Q&A: Iona Stephen

Issue No. 130 | Nov. 8, 2024

This week’s Q&A is with Iona Stephen, who does a little bit of everything. She is a broadcaster, YouTuber, former player, has the best accent in all of golf (with apologies to the entire Immelman family as well as Geoff Ogilvy) and – I learned after doing this Q&A – is a terrific writer as well. An embarrassment of riches!

My path and Iona’s do not cross very often, but I have admired her from afar for a long time and have been really into the depth she displays in hosting her YouTube show (which we get into a bit later).

She’s a good question asker and a terrific empath.

One other piece I drew from in prepping for this Q&A was this clip of an interview she did with EAL a few years ago. It’s really good because she’s willing to be vulnerable in it. You should watch it in conjunction with this interview (see below), which I hope you enjoy!

But first!

Thank you to Holderness and Bourne for partnering with us to bring you today’s newsletter.

One of the things that I have been thinking about a lot as it pertains to Normal Sport is the idea of growing slowly and focusing deeply. That is something I have gleaned from many places, but H&B is one of them.

They iterated on the collar of their shirts 40 (four-zero) times. The collar of their shirts! That’s crazy, but it’s a testament to how much they care about building something meaningful and how little they care about being transactional.

You can check out their sweet fall line — including button downs! — right here or by clicking on the photo below.

Onto the interview with Iona!

KP: I'm sure you have shared this before but I have never seen or heard it so I'm curious about your backstory and how all of this happened. I know field hockey was involved. My question related to that: What is the moment you remember falling in love with golf?

Iona: I fell for golf almost instantly but it was introduced to my life later than you might expect. I was a student at the University of Glasgow, studying architecture, but I felt at that time a little lost, uncertain about my path. I knew I felt happiest when involved in sports—any and all kinds of sports. At the time, I was playing field hockey at an international level, which I loved, but I was already beginning to feel the physical toll. At just 20, I knew that hockey, with its intensity and constant demands on the body, wasn’t going to be my lifelong pursuit.

Some friends from hockey introduced me to golf, and within the first 10 minutes, I was all in. I remember slicing the ball terribly, a habit that took me over a year to fix, but despite the slice, I was hooked.

Golf offered a sense of belonging that was immediate and deeply comforting. I joined Ranfurly Castle Golf Club near Glasgow Airport, dedicating £40 a month from my student loan to cover my membership fees. For me, it wasn’t just about being part of a club—it was about how golf welcomed me exactly as I was.

It didn’t ask me who I was going to be, it didn’t need to know and it certainly didn’t matter. There were no expectations, no requirements. I could play as much or as little as I wanted, and the course seemed to help me put everything in perspective and eventually find clarity.

When I stepped onto the first tee, I would breathe a bit deeper, a sense of calm would return and the golf course became my refuge. It felt like a place where I could simply be myself, and it still does today. That deep sense of belonging has stayed with me from the very beginning.

KP: From afar -- we have crossed paths maybe a couple of times at an Open and Ryder Cup -- but from afar, you are possibly the most interesting person in golf or at least you have the most interesting experiences. What about your job(s) do you find to be difficult?

Iona: I feel very fortunate for the experiences I’ve had in golf, especially the incredible people I’ve met, many of whom I now consider friends. That’s part of why I created On The Road With Iona—I wanted a platform to share these conversations more freely than live TV allows.

But to be honest, there’s been a lot about this journey that’s been incredibly challenging.

When I first stepped into live TV in 2020 with Sky Sports, it was during the COVID-19 lockdowns on the special UK Swing of the DP World Tour. What I thought would be the glamorous start of my TV career turned out to be some of the toughest weeks of my life. There was no charm or ease, only strict, high-stress conditions.

Everyone was in survival mode, and I was tossed into every possible role and I had to react and learn fast. I made it through, but those early weeks were hard, and the years that followed were full of learnings and ups and downs. I am pleased to say, as COVID became a thing of the past, normality returned eventually, and I grew to see what could be so special about this career.

It has been a journey and I have come a long way since 2020. I think 2023 was a year of big progress for me, some big moments for my career, including presenting the Ryder Cup in Rome and when I really started to love the job. It continues to challenge me every week and I can confidently confirm it’s not as glamorous as people perhaps assume but the dusty tv compounds and the commentary kit that doesn’t always work have now become part of the charm. 

My roles for Sky Sports (and other networks, including CBS) vary from commentator to interviewer to presenter (or “anchor” in the US), each demanding a different skill set.

On-course commentary pushes me to capture significant moments with words alone. I want viewers to feel what’s happening on the ground, to sense the atmosphere. That is a responsibility I take seriously. Being a commentator in golf has pushed my vocabulary and constantly challenges me to find the words that do the moment justice.

When I’m interviewing or anchoring, I have the added advantage of body language to help convey warmth and trust, making people feel at ease and able to open up. With each challenge and each week I am part of the team, I’m proving to myself that I’m up to the task, and that feeling is rewarding.

The most fulfilling experiences in life often follow the hardest journeys, and although this career path was never planned, I’m grateful for all of it. 

KP: I believe you either live full time in St. Andrews or did at one point. That sounds to most sickos like a dream. Other than the obvious fact of living minutes from the Old Course, what is (or was) your favorite thing about living in that town? 

Iona: Yes, it’s a sentence that is not lost on me. Living in St. Andrews is something I never take for granted. Although I split my time between St. Andrews and London (as well as on the road), St. Andrews will always be home. I transferred to St. Andrews University from Glasgow to continue my studies, but if I’m being honest, I played a lot more golf than I studied. My initial move to St. Andrews felt like a major step toward my dream of becoming a professional golfer.

It is hard to pinpoint one thing that makes the town so special, it is many ingredients all coming together, like a family recipe that’s been handed down generations.

It’s a combination of the seamless blend between the town and its golf courses, they bleed into one another and they need each other to survive.

It’s people walking around the supermarket with their golf clubs on their back, not looking out of place. For me also it’s the pull of family living in the surrounding towns in Fife, and the layers just carry on and on.

The smell of the North Sea and the constant background riff of the seagulls.

When I’m away, I often think of the sea breeze carrying that distinct, salty scent through the town and its streets. In the morning, I'll pull up the window and it’s like the very essence of the North Sea has been bottled and uncorked especially for me. 

One of my favorite rituals is swimming in the wild pool near the castle on the east side of town, a daily routine that brings me a deep sense of peace when I’m home. 

KP: One of the phrases that's used re: On the Road with Iona is that you are "Making golf more human." I absolutely love that. That's one of our goals here at Normal Sport as well. Where did that goal or idea come from for you? 

Iona: That idea is rooted in what golf has meant to me from the very beginning. Golf isn’t just a game; it’s a space where we can explore the broader human experience.

On The Road with Iona started as a YouTube channel but has grown into a community that’s all about inspiring people to live happier, healthier lives. Golf is the catalyst, but our conversations reach beyond the game itself.

I spend most of my time in professional golf, and it’s easy to forget that these athletes, who often seem larger than life, are human beings with their own struggles and stories. I want On The Road with Iona to reconnect viewers with that reality. By grounding the sport in human stories, I hope we’re fostering a deeper connection for everyone who loves this game. 

KP: I was fascinated by this interview with EAL. You were extremely emotional about your personal career being upended by injury. Why does that specifically make you so emotional? I'm really interested by what you think the root of that emotion is.

Iona: It’s still hard for me to watch that interview. It was the first time I publicly talked about the injury that ended my professional golfing career before it had even properly begun.

I had pursued my dream of turning pro with total certainty that it would all work out, so facing an abrupt end was devastating. I had to come to terms with the fact that we’re rarely as in control as we think we are.

Life has its own plans, but I do believe what’s for you won’t go by you. 

But looking back, that chapter taught me one of the most valuable lessons: sometimes, what we think we want most isn’t what’s meant for us. I could never have predicted what was waiting for me around the corner, and I’m grateful every day for the journey that followed. 

KP: You have also said before that you would rather ask the questions rather than answer them. What is it about asking other people questions that delights and excites you? 

Iona: Yes, I have said that! Answering questions can feel very personal and sometimes daunting but also a great opportunity for real reflection.

Asking questions is a different proposition—it’s a way of offering someone your attention and a space to share their thoughts. In return, you very often get their full attention and time which is a very generous thing to give and something I am extremely grateful for from each guest we have had on the channel so far.

I love discovering what drives people, what’s shaped their choices, and how their stories can provide lessons for others.

On The Road with Iona is largely about shared experience, and I want our viewers to feel they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. There’s also a part of me that sees this project as a way of creating a time capsule. We won’t have our older generation of golfers or friends forever, and preserving their stories feels important, even timeless. It’s powerful to think that these conversations could resonate hundreds of years from now. Yep, I think that’s a legacy worth creating.

KP: The Sam Torrance interview, it's so good. Our illustrator, Jason Page and I were talking about it the other day. You're so good in that setting. Where did you learn how to interact in ways that make people feel at ease and embrace the conversation you're having?  

Iona: Thank you, that means a lot! I’m not sure I can pinpoint exactly how, but I think it starts with empathy. Meeting someone with kindness and leaving ego at the door makes a big difference. I try to listen, I don’t memorize questions, instead I do my research and let the chat flow as much as possible. Ideally, we forget the cameras are even there. My goal is to let my guests guide the conversation, creating an environment where we’re both fully present.

That’s one of golf’s greatest gifts—helping us be in the moment.

Thank you for reading until the end.

You’re a sicko, and I’m grateful for it.

And thank you to Iona for sharing and going deep on her world.

Go follow her and subscribe to her YouTube.