While most fully equipped listeners already know Kris McCormack, who has been a part of the show for nearly four years, he’s transitioning into a new role, leaving his former job at True Spec to join GOLF full-time as our Head of ClubTest and Gear Data.
Now Kris is joined by a new face to the Fully Equipped pod, Wadeh Maroun, the president of GOLF’s sister company Fairway Jockey.
This week, the two decided to give you a brief introduction to themselves and how they got to where they are in the golf industry.
Wadeh Maroun: President, Fairway Jockey
Wadeh is the newest face (and accent) on the pod and on this week’s episode, he shared of the details of his background and how he ended up at Fairway Jockey.
If you can’t tell, Wadeh was originally born and raised in Melbourne, Australia and didn’t come to the United States to live full-time until 2013. He only came to the U.S. in the first place in 2010 when he decided to quit his job and go traveling when he was 26.
“We bought a car and we drove from one side of the country to the other and along that way, I met my now wife,” he said.
Wadeh eventually decided to move to Arizona full-time which is when he picked up the game of golf. But he wasn’t in the golf business yet.
First, he worked for PetSmart where helped the company acquire the Chewy brand. Then he worked for a supplement company called Full Script.
He finally got into golf when he was approached by a headhunter for a job at PXG to lead their digital marketing before eventually landing at Fairway Jockey two years later.
“I didn’t want to leave PXG,” he said. “This was just a really great opportunity for me and my family.”
Kirs McCormack: Head of ClubTest and Gear Data, GOLF
Kris, sometimes known as the “Cereal Killer” (more on that in a moment), has been on the Fully Equipped podcast since January 2021, but that was as True Spec’s VP of Tour and Education.
Kris is an expert in club fitting, having spent six years before joining True Spec in 2018 as a master club fitting professional.
“I get to create content. I get to continue the podcast. I get to get back out on Tour,” Kris said of his new role. ”I get to be more involved with gear and releases and working with our OEM partners and I get to maintain the relationship I have with True Spec, work with the fitters that I help train, but then I also get to work with Fairway jockey with Miura, with other members from GOLF, and it kind of helps to bridge the gap that we’ve had, bringing some of our sister [8AM Golf] companies together.”
You may have heard Kris referred to as the “Cereal Killer” on the podcast and it has no sinister origins. He earned the nickname in college because he couldn’t cook and his diet “consisted of all things cereal.”
Kris also identifies as a “Disney adult” and has what some might describe as an unhealthy obsession with SWAG Golf headcovers.
Kris McCormack’s comprehensive collection of SWAG Golf headcovers.Kris McCormack
Check out the full episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped to learn more about Kris and Wadeh and stay as they reveal what they are playing in their golf bags.
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
