I am six-time PGA tour winner and golfer Hunter Mahan, AMAA!

Hunter - I've been yelling solely at you for 4 years between 16 green and 17 tee at the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale. Do you ever actually hear me and why does Marcus Smart flop so much?

EDIT: People have been asking what I yell to Hunter - so here you go. Also - thanks for the gold!

A few years back, KU played Oklahoma St. at Allen Fieldhouse on the Saturday of the WMPO. KU lost (Marcus Smart backflipped on the court in celebration), but it was a good game. Markel Brown hit something like 7 3-pointers and he was relatively unknown at the time.

The next day, Hunter was paired with Gary Woodland, a KU grad. When they got to 17 tee, I yelled at Hunter, "Markel Brown got lucky last night" due to his 7 3 pointer performance. Hunter actually responded saying something like "No, he didn't!". He was a good sport and surprisingly in the know about OSU basketball. Wasn’t expecting that. The next year, we went to 16 on Saturday for a Bachelor Party. I had told my buddies about the prior year's interaction, so when he came through again I had to try it again. This was the year OSU was KU's biggest hurdle in continuing the conference championship streak, and Marcus Smart was just being ridiculous in his flopping all season. (Example of Smart’s flopping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQoR4drTNDg). So I just repeatedly yelled "Marcus Smart flops", "Marcus Smart is the worst", and things along those lines. Nothing vulgar, just direct OSU/Marcus Smart hate. This year, Hunter came through early on Sunday and OSU had pretty much fallen off the face of the Earth bball wise. I didn't really have much material so I just kept yelling "Hey Hunter - Marcus Smart is still a flopper" until he got ready to tee off. I’m sure KU football will beat OSU next year, so I’ll make sure to bring that up in 2016.

Also, I do this while his group is waiting to tee off on 17, a short driveable par 4 that usually has a decent wait on it. Never during his swing.

AHHAAHAHAHAHAHA!

I do hear that guy! The last couple of years!

And I appreciate your humor, because we get to hear a lot of things that aren't very funny, and are somewhat derogatory, but it's always funny to hear somebody say something - not personal, but i can understand your frustration.

And I would say: that's just basketball. And that's how basketball's played nowadays. Flopping is a part of the game. Get used to it.

Hunter, who is the worst person to play with on tour and why is it Rory Sabbatini?

Well, I wouldn't say it's Rory Sabbatini. I know why people would say that, but I don't have a problem with Rory, and I think the worst person can depend on the mood you're in! Sometimes I'm the worst person to play with, haha! The only person who can stop you from having a good time is yourself.

Someone asked what it was like to play the final round on a Sunday: Well, obviously the tension is jacked up quite a bit. Everybody starts talking a bit less on the range before the round, the banter on the round is much less. And you can feel the tension throughout the air. And when you feel that as a player, you have to remind yourself that it's still one round of golf. And trust your abilities as the most important thing.

If your wife went into labor while you were in the lead of the masters, would you keep playing?

Umm... it depends on where I was in the tournament, I guess! If I'm playing the back nine, or if I'm just starting my round, or if I'm sleeping on it, most of the time I'd come home, unless I had just a few holes left - then I'd finish up and head out of there.

Hey Hunter, thanks for doing this. Huge golf fan here. Two questions:

You have finished top 10 in every major. Which tournament do you think will most likely yield your first major championship?

Who is the funniest guy in the clubhouse or on the course?

Thanks, and good luck this year.

I think that first, the US Open compliments me very well, and it's a great tournament that I obviously want to win, and it has the best players in the world, so it's one that suits my game very well.

I would say Matt Kuchar - because he's pretty willing to say anything at any given moment, no matter the situation! Even if we're at a big event, or the US open, he can always lighten the mood in just the right way. And everyone is comfortable around him. He's a guy that makes everyone laugh, all the time.

Hunter, Congrats on your win at the Barclays last year. I vividly remember watching you as you waited to tee off on the 17th after a bit of a wait and it struck me how calm and focused you looked. What's it like to get to that place of calm and what do you do to keep it there when the nerves are creeping in?

Great question.

I try to remember "this is the one shot that I'm playing right now. I can't win the golf tournament on this shot. I can only hit this shot as good as I can hit it."

I try to focus on good posture, and good alignment, and then trust the work that I've put into my game.

Did you ever fix the Barclays trophy and how much duct tape did you use?

HAHAHA!

Well, luckily, Barclays was very nice about the trophy breaking, knowing it was an accident and not my fault, so they got a replica to me, and so it's safe and sound and perfectly in one piece.

Hunter, what was the oddest thing someone asked you to autograph?

Umm.... I think... a person's shoes? Like, they took their shoes off their feet at a tournament, because they didn't have anything to sign, and said "Here, just sign my shoes."

I signed 'em. I'm a people-pleaser.

Hunter - what's the best part about playing in the Masters?

Oh! EVERYTHING. I think the fact that - soon as you're in the Masters, you know, you have the ability to go play there whenever you want. I'm going to go play there this weekend, this Sunday and Monday, so just the fact that I can call up and just show up and play - it's such a privilege and an honor. Every time I go to Augusta, I get excited to play golf.

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I would say - your setup is the most important part of your golf swing. Good posture, good setup, and good alignment are things you can control before you pull the club back. After that, I think rhythm and tempo are extremely important. And always trying to get to your finish in a very collective manner.

Hey Hunter, love watching you play! Who are the most fun players on the tour? I imagine Dufner would be a hell of a guy with whom to have a beer.

Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Bill Haas and Fred Couples. Duff’s wit and intelligence always blows me away.

You were on two good Ryder Cup teams in 2008 (congrats on the only win in a while) and 2010, what do you think went wrong with last years? Also, when are we getting Golf Boys 3.0?

Golf Boys - "Oh Oh Oh"

Golf Boys - "2.Oh"

Well, we were... in 2008, we had a great leader and captain, Paul Azinger, and he had a very specific plan for us, and we knew that plan on Monday of that week, and from there, we just got prepared to play golf.

There was very little to figure out after that point. We just had to prepare ourselves to play the best golf we could.

And for Golf Boys... it's very difficult to get 4 guys together who have 7 kids total, and competing schedules. It's tough to get us all together in the same place. So I see no plans at this given juncture.

Never say never!

Would you rather fight 100 duck sized Sean Foley's? Or one Sean Foley sized duck?

Probably one big thing.

Hunter, What kind of clubs did you use growing up and what is your favorite club you've ever used? Good luck this year!

Well, when I was growing up, my dad would buy me any clubs that he thought would make me a better player. I used everything when I was a kid - every club that's probably ever been made. And then when I went to college, I started using Ping irons, and kinda developed a relationship with Ping through the college I went to, Oklahoma State, and been using them ever since my sophomore year of college. And I still think they make the best clubs on the planet to this day.

Hunter, what are some examples of swing thoughts that you use or have used while playing in tournaments? Or if you have any current ones, what are they?

One swing thought, right now, is to have a steeper shoulder-turn on the way back, on my backswing.

And pushing off my right foot and keeping my right heel on the ground on the downswing.

Hunter, which major this year are you most looking forward to?

Good question. Probably... the old course, at St. Andrew's, the British open.

Hunter,

You probably get asked which course you find the toughest a lot, but what I want to know is what one hole you find the most challenging personally? One that you dread coming up to on the course and when you get there you just hope you can scrape by with a par (if there is one).

Also, who’s your favorite person to be paired up with during tournaments and what course has the best food at the turn?

You know, we get to play a lot of great holes. I think the 10th hole at Riviera, we just played last week, is really one of the toughest holes in golf. I've played it for 10 years now, and I've seen sixes and sevens from world-class players with wedges in their hands, and guys hitting bunker shots back and forth, so I haven't seen the right way to play it. So I'll go through 4 rounds, try to play it even par.

Best food at the turn? Well, usually there's not too much food at the turn, we have to bring our own food. But the best food at the clubhouse is probably the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, and they have these "buckeyes"- these little peanut butter like chocolate-covered treats they have for us, and they're pretty delicious, and it's hard not to grab 2 or 3 when you walk by 'em!

God, there are so many guys I enjoy playing with. I love playing with Phil Mickelson. He's just incredible at always finding a way to shoot a great score, and his game is always so much fun to watch.

Hi Hunter, thanks for taking time out to do this AMA!

I just wanna know, if you could pick any celebrity to team up with to play a round of 18, who would you pick??

The great American patriot Tom Brady.

Do you think that the pick of Davis Love as the next U.S. captain will bring us a win in 2016?

Well, I hope so! I don't care who's the captain, I just hope the US wins in 2016! I heard he was an excellent captain in 2012, there were a lot of good candidates, and I know guys are really responsive to his leadership, and I think he's going to be very motivated, since losing in the Ryder Cup is very painful.

Hey Hunter, Do you have any sort of pre-round routine, either the night before or during the day leading up to your tee time?

Bulletproof coffee in the morning, get to the course 2-2.5h before the round, see my trainer for 30-minute warm-up and stretch, and then eat about an hour and a half before the round. I start out with putting, then short-game and then I head to the range before I tee off.

If you had to give a 15 year old golfer one tip, what would it be?

Be the best putter in the world.

Has anybody ever told you that you look like Macklemore?

Uh, no. I have not been told that. I don't have an extreme haircut like he does.

Does the golf ball go too far these days resulting in classic courses being obsolete for pros? What's your favorite design on tour?

Um - no I don't think the ball goes too far making classic courses obsolete. The technology of the grasses, and the fact that we can speed up the greens almost as fast as we want, it still requires great talent from core players. And I think classic courses - the older the golf course, the more I usually appreciate them and enjoy playing them. Riviera is one of my favorite golf courses on tour, and it's one of the oldest ones we get to play, and six-under, they did very little to make the course super-difficult.

Hi Hunter! Congratulations on the winning the Barclay's last year! I may have been there following you around. How much would you say you practice each day?

Probably 5-6 hours of practice. That's kind of my limit on fully in-tune practicing.

When you are on course how much do you eat/drink? Also do you take anything to increase you ability to concentrate?

Nutrition is a big part of my life, as a professional athlete. You really can't drink enough water on the golf course. And I think it's good to take a supplement like BioSteel on the golf course. And eating as much as you can on the golf course is hugely important. I try to eat mixed nuts and dried fruit, and maybe an almond butter sandwich while I'm playing.

What are some things I can do to work on the mental side of my game?

Well, without knowing your mental difficulties - we all have mental hurdles in golf, and in life, and I think you need to practice the way you want to play. I think that practice doesn't really affect playing that much, but how you react in practice is how you're going to react when you play in competition, so you always need to remind yourself of that when you go to the golf course, that's how you're going to work.

Hunter,

huge fan and golf lover, I was wondering your method to consistently hone your golf game? If so what is the best golf you received as well? Good luck this year on tour!

My method? I'm always trying to get better.

Every day. Every year. I want to make sure i'm becoming a better player. And I don't want to ever be afraid of change.

hunter who's your favourite Australian golfer to play with or have played with?

Probably Matt Jones.

Hi Hunter! What is one thing I can do to make golf more enjoyable?

Interesting...

I would say challenge yourself. Try the hardest shot possible. Challenge yourself to become a better player.

Hunter, I would love to get out and play a few holes with you. Do you ever get out with your fans?

I have before! My schedule now with 2 kids and traveling on tour and everything is difficult to say the least. But it is always humbling to play with fans and I get to host a junior tournament with the AJGA, and it's always fun to talk to them, and hang out with junior golfers that -where I was in the same position as they are, gosh, 15 years ago.

Hey Hunter, you have been my favorite golfer for a long time due to the fact that we share our first name!

I was wondering what it was like to get your first PGA win in my home town at River Highlands?

It was, no doubt, a dream come true. It's hard to explain, but it just... to win it in the fashion I did, in a playoff, and with the first playoff hole, it really meant a lot to me, I felt like i really went out and won the tournament, and didn't wait for someone to give it to me.

Hunter -

What's your favorite course to play in Virginia? and in the US? Good luck this season!

In Virginia? Oh boy!

Well, I used to play a junior tournament in Roanoke, Virginia, and I think I played there 3 times, and won it once, and had 2 of their top 5s, and I always loved that tournament because they gave us a gift certificate into the pro shop, and it was usually quite a bit of money - and you could buy anything you wanted! I can't recall absolutely what the course was called, but I loved it, one of my favorite spots.

And my favorite place to play in the US? I love to play Pebble Beach. There's no place that's more beautiful when you have the right day. This past year was some of the best weather we've ever had at Pebble, and I think it's one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Hunter, what is your favourite course in the UK? And do you enjoy the different challenges of links golf?

I really enjoy playing links golf. Every day is a new day, when you play links golf. And how you adjust to the challenges from a mental and physical perspective is what's gonna separate you from everyone else.

And Carnoustie Golf Links!

You like to talk cars?

Favorite car? GO!

Hahaha! Um... my favorite car is a Porsche 911.

If you could be equally as successful in any other profession, what profession would it be and why?

Probably something with sports? My brother and I always joke that we would love to run a professional sports team, maybe an NFL team. That would be a lot of fun to do. That would be right up our alley. Or just talk about sports like on a radio show. I listen to "The Herd" every morning, and the host Colin Cowherd is one of my heroes.

Who was the most fun amateur you played with in a pro-am??

Good luck this year!

You know, we get to play pro-ams every single week, and I've played with a lot of good guys. Pfffft!

I would say that I got to play with Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, and he's one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and he's in charge of a multlbillion dollar company and you'd never know by meeting him.

When did you know that you were good enough to play professinal golf? Thanks!

Um... boy! I think... when I was in college, when I was in my sophomore year, I felt like I could, but it wasn't until I won that I knew I could compete at the highest level.

Hunter, what is your preferred ball flight? Judging by your swing it would seem you favor a slight cut, but I would like to know specifically how you like to work the ball

Well, I actually like to draw the ball preferably?

For some reason I have a hard time starting a ball left of the target, so I like to hit nice push-draws.

Hunter, you have a very nice job, however what is the worst part about being a professional Golf player?

The worst part is having to leave your family. And in the future - missing out on basketball games, or soccer games, or something like that, that would be the hardest part.

Hey Hunter, congrats on the birth of your newest baby!

I'd love to know what is the funniest story you have heard about practice rounds with Phil and how much it cost them?

Good luck this season!

Well, thank you about my son! Practice rounds with Phil - anytime with Phil is always a good time. He enjoys competition, and talking trash, and playing golf as much as we do, it's fun to be on the course and get competitive with one another, and pairing up with him or against him on Tuesday mornings is really a fun competition and it makes playing maybe a 5 hour practice round a little bit more enjoyable.

How hard is it to be a Dad and a pro golfer? Do your kids travel with you during the season or do you go home ever week? Love your game and hope that major win comes soon!

Having a couple-week old child and leaving them is hard. Because you feel like you're leaving your responsibilities at home. But after the first 6-8 weeks, he can travel, and my family travels 90% of the time with me.