This column features recollections of the author’s 38 years as a golf writer. These installments stem from his many travels and experiences, which led to a gradual understanding that the game has many intriguing components, especially its people.
My wife Anni and I didn’t go to Colorado in June 2025 just for me to end up with four separate columns.
But that’s what happened.
(Here’s the travelogue from that 11-day, five-state odyssey and a two-part Q&A with golf course architect Mark Miller: https://www.golfcoursetrades.com/road-trips-making-the-rounds-installment-40/, https://www.golfcoursetrades.com/multi-talented-golf-course-architect-part-1/ and https://www.golfcoursetrades.com/multi-talented-golf-course-architect-part-2/.)
Part 4 of this series focuses on Mark’s younger brother, Blake Miller. Introduced at Mark’s house in Arvada, Blake and I have kept in touch, hashing over ways his animated “Ironhead Golf” series might draw broader interest from golfers and industry types. I suggested taking the production to Orlando for the 2026 PGA Show.
Instead of paying for an exhibitor’s booth and standing around waiting for attendees to stop, Blake and the Ironhead team wisely got media credentials. This allowed them to roam the cavernous Orange County Convention Center with laptops, wearing Masters-like coveralls and friendly grins. It was quite a debut for these guys from Fort Collins, Colo. – though not sure what the thousands of Polo-shirted golf pros thought of them.
The team cajoled Jimmy Roberts into doing a live five-minute interview (https://youtu.be/tTsrcsQxvPw). This multiple Emmy Award winner, who’s covered many Olympics and major sporting events, was in Florida to talk about the PGA Show during his “The Big Swing” show on Golf Channel. Roberts had fun bantering with Ironhead’s animated characters: a droll Patrick Ironhead (voiced by Blake with a haircut from Bizarro Golf Mfg.), the affable and goofy Duffy McMulligan (voiced by collaborator Robbie Aukerman) and a straitlaced British lady, Sandy Trap (an AI clone voice).
Following the Roberts episode Blake interviewed Mark (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEbQSOgP7OA) before having me on to discuss my golf experiences in a third Ironhead interview (https://youtu.be/8IOTZfbkSYY). It’s fair to say that Roberts – like Mark and I – found it surreal being in Patrick and Duffy’s cartoon world.
So, here’s another Q&A with the Miller boys from Colorado. Though both are accomplished guitarists, Blake’s chosen path differs from Mark’s as his wildly creative mind took him into the golf realm with this YouTube series. Our conversation reveals how Blake and his team may very well carve an unconventional niche in the overly-staid Royal & Ancient Game.
Jeff Shelley: What was it like to launch “Ironhead Golf” as well as Patrick Ironhead, Duffy McMulligan and the other characters in the series?
Blake Miller: “The origins of ‘Ironhead Golf’ go back to the early 2000s when I was working with Resort Sports Network, now part of Outside Television (https://watch.outsideonline.com/). While producing segments we created a series called “The Finishing School of Golf” featuring Patrick Ironhead and Duffy McMulligan.
“My longtime collaborator Robbie Aukerman designed the characters, and we built the concept around these personalities sitting behind a desk analyzing golf in a humorous, slightly over-the-top way. We produced around 14 segments. Even back then it felt like something unique. Years later, while going through old archives, I realized the original animation files were vector-based, which meant we could rebuild them in modern formats without losing quality. That discovery led to the relaunch.
“Around 2025, we began re-engineering the characters, and by the Masters that year we officially launched ‘Ironhead Golf Live.’ (https://youtu.be/0zp1ZPaf3pQ) Since then, we’ve produced over 180 videos, built a podcast platform, and expanded across YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. A major milestone came at the 2026 PGA Show in Orlando, where we connected with people across the industry and even appeared on Golf Channel’s ‘The Big Swing with Jimmy Roberts’ (For the full show: https://youtube.com/shorts/4ElklIt8X-o?si=mBHGsEHm-sKTskUw.) That was a validating moment for what we’re building.”
JS: Please note the areas in golf that Ironhead covers. Also discuss expanding its appeal/technology into other golf or new non-golf areas.
BM: “Ironhead Golf is built around storytelling and the culture of the game. We focus on conversations – bringing people in to share their experiences, perspectives, and stories. We produce the video podcast ‘Ironhead Golf Live,’ and a scripted animated series, ‘Life in the Fairway,’ featuring Patrick Ironhead, Duffy McMulligan and Sandy Trap. (https://youtu.be/–v25Ngh4yQ) The show blends comedy with golf commentary and has covered major events like the Masters, British Open, FedEx Cup, and Ryder Cup. Looking ahead, we’re working toward bringing the series into public broadcasting, starting with Rocky Mountain PBS and potentially expanding from there.
“On the technology side, we’re developing a GPS-based caddie app built initially around Southridge Golf Course in Fort Collins. The idea is to combine real functionality – distance and course navigation – with personality-driven commentary from our characters. Longer term, that expands into swing analysis, interactive tools, and potentially a golf-based game platform. The goal is to create something that goes beyond content and becomes part of how people experience the game.”
JS: Please name your “partners” in the project and describe their unique talents.
BM: “Ironhead Golf is built around a small but highly creative team. Robbie Aukerman is my longtime collaborator and the animator behind the characters. He created the original designs and continues to bring them to life while helping shape their personalities and storylines. I handle production, direction, and overall creative vision.
“My brother Mark brings a deep knowledge of course design, strategy, and the history of the game. His perspective adds authenticity and insight to our storytelling. Randy Pfizenmaier contributes on shoots and production support when needed.”
JS: How do you realistically synchronize the characters’ voices, facial gestures, and other movements during interviews? During my interview I mentioned that you should add a yawn if I said something boring.
BM: “What we’re doing with our technology and animation process is a blend of traditional illustration and real-time performance. Robbie, who created the characters, hand-draws all the expressions, reactions, and personalities you see on screen. From there, we’ve built a system that allows us to perform those characters live as digital puppets – triggering expressions, emotions, and subtle reactions in real time while we’re speaking with someone.
“There’s also facial tracking involved, so the characters pick up natural eye movement and timing, and we’ve developed a range of mouth shapes that respond to speech patterns and phonetics to keep everything feeling alive and responsive. The goal is to make it feel less like animation and more like a live character sitting in the conversation.
“It’s not AI-driven; it’s all built from original artwork and performance. In many ways, it’s closer to puppeteering than animation, just with a digital layer. That’s what allows us to react in the moment, improvise, and have real conversations through the characters in a way that feels immediate, authentic – and just a little bit like magic.”
JS: What are your ultimate goals for ‘Ironhead Golf’ and the Duffy team? Please indicate an estimated timeframe for reaching them.
BM: “In the first year, the goal has been to find our footing – build the characters, establish consistent content, and grow an audience. Over the next one to two years, we aim to launch a functional MVP of our ‘Ironhead Golf’ app, with the goal of demonstrating it at the 2027 PGA Show.
“Looking further ahead, the three- to five-year vision is to grow ‘Ironhead Golf’ into a recognized media and technology brand within the golf industry. That includes expanding our audience, developing interactive tools, and continuing to build original content. We’re also interested in creating live events, including charity-based tournaments like ‘Hacks & Hecklers,’ which blends golf, comedy, and fundraising.
“One of the ongoing storylines in Ironhead is that Patrick and Duffy are trying to become famous announcers – maybe even take Jim Nantz’s job someday. It’s a joke, but like most good jokes, there’s a little truth behind it. Our appearance on Golf Channel was a step in that direction and a reminder of what might be possible.”
JS: What were some of your “real” jobs and how did those experiences influence your current pursuits? Please note your college and major and what that experience was like for you.
BM: “I attended Western State College in Colorado, where I earned a degree in Speech and Journalism along with a second major in Industrial Arts. That combination really shaped how I approach things – part storytelling and part hands-on problem solving. I’ve never really stayed in one lane.
“Photography and filmmaking started for me at a very young age. My dad loved taking pictures, and when we traveled as a family – to places like Montana, Glacier National Park, Lake Louise, and Banff – he would let me take photos as well. Those trips opened my eyes to the beauty of nature and really shaped my love for the outdoors.
“I made my first movie when I was about 8 years old with neighborhood kids in Fort Collins. It was called ‘The Lemonade Stand Hold Up,’ and we shot it on my dad’s 8mm camera. That early experience of telling stories visually stuck with me and became a foundation for everything I’ve done since. Golf courses, in many ways, feel like a continuation of that connection to nature – they’re some of the best places to simply be outside and experience that same sense of beauty.
“Early on, I took a wide range of jobs. I worked landscaping for my brother Mark, who became a golf course architect, and that gave me an early appreciation for land, design, and how golf environments come together. I also did everything from laying carpet to working retail at Gart Sports, selling ski equipment and cameras.
“One of my more formative roles was working in the marketing department at Steamboat Springs Ski Resort, where I had the opportunity to work alongside Olympian Billy Kidd and others in a creative environment that blended sports, storytelling, and promotion. Around that same time, I worked at the marina at Steamboat Lake during the summers – so I was always balancing multiple jobs and experiences.
“Eventually, I began producing ski films, which led to a major turning point. I returned to Fort Collins and started working in video production for training programs in the ski industry. That role expanded when I became involved with Scuba Schools International, where I was trained as a scuba instructor and created training programs for divers, instructors and instructor trainers.
“During that time around 2000, I officially launched CSI Films & Video, although I had already been operating in that space for nearly a decade prior. My work expanded into ski films with companies like Warren Miller Entertainment, Greg Stump Productions, Matchstick Productions, and Teton Gravity Research. From there, I moved further into commercial and branded content – working with organizations like the X Games, Jeep, and United Airlines – while also producing event-driven content such as charity promotions. All those experiences shaped what I’m doing today. ‘Ironhead Golf’ is really a continuation of that path, combining storytelling, sports, humor, and production into something that truly connects with people.”
JS: How long have you played golf? Please name your usual “home” courses and any other favorites. Describe some fun rounds and memorable playing partners/incidents. Did these experiences influence the zaniness of “Ironhead Golf?”
BM: “I was introduced to golf at a young age through my grandfather, who loved the game and made sure I had access to it. He even had his own golf cart and would get me a season pass when I was a kid. That’s really where it started – in junior high and high school. I didn’t take it too seriously early on because I was focused on football, skiing, and music. But over time, I’ve come to appreciate the game more, and I’m probably more serious about it now than I’ve ever been.
“These days, I play a lot at Southridge (https://www.fortcollins.gov/Venues/Southridge-Golf-Course), which has become a bit of a home course for me. Beyond that, I’ve been fortunate to play some incredible courses through my work with my brother (Leilehua remodel film: https://youtu.be/-5_ptHILJQE). I’ve had the opportunity to film and sometimes play courses in Hawaii, Alaska, and other unique locations – sometimes even before they were fully completed.
“One experience that always stands out was at Valley of the Eagles in Haines, Alaska (https://vimeo.com/3110941?fl=pl&fe=sh). When we arrived for filming, the entire course was underwater due to tidal conditions. The next day, the water had receded and we were out there playing in rubber boots – it was one of those surreal golf moments you don’t forget.
“I’ve also had those classic ‘everything goes right’ rounds. I remember shooting one of my best nine-hole rounds, a 39, where I think I hit every tree on the course, but every bounce somehow worked in my favor. At one point, a ball ricocheted off a tree, hit a rock, went through a drainage pipe, and ended up near the hole.
“A lot of the humor in ‘Ironhead Golf’ comes directly from those kinds of experiences. Golf has this way of creating unpredictable, often ridiculous moments, and the characters are really an exaggerated version of the personalities and stories you hear on and around the course.”
JS: Please describe your various creative careers/projects and why they appealed to you.
BM: “My career has always been centered around storytelling – whether through film, music, or live production. I’ve worked across ski films, scuba training, commercial production, documentary storytelling, and now golf media. I’ve also been a musician for most of my life, performing and writing original music.
“What draws me to all of it are collaborations. Whether it’s a film crew, a band, or a group of golfers, it’s always about people coming together to create something.”
JS: List some of your major film projects and awards.
BM: “My work includes award-winning ski films such as ‘A Sleek Week of Steep’ and ‘Children of the Snow, along with projects like ‘The ABCs of Extreme Skiing’ and ‘Extremely Peppered.’ I’ve received multiple awards at the International Ski Film Festival and several Blue Pencil Awards for government communications.
“Working with Scuba Schools International, we created one of the first video training programs for scuba divers and received recognition from Skin Diver Magazine for that entry-level program. One of my more meaningful documentaries, ‘Hell of a Way to Treat a Soldier,’ received recognition at the African World Film Festival, won a Blue Pencil Award, and was recognized by Nat Geo/Discovery Channel for archaeology-related content.
“We’ve produced multiple projects for PBS, including the Colorado State University 150-year documentary ‘The Great Experiment, as well as work for L.L. Bean and ongoing storytelling projects with Lucky Three Ranch (https://www.luckythreeranch.com/).
“Another major part of my career has been underwater filmmaking. Over the years, I’ve filmed sharks, whales, and a wide range of marine life around the world – something I’m deeply passionate about.
Most recently, I completed my sixth trip with Tom Conlin, filming humpback whales off the coast of the Dominican Republic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6Io7nK_SFQ). Getting in the water with animals of that size and presence is a powerful, life-changing experience. It’s something I’ve been fortunate to share with friends as well – bringing people into that environment and watching them experience it for the first time is incredibly meaningful.
“My connection to the ocean and wildlife is a big part of who I am, and it continues to influence how I approach storytelling – capturing moments that are both visually powerful and emotionally real.”
JS: Please describe your involvement in charity and events.
BM: “I spent about a decade working with my good friend Eric Nixon on ‘Broker Boxing’ in Chicago, a charity event that raised millions of dollars for causes like cancer research and children’s hospitals.
That experience meant a lot to me – not just because of the impact, but because of the journey. Eric has been a great friend and someone who has shared many incredible life experiences with me. Through those events, we created countless videos, and each one carries its own story and memory. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t just document moments, it becomes part of them.
“More recently, we’re developing ‘Hacks & Hecklers,’ a concept inspired in part by my friend Spencer Wilson, blending golf, comedy, and fundraising in a way that fits the ‘Ironhead Golf’ brand. It’s another way to bring people together, have some fun, and hopefully make a positive impact at the same time.
“Those experiences – combining creativity, community, and giving back – are a big part of what makes life meaningful to me and something I truly value.”
JS: What musical instruments have you played?
“I’ve played guitar since I was 16 and continue to perform today with bands like Sasha Stone Band and Say Uncle. I primarily play guitar, but I also play a little bass and can pick up just about any stringed instrument.
I write and perform original music and collaborate with a wide range of musicians.
“Music has been one of the deepest passions in my life. It taught me how to believe in myself. How far can you go when you commit to something, focus, and keep working at it? It’s a lifelong pursuit. You’re never really done learning, never done improving, and that’s part of what makes it so meaningful.
“More than anything, music has brought me a tremendous amount of joy and connection. Some of my best memories in life have come from playing music with great people. The camaraderie of playing with other musicians, creating something together, and sharing it with people – it’s a powerful experience, and it continues to shape who I am.”
JS: Please describe your family and influences.
BM: “I was born in Texas but raised in Colorado, where I’ve spent most of my life. I have three daughters – Noelle, Hailey, and Savannah. My parents had a tremendous influence on me. My father, Dwain Miller, instilled a strong work ethic and creative drive that still guides me today. My mother, Doris, also played a key role in supporting my path.
“My brother and sister, Mark and Val, have also been very important influences in my life. Mark, my older brother, really helped lead the way – especially in music and golf – and I learned a lot from following his path. He continues to influence me today, both creatively and through his work as a golf course architect. My sister Val has always been there as well, and we’ve remained very close. We’ve always had a strong family connection and that support has meant a lot throughout my life.”
JS: Final Thoughts?
BM: “At its core, ‘Ironhead Golf’ is about people. We may be using animated characters, but we’re bringing real people into that world and giving them a voice. Golf is full of great stories, and not all of them are told on television. If we can help people share those stories – and someone gets their moment through something we’ve created – that’s a success.
“Whether it’s golf, music, or filmmaking, it’s always been about community, relationships, and shared experiences. That’s what we’re trying to build with Ironhead Golf. That same connection, whether it’s to nature, people or shared experience, is something that’s been present in everything I’ve done, whether it’s filming whales, playing music, or building ‘Ironhead Golf.’ ”
For another show and more information, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zp1ZPaf3pQ and https://ironheadgolf.com/.
Jeff Shelley has written and published 12 books as well as numerous articles for print and online media since 1987. Among his titles are three editions of the book, “Golf Courses of the Pacific Northwest.” The Whidbey Island resident was editorial director of Cybergolf.com from 2000-15, co-founder of the Northwest Golf Media Association and president of the nonprofit First Green (https://www.thefirstgreen.org/). To contact Jeff: fairgreens@seanet.com.
