Matt Ginella hears that he has the greatest job in the world on a daily basis. And each and every time he hears it, the Golf Channel travel guru and Morning Drive regular wholeheartedly agrees.

In 2013, after stints with Golf Digest and Golf World, Ginella jumped at the opportunity to join the Golf Channel and make a long sought after transition from print to broadcast. In his career, Ginella has covered in excess of 30 major championships and every Ryder Cup for nearly 20 years. A road warrior in every sense, he has traveled to seemingly every corner of the golf globe in search of the best courses, resorts, buddy trip hot spots and hidden gems.

Ginella with Jack Nicklaus and Ben Crenshaw at Top of Rock, swapping stories.

And even though he admits it can be tiring at times – being stuck in the middle seat on long flights and occasionally running out of underwear – Ginella’s passion for golf shines through each time he films a new segment. As he says, “I have never ‘worked’ a day in my life.”

Enjoy my Q&A with Matt Ginella.

JL: Talk about the transition you’ve made to Golf Channel and the changes in your life over the past couple years.

MG: Although I was aware I would be making significant changes in my life, nothing could’ve prepared me for the sudden extraction from the Northeast. Specifically, New York City and Brooklyn, where I lived for 19 years. To remove myself from my circle of friends, a career in print and all of the stimulations, opportunity and culture of the greatest city in the world, was overwhelming. And at times, daunting. In addition, getting settled in a new city, learning a new medium, working for a new company, and to cultivate a new social circle, posed a wide variety of personal and professional challenges. All that being said, now two years into this, I would do it all over again. It was a massive opportunity, at the right time in my life, and a dream I have been chasing since high school. A career in broadcast journalism. And when people say – to my face or through various forms of social media – that I have the greatest job in the world, I can do nothing but agree, and assure them, I do not take it for granted. I have never “worked” a day in my life. And the streak continues.

JL: For just about any golf enthusiast, it seems as though you have the best job in the world hands down. Talk about the reality – the good, bad and ugly.

MG: Only because you ask, because it’s certainly nothing I would ever volunteer, but travel, as we all know, is NOT easy. That’s really the gist of the “bad” and the “ugly.” And although I have status on four major airlines and do get the occasional upgrade, I find myself middle-seat coach on occasion. Last year, in a six-month stretch, I was home for two weekends. There was a lot of laundry on the road (occasionally buying emergency underwear), and more than once, I came back to my apartment, only to unpack, pack, and then go back to the airport that day to catch another plane.

Ginella playing the No. 9 at Turnberry.

All that being said, I wouldn’t change a thing. And not for nothing, but it helps to be without a family of my own. I get to see and play the greatest golf courses in the world. Stay at the elite resorts. Meet and speak to interesting people who are passionate about where they live, stay and play. And at the Golf Channel, much like at Golf Digest, I get to work with a group of people who are also equally passionate about the game I love. Golf, for me, is not necessarily my religion, but it is a big part of my spirituality. That’s a lot of “good.”

JL: Talk about your experiences with Arnold Palmer.

MG: I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a lot of experiences with The King. And make no mistake about it, Arnold Palmer is The King. When I was seven and my dad took me to an event in Napa, Palmer was my first memorable autograph. I love the fact that he signs autographs for an hour every day. I’ve only seen him be gracious, engaging, charming and giving. He has been, and continues to be, an invaluable ambassador to golf. All of it. There were good ones before him, but none will be bigger. And even to those who say Tiger Woods, we never have Woods without Palmer and the table he set for all who follow. So you can imagine what it feels like to work at a network he started, in a studio named for him, and to have him occasionally walk on set and stop by the show. After one of his most recent visits, I couldn’t help but take a group shot to which he agreed, and as he was taking his spot amongst the cast, he said: “What do they call this, a self?”

JL: OK, you’ve got a $100 left in your pocket and time to get in one round anywhere in the world. Where are you plunking down your money?

MG: If I were still a resident of New York, I would play Bethpage Black. Even on the weekends, it’s $75. Which gives me $25 for the 19^th hole. Ever since the U.S. Open in 2002, Black has become the face of a municipal course being good enough – great enough – to host and challenge the best players in the world. And the people who play Black are real golfers, working real jobs, and appreciate all the course has to offer not just them, but the community. And it’s by far the best public option anywhere near the greatest city in the world, and it holds its own against the other iconic private golf courses within 100 square miles.

JL: With all the travel you do, things are bound to go awry sometimes. Share a couple of “travel gone bad” stories with us.

MG: I’ve mentioned middle seats, which is the worst. Why have middle seats? Can’t there only be aisle and window seats? And I’ve had more than my share of delays, cancellations, staying at airport hotels, been rerouted to nearby cities, and I’ve had lost luggage. I’ve only lost one set of clubs. Gone, but not forgotten, I still think I might get a call one day.

Ginella playing Bandon Dunes with some buddies.

My first trip to Bandon Dunes was going to be 2003, meeting up with a few best friends to play the first two courses at the resort. We were backing up from the gate when the Northeast was hit with a rolling brownout. And although I never made it to Bandon that year, I’ve made up for it ever since.

JL: What do you like the most about your job?

MG: The travel. Regardless of how hard it is, the airplane and the ability to fly around the world is still the greatest gift of modern inventions (with the Internet coming in at a close second).

Ginella and some of his buddies at at Macrihanish Dunes.

To be seeing the world on the company dime is the ultimate history lesson, exposure to cultures, connection to family and friends anyone could hope for. And again, it helps that I don’t have a family of my own.

JL: There has been chatter about India as an upcoming hotbed for golf as the country’s interest in the game grows. Have you been or do you have any plans to check out the golf scene there?

MG: I haven’t been. I’ve probably heard some of the same things you have heard. And I hope to get there soon, but I also hope to get to China, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Dominican Republic and now Cuba.

JL: Who is filling out your dream foursome and where are you playing? 

MG: I have a lot of dream foursomes. They are made up of a few combinations of friends and family. And another one of the benefits of what I do is that I get to fulfill those dreams on a regular basis. In some cases, more than once a year. Which is amazing. But if it were a dream foursome of fantasy proportions, I would want to be the fourth in a group of Hogan, Nicklaus and Woods, all in their prime. If, for no other reason, to get the answer to the burning question: Who IS the greatest of all time? And by the way, as the fourth, I would pick up on every tee. I wouldn’t want to muck up the moment with my mediocrity. And I think Nicklaus wins. He is The Ultimate Champion, never chasing anyone but himself. And yes, 18 majors is amazing, but there’s no greater stat in golf than 37 top-two finishes in majors.

JL: Can’t let you get away without a golf travel question. Give us a couple great buddy golf getaway spots in the U.S. during the winter.

MG: I keep saying this, but the world of golf in America is a buyer’s market. And will continue to be for the foreseeable future. From San Diego, Austin, Arizona, Texas and various spots in Florida, there are plenty of winter getaways that I recommend. Add Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Mexico to the list. Right now, Streamsong is getting a lot of the winter travel buzz. And deservedly so. They continue to work through a few growing pains, price points, packages that make sense and the point in which they add courses to their portfolio, but from what I’m told, it will be soon. And one thing is for sure, Streamsong is good and will only continue to get better.

No. 16 at Cabot Cliffs, which opens in July.

If you’re on a tighter budget, then try World Woods, which is north of Tampa, Barton Creek in Austin, Talking Stick in Scottsdale (add We-Ko-Pa to the itinerary), and the southern portion of the RTJ Trail. If you have an unlimited budget and don’t care about shooting 10 shots more than your average score, then you’ll love what Trump has done to Doral. Gil Hanse and partner Jim Wagner have redone the Blue, Gold and Red courses. And that puts you in Miami, which is always a good time.

JL: Thanks Matt.