golf industry
12:45 The Callaway/Good Good Controversy: Kay's perspective on changing the culture
18:30 Partnerships That Matter: Women's Golf Day, PGA, LPGA, and beyond
22:00 Becoming a PGA Professional: Nine qualifying schools and three U.S. Opens
25:44 Arnold Palmer Stories: Humility, ethics, and "the reason we're here is the fans"
27:43 Influential Women in Golf: Shirley Spork, Pat Lang, and the "Game of Life"
29:54 Making Golf Inclusive: What clubs get wrong and how to fix it
32:30 Golf 8.5 Explained: Four setup positions, four-and-a-half swing thoughts
37:12 Final Thoughts: "Keep your head up! It's all in the attitude"

🏌️ About Kay McMahon
Kay McMahon is a member of the LPGA Professionals Hall of Fame, an LPGA Elite Top 50 Best Teacher, a PGA member, and the president of Women in the Golf Industry (WIGI) . She is the creator of the Golf 8.5 teaching system and founder of EduKaytion Golf. A former national president of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals, Kay played in three U.S. Opens and spent 10 years working alongside Arnold Palmer at Ironwood Country Club in Palm Desert, California. Her teaching philosophy is simple: simplify the game, teach it in the right order, and help every golfer understand their own swing.

🔗 Connect with Kay McMahon & WIGI
Women in the Golf Industry (WIGI) : womeninthegolfindustry.com
Join WIGI: Click the "Join" button on the website - junior memberships available for just $25/year

Contact Kay directly:
president@womeninthegolfindustry.com or kay@edukaytiongolf.com

EduKaytion Golf & Golf 8.5: edukaytiongolf.com

🎧 Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
This video is the companion to Season 20, Episode 3 of The ModGolf Podcast. Listen to our complete audio episode with Kay on:

Apple Podcasts: [Link]
ModGolf Website: www.mod.golf/228-kay-mcmahon

📢 Join the Conversation
What's the biggest challenge in your golf swing right now? Have you ever felt unwelcome on a golf course? Share your thoughts in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you!