It’s Official … Retirement!

After 15 of the most exciting and fulfilling years of my golf career, hosting the award-winning Traveling Golfer television show, it’s time to pass the baton.

“The Real John Daly” is taking over as host of the show and Jeff Gilder is handling all phases of its day-to-day management. Chef Marc Cummings and Sofia Arthur continue as co-hosts. Dustin Gilder remains as Executive Producer.

Celebrating the Day

It started well. My retirement present from the folks at Yuengling Brewery came to the door — a custom-made staff bag made specially for me. Many thanks to Dick Yuengling, COO David Casinelli and Director of Sales Tom Junod. They have been the best sponsors in the world.

As for my plans for the future, in addition to playing more golf, I will be doing a lot of writing.

On a regular basis you can find my stories in regional publications such as NY Golf, Golf Central Magazine and Golf Pennsylvania/Golf Northeast.

In addition, I am working on two golf books. Both will be finished in 2026. One is a collection of courses, with stories from those locations … certain to be interesting and very entertaining. The other is an authorized biography that is destined to be a blockbuster. Stay tuned.

Although I am always more inclined to look forward, rather than look back, its hard to not look back over the last 15 years. This “job” took the Traveling Golfer across the country and around the world.

I got started on a small platform of websites with Jamie McWilliams as producer. Before you knew it, we started expanding across the country, most notably airing on NBC Sports throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. We were interviewing some of the biggest stars in golf, such as Jack Nicklaus, Paula Creamer and Jan Stephenson.

And we were visiting some of the greatest golf destinations across the country and around the world, such as Heber Valley, Utah, Kingsmill in Virginia and the newly renovated Southern Pines near Pinehurst, NC.

Sooner than expected, the national awards started coming in. We won some sort of national award almost every year. Four years, at the PGA Show in Orlando, we were voted the No. 1 Television Show in America. PGA Tour and Senior Tour star Jerry Kelly presented the award one year. Soon we were running out of wall space in the office.

It wasn’t long after that when the show took another big step. In 2022 Media Guru Jeff Gilder came onboard to manage the show. He brought along his son, Dustin Gilder as Executive Producer. It was like adding rocket fuel to an already well-tuned machine.

With Jeff, Dustin and their staff based in a new office in Longs, SC, it made sense to do a number of shows from the Myrtle Beach area. Shows from Glen Dornoch, True Blue, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and others were big hits.

There also were plenty of other shows from exciting venues across the country, like Renault Winery GC in New Jersey, Royal New Kent in Virginia, Azario at Lakewood Ranch on the West Coast of Florida and a very special show with renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio from his gem at Jupiter Hills on the East Coast of Florida.

None of these shows from all across the country would have been possible without the help of Associate Producers Tony Casciano, Jim Serratore, Jimmy Davis and Jim Malloy.

And, in addition to Yuengling, we had an amazing group of sponsors through the years – loyal supporters like Mike Bowman from Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board, Frank Carroll from Greenkeepers and the Four Yards More Tee, Dave Glod from Tour Edge and Dan Murphy from Bridgestone Golf. They have been with us every step of the way and, hopefully, I won’t lose touch with them.

I look forward to seeing them somewhere along the Golf Trail.

Finally, to the millions of viewers … keep watching, keep playing, and keep enjoying all the wonders of the world of golf