No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 402: Justin Suh

Episode Date: February 17, 2021

Justin Suh's professional golf career so far has been quite a journey. He details his experience chasing Monday qualifiers, traveling to places like Peru, Oman, Argentina, and many others, what encouraged him to donate half of his earnings from the Farmers Insurance Open, battling wrist injuries, his college success, and so much more.  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! at least since he's turned professional and not mentioned any one of the three of Colin Moorakawa, Matthew Wolf or Victor Hovelin. I'm not gonna say it was a conscious thing but it was definitely a conscious thing. Talk to him a lot about just the beginning of his pro career, battling some injuries chasing Monday qualifiers. There's a lot in this, you know, I think all heads kind of turned

towards the other three guys in that 2019 class but you know Justin's route towards the PGA tour has been, has encountered a few roadblocks. He's been playing some really good golf and has a great future ahead of him. And there's a great story about what he did, but this paycheck from the farmers insurance open. So also, if you listen to the Sunday Pebble Wrap-Up pod, you probably heard us mention Akshay Batia and the new putter he has in the bag, same one that John Brom has been playing since he switched into an Odyssey. To this point, it's been called a prototype, which is Odyssey code for, you know, we'll

be selling this to regular golfers soon, but not quite yet. That putter is the new Odyssey 2Ball 10, and it is now available. So in just a few weeks on tour, it's already Odyssey's most played model. Torpro's are loving how square it sets up, how low the profile is, and if you haven't seen it, just imagine, last year's Odyssey 10 putter with a little bit of sleeker, but a two-ball alignment on top of it, and it also doesn't just come in the two-ball alignment option. There's an option with a smaller thinner sightline, or you can do the whole bells and whistles,

full alignment technology, and get triple track on the new Odyssey 10 putter. All available with the Odyssey Stroke Lab shaft, which is lighter, stiffer, and more stable this year. Promotes better tempo and consistency in your stroke. So take a look at the new Odyssey 10 putters at Odyssey Golf.com. Let's get to Justin's so. All right, so where do we find you today? Got done with an early work out at a TBC Starman.

Grab some quick Starbucks and then the someone parking lot. What is, we're gonna, we got a lot to unpack here, a lot of what you've gone through in the last couple of years and what's on the horizon. But let's go there first. What's next for you? What's, you know, you're in the unambible position of kind of making your schedule as you go,

taking any opportunities that you get along the way. What's next, Monday, qualify, fire-wise, sponsor exemption-wise, internment-wise. What do you know what's on your schedule? For this season and the end of, or the beginning of this season, I've gotten three sponsor invites to start off with the Minikin, Shriners, and then I top 10 of Shriners going to Bermuda, then I just played at Farms Insurance. So I've gathered, I think it's around 145 FedEx Cuppoints and we need another 145 more for temporary status.

So fortunately, I've been given the opportunity to play in Puerto Rico and then Punticana the following weeks after. So those are the two Shur sponsor advice that I'm in. And yeah, we started to make a run after it. Are any of those events, are those events full FedEx cup points events and do you try to try to balance, you know, where you're gonna take your sponsor's exemption

with where the most FedEx cup points are to be earned, right? Because that's your ticket to the tour is getting enough FedEx cup points. You have to kind of balance that at all. You know, sponsor extensions aren't given out so easily. So whatever we get, it's a gift. It's exactly. So I'm putting Rico and Dominican.

I think they're off week events. I think WC concessions is during the week of Puerto Rico. So I'm not exactly too sure if it's like a full point event, but I mean, I'm just excited to compete and just get out there. I mean, I played in both of those events last year and it's kind of weird playing at Dominican in the same season because that was like one of the first events for 2020-2021 season.

But, you know, I enjoy going back to courses that I already played in. There's a sense of familiarity that that really is comfortable. And you can just kind of go out there and just play instead of trying to figure the course out in the beginning of the week. What is the process for pursuing sponsors exemptions? Is it something that you're working way in advance, you know, do you get to, how do you get to know these tournament directors? How do you butter

them up? You know, what is, you know, how that works? Is it personal? Is it your agent does that stuff? I'm wondering what your process is like? Yeah, you know, it's kind of, kind of a little bit of both. I mean, I reach out to them through email, try to get, try to like make a personal connection. I really enjoy meeting all these tournament directors because each, each tournament, they're all unique and how they run things, what, what the board process is like. So, some, some events they know early on and whether or not they are giving you the opportunity and some events you know the Friday or Saturday before. But you know, over the course of two and a half years

from being out of college, I've really connected with some tournament directors and you know, my agent, he's been in the business for a Peter Webb, he's been in the business for a long time, so he's definitely a great help in getting me connected with them and he's also getting connected with them on you know just throughout the season. So yeah, it's just like making personal connections and just getting to know these tournament directors. Do you ever have to have the conversation or do is it ever come up of saying, like, hey, I'd be willing to keep this tournament

on my schedule once I do. Hopefully knock on wood, have PJ Tour status in the future if you'd be willing to consider it. I'm wondering, I always wondered how that works with tournaments. you know, the obviously they have a lot of incentive to give out exemptions into to young players, but it doesn't always go that route. And I was wondering if that that ever comes up in conversation.

Uh, you know, it never really comes up on a, on the such an upfront basis. I think it might be implied. But it just might be something where, you know, like I've been given the opportunity within like the early, early stages of my career. So I'm definitely grateful that they're giving it to me. And, you know, like it's something to think about down the road on how you plan your schedule out. But I mean, it's just, yeah, I mean, it's just, uh, it's too soon to tell. I mean, I mean, they begin stages. So I'm just, you know, just like it to get

what I can get. Well, I imagine that you know, donating half of your earnings check back to the tournament, uh, might potentially help you with it when in, whenever you have a conversation like that with the tournament director. But I want you to tell us what you did with your farmers check what you were kind of what incentivized you to do that You know, especially as somebody who is just starting out in their career and hasn't you know a masked a massive amount of money Playing the game like some of the other tors pros what what encouraged you to to do what you did Yeah, you know, I mean, I was born and raised in California. The only times I wasn't living there was when I moved to Georgia for a couple of years when I was in like the second and third grade.

But besides then, I was born and raised. I mean, North Carolina guy went to school at USC, down in SoCal. And during the 2020 season and during the whole pandemic, you know, I've gradually gone back to California, not to just not to see my parents, but to see my sister who lives up in the like North Oakland kind of Berkeley area. And you know, over the course of the year, it's been super. I mean, it's just, you can see it every, because I don't go back every week, but I go back like a few months at a time,

and over the course of the year, it just, it was sad to see the neighborhood that my sister, like she lives in, it's a great neighborhood around Lake Merritt, and you know, these tents are constantly getting built up around this lake. And when you walk around the lake, it's not people that you would think are living intense. You know, I saw like young teens, people in their 20s, early 30s, with kids, and we're

just talking about it right now, I get a little shaken up just because of how sad it is, because it doesn't take much for something bad to happen where some huge traumatic thing happens and you just kind of get thrown into a bad path and then to add on the pandemic hits and you know all these businesses are closed where you can't work and some of them are you know like most of my friends like they're they're working at you know like as waiters and waiters and they all like reached out to me when when I donated this check so I know like everyone's hurting so during the farmers insurance you know like I went back to San Diego and me and my caddy we were like going around Sunday trying to find some food we

couldn't find anything and we're looking at each other and we're like man this is like really really sad. Everything's closed. And during the course of the week, I reached out to Peter Webb, my agent, and I was like, hey, man, what can we do to give back? And then I met Marty, the tournament director on Tuesday, and we just started talking. And over the course of the week,

we decided to give back to Century Club. They give back to local military, young kids that are in school and, you know, just back to the community. And that just felt like the right thing to do over the course of the tournament. Yeah, that's, I mean, that's powerful stuff. And I think, yeah, it just, it really caught my attention just with, you know, you're, you being a younger guy out on tour really just fighting for, fighting for status and that that had registered on your radar is, is, is seriously impressive.

And I'm wondering if you can kind of take people, I know that the last few years have been quite a journey and for those that aren't familiar, eight wins at USC, two-time all-American. And, and I have a overarching question here to get things started is, obviously you want to succeed in college and you just asking it this way, does it put, does a lot of college success put unreasonable or different or difficult expectations on a young professional golfer? Do you feel that pressure when you're coming out of school? It wasn't really, I think it was more the expectation that I had on myself. I mean,

especially leaving college and getting the ranking that I had, there was a certain level expectation that you wish to succeed once you turn pro. And obviously, it didn't go as I planned, you know, I heard my wrist in the beginning of the first year stars that I had. So it was kind of a little recovery stage. But I mean, no, not really. I think once you turn pro, it's kind of like you start your career and you start working for what you get what you work for. You have to put in the work.

And I don't know, I think it's just, it's been a lot of fun. I, it's hard for me to answer that question because there are certain expectations that you have as an individual player. And what you do in college, it sets a certain tone. Anything in college like winning was the biggest lesson that I could learn

within the four years I had at USC and just that mentality of being able to win and knowing how to win and close off a tournament that resonates when you turn in professional and that's something you're constantly trying to get back after and being back in the winter circle and being up there in the top after 72 holes. Well, that does answer the question, I think. And, you know, I want to go into your wrist struggles and kind of help set the scene for, you know, for a professional golfer.

I think a lot of, you know, golf fans can like here, like, always dealing with injury, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah man, these results really aren't looking very good right now, but I want to understand how a wrist injury can permeate its way into all aspects of the game.

I know you probably don't want to blame your professional, blame too much on an injury, but at the same time, it's impossible to separate out what kind of effect that has. So how bad was the injury? What are we working with? What is the current status of effect that has? So how bad was the injury? What are we working with? What is the current status of that year list? Yeah. So, you know, during that phase of me turning pro, I was playing so much golf. I went from college regionals to nationals, which is a marathon of golf.

Blue a red eye straight to memorial, played in memorial, and it's the one of the longest rubs that I played in like the whole season because college rough isn't that long, you know, just hacked it out there, and then I went to the US Open Qualifier in California, and then, you know, I was just moving from such different conditions, so I was, I was trying was trying to hit like so many golf balls, which was in hindsight a huge mistake. Trying to get my numbers down in each, like sea level to, to certain,

you know, I think we were playing like 90 to 100 degrees in Arkansas and, you know, 50, like 60 degrees every more. So it was such a huge change in temperature. And I was just hitting a weight to many balls trying to get ready for each event. So then once that little stretch got over, I went to travelers and before travelers I was starting to get some pain on my left wrist and I went into the PT truck that they had in each tournament and the guy was like, hey, like, he's kind of trying to feel it out and he was like,

yeah, it looks like a little 10 to 9 is and you know, I was like, okay, whatever, like, I'll just play through it. But what it affects during the week is that during your prep week, for Monday through Wednesday, I mean, I wasn't able to hit more than half a bucket to warm up. And when I had to play in these pro-ampss as a sponsor in invite, which I was glad to do, but it also kind of hurt to play 18 holes at the time. It's just a prep work. It was kind of sad because I just couldn't do what I felt

comfortable doing. And when the tournament starts, the rough is long. And I can't hack at it the way I normally could. And I kind of have to play defensively. And even when I do hit the fairway, it's not my normal swing. My body, your body has a way of reacting to certain injuries and certain pains and trying to have a conversation for it.

So just didn't feel comfortable. So each week I was missing a cup by a shot or two. And it was just me just grinding it out. Like, we were just, you know, doing the best they can and grinding it out, but it was just always a shot or two. So once that season was over, I just knew, like, in my head, I was like, I just need to get healthy. I need to work just on the right things and I'm there.

And I just had that belief in my head throughout the past year and a half just put in the work. You know, move that to Vegas and just focus on golf and it's been such a fun and rewarding time. Just because I know I've put in the work, I know I had that belief that I could start competing and to see results over the past few events and spend so much fun. Is it left wrist and is it on our side by chance? It was. Yeah. Yeah. Right now it's completely out there. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. It like it's hard to, I don't know if it was like this for you, but it actually affected me on like shorter clubs a ton, like putting just the more I had to angle my wrist. It was I played rounds where I had to put one handed because it hurt so bad. And it just permeates through everything. And I wonder, I wonder for me if it kind of caused me to get into some bad habits with my swing, which I later had a pretty bad slump because of it.

And I've heard you talk some about some things you've had to work on and some swing changes you've had to make. Did you have to kind of work around this injury, you know, one while it was hurt and then, you know, now that's been healthy is your swing different now for any reason. It actually is. Yeah. So I want to go see my coach, Bill Johnson.

He lives up in Newark, how I told him I was dealing with this injury and he, you know, it's funny. Like Bill, he made me switch a certain thing. It was a very simple move. It was kind of putting this glove under my left wrist. And just by doing that and working on that for quite a while, it really changed the way my swing worked. And then, you know, he kind of left me under your left wrist. Oh, sorry, my left armpit.

Arm bit. That's what I thought. Yeah, so just that feeling over time, I've developed a new swing that's a lot easier on my wrist. I'm rotating out more, turning my shoulders, finishing my shoulders at the finish, instead of kind of getting stuck and releasing the wrist. And over time, it just kind of got into such a comfortable position that it's just second

nature now. And instead of, you know, like I don't really have any swing thoughts, it's just kind of seeing the target and feeling it. And I think that's when everyone plays their best golf, when they're just no swing time, you just have full control of what the balls do in it. And you can feel it for what you just swing and just adapt instead of thinking about mechanics. And right now I'm at that stage and it's just fun

to just keep playing, like practice, like hitting balls is kind of boring now just because I want to go out there and make some birdies. That is exactly what I was getting ready to ask about next, which is just the balance of swing work, swing thoughts, and competing. And I think you just said it right there. Like nobody plays and exaggerating a little bit. Nobody plays great their best golf when they're fully thinking

about their golf swing while they're playing, right? Yet at the same time, when you have mechanical things that you need to work on, how do you find that balance between like, hey, I need to like,, how do you find that balance between like, hey, I need to like, you know, I'm doing these drills and everything off the course, it's gonna help me when I get to the course, but how do you stop thinking golf swing on the golf course?

Do you ever, is there a specific time where that happens? Or is it just something that kind of evolves naturally? I actually think it resonates from how you practice on the range. If you spend a couple hours just focusing on your swing, there's no shot you go out on the range or out on the golf course and you're not thinking about your swing. Fortunately, the way I've practiced the past almost six years now because we started this in college and I was lucky enough to have coach Sanbury at USC as my coach who kind of created

this practice format is hitting shots like hitting numbers with Trackman. I mean we did the whole football field where I'm hitting a target and the target's him. He's standing out in the football field and we're hitting it towards him and he paces it off. So I'm still lucky. I keep in touch with him. And I've got a track man now. So when I practice, almost every shot is accounted for

on the range. So instead of thinking about mechanics, you're thinking about just executing the shot. So if we're doing a high random, if the numbers 161, that's what I need to focus on. Just hitting the shot at a certain target You know, it's it's like this thing where like basketball players like like LeBron and Kobe They always kind of they're like huge idols of mine Kobe especially like you want to practice the way you play

It's hard to just turn it on for a tournament Rather if you're just kind of always on like like especially when you practice and, you know, every shot, it's the same shot, same routine, how you would execute on a golf course, that means you're always on. And I think that helps not get into the, you know, the bad routine of just constantly working on your swing, messing with different positions,

and staying just hitting a shot, feeling like having full ball control, and just, you know, it's so much more fun. You're just hitting a downward, and you know exactly what you're doing. A quick break here to check in with our friends at Woop. You've heard us talk a lot about Woop. You can go to Woop.com

and use promo code no-lang up for 15% off all of their offerings here. I've been using this a lot lately as I'm trying to train for a tournament I'm playing in this upcoming week. Trying to balance my alcohol intake, how well I'm sleeping, how well my body's recovering, making sure I'm peaking for something. It's a great tool to use.

If you have something you want to peak physically for, it has great programs to help you train to do that. People that have been in the groups, you can get in these groups and you can see other people's data. People who are in the same groups as I keep coming up to me in the street, be like, sir, I'm just so crazy jealous

of your recovery times. It's been so impressive. How do you do it? And I tell them it's just a skill that, you're gonna learn over time. It's something that, you know, Woop has helped me a lot with. I have a great podcast that kind of talks about the benefits of their fitness wearable. And that we're really just kind of scratching the surface of what it can do for you both physically, mentally, better sleep routine.

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So, I have this quote here from you for it was from Golf Digest. And I don't know when the second half of last year that they're referring to in the quote. I think that means second half of 2019 don't know when the second half of last year that they're referring to in the quote. I think that means second half of 2019. But you said the second half of last year, I spent a lot of downtime in my hotel room, just me and my phone,

I was just scrolling and scrolling. It was toxic. You start looking at 10,000 golf videos, it's gonna creep into your swing. So it sounds like you, this is part of your learning process of that whatever you were doing there in the second half of whatever year that was it was

Having an effect on how you practice day and L and your golf swing Yeah, just because like especially when you're not going through like especially when you're not playing good golf And you're kind of like trying to find and seek something that might work I like I said like going through Instagram and Facebook and looking at so many golf videos throughout the day, like, you're going to, your, your mind will try to gravitate towards something that might work and something that might he, like, might click for you. But at the end of the day, all it's doing is just making you change something new each day. And you're never going to develop the habit, the anchor that your swing needs for you to just look at a shot and just hit it because you're always going to have something else in your head where you're like, you just have to build your own anchor. You just have to develop your own swing and, and, uh, you know, just own up to it.

Like it's, uh, it's, it's something that's going to be what you rely on, um, in those pressure moments. And I feel like when I, not to insert too much of what, what I've been going through here, but it's like, all right, so you look at something on film and you say, wow, I'm aimed too far left. So the next day you are coming back, you're like, all right, so you look at something on film and you say, wow, I'm aimed too far left. So the next day you are coming back, you're like, all right, I'm closing my shoulders, a little bit, closing my stance a little bit.

All right, you know what, now I've kind of got it good. And the next day you go to do it again, and you're like, okay, let's close the stance and close the shoulder. And then you start creeping, and now you're aimed too far right. Like you almost, it's hard to figure out when your body has adjusted to changes you're making

and when you need to tell your body, you need to to changes you're making and when you need to tell your body you need to make changes. Does that make any sense? Am I on the right track with some of that? Yeah, I mean, I'm... So me and my coach feel that's literally all we work on. I saw him on Friday just a few days ago and we only worked on alignment and set up because I have my anchor right now where Where it's my swing and if just the feats a little off or the shoulders a little off it'll do something Something weird to the ball. Some of them that you're not really

Expecting so only day was fixed up a few alignment issues and you know, we just keep it super simple Once that's figured out you just again go back to what I practice is just going back to just hitting your numbers, hitting working on hitting shots, going out in the golf course and just playing like how you have played in a tournament. Well this is going to be kind of a multi-part question but I want to know when you walk off the course for the last time as an amateur and you're now going to become a professional golfer. Are you aware of or do you know like where you are week compared to your torporos or where you need to improve specifically what you need to get better at or does it take maybe a little bit of time of playing PJ tour golf courses and playing, playing side-by-side in competition with PJ Tore players to really show you what you need to be working on. I'm just kind of wondering

if you knew what you needed to work on coming out or if that's something that you were, anything you were kind of hit with, I'm like, oh man, this needs to get better if I want to compete out here. Yeah, that's for sure. Just because the courses we play in college and the courses we play on tours, it's pretty different. As far as distance-wise, green speed, and just the variability of what you're going to expect week to week, instead of having three weeks to prepare for an event, sometimes you're

going from week to week to week to a new course. And something that I learned just from playing in all these exemptions, you kind of see how people prepare for each event. You know, like we're lucky to have all these stats and data on PGA Tour, where you can kind of see how you rank in relative to other pros. After the first season of getting exemptions, like obviously my iron sucked. I wasn't hitting greens, like I just wasn't hitting the right shots, but over the, actually, the pandemic, honestly, for me, it was, it was almost a blessing because I, I mean, no tournaments.

As far as, like, career wise, it was a blessing just because, like, there was no tournaments, and it was kind of a, a time to just, kind of, practice. Like, it was just figure some stuff out, get to work. Yeah, like, after the first season, like, we just looked some stuff out, get to work. Yeah, like after the first season, like, we just looked at the stats or me and my coach's anemory, like we were like, shit, iron suck. Let's get to work. Let's get back to doing the drill, let's get back to, you know, what we're working in college. And I think I looked the other day and I actually texted him about it. I think I'm right to in a stress game,

approach to the green. That was a huge jump from where I was a year and a half ago. You know, it's still more constantly trying to get better. And yeah, I just, I think I've kind of surpassed the level that I was in college and kind of playing at a new comfort level of where I feel like I should, you know, expect to be at a push, approach to the green and, you know, my ball striking,

but yeah, there's a couple of things I still need to work on, but, you know, it's slowly but surely. Yeah, that's interesting, you say that about, you know, the, you know, the force, force stop in golf, you know, all other things, you know, put aside that about the forced stop in golf, all other things put aside there, the forced stop in golf, with being good for you. Because of, we've talked a little bit about sponsors exemptions that you're trying to get and whatnot, but you're also chasing Monday qualifiers.

It is just a constant pursuit for you. Like, comparing that to a tour pro that has full exemptions and can make out their schedule versus like you have to go out and play near perfect golf on Mondays just for a chance at a tournament. And you don't know if you're gonna do that. Sounds like you played some great golf in Monday qualifiers and it just like did not. So he's a fun to accuse up and kill him, man.

I know, I know, but like you've got to tell us about that. You've got to tell us that story of how that's gone. It's, you know, like, oh my gosh, these Monday's shoes are brutal. Like gosh. Oh, man, I've been, I've been playing in like, as soon as the pandemic is over, I started doing the Monday cues.

And you know, my first event, I think it was the Cornfery in Utah. I shot seven under and we did like a six hole playoff and it got dark and I remember I just you know couldn't even see the green and got bumpy. Lost on that final hole. I was like, okay, darn it. You know, I had a couple in San Antonio where my caddy

actually lives and at Brakes Ranch and I shot eight under the first week. And they're both at the same course. And for a cornferry event in San Antonio. So I shot eight under, missed it by one, come back the next week at the same course, shot seven under, and then missed it by one. And it's been that way for almost every corner for you are like every Monday queue where I'm just like,

a shot away and it's just brutal, man. It's, I mean, you're playing against so many guys for one day for three or four spots and, you know, you just kind of have to get hot. But I'm taking that. That's the thing. I didn't get hot, but just not hot enough. I know. So it's just, you know what? The thing is out of all these Monday cues, like you definitely

learn, like there's some, there's a learning experience that I've, I've gathered away from just all these Monday cues. And it's really just what it takes to show up for one day, really playing, really like knowing how to just kind of, like that whole thing about turning it on, it's like, no, no, you just can't turn it on for one tournament. Like you have to be playing good golf and good rounds like in your practice to, you know, make it almost effortless when you play in these Monday

queues and just go out there and it shouldn't be a surprise to you that you shot 800, 700, 600. It's something that you develop over the course of your practice and these Monday queues. It's just Tommy. Over one day, a tournament Thursday, Friday, it's a cut after Friday, you just kind of teaches you, you know, just to kind of always be on and just, you know, just grind, just get after it. Yeah. You just, you just kind of have to play. It always amazes me though the length that that pros will go to to get to these Monday

qualifiers like people will fly to Ecuador for a Monday for a PJ tour Latino America event like you will do whatever you can to get in events and just with even knowing how crazy the odds are against you even if you're going to go play your best golf you still might not get in like that's just and Monday you know Monday I forget that a case of the golf on Twitter does a does a great job following all that stuff but like I almost can't read it And like that's just in Monday, you know, Monday, I forget that a case of the golf on Twitter does a great job following all that stuff, but like I almost can't read it anymore because I just get so frustrated and I don't even have to go on this pursuit. Yeah, imagine my position.

I know. Oh, man, it's just played in him. It's fun, but it's tough, man. Like I was in my early kind of Monday. Yeah, I'm learning. But like you go on all the way to Mexico, just to play in a one day event. And it's just like God, the travels for one day of any just like, man, this is definitely tough. And you know, it's a still think it's a

super underrated aspect of tour life. In my opinion, it's just tour players ability to pick it up and move their whole operation to a new location, new course, new climate, you know, new hotel and just like pick it up and play world class golf week, week out, weekend and week out. And it just, it sounds like, you know, you're on a different pursuit there. You're chasing the opportunities there. But, you know, I'm wondering if you can share what any aspect of tour life, that aspect of tour life has been like so far.

I imagine it's quite different than college. Of course, you're playing different courses in traveling and whatnot, but it's more constant as a pro and it's much more demanding. And I'm wondering if any of that has surprised you. Yeah, so in college, you still have to have schoolwork. You know, you're still playing golf or can out, but you have schoolwork. But now, when you turn professional, golf is your career.

Like, it's something that you kind of focus on 24-7 and trying to find ways to get better. You plan your whole days out, you plan your schedule out, all revolving around golf. And it took me a little bit of time to really realize that you have a lot of time out in some light, but you also have to like create time to, you know, get away from golf.

And I think like over the course of these like Monday qualifiers and traveling so much, you find a certain pattern and what makes you play your best golf. And it might be like during that Saturday or Sunday after a practice round, like instead of playing 18 holes and just go straight to the hotel room, like you just kind of need a little break from, from like focusing on this like one huge event

that'll like get you into a tournament. And instead, like, you know, go for a walk or go, you know, just go to a local like, no, like downtown area, like go by the beach. Like I love walking and we're running like down alongside the beach. So I walking and we're running like down alongside the beach So I've definitely like found these patterns that work for me leading up to an event and Just kind of getting away from golf getting away from your phone getting away from Netflix

And just you know training and and kind of getting out of the hotel room And that's something you learn once you turn pro and just find you what works you. So I've got and you're going to help me fill in this list here. I've got Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Oman, you mentioned Mexico. Where is pro golf taking you? And what's that been like, you know, all the foreign travel, you know, seeking, seeking, you know, playing PJ toilet in America, you play in your European tour event? What, what's been the highlight of that or what are some some some fun stories you may have from any of those places?

Yeah, I mean, you named it. That was almost like, that was all within like a few month period of playing in these like sponsor invites. And you know, there's playoff. So there's nothing else to play in. So my agent was like, hey, like, let's get some status.

Like let's get some status. So I went down to Latin America, played in Peru. Like you said, Peru, Argentina. Gosh, like, you know, like going down to Latin America, that was such a cool experience. It kind of opens your mind into like a new perspective on how lucky we have it in the States. Land America, there's so many working class people, just people, it's such a different

community where there's a lot of people, when I was in Peru, the traffic there was insane, people are biking right alongside your car. You're kind of this at the first time because I've never been down there. And it's just, you know, you come back to the station like man, like we really have it lucky. We have different rights. We have different privileges.

And that's just a perspective that I was lucky to see. And even going to like Oman, when meeting, I'm like, I think McC caddy, he's usually the local caddy that caddies out there, and you know, I am seed out there, but you know, he showed me around, we got to play at a local golf course, and I got to meet some of his friends, and they all, like these people are from literally everywhere, like we had the most diverse dinner, I think I've ever had it was an Australian who was my caddy Whose friend was like this guy from Texas his wife was Chinese and

There was another guy from I think like Brazil Like it was so cool and we're all just playing golf and you know It just kind of shows you like the beauty of the sport. We're like all these different people like just came together for the love of the sport. And you have like traveling to all these places. It's definitely eye opening and it's just so much fun. Like you're just, you know, like looking at the culture, the different foods, you know, like how people live.

And at the end of the day, you kind of just realize like, we're all just kind of, like we're all the same. Like we're all, we're just all like little monkeys, you know, just, just try to, just try to go a long life. We all the community. I found the importance of really keeping a close connection to your friends and keeping in touch. And we've got, you know got these phones that make it super easy

to stay connected out of all these travel. Like you just, you know, you got to stay grounded. You got to stay true to your roots. Fortunately for me, I've got great friends who I stay connected to on a daily basis. Yeah, it's amazing how, you know, you're experiencing this a lot younger age in life than I did, but how you'll never be the same after traveling

Extended travel internationally like you just it's impossible to like you have a whole different perspective on how people in different Different parts of the world do things and I could tell from how you describe that how much that has already resonated with you And it's it's you know, obviously the world is not at a place where that's possible But any chance I get to encourage people to just like go somewhere where you might be even a little bit uncomfortable. It's one of the great things you can do with your life is to get out and see the world and get that perspective. And I think that's almost an untold story in golf, but kind of something that doesn't get emphasized enough with just all the things you see on the PGA Tour Latino America.

You have to work kind of hard to get some of the stories out of, you know, I think Keith Mitchell told us one about someone waking him up in Panama. And if he hadn't woke up, he would have missed his T time and he would have never got his card and all the crazy, like walks of, you know, the place the game takes you. And it's really cool to see like your perspective on that already at a young age I mean, I remember the first time went to Peru. I got into I got into a taxi and it was in the middle of the night and I took my phone out like I was in the passenger seat And you list I mean, he's like put your phone away. I'm like what?

I only put my phone away. He's like no, no, no, no, no, put your phone away. I'm like, what? Oh, I put my phone away. He's like, no, no, no, no, put your phone away. I'm like, okay. And then I realized like, if I had my phone out in the middle of the night, and we were kind of driving through this neighborhood, and he was like, if someone sees you with a phone, like there's no hesitation where you're gonna just kind of be a gunpoint, and they're gonna try

to steal your stuff, because they know you're a visitor, they know you're like, you know, you're just visiting and you got, you know, you're probably American. Like I was like, oh my gosh, like, you know, like this is, this is, you kind of have to be alert. You know, stuff like that where you're just like, oh no, like we're not in America. This is, this is a little different. Um, it's these stories where we're like, land America, like it was, it was so cool because you go from Peru to the middle of nowhere, like Rio, UNDO, and Argentina, where we stayed at this like a scene where it's like a couple miles away

and then the next week or in Patagonia. And you're like, oh my God, like Patagonia was one of those places that I didn't realize was all my bucket list. Like you get there and you're like, oh, this is cool. You know, you're like, oh, like this is definitely wasn't all my bucket list. But now that I came here, like, oh, I for sure was. Well, yeah, it's not all, it's not all like the tour life.

Yeah, it's not all, it's not all, you know, private jets and all that stuff. You know, there's a, yeah, it's just, it's just all you know private jets and all that stuff You know there's a Yeah, it's just it's just kind of part of part of the culture is part of part of life and traveling to all these places It's kind of funny. I think you've interviewed Joseph Bramlett Yeah, who's who's like a big brother of mine You know, I'm really like his dad is like my second dad. He's helped me through my junior golf and college and pro career. But Joe, he kind of said it a couple of weeks ago,

we're playing in front with his coach of match and we have super intense matches. He's kind of like my practice buddy. And he's like, man, I think he made this pot to like time or whatever. And he's like, man, it's tough to get into your stomach. He's got to like, it's tough to get under Justin skin. He's just so high on life.

And I like, I heard that. I was like, yeah, pretty much. Like nothing really gets to me because of, you know, like, I just kind of see life and like in a different perspective. And like, I just love to compete. I love like how everything is just, everything is just revolved around golf. Like when you put your mind in a different perspective and how one shot doesn't matter,

it's just kind of enjoying everything that's thrown out you. And Joe, when he said that, it was just kind of funny because I can't try it under his skin. That is interesting and that's an aspirational vibe to have that. But I would love to say I have that when I'm on the golf course and that's probably where I play my best golf. But you can't fake that. You can't cheat that. Like, do you have a secret toward having that kind of perspective on life? Because when things aren't going great for me and for a lot of people I see that I play with,

like, it is super hard to like fake that smile and fake that laugh and say, hey, everything's okay. Yeah, I think it comes from like not really, like for me, what doesn't dictate like what makes me happy or like on the dictate, like what makes me happy, or like on the golf course, what makes me happy, it's not the results of like playing well. It's more of the process of like coming out here, practicing, working like I really enjoy like when I come back home and I get to go to the gym, I wake up early, I'm a morning person, so I wake up early, go to the golf course, and just having the conversation,

like every little bit of like where this career has taken me. And you know, just like from meeting the car guys, having conversations with the guys in the shop, being able to play and practice with other professionals who live out here, like I just really enjoy like getting to work and getting better and getting to have the privilege. You're just to compete in the sport that I love and something that I've dedicated my life to. It's just that perspective being like, man, this is fun. This is just something that I'm lucky to be able to do as a job, as a career. And that's just always in my head. We're like, this is just fun. Like this is what we worked for when we were in, when we were kids, like,

I mean, good or bad, like golf comes in state, like, ways, like, can't always play good golf. You can't always, you're not always going to play bad golf. You're going to figure it out. Um, and just having that inside of like, you're going to figure it out helps And just having that insight of like, you're going to figure it out helps you to go through the good and the bad. Amen to that. And you may have blown my cover on who my source is

on a couple of things that I was gonna needle you about. It's somebody that you have mentioned so far, but I've heard you have spent, you spent a decent amount of time, you've become, I guess, a video game nerd since Turning Pro, and you spend a decent amount of time you've become I guess a video game nerd since turning pro And you spend a decent amount of time on YouTube scouting out called duty moves. Is that is that accurate? I think we're peace it together Was that Joe? Yeah.

Oh man. Yeah, over the past off season. Yeah, I've got into your call duty, war zone. And it kind of started out as like, when I play, I only play with my friends. So we get on, we all say, hey, you get on, like squat up. So it's just me and my friends. And that's like the time where we kind of connect.

Like while we're gaming, we were on, we've got our mics on. And, you know, we have these like long conversations. We update each other on what we're doing. And, you know, like, it's just, I only play with them. And you know, like it's just, I only played with them. And you know, it's like our time to like kind of debrief at the end of the day, like, how was your day? Like, what's going on? Like, um, and then like after that, like, competitiveism, me kind of took over where I just hate dying to these 13-year-olds and 12-year-olds on the other side of the mic, you know, just beating me and I was like, gosh, like this sucks. So I started watching these like streamers and just trying to get better and

Yes, kind of taking a path on this own where I've kind of just tick over and just Got a little too competitive where I just wanted to get better. And now I'm like playing with these guys who stream and you know like I'm keeping up and I'm learning all these moves and kind of got a little too into it. I love how much you lit up with that question. He also gave me he said there's a rumor out there potentially that even when you were tearing it up in college that you couldn't you were not the best uh... the best player in your family. Uh...but well Zee referring to my sister? Yes he says you could not beat your sister.

The rumor is that you could beat a sister in college. No chance, no chance. I'm never admitting to that. I had a feeling that might be the answer. Yeah, in college, maybe in the beginning stages, when she was getting better, when she was in college, but there was a certain time where even she admitted it, like I just kind of took off on my own.

But yeah, I can't admit that. I'm a little sibling. I got to beat her. A great player in her own right is what I was told. But I have a random question kind of in line with, there's a lot of discussion around distance in the game of golf today. And I was especially curious to get your perspective as somebody who just graduated from the amateur game into the professional game.

What is your perspective on, let's just say potentially that we end up with a bifurcation situation with equipment where pros are playing different equipment, you know, a criticism of it and one that I don't have a great answer to is, you know, where do you draw the line? Where do you start with dial back equipment, you know, what would the transition be like for top college players into the professional game? I wonder if you're kind of clued into that conversation at all one and two. What would it, what do you think it would be like? What would the transition be like if you, you know, you're playing equipment

you're playing today as an amateur, but when you turn pro, it might be, you know, a spin in your ball. It might be dial back in some way. Do you have any kind of any thoughts on that? You know, first of all, I'm here. I yeah, yeah. You know, like I grew up with Bryson and he's always, I have so much respect for what he's dedicated to the game of golf.

You know, he, like ever since we were junior golf, like he was trying out so many new things where I was on the golf course, just. I mean, I was playing with him in like NCAA, agency events, and he was coming out with some crazy things, like punting one handed, shaved irons. And my head was going crazy. And like a funny story, like, I remember, like, we were going, we were playing like this North and South match for California. And he was like reading this huge, huge book or like this 300 page printed out paper.

And we were like sitting around in the college or not in the hotel room. And like the night before he, he like mentioned the perfect radius or something. Like, it's a conference of where the ball like, does a perfect 360. and I went to bed with that number in my head and uh like the next day I had like

seven perfect 360 live-ups and just like stuff like that. So first like first of all like Bryson like when he's down to the game he it's I admire so much. Like, he knows that Stroke's came off the tee, is a huge advantage in shooting low scores, and playing all these major championships,

where they tip it out. But for me, I have a different build. Like, I'm not the tallest guy, I don't have long, lengthy arms. Like I can only get so much out of my body to where it'll sustain me for the course of the season. And so what I need to get better on is completely different from guys who are six to six feet six, you know, like those guys have the ability to get the distance to make themselves better. But for me, I have to strategize a little differently. And that comes from approach to the green, being a great

putter, driving accuracy, short game. So, you know, it's kind of, it's kind of, kind of, it's kind of, I understand it. Like, I understand why so many players are transitioning to hit it longer. But for me, like, I'm trying to be the best iron player because I know that my driving distance is only going to peak at a certain level. I can hit it straight, but I know what's going to get lead me to a win on Torrin competing at the highest level is hitting great

iron shots, being a great putter, short game. So you kind of have to realize and kind of admit to yourself where you need to be the best at. Over the course of the pandemic and what Bryson has done to the game, it's cool to see so many people trying to hit it farther, but for me personally, it's, I know it's not going to be my pursuit and trying to hit it 350 yards

because I know what needs to get done for me to play at the top level and it's getting better at certain different things. But you know, I admire what he's doing. I admire what other other professionals are pursuing, but just for me personally, it's not something that's critical. And just handing it longer, I want to get, I want to be healthy. I don't want to have injuries. I want to be able to play a full season, you know, without fatigue. And that's my pursuit.

Each player is going to be different. We all have different body types. You know, we're all going to focus on different things. And, you know, it's just golf. That's what golf kind of brings. Like everyone's so differently. I think the stat on tour or whatever, like the shortest scoffer is five four,

the tallest golfer is like six five, whatever. Like there's so much range in between there. And you know, you just kind of have to figure out what works for you. That is extremely, extremely interesting. So we're not gonna hear you yelling 208 before you go hit a ball on the board. Yeah, you might, I I messed around with it.

You know, just during practice, like... To be in zone, like... Yeah, like Joe like, Bradley, like we, you know, we give each other so much shit. Like his coach came down last week and just saw us practice and play nine holes where we're competing in nine holes and it's just constant shit talking.

It's so much fun. And he's never really experienced that dynamic between two people. And we have a very special bond. And when I out drive him, I let him know I out drive him. And it pisses him off so much. And when he out drives me, he knows it pisses me off, but like, you know, like that's not what I'm really going after.

Like I'm going after birdies, but you know, when something like that happens, it's just all fun. Like it's, we just let each other know. Well, hey, man, thanks for spending an hour with us. Really greatly appreciate your time and perspective. We'll have to have you back. And I know the girl can definitely be picking up some fans after this one. We really appreciate your time and perspective. We'll have to have you back and I know the you're gonna definitely be picking up some fans after this one. We really

appreciate your perspective and best of luck. Can't wait to see what's next. Awesome. Thanks so much. Yeah. I'm excited to see what's next also. All right. Looking forward to it, man. Cheers. Awesome. Thanks for having me on. That's the right club, be the right club today. Yes. That is better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most.

That is better than most. Expect anything different.