No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 31: Max Homa

Episode Date: February 17, 2016

Max Homa joined me to talk about life on the PGA Tour, the Web.com Tour, travel, fatigue, the difference between keeping your card and not, and a lot more. He weighs in with his thoughts... The post NLU Podcast, Episode 31: Max Homa appeared first on No Laying Up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yes! That is better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most! Expect anything different! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the NoLang Up Podcast we have. I believe our third professional golfer ever on the NoLang Up Podcast. He is a member of currently a member of the web.com tour.

You know him as Max Homa. Max, what's going on today? What's up? Happy to be here, thanks for having me. You are, you just told me you were actually a listener sometimes of the no-in-up podcast. I had no idea that progopolis was this. I am, it is very entertaining. You guys, you have a pretty good job, I'm impressed, I usually don't even like to watch much golf,

so let alone listen to people talk about it. Intertaining is one word to describe, but I guess you could say. Let's talk about it. That's good to hear. So given, I guess to give people a bit of a background on you, you played on a Walker Cup team in 2013, NCAA, individual national championship in 2013.

You won the 2014 BMW Charity Pro Am, and played your way onto the PGA Tour in 2015 Where you made 12 cuts miss 15 cuts and ended up not retaining your status on the PGA Tour What is it what what how would you describe your first year on the PGA Tour? Yeah, you know, it's really really hard Yeah, it's really, really hard. We were talking about it. Your first year on tour, they say you have full status, but it's just, you don't, because you're not sure what you're going to get to play in.

I got lucky. I got into a couple of invitations, which was completely out of left field, so that wasn't in my schedule to start the year. You kind of end up, for me, I found that I played way too many tournaments in a row but you get so excited that you're you're in you're like okay here we go like I'm just gonna fly out on Monday and next you know you're like wow I just played five tournaments in a row I'm exhausted so it was tough and you know in the beginning of the year unless you're you know just in Thomas you're stuck in the in the last T-time of both waves, so you're literally

playing at eight o'clock at night, some days like finishing around, and you're trying to play a Riviera Country Club. It's tough, man. It's really impressive, like J.T. and Burger and them did last year, because I think it goes slow underrated. You see, you know, speed and tiger and all that make it look pretty easy, but that's a real grind. Yeah, that's the thing is those guys are the exception to the rule and those guys do make it easy and those are guys are the names that people know when it's so hard to really properly describe how many players are just right at that edge of breaking through and that the, I think the current PJ Tour

is very well designed for the perennial contenders, the guys that have been there before, that they can play their way into their 40s, whereas breaking through that has got to be really difficult. And you've already touched on one of the things I wanted to ask you about in that, you, with the priority that you had It probably was very difficult for you to turn down any entrance into events. Is that correct to say?

100% that was the toughest part because at the beginning of the year The beginning of the year we I wasn't sure if I was gonna get into very many of the fall tournaments I knew I'd get into you know a couple I know you're getting a Mississippi, but I wasn't sure if I was going to get into very many of the fall tournaments. I knew I'd get into a couple. I knew I'd get into Mississippi, but I wasn't sure which one. So I was ready to go. I was going to play the five, but people don't really understand as we finished our season and the playoffs, what, 12 days, 10 days before I had to leave for the fries. And we had been going pretty much every

week or every other week since June. You know, because the web doesn't have very many events and you can't really skip those because you need, you know, you need every dollar you can make. So, you know, you get a ten day off and you've got to go play the big boy. So you get in that mindset that man we're not going to get very many events. Let's put we get into but you start flying from L.A. to Jupiter for the Honda, staying out there for Tampa and Puerto Rico and just like gosh, I haven't gotten to catch my breath yet and like go practice if you're just playing. But it's fun but I I if I could do it again,

like hopefully next year, I'm gonna really think about my schedule just because I think that was the hardest part. You don't, you know, not know where you get into, you gotta, you gotta be smarter when you plan it. Yeah, and I think, uh, you correct me if I'm wrong here. I think a lot of people, a lot of fans of the game like to think, they don't, they can't relate to the fatigue part of the game in that they think golf is not a game you know where there's physical contact, you're

not running up and down a court. But there is a fatigue factor, right, in flying from event to event, being in a hotel all the time, being in a different rental car, worrying about your logistics, being in strange cities, having like what you said, where you are playing until eight o'clock at night, and then if you don't finish around, you're up the first thing in the morning to that. So, it's gotta be hard to be in a different location,

a different time zone, week after week, and have your game match up to that, is that right? Yeah, it's 100%. I wanted to, I would always joke. So, obviously when you get a flight last minute, you rarely get a great seat. And I wanted to get like a little, like my own little, whatever, YouTube blog or whatever it going because the glamorous life of a topor pro, you know, I'm sitting middle-seat, 26

D, just hating life and I have to go play a practice round in the morning. And I played, I mean you played so many practice rounds at first where you're like not even awake. You know, because I like to get out early before it gets busy and you know hot during the summer, but shoot, you know, you landed at 10 o'clock the night before which is really, you know, you waking up at 6 which is really 3, you know, if you're on the east coast for me it's really like 3am. You go play this round and, you know, hopefully, you know, 4 to 6 days later you're on the east coast for me, it's really like 3am. You go play this round and hopefully four to six days later, you're out again and you're back on the plane.

It's not, I mean, you know, Rory and Ricky and Jordan, they're on a private plane which is probably still tiring, but it's a completely different world. I mean, I'd love to put my feet out, but I'm here to stuck. So it's tough. It's not physically that demanding the golf, obviously I'm here to stuck. So it's tough. It's not physically that demanding the golf. Obviously you get through it. It's mentally a little bit exhausting, but it's the travel. And like you said, the logistics and where are you

going to go stay and eat? I mean, that gets really old fast. Well, so I think the answer to this is going to be different between the PGA tour and the web tour. But maybe it's not. But how are the logistics handled? Are you booking your own flights? I think the answer to this is going to be different between the PGA tour and the web tour, but maybe it's not. But how are the logistics handled? Are you booking your own flights?

Do you have as your agent booking flights, booking houses to stay in, hotels to stay in? What is a typical, how does that usually work out? Yes, my first year, I was, you know, I don't, you know, they tell me whatever city you're going to, you're like, okay, what airport, I don't, you know, they tell me whatever city you're going to. You're like, okay, what airport do I even fly to? You know, I mean, you have no idea where you're going. So I started having my agent, but my flights at least, so I was ready to get a guy that flies into like the wrong Kansas city

and have to drive eight hours. So I really wanted to make sure that that wasn't going to happen. So I've had my agent, but most my flights unless you know I have one that you know I specifically can get that the easy hotels. I mean shoot we do host housing on web. You can stay with the family. The golf course are really nice and I think their membership or something volunteers. So I probably won't do that so much this year, but you know, the first year, you don't have, you don't have very much money. Yeah. That's huge. I mean, it's weird, but I've actually met some really cool families along the way. So that's nice. But so they'll, you know, set up that. But now that I've done it at once, I have a, what's

good and, you know, if, you know, there's a spot I eat at a lot. So, now I can kind of do it a little more, but I still like my agent doing it. Like I said, it's one less than you have to think about it. I'm not getting phone calls from TV shows trying to put me on so my agent needs to go do something. You see, let's get bored. So, for something like like you played the first, I don't know, how many web.com events had their bends so far?

I know you've played two. They're bent two. You played them both. Panama and Bogota, yeah. Yeah, so you played, you made about 1,500 bucks at Panama and you made 6,000 for your T23 finish and Bogota. Does the winnings from those tournaments pay for the trip itself? Oh yeah, it wasn't that bad.

I mean, that's a good question now. Yeah, because actually Brazil coming up, if you look at the round trip flight, it's ridiculous, like 2,200 bucks. Yeah. Which is a joke. But yeah, so I had a local caddy down there. So the caddy thing was pretty cheap which was nice. The first one probably broke about even.

Foods cheap down there so that saves money. But yeah, that one probably was about even, maybe up a little bit. The flights weren't too bad. We got them a long time ago. I mean six six thousand if I spent six thousand dollars and it's something really really cool. It could love the issue. You might be bringing something though he's bringing something back with you with that. Yeah. I mean you you yeah you did something illegal like you spent some time there for the week. But that was my that you said that you booked your flights in advance, but that's another thing is like when you don't know where you're going to be the next week, so I'd imagine you're

sometimes booking, do you book open ended, like on the PGA tour when you weren't sure what your status was going to be week to week, were you booking open ended flights for tournaments and just figuring out once you were there? Yeah, I got used to just kind of buying a flight and then, you know, canceling it if I needed to. Or, I mean, shoot, there's times two when you're stuck in a, however, I miss a cut in Canada and I had a flight Sunday, but I mean, it was Friday, the middle of the day, and I mean,

what am I gonna do in Toronto for two days? So you, you know, really quit getting on the phone and, you know, get the tour to help you find a flight out and then to save the credit and stuff. I mean, the setup, like I said, I mean, if you know where you're going to be, it's so easy because you can get all the fights at the beginning of the year. But for me, I didn't even know what day I was going to be able to fly out because I didn't know if I'd be in the tournament that, you know, the week before. So that I was sure to eat. Yeah. See, these are all things that like people I, most people don't even think about.

And it goes on for every single player, too. That's what I find fascinating. The funniest stuff, too, like, you see, like, for instance, Daniel Summer Hayes is a really good golfer. I don't know if you guys, I mean, he hasn't only won, but he keeps his card every year. He has an enormous family. And so we're on a fly. I was on like back to back flights with him. And he's got, I feel so bad for him. I mean, he's got like five kids with him

and his wife, fortunately, and like they're, you know, I move seeds so that like they can all sit together and it's like something. And you know, everyone's like, you know, I move seeds so that like they could all sit together and it's like something and you know Everyone's like, oh man, me on tour just that's not so easy. It's like this poor guy I mean, I don't know how he did it and I probably played great that week But I'm like I'm stressed out by myself This guy's gonna watch five four five little kids just run around a plane and just try to make sure that they like Don't die

So people with families I don't get how That's it. Yeah. So people with families. I don't get how anyone does it, not even VJ tour life. I just me. I'm the only one I have to take care of and I barely do it on a week to week basis. So these people with families of four and stuff, I don't get how they do it. They can't imagine that. I mean, isn't their pressure, is there, I guess, is there pressure in... You have a regular full-time caddy for the web tour and from the PJ tour? Or how does that work? I am kind of in between, so I have a set up yet right now.

But I had my buddy, Caddy, for me the last two years. And is there any pressure to earn money, I guess, for your caddy? I feel like there would be a set, you would feel like you'd let them down when you miss a cut. Does that exist? Yeah, I mean, 100%. So like I said, I had, I had my, like one of my best friends, caddy for me, for two years. We got lucky. I got into a tournament. My first ever pro event was the fries two years ago, three years ago. And I didn't have a caddy at just temporarily the week before. And I asked him if he'd come up because he had caddy for his other buddy

once up there, Kevin Chappell. And he's like, you know, I've seen the quarter, if you want me to carry. And we got ninth, and we're leaving. And I was like, I don't know how you felt, but I'd love to keep this going. So we keep, you know, we went going. And I had had it, obviously my first year was a lot better than last year. And yeah, when you're Frank, I just want you to be a little stressful. Because you start missing cuts, and you're like, jeez dude, I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you.

So that was actually kind of one of the bigger reasons I, I, you know, we didn't have some bad breakup raining. We both kind of agreed it was time to go separate ways because it is a little bit hard. That's not something you really want to ever think about, whether that came into play like on the golf course, probably didn't happen, but just after, just it's kind of miserable. So my caddy now that I'll have, hopefully he's not listening to this, but I don't, I'm not so worried

about that was before. Obviously I'd love for him to make as much as possible, but I mean, that's the nature of the business. You don't know what you're going to make. I will say, Donald Panama had a gentleman, Juan, he didn't speak, spoke a little bit of English. So we had an interesting you know, interesting relationship because obviously all he cares about is how much we make. There's no hope you play good so the year goes well. Yeah. So he, I felt pressure. Oh, God. Uh, you know, because you see him pumping his face here. I'm just trying to stay above, above water. That was, that was an interesting dynamic we had.

But, yeah, I mean, yeah, I guess the first year, I really wonder what, like, Greller, like it's thinking. Like he can't care that much. It's a good mix of cut. Oh, I think, yeah, I was gonna say, you're catty down south, it's probably breaking clubs in your bag

when you're making cookies. But, Greller, speaking to Miss Next 100 cuts. I think for Greller will be quite fine financially, but. I mean, like, Kava is the funniest because he, you know, he doesn't have to work right now. And someone's like, why aren't you working? It's like, well, would you? You're on this salary and you get to sit at home and like, basically not doing anything. The craziest thing that you guys see who was cutting for Sun King last week? Was no, I did not who is that it was fluff. Oh, I did see that I did see that

Yeah, what yeah, well how did I guess how does that work? You do like if you're if you're not Tigers cattie you can just be loaned out for a week because the last time The last time one of Tigers caddies did that for Adam Scott. He got fired. He was gone But last time one of Tiger's Caddies did that for Adam Scott, he got fired. He was gone. So I don't really know how that works. I know that the guys are pretty cool. Like, like my caddy, I think my caddy did the last year of Joe. I think, you know, one week I wasn't in and Chapp was playing.

So he called Joe, just because he was in between, you know, kind of like, trying out caddies and you want somebody you know, for sure and the loan. But I don't you don't see the big guys really like go around and play the field at all. So that was really interesting. I thought. Well, if there's, if there's anything you said that I can relate to, it's I had a caddy, a friend of mine, caddy for me once for some amateur event. It was a 36 hole event. And I totally understand what you're saying about it not working with between friends

I don't think it's not the same as your situation something a did at least work for a while But my my friend walked off after 18 holes because we weren't gonna Probably because I was pulling Ted Scott and blaming him for all the misclubbings and whatnot That's other problem you can't do that when your friends are like I could I never could get mad at him Like one time I just went to yell at him. He can't do that when your friends are like, I never could get mad at him. One time I just went to yell at him. He didn't even really do anything. I think two or three times in the whole two years, I was actually mad at him. But even when I was mad at him, I wanted to yell at him.

But you can't because I was like, we're probably going to eat dinner together after this. That's going to be an awkward conversation. So it's so, it's weird. I think that that's why, I mean, there's a huge age difference in so many of the caddies too, because you don't have to look at them like a peer in that sense. Like, sovereign and Ricky must do a great job, because I mean, that's got to be difficult, too. I mean, they're pretty to be difficult to I mean there

How much they're pretty similar and really good friends. How much is that like I guess from from what I've gathered during the week Like the caddies kind of do their own thing and the players do their own thing like you guys spend enough time Together, maybe it's different when you had your friend on the bag But like is that is that true the caddies tend to stick together? I stay together sometimes share hotel rooms eat dinner together and the players kind of separate from themselves is that is that true the caddies to stick together? I stay together sometimes share hotel rooms eat dinner together And the players kind of separates on themselves is that accurate? Yeah I guess it depends I spent a ton of time with caddies last year because my two best friends both were cadding You know one was cutting for Andrew puttum. He seems John and Mark Arthur

He doesn't need any more than obviously mine So we would you know we get houses together and all that stuff and I honestly I'd love saying with the caddies because hearing their stories about their player did or another one did is the funniest stuff You'll ever hear I mean they need a TV show. It's hilarious You know about talking about what club they're gonna hit where they're gonna aim and like it's just funny So I've been a lot of time with the caddies, but I would say that most of the players in caddies separate, especially on tour. I think that you probably need some separation. I can't imagine one in the, I mean, what the heck would they talk about really?

You gotta have dreams. You gotta run out of things to talk about at that. Yeah. So yeah, I don't know. I enjoyed it. It was fun, yeah, I don't know. I enjoyed it. It was fun, but I like I said, my two best friends, so it makes it a little easier.

Yeah, I'm just hanging around the Caddy Barn, and it's just where to get stories. It was a couple years ago at the memorial. It was right after Rory and Wozniakki broke up, and I was just hanging out there. Probably shouldn't have been there, but I was, and I was talking to a few of the guys, and a couple of other guys came by.

They didn't even ask who I was, they didn't even know who I was, and just started spitting what I assumed to be a very truthful and sourceful story about what happened between the two. And they didn't even like screen me at all. They didn't care if I heard the story. I mean, it's kind of tight.

I've respected their conversation enough not to share this story, but I was like, wait a second. This is what it's like to just hang out in the car bar and I can hang out here all day. It's not good. I mean, I don't know. Or be down there because no one notes like censor it. Yeah.

I'll tell you exactly what you said or thought. That's what we need a cat, a special party. Fun then plan the plane that answer of oh yeah, you know, I just one shot out of time. Yeah, that's the worst. That's the absolute worst. You know, that's the end of the interview when you get we'll play it one shot of it, one shot at a time. Yeah, I can't I mean, I guess whatever, what are you going to say? Yeah. If you start being honest, someone's going to kill you for it, so.

Yeah. All right, so I think if I have the numbers right, you finished 163 on the FedEx Cup last year. If you were to say, what is the biggest difference between you and whoever finished 125 last year? What's the difference between you playing't play in the web tour this year and play in the PGA tour instead? It's so small.

Yeah, I can't say that enough. Like, it drives me nuts. Like, lap watching Vauntaylor last week, when he won, it drives me nuts hearing them be like the announcers or not just the announcers, but everybody. Be like, man, like what an upset like I don't feel as you know possibly you know second and third greatest golfer of all time he's in the

top for it and I'm actually fairly friendly with him and he he's an unbelievable golfer but if you were sitting on a driving range you didn't know who the two were it's not like you'd be shocked that Von Taylor played well like he's really good. Like it's fun to watch that guy golf. And it's the same almost top to bottom. You know, there's always a few outliers that, you know, you can't, you know, maybe it's a little harder like to win, but they're all, everyone's so good at something on tour. I think that's the biggest thing people don't notice is like if someone's out there, maybe they're not a worry where they can do everything, but they're probably really really good at something. They thrive on that. So I would say the biggest difference

125 to 163, I mean it's just, it's literally just a couple of putts going in and maybe a little confidence or a couple of shots, you know. And I'm not going to get in the better balance, but just getting in a slightly better spot, knowing the golf courses maybe a little better, but I mean, gosh, it is a really small margin. I wish people would spend more time looking at, you know, the 75th best player in the world. Just so you could see, there's a sharpness that the best players in the world have. You could just tell it's dial, but it's not like all of us haven't had that kind of sensation. They just seem to do it so often, which is what's the most impressive. But the golf game itself is not that far off.

Like I said, they're very refined and it's a day-in-day out thing. Mine's like hopefully it comes this week, but it's not like if I played really well and whoever played really well, I'd be like holy cow. I could never do that. To me, that difference is basically one big week, right? I mean, I don't have the math in front of me, but your best finish last year, you finished T6 at the Sony Open. I probably should look this up before I say this. I feel like if you have one more top five, if you throw a top five in there, you probably retain your card.

Oh, I would have 100%. Yeah. So to me, it's, they've reward the true big, the true big weeks. But, so you're looking back at that T6 finish. Is there a sense of thinking like, look, this is, this is my, I have one, like literally proven it on the course that I am capable of doing this. Is that something you still look back at and draw confidence from, Or is that T6 feel like a distant memory to you now? No, I guess I don't look back on it, but I remember walking off that golf course that day

and I was like, man, I was like, that's not as hard as I thought it was going to be. Like doing every week is one thing. I mean, like I told you before I got ninth in my first one, and it was the same feeling. Like the ninth and the sixth were both same feeling. I didn't play perfect. I thought I played better actually at the fries, the first one, but maybe that's just because I was in like a whirlwind of, you know, it's my first event.

The Sony, like I played kind of bad the first day, and like I did a really good job. I think I shot like 200, but I kind of was like, just holding on, and then the next day Friday actually I played with Justin Thomas and he shot like 9 under and it was really impressive. I'm like holy cow, how do you do this? How do you do that? I think I should try even and I'm just kind of lingering and I was like how do you get

the green light to start going and get them move on? And then the next day, you know, you know, made the cut by a couple, I remember, I buried eight, nine to finish the day in my last two holes, you know, my 17 and 18th, and then it got me a little bit closer and then I played really well Saturday next to you, you know, on like the second last group,

and I'm like, wow, that was not that hard. But then you missed the next eight cuts, or whatever it was, and I don't think I will ever play it again. It's a wild how fast it switches. I told somebody this, I don't know, I mean, obviously there's no proof for this, but after that T6, I went to Humana down in, by me in Palm Springs, and I remember,

little tired, it was like so fun the week before and I missed a cut by one or two. I can almost guarantee you that looking back on it that if I had made that cut I would have kept my card just because like that's the other stuff you know you miss four cuts in a row it's amazing what your confidence does or the other way I mean I was you think you're invincible and you get a top 10. And then you go, you know, a few cups and it's just golf is so cruel in that sense. So along the same lines, like what the difference between, I imagine, this is a different answer, the difference between the 163 guy on the fetus couplist and the number 10 guy. Like,

what is, you look at those guys and you mentioned already the Consistency in the weekend we got to do it but on a on a round-to-round basis is it is it they're just Saving that one extra shot per round. I mean you that sounds like a small amount but one shot per round on the Vitor is a career. It's a career. Yeah. Oh, I was talking to Michael sent Phil and he was giving me a little help with like a Forils and stuff and he was talking in this in a way that would I mean, you know He thinks things through a ton. Oh, yeah, he was even joking. It's like too much But I mean it is that's just how his brain worked

But he was saying okay, you know if you leave you know chips past the whole blah blah XYZ harder or puts past the whole XYZ harder if you're below the whole it's you know this much easier you know if so if you have you know eight out of ten below and two out of ten above you're gonna make this much and you're gonna save a quarter of a stroke around and he goes if you give me a stroke a tournament for the rest of my career you know I'm gonna make this much more and I'm like holy cow, that's, I mean, obviously a lot of thinking, but that's so true. I mean, a quarter of a stroke, I mean, a stroke a day is, if you gave me four less strokes for a week, I mean, I would not be going to Brazil. So, that it is so small and I think that that's what they do best.

You notice the really great putts by tiger and phill and speed and Ricky and all these guys. But you forget not even a crazy up and down, but just consistently getting it up and down from the basic spot or maybe one crazy save. It's like those things really, really keep around going and they really end up piling up. I think that's what speaks the best that is he really hates bogies. It seems like, you know, he'll make that 20 footer. That's what Tiger did, I think, forever. His par and bogie puts were a joke. 15 feet for par and bogie is so hard. I mean, all you're thinking about is one more shot.

And they seem to not do that that and you do that for four days And I mean it seems hard not to be in the mix. Yeah, to me I think it may be almost the exact thing you're saying just kind of opposite way of thinking in that it seems like the really top players It takes several mistakes in a row for them to make a bogey whereas it's the the players that aren't recovering as well if you're missing a green If you if you just don't have the level of short game that those guys have you're just so much more likely to make a bogey, right? Right, it's speech. I heard one of the better quotes. I think I heard I was a long time ago I was a kid, but it said that a like this is such a stupid thing when you think about like the Basis of it, but they're like a professional golfer has to hit like four bad shots to make

a bogey, which is obviously not true, but the point of it was that the rest that your whole if your whole game is well-rounded, like like the top players are, I mean they're very well rounded. I mean, he hit a bad drive, it fits in play. I mean, for Phil, he lays up fits in play. I mean for Phil he lays up and he's got 70 yards and you're like man he's going to make birdie. So that's one thing or you know you don't lay out, you get by the green but you're you know your shorts up there or even you're just in front of the green and then you pitch on and you make

par. Like it's pretty true for when you're that refined that it makes it pretty pretty close make buddies and if you're making two boat the round I mean for that that is another one. You do that for the rest of your career. I mean you're gonna make a lot of money. Yeah. How it sounds like you are quite analytical. How much how analytical are you with like first like trackman on one side and then like on the other side strokes gained and your actual stats from the rounds? I am very analytical in a like logical sense. I don't actually like that stuff at all. I think it's really interesting. I think that a little bit of track man's great like I'll use it

I actually have used it from like my wedges like I'll swing one you know choke up an intro whatever and swing a three-quarter and then see how far it goes just to know like that okay that'll write down that's how far that shot goes so then I know you know you get on the golf course got 68 and that was that swing you don't have to think about it but I've seen a lot of people and now these are still great golfers I do this but just they get so engulfed in the numbers I don't know how you bring that to the golf course in my opinion I like the feel sense of it. I can't I just can't picture I Know if I hit it good like I don't need the track man to be like oh, yeah, you hit up on it one That's perfect. I was like yeah, I can tell it went far and straight and didn't spin a lot

I mean like you know you use your eyes. So I'm not a huge fan of that the stroke schemes interesting I think again, I don't use it probably as much as I could, but I think it's just eye opening because you'll play around like meh. You know, I mean, you played called you off, right? No, no, no, I played high school. Oh, high school off, okay. Even still, that's even better.

You walk off the round and then the kid would be like, like how'd you play it by the, you know, your friend and put, what a great, but I shot 77. Just didn't make any cuts today. Didn't make any cuts, and then you'll go back on it, and you'll look, you're like, oh, I had 11 greens. I actually put kind of decent inside 10 feet.

And it's like, wow, that's really, eye opening. And like, that was the shocking part. For me, I thought I was a terrible putter last year, and then I went back in the stats, and like inside 10 feet, I was really good. I just didn't make a lot of 15 footers, you know, so that's the ones you see on TV but I would I mean I trade I trade Always having my 10 footers at good versus 15

So it just you have to I think for me I have to look at it just to remind myself what I need to work on because you get caught up in Oh, man, you know, this is I'm terrible, right, but then you look and it's like man. That's not where you're bad That's what I think it's actually good for. I don't think you can like look at it And it could help you know where to improve But it also it kind of helped me again I to even bring this up. I hate to even compare like my game tears. Obviously we're not in comparison But like in my head, I've always thought I'm a terrible putter.

And it's mostly factual, but at the same time, I read Mark Brody's book, Every Shot Count, so the guy that basically invented Strokes Game, Pundig, and whatnot. And until that, I didn't realize how much other factors were contributing to the fact that I had an eight footer for par that I needed to make. Oh, yeah. And when I wasn't making how much other factors were contributing to the fact that I had an eight-footer for par that I needed to make. Oh, yeah.

And when I wasn't making any of those, I was blaming my putting. When really, I hit a bad drive and all the things that go into, that putt seems like, I hate people say this, you should spend the most money on your putter because the club you use the most during the round. Well, yeah, ten of the holes I'm probably tapping in an easy like a literally a tap in and it doesn't matter Like it's not it doesn't really it's not necessarily where you make all the difference up and it seems like Guys like speed don't get enough credit for how good their long games are like he's one of the top ten ball strikers in a game I'm glad that you bring that up because

Like yeah, he's a tremendous putter, but he shit really good He hits it really straight, but he doesn't hit it like Jason day where it's like 12 miles and super high Yeah, but like he's not hitting it like you know poorly by any means I think you like you guys see I think they put it up for the torch image of Rosamost here like it was leading our second and like the strokes gained to crane and everyone's talking about his putting till like you know he's not gonna wow you with it because there's people like Rory and and day but I mean it's really good well he does it wow you just because he doesn't hit it far I mean me person I am I am in all the way it's the ball. I mean I know it's not he

makes it look easy and he it looks way worse because he's always yelling at the ball while it's in the air and overreacting to it. Yeah I was playing pool speed left shift and I was very pleased to see that he yells at cue ball just like he yells at his golf ball. It was pretty amazing. I was like, man, you do not stop complaining. Yeah, it's fantastic. That is fantastic. What I actually like about it, I don't talk, I got far much. What I like about it is that he's a kid. Yeah.

That's what you do when you're a kid. You do that and it's fun to see that because he's not, he's not trying to be something. I not it's I think it's great it's it's hilarious and it's some you know fortunately there's something we can make fun of him for but it is it's pretty comical he seems to me like I've said before he he's very polished in the media uh... yet at the same time he'll give you thoughtful honest answers. It doesn't seem fake to me at all.

Like he really seems that that nice and mild mannered, but is there also kind of just a more fun side to speak than than what we are able to see in the public? Yes, he I think he's there's not one fake thing about him in my opinion. I think he's a really, really good person about him in my opinion I think he's a really really good person and like nice and they said polish Obviously helps he's been in the Like media sent to his like 12 or so. So that's kind of cool. I think my first interview was like when I was 20 So that's that's definitely a different dynamic for him

He also he is fun. I mean, like I said, getting to hang out with him, I'm very close to Justin and their best friends, like everyone knows. So it's fun being around him because it reminds you that this kid is just a kid and it's kind of refreshing. Because when I was growing up watching Tiger, he was so isolated, but for his good reason, I mean, he was trying to do stuff people couldn't dream of at the time. And Steve's kind of more or less doing it with friends, and flying back on a plane with

Zach Johnson, who just beat him. That's not normal. Right. So I thought that was really cool. Yeah, I think he's a good guy. I haven't heard really one bad thing about him yet. Yeah. If you could take any one part of one player's game and sub it out for that part of your game, what are you taking? Man, you know what I would like is the foulers' ability to just be really really calm. I've never I love that he doesn't

he like he doesn't react to anything. He never seems mad. I think that is super useful. That sticks out to me too. No I've never really seen anything like that. That sticks out to me too. I think I talked about that on the podcast with I forget who someone recently, but he I just feel I root for Ricky I think a lot of the young guys in a lot of the young guys in general I'm rooting for all the top players in the world. They're all really like about guys And when he's standing over a six foot putt I think it's maybe both me to say but I don't think there's anyone else that I want hitting that six foot putt

Right now like he just he has no nerves it seems like. I don't even think that it, I think to train himself to like, just be so stoic. I've never seen anybody make that putty. He made three really nice putts at Ways Management Forever and he didn't, like he barely blinged. It was like it was the first whole tournament. Like people are throwing beer and going nuts And he just waves thanks. I know it was right in the middle such a casual crowd wave

Yeah, I was thinking what I'd be doing. I'd be like jumping up and down and like taxi my mom So I think he's really impressed with that. I mean like I said golf game wise I like my golf game But I think that the mental side for me is just like, you know, it's harder. There's no strokes game for your mental game, and I would love if they could do that. I think Ricky's would be the best one. Yeah, that's my favorite question to ask for players. I think that's a fantastic answer. I was not expecting that. I just expect the Bubba or Rory's drivers what I expect the engine to be at all times. Parachyrie would be awesome.

Yeah. That also seems very easy. So I'm supposed to ask you a, like before we get into that, you brought up the waste management of Fowler. I want to know, I was very strongly, I was adamant that I supported his decision to hit driver on the 71st hole, where we can have a move from it, and I just want to bounce it off somebody else that plays PGA tour golf.

What did you think of the decision hit driver? Was it acceptable? Did he make a mistake? And did he get a bad break? What are your thoughts? I mean, I liked your answer. I didn't hate to clip it all, and I have about three reasons why. And this is not a, there's no bright answer to be honest

because then he hit a three with it in the water so I'm not you know obviously wasn't swaying up or but I mean there's that that's a sneaky hole because you go right and there's a lot of you know junk over there that you don't want to be in what I First want to say is laying up on that hole with an iron, he's probably done one time in the last eight years on that hole because you don't go up to that hole thinking, okay, if I'm up by two, and it's not that easy of a layup considering, I mean, when you're nervous, you sometimes just want to peg it and hit it because you want to swing it hard. So I thought that was first and foremost.

I couldn't imagine Joe being like, hey Rick, we're going to hit five today. I know you haven't hit before. When you're in the moment and it is, you're really nervous. You want to pick the shot that you know. Like I've hit this one a hundred times. I'm not picking the one that I've hit once. So that was kind of why I like pulling the driver. The other reason I like pulling the driver. The other reason I like to pull the truck because I think he was playing for a fan cut, like a front-right, Fanny cut. And I think he knotted it. Like he made a swing 10 times better than I think. Like he probably assumed it was going to be, he played what I like, I call it like a torque cut or there's like a torque draw when the pins way right or in this case it was way left and all the troubles left and you're just going to guarantee that it moves right, you know it's going to cut off because you know for how good you know the guy's on tour and so far if you tell me to hit a you know a three-yard

cut that's tough I mean to be precise but if you're telling me just to cut it I'm going to cut it it's not going left. So I think that's kind of what he was doing and I think he just absolutely nuked it and the other things I he got a horrible bounce. Yeah. I mean, and he missed the like that's 70 yards wide back there like how does that miss the bunker? I mean, if it goes in the bunker, it's all I mean it's over. I just think that he thought he needed one birdie coming in. I mean, that he finished birdie birdie, you know.

I don't know. I like it. I guess if you could do it over, I would pick it. But there's just no way he should ever hit an iron I don't get that at all. No. All right. You hear that chain Ryan if you listen I win that's all my We love you Shane, but all right I'm supposed to ask you can guess who told me to ask you this one guess who told me to ask you this one. I can already hear it in the voice.

All he said was to ask about the squad with him and Mollinger. Yeah, we have a great spot. It started two years ago at what's now the Taylor made invitation. It's the Callaway. It's at Pebble, real fun week. We have Mollinger. Mollinger is one of my best friends, obviously. Justin is two and we were all hanging out for the weekend. We're all jippin' about Justin's physique. I'm pressurized.

So, is impressive the word? I think it's the only word we can go in. I mean, he could be beaten up by a lot of middle school girls. Just by the look, I'm sure he's feisty. He could be beaten up by a lot of middle school girls Just by the look I'm sure he's feisty, but he uh, so yeah, so Mally started calling him the body So we love it because I mean hold it at 340 What is it body So then of course, Malinger gave himself his own nickname of the face because he's, you know, pretty.

And then some of it stuck with the thing. I don't know how that's all right, but then they were got nice after about a day, and it's now the gift. So it's the squad, and we were just a bunch of idiots that think we're really cool Honestly art me and Malle's nicknames are great for the you know between the squad and everybody but the body I think needs Yeah, he's there. That was a good one I don't think he's gonna be in the ESPN body issue anytime soon But I don't know if it's a goal of his, but that nickname is yet. It's not quite the most fitting. Oh, it's definitely a goal. I don't think you need to worry about it. It's in his journal,

but I just hope it never happens. He did tell me he would give up, he would give up 10 yards to be able to dance like Chris Brown. Oh gosh, I'd give up 20. How amazing. I warned you I was going to ask you this question and I wanted to give you some time to think about it. But I want to know, like, what is one of a story that you have from the web.com tour? Like, of somebody, I'm just picturing somebody doing something really screwy. Like, you looking around and being like, where am I? What is going on right now?

Somewhere in Panama or Colombia? What's like a funny, one of your go-to web.com stories. So probably if I'm a favorite story, I'm gonna save the name because I don't know this man well enough. I'm sure you wouldn't carry people, but I don't know enough to text him and tell him that I'm telling people this, but there was a good in Panama now, the Panama is 100,000 degrees.

It is the hottest place you've ever been and there's a whole four to five. You walk up 100 stairs, it's a real walk. I mean, it's hot and you're going. So this height was inside the cut line by three I think at the time and get to that hole and it was this back nine on Friday and Called an official over and took a cart ride And the official said You know, I got to analyze you like I can't give you this right. I'm gonna analyze you guys

They don't know if this already actually said but he was basically saying These two strokes, be better than whatever comes out for this one. Oh, I'm gonna get the cut. He did it, he took the two stroke penalty. He took it, yeah, he made the cut. That is fantastic. I cannot wait till, now I'm gonna cut this podcast short,

cause I can't wait for you to tell me the name of this guy that did this. Yeah, it's really so bad. I got there this year. The last day I was in like 60 or whatever and I talked to that one. I was like, it kind of sounds nice. Just thinking about it. I'll stroll out there.

What's a guy you've been paired with in a tournament or anywhere, web pro, pro college anywhere where I maybe had a reputation going into it or whatnot. Just didn't know the guy very well And you were like really surprised that you enjoyed playing with that person Well, there's two because the only reason I'm saying the first one is because I want to say that I I discovered this guy before I think you got popular and that's Danny Lee I play with him Two years ago, maybe last year in Tampa, and you know, looking at him, he's very quiet and you know,

stoked he practices a lot, so you just assume he's going to be one of those like off-dorks that doesn't talk and he is obviously now everyone knows he's amazing. That guy is unbelievable. So I got to play with him and I was great the other one and I actually got lucky I got to play with him for the first time last week in Columbia But I had an at the playoffs this year because everyone's told me how much they love this kid his name is how Tom Lee You remember him is leading that WGC And everyone's talking about how funny is I'm like come like, come on. Everyone's going to, like, all my friend, Mally, and he keeps telling me, like, right, this kid is the beer

on, and I'm like, okay, but he's, you know, very recently from China, so he doesn't speak like a lot of English, or, I mean, Switzerland English just broken a little bit. So I'm like, how is this, like, you know, your new favorite person? I met him and he's amazing. He's super funny.

Like, so last week we finally get paired together Thursday Friday. He's really good too, which is, he's so amazing. He's super funny. So last week, we finally get paired together Thursday, Friday. He's really good too, which is fun. But we're playing him the first three holes, the second round, he just, it was bad. I mean, you went bogey, bogey, bogey or something. And then he makes like this 20 footer and like, on the next one for Bernie, and kind of like, does this hole like dance, not dance, but like rendition of like just super happiness,

like relief. And then he makes another 20, next only walks right, he goes on his back. He said what? He said, he said, how tongue is back? That's not what I'm like, wow. Third person? Yeah, it's full third person, but like if anyone could do it,

you just kid, it's him. I can respect a full third person, but like if anyone could do it, you just kid it's yeah. I can respect a respectable third person reference day. That's fantastic. Oh, good. So he's the star very sneaky. I mean, you know, Danny's freaking out, but is how tall is his kind of, I mean, his media's press conferences are going to be really good going up. All right. Now I'm looking forward to this now. Noted. All right, what is, I can't believe we've made it 45 minutes without me asking this yet. What is your vintage or your go-to torso move?

No, guts. You should be the club twirl. Because I mean, Tiger looked so cool. And then I did it once, and actually my agent saw me do it. And he always brings it up. And now I'm like oh man, I think that was too much. So it was definitely the club tour I'm starting it. I don't fish pump that much. I like a little, you know like the little kind of

cocky walk to the hole when you like make a putt, but you kind of like sidestep it, like little power step. Oh yeah, I like that one. But like, kind of slow. I think that one looks cool. Yeah. What about like for bad shots? Like, are you, do you ever do the check for the yardage book after you go long or short? No, I've founded you as a like three times.

I happen to get. I wanted to ask myself, you know, there's something wrong with me. I don't look at the yard, look, I don't really get what that accomplishes. I don't really, I'm standing there throwing the grass up after you mix it. I'm pretty good at letting go club and then, yeah. So maybe that's also my tour sauce move. I'm not really sure. Say that again, you broke up a little little bit letting go the club and then what letting go the club and I can kind of catch it like

Handbacking my right back and what about coming out of a bunker You hit shot onto the green. Do you do the you rake over the sand with your foot as if that does What is that accomplished What is that accomplished? To me, I think every time I do it, I think that's my fault. What do you do? It's easier to wreck it. I'll give you that. There's not a huge compass.

That's why you do it, honestly. That's the big thing. My other thing I do, I got it from Fowler watching it. I tapped it on the spike mark, so after I stepped, which always also makes me laugh at myself because I'm just walked on the entire green. That is the... Taped on the spike mark. You're at least wondering what the heck you're even doing.

You got to wave to the crowd while you're doing the spike mark, taped. That's the key. One hand, wave to the crowd. All right, last question. I'll let you out doing this bike mark tap that's the key that's the key one hand waved to the crowd all right last question I'll let you out on this on the currently on the pga tour who wins a turn every everyone plays their absolute best for four rounds that's tough I can I'll warn you see CBS Can't give you a political answer God that's hard I got to say I

Got to say Rory. Yeah, okay, I mean, but then again like speak could literally make like 600 feet worth of a day. Putt is best. So I gotta say, Roy, I mean, just from what everybody says about how, I mean, he is it so well, he probably has the most 10 to 15 footers of that, but if he stripes it, so I'll go with 10. Okay. I lied because I do have one more question for you actually. All right. I don't remember, I think I remember reading somewhere today that you shot a 61 once at Los Angeles Country Club

Was that a pack 12s or when was that yeah? Yes, how awesome is I don't know anything about Los Angeles Country Club other than what I looked at It's hosting the US open in 2023. How awesome is that place? Yeah, it's it's great. I'm really curious how they're gonna do the open there Obviously the US CIA is much smarter than I but they You know, it's traffic and it's like right in the middle of city, but the USCA is much smarter than I, but they, you know, it's traffic. It's like right in the middle of the city, but the place is so cool. The golf course is hard.

I mean, it's a really good golf course. It is really, really, really hard, and I'm not just saying that because, you know, I'm not that. 61. The record guy. But it is really hard. Like, we were talking about yesterday about how hard that open could be, because it's really long and they're going to tighten the fairways little and the greens are great

But the scenery is cool too. I mean you play next to the playboy mansion on 14 you can like go down and see the monkeys if you want You can see the city on like the whole city on Like it's 11. I mean that I think that's gonna be a really good open.up. I'm really excited for that thing to come this way. That's awesome. Well, he's got me even more excited. I think I can wait the seven years. But hey, man, thanks a ton for taking the time.

Best of luck this year. I will say I can be kind of a good luck charm with podcasts. I had your buddy on before he won his first tour event. So next time I have a feeling you'll be a PGA tour winner next time we check in with you. Thanks, I really appreciate being honest, this is fun, I love what you guys do and it's fun following you guys on social media and these podcasts are great so I'm glad I could be a part of it. Well, appreciate you saying that man, we will catch up with you again soon everyone.

Thanks for tuning in, this was Max Homa, Max Tigdy, easy buddy. Yeah, thanks guys. This was Max Homa Max Tickety's buddy. Yeah, thanks guys That's better than most That is better than most.