S12, Ep 55: Legends Never Fade: Eddie & the Cruisers, Seve & the Revival of Otey Putters with Matthew Laurance & Steve Strano

Welcome to this week’s edition of Next on the Tee — where golf legends live and your game gets better. I truly appreciate you being here and pressing play.

I’m really excited to share this episode with you because it features two wonderful friends—one who has been very dear to me for years and another new friend who I hope will be joining me many times going forward.

Leading things off is Matthew Laurance, a longtime favorite of this show and someone I’ve been blessed to call a close friend. Many of you know Matthew from his iconic role as Sal Amatto, the fictional bass player in Eddie & the Cruisers—easily one of my all-time favorite movies. What started as a social media connection grew into appearances on Thursday Night Tailgate, and those conversations eventually turned into a genuine friendship.

This time around, Matthew shares his thoughts on the direction the PGA Tour appears to be heading, which feels like a sharp turn away from the long-standing focus on “growing the game.” We also dive into why Seve became his all-time favorite player, his lingering disappointment from the 1986 Masters, and revisit stories from Eddie & the Cruisers—including what it’s like for him when On the Dark Side comes on the radio while he’s driving.

In Segment 2, I’m thrilled to welcome Steve Strano for his Next on the Tee debut. Steve is the son of my gumba Rob Strano, so you know right away he’s going to be a great guest. Steve is an entrepreneur who is helping to resurrect a legendary and nearly forgotten brand of putters.

That brand is Otey Putters, which helped legends like Jimmy Demaret, Dr. Cary Middlecoff, Jackie Burke Jr., and Doug Ford win five Masters between 1947 and 1957. Steve’s passion for Otey is contagious, and during our conversation, he had me completely fired up about these beautifully handcrafted putters, still made in their original factory in Selma, Alabama, by Otey Crisman III, the son of former PGA Tour pro Otey Crisman.

You’re going to love Steve’s energy, his respect for the history of the brand, and the care that goes into every putter. Be sure to check them out at OteyThree.com.

Thanks again for being here and for pressing play on this week’s show. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.