Matty McKay: One of a kind golf journalist

Matt McKay always fancied himself a California boy despite being educated in Oklahoma and working in Texas. Given that his wife, Shelly, was born and raised in Texas, living in the Golden State seemed like a pipe dream.

He had plenty of chances to visit the state in his years as an award-winning golf columnist for the Dallas Morning News. Among the golf destinations he visited was the Coachella Valley.

He enjoyed the area enough that he and Shelly bought a house as an investment and planned to rent it out. That is until they spent some time out in Coachella.

“We came out for vacation and fell in love with it,” said McKay. “I never thought I would leave Texas, but the Palm Springs area became our introductory California city.”

When the McKay’s moved to the Coachella Valley in 2008, there were no golf shows on the radio in the golf crazy community that has more than 120 golf courses.

“I took a look at it and said, there is going to be one now,” said McKay.

A short time later The Elevated Tee was born on KPSI, 920 News Talk. The show airs Sunday morning from 8-10 a.m. If you have spent any amount of time with McKay, you know the name of the show, well, fits to a tee.

“We’re trying to indicate that we do something different,” said McKay regarding the name of his show. “We’re not afraid to touch on anything, whether it’s golf, politics or anything else.”

The Elevated Tee is easily the top-rated golf show in the Coachella Valley. Listeners never knew for sure what they will hear. There are PGA Tour pros, local golf, golf travel stories or as McKay talked about, all sorts of current events. It’s all entertaining.

“We have the freedom of content,” said McKay.

McKay is obviously dialed into the Coachella Valley golf scene. He has seen the area battle through some tough times as did the vast majority of golf courses did across the nation.

But now he sees positive signs.

“The state (of the local economy) right now as compared to six years ago is stable,” explained McKay. “You might have 110 courses out here, but there is such an array of golf available for all levels.”

One very nice thing about golf in the Coachella Valley is ample water resources in both the ground water table and imported from the Colorado River.

“There is plenty of water our here so we don’t rely on rainfall,” said McKay.

“January through April are massive to the golf industry here,” said McKay. “That’s when everyone is here. But I think May 15 is a national holiday around here. That’s when they lower the green fees and everyone down here can afford to play all the courses.”

**Editors note: McKay has joined forces with Judd Spicer and switched to KXPS (Team 1010) to co-host The Press Box on Sunday mornings. The show billed as “The Thinking Fans Sports Radio Program” airs 8-10 a.m. on Sunday and can be listened to by going to the web site at http://www.team1010.com 

 

By Dennis Miller