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6 Questions with Albert Murdock

6 Questions with Albert Murdock

🎙️Former Southwest Section PGA President

Terence Daniels
June 04, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

This week: A raw and honest conversation with Al Murdock, a longtime Southwest PGA member and Arizona golf lifer, on short game secrets, Papago’s rebirth, junior golf burnouts, and why coaching should be simple.

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If you’ve played golf in Arizona, odds are you’ve felt Al Murdock’s impact — even if you didn’t realize it.

He’s worn every hat: GM, Head Pro, Director of Golf, clubfitter, coach, mentor. From the wild rebuild of Papago to raising elite juniors on Valley ranges, Al’s been everywhere—and seen it all.

But more than anything, Al keeps it honest. No fluff. No filters. Just wisdom earned from decades in the dirt.

Let’s get into it.

What’s the one lesson every player must master, regardless of skill level?

🗣️ “Short game. Period. If you’re not consistently good from 150 yards and in, you’ll never be a good player.”

“Short game’s the separator. The rest is noise.”

Al shares a story about Charlie Beljan playing a practice round with Vijay Singh. The lesson? Stop chasing bombs. Get better from 150. Beljan did—and won the following week.

You’ve worn every hat in the game. Which role taught you the most about golfers?

🗣️ “Being a GM taught me the details golfers care about. But teaching? That’s where I’ve had the biggest impact.”

Modern coaching, he says, is too complicated.

“We justify big words to sound smart. Golf’s about a grip, a shoulder turn, and being an athlete.”

“We make golf too hard. Let the athlete out.”

He breaks down swing flaws, like how flat shoulder turns force over-the-top moves.

You helped bring Papago back to life. What happened behind the scenes?

🗣️ “No clubhouse. A trailer. Three bosses. And no beer. Just golf and grit.”

Al was hired during the rebuild to hit challenging revenue goals while juggling oversight from the City of Phoenix, AGA, and a private foundation. Even though they were on track, he was let go just before Labor Day.

“I wasn’t from Phoenix. I was from Arizona. That mattered to me.”

You’ve coached juniors for decades. What’s changed? What hasn’t?

🗣️ “What’s changed? Access. If you shoot 78, you can play somewhere. What’s stayed the same? They still want to beat each other, and get ice cream after.”

He believes kids should play multiple sports until they choose golf, usually around age 13. Parents, stay supportive but out of the way.

“If your kid loves it, support them. If not—don’t force it.”

What’s one thing Arizona golf gets right—and one thing it needs to fix?

🗣️ “Too many pros forgot their roots. They’re not from here. There’s not enough giving back.”

He grieves the loss of the Southwest Section Resident Card, once a staple that gave locals affordable access to dozens of courses.

“Now everyone has their own card. It got greedy. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.”

If you were starting over today, what would you do differently?

🗣️ “I’d learn to manage my anxiety sooner. I had the game. But my nerves wrecked me before the first tee shot.”

He opens up about his struggles on the road, including dropping 40 pounds during summer tournament seasons because he couldn’t keep food down from the stress.

“All I ever wanted… was a backswing.”

Now? He teaches kids how to think, not just how to swing.

Contact → Albert Murdock

Al Murdock doesn’t just coach golf swings. He coaches people.

From trailers at Papago to fitting clubs in South Phoenix to mentoring Arizona’s top juniors, Al’s spent a lifetime shaping the game in the Valley. And he’s not done.

Big thanks to Al for sitting down with me.

Catch Up on Past Interviews:

6 Questions with Matt Cook

🎙️ Go behind the scenes with Matt Cook, PullHook Golf Podcast host, as he shares insider stories and insights from the golf world's rising creators!

www.thecactusclubaz.com/p/6-questions-with-matt-cook

At what age did you begin playing golf?
I started at 11.
— Terence Daniels (@terencedaniels)
1:10 AM • Mar 15, 2025

_{Tracking every shot with}_{Big Game}

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