No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 121: Dustin Johnson

Episode Date: February 26, 2018

The number one ranked player in the world, Dustin Johnson, joins the No Laying Up podcast to talk about becoming a major champion, overcoming heartbreak, how he spends his time off, and what’s most important... The post NLU Podcast, Episode 121: Dustin Johnson appeared first on No Laying Up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get the right club, be the right club today. That is better than most. That is better than most. Better than most. All right guys, welcome back to the podcast. It's Ollie here, DJ Pie here. We've got to record this before Toronto left, but we felt like we kind of owed it to you guys for a bit of an intro into the podcaster about to hear with Dustin Johnson, DJ. What's the main message we want to get across?

The main, man, I don't know. My head was kind of spinning a little bit for the day after we did this podcast. I think, first of all, I don't think I've ever met anybody as comfortable in their own skin. As Dustin, I think a lot of that. I always thought was kind of a cliche with people talking, oh, he doesn't get rattled by things.

He doesn't get nervous. He doesn't do this. And I always thought that was kind of a throwaway line, but just watching him for whatever, eight, 10 hours we spent with him. I think it's completely true that he just is on his own wavelength, he does whatever he wants to do, and he kind of doesn't, whenever he wants to do it.

I think that really shines through. And I think that even goes so far into how and when he kind of does interviews. If you ask him a question that he's not going to fake his way through it. He's not going to give you a lot of tour players, bless their hearts, will give you a cliche answer about... They'll help you through it. They'll really help you through a shitty question and he will not do that. If you ask him something, you know,

how much does this mean? He's gonna, you know, I don't know, how do you want me to answer that question? When he could go into it, you know, it means the world to me. Yeah, he just doesn't waste time and I think Tron said something, maybe on Twitter or in person,

that he's just incredibly efficient with what he pays attention to. And what he gives his energy to. Yeah. Which is kind of, I don't know, kind of inspiring. Right. incredibly efficient with what he pays attention to. And what he gives his energy to, which is kind of, I don't know, kind of inspiring. He doesn't waste a lot of time with stuff he doesn't want to be doing. The main reason we wanted to kind of record this intro

was that there's so much that comes, that we gathered, like recording this in person from his body language that is not going to come through in the tape. So, you know, there's a question, several times I ask him questions that he gave me that reaction where it's just, no, dude, like, no, like, this is an extent. What do you want me to do?

We don't need to say that. So he kind of shrugs his shoulders and like, looks you in the eyes, he does it, and doesn't seem disinterested, but he's like, I really have an answer for this question. It's not, yeah, it's not a big timing thing that he's doing. It's just he, you know, he just legitimately, he's like, I don't, you know,

I don't know how you want me to answer that question. So I'm not gonna pretend to try. I do, I could tell you, I do want you to answer it with the microphone in front of your face, to see what you, it's not gonna lie. The face awareness of his microphone is not good. He kinda, he talks with his hands a lot, so you kinda get a lot of, you get a lot of this going on

where it's kinda, you don't know if really the mic is in front of his mouth, or if you're gonna be able to pick up what he's saying. At one point, we're pretty sure he turned his mic off. I think he just straight up turned it off. Yeah, I didn't say anything. Yeah, and so, but, so there's a lot of editing in this. Just bear with us on the audio quality.

I think we got it to a place that we're satisfied with, but you can only do so much when he's just throwing the mic all over the place. Also wanted to also introduce, at some point in the later half, the last half, his coach, his former college coach, Alan Terrell comes on to join who is also a part of Dustin's foundation and was there to open the new golf school there in Myrtle Beach that we're there with and we thought it'd be great to bring him in to

tell some stories on Dustin, help give some perspective. Which I think is interesting because a lot of times I think Dustin is not a big, he doesn't really like talking about himself all the time. Right. He was, I didn't find him to be incredibly confident and incredibly humble on a lot of the stuff. Weirdly yes. Yeah, and so it was cool to have Alan there to kind of heat check a little bit of the stuff

that was going on. No, there's, not to get, I don't know, we got pretty captivated I think. Not just not all necessarily all positive things, but just kind of really intrigued by the way this guy goes about his business. Yeah, that's the thing that's so interesting. Again, I think I'm borrowing from Tron here that he was,

well Tron said, he's basically just, the way he approaches the game is incredibly simple, but it's not easy. And I think what he means by that, what Tron means by that is kind of, he's able to block out all the stuff that ruins, that ruins golfers games, including my own. I mean, I think about what I think about on the golf course.

And if I could block that stuff out, I would be such a better player. And I don't think it's, you know, it has nothing to do with, you know, how smart he is or anything like that. It's just, it's being able to just focus on what's important and focus on what he gives his energy to is obviously what makes him such an effective player. I think. All right, without further ado, let's roll it.

Here is the number one player in the world, Dustin Johnson, on the No-Langout podcast. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No-Langout podcast coming to you live from TBC Myrtle Beach here. We got Tron and DJ Pie on the ones and two is welcoming in another DJ, the number one player in the world, Dustin Johnson. We're gonna start with the toughest question, DJ.

How was Verlanders birthday party last night? It was good. It was good. We had a, they had it at a, at a car museum. So it was kind of cool. A lot of old cars, but yeah, we had a good time. Where was it? Like where it was?

It's not a West Palm. They got spring training right now. So all the baseball guys were in town. And so yeah, we had a good night. When was the last time you paid for golf? Last time I paid. I'm paying for this tournament, right? Does that count?

No. Last time you paid a green speed to play golf. Um, I can't remember. At least 10 years. Yeah, I spent more than 10 years. That's usually the answer we get. Have you ever done a podcast before? Is this your first?

I'm sure I've done one somewhere along the lines. We find it interesting we think, especially for being a number one player in the world, not a lot of people know about your upbringing in golf. How would you describe what your upbringing in golf was like? I grew up in Columbia, South Carolina. My dad, when I was little, my dad was a club pro. And so that's kind of how I got introduced to the game. And growing up, I played all sports.

I played basketball, baseball, soccer, golf, just whatever season. That's what sport I played. And then the summer I'd go to work with my dad and, you know, I'll play golf. And I think it was about seventh grade as when I just switched to golf. And so, it was just a sport. I fell in love with it, you know, from the first time I played it.

And, you know, it was a sport that I liked more than the rest just because the fact that it's just you and the golf course. And so you don't rely on anyone else. You can't blame anyone else if you don't play well. It's your fault. So that was just something that I loved about the game. It was just you controlled your destiny. And like I said, you can't blame anyone for anyone else.

There's no excuses. When did you know that you were like an exceptional talent or that you were great at it? I always thought that I was good. I guess even as a young kid, I was probably cocky. And I thought I was good. I guess even as a young kid, I was probably cocky. And I thought I was good. But I really probably didn't believe until my sophomore year in college is when I really, that's when I believed in.

I'm very good, and I can make it to the next level. And yeah, I would have been into my sophomore year when I won the East Regional at Golf Club at Tennessee. So that would be when I really actually believed that I could make it to the tour. Did you, I mean, you ever sit and think now that like there's 60 million people in the world that play golf and you're like literally the best at it. Is that like blow your mind? Like I said, I've never thought about it like that.

But do you feel like the best player in the world when you play now? Sometimes, sometimes at all, just, you know, but that's golf. I mean, you know, as every golfer knows, one day you go out and you can play unbelievable. And then the next day you go out and you, you know, you like for me, I feel like, you know, one day I feel like I'm the best player in the world. And then the next day I feel like I'm a 10 handicap. It's just, you know, it's golf. It's frustrating.

It's, but it's why I love the game. It's just, you never know what you're going to get every day. I think it's, it's interesting, you know, you talked about your sophomore year of high school being kind of the, when I love the game. It's just you never know what you're gonna get every day. I think it's interesting, you know, you talked about your sophomore year of high school being kind of the, when you flip the switch. It was college, college. It was college, college. What, you know, when you're in middle school high school,

and what did you kind of, it's cliche, what did you want to be when you grow up if it wasn't golf? It was always a golfer. It was, you know, it's growing off when I was young. I knew, you know, from a very young age that probably in seventh grade, that was when I just went with golf. And I knew that I was going to do something in the game of golf, whether it was working at a golf course,

work on the maintenance crew. I didn't know what it would be. But I knew I was going to do something with golf. It was just, I loved it. And I wanted to play. I liked being outside. And I knew I wasn't going to do something with golf. It was just, you know, I loved it. And I wanted to play. I liked being outside. And I knew I wasn't going to work in an office. So I would have done whatever it took to, you know,

just to be around the golf course. And I did grow enough. I had every job you can take out about a golf course. You know, I did every, every single job about a golf course. What was your favorite one? Cartboy was I like being the cartboy. It was fine. That's a right-of-passage for everybody. You gotta do it I worked on the maintenance crew. I cooked Pick the range. Yeah, what was your specialty in the kitchen?

Breakfast I cook breakfast. What's your specialty for breakfast? Whatever someone ordered. You got something your best at. Do you have like your own eggs recipe? You're something like that. I was pretty good at like a bacon egg and cheese sandwich. Yeah, I could make a killer. Kind of go for one of those, right?

Yeah, sounds pretty good. It does sound pretty good. I've heard just like a lot of stories, you know, from that kind of time in your life, you going out and kind of playing against older members and betting and that kind of stuff. I mean, do you remember much from those days? going out and kind of playing against older members and betting and that kind of stuff. I mean, do you remember much from those days?

What kind of sticks out? I mean, that's kind of how I learned to play is, you know, playing at the club, playing in the dog fights, you know, going out, you know, with five bucks in my pocket and having a lot of bets. And you better play good. You know, I mean, it was just one of those things. It kind of puts pressure on you, so you kind of learn how to deal with it.

And if I didn't play well, won't it be good? I don't know what I would have done. But fortunately, I played well most of the time. So how many shots would you have to give members? No shots. No shots. We always, you know, the way we played, we just, yeah, we had, you know, that's why you won a lot. Play teams.

Okay. No, no, no, we have two teams. There was really good players that were outgrew up. There was actually a lot of good players, so, but they were, they were very good at that golf course. Things in the game. Games in travel. All that much, they played at that course. Yeah. It's funny, though, you get. They played at that course. Yeah.

It's funny, though. You get guys who grow up playing at one golf course and that's all they play. And they become really good players at that course. That's how I would describe my game. Yeah. Really good at your home course. How many strokes would you have to give as a scratch player

now for it to be a competitive competitive game do you think? Um, none. You don't give any strokes? The pants. I mean, yeah, we play, I'll play a lot with, you know, the guys at the club and I usually give them, you know, whatever their handicap is, I'll usually give them maybe like four more than their handicap. It's pretty stingy. That's tough.

We put one on a left for guys guys, and they give a six. All the more. Yeah. You're also playing with like, Sam Bagger, Michael Jordan, that too. No, no, Jordan's actually. He's really fair. Is it a vanity handicap?

Or is it like, is he really, he's like a two? Is he really like a two? Or does he, does he run down? No, he's a good player. He can play. I mean, he's like, I would say he would be a, yeah, two would be about right. Luke list one time describing to me as he's like a six

until he gets it 14th or 15th hole. And then he's described. And then he's like a plus two. Yeah, no, that's yeah, I could see all right What what games do you guys play when you're at home? That's what most curious about is like You know what what gets you guys going and what kind of action do you guys have going? What do you play for Usually a cocktail or two

No, I mean we it doesn't matter if I'm playing for a dollar or a million like we do on tour. And, you know, I still want to win just as bad. With the format, like, what do you guys play Vegas or Wolf or like, you just play straight off? We just play usually close out matches. Okay. Most of the time. Every now and again, we'll play, you know, we'll play nine point or, yeah, I mean, wolf.

It just depends. And who do you usually play with? Who are the, you're most frequent partners. Totally depends. It doesn't matter. Ha ha. If I was, If I was to ask you where you think you rank

on the career earnings list and how much money you've earned, what would you estimate? Or do you know this information? I will. It's funny you asked that. My manager actually told me, like a couple weeks ago, that I think of fifth. So that's the only reason I know.

How much? And I don't know how much it is. What's your guess? I have no idea. It's 50.3 million does that sound about right? Yeah I don't know where it all went but sure. You know what I'm most curious about is I have like an app on my phone where I'm checking my bank account constantly. You ever just log in and just see all the zeras in there? How does that work? No. But I don't want to see the bills. I don't want to see the money going. I don't want to see any of it because I

Get frustrated a guy that we work with called big Randy He wrote this either this study like analyzing how much money Tiger has put into the pockets of other people on Torch in general if you were to estimate if Tiger Woods never existed Versus the current the real existence, how much money Tiger has made you in your career? Oh, I've heard. No, the Game of Golf wouldn't be the same without Tiger. Absolutely.

He's definitely made me a lot of money and I'm very thankful for that. But yeah, I mean, he really did put the Game of Golf on the map. I mean, you know, he made it a cool sport to play. Even when I was in high school, which wasn't that longer ago, I mean, 15 years ago or something, I was in high school. It's still golf, then, was just, that was right when Tiger started playing. But even when I was in high school, it's still considered kind of a dorky sport. Now golf is actually considered,

it's a cool sport to play. And it seems like all the other athletes are playing it, everyone likes golf. So it's become cool and that's because of Tiger. Where you, what was your high school like in that, did the other kids kind of get that you were like a freak golf talent Or did they have any perspective on it or you kind of it was a kind of like a secret that you kind of only knew

No, I mean our My high school team we were actually really good. Yeah, and So Wesley Bryan his brother George played on my high school team But he actually was, he was a freshman. We had five seniors, so he was like our six man. So and I grew up with Wesley Bryan and George Bryan, so I've known them forever. So it's kind of, but yeah, I mean, always, I think they knew probably, I'll play number

one on our team and we had five seniors. They were all really good golfers and, you know, we won state my senior year and I think we won every tournament. We were pretty, pretty good, but I think the guys knew that I was pretty good. What about the rest of the kids in the school that weren't on the golf team? I mean, yeah. So for someone that like has, has like the financial means that you have, I always wanted to know like, what is, what's like a perfect day for you? Like, if you could spend a day doing anything you wanted, what would that look like? Perfect day. Would be hanging with the kids,

Paulina, and then probably going out on the boat, fishing, you know, or getting a dive in. What do you like to fish for? If I'm fishing, I like to fish for Wahoo or Mahi. If I'm diving, yeah, I probably want to, I like to fish for Wahoo or Mahi. If I'm diving, I probably wanna, I'm looking for about the same fish. Does your ideal day involve golf? Or no.

No. No, that would not be my ideal day. And then growing up, did you fish a lot? I grew up in Columbia, so yeah, we did bass fishing and stuff, but moving down to Florida, living in South Florida, we do this in the ocean. So a little different, but I still love it and enjoy it. I just like being out on the boat, being out on the water, relaxing.

How has the way you would want to spend a perfect day changed over the course of your career? Is that kind of always how you've how you've viewed like a great day off? Well, I mean, it's definitely changed, you know kids kind of change everything so you know this best thing has ever happened to me and you know It's you know having kids is it's been amazing and you know very fortunate I got to healthy, great kids. That kind of changes your perspective on things. For me, probably before kids, perfect day would have been something a little different than getting it with the kids, for sure.

But now, yeah, I mean, the only thing, I love, obviously, he got to get away from golf, so kind of like, might get away as fishing or going on the boat. And then, you know, hanging with the kids, can't beat it, man. How is having kids like change your routine when it comes to your practice or golf

or the way you travel or anything like that? Well, I've got, you know, your practice or golf or the way you travel or anything like that? I've got a, you know, Paulina is a big help in that where, you know, I don't, I haven't changed really anything, you know, because still, you know, for me, it's my job, you know, golf is my job. So, you know, that's, that's one excuse it always got that I can get out the house. No matter what's going on. Does it feel like a job to you? Yeah, it does. I mean, the way, you know, as much time as I put in, you know,

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Go to calwaygolf.com slash jailbreak for tech break aparts, shaft options, videos, and photos. That's calwaygolf.com slash jailbreak from Calaway, the number one driver, number one fairway wood, and hybrid in golf. Let's get back to the pod. Whenever you're on TV, the two things I always talk about, the one thing I say is you can dunk a basketball, and that you use Trackman a lot. So obviously we know you can jump. What are you, what are you, also, you skilled at? Like do you have a jump shot or anything outside of basketball too? Like what?

What else are you skilled at? Are you one of those guys that's like good at everything? Are you good at bowling, like ping pong, all everything? You could say yes. It's okay. He's trying not to say yes. Oh, I feel like I'm pretty skilled in most things. Yes.

Are you competitive? Like do you want to beat everyone's ass? Absolutely. That's why you don't keep up any strokes on the golf course. No, I don't matter what I'm playing. If I'm good at it or not, I want to win. And I'm going to try my best. So going back to the track, man, is that kind of one of the values of that brains is you're you're almost competing against yourself to you know like if

you want to hit a ball of 95.5 yards or 96 yards like you know exactly. I don't get that. That's what we want to know. Yeah. Little extreme but no I mean yeah I do when I'm practicing. So like a track man, I strictly just have an own carry. And normalize and like whatever temperature, 80 degrees or something. So I just leave it on the same like all the time, no matter where I'm at. So and then because you can always adjust for,

you know, when it gets hot always adjust for, you know, something, you know, when it gets hot and it's, you know, the bullet might go a little further or cold, it goes shorter. But when I'm practicing, I just have an own carry and yeah, I mean, I'm trying to hit a specific number. So it'd be 85, 95, 105, whatever it is. I'm trying to hit that number.

And if I'm within a couple yards, you know, if it's 104, 106, you know, that's a pretty good shot. So. Yeah. So when you travel with it, is it an obligation? Because every time, like, we always joke with Matthew, it's Patrick about this, like everybody that you see that works with a track man, like carries their track man around.

Nobody puts it in the bag. It's a, mine's in a bag. Yeah, everyone always gets carried around. It looks so good. Like we're in the Atlanta airport. Always put it in the bag. A month ago, and Stu sings, he's walking around with his track man.

And Charles Barkley sitting there like, Stu, what are you doing man? No, no, I put mine in my travel bag. I don't carry it. Okay. But also too, I put mine in my travel bag. I don't care yet. Okay, so- But also too, I probably should, because I just had to send it back a few weeks ago, because it cracked from being in my suitcase. But they have there yet.

So that's probably why. They're fairly expensive, so it's probably smart to carry it, and I'm pretty sure that's why they do. But yeah, either I wouldn't carry it. I'd make my brother. How do you guys work together on the golf course and how's that changed? He's been on the bag for a couple of years now, right? It's been three, four years, five years? What was he like when he first started?

Well, I mean, he's always played golf. So it's not like he was a good player. It's not like he was clueless, but pretty much. It's different. He's still is. No, it's good. I mean, for me to be able to share all these experiences with my brother and, you know, to have him, you know, be there with me is, you know, it's amazing.

And, you know, we work very well together. And so, you know, it's been, it's been unbelievable having him on the back. How's his game? He's good. I mean, he's a pretty solid probably three or four handicap. Do you have a favorite like memory of like an instance where when he's going through the growing pains of becoming a caddy or a famous screw up that he had that you like to joke them or jab them with? The list is way too long. I remember him.

Was he that didn't he drop the ball in the water or something? I remember that. Oh, that was I was actually my fault. Oh, that's good. I fell out of my pocket and and hit my foot and went into the water, but he did jump down and get it. Where was it? Yeah, that's a TPC. Yeah, number four. What about that presence cup story? Green book.

Well, that's what I heard a story. I don't know if it's true or not. About a money match. And you guys at the last hole, and obviously going left to right or something, and you guys started it right of the hole. And someone was like, oh, I had the greens book upside down. Nah, that wasn't me. So that one actually isn't true.

Okay, well, there you have it. Well, so that actually good. I wouldn't doubt it. My brother was looking at the greens. Yeah, maybe that's that's for sure. Well, that brings up another thing. I mean, do you like, do you read a lot of stuff about yourself? And, and no, you pay attention to what people say about you? Zero.

Has it always been that way? Or if you like, I just learned to brush it off? No, I just don't care. Yeah. Love that. That's fantastic. But why is nothing like for me, I mean, people are going to say, obviously a lot of people have very good things to say, but you know, there's always people that don't.

And that's okay. Everyone's got their own opinion, but I just don't pay attention to it because it really doesn't matter. I mean, you know, I got my family, my friends, and you know, I care what they think, but think, but at the end of the day, that's all that really matters. Well, in that same vein, and I think you may have just touched on there, but what are the things in life you say you are passionate about? You do care about it. I mean, obviously family, friends. And then, for me, my passion is, I really want to grow the game.

And with Junior Golf, obviously you guys are up here at my Junior tournament. That's something I'm very passionate about. I really enjoy helping Junior Golf. So I helped the South Carolina Junior Golf Association, and then obviously hosting this tournament. Anything I can do that involves kids and golf is something that I'm passionate about. When you think about Oakmont, what do you remember the most about that week? Well, there's a lot of things, but, you know, probably the first thing that comes in my

mind would be like, you know, the 18th hole, you know, coming down the 18th hole with, you know, with the lead and a major, and, you know, the two shots I hit. I'm one record, just saying those were two of the greatest golf shots ever struck. Trongo's further to say that if you measured just by those two shots, you might be the best golfer of all time. Over a two shot stretch. Perfect. There were two pretty good ones.

I don't want them back, that's for sure. But yeah, I mean, it was what a week though, you know, a lot of stuff to, you know, especially on Sunday, you know, with the penalty that I still don't believe I deserve. I don't think anyone really believes you deserve that. Were you pissed with that happened or were you, I mean, what- Actually, I really wasn't because the reason I wasn't is because I believe the whole time that I was never going to get a penalty because I did not do anything

to deserve a penalty. If I would have made the ball move or if I would have done, OK, I'd take my penalty and keep going. But even when I guess there was all the controversy, was there going to get a penalty? The whole time for me, I believed that I wasn't going to get one. So that's why it didn't happen. You can't control it either way.

You can't control it either way. But at the end of the day, I was like, there's no way I'm getting a penalty. So I just kept going. So was there a bit of an FU while you're playing that last hole like when you stuff that it watching on TV like we were all pissed. It was more you know so after obviously after we're all done we're in the you know in the we're going to score stand then we go into another little side room or something with me and Westwood and Austin and Billy.

And we're all in there with, I don't even know who the USDA officials were, but we're sitting there looking at the video and Westwood, Billy, me, AJ, everyone's like, okay. What happened? Where's the penalty? But we're in there for a little while. And finally, I was just like, just give me the penalty. Let's go, because it doesn't matter. I won. So they wanted to give you the penalty.

They kept pushing. Yeah, I was sure. And I was tired of arguing. So I just wanted to get the trophy. So I'm like, I just gave off. So what would happen if it was a if you won by one? I would still be there. Because was there ever an apology issued by anyone there? Or they I mean, about the way it was handled or anything like that? No matter what, it's a tough situation for everyone.

So it's fortunately it worked out where it didn't matter. I think that helped everyone. And because if it would have been a situation where it could have cost me the tournament, I if it would have been a situation where, you know, it could have cost me the tournament. I think it would have, yeah, we'd still be there, are you in future? Did you draw upon, I mean, I know, this is probably your next question, Solid,

but looking back to 2010 at Pebble, and then Chambers Bay, obviously, and then Whistling Straits as well. We better jam for it. We better jam for it. Drawing upon those experiences. Yeah, no, all the experiences that I've had, they all, I tried, whether I've done well

or whether I've not done well, I try to, I go through with whoever, my team, my team and, you know, try to figure out, you know, what happened and try to learn, you know, learn from every situation whether it was good or bad. And so, yeah, those situations, 100% helped me. You know, pebble, you know, struggling there, you know, I learned a lot about myself and that, and that, you know, moment of time or, you know, in that round of golf. So that day did you just show up and just not have it?

Like did you know on the first tee that? No, I mean, there was a, no, I started the first hole, I hit two good shots, made an easy four two where I made a absolute debacle of the hole but I smashed a drive right on the middle of the fairway and I just you know I hit my wet I had a wedge into it was you know it was perfect and just hit it a little thin and it got hung up in the tall grass above the bunker. And even after that, I still was fine. I mean, it wasn't like I would completely

took myself out of the tournament, but it was more, I learned like I started going through things really fast after that whole, you know, decisions, you know, my routine got really fast, everything got really fast. And even still making the turn to the back nine after I tripled to and double three, like I still had a chance to win, you know,, going to the back nine of Sunday. Like I was still right in the golf tournament. But I just didn't, I learned, obviously, looking back at it, that I was just, obviously, those situations that

happened early kind of changed my mentality and the way I was going about things. I just started going really fast. So I struggled. But it was the first time I'd been in that situation. So it wasn't like it was something that was... You got to go through that. I'm on the ticket. Yeah. So it was fine. But then later that year, I had, it was at, I think, at the PGA. Whistling straights. Yeah, I was. Strait. So I mean, I, you know, in the same situation again, you know,

I'm in the last group on Sunday of major. I'm, and actually I played really well, but, you know, I, but I'm new. Problem, couple. So I just, I'm made sure that day that I took everything, you know, I tried to be extra slow, even though I probably wasn't, to me, I was doing, I went through, you know, I felt like I was walking really slow, like I did and then you know unfortunately I had the penalty of the sand trap. Do you think that was right? I still don't believe in a legend sand trap. It was a beautiful bunker after that. Do you how thankful are you that you missed that put on 18? I mean, I didn't want to miss it, but yeah, looking back now. Looking back at it, yeah, it's probably,

that would have been horrible if you fist bump that you had won and then they came and took it away from you. That would have been, yeah, that would have been kind of bad. I mean, it is what it is. You know, I got the penalty, it happens. Which of your close calls would you say, like, hurt the most, which one bothered you the most? They don't bother you. I mean, it's golf. It's a game. You lose a lot more times than you went in the sport. I mean, it's just how it goes.

Focus that energy on the... So I just try, I mean, for me, I try to take any positives I can out of any situation. Like I said, whether it's good or bad and move on. Because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. It's already over with. So, you know, you've got to move on. You can't change anything that's happened in the past. You can only, you know, move forward. What element of your game are you most proud of? Obviously, people talk about your distance all the time.

Well, for me, probably, you know, improving my wedge game is something that, is something that I'm pretty proud of. And that's really just from getting a track man in practice and how I improved it. When you, thinking back to your sophomore year at Coastal Carolina, were you, I mean, when the light went off from a practice perspective, and there was another light that kind of went off after you'd been on tour for a few years? Or was it like, how did that really come about as far as your practice habits and everything? When did you really buckle down? Was it, I should never have, of, I hate practice.

I really do. I don't't know. I don't like it. You just go play? I do. I play a lot. Yeah. And then if I practice, I'll go practice, but I'll do an hour of really focused practice, and

then I'll leave. The worst thing you can do is just go and practice. Amously being focused. Yeah, no focus. No. For me, that's the worst thing you can do is just go and practice. Amously being goals. No focus, no for me, that's the worst thing I can do. So I'll kind of make a practice schedule or I'll go putt for 20 or 30 minutes and then I'll go hit balls for 45 or an hour and then leave or I'll go play. So I like to play. That's what I usually do for my practice.

So there's no course in the world that's too long for you. What makes you uncomfortable when standing on a T-box? It's not distance. Uncomfortable. Like to sad, I don't get uncomfortable on tees, but you know, there's always, I guess, I guess it depends on the whole. I mean, there's some holes in, you know, every golfer has, you know, some holes you like, some holes you don't like. You know, is there a hole that sticks out in your mind that you're thinking of right now? No, no. I like all the holes. What's your favorite stop on tour?

For regular tour stop rev would be my favorite. You know, that golf course is, I think it's just, I think it's a great golf course. No trouble really. I guess except for number 12. But yeah, I mean, it's just a really good, straightforward, tough golf course. As far as number 10 out there, do you always, do you always just bang one kind of long left hand? Yeah, I mean, that whole, you know, for, it's probably the shortest par four on tour, but, you know, it's one of probably the shortest par four on tour, but it's one of the more difficult ones.

But I think it's an unbelievable golf hole. I mean, there's really no good way to play it, unless you can hit it on the front left of the green, which is pretty hard to do. But I just think it's a lot of fun to play. When you're working on whether it's a swing thing or anything like technical, I guess how technical do you get? The reason I ask is one of my favorite videos online is a view.

It's probably 12 years ago, 10 years ago, something, and it's about hitting a fade. Your instruction is basically remember when you're hitting a fade, you got to make sure you fade it. And I'm watching... Well, the most important thing about hitting a fade is making sure it fades. Right, yes, exactly. Can't argue that. And I can't tell you that. It's simple, but it's not easy.

As a golfer, like a golfer, how frustrated that makes me take care of someone to say that. And I'm like, and so that's what I'm curious, you know, when you're working on something technical, like your swing path, you know, whatever, like how technical do you get? Or is it all just kind of mental and feel and that kind of stuff? Yeah, I don't, I try not to get too technical with anything in golf.

You know, for me it's, yeah, it's more feel, but I do, I know my swing very well. Like, you know, I'm very feel, but I do, I know my swing very well. I'm very knowledgeable about the golf swing, I know. But I just try not to get too technical, like positions. I don't know some people, but it's like P1 and P2. I don't even know what that is, but so I don't get technical. I know, I know my feels and I know like, I'll look at my swing-on video and you know, I'll change things if I need to, but

you know, I just don't get like real technical and the thought process of how to do it. Did anybody ever try to change your swing? I mean, obviously it's well documented. It's unorthodox, but anybody ever try to straighten anything out or anything like that? No. Never. You know, one of the first, the first day that I went and worked with Butch, we went and sat in his office and he's like, you know, not going to change, you know, your swing. We're just going to make it a little bit better. You know, he's like, I could change it, but if I do, no one's gonna know who you are.

I think it's working all right. It gets a job done sometimes. What would you say is like a misnomer about you or a misconception about you? You may not know, because you don't read anything about you, but that I walk right into that one. What?

Just that, yeah, you can't know what a misconception is if you're not listening to other people saying, I guess. Yeah, I guess that's true. We heard a story and want to ask, I want to ask if this is true, it's about Adidas. And how they, you want to, you want to walk us through it? Yeah, so Adidas basically gives all their athletes regardless of sport, what's essentially their version of a wonder-like test,

what they give at the NFL combine. But basically measures like confidence and kind of behavior under pressure and all that stuff. And allegedly, you got the highest score of anybody they've ever given it to. That sound right? Sure. Hahaha.

There you have it. In conclusion. Yeah, it sounds great. Do you remember taking the test? No. Hahaha. But that's not saying I did, I probably did. I just, my memory's terrible.

Hahaha. What's your favorite, like you go to fast food? It depends on where I'm at, but Chick-fil-A, one of them from in South Carolina, Bojangles. There's one right up the street here. We saw that. Yeah. How much time do you spend in LA? Like how much time do you spend out of 52 weeks a year?

How much are you in LA? We're usually out there like December, January, February. We just travel. Obviously, we, you know, pulling this family being out there. So, you know, we're on the West Coast the first part of the year. So we kind of just kind of base out of there. 2007 Walker Cup. Was that kind of your first Don Tray and the international golf?

Was it what, were all counting down, right? Yeah, we played in the 07 Walker Cup. Yeah, we played it counting down. No, the first time I played over there was actually in college. We played a golf tournament over at St. Andrews. OK. That was a pretty ridiculous team you guys had.

We were pretty good. I think everybody from our team is guys had. We were pretty good. I think everybody on our everybody from our team is on tour. Other, you know, well, Trip Keeney, he was, you know, he's an amp still, but and then Jonathan Moore, I think he's playing Asian tour, but all the other guys are on the PGA tour. So yeah, we were pretty, we were pretty stacked. different like there's books about that writer that that Walker Cup that have been written work Invinced that Walker Cup team could could have beat the 2006 Ryder Cup team The guys are pretty good and and then you know For me is so I played with Colt most and the we were the first match out. Hey gravy. Yeah, I call him Bolt

So he's so fast So we're playing Maccoraway and you know, we hit it down the first hole and Colt's laughing at me because I was You know on the tee. I think I teed off I hit my ball was in the air before the guy got done Announce in my name because I was so nervous. I didn't even know what was going on But I'd sent it flying he wasn't even done. He wasn't even done an ounce of me And then he gets over because we're playing alternate shots. So he gets over to hit the second shot and at the Walker Cup

They you know walk down the fairway with the with the groups like the crowd does and so he's over the shot and all you can hear is all the people's footsteps so there's probably 5,000 people watching our group because Macro it was playing with us and he had to back off a couple times so it was pretty funny so I was him, I was giving it to him the whole way up the whole way up to the green. As far as pace of play goes, is that something that, I mean, you like to play pretty fast? Our pace of play is pretty slow. I mean, for me, I've definitely slowed down, you know, over the years, but I think that's a learned habit that I've had to slow down just because it is very slow.

And it's something that I've had to learn and just take my time and because we're not going anywhere. I mean, the pace of play is slow, but it always is. It's not like it's, you know, one week's different than the next. So, well, a couple of weeks ago at Pabble, it seemed like it was, I mean, it was like crazy slow. Sunday was, Sunday at Pabble, yes, was very, very slow. I don't know. The broadcast was coming, but it was bothering you.

Was that accurate? No. I mean, this is something you're used to, but But yeah, it was just, they just had so many, so many guys made the cut. There was just so many players on the golf course. So it was all, you know, it was just one of those things where, you know, it was just nothing they could do. Yeah.

So tell us a little bit about your foundation, how it came to be, what was the reasoning behind the ultimate purpose of it and what we're doing here this week. Well, I started it, really I started it just because when you play on the presents cup team and rider cup teams, you get, they give you money to go towards the foundation. So I started my own just, and kind of started with giving back to just local places around here at Myrtle Beach. And then, and obviously as I grew,

and the foundation grew, we kind of tried to morph it into something a little more. We're involved with junior golf, it's pretty much what we do. Anything to kind of help grow the game and help juniors get involved with the game of golf or put on this junior tournament to have elite players come in and play. For the people that listening that don't know who Allen is, what kind of impact has he had in your life and does he have with the foundation? Well for sure I wouldn't be on tour if it wasn't for Coach Cheryl. You know he kind of, he definitely helped me you know become the player that I am and you know

going to college at coastal and playing for coach Terrell during college like Durmuff you know time at coastal our relationship was probably a little it was a little rocky it was a love-hate relationship we're we're definitely a lot a lot closer now than we were we're in college but that was because I made his job very hard. He's got a nicer with that answer actually. He's just calling me an asshole. Is that accurate? Yeah. Yeah. He got softer as he got older though for sure. He got tougher. Maybe true. But when we were in college, he was a hard ass.

How so? First, with everything. Just let's discipline. Was he popping in your classes? No. Well, he wouldn't have been good, probably. I might not have been there. No, he was tough, but he was in a good way.

I mean, he made you do the right things. But, and he was, you know, if you messed up, you got punished for it. And it was not fun. What were the punishments like? It was workout related, but, you know, it was either running or, oh man, we did all kinds of crazy stuff. Yeah, usually it was on the track though. And you were hugging a trash can at the end of it.

How did Young Dustin handle the discipline? I mean, some of that's overblown. It's gonna be dramatic. No, he's accurate. overblown. No, he's accurate. You know, it's not, I didn't, those guys thought I enjoyed that stuff. I hated it. You know, it's, it's like being a parent in Dustin. Obviously, it's gonna be going through that and having the discipline. You're not my children. I mean, I wasn't my children, still not. But you don't enjoy it. But there has to be some accountability or your fake.

So if you say to do something and someone doesn't and you don't have some consistency, I was probably a little more tough with how we did things. But with the... I will say though, we definitely definitely deserved everything we got for sure. He was on a fun team like the guys he played with they're awesome a lot of personality not a lot of structure. How long have you been there when he showed up?

Five years. I was young I didn't know what they all I was doing. Um, I mean, I looked back on my coaching years, which I could, you know, we all do as golf instructors, wish I could have took that window back in my life. How many people do I screw up? Um, but, you know, it worked out. Dustin, Dustin was more mature than most of the guys not a disrespect to them, but he He took responsibility and that he didn't complain when he had to do maybe a little extra work That's one thing Dustin's awesome at as he takes responsibility Poor his actions

You know good actions are bad actions. These were most people blame everyone else and he's never been that guy. What, tell me about the first time you ever met Dustin or first time? It was a few different versions. I don't know who should go first. You're gonna lie. No, you go. No, it was a, it was an interesting it wasn't kind of a straightforward recruiting process,

but it was what it, it was a burrow logo. He was down on VK with AJ, right? No, it's so, and high school like every you know when you get out So like the first week of summer with everyone, you know from the Columbia I call the high schools everyone would come to Merle Beach Party do we do yeah, you know it's first week so it come vacation and Our called coach Terrell because I drove I actually drove Coastal when I was on the way down here. Like, oh, that school would be fun to go to. Called him, sent him a resume and he called me like the next day.

It's like, hey, you want to meet for lunch? Sure. Then, I don't know if you've got to finish. There was some, I wasn't sure he was going to go play college golf. He comes from a long line of game cockers. And back then, coastal. It was Clemson, or not in this order. It was South Carolina Clemson, and then nobody.

Coastal was still growing. So easily, you don't get those guys. And he had took a gap here as well from high school and his grandmother contacted me because she was retiring to the area and then he just happened to be down and I don't remember the whole context. He's memories better than mine. But we made it at El Burro Loco I think and just had lunch and it was in summer at Tire. T-shirt, flops, hat on back, like maybe not the outfit I would have picked to meet a potential coach for the first time, but after my first year of coaching, that was nothing. And you really saw the light go off between freshmen and sophomore year?

Well, freshman year is my fault more than his. I mean, I could have did a better job helping him get more acclimated to college and structure. When you're young, you're not as willing to flex because you think you know everything. So if I had it going back, I would have probably, his first year was more of my fault. But sophomore, I'd say he had a great sophomore year, didn't almost incontention every tournament.

And then it really, he just took it to a different level at Regionals at Golf Club of Tennessee. And it's, you know, you can talk about it all the time, but he actually got off to a crappy starting, hit it, tens kind of a goofy par three. It's not with water. I was trying to help you out with that one. He hit a terrible shot. He made double bogie on the first hole of the tournament. Yeah, it's not good. I was just trying to. It was it was a god awful shot.

Yeah, so he he dubs the first and and you know, we were we we were off to a great start and then he knocked it on a five and two and had a pretty long eagle putt and then the weather delay went off and then he went back out and made the eagle and honestly he hasn't stopped winning since. Like that's not that putt didn't have, I mean, he's a hell of a lot better putter in college and he has now no offense. But, especially Lone Puts, he made so many Lone Puts in college, but he knocks that eagle putt

and he buries the next five. And that was the first time, I mean I knew he was good. You're like, whoa. But that was the first time I'm like, geez, I mean, like just, yeah, and of course it was easy. I mean it wasn't an easy golf course, but he just threw it in another gear. And the guy has a stop. And that was 2005, 2005 2005 I believe and then he went on

a made-all American that year and then first team the next two years and it's probably runner-up player the year is senior. Do you think your putting gets a bit underappreciated just because how far you hit it? You don't pay attention to what people say. Probably. No, I mean, well, putting, I mean, for guys on tour, like for me, I mean, if I putt well, generally, I went, you know, it's not, you know, it's not really too scientific. I mean, it just happens. If you look at the guys who went every week, they usually lead in putting sets. Or they're in the top two or three for sure.

So, you know, so for me, I mean, that's all about putting, you know, if I put all, I'm going to have a really good week. So after you graduated from coastal, was it just like, all right, I'm gonna go to key school. And I mean, really since you went to key school, like you won your first year and then. In the Walker Cup. Every single year, you won a first year.

I think that's cool that people don't appreciate about him. As he could have turned pro and got sponsors at Zempsary in the summer. And like Killman Kirkkey, they were both singers, Chris Kirk. And because they really appreciate the fact this is the last time they could represent the United States of America as an amateur. He turned, I mean, actually cost him a little money to wait, but he waited till September for Northern Ireland. And really was behind a lot of the other guys

because he had to come straight back and go to first stage right back, because Walker Cup you get through pre-coffile, you don't have to do pre. So, I think that's a story people don't talk about. I mean that's how, so when he puts on those, you know, stars and stripes, it really means something to these guys.

And I was really proud of him for that. I was obviously making the team as, you know, as special, I mean, it's something I was very proud of. So, you know, and so I, yeah, I waited to, I wanted to play and represent our country, you know, and so I, yeah, I waited to, I wanted to play and represent our country, you know, in the Walker Cup. So it was something that, you know, I really wanted to do. So I waited to go to afterwards, you know, and played, you know, amateur golf that whole summer, which was, you know, love the fact that you won the Northeast Am at one of my set. That's such a cool course.

Oh, it's a great golf course. Yeah. And I honestly, I did not think I had any chance to win that golf tournament when I teed up on Sunday. What? Well, because I think it was, I think Billy, I don't know. I think Billy Horsel and Jared Texter, I think I think they were think they were like seven shots. They were tied for the lead.

They were like seven shots in front of me. But always in the second to last group, like they were in the last group. I was right in front of them. Me and I think me and Kirk, or no, I was playing with Kyle Stanley. And they had like a seven-shot lead on me and Kyle. We were tied. And so I'm like, I just think I had a shot. I just had to send it. No, I didn't even. It was really windy.

The golf course got firm. It was playing really tough. I mean, I was like even par through eight holes, just playing, just solid. And I think Kyle was one under through eight. And of course, it kind of zig-zag. So like, you know, you going down one hole and then, so they were on like seven, coming up seven, seven and look at their signboard. Like I had to like double take at it because I was or Kyle was actually leading the tournament and I was one behind Kyle. I'm like wait a minute what happened. I got they got off to a bad start I guess and so we were you know

I was like okay, I can win this tournament and so and then you know then it was kind of me and Kyle and Going down our remember I made a few birdies. I was playing you know pretty solid and got to 17 part five and Jacked one out of bounds. And then I've buried the next ball and part of the last hole and got it, you know, one by one. But literally teen off that day, I had no idea that I would even have a chance to win. Do you have like a photographic memory when it comes to golf, like you're recalling golf shots from your amateur days? Well, I don't remember any shots other than the one I hit out of bounds, but I do remember the 18th hole, actually.

I'm pretty good golf memory, as far as remembering stuff. But, you know, occasionally some shots I can remember. But I can't remember the whole round. So Alan, how did your guys relationship kind of evolve after his college days and you guys stayed very close immediately after that was, what was the timeline like there? Yeah, I think it's probably still evolving. You know, he's technically my boss now. Any revenge, any revenge for the old training sessions that makes it not. It just gives me crap every chance.

It's asked that question, which I'm sure he's tired of getting asked a question. But, you know, I think probably our senior year, I took a little bit of role in helping, filter some agents and helping with us some contracts and kind of help put him in position to meet some people that would be offering the contracts So our business roll kind of turn more into maybe a little bit of advising and then

And then he still lived here so he practiced here, so I'd help him if he needed it. And then I went to Q school, went to second and final with him, Q school, his day at Cadi foring the whole qualifying, which was a lot of golf. And that was the old days, you know. It was down at Orange County. Yeah, you know, Orlando. It was big golf courses, which was perfect for him. He just driving par fours and people didn't know

what to think. But it's probably the first time I saw him kind of nervous a little bit. Dude, the last hole of Q-School of probably the most nervous I've ever been in my life. And he piped it. I did hit a good job. So you knew exactly where you stood.

But he was way under, but everything's tight. Well, I was, and then I three-fucked it three times on the back nine. Yeah, light. Yeah, I don't know. And 18 wasn't easy. He wasn't an easy hole. I had two really good shots on Yeah, it seems to be a

when that ball that ball hit the green. The Taylor made guy and I started celebrating because that's that's a pretty big big moment because he hit the trifecta you know the contracts are at front loaded and when you get out there based on how much you make and he just hit a slam dunk right away and he's one of the few that went straight through. What's a story that best sums up Dustin? Oh I don't think there's one. I don't know I don't think that story's out there. Yeah. You know, you always say people don't see how good a guy is,

because I mean, he's pretty stoic when he's playing. That's his personality. I mean, he talks and has a good time. It's not like he's one of the introverts out there, but I wish people get to see how generosity is and obviously we're here with his tournament that he helps support. Do you still get nervous? Yeah absolutely. I mean if you don't then it doesn't need anything to you.

So, you know, I care about playing well and winning golf tournaments. So, I mean, I get nervous, not in a bad way, but, you know, it means something to me. So, yeah, I mean, I'm nervous every day. I just supple upon the first date. Ryder Cup, is it? I thought we were gonna get through a hole?

No. A hole episode without a Ryder Cup. No, not a chance. Was it, was there like, the nerves that much different when you teed up in the Ryder Cup? Yeah, it's completely different. I don't remember, you know, my first Ryder Cup that Celtic Manor, I'm playing with Phil. I think we're out with the first match out. And the first tee. I was singing songs and... I wasn't a driver, but there was no chance I was hitting anything on the driver, because

I would have missed the final time in a smaller club. I mean, I literally was so nervous. So I mean, I literally was so nervous. And after I got off the first tee, I calmed down a little bit. Yeah, it was completely different compared to like, when I'm playing just on a regular tour of it. I'm playing just for myself. So I'm not out there representing my country and everyone else playing for a team.

It's a whole different kind of nervousness. What's your best field story? You can tell on a podcast. I don't know. I mean, you know, Mampo are really good friends. So, you know, enjoy playing, you know, together. But we definitely realized in that first rider cup that we are not good to do. Why is that? I can answer. We like playing against each other. But yeah, we just then did Mashwell as teammates. Just the way we approach the game and the way we do things is just different than just then match. Like we as people, Mashwell, we were good buddies, but just our golf games and the way the way he

analyzes stuff did not help me. Phil, Phil's got a stronger personality Dustin's a little more low-keyed. Sometimes I think Phil takes that as Dustin this morning his advice and that's not the case. So he was reading every pot to the Cidimator and it was it was the worst thing I've ever seen in my life. I couldn't have made it in a five gallon bucket. It was he didn't hit the hole for going out there very long. I don't even know what was but I didn't I didn't make a pot tall you played Kimer in the singles yeah and that was and I still didn't make one till like about number seven but then I went on a little tear I think a bird like seven eight

nine ten eleven twelve or something did you did you even know that like you golf was capable of being played in that calculator of a way until you played that with Phil? Oh, no, I did not. I remember, so I got a, I was playing in a Gustav practice round. It was me and Phil and Bryson, D. Shembo. We were walking up the third hole and I'm listening to these guys. And my head hurt so bad. I had D. Worse headache from listening to these guys talk about

golf and analyzing every single time. I was like, I started walking down the other side the fairway for the rest of the day. You had to know what you were getting into playing with. I had no idea. That was the first time I met Bryson. But yeah, it was very interesting. We have very, we have very different takes on how to approach the game. We're going for sure. We're probably running short on time here. I wanted to ask you a couple. Have you ever played golf as Steve Spurrier? Have not. I'm not. Okay. You're still a big big game cox fan. Oh, yeah, actually I have played with coach for here. Okay. Yeah, I've played uh, we played, we played, we played with the after the masters. Yeah, we played a couple times. Okay. He takes it seriously. Really? He likes, yeah, he loves golf. He can

play a little bit too. Do you follow the coastal Carolina football these days still? I check in. Check that Joe Mosley guy killing it there. He's like the former what's CEO of Yeah, Maritraini, or whatever. Yeah, no, our football team is done pretty well the last last few years. So it's good. I mean, always always follow or try to keep track a little bit of coastal Carolina sports. All right, I think we'll wrap it at that. We took way longer than we were playing it to,

but too many good stories. So DJ, appreciate the time. Thanks for having us out this week and best of luck with rest of season and the foundation and everything. Alan, thank you as well. Yeah, my pleasure. Thank you.

Thanks, Alan. Thanks. Be the right club. Be. Thanks, man. Yeah. Thanks, man. Yeah. Thanks, man. Yeah. Thanks, man. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Most.