No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 388: Holiday Medley, Part II

Episode Date: December 23, 2020

Part II of our holiday medley featuring (again) Peter Kostis, Keith Mitchell, Stephen Curry, Paul McGinley, Paul Azinger, Hal Sutton, Joel Dahmen, Wright Thompson, Brad Faxon, Cameron McCormick, Jim Furyk, Collin Morikawa, Rocco Mediate, and Jason Bohn.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yeah! That's better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most! Expect anything different! Better than most. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No Laying Up Podcast. Sully here bringing you a wrap officially on the 2020 year.

This is the second part of our holiday medley of highlights from interviews over the past year. Some great stories in here, some great little clips that are hopefully will encourage you to go back and listen to some episodes you might have skipped or an episode you haven't heard in quite some time. I know I had a lot of fun putting this together and really I'm super appreciative of all the listens and everyone sharing giving their feedback and all the guests that sacrifice their time to give us the content and to get listeners something to pass the time while you're driving in the car or wherever you listen to your podcast. So if you don't, if it's not too much to ask, swing by the iTunes store or wherever you

listen to podcasts and drop us a review or rating, hopefully five stars if you like the show. And if you're so inclined, maybe take this episode, these little holiday medley, send it to a friend that might not listen to podcasts, but might be into it. There is a whole arsenal of interviews and episodes that I think people have a great time going back and listening to.

So those are the ways you could help us out. And we have to give a special shout out, of course, to someone who has helped us out a lot this year. And we'll continue to, in the next year, that's our friends at Precision Pro Golf. They are the proud presenter of Toraus. We're actually releasing this episode a few hours before the final premiere of the final episode of season, episode 12. DJ Pies taking on Big Randy in the championship of season six. DJ hoping to go back to back. Randy hoping for his first Torres Saus title.

As you've seen this season, everyone here at No Langing Up Trust Precision Pros range fighters to help us swing with confidence and hit more greens. This is from the first round at the Edgefield par three in Portland to this season finale. It's Sylvie's value ranch and everywhere in between the next nine is with us on every shot. Not only is it a great range finder, the team at precision pro golf delivers industry leading customer service. So you're adding a range finder that you second-guess from a company you can trust.

To celebrate this past season of Taurusos and to thank all the NoLangup fans, precision pros, adding an extra $20 off, and next nine rangefinders, so go to precisionprogolf.com, use coupon code NoLangup at checkout for $20 off our favorite rangefinder. Swing with confidence, hit more greens with precision prog. Let's start with another one from Jason Bones. This is from episode 342 talking about how he celebrated his million dollar ace with some of his college buddies. Oh man, you want the Maddie-Graw story. So, yes, so I'd never been to Maddie-Graw. It was, I hit the whole in one November and you know, after I kind of figured out what I was doing and where I was going with all this, I hit the whole in one November and after I kind of figured out what I was doing and where I was going with all this,

I told all my buddies, I was like, hey, I'll take you all to Montagrol. I'll pay for the rooms. You guys just buy the cocktails and we'll call it all even. So I started to make some phone calls. This is back early 90s. I mean, nobody has cell phone.

I mean, you're just picking up. I mean, I honestly can't even remember to tell you how I got telephone numbers other than calling directories and asking for the Hilton. And so I'm calling all these numbers in New Orleans. And I am like, I'm maybe a month out, maybe three weeks out from Montagral.

And I'm like, hey, I just need a couple of rooms and people are just laughing. I mean, on the phone, they're like, you got to be nuts, man. I mean, this is the biggest celebration. Maybe in the United States, and you're calling three weeks, thinking you're going to get a prime hotel room. So, I knew it was to say I come to find out, there's no chance.

I mean, the closest place I think I could have gotten would have been like 40 minutes away. We're 19 years old. We would have been legal at that time to consume alcohol. And so I was like, there's no way. We wouldn't be, we couldn't drive. So I was like, all right, well, we can't do it. So I'm sitting in this finance class one day

and like this big light bulb goes off in my head and I'm just like, oh man, I got a great idea. What I'm gonna do is I wanna pack everybody in a U-Haul and I'm gonna drive the U-Haul down there and we're gonna go to Monty Girl out of the back of this U-Haul. And I just was like, this is brilliant. So I'm just thinking, you know, 19 years old,

wasn't really thinking, but I was kinda thinking. And so I had a friend of mine who, you know, he was kind of partial mechanic that I met in the dorm like he was always tinkering on cars and stuff and so I came up with the idea. Well, I'll go rent this in town, the biggest U-Haul I could possibly rent in town rental, which was like at that time, it was like 29, 95 a day. And I'm like, I will put all of my apartment furniture in the back of the U-Haul and we will just, I'll take all my buddies and go.

And I asked the guy, I was like, can you unhook the odometer on this seahawl? And he's like, absolutely, I can do that. So, I'll take it like, you know, we're going to put like six miles in the seahawl, but I actually go to New Orleans and back. And so I round up all, I round up the few guys that I told, hey, we're going to go to Montagral. And one of the gentlemen was a Swedish guy and he didn't drink at all.

And I asked him, I was like, hey, would you like to go with us to Montagrol? Cause he was like, I would love to see this experience coming from Sweden. But I rule number one, the only rule is I drive and nobody else is allowed in the front. And we are like, loser. Oh yeah, I mean you got it buddy.

This is the now we got a designated driver to the body ground. And so he piles in the front of the shoe hall. We all get in there. I got like these bunk beds and we had a battery operated lanterns. We had a keg in just a tub of ice and just and we had fans battery operated fan. I was like, I'm a flat absolute genius right now

because I said we're gonna go to Mari Girl for 29.95 a day. You know, I was like, this is brilliant. Split how many ways too. Yeah, I mean, I told him I'd take care of the U-Haul. You know, they just stopped. So we got in this car, everybody was so excited. And, you know, we started partying on the way out of Tuscaloosa and our my Swedish friend Freddie just decided he was absolutely

gonna slam on the brakes and just toy with us and we just go bouncing around the back of this U-Haul maybe like not very bright but we were just dying laughing having a ton of fun and at no point we so we go down to Montagroup and to this day or all the years that I played in New Orleans, which is kind of ironic that that was one of my victories was in New Orleans, was the Zerat Classic. But I would stay downtown, I would drive over the bridge, which we parked this U-Haul underneath, which we were able to talk in to one of the parking attendants and just pay this guy off and just let us park our U-Haul there. And he was awesome. He kind of helped us look out for it

So nobody would you know break in and take anything and we get down there and we're just I mean it's nuts We're partying we're having so much fun. I mean, you know as you've seen in all pictures and anybody can possibly imagine I mean it is just you're a shoulder shoulder Everywhere you go down in Bourbon Street and we're having just an absolute blast at no point everywhere you go down in Bourbon Street. And we're having just an absolute blast at no point during the whole ride down there, which was a good six and a half hours. Probably took us eight in the way,

and how many times we had to stop? Because the back of the door had to be cracked, right? So that we could get any sort of sunlight in there. And mainly the main reason why, so we could use the bathroom. Oh my God. And so we just had to kind of pee out the back corner and it was just flying out.

You know, because we would be poutin' I mean, we didn't have cell phone. We had no way to communicate. So every now and then we'd stop and we'd open the door and get out. But that was the only method of ways to use the bathroom was to kind of go out the back corner of the little door. So we're down in there.

We're just having a great time. At no point, none of us, not one of us, was smart enough to think, where are we going to shower? Like where are we going to use the bathroom? How are we going to brush our teeth? I mean, none of that ever hit us. And so it was a ton of fun for three days. We slept in this U-Haul, we were just nasty. I mean, it was but going down we thought we're everybody thought was a genius. Coming back, everybody was, but going down, we thought we were, that everybody thought it was a genius coming back. Everybody thought it was

the biggest idiot on the face of the planet. Everybody was just disgusted. We were just sick. We were, you know, we had, oh, it was just awful. We had thrown up in the U Hall. I mean, it was just, it was just, it was awful. The U Hall was just absolutely trashed. So I get back to the Tuscallus, we drive this U-Haul to a dump. I take all of my furniture that was in that U-Haul, I just dumped it out into this dump and we sprayed the back over it

and we re-hooked the odometer and turned it in for a four-day rental. So I mean, to think that I did, Monograh for 150 bucks for four days was pretty impressive. So that was. It cost you the furniture though. It did cost me the furniture,

which if you would have seen this furniture and anything around this furniture, you would not have wanted it. So after five guys had spent, you know, four days in the bag of a UR, it was pretty nasty. Next up, one of my highlight interviews of the year If you ask me is a very recent one if you're listening to this here at the end of 2020 386 with Keith Mitchell I got a lot of messages, yeah, you know, I was gonna skip this episode

I saw the name just nothing really caught my eye. Please do not do that. It's a great great conversation He makes you know you'll see in this clip how good he is at illustrating his points and has some great thoughts on distance. And it's one that I promise you will not regret if you go back and listen to episode 386, Keith Mitchell. I mean, that's perfectly said. And then the other, the, you know, a lot of my, probably my least favorite thing that anyone that has anything to do with professional golf says is it only takes one week. Like, all it takes is one good week. Like, oh yeah, Keith had one good week

at the Honda and he's playing in all the majors and WGC's and whatever, right? Do you know how many freaking weeks it took to have one good week? It took like five years of good weeks to build the confidence to do that. Yes, on paper, on results, all man, all it takes is one good week. Like, you're not wrong in the surface level, you know, result-oriented world that we live in, right? Everybody can log on and see what I shot the last week, right? Well, what if something I clicked that week on the back nine when I missed the cut and it felt good

and I was going to have a great off week practice in it. And I went and want, is it one good week? No, it had everything to do with before that. Take this, you know, for a very surface level comment, but to me, it's, it seems almost, I don't know how you define harder in this scenario. It's harder to get to where you are than it is to succeed where you currently are. Does that make sense? Yeah. I mean, yes. I don't know how to phrase that. No, I know what you're saying. It's very hard to get where we are, but it's, I mean, I honestly personally, you know, 2020

after the pandemic, we went back, I didn't play very well, right? I just didn't. And my thing is like, for me, it's so hard to maintain that same thing. Yeah, yes, it's easier on the tour because you have 125 guys keep their job. You know, the, the Latin tour is 60, the corn fairy is 70 or 75, and then even to move up, you have to be top 10, top 25. Well, on tour, yeah, it's easier to maintain that because you have more flexibility. Like it's easier to maintain that because you have more flexibility. Like it's easier to finish than the top 125 than is to finish on the 25, right? But to play where everyone that's on the PGA tour wants to play, which is all the majors, all the

WGC's, the tour championship, you know, trying to win the FedEx Cup, all that. Like you have to finish in the top 25 every year on the pg tour that is That's hard. I mean, I'm sorry. That's hard like that is a lot hard I'm not saying it's harder than getting to the tour, but I'm saying it's that whole separate like there's that next line that next You know real thin line between finishing, you know, 50th and 25th and trust me your sponsors know when you don't your performance based stuff knows you know Your FedEx got my everything knows like yeah, we played for a lot of money But there's like the difference in the guys that are finishing top 10 the world and the guys that are finishing top 100 in the world I mean it's it's tenfold next up

This is again our man Peter Costas from episode 282 the second kind of wavelengths he made in this episode about Patrick Reed and some cheating incidents that he had seen. And at this point of the interview, I had actually already spilled water all over my keyboard, so my microphone sounds horrible, but another great story from Peter Kosses from Episode 282. I was told by Frank Chikini and the Godfather of golf on T-Mate. And this was kind of the unwritten rule that we are there to

report the story not to be part of the story and and he he was adamant about that right so like we could never call a penalty on a player but we could comment if a penalty was called on a player. Yep. That's the difference between reporting on a story and being a part of the story. Right? I've seen Patrick Reed improve his lie up close and personal four times now. Oh, by putting you can go on YouTube.

Oh, I've seen it. That's why I'm asking. And, and, you know, the, uh And the only time I ever shot McCord up, he didn't know what to say. When I said, well, the lie that I saw originally wouldn't have allowed for this shot. Because he put four or five clubs behind the ball, kind of faking whether he's going to hit this shot

or hit that shot whatever by the time he was done, he hit a freaking three wood out of there. Which what I saw was it was a sand wedge layup originally, right? I saw him, I was in the tower at 16 at San Diego on the par three during golf channel telecasts and he hit it over the green and did the same thing, put three or four clubs behind,

and it was really a treacherous shot that nobody had gotten it close all day long from over there. And by the time he was done, I could read Call it close all day long from over there. And by the time he was done, I could read Callaway on the golf ball from my tower. So but I can't say anything. I can't be the story. Wow. Right?

Yeah. Now I'm done. I don't really care. Yeah. But there was another incident in Hartford and another incident in San Diego. And I was there in a sawmall, but we can't be the story. What was the incident in Hartford and another incident in San Diego And I was there on a song all but we can't we can't be the story. What was the incident in Hartford? Over the 17th green same thing same same same motor software and I'm not even sure Maybe he does

I'm not gonna I'm not gonna assign intent. Yeah, is that all I'm gonna tell saw all of it? Is that something you see run rampant on the PGA tour? I like to go from a window. No. No. No. Huh. And you just, so it wasn't a surprise to you when all the stuff happened in the Bahamas?

No. Wow. No. That is fascinating. I had, you know, there's kind of just some surface evidence that is, you know, surface level evidence that has floated around in the months since then, but I had not heard you speak on those specifics that, that, that's, that's, that's fascinating.

Well, I think there's always been a player or two throughout history, you know, who fudged with their coin, Mark and the ball, who stepped on a spike mark, you know, with their foot walking across their line. You know, I mean, everybody's, there's always been a player or two. It's rare, it's really, really rare in the PGH, or I have to say, I mean, 99.99% of the guys play by the rule book.

And there to be applauded for that Well, it's just amazing That this happens in front of people though that you have a clear I a clear vision of all this stuff and it it happens It's been my experience that People who are trying to get away with something think that they're invisible that nobody's, that they're so cool doing it, that nobody will get it. We're going to check back in with Peter Kossus. This is his second visit to the podcast later this summer, episode 330, telling a great

story about the Masters. 1996, I will always remember the year that the golf channel was born, because it was 1996. At the Masters, they had, they sent Brian Hammons. He was the only person there. They had a cameraman in Brian, and he would send reports back to Orlando. On Saturday nights, I'm walking from the 10th tower

after Ralph the Air back to the TV compound, which is behind the Part III golf course. And Brian was down there getting ready to do a stand-up back to Orlando. He looks at me and he goes, well, looks like Sharky's going to finally get his green jacket. And I made the mistake of all mistakes, rookie mistake. I made the assumption that our conversation was a private conversation off the record. Which he wasn't and Brian did absolutely nothing wrong but I said look Brian. I'm not sure about that. He goes, well he's got a six shot lead. I said yeah you

know butch changed his grip. Straight than his grip earlier in the week. He kept it on Thursday, played great, had a two shot lead. His grip got a little bit weaker on Friday, played okay, and then up with a four shot lead. His grip got even weaker today. He missed it both ways, which you can't do on this golf course. And if it hadn't been for some unbelievable short game shots, he could have shot 78 today, but he's got a six shot lead.

So his lead's gone from two to four to six, and everybody thinks he's playing better. Well, if his group gets any weaker, he could be in for a long day tomorrow. That's what I said. Now, unbeknownst to me, golf channel had bought time on the local CBS affiliate in August to Georgia for the week. They bought an hour at night to do a recap, whatever. And so evidently, I didn't see it, but evidently, they go back and forth with Brian.

They asked Brian what the state of affairs was in Augusta. And he said, virtually everybody I've talked to, thanks to Greg Normer's gonna win his first green jacket tomorrow, except just interestingly enough, a few moments ago, I talked with CBS's Peter Costas who said that Greg could be in for a long day. Blah, blah, blah. Well, don't you know that Greg was watching?

Background story, Frank Trichinian, our producer, and Greg Norman were best of friends. Really, really good friends. And so Sunday morning, Greg called Frank and basically unloaded on Frank about me and my comments. Now, I don't know if this has happened. I walk into the TV compound and Frank screams out of his office. Costus, get in here now. Oh, God, what have I done wrong now? And he said, did you tell the whole world last night that Norman was going to choke today?

And I go, no, I don't think so, Frank. I would have remembered if I said that. He goes, well, I just hung up with the phone with him and he wanted to put his hands around you and throw it and strangle you. So I'm going to, what is this about? Then it dawned on me that I had talked to Brian and then one thing led to another. So Frank threw me out of his office, told me it could be in stupid. And then I put two and two together and I figured out what happened because one of the texts told me that they saw it on The golf channel they were watching Saturday night

And so I walked back into Frank's office and and back then we don't do it anymore or CBS doesn't do it anymore but there was a fairly substantial calcutta and Frank had Norman in the pool. Oh And so I walked back in and I said Frank I finally figured out what happened. This is what happened and by the way If all he has to do on what is arguably the most important morning of his golf life is to call you and complain about me He's in worse trouble than I thought and I walked out That speaks to his mindset exactly of where he was at that day He's in worse trouble than I thought, and I walked out. That speaks to his mindset exactly of where he was at that day, which I heard that story.

I just couldn't believe it. I mean, that was... I came to my mind. He was mechanical. It wasn't... Yeah. He didn't choke. Okay.

Everybody wants to think that it was mechanical. You know, you can't make a grip change three days before the start of a major championship and expect it to last for the tournament. Under pressure, everybody reverts to instinct. His instinct was a weaker left hand grip, but he'd been practicing with a stronger left hand grip. He had a mechanical thing going on, and he was fighting it.

Then you start fighting that, and then you got Fowl though in the same group as you and and it's the masters and you know, you desperately want to win it and whatever. And it's still balls. Up next episode three 71 again with Maddie Kelly telling us about a tree at Augusta that absolutely blew our minds. People are arguing about whether or not there's going to be a new T on 13. I was like, I still don't know. The images are not, unless they did it super secretive in the last week. There's no new T. They said they're not only is it not gonna be this year, it's not gonna be for April. I hope. I think so.

Yeah, because you got on Google Earth and they're still, they haven't done it yet. Well, I don't know how, updated the Google Earth though, is up. But there's been planes flying over with images that show the 13th T and they show the road back there, but there is no new team back there. So, but yeah, I don't know if they're going to, some people are throwing ideas like move the tee further left, maybe might plant some trees down the left to prevent what Bryson might potentially do.

So, they do have, they really don't have to move that tee that much. If they just use the left side of that tee and what they actually have, there's a limb that has a cable tied to it. And in the practice rounds, what a time they'll have that really tight and the limb kind of sits way more upright and then you get in the tournament They've loosened it down. It sits like this a little bit Oh my god So if they just use a left side of that tea you you really now you can't take that I mean you can I guess if you've got If you that balls you to take that on yeah, you can But now it becomes almost like a hook, like a 10, if they just use the left side of that tee. And I'm sure that if they do move it,

they'll move it five, 10 yards maybe and get a totally different hole. But. I'm back, Libs. What other stuff you got like that? How much do you love the fact that there's no greenering books? Well, I was actually thinking of, I don't, do they even, has there ever been one?

I don't think they exist. I don't think they've let anyone on, on sort to do it. Embracein's like his putting stats at Augusta are far worse than anyone's right. Yeah, that's interesting. I didn't, yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think, I don't think they should be around anyway, but I love it.

I don't think, as, especially for that place when the parts are so severe, it's almost like, that's what makes the parts so hard is because you get it looks really severe and it's probably a two or three degree slope who really knows, but the guys who do the aim point train themselves to do all that. And that's fair play to them.

They can do that, but yeah, no book. I like the idea of no grains books. Before we get to the next clip, I wanna give a shout out to our friends at Weatherman, Umbrella's, I cannot be the only one that has done this. If you go in the department stores, you go in like Home Depot or something. They sell these like little $5 golf umbrellas.

They're called golf umbrellas. And I'm like, oh yeah, I could use one of those on the golf course. They do not hold up. You need a quality, quality umbrella on the golf course. And that's what you're gonna get. From Weatherman, they were the winner of the Golf Digest. Editor's Choice Award for Best Umbrella,

each of the last three years. They even supplied the US Ryder Cup team, Umbrella's, and they are wind tunnel tested up to 55 miles an hour. That's a lot of wind. I know it's December, I know you're probably not thinking about this right now, but they also offer up maximum UV protection. I've become Umbrella in the sun guy. I never thought I'd be that guy, but it is important. It's a more important than you probably realize. So again, go to weatherman umbrella.com and you can use promo code MakeItRain for 25% off your entire order. Again, that's weatherman umbrella.com. promo code MakeItRain. Next up, episode 365 with Rocco Media, telling a tiger story that, you know, it might have been told in the past before, but just about how it's kind of weird that they haven't really reconciled or talked much

since that happened in a great autograph story. I don't know what happened with the autograph story. It's stupid. People last bothered, but it kind of bothered me because I'm like, really? I mean, really? How's I wanted it was something I could put in the wall and share the kids? That's it. You know, I don't want anything special.

I'll just say rock. You got lucky to even be there. Can you tell the story real quick for those that haven't heard it? Yeah, I asked him to sign. I said, hey, you signed this for me. I'm going to put your locker. I got the pin sheet, only four of them made. I got the picture.

Him and I were both laughing. He got the trophy and we're both laughing. It's great picture. Great picture. So I'm like personalized it for me. say something stupid on there. I don't care what you say You know you're you're lucky or what you're old how'd you get here? You know anything so I'm putting a wall so I can look boys look at I did in 2008 and that cold I lost but damn I had to get time well I get the picture back it's got his Signature on the bottom right. I'm like, really?

There's no nothing. I mean did nothing to rock a great week or You got locked something bust my ball do anything. I don't care what you're right on there. I put it on a wall I ain't got nothing on a wall Makes it be mad. Didn't even sign a pinch sheet So I'm like really you're treating me like the other people we had something special for like six hours Okay, it was really cool to me. Another notch in his belt one of the funnest days I've ever had my life

Still to this day. I'm an off course, and I think that's what made it, you know The story that it is is that the fun you were having was evident to everyone. Oh God I'm having it. Yeah, God, and having it was a joke. Yeah, it was hilarious. I mean, you could have handled that two ways. You could have been super nervous and competitive or you could have had fun. Oh, I was very, very nervous, but you have to. Of course you are.

You're doing right, you're nervous. You're nervous as a tick out there, but it's a good nervous. You know, I would have been really, well, I wouldn't have been there. If I wasn't playing good in the nut position, then you're really nervous, but you can't be not playing good in that position, then you're really nervous, but you can't be not playing good in that position. I mean, you can't be. So it's just the way it was.

But yeah, that bothered me. I mean, I'm over it now. I love the guy. I love my watching every time I can watch him. I was mad at him for years because he kept messing with his golf swing with the wrong people and you see what happened. And I was a little vocal about that, maybe a little too much, but it was because I cared. I wasn't trying to be mean because,

you know, he's probably mad at me, I don't really know, I've talked to him in years, but I still love it. I'm not surprised that he won the Master's, and I won't be surprised if he wins a couple of majors at all. I mean, his golf story's back where it belongs, but, you know, it was fun for me, but it didn't hurt me. But you know, that that term, yeah, it hurt for a couple of months after it hurt a lot.

Because it just hurt, but I lost in a way where I lost. I didn't get I got beat, I should say. I didn't do something bad. Like, you know, no one talks about this. Think about this 90th hole. Okay. do something bad. No one talks about this. Think about this 90th hole.

The only way I can drive far enough to get to that grid is it a big low, like a nasty hook. So it rolls. I did it the first day and knocked it on the first day. But I couldn't hit a pretty one because it wouldn't go anywhere. He had a pretty one. He had a five-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds-hundreds I'm like a shot. If I'd have killed one, I could have got a three wood there probably. Okay, and I would of if I tried to hook that in the left rough again because that's where it was going to go. And I laid up and he hit it on the green, which I knew we would.

I had a pretty good nervy wedge about 15 feet left of the old pin high. So it wasn't bad, you know, it's nervy. You nervy, it was like one of the full wedge. It was, I couldn't get the other one there and I had to kind of chip it hard to do in that situation So I hit a good shot. So here's what no one talks about So he's got a 34 of 40 for some footer for Eagle. I got a 15 18 footer for birdie if he makes an I miss I lose If he misses and I make I win Neither one of those things happen. He knocks it four feet by. I hit mine a little too hard but at least that pace and it never really broke much. Even if I hit it where I want I think I miss it. But it will never know.

It goes three feet by. So now we both have these pots. Now the greeners good as there are because it's just us, right? He's got a four footer. I got a three footer If he makes and I miss I lose if he misses and I make I win same scenario The genius of Tiger Woods is this the putty hit Slammed into the back of the hole. It didn't just go in. It's slat if it misses. It's 10 feet by That's what he that's why he was great. You know, he hit it absolutely perfect right in the middle. Well, no one talks about this. I got three feet. I miss. We're done here. Three feet on any on a perfect green or a poigree. I don't care what it is. It's not it's not just go up and hit it. But that's what I had to take it as, and that's what I did.

That's the perfect length of like, enough to be nervous, way enough to be nervous, enough like the perfect length of, like, I'm an idiot if I miss this. Of course it is. And that's, well, I'm not only an idiot, the career is over. That's one of those times where when you look back, you know, if I miss that, I's one of those times where when you look back, you know, if I miss that, I might've been done forever.

Could you imagine? What? All of a sudden I got a putt to win and now I just lost. Do you have any regrets from that week? Anything you look back at said, I just wish I'd have done this and maybe I would have won? No, I wish I'd have been the putter, the putter I am now.

You know, I missed a lot of putts. I mean, we can all say it. You know, you go, we can all say what happens doing a week, any week. But, you know, I hit that putt on the 71st hole really good. I thought I made it when it left the face. It was just a little dream of so fast back there. But, know, I had to hit it, you know, one five feet by, I made that one, you know, for par, but after that, but no, I wish I'd have been a

little better putter because everything else I did really, really, really good all week. The golf swing worked. I hit it really good. I pitched it good. My bucket game, all that crap was good. I just, if I was a little bit better putter, I might have won the golf tournament. It might have. Southern Hills and I won if I was a little better putter, I would have won that golf tournament. I know I finished fourth or so, but I was right, three putter, three times in the back night. And so I look at it that way, but no, the regrets, no, I learned a lot about what I've done my career and how it hold up against. So you don't get that test.

It's test. You don't get the world watching the world and then you don't get him. I don't care if you had one leg, you don't get him. You never win stun Monday, you never went down on Monday. You never did anything on Monday that You know, did anything on Monday, you did the rest of the week. What did you do the night, the Monday night after, uh, after the playoff? I went off to some, my buddy's place in, um, LA just outside of LA and we had dinner and stuff and hung around and I did the Leno show. And that's day. And I got a lot of crap for that.

Was a loser get the Leno show? Well, because Tiger couldn't, okay? They asked me to do it, so I said, yeah, who would say no to Leno Sheldon? Right. Yeah, like it was me, like I'm some kind of ass that I did a lot of, it was so much fun. I was so talk about nervous. Holy crap was I in nervous. Put you in something you never did, then you're really nervous. But he was great.

I had a great time. It was fantastic. You know, I told the people stick it in your, you know, shove it up your ass. You know, like don't watch. I wasn't my fault. I didn't ask to be on the show. It was fantastic. I told the people stick it in your, you know, shove it up your ass, you know, like don't watch What my fault? I didn't ask to be on the show. They they asked me letterman wanted me to do the show But I couldn't get there. I was in LA. So I mean, I wasn't my fault. They called Tiger couldn't do say he wasn't doing stories need to be told like there shouldn't be Yeah, Tiger couldn't build it. I did a couple of things for him. I did one thing for him at his event

and a congressional that year. He asked me, hey, can you cover for me because he's not playing? I said, of course I can. So I did a little thing for him there. It was great. It's what it's about. It's just, like I said, it's what it's about.

And yeah, I don't know why we never talked. I don't know why he didn't sign my personalize my thing. People think it's petty, but for on my part, I'm like, it's not. I wanted him to personalize my picture. One last time you were in the US open playoff with Talia Woods. Oh, never?

Sorry, then you don't get to talk. Ha, ha, ha. Next up, it's Paul McGinley again. This is from episode 359, another fantastic writer cup story. This is again one of my favorite pods of the year talking about how Sam Torrance's Cappenzie ended up affecting him as he played in the A Ryder Cup and Also how it affected his Cappenzie as well down the road

Yeah, well, I knew I wasn't playing in the morning. So I'm captain me really well I mean, you know, that's an important thing to kind of touch on you So what he did myself those four of us myself, Lee Westwood and think the kind of touch on you. So what he did, myself, those four of us, myself, Lee Westwood, Phillip Price, I think it was parafoakie. The four of us had really lost form that year. You know, some players are playing better,

some players, no, it was yes, the panorac. Those four players, and yes, who was still in America. So the three of us who were based in the UK were brought up to the Berffy, the week before by Sam. I live beside Sam here down in Sonnydale and we went up for a practice round 12 or 10 days maybe before the right of cup. The World Championship was on over in Ireland ironically. None of us had qualified to play in that.

And he said, come on, let's get in. Let's all get together and get up and have a run around in the Berffy. Get a have a look at the course. That stage all the stands were open. We kind of had a nice there for ball on the way round We did a bit of food afterwards knows put a banter And then on the way back we got in some had a driven BMW A driver and we got in the back of the car and he jumps into back beside me this big seven series BMW

And he's got a bottle of pink champagne and two glasses He always up the bottle of champagne The drive back is about two hours from Birmingham in the referee. He said, right, we're going to talk about your role this week. And he went through everything. And he basically showed so much confidence in me. He told me to roll. Everybody was going to play.

And many matches, everyone was going to play. And many matches, I was going to play, who my partners would be. Just give me such a exude of confidence that you're part of the team. You're not kind of a guy I'm trying to manage here. He made me really, really, really part of it. And getting out of the car on the far side, you know, I really felt like I was going to be in a very important, he made me feel a very important part of his team, a very important member of his team, even though, you know, on the car journey and the way up, I felt that I was the outsider and I was a problem that he had to manage.

Wow. That sounds like leadership to me. I feel like on our side of the pond, it's a lot of the players dictating so much stuff and instant and almost not having feeling like they're kind of reporting to someone. I get the sense from you that you just had such respect for the captain's here and maybe the Europeans have more respect for the process and the figure head at the top of it than maybe the Americans do. I don't know if you can speak to that directly,

but that just sounds like a very different system than maybe what we have. Well, I think it's different in America now, Chris, but certainly there's a huge, important dynamic here that America we're missing that don't do now. And that was the fact that all of the right ofof-coup captains in Europe were chosen by the players. Chosen by the players, right? The players committee, representative of the players,

were the guys who chose who the captain would be. Not, you know, a PGA board or, you know, somebody from the outside or, you know, some figureheads picking it. No, it was the actual players who put the captain in place. And that was a very important dynamic. I know post-tasports now American have changed that and the players to the task force are very much in control of that now, but you know, I felt that was probably where a lot of that respect came from. Well, going back to 02, you become the person that is, seals the clinching point. One, I want to know why it seems that to be so important to the European players.

And that's something that I hear talked about a lot, which is, I find that very interesting because I think you guys have such a great team dynamic to it that it does seem, I remember Paul Azinger always referencing the European. Nobody wants to be the guy that loses the final point, but the Europeans take special joy and clenching that final point. So one, how did you end up in that situation where you were having the match with Jim Fiorek to get that final point you needed, and what was that like for you as a first-time writer-couper?

Well, again, I'll answer your question if you don't mind, but tell a story on it. So, my role was to play two rounds the first two days and part of the current thing was going to be my partner. I was going to play in the afternoon forciums with him and then I was going to play in the morning forciums on the second day and then I was going to play my singles match. And first time we go out the first day and we lose three and two. But I played quite well. That was my first ride at Cup match.

I had my own. Partic felt he didn't play very well and went to Sam afterwards and said, look, I've left Paul down, I haven't played very well. I need the morning off tomorrow to practice. So Sam decided to leave him out. So Sam comes to me and he says, Paul, I got bad news. Particles and what I play tomorrow. We really feel that you're down today. And I'm afraid that leaves you without a partner. I'm going to put in somebody else to play because you haven't prepared to play with, you know, you've prepared to play with Paul Rick and you know, I don't want to take a chance of putting you with somebody else. So he said, look, and you know,

the afternoon is the four-boy, you're probably not going to play that, you know, that anyway. So you won't be playing that with the singles. So I'm really disappointed because I've just got a taste in my first ride of Cup match, even though I've lost, I felt I've failed my own. And now I want more, like I let it drill all of a sudden, I've forgotten about my form coming into it. And I'm looking forward to having another bite of the cherry. So, I rolled out the next day, which is a Saturday morning, and I'm out walking, we played nine holes behind the groups that went off just to kind of get a feel for the course. I knew I wasn't playing in the afternoon. And then one of the vice captains came down the fairway. We come up the ninth guy called Derek Cooper. And he

turned a card over towards me. We all look at it. God, what's he coming down here for? Who's what's happened or who's playing in the afternoon? And he turned it over to me. He said, jump in a card call. You're under T and 45 minutes of playing with Darren. So I get up to the up into the players, into the players lounge. And I sit down and the sound comes over me says, look, he said, last minute decision, Thomas played really poor, Thomas Bjorn with this morning with Darren. I'm going to give Thomas a rest. You and Darren are good friends. I know you can fit in while we're here in the football off you go. I know you'll be great. And off we went and we had an unbelievable

game myself played myself and Darren played in the fourth game. I think we played Davis and Scauhoq. I think it was Davis and Scalhoek in the fall ball on Saturday afternoon. So all of the matches were finished. We were one down playing the 18th hole. The golf was unbelievable. You know, we were about 11 or 12 on the par-better ball. And so were the Americans. The golf was fabulous. No, it was Jim Fjordic actually was playing for a member right away. So up the 18th, the dog leg left over the water. I'm on the fairway. Hulk was on on the fairway. Anyway good long story short, the U.S. free players made a bogey and I hit an unbelievable fore-shot, fore-own, it was the last shot of the day

and I held its fore-own beautifully into a back-right pan against the wind, the wind was squipping across and I hit this unbelievable one the best fore forums I ever hit to about 25 made par a wonderful now that half the match now we were level going into the into the level overall going into the singles the following day. It was a massive psychological boost for the team and I performed heroically when it counted in the last few alls at birdie 16 as well. And we come up into the into the lounge afterwards and everybody's on a high the music score and we're flying as a team. Sand comes over and gives me this massive bear hug and this grizzly guy grabbed me, pulling me really tight and he whispers in my ear he said,

McGinley, you showed so much balls today at that number when it really counted on that 18th hole. I'm going to put you out tomorrow number 12 because I know you can handle a big occasion if it comes down to it. So now I am 10 for tall. I mean picture a guy coming in, missing more cuts than he's making and Now here I am going to be playing the anchor role in the right a cup team the following day in a match that could welcome down To the last game. So I go off to my room and have a shower and I come back down for dinner and all the guys are sitting down and remember Thomas Blorn said to me, you've seen the draw for tomorrow, I said no, but I'd known in my own head that I was playing number 12, Simon told me, but I didn't say it to anybody and I kind of casually went over and picked up the draw and I looked down number 12, yes, but part of it.

Then I looked up number one and it was Monty and I said, where am I? And then I saw myself at number nine and I thought, God, I'm hitting, Simon's playing games with me here, he's saying one thing and doing another, he's kind of hitting me there at number nine, I thought, God, I'm hitting Sam's plane games with me here. He's saying one thing I do, and another, he's kind of hitting me there at number nine, and they order. So I say nothing on his sit down, and Sam comes in about 20 minutes later from the press conference. And as he comes in, I step up, and I go over to walk over, and he says, I know, I want to speak to you. Come on over here, and he pulls me over to get, sits me down, pulls up a chair, right up, and gets his face right in mind. He says, I know what you're going to say. I said, well, look, Sam, he's going to play

number 12, and I was looking forward to playing that role. And, you know, I feel that you're hitting me now. Number nine, he said, no, he said, before I put in the team, I had to think about it. And I really feel the winning point is going to come somewhere between eight and 10. And I put you right in the middle there. I know you can handle this occasion when it comes down to it. So I was kind of pacified and I thought, okay, find if that's what he thinks, that's what I'm going to do. And off I went, quite long story short, rolled up the next day and playing gym, okay, find if that's what he thinks that's what I'm going to do and an awful when. Quite long story short, roll up the next day and play into him, fury in his singles. We've just missed the green, both of us have missed the green on 18 left and as I'm walking

up, Sam is leaning against the bridge. I can still see him leaning against this bridge with this big, huge grin on his face, as I'm walking up. Remember, the right cup is on the line and this guy has got the biggest grin you've ever seen, the captain looking at me as I'm walking up. Remember the ride of cup is on the line. And this guy has got the biggest grin you've ever seen, the captain looking at me as I reach it. And as I reach the bridge, he puts me, he's handling the shoulder and walks across the bridge. And he says, this is why you're number nine.

Do this for me. Do this for your team, Frates. You've got this. And I walked over the bridge and I walked away. And rather than thinking, oh my god, the ride of cups on the line, he taught us to tell me that open down would win the ride of cup first. As I walked away, rather than thinking, oh my God, the right of cups on the line. He taught me that open down would win the right of cup for us. As I walked away, I didn't think, oh my God, I hope I don't screw it up, I hope I don't, I felt the opposite, I felt so empowered and unshackled to think, I'm going to do this,

I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it. And that was the mindset I did, and I chipped it on to whatever it was, 10, 12 feet, and hold the pot. So that was the kind of management Sam did of me and he given me that responsibility felt was what I needed and I seemed to relish it. Up next Paul Azinger from episode 280 talking about flying on the team plane from the U.S. to Australia for the Presidents Cup and Tiger Story and yeah Paul Azinger episode 280. It was great.

Royal Melbourne would have been my all-time favorite golf course except for that it's two courses put together to be one. So that is the only thing. There's very few places I've ever been where every single hole I just walked up on the hole and just said, oh wow, look at this, look at this hole. The great part about that whole trip, we were in the Bahamas and we were able to get on the charter about four of us with NBC, Hicks was on there, producers were on there and everybody else was coming from different places. And we were on with the team, we stopped in Acapucco for

three hours from the Bahamas to refuel, it took forever. And there was a killer plane. And we were able, I was able to go up, we all did, hang with the players up there in the big round tables like when we were sitting at here, a bar in the people serving during, it was just unreal. We're on that plane for 26 hours, but it was just so fun to get to know them and to see what the deal was when it was wheels up in Ocapoca, there was no more alcohol for that team Until they left or till they won Those guys were pretty relaxed, but also at the same time they were pretty disciplined And I had a great time up there tiger tiger had a couple of drinks and he was having a big time and and

Kutra was hilarious. He loves this particular brand at tequila. He was killer Tiger was cutting cards for like a hundred dollars a cut high low. I can walk in in there. I haven't said, you know, Tiger and I don't talk. I was one of the guys at ESPN that had to do sports center hits on him when he was going through everything. It was hard because I love Tiger. I've Ryder Cutt partners and all that, but you know, he looks at me, but we don't really talk that much anymore. I'm TV now, so it's all right. But we still talk.

But anyway, I walked into that area, part to Curtin's go up there, and where all the players are hanging, and he's tiger looks at me, goes, zingy, zingy, come over here, cut me 100 high low high low. I'm not doing that, but he was ready to go. And you know, he just was one of the guys. His hat was on backwards. He was wearing a t-shirt. Those players love him.

It was great to see Tiger look like that and be that guy to a whole generation of kids that don't even remember one thing about me. I remember the day Tiger showed up. They don't know a squad about me. I've gone that old tour. I remember Tiger when he showed up untouchable Couldn't get in that inner circle couldn't get near him for a practice try

If I want to play a practice round it would have been impossible to play a practice round with Tiger He was locked up. Oh mirror cook. Maybe it's a different guy man. He just let his guard down He went from uncomfortable if you're comfortable with him to more uncomfortable if you're not comfortable with him Tiger and I like this Tiger more. I don't know if he'll ever be, he won't be as good as the other Tiger, but that's the body. But after seeing that and then seeing the comeback, I feel like after Stricker's President's Cup, or Ryder Cup, he's President's Cup, after Stricker's Ryder Cup, it was constant.

I think that the tour and the PJ of America should name Tiger all-time captain. If the PJ of America really wants to win, and maybe the win was strict, they need to get rid of that attitude that there's more captains than there are Ryder Cup. I would have loved to have done several Ryder Cup. Instead of 18 or 19 living captains, I think it would have been great, you know, if there was 11 living captains. Maybe I would have never been a captain because the captains, I think it would have been great, you know, if there was 11 living captains. Maybe I would have never been a captain because the captains before me would have

captained for a few years. But the attitude of the PGA America has always been more, we just want to give you the honor of being the captain and also the punishment of what that did for how you're going to be remembered because you got your blood handed to you. Well, how important is it, and I'm realizing I'm asking a former player in this regard, but how important is it, how necessary is it for a player to be the captain of the Ryder Cup team? Oh, you're thinking like bringing, uh, that's an open-ended question. I'm just saying, how, why does that have to be played?

Bring it up baseball football. Yeah, you're right. It doesn't. It doesn't. and that's his open and a question. I'm just saying, why did that have to be played? That's the point. Yeah, you're right. It doesn't. But it should. You know, anybody could do it, I suppose. Ken Venturi, Captain of the President's Cup team, and he didn't know what clubs, players were using all that. He knew how golf worked, and he knows how personalities work, I think.

He knew that. Yeah, I think, I mean, you'll never go outside of the players being the captains. I think the one rule that needed to go away all together was the idea that you had to have won a major to be a Ryder Cup captain is stupid. Up next episode 288. This is with Colin Moore-Kallow. We recorded this during the players' championship, talking about adjusting his expectations, coming out as a rookie and how that's led to a lot of his success. Episode 288, Colin Moore, Kawa.

Yeah. So the, I mean, those seven events, you have to be ready. You know, there's that 125 number that you got to reach to get your card. Did you know what that, I didn't know what that points number was. I didn't know what that points number, because for me, if I got ahead of myself that summer, just for the next event, that next start, it was gonna be like, you know, you're gonna start thinking ahead,

you're gonna be like, oh, I need to finish 24th, just to get enough points. And like, that's when things go bad. Yeah. That's when everything goes bad. And for me, you know, I just had to go out there and literally try and win. I don't think I had that mindset until I heard Brooks. I read it through something. Brooks at Travelers, which is when all of us rookies is a four of us. Me, Matt Wolf,

Victor Havl and Justin, they all kind of touted us, put us all in a pedestal together right there, said we're all starting here even though I already had two starts already. And you know, they said, all right, I heard Brooks say, I went from thinking about just making cuts when I first turned pro to top 25s, top 10s, top 5s to winning. And I know he obviously has that mindset. We're gonna win every week. Rory has that mindset. Tiger has that mindset. So why can't I just change my mindset like that quicker?

I felt like I prepped already. I felt like my game was there. Why not change it to, you know, making cuts are great. To let's try and win. So that's summer. There is a lot to, you know, miss or making cuts are great to let's try and win. So that's summer. There was a lot to, to, you know, to work through. And after 3M happened, I was still shy of so many points I needed. It's crazy. And I had three more starts left.

And I knew I knew I was going to get it done. I just had that feeling. It was going to happen, you know. Up next episode 292. This is with Rich Beam telling a story about his old caddy Steve DuPlanis. It's a great episode. Great stories from Rich again.

Episode 292, Rich Beam. I went through probably three or four guys till I found the right one. And then once I found the right guy, it was great. But Steve was awesome. In fact, Jim Furik and I had a conversation about him not long ago. He worked for Jim for many years.

And Steve was, Steve was legendary. I mean, I mean, epic legendary. Just the fact that he, he had no concept of time. Time just did not really important for a catty. The time did not really agree with Steve. There were more often or, and Jim and I were talking, how many times did you carry the bag to the range? I carried the bag to the range. As I did, I carried the bag to the range before the final rounds of when there was winning tournaments.

And so, it's just, Steve was, he was a different breed. He was a different animal. And I've been around Steve at times after we won the camper open. This is a perfect example of Steve right here. So we win the camper open. I cut him a check for 45 grand. That's 10%. And I sent it to him. He had a week off.

And I give it to him. I said, cash this on Thursday or Friday, because the funds won't hit my account until to Wednesday. This is not a problem. So we take the week off afterwards and we come back in Memphis. And Memphis at that time, if you ever wanted to buy a Rolex or a nice watch, there was a jewelry store, a jewelry in Memphis that had, gave you a great discount on watches. And everybody knew it. And I was wearing, I don't even know what I was wearing, a Swiss Army watch.

I think it was just, it was a nice Swiss Army watch. It was a Swiss Army watch. Anyways, I meet Steve on Tuesday morning before we go play. And he goes, pro, hell of a job last week or the week before. Hell of a job there. Let's keep it going. Let's go, yeah, that sounds great. And just you know, this is how much I believe in you.

I went on and bought myself. Okay. He bought himself a $25,000 gold presidential Rolex with a white face and out of the $45,000, he spent $25,000 on that. And who knows where the other $20,000 went. I mean, I'm pretty sure it did not go to Mr. Tach that was gonna say there's a tax rate. I don't really think that that I don't think that existed.

So you know that was Steve that I mean he went out and bought himself that watch and I'm shaking my head going are you kidding me. I mean, I was unbelievable. Unbelievable. I told that story to Sephiric and he goes, that is about right. That is, that's about right. I mean, but you get him inside the ropes and he was, I think the nickname they gave him

that week was Yoda, because he was always in my head, is always in my face and whatnot during the winter camper, but he was so good at whatty to caddy, but he had no, and it's funny when I say no concept of time, and he goes out and buys himself a roll, it's like that's gonna help out Steve. Like that's gonna help you, it really doesn't. But that iron he was lost on me.

Yeah, so he just, you know, I miss him dearly. I really do, because I think that, I think that as he would have aged, he would have slowed down a little bit and probably gotten the bag that he deserved. I think he would have been one of those caddies that would have been on the bag for a long time. I mean, I look at him like a bones, like a Steve Williams.

I mean, he really was that good at saying the right things at the right time. Up next episode, 3.52 with Jim Fierrick talking about the Ryder Cup. This was in our US Open preview. Just talking about the captain C and the experience. And yeah, all of that, episode 352. When I mentioned the 2018 Ryder Cup, is it immediately, is it a happy memory? Catch 22.

I mean, I loved the process. I loved all the work and the hundreds of hours that my wife and I put into it. And it comes to fruition. And I loved the 12 guys I had and the way it looked. And that'll always be my team. Most of them still call me Cap. When I look at it, the result, I mean, the result stings. I mean, if you know, forever, there's losses that you said will haunt you forever. I mean, that's the one that I'll never, I won't get over that. But, you know, I can tee it up in a tournament and go play. But I'd be lying if I said it's my favorite event. It's probably the mark on my career that bothers me the most is I've been involved with so

many rider cups, right? I've been, I think, involved with 11. I played in, is I've been involved with so many rider cups, right? I've been, I think, involved with 11. I played in, I might have been involved with more, maybe 12. We've won, I played on nine teams. So I guess I'm involved with my 12th now as an assistant for... In your assistant? 16th.

For Davis. Yeah, that's right. So I'm involved now in my 12th, but, events and we're 3 and 8. And so I look at that way where 16 was so much fun for me just to watch those guys play so well and pretty much dominate from start to finish and bring home the cup. And I was just so proud of them and so happy for Davis because quite honestly we shit the bed at Medina. And it's something that shouldn't happen. I felt bad for Davis as a player. I was looking back and a dear friend.

And so to see him do a great job and then the guys go out and respond and play so well, I was just proud of the team and happy for Davis as a captain to have that scenario kind of flipped. And we got off the good start, but then got behind the eight ball in that second and third session and I look at it. I'm sure there's guys out there that said, you know, we wish we would have played better. I wish I would have made some, you know, I guess the funniest comment and funny is a bad word, but the comment that surprises me, it shocks me the most is I've had a handful of people come up and say,

you know, if you got to do it all over again, would you do something different? And I almost laugh. I'm like, well, what arrogant asshole would have the event go the wrong way and then say, nope, I'd do everything the same way. Like, I mean, of course I do things differently, right? Nine sites, 2020, and of course I go back and change at the time, you know, I'm looking at my vice captains, I'm looking at a the time, I'm looking at my vice captains, I'm looking at a stats team, I'm looking at a lot of different things and having, I'm the CEO,

I'm the one that's gotta pull the trigger, make a decisions and I thought we were doing the right thing and put a change, absolutely. Well, I think we all would, if that made sense, top to bottom and that's part of it. So, as a bother me, it always will, but the whole process itself, it's something that I always wanted to do. You know, after I played in like maybe two or three

of those rider cups, you're like, oh man, would it? It would just be cool if I got the opportunity to lead and be a captain of this team. And then after you play on, you know, six, seven teams, I'm thinking, you know, it's probably, it's probably, we'll come to fruition. It could be an opportunity someday and you just kind of wait your turn. And I was kind of thankful that I, I mean, everyone wants a home game, but we're going to go over there and we're going to win. And we're going to, on foreign soil and we're going to, I firmly believe we're going to turn this around. In order to do that, we have to win on foreign soil.

I really wanted to be part of the team. I wanted to be the captain of the team that did that. It didn't come to fruition But it will and hopefully I'll be traveling over there and maybe I'll be having a cocktail with Curtis and Ben and and I'll be big smile My face what happens? Up next episode 297. This is from the quarantine period How Sutton came on to talk about a lot of things, one of which was how the game of golf has changed. And he spoke pretty passionately on this topic. So episode 297, how Sutton?

Sometimes I wake up and think I don't even know what golf is today, but that's a whole mother subject line right there. I'm happy to dive into that. I'm curious as to what you mean by that, not even sure what golf is these days. Well, there's no artistry in the game that much anymore. There's shots out there that don't mean as much as they used to. And there's people out there that are not learning the shots that are part of the game. And we've got balls that don't spend clubs that won't get it in the air and you know everybody's trying to low span and high-long angle and hit it as far as you can

and we hit a bunch of pulls and pushes but we don't hit hooks and draws. I'm talking good players now. It's face driven, you know, past driven, face driven, and no one knows anything about hitting a shot, let's say 150 yard shot into a 25 mile mile an hour went to a front fan over water because the ball doesn't spin and doesn't let you. So you want me to keep going because I can name it in different shots. Honestly, ten different shots that people don't know how to hit. You know, I just had a conversation with Fred Ridley the other day and I told him I said you know if we'd make the ball spend more

That there's an art and and we used it my or guy that could aim it down the left hand side of fairway and Cut it back into the center of the fairway And I said we respected him and we admired it and it was exciting to watch a guy be able to do that to have that much Command over his God's way and I said then on the other hand it was also exciting when he did it and he did mean to because then you got to see how he handled trouble by the curvature of the ball. I said we don't have that anymore and I said you know I'm not against 125 mile an hour club has to beat the ball going 350 yards. I said, let's just make it curve.

I said, let's put some excitement back into the game. And that's my theory. I mean, I don't mind the ball being as going as far as it is. That's fine. I mean, it's hurt the consumer for the ball to go that far. I can tell you that because the consumer has paid the price for all of this. They spent billions of dollars changing all of the golf courses around.

They're the ones that spend the billions of dollars buying five and six hundred dollar drive with the pros. You know, they don't have to pay for any of this stuff. Next up, episode three sixteen. This is with Henrik Stenson talking about two of the slumps he's gone through in his career and how he came out on the better end of it. Again, this is from a June episode, episode 316 with Henrik Stenson. It's two really, they go hand in hand the same way when you're playing good, they're connected

and they're going to be connected when you're playing poorly. So I've used the saying that you normally don't develop mental problems if you hit a 300 yards down the center line all the time, then you're not worrying about missing fairways. So yeah, I just started spraying it really off the tee and the first 20 provisional shots were probably not much thought in, but when you're hitting your 50th provisional tee shot, then you start thinking like, oh, what's down the left or what's down the right here? So, yeah, certainly, certainly ended up with both the technical

and the mental problem. And, you know, there's always something good coming out of something bad and that's when my, one of my ex-catties and that I worked with back in 2001, he introduced me to the Pete Cowan at the end of that year and I started seeing Pete and it was a long journey together with him and also my mental coach back in Sweden and it took us probably about two seasons, year and a half two seasons before we were back playing really good golf again. So yeah, that was certainly challenging times,

but I think you learned the most about yourself and what you need to do when things are tough. And you really got a deep, deep to get back. So I think I'm proud over a lot of fun, the wins and a lot of things I've achieved on the golf course but going through the two slumps that I've gone through is that's really character building and something I'm really proud of.

Up next, episode 270, this is with Cameron McCormick and Corey Lundberg from the Alta's Performance Center in Dallas. The Cameron is of course Jordan Speed's coaching talks about meeting Jordan for the first time and a great story about learning how special this kid's short game was. Episode 270, Cameron McCormick. Yeah, so different levels. I started receiving more in balance. I remember a kid that played AJG A level golf. He was a separator, but he wasn't one of the best. He started getting invitations. And his name doesn't really matter because no one would know him these days.

He's not playing anymore. But he started playing in invitations and playing really well. And that in the local community of Dallas Fort Worth here started to bring these in bounds in. And then one of those in bounds was 2006 when Jordan's dad called me and said, Hey, can I bring my son by? He's pretty darn good. I never had much instruction if any at all. And I want you to take a look where in the market for a coach. And then he started winning invitations at 14, 15 years old, and then it was just a flow of junior golfers from that point. And I think if we look back now, a five of the last nine US junior champions

have come through my coaching and also performance here. And then that turned into professional ranks as he grew, and I had other professional players at the same time. So it kind of happens in phases. Yeah, you can't expect to coach the best junior player in the country of the world and that for that to bring in professional clients. But as soon as you get successful professional client, then that can change things. I'm sure it's a story you've told bazillion times, but to talk to me about the first lesson with him, what your first meeting with him, all that stuff painted picture of what he was like. Two weeks, Shivey's 13th birthday, middle of the summer in Dallas, he comes in and he

just had played in an tournament called Stabust. It's a 54-hole tournament held in Waco, and the quality of the golf courses aren't great. Played an Air Force golf course with the size of the ground cracks or about the width of a golf ball. So you can lose a golf ball in a ground crack and... Yeah, thanks for coming. Truest hazard. Yeah, yeah, and we sit down and we talk. We talk for at least 30, 45 minutes, Jordan and myself and his dad.

And one of the questions I ask you, Miles, what do you want to do in golf? What can I help you achieve? What goals do you have in the first one you sit as a one of them? Win the most. I'm like, cool, let's go do it. To all the years old. And then we start hitting balls and he's got a really funky, it is an idiosyncratic movement, but my goodness could he control the ball and get hit all the shots. I oftentimes reflect back on the notes that I take in lessons and I'd never seen it before

out of someone so young. I'd coach some professional players to that point, but this was just how the world leads. So I turned off all my gadgets, my video, my track man, and I said, let's go play golf. I'm going to see this on the golf course. And he had supreme confidence in well and what he was as well and what he was doing. We went to the golf course, we played nine halls, I was awfully impressed. He shot even par, and it would be wrong to skip over the main story that I tell from that experience is I didn't seem hit many short game shots because it was hitting all fairways and all greens and I said, well, Jordan, I've got to test this short game that you're so confident with.

And so I gave him this challenge. And the challenge was to get up and down three different spots on three different holes. And he's not doing great and we get to the last hole. Playing it out, he makes par and I give him three up and down opportunities and there was a prize. It was an incentive for how well he was going to perform. And he needed to essentially hold two shots and get the other third ball up and down to win this prize. And he proceeds to hold the first one, short chip from off the fringe,

get the next bunker shut up and down by hitting it to like a couple of inches, maybe a foot away. And then the last shot, I picked the most difficult possible shot that I could find on the green. He looks at me, gives me a grin and he proceeds to hold this flock shot. To win what then was a very minor prize, but a major one in his mind, which was a hat from the golf shot that I was at. And, you know, the moral of the story, the point of the story is this kid showed up with such assurance, such a psychological advantage, a self-belief that he could get it done, and set the goals by really high and said, let me chase him down.

Wow, I've never heard that story. I'm sure you've told that one before. I've never heard the story. I've told it in the millions of times. I'm like, I don't know how long I should take to tell the story, because it could go all along. I've heard it before, and I'm like, on the edge of my seat. So'm like, I don't know how long I should take to tell the story because I could go all the time. I've heard it before and I'm like, I'm like on the edge of my seat. So yeah, it always get a whole the last one. Up next Joel Damon episode 335, eventually in this clip, we get to him telling the story

of how he shot 58. This was a really great episode. This isn't the most exciting clip in the world, but I just found, you know, the conversation with them to be quite interesting on day-to-day tour life and somebody that's improved a lot over the years. So I want to highly recommend you listen to episode 335, Joel Damon. I think my iron plate this year has been up to two degrees. It's always been okay, but my iron plate this year has been a lot better. I think of just this little more consistent. I haven't necessarily been, you know, you're always working on little things in your golf thing,

but I've always been able to hit it okay. My wedges and chipping were better for a while. I think since quarantine, they haven't been so great. Not practicing for three months is not a great idea, but I think that's slow down. But for me also, I think the other side is just not freaking out when I see my name on the leaderboard. Like I believe I'm supposed to be there now

and I expect myself to be there more often than that. So instead of just trying to hold on, or just if I'm around the cut line now, I'm trying to get in the top 25, and then I'm trying to get in the top 20 and then top 10. So doing that and just being more comfortable seeing my name on the board and having that freedom, I guess, has been good.

You really not practice for three months? Well, practice, I played plenty golf. I played two or three times a week, but I didn't hit a shot on track, man, until the Monday of colonial. And I never saw my coach, never played a sober round of golf in three months. So yeah, that's not true.

I played nine holes with a couple of juniors during quarantine where I had to walk. And that was the only time I didn't have at least one beverage. Do you play better when you're having some beverages? I did shoot 58. That was that was multiple. I think we had a standard is three or four on each nine. So that's pretty standard for us at Mason Country Club. Well, yeah, I was going to say like a blackout is when you're you know you're

taking it super deep, but if you're drinking while having a blackout, taking a deep, is that a double blackout? Yeah, I think so. There's definitely some browning out going on there. I do remember I had patted new something cool was happening on this 17th hole. I actually drank some water. It's pretty rare but I did. I actually like chugged about a lot on 17 and 18 and as in the fairway at 18 I'm like oh no did I like ruin this whole thing by having water but obviously I I didn't luckily in the end. Next up another one from Brad Faxon this is episode 276 and it's a poop story. Episode 276, Brad Faxon. Oh, the Buick Open. This was an amazing story. I didn't know it at the time,

but I had an allergy to kind of like wheat gluten and dairy. And the guy that I used to stay with at the Buick Open was the tennis pro there at Warwick Hills and he lived out at Lake Fenton and his favorite thing was beer and pizza And that's what we seem to be every night And he lived in this lake where you could waterscape beer pizza beer pizza So I have obviously early Thursday morning tea time as a 20-20 minute ride. I'm like, oh my god, I don't feel very good I had to stop two times on the way from his house to the court to course and then get to the course I'm playing. I think I was playing with Andy North and I was full fledged diarrhea.

I was losing it. And I'm like, I don't know if I'm going to get to play. I tee off on number 10 and go sprinting back into the clubhouse, come running out to hit my second shot, get on the 11th tee, hit my tee shot, run to another portlet. I went seven times on the front nine shot. I think I shot 29. I think I was six. You did tell this one on the first podcast,

but I love here you and even again. And I was taking some meds, some low modal or whatever that emotium, I was piloting there. I don't think I'm with the bathroom for two months afterwards. But I did have a doctor tell me, well you know why you won that tournament, don't because I ended up winning the tournament. Yes. No that Shot 65 the first round and Everybody's shaken head laughing in my group and probably at pizza and beer the rest of the week but

the This one doctor was friends with with Tomite, Ernie Katsuyama. He said, well, you know, when you take a little modal or a modium or whatever, the stronger drug, it's like a beta block. It just relaxes you, and that's why you won. And I got insulted by that. I go, come and give me a little credit. I didn't have diarrhea all four days.

Everybody like at the Masters used to laugh at me because part of my pre-game prep was hit balls on the range Go to put run into the men's room and come out and then go right to the first tee I Was the one that paid for the tee on the men's room on five were you a better afternoon player than morning player? Oh, yeah, still am next up episode 372 with right Thompson talking about writing about Tiger Woods and how he came up with that story. I didn't know anything and I wasn't expecting anything, which is probably why it worked. I just was like, I need to start calling people. I mean, I mean, it sounds oversimplicated, but basically what I just tried to call every thing he'd ever

interacted with in those 10 years. And the Navy SEAL thing was interesting. I still talked to some of those guys. I was texting with one two days ago. It's interesting that once one of them decided that they were talking, then everyone was talking. And so, you know, they took a long time to crack, but once you did, just a number of people who had whole area stories.

And like, I've gotten whole area stories after the fact, like after the story ran, some of the seals who I hadn't found reached out to me. Do you mind, for the listeners at least, Revis, it's impossible, it's like a 14,000 word story or something like that, it's impossible to recap it completely, but kind of just at least telling the story of,

you know, at least what I consider the main crux of the story, which was after his dad passing, passing away, he really, you know, looked quite seriously into becoming a Navy SEAL. And to the point that like he was running around our earth in combat boots and long pants, which is, you know, you have to do, there's a sort of unaffordable number of pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and a timed mile in combat boots that to even sort of be considered to get into the buds, which is the seal selection process and weeding out process in the training program.

And I mean, he was doing that. I mean, that was not, that was something that was happening. And there were friends of his who really thought that he wanted to join the Navy. You know, it's interesting that seeing, I sort of feel like the Jack, catching Jack obsession is a media thing. But I feel like I learned enough about Tiger Woods to know. In some ways, I bet last year's man, was it last year? Good Lord, it seems like 10 years ago. I feel like I learned enough about Tiger Woods to know.

In some ways I bet last year's man, was it last year? Good Lord, it seems like 10 years ago. Was it last year's master's? Really meant the world to him. People don't realize his kids had never seen him be Tiger Woods. One was an infant and the other one wasn't born the last time he'd won a major.

They heard all these stories. He talks about his kids thought he was a YouTube golfer. Yeah. And so in some ways, I'm just so happy for him. I'm happy for him for a million reasons. But one of them is that his kids don't have to sort of spend their whole lives trying to get to know Tiger Woods. The most important part of his father's life would have

forever been a mystery to them. It would be a thing they learned about, but never it felt. And so for him to get to do that and for them to see him be type of fucking woods, that's an incredible gift. And I mean, I don't know how many majors he has now. 14, 15, 15 now, yeah. And I just don't think it matters. Like catch Jack I don't know how many majors he has now, 14, 15, 15 now, yeah. And I just don't think it matters. Like, catch Jack, don't catch Jack. His journey is incredibly singular. You know, he's like, well, Brian James in that heat was burdened with these incredible

expectations. And yet, they didn't break him. They've been in. They've been the shit out of him. I think he would tell you that but like there is something There was something I cried Watching that last year. I was on an airplane watching it and the airplane had the TV. Thank God and I just was really really emotional because I sort of

felt like I understood what it meant and What the God did some shitty things and like if you're his wife, I understand, they pissed at him, but I mean, my God, he paid a public cost. And so I was really, really happy for him. Yeah. Well, what were some of the, you touched on that you still are here in funny stories, trickle-in,

but either stories that you've heard since you've wrote it, or the ones, some of your favorite stories that made it into the story if you could relay some of our stories. Oh, well, I mean, secure the tennis ball is so great to me. You know, he likes to talk in military lingo, copy that. He's dog ran off of the tennis ball at a marina one time and he called down there and asked if they could secure the tennis ball at a marina one time and he called down there and asked him if they could secure the tennis ball You know one of the things they do in the kill house is they you presented with scenarios where their hostages their hostage takers There are civilians and you can only kill the right people and they just the seals love to laugh at how tiger kept shooting photographers

Which I thought was perfect. Like Freud, the motherfucker. I also love the part where they, they, you know, he comes in and they, they said they light them up his, his eyes lit up like a deer and headlights and they were lighting them up with, you know, paintball, basically like paintball guns, but how he wasn't ready for some of the attacks that came on him.

No, I mean, now these are serious people and all that stuff is hilarious. I mean, I, what are serious people and all that stuff is hilarious. I mean, what should have been one of the main takeaways of the story that like I don't think was was you do not want to fight Tiger Woods. Like, Tiger Woods will kick your ass. Like, I mean, you know, that is a bad, bad idea. And you also just think like, I mean, and this is sort of combining the two threads of this conversation, but watching Tiger Woods, when a golf tournament is very

different than watching one of these other guys won a golf tournament. And I don't just mean, I mean, the numbers bear that out for sure, but it's also just like, it's a difference between the Champions League and the NLSK, just in terms of the energy. Next up, Stefan Curry, episode 378, talking about playing in a corn fairy event and the nerves and all the everything that goes with playing a professional golf event. Such a cool experience and I've played in five finals, been in play in front of 19,000 fans and crazy, you know, adrenaline rushes out in the court. There is absolutely nothing to, no way for me to really express how nervous I was on that

first tee when they call my name. I damn there, I blacked out on the first tee shot. I just hoped I hit it and I hoped it got in the air. It was, it was really kind of an out of body experience. So, it's not your sport, you know, like basketball is your sport. You go, you go play. This is not your thing and you're doing it in front of a ton of eyeballs. There's got to be that kind of feeling.

Well, 100%. The other thing that I learned, which I don't think people appreciate watching these guys week after week after week is I was exhausted like mentally and physically and walking the course being in that mode for five hours straight like pre-round during the round post-round. Like it's getting in golf shape you know there's athletes out there but it's a different experience of staying you know locked in and engaged and all the different ways that they approach kind of being on top of the game. It's pretty awesome. Yeah.

And they pick up and move on to the next state city, whatever it is, the very next week and usually don't miss a beat. Well, before I build you up too much, I got to issue at least a bit of a mea culpa. So first, I do want to say I was a huge, in huge support of you playing in the, in the LMA because I appreciate that. It's great for the event. It's great for fans, great for golf, but not everyone, you know, some people have kind of bad attitudes towards that kind of thing.

I'm sure you heard at least some of that, but I also said before you teed it up, I was like, you're gonna do us all in the golf media world a great favor because you're gonna be, it help us highlight the difference between a scratch player and professional. And I said, if you broke 80, that'd be a great achievement. And I still believe that.

So you go out and shoot 74 and throw this huge curveball. And now I got a backtrack and try to, you know what I'm saying? The scratch player's not that far off. I'm like, no, no, no, you don't understand. Like this was a crazy, impressive achievement. So did you do better?

You shot 74, 74, in 2017. Did you do better than you expected to, honestly? See, that's like the, the, the teaser question for every golfer is like, yeah, I did better leading up to it, but in the round, like, damn, I left seven shots out there. If I could have, if I could have, you know, just played a little smarter, made a couple more puts, like, I might have been, you know, teased in with the cut. So I definitely, definitely keeping it real.

I definitely played better than I thought. It was one of those I had, you I had two or three bad T-shirts that might have taken myself out of position or whatnot, but I found a way to just save Bogey and kept my morale up. And I knew in those moments I was a huge victory or it could go, I appreciate you not mentioning what happened in 2018 in the second round. So we're going to get there. We're going to get there. I thought that. All right. But yeah, it was, uh, it was amazing to, to play a solid 18 holes. And then back it up the next day, knowing I had set the bar really high.

And the conversation around my game going into the tournament is like, all you're taking up somebody's spot is in that, um, which we all know it's not, not, not true in the case, but highlighting, you know, but highlighting how hard it is to make it to the PJ Tour and what these corn fairy guys go through just to make it to that level. But then the golf world started going crazy and hyping me up and congratulating me and all that type of stuff.

And I did the press conference afterwards and Jack Nicholas is talking about my game. Like, yo, this is absolutely insane. So to back it up the next day with another great round was awesome. And then shoot 71, the next year. I need to be one of the guys. Yeah, you beat Sam Ryder, I know.

I had that. That's my guy. You didn't want to name him by name, but I was willing to do so. Well, it seemed like the post. His mom found me in the clubhouse afterwards shooting at me. And that is officially a wrap on 2020. Thank you, everyone, for listening. All your long and we'll see you again at me. And that is officially a wrap on 2020 thank you everyone for listening all year long and we'll see you again in 2021. Be the right club, be the right club today!

That is better than most. How about in? That is better than most. Better than most. Better than most.