Ep. 2: Dirt on the Shovel w/ Dave Schultz

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Dave Schultz's remarkable journey from professional golfer to family man and General Manager of Fargo Country Club offers profound insights on finding purpose beyond our initial dreams. Growing up as the son of well-known TV personalities Ed Schultz and Maureen Hintz, Dave's path was shaped by a unique childhood where the game of golf entered his life through his father's negotiated country club membership.
After choosing golf over promising football opportunities, Dave's professional career took him around the world—from New Zealand to Panama to the UK. But despite playing in two PGA Tour events and spending years on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour, he found himself questioning the nomadic lifestyle as he watched friends settle down and start families.
"I had an entire identity in this game of golf, and it wasn't happening," Dave reflects, describing the slow-burning realization that perhaps his future lay elsewhere. Meeting his wife Kelsey, became a turning point, prompting him to find "something more important than myself." This led to a career pivot into hotel management, where he discovered transferable skills and a new passion for improvement and leadership.
Today, Dave has masterfully blended his golf expertise with business acumen as GM and Head Golf Professional at Fargo Country Club, while simultaneously reviving and expanding the beloved "Hole-in-One Show" television program. His leadership philosophy centers on empowering team members with autonomy while providing necessary support—a perspective shaped by his own experiences as both athlete and businessman.
Perhaps most powerfully, Dave's definition of success has evolved to focus on family: "Raising three girls who are confident, happy, and are really good people." This north star guides his decisions, from his sleep schedule to his daily mantra with his daughters: "What are we going to be? Mentally tough. What are we going to have? Positive energy."
Whether you're facing a career transition, questioning your path, or seeking to balance professional ambitions with family priorities, Dave's story offers valuable wisdom about persistence, adaptation, and finding fulfillment by living according to your deepest values.

Chapters

1. Meeting Dave Schultz (00:00:00)

2. Growing Up with TV Personality Parents (00:05:13)

3. Choosing Golf Over Football (00:12:44)

4. The Grind of Professional Golf (00:21:31)

5. Falling Out of Love with the Lifestyle (00:32:08)

6. Transition to Business and Hotel Management (00:42:25)

7. Family as North Star (00:54:12)

8. Managing Fargo Country Club (01:07:28)

9. The Hole-in-One Show (01:26:29)

10. Leadership Philosophy and Life Lessons (01:41:33)