No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 641: Colt Knost

Episode Date: February 8, 2023

Colt Knost joins Soly to talk broadcasting, his amateur and pro career, the PIP, the injuries that ultimately derailed his playing career, playing money games with Phil and some great stories from his work in golf media. 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. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No-Lang, a podcast. Sally here going to be sitting down shortly with Colt Nost from CBS Sports and Golf subpar and gravy and the sleaze, all the things that he's got going on, which we talk a lot about amongst his pro career, amateur career, many things to talk about with golf.

I know we never had Colt on actually on the podcast, but this man can talk some golf and he loves it. The action in Arizona here is heating up ahead of the WM Phoenix Open. This weekend, Draftking Sports Book official betting operator of the PGA Tour is giving you even more cause for celebration. New customers can place $5 on any PGA Tour bet and get $200 in free bets instantly. You can go to our YouTube page to see our picks for the week. Do not follow my picks.

I have not hit a single one this entire season. It is a streak unlike any other. If you're attending the tourney this weekend, be sure to check out the draft king's money putt event happening between the 16th and 17th holes. And football fans, don't forget about the big game happening in Arizona this Sunday. Everyone's talking about the big game happening in Arizona this Sunday. Everyone's talking about the big game here in Arizona. Download the Draftking Sportsbook app now. Use promo code NLU, New Customers Place, a golf bet of at least $5 and get $200 in free bets instantly.

Only a Draftking Sportsbook official betting operator of the PGA tour with code NLU, minimum age and eligibility restrictions apply. Void and Ohio C show notes for details. Here is Colt Nost. All right, we're in your neck of the woods. We're in your home, your studio. age and eligibility restrictions apply, void in Ohio, C show notes for details. Here is Coltnost. All right, we're in your neck of the woods. We're in your home, your studio. Thank you for letting me in.

Of course, thanks for having me. I've been waiting a long time to do this. I'm excited. We've been talking about it for quite some time, but glad we can, we're here at Waste Management this week. CBS off to a quick start with the new year, if I may say. You like it? It is vastly improved.

Would you agree that it's vastly improved? I'd say what, it's very exciting. Everything we got coming, Seller's Shy has done an awesome job. I mean, even from last year, I thought went great to this year with the transition to Trevor Imelman to having the guys mic'd up now.

I mean, which we got to give a huge shot to Max Homa. He was big time involved in that and it was a home run, in my opinion. Now Keith Mitchell this past week at Pebble. It's great. I mean, for us golfers, we kind of know what's going on. You got the boom mic there and everything, but to hear them take us through a shot or what they're thinking about walking down fairways.

It's just access we've never had before. And by the way, we have a win and a T4, I believe. So I think players are going to be lining up to do this. I would hope so. I would hope so. And it's not like I said this couple of times already. It's not game changing. It's not going to be you're not going to be rolling on the floor laughing. It's not hilarious. But it's just engaging. It just brings you right there. John LeMani calling Keith off the shot to come back in and change the number on there. Now I'm like super otherwise that golf shot would have just blended in with the rest of them.

But I'm super engaged into oh now I'm curious if this is gonna fly the right number and that's catnip for hardcore golf fans. It's crazy What's happened in both of these like Max is ball plugging in the bunker and he's like I'm not gonna touch it And then John LeMani calling him off like that's not scripted like week that's lucky for us Like having a caddy call a player off in a situation like that as he's miked up, I mean, that's just beautiful. And John's not like a, let me steal the show. No.

That's the last thing he would want probably. Honestly, he probably didn't even know that he was miked up. So what is the, what is the, I've heard and read about descriptions you've made about your role here with golf media that you're, you're extremely passionate about this, which I just find, I find that interesting as a, as a professional golfer. Are you still a professional golfer? And what has this transition been like from professional golf into broadcasting? Yeah, I'm technically still a professional golfer.

I have no interest in playing tournaments. I actually had full status on the corn fairy tour this year if I wanted it based on playing five straight years on the PGA tour, but with everything I can go on, I don't think it's fair for the guys that are trying to make it in Progoth for me to go out there and play. Even though I earned it, you know, going out there and whoever's first alternate probably wouldn't be very happy with me when I tee it up that week, and I get that. I'm very focused on all this between subpar, I've got the series XM with gravy in the

season and CBS. You're busy. I'm so much. I'm very busy, but I love it. I don't really consider it work. I mean, I'm very busy, but I love it And I don't really consider it work I mean I'm talking about the game. I love every single day all day people I meet people and they're like I you probably don't want to talk about golf and I'm like, man, that's what I do like I'm fine with it But I honestly never thought I'd be in this situation. I say this all the time and I use the the term athlete very loosely

But us athletes you never you never really have a plan B You know, it's just I'm going to kill it at my sport. And then I'm going to ride off into the sunset a very successful rich man. And we're going to be done. But that didn't happen for me. Obviously, with the injuries I had, I chose to step away. And I was very fortunate with how easy the transition was because it's not like that for everyone.

When did pro golf enter the picture for you? I mean, when you when you showed up at SMU, it doesn't sound like you thought that was where your career was, your path was headed to freshmen. Not even close. I mean, I didn't pick up a golf club until I was 13 years old. Seriously? And I grew up, yeah,

in a small country town called Pilot Point, Texas, doesn't have a golf course. 5,000 people in the whole town. I mean, 89 people in my high school class. I joke and say 88, I'm still there. I was the only one that got out. But, you know, going to SMU was so lucky. I got an email from the coach very late. I got two recruiting, I have scheduled two recruiting trips because of my golf coach Randy Smith, who works with Scotty Schiffler. He is like a dad to me. I've known him forever.

He talked teams into looking at me, Got a random look from SMU. Went down, took a visit. Randy was 10 minutes down the road. I was like, you know what? This is perfect. If I want to do this, like this is where I should be because then I can see Randy at all times. First qualifying round, I shoot 77.

And I'm like, holy shit, I am so far in over my head. Like this isn't good. And each day got better, better, better. Ended up making the first tournament, finished top 10, never missed tournament my entire career. But it still wasn't until probably my junior year in college and I thought I could play professional golf. When I finally started to win a few times, then my senior year, obviously everything clicked.

I won quite a few times, played in the Byron Nelson when I was in college and was in contention going into the weekend. But it was a lot later than most, I would say. He wins in that amateur part. There were a special note. Yeah. I mean, obviously that, no, that whole summer, I mean, starting at the buyer and Nelson, just every playing in a PGA tour event going out on the summer, trying to make the Walker

Cup team played great every single week. I don't think I finished outside the top 10 the entire summer. Ernie Keeney, Trip Keeney and Hank and Kelly's dad told me at the start of the summer, I was going to win the USAM and I was just like, well, I'm not even in the USA. I hope so. I hope you're right. But, you know, he said Olympic clubs perfect for me ended up winning the Publinks. The best part about winning the Publinks, not just getting the Masters invite,

but I didn't have to go qualify for the USAM in those 36 36 hole qualifiers got to a Olympic club loved it and it was just one of those dream weeks. So you win the USAM and I don't remember this part of it, I guess, but you forfeit your major exemptions to turn professional. You never got to play in the Masters by my collection. Any any any regret in that? Why was why did you turn pro when you did? Yeah, you know, at the time, there was no regrets. I mean, when I was playing professional golf, I was on the PGA tour, everything was great. And I thought I would get there eventually.

For me, I mean, I look at it at this, I mean, my stock was never higher. I was a number one am in the world. I was coming off a win at the Am, the Publix went undefeated at the Walker Cup. I got thrown money that, you know, how family wasn't poor, they weren't rich. I mean, we were fine,

but it was still, it was a big difference for me between staying amateur and turning pro. Like, my mom had taken care of me my entire life. It was time for me to pay her back a little bit. And so I got starts in the fall that year. I played three PGHs where I meant that fall. I was like, man, the way I'm playing right now, I mean, I can contention and possibly win and be there anyway. So it was a hard decision. There's no doubt. I mean, as a kid, I mean, I can contention and possibly win and be there anyway. So it was a hard decision. There's no doubt. I mean, as a kid, I mean, the one tournament you really remember every single year is the Masters.

And, you know, yeah, it hurt that I never played. There's no doubt. Now that I go there every year for CBS, it's awesome. Hoping one day to be on the main broadcast. We'll see what happens with that. But I'll never forget. 2021 was the first time I ever stepped on property. And it was limited patrons. And on Monday, I just went out and walked the grounds by myself, walked

all 18 holes, one through 18. And it was cool. And that's probably the first time it really hit me like hard that I was like, damn, I can't believe I never played in this. Hmm. This yeah, well, well, well, I now the rules change, right? They do, they do invite the if you've turned professional, you still have to keep your invite at the US open. US Open, they do. Not the master's as big on that tradition, you have to stay amateur.

What is, how common is it for, I'm trying to think back on the years as to who, it feels like a rare thing, right? It feels like usually people wait till at least the master's determine. I believe, I mean, we'd have to go back and check, but I heard the only other guy that's done it in the last very long time was Tom Scher,

who finished runner up to Justin Leonard at Mirrorfield Village. I believe heat term pro. But I know I was the first guy since him to do it. So it does not happen very often. You wrote, I believe in something I saw in the something related to SMU said if I could go back in time and tell 22 year old me some stuff I think my career path would be totally different, but that wouldn't necessarily be a good thing because I love everything I've been through and where it's led me. That's true. What would you tell the old 22 year old person? Get your shit together and stay focused. I mean, when I 07 and then 08 on the corn fairy tour golf was easy for me. I had that great summer that I led into the corn fairy tour. I said I didn't get my tour card through Q school, but I went out on the corn fairy tour. I won twice and I like my first eight events or something like that. Thinking I was, I didn't get my tour card through Q school, but I went out on the corn fray tour, I won twice in my first eight events or something like that,

thinking I was gonna get the battlefield promotion or three win promotion as they call it now. And it was just easy. I played Grand I think I finished seventh on the money list that year, got my tour card, and I'm like, here we go. I mean, I'm gonna win at least once a year, possibly twice, just keep this thing rolling.

And I went out there and I got slapped around. I got distracted by a lot of things that were going on off the golf course, party and having a good time. Didn't work as hard as I did. For me before it was golf 24-7, that's all it was. And that's hard to do. I don't think that's how you should live your life. I mean, especially if you have a family and stuff like that, but I would definitely go back and work the way I did leading in to get my PGA tour card. Because the first few years was a struggle. You know I went back to the cornfer, and then came back and I finally started getting comfortable 2015 2016 I played how I thought I should and then I got hurt but yeah I definitely.

Have some regret of how I handled things early on in my career that's interesting how. Even now today the way you speak about how you played was such confidence it's not a cockiness that you're saying all this it's it was confidence in your game at that time and it is I've heard a lot of people say this and some of the quotes in the upcoming Netflix thing reflect that as well When you're playing well, you never think you're gonna hit a bad shot again and when you're playing bad You never think you're gonna hit a good shot again. It's but it's crazy just how you know, I guess fast that punch in the face could come. It is. I mean, this game can leave you in a hurry. I mean, you know, like I said, for two years, it was as easy as it could be. And then it went to be in a real struggle. I love what Max Homo said after he won San Diego, how he goes, you're just one good swing thought away from being

good again. It was somewhere along the lines of that. But I was just like, it's so true. And especially at this level where the guys are so good, I mean, you watch a guy miss six, seven cuts in a row by a shot. And you're like, oh, he's playing terrible, but he knows he's this close to just one little tweak could change everything. And he can go on a run for months, possibly a year where he plays great golf. Are there times when you're competing in PJ tour events where you're, you're hitting the ball, you're playing and you're like, how am I, how am I T60 right now?

And times when you're not hitting it nearly as good and you look up and say, how am I T10 right now? I feel like there's times where your game can feel so different than what's represented. You might think of course as playing easy but in reality it's playing hard, you might think it's playing hard but everyone else thinks it's playing easy. Does your performance correlate greatly with what place you finished in PGA tour events? Probably not. Yeah. No, but there's, there's, like, there's certain tournaments, right? Like John Deere, which everyone is shocked to know.

I never made a cut at John Deere. And that's a golf course that everybody should set up well for me. And it was one of those places I would go through and play and I'd shoot two under. And I would look up and I'm in 58th place. And I'm eight back. It's like, what, why do these people find this place so easy? I remember one year at the Reno Tahoe event where I finished third and I hit it so bad all week like it was unbelievable how uncomfortable I felt but I could not miss. I told my caddy John Davenport I go just get me on the green. I don't care if you have to lie about the yard It's just somehow get me on the green and I hooped care if you have to lie about the yard, it's just somehow get me on the green. And I hooped it from every where that we can finish third. But then there's days like the game is just so crazy. When I when I finished third at the players

in 16, I shot 63 on Friday, hit all 18 greens. And it was one of those days where everywhere I drove it, I had an exact number, exact driving range number eight iron 155, seven iron 168. Like it was never in between. It was just one of those days where the golf gods were on my side and I was like, wow, this is just, there's not even a discussion with my caddy about what club to hit. And I've made, without ever living PGA tour life, but just seeing it as close as we do,

I've said it a million times of, there's a learning curve to in the grind and understanding the week to week, the super non-glamorous, like, you know, I just left Pebble to come here and see in the same dudes on my flight jam and all their stuff in their suitcases to go jump another flight, to go wait on their bags, to go wait for a car, to go get to a hotel, to make it to the range, to practice, to learn new grass type, to learn new climate. You got bags packed from the previous week into the next week, like it, I never pictured that as a kid. It looked entirely different as a kid when

the lights come on, cameras come out and everyone shows up. I thought that it was just super easy for you guys. It turns out it's not. It's not. I mean, you see Roy getting on his jet, Tiger getting on his jet. Obviously, that's way different. But one thing I've begged with the TV coverage for years is, you know, obviously we want to show Jordan's beef. We want to show Roy McRoy John Rom. But Friday afternoon, the guys grinded to make the cut. I think is such great TV because it means a lot.

I mean, we heard John Rom at Torrey. He was grinding to make the cut. Then almost won the golf tournament. I had a chance to win the golf tournament going in. But making the cut is such a big deal. That's one thing I hope with these designated events in the future we never go away from is having a cut. It's I mean, Tigers cut streak is a record that will never be broken. We'll never be snift in my opinion. But it's so cool to watch guys try to fight and make the cut as a guy who

lived on it every single week. It's the most stressful thing in the world, but it makes for great TV because just knowing that you have two more days, whether it's to work on something or move up that leaderboard, it means a lot. And especially for the young guys getting going, just making some money, making some FedEx cup points here, it's so fun to watch. Well, is it fair? Would you classify yourself as a middle tier PGA tour player when you're on that? At best. Well, as we enter this new phase where the PGA Tour is changing, right? If you were a current middle tier member of the PGA Tour, how would you feel about how things are changing out there? I mean, the money is great.

The PIP, I don't know if I'll ever understand the PIP. You know, I get taken care of the best players in the world, but they get, I mean, they play the best. They make the most money. I'm all forward rewarding them, but it's just's weird how it's it's a hundred million dollars I mean that's just insane for the top 20 guys and we don't even know how it actually works Like I would love to see a leaderboard throughout the year like okay, Max Homas and 12th right now on the pit You know Roy McRoy's in third like how do you how do you make up ground? What do you got to do?

So I'm not the biggest fan of that. I would, I mean, I'm all for making the purse is bigger. Let's just keep Jack and this thing up and play for more money. But I love that like this week at WM Phoenix open, three guys Monday qualified yesterday that unless you're a real die hard golfer, you've never heard of, okay? You're about to tee it up for $20 million against the strongest field probably you can possibly have in a regular event Can you imagine if one of those guys somehow found their way into contention on the weekend? Nothing would be like it would be so exciting and that crowd would be on their side

Yeah, yeah, and I love that I think it's so cool I mean saw it the golet this event last year was a lesser name guy It was a sponsor exemption and there he is in the final group and probably should have won the golf tournament And I I love the underdog story. I love giving the middle tier PGA to a player a shot. I hate just pushing them at the side. No, close system. It's an interesting, I don't have an answer

for how it should go or is gonna go. It's just an interesting, I enjoy talking with you guys about it because you've lived it and it's your livelihood. Yet I am on the entertainment side of it and I look at it and say like, it's pretty hard for people at home to keep track of 100 plus players. 100%. It's really difficult.

And I go and look at Pebble and I look down the range and I'm like 156 dudes is so many guys for a tournament. Like when in reality, back to the pit part, there's only a certain portion of guys that are putting butts in the seats and are bringing people to the viewers to the television. And that's one thing that I've never, I don't understand why we don't do appearance fees. I love to hear more on that because I don't understand exactly either. So, if I'm 3M, okay, Minnesota feels not that great.

If they want to give Jordan's beef a million dollars, John Romo million dollars, and Colin Warkao a million dollars, John Ramamillion dollars, and Colin Warre cow a million dollars complete. If I'm the 80th ranked player in the world or FedEx cup, like, why should that bother me? No one's paying to come see me. It's not taking money out of the purse. It's not affecting me.

Like, and if you're Zander Shuffle and he doesn't get a million, they didn't want you. Okay, you're gonna get your chances down the road, but who cares if the sponsor wants to go pay these guys to come play their event? I think the answer to that would be, and I don't even, again, I don't know how this all shakes out, would be the tour not wanting sponsors to be held hostage to have to pay appearance fees, right?

If, if 3M ponies up to pay Jordan, then maybe he doesn't show up at this event who didn't put, and then you got to pay the sponsor fee on top of that, and that's so hard and fast rule. I don't know if it's right, but I think that's the answer. No, yeah, I get that. I mean, use like Wells Fargo where Rory plays every one year. They pay him in the next year like now we're not going to pay you. Well, then I'm not coming.

I okay. That makes sense. But it's very every decision is so freaking complicated at the tour. I mean, if it was I kind of missed the parts of our job six years ago, and we didn't know how anything worked. We could just lob shots. And then every now and then you get somebody like, well, here's why this is this. Oh, that makes sense. Okay, well, that makes sense.

Okay, well, that makes sense. See, I haven't actually heard what you just said about it. Like, my idea is like, just pay these guys. Just pay them. It's fine. So that's where I, you know, I would say if, you know, I always plug in somebody and offend somebody. I'll just plug you into this for, for, let's say you're in the field this week.

You finish 10th and Roy McAury finishes 10th. You both walk home with the same amount of money, and you put a different amount of butts in the seats. That's where the pit pays off for me. That's where you get a value. About a hundred million. No, paying out a hundred million. No, I'm saying paying a hundred million. That's a lot of money. It's a lot, but I think what's, what are total purses are in the 450 plus close to a hundred million in FedExCup. So it's like 15,ish percent, 20 percent.

It's not insignificant. It's not incident, it's a lot. Like I said, I just wanna know how it works. I wanna see. Do you, because you can get involved in the data and it's not that interesting. Well, I know what they add up, but I just wanna see a leaderboard

throughout the day, like all of a sudden just, at the end of the year, it's like, cool, you finished seventh. Why did I finish seventh and he finished eighth? Why did I finish seventh and he finished eighth? Why did I finish seventh and he finished third? Like I would just like to know how it all works. And because maybe coming into the last of end of the year, someone that's in sixth wants to move up to make that extra few million. He does something crazy on Twitter, Instagram.

Harry hates the Joe David running around half naked. It's, you know, in a time period where like retaining people on this, on the PGA tour would probably be of the highest priority. I think it, I think it, it makes sense. I do think it, I'm surprised there's not been more controversy around it though of, you know, why did I finish this blah, blah, blah, but kind of part of this.

Yeah, when you're, when you're, but you're when you're 70 to 100, it's just like, it's good thing for me to, I'm just, I'm happy to be out here. I'm making a very good living. Like you said, you're not putting butts in the seats. And I, I get just I'm happy to be out here. I'm making a very good living. Like you said, you're not putting butts in the seats. And I get that sense from most of the middle tier guys, but then I read like James Han on Twitter having a very different opinion of this. And sometimes,

again, from an outside perspective, I'm like, I get you guys live this every week. I told, and you're so incredibly good at golf. People at home cannot fathom how good Max McGrivi is at golf. I watched him hit balls today and like no one at home would ever fully appreciate how good he is. Yet at the same time, like golf is an entertainment business and the balance, I don't know, that like the, a lot of the metal to your guys are compensated extremely well for what their golf talent is in exchange for.

Does that make sense? 100% yeah. I mean, you know, I laugh nowadays with the equipment companies how they're starting to go towards, you know, social media people more so than a Max McGrievey guy like does, solid, does rigs. I love bagging on rigs. It's so much fun. He's a good buddy.

Mine. But I'm like, does a dude that's wait, Adam Long, who's a tailor-made guy, does he sell more tailor-made drivers? Does rigs? Like I know the answer. Yeah, exactly. You know the answer to that. So it's crazy. This world we're going in and I always laughed like the amount of money I got paid from the equipment companies I'm with. I'm like, why? Why are you all paying me this? Like, I mean, give me free equipment. I probably be happy. but the fact that you're paying me six figures a year is just, it's crazy. Like, I don't think, I don't know if I'm, I think the only reason they kept me around is

because I kind of swing it like a normal guy. It's pretty wise there. It's like, hey, Colt uses this, I can use this. Well, and that's where it's kind of, I'm scary might not be the right word, but if I'm the tour and I'm looking at like view numbers on watching like people play golf on YouTube versus like What are viewership numbers are for Thursday Friday? It's like yeah, I mean the the younger generation It seems to be watching doesn't necessarily gravitate towards PGA tour golf or watching golf on television because they can watch it on Demand on YouTube, right? I don't and that that's like younger than me

I as a younger demographic that I don't even fully understand but it It it finally seems like I want to know from you. Do you get the sense talking with Max and talking with some of the other guys that have been involved in these meetings. It seems like the light bulbs kind of gone off amongst the players that, hey, we need to like up the entertainment value. That's where the mic'd up stuff comes from from Keith and all that.

It seems like they're kind of going to start partaking it a little bit more. Yeah, you know, you always want more access, right? And we're starting to get it. Obviously Max is a unicorn. I mean, he's the best. He never says no. I mean, I know he comes on with y'all every time he wins. He should a lot. I know he should say no more. I'll say and he never says no to us.

He never says no to any interview. I mean, doing the mic-dupped thing at Tori, which ended up winning. So it worked out great. But you know, if the players, they want us to show their story, right? They want us to get their brand out there. Well, they have to be open to doing it as well. Like, we can't just do it all for you

when you give us nothing. Like, you do an interview and you give us the lamest answers possible. Like, that does nothing for you. We can't help spin that. Like, we can tell the story all the time of how great you are and you do these cool things and all this, but we want to hear it for you. We can't help spin that. Like we can tell the story all the time of how great you are and you do these cool things and all this, but we wanna hear it from you.

So we need you to open up and allow us in there. Like I think John Rom will be a great guy to be mic'd up. He's done an awesome job in life. I feel like it's especially gone off for him. He's doing interviews, he's engaged, he's turned on. He's ill debate you, he'll, he was debating people in the media center today, live on the mic about LeBron versus Jordan.

And like, that's where I think, you know, if I'm looking at the PGA tour now, not to like, not to pick on guys, but if I look at like a Moorakawa, a Sheffler, a Xander, a Cantlay, they're all extremely talented, extremely dedicated to their craft, but like does, do those of you are at home feel emotions between those guys competing?

Are they pulling for one or the other? It can kind of blend together a little bit, but the more like Rory extremely outspoken, you know, speed super engaging, ROM super engaging, I think that if the more you can separate yourself, it's gonna, in this era where the villains have kind of gone to the other side.

It's, we miss the Brysons and Brooks and Phil's a lot. I mean, really. No, I do. There's very few that that I miss That went to the other side, but you're right the villain is always nice to have because it creates some kind of story come some kind of controversy I mean in my opinion the Bryson Brooks thing was ridiculous They worked out they get a match and they both get three million bucks whatever that was kind of stupid But you're right you need you don't want them all getting along.

You want it to be something out there. I mean, Patrick Reed. Listen, I mean, he was always entertaining to watch, always in hell of a golfer and he brought, it was, he brought eyeballs. It was interesting, it was always interesting. I wish he was still playing on the PGA tour. Yeah, I'm with you.

I mean, you're right. It was, like you said, it's always something. Now it's over here in Dubai. I'm ballin' a tree, all kinds of stuff. And I shouldn't even say I wish he was still playing on the PGA tours like I wish they were all playing together Yeah, that's like the big thing people have seemed to think we're crazy enough like we're like being paid by the PGA tour now But it's like dude I just missed the best players in the world being together all at once We wanted as much as possible

I think that's I mean I will say with these designated events. I mean we're gonna get that other than the guys that went to live The I mean this is gonna feel like a major events, I mean, we're going to get that other than the guys who went to live the field. I mean, this is going to feel like a major championship at WM this week with a party atmosphere. It's going to be wild. Same thing at L.A. the field's going to be incredible. We're starting to get them playing together more, which is great. I'm excited for what's happening. I hate what's happened in the game of golf, as far as the divide. That sucks. And the fact that we have to talk about it every single day. But man, golf is in a good place right now. It's never been talked about more. We have so many stars in the game.

And as long as they'll let us in and show like that these guys are normal dudes like I use Jordan Speed as an example all the time. The first time we ever had him on our podcast, we filmed it and put it on YouTube as well. And we're sitting on the patio at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas and he had three beers in an hour and an over an hour long show. And we're sitting on the patio at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas and he had three beers in an over an hour long show. And people are like, are you kidding me? Jordan's being freaking beer. I'm like, he's a 25 year old from Texas.

What do you think they do? Like these guys are normal. After match one, he did y'all's podcast Sunday. We went out to watch two football games. Crowded bars everywhere. People come up to him. He doesn't care. He's a normal guy. They just want to go out and have a good time. Yeah, there's and that's where I do wonder what you know this

Netflix series is going to debut next week as we're recording this. What that is going to do for golf. You know what that is that going to bring in new fans is going to make them more recognizable. I haven't seen them all yet, but we're going to have a full episode next week kind of breaking it down. But yeah, it's gosh, a lot has changed in the last year. It has. Holy shit. I hope it does, but, you know, going back to like, getting more access to the players, getting them to be more normal, being human, most of them are like, I don't think people would realize

Zander Shoffley has an incredible personality. He's hilarious, love being around that guy, but a lot of it is, I think the agents try to control him too much. For sure. In that class X-2. Yeah, I mean, it's just, it sucks. I mean, I was, we have the same agent.

Yeah. But I deal with all the other agents trying to get guys on the show and all this. And I'm like, they're adults. Yeah. And by the way, they're the boss. The agents work for them. It's hard when you have relationships with players too because the player, I totally get the role, right?

Because the players don't want to say no to you, right? And they might say oh yeah I'd love to do it but in you know behind the closed doors that might be like dude I'm exhausted. I'm good Let me step away for a little while. It's complicated though. Yeah, you got to manage all that stuff a quick break You to check them with our friends at rowback. They're back for another year We cannot be more pumped I was doubled up on the rowback year today I got their green polo on the performance polos fits so much better than your typical boxy polos

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It's just the perfect balance, excellent, excellent, quarter zip. You can use code NLU at roback.com for a generous 20% off your first order. That's rhoback.com, 20% off polo's, QZips, hoodies, teas, joggers, shorts, you name it at roback.com with code NLU. Let's get back to Coltnost. What is that transition like for you on the media side? These guys, your buddies, your peers, you've competed with for so long. I'm sure you have a million off the record stories

from almost all of them, but how does it work for you when you go to talk about these players on your podcast, on the network and things like that, you run it in the issues yet. No issues yet, honestly, everything's been very smooth sailing. You know, I'm friends with most of the guys out there.

I have a great relationship with them, especially some of the big, I mean, Jordan's speech, Justin Thomas, Max, Zander, like I'm lucky enough that I hang out with them a lot. And I know they trust me, which when there's going to be things said, and they know that I'm not going to use that on air the next day. You know what I mean? Jordan and Justin stay together all the time. They have their chef with them, love their chef.

He's the man. We go over, have dinner and their stories told and some I'm like, Hey, can I say that tomorrow? Sure. No problem or no, please don't. And it's fine. But most of the stuff I kind of can read the room and be like, Hey, I know that's not using that. I'm just going to let that one go. And which is fine. And I never want to lose that trust because once you do, then then you're out. And I've criticized players. I've criticized my friends. I mean, that's my job. And I've criticized players. I've criticized my friends. I mean, that's my job.

And I think they understand that. I always use Charles Barkley in this because he says it so beautifully. You know, when he criticizes players that call him, and they get mad at him and bitch at him and all this, he goes, it's amazing how they never call me when I brag about him all the time. He goes, I talk about 90% of the time,

I talk about how great a player is. The one second that I criticize him, he calls me and he's pissed off at me. I think he goes, unless you call me and tell me thank you every time I do. Don't call me and complain at me when I criticize when you messed up. My least favorite is when I'll get something kind of critique

about something I've said and then I'll just ask, was I wrong? Was I wrong about this? Tell me if I'm wrong, I'm happy to correct it. But if I'm not wrong, are you just mad that I said this? I got in a lot of that from TV people over the years. They're like, they don't like us. And I'm like, are we wrong about it? They're like, well, no, but I don't like it. That's fair.

I mean, the only time, and he was just joking, but Rory, I had his group at Memphis, and he was just hitting it on a string off the tee like he does it all time, every single time. And at one point, I think I said he hits his driver straighter than his lob wedge, because he couldn't hit, he couldn't hit him around the hole with a lob wedge. And he came by and he slapped me on the ass with his glove on the range next day.

He's like, so I hit my driver, straighter my lob wedge, huh? And he just looked, I was like, he goes, you're right. And it was great. So, do you get the sense though, that the guys out there are appreciating having a younger guy like in your seat, like somebody that is a peer, that's the sense though, that the guys out there are appreciating having a younger guy in your seat? Somebody that is a peer, that's the sense I get, right? Is that they, I don't know where things were necessarily.

I'm not saying this, things were trending in a different direction, but having somebody that they know in that role that's gonna be talking about their game has to feel, you have to feel a connection there. It sure seems like that. I mean, that's one of my deals when I was getting ready to sign with CBS, is like, listen, I'm ready now. I have a

great relationship with all these guys. They trust me. They're going to give me more access than anyone we got. And I appreciate that from them. And it's because I, I mean, I just quit playing. I was out there with them every week. I was inside the ropes, nose what's going on. They've been so great to me, all the players. It's, it's so cool when I walk on the range. It's like they haven't seen me in ages. And I'm like, I saw you last week. But it's, it's so cool how they treat me when I have a group and I'm going down the fairway with them. Like I never really played good enough to have an on course reporter in my group. So I don't know like how we are with them. But, you know, Roy talks trash

to be walking up and down the fairways. Jordan's always interacting. I mean, I was some that are all business. Justin Thomas, I would say, he's a lot, he's more business like than, than most. I mean, he's just head down focused on what he's doing. But it's, it's so much fun. Like people like, would you ever want to be in a tower? And I'm like, no, I love being down on the ground. I love interacting with the fans, love talking to the players.

And it's just, it's so cool to be right there with a, I have the best seat in the house to watch the best players in the world. Teat up every week and it just once again proves I made the right decision by quitting because they are so freaking good. It's, it's incredible. Watch and Roy McRoy play golf. I'm like, oh my God. Does it feel really far away now being able to compete at that level in terms of now that you see it from this seat and see how far they're heading because for those that aren't

familiar with your game, you were not the longest hitter, I believe. Although I hear you're working on that. I am. I am. I got the stack system. I'm working on it. But yeah, it's crazy.

The game has changed a lot over the last 10 years. Distance, I mean, the distance these guys hit it is crazy. Tell you how sad it is. Like when I go out and play with Max and Rom and those guys, I play a tee up now. I was a bad feeling. It makes it a fair game, which is a lot, which is fun. I'm 40 yards up on a tee. And then we play from the same spot. And it's great. And I'm like, God, this would be so much fun to play from up here every single week. So it's a little shot to the ego, but I like to gamble. And I want it to be fair. I don't ever want to be, I want the chips to, I want

everything to be odds to be in my favor. So it's depressing kind of, but at the same time, it's a lot of fun to play up there with them. Do you keep a handicap now? Oh yeah, okay, what is it? I think we're plus 3.1 index or something like that. Okay, I probably wouldn't play you with that. That sounds, that sounds, I type in every score.

I believe you. At one point, I got to like plus five something because I shot 61 one day at Wishbrook. I completely blocked out and don't know what happened. And I worked very hard. I played a lot to get that off of that. I was like, this thing's gotta go. What are the money games like up at Wishbrook?

It's great. So I play with normally, we have about 10 of us that kind of rotate depending on who's in town and everything, anywhere from a dentist to a financial guy to just some rich people that are retired to Max Homa, John Rom, joins everyone's while Kevin Chappell. We have a blast, man. That's, I have, like, I don't care what I shoot anymore.

I just care if I win money at the end of the day or not. But every, you know, I do series XM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then Thursday, Friday, Saturday if I'm home, I'll tee it up. You sound like you're in a good place with your relationship with the game of golf now. It's so it's so much fun. I enjoy playing so much more now because it just doesn't affect anything for me. And I probably honestly hit it better now that I did when I played just because I don't care. I talked to Mark Blackburn about that all the time. He's like, can you please explain to my tour players that I was like, it doesn't work. It'll never work that way. You can not go out there and play care free. It's impossible. Well, could some people, when they leave their competitive golf

era, when they go play and they go play poorly, they enjoy it even less? Like, you can't get the images of when you were hitting it amazing out of your head and going and slapping it around is not appealing anymore. But it seems like, well, I saw you last week played some casual golf out in the Monterey Peninsula, which it seems like anytime you saw you last week played some some casual golf out in the monitor, and it's a little which I'd seems like any time you can get a chance to play your play. Oh, I love it. I mean, I could play

every single day. Do you travel with your clubs on the road? It depends on where we're going. I hate carrying the damn thing around. That's the worst part, like especially when we're going just for CBS weekend, like I can just take a carry on, but the West Coast swings so hard not to bring them. I mean, out of pebble, fortunate enough to play Cyprus, then you go to LA, and you got games of Bel Air and LA North. It's like, I got to take my clubs. You don't get to play these every day. What do you think of those pins out at Cyprus last Tuesday?

It was hard. I played okay, made a few birdies, actually hooped it on 13 for a dose. Really? Yeah. Hit it, it was back into the win, had a 117 and hit a little nine iron, and, and hold it, and then proceeded to make double on 14 to follow it up.

After I told the caddies, they were talking about how hard 14 is, and I said, every time I've played here, I've played 14 really well. Proceed to make double, of course. But man, it's a special place. What's the highlight stop of anywhere to go play anywhere on tour? I mean, it's hard to beat that.

If the second, what would number two be then? well, my favorite place in the world is Shadow Creek, Oswegas. I mean, everything about it. From the time you pull in the gates, the people that work there playing on the golf course, getting to pretty much do whatever you want on just the most gorgeous piece of property without a notion, in my opinion. It is such a fun golf course to play. That's my favorite moisture because I'm not a guy that I don't want to play golf sun up to sun down. Okay, like band and dunes, beautiful, incredible. But I want to go T off at noon, be done at four, cocktails, dinner, have a good night. Where else is better than loss of

Agus? If technology had been capped, let's say it like the 2005 moment, how different do you think your golf career would have been? Probably a lot. Yeah, if I would have stayed focused mentally and not gotten distracted by everything, I think it would have been a lot. What happened with your wrist as well? Like when did injuries start? Yeah, so I started in 2015, I started feeling some pain in my thumb and I was a guy that played with a pretty open face and just used my hands a lot at the bottom.

And I think eventually that's what really kind of tore my thumb apart. But played 2015, played pretty good, rolled into 16, and things were going really well. But I noticed I kept losing speed. My club at speed kept going down and down and down. Thumb was killing me. 2016, I never hit a ball after I played around. Which is unusual for me.

I would warm up, I was 20 minute warm up and go because my thumb was in that bad shape. Finally got it looked at, got misdiagnosed, ended up having my wrist cleaned up. That's why I was out the first time. Hit a shot in Dallas when I came back after being out nine months, felt another pain in my thumb. So I'll specialist there and he's like, dude, whoever told you should not throw it with your thumb is wrong. And they operated on the next day Was out another nine months came back on my medical and just never really got it going you once said that You know some of your most memorable rounds of your career were playing with Phil Mickelson Saturday and Sunday of a PGA championship

What do you remember about that? Yeah, it was crazy. We played together four times that week I flew in Sunday before we had a match at Baltic draw a little money game was weird group it was me and Jason co crack verse fill and John Kern which was just the most random natural for sure and then Tuesday we played a prax round and this was one of these things is not like the other it was me and Justin Thomas versus beef and Phil which was five thousand people in practice round following us but I've always loved playing against Phil. Have a great relationship of talking trash to each other. We've never been on the same team.

I've played a ton of rounds with him. I just love action. He loves action. He likes that I think, at least he used to. I don't know how he feels about me now. I think he loved that I would needle him back. And then we go in and we both made the cut on the number at Balterstraw in the 2016 PGA. And we get that text. It says, you know, first D.E.A. to clock, Phil

Nicholson and bones, screenshot it to both of us. And he said, Oh boy, here we go. And so it was so cool. I mean, there was some trash talking going on, but we were, you know, we're both, it was business. I mean, he's, it's a major championship, but playing along, it just shows you how big a deal he is. I mean, here we are first off in 63rd place or whatever, and there's so many people, the whole way around. And he's great. He just, it's awesome to watch him hit some of the shots he can, especially around the

greens, some of the comments he would have. But I remember I pulled hook 21 on 17 and I hit a guy. And normally there's not that many people following me, so I don't have to worry about that. So like, you know, over there, I was like, did I get anybody and like, yeah, you hit this guy in the chest and like, man, I'm so sorry. I was like, you want me to see a fill sign of love for you?

And they just all started laughing. I was like, fill, come over here. Slap this guy to the club, this guy, he doesn't want mine. But he was great. It was cool to play in a major. And the only time I played with him in my career in a tournament was a major. Did you still have a relationship with him in all of to him at all or doesn't seem like many guys?

That are not on the side of the aisle do it sucks man Because I always felt like we were decently close Exchange text all the time you know always rooted for him and ever since he went over there I mean, you know my job is to get my opinion in the game of golf now and obviously it's not with where he is right now And everything that happened with the ship nook stuff and everything like I gave my opinion in the game of golf now. And obviously it's not with where he is right now. And everything that happened with the shipnook stuff and everything, I gave my opinion. And I'm guessing he heard it by some of the things I've heard from other people.

You know, he randomly sent me a DM on Twitter one day showing all these facts about what the PGA tour has done as far as their tax situation and all this. And I'm like, dude, you have my number. I mean, if you wanna talk about the stuff, I'm happy to talk about it. But I've never badmouted him. I mean, I have said I, he probably regrets, you know, everything that came out with with the shipnook thing. And I don't know which side you're on as far as was he on the record off the record? I don't really care. It sucks that he the way

he'll leave the game of golf as far as it is right now because he's truly one of the greatest that's ever done it. He's achieved so much. He's been so great for the game agolf. Here he is, you know, I mean, as he says, you know, if Tiger wasn't around, he'd have a lot more trophies, but a lot less money. I mean, Tiger's reason, which we know he would, what he would trade for. Yeah. But he's one of the best talents we've ever seen. And he was, he was always great with the media, too. He was open and gave us a lot more access than some of the other great players. Intertainer.

Yeah. Intertainer. And like, you know, I mean, that first match with Tiger. I mean, he tried his hardest to get it going. It's just, Tiger's just not going to give you that much. So I miss him, man. You know, I was, I was, I went down to the 18th green when he won his BGA at Kewa.

I mean, I was there. Right. When he walked off gave him a hug. He's always been so, he texted me when I was trying to figure out whether or not I was gonna turn pro or play Augusta. He's, like I said, I can't say anything bad about him as far as how he's been towards me. I would love to talk to him again one day

because we've always had a lot of fun together. How have you approached with, so you have a job with CBS who is a partner with the PGA tour? You've been a PGA tour member, you have your own radio show, you have a podcast talking about all the things to go. How have you approached what's been your strategy of how you've approached everything that's going on with live? Well, I'll say this, the thing that bothers me the most

is people that all their comments on Twitter are, you're paid by the PGA tour, you say this, and I'm like, no, I'm not. I am paid by people that are partners with the PGA tour, but not once has anyone ever told me what to say or say don't say this or we need you to say this. That's never been the case. Like my opinions are mine.

A lot of people don't know. I was offered a deal by live and to be- We heard you say that on a hot mic on the PGA tour rage talking with Rory one book. I don't know if you knew that was all I didn't know that came out. But yeah, I mean, I was and I'm not shy about that. And I honestly, I just don't believe in the product. Like to me, it's just, it's not that interesting.

You know, 48 guys, the same 48 every single week. 54-hours shotguns start. Like, I just don't see the pressure being there like it is at other tournaments. And listen, I've not hated on one person for going see the the pressure being there like it is at other tournaments and Listen, I've not hated on one person for going because you give me a hundred million dollars. I'm out in a second Where do I sign? I mean Pat Perez? It's a no-brainer for him. I mean if he got ten million, you know We've never seen the contracts. We've heard and stuff

He got ten million at 46 years old and he can go over there and play with the aces and make a gazillion more dollars dude Where do you sign? It's just frustrating I said that it's it's come up all the bad blood that's going on and still it's not like the PGA tour guys hate to live guys I mean they're still friends. It's just it's unfortunate how there's been this divide and a lot of it probably is because of the media Well, I'd say I think a lot may of them some of them may hate the guys that are suing the PGA tour. Like, I haven't heard many people say a bad thing about DJ who's just gone over. As a set of work.

Just going to go play golf as a financial business decision for my family and this is it. I think that's different than like fill, like cooperating with the Department of Justice potentially, I trust suit and Mikkelsen at all suing the PGA, he's taking his name off the lawsuit now, but like that, that's happened. You're cake and eating it. And I think that's really tough for a lot of people to get over.

I was sitting with someone recently and we were talking about this whole thing. And they brought up Brooks and who Brooks went on one of the most unbelievable major runs we've ever seen. You know, winning four in that short amount of time. And it's like, how could a guy like that, who's won four majors, Hall of Fame, would be a Hall of Fame or no doubt, you know, go do this. And the guy said, brook sold his business. And I'd never heard it like that way. And I was like, man, you know, that's interesting.

And it makes a lot of sense. Like, here I am, I got an opportunity. I've had a great run, I've had a great career. Does he want to win more majors? Of course, I'm sure he does. But it's like, I don't think you know what you would do. It's hard for me to be like, oh, I would do this until you actually get that contract in front of you.

It's like, here's $100 million to go play golf. I mean, that's a joke. It's crazy. And yeah, it is a, there's a lot of people that that's why they play golf. A lot of professionals that that's why they play golf. It's for work and the money is the what the money is but a lot some people you know are chasing something different And that's where I'm just like it that where I net out on it all is like as a fan

I know what I'm rooting for like if I'm an NFL fan. I mean take if Kyler Murray here is we're here in Phoenix If he was gonna go play in a different league to make more money that wouldn't be interesting to me Like I'd rather watch him compete with the best players in the world. And so it's just, I'm amazed at the people that do kind of view it. Fans, I should say, I can understand it from where you're sitting, Ben Pears with these guys, but fans that say,

how can you fault him for going and doing what's best for his family? It's like, I can't, but I only know who he is. I don't wanna golf. I care about golf, you know? I use the analogy, I'm like, say, say that they started up some football football league and they paid Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, you know, some of the top defensive guys and just handfuls here and there.

And then there were some scrubs is offensive linemen and all this like would it be his entertaining? No, no, I don't think it would be NFL. No, it'd be less. It's it's that's the illusion. Yeah. I mean, the other thing about the live thing I always get into is is people compare it to other sports and it drives me nuts. Golf is not football. Golf is not the NBA.

Golf is not major league baseball. People think they should get paid the way Aaron Rogers does. Tom Brady, and it's just not, it's not logical. I mean, you look at the TV is what drives everything. And it's just so simple to see, you know, the NFL TV contract is $12 billion a year $12 billion the PJ tours of 750 million. I mean, just do the numbers. It's it's they're never gonna get there You know the the most watched Professional golf event I believe of all time was the masters in 2019 was 19 million people the average NFL Sunday

regular season games like 42 million. It's some stupid. The numbers are just insane. So I wish people would stop trying to compare this to football because it's not like that. And it doesn't need to be like that. The whole we shouldn't have a cut thing. Everybody should get paid. This is what's beautiful about the game.

If you have to go out there and earn it every single week, like somebody brought up Cam Young the other day. She's had a phenomenal season. Finish top 30. Rookie of the, is in everything. He could go out and lay an egg this year and lose his card because he hasn't won. Yep, he's got no, well,

he, you get an extra year for a championship now. So that changed, yeah. Did that go into effect last year? It is, yes. Okay, so he does have an extra, but before, he would have no security. Correct, yeah, okay. Your point stands, yeah, no, it's,

it is very interesting. I, the problem, I think with all of it, we don't have to spend much more time on live, but like there was something there with the franchise model and the team model, they just needed to have everyone and then something that divided everything was and then people listened to this have heard me say that a million times, but I don't really get the team thing part in it. Yeah. I mean, it doesn't excite me. Yeah, that's fine. And I'm not even positive I would like it, but I don't know.

There's just something there, I think. But what was your decision process like then? When you get an offer from Liv, what was, was it an amount of money that shocked you? That kept you up at night? Yeah, it shocked me when I got it. I'll never forget. I mean, we shared the same agent.

He called me and he said, he's sitting down. And it was about an hour before I went on Brought on air at the Byron Nelson this past May So this is before DJ Brooks anyone had really gone. There was they didn't really have a big name guy yet and I literally was gonna throw up all day on air. I mean, I was trying to call golf and I'm just like my god What the hell? So we ended up getting on a phone call later that night with the head boss and all this. And he told me his thoughts. I told him mine, I was like,

I literally think I'm about to throw up all day. Like, I don't know if I can do this. And he's like, don't we're not doing it. And I immediately just felt this sensory leaf. Like, I didn't even sleep on it. I couldn't, and I just, it didn't feel right to me. You know, I have such a great relationship with all the guys out there in the fact to know

that like some of them might not like me or some will turn their back on me and I might lose some friends over it. Like I couldn't live with myself. And also at the time I was 36 years old, like I feel like I'm going up and I feel like I got a lot ahead of me. And my deal was, this is a lot of money.

Say this thing goes under in three years. Then what am I gonna do? I lose my serious sex image show. I still have my podcast, I hope. They're not associated with the PGA tour, but I lose CBS. I'm like, what the hell am I gonna do? In my dream, knowing that I skipped the masters,

I wanna be on the masters broadcast on CBS. Coming down the stretch, going through AIMIN Corner on a Sunday, like that's my dream. That's what I wanna do. And I knew if I went over there, that's never gonna happen like I said I'm 37 now and I'm I'm just getting started in this I do I've asked myself this I've tried to put myself in this scenario of would a ton a ton of ton of money be worth not feeling comfortable in my own skin no and yeah I I don't know the answer to that probably not it doesn't feel like it would be like

I just don't know if I could walk around if it doesn't feel like it would be like I just don't know If I could walk around if having a lot of money would make me happier than like having people's Respect I think if it's it's not that simple. I know that but I think that would matter and it seems like it mattered in your decision It did and you know, I I feel like you know, I put myself like with what Harold Varner said I Can relate to so much they asked you know was it hard? He goes hell yeah, I was myself, like with what Harold Varner said, I can relate to so much. They asked, you know, was it hard? He goes, hell yeah, I was hard.

He goes, and then they said, why? He goes, I don't want people to hate me. And that's how I am. Like I care what other people think. Everyone says, oh, I don't care what people think. Yes, you do. We all care. We all want to be liked. Nobody wants to be hated.

And, you know, I knew at the time, like, things were going very well for me in the game of golf with, with the media side broadcasting and all that and I want that to continue and I think you know the PGA tour is not going anywhere. I don't care what anybody says PGA tour is not going anywhere. This is where I want to be. I want to be talking about the best players in the world for as long as they'll have me until some other guy comes along with they think better than me, which is, which is fine. But right now, man, I'm in a great place. I love it. But yeah, it was a hard decision. There's no doubt. I mean, it's a lot of money out there

that they're throwing around. It's kind of like a, it seems like the conversation you had is similar to the how I put the hard decision test is, you know, flip a coin and heads you go, tails you stay, and you flip it, and then before you look at it, you got to think about what were you rooting for in the air? Like, what was your gut telling you? It's a good point.

And that seems like your reaction of the relief you felt. I think if it landed that way, I'd be like, okay, best two out of three. See that? That's your gut answer. I actually moved out of the country based on that game that was played at 3 a.m. Wow.

It was, heads you leaves, tails you lose, and we were all drunk, of course, and a guy flipped it and he's like, all right, well, what is it? He's like, it doesn't matter. What are you rooting for? And I was like, I hope it's heads. And he pulled his hand off in his head.

It's like, I'm going. Wow. It's a drunk decision, but it ended up being a good one. That's cool. What's it been like kind of getting indoctrined with the CBS team? What's the, like, you ever picture you'd be working with Jim Nance?

No, I still to this day. I mean, every time he sends it down to me in the fairway, I'm like, oh my God, this is Jim Nance. He started at CBS in 1985, the year I was born. So amazing. I've listened to Jim my whole life. Had the chance to meet him a few times when I was playing, but to be working with him now

and we have an awesome relationship, he's everything you hear about him, he's better. He's like truly one of the nicest people I've ever met. I love sharing this story because I feel like Jim always says the right thing. He never stumbles his words. He never wishes he didn't say something, but it's just no matter what the situation is, he always says the right thing. So he always hosted dinner every year at Pebble Beach on Saturday night. And last year I went down there and I walked down to the bar and there,

I think I was one of the first ones there and there he is and he orders a lemon drop martini. And I just start laughing. He's like, what do you laugh about? I go, I mean, there's drink you're ordering. I go, the only person I've ever seen, one of those is my mother. And he's never met my mom and he goes,

you tell Louie and I can't wait to have one with her. And I'm like, good. Damn it. I was like, that was the most unbelievable answer. Now my mom's gonna be so excited. I was like, that was the most unbelievable answer. Now my mom's going to be so excited. I was like, and you knew her name. It's just he's, he's unbelievable. He's the goat. There's no one better. I love, like I said, it's, I pinch myself every time he sends it down to me and the fact that we talk all the time and text and everything. He's great. He is so good at his job. It's ridiculous. He just, he, I

don't think people realize how hard the job is. He does and he makes it look so simple. Multiple sports. Like it's not, you know, to know the backup defensive lineman on the Bengals and also be able to tell you something about Joseph Bramlett come, you know, Sunday is, that's not easy. I've never met anyone with a memory like him.

It's a little bit. So we were sitting at Windham a couple of years ago. It was a 25 year anniversary. It was gonna be the 25 year anniversary of Fautos win in 96. And this dude was rattling off shots that Fauto hit on Friday on like Hole 11. And I'm like, are you serious right now?

And he's like, oh, you did this and Greg did that and this and this and I'm like, and Nick looked at him. He's like, you're right. Like, I'm like 25 years ago, all the sporting events he's into, all the calls he's had, and he can remember, shot by shot. It's everywhere we go, every volunteer, everyone involved in the tournament, he knows their name.

It's, it's, he's, he's different. I may have told this story all the pod before, but I got dinner with him last year at Colonial at Fort Worth, and he has, goes to same restaurant every, whatever night of the week. And he had met, he knew people that also went to the restaurant on that night, on that whatever Friday or so, I forget what night it was.

These Canadian guys that see him every year and he knew them, my name, just people he sees what's the year. Like it's remarkable, but yeah, it's gotta be. It's cool, the whole team though. That's gotta be a fun traveling road show. It is. I mean, Frank Nobler's my guy.

We have so much, he's my dinner and drinking buddy. I love Nobler so much. He is hilarious. We have, like he's the guy that normally we take shots at each other back and forth on air, try to have a little fun with, I wish we could see Frank's real personality on air because he's one of the funniest guys of ever come. Well you guys did a little twist, what you got cooked up for this week because you guys had a twist last year.

You and Amanda were down on the 16th tea Saturday, gave us the, obviously, the huge moment with Sam Rider and all that. You guys got anything new cooked up for this week. So I know there's going to be some more cameras and stuff on 16. I think we're having a flycam and all this, but we're going to be back there. So Amanda and I obviously we set the bar about as high as you possibly can. Tough to fall. Obviously, we set the bar about as high as you possibly can. Tough to follow. Thanks, Sam Rider.

We were going to need somebody else to make a hole in one this year to live up to that. But it's just so cool to see Saturday, which is the wildest day in golf. I mean, in the players know it. They know it's a party. And that's why I think the tour went for it. You know, I would love for players to be able to come over.

Gotta come back. You know, we set just a microphone on a table last year That got shut down pretty quickly. I think we have a better chance of it this year I'm hoping so because it's a long day and we know it. They know it. It's a fun day I mean the crowd is just absolutely insane come over say a few words You know tell us what it's like how faster hearts beat and going through the tunnel and everything because there's literally nothing like it in the game of golf. I don't care who you are. We sat down with, we had a little, our event called the Larry yesterday and we had, speed and foul are there to talk afterwards. And I mean, here's two guys that are very successful in this game. Jordan Speed, the three-time major champion,

and he says it's right behind the nervous he feels at the rider cup, like walking through that tunnel. That's just so cool to hear. It's wow. The celebrities that play on Wednesday, they're like, oh my god. I don't know how y'all do this. I can't handle this. I'm like, you shot free throws in front of 25,000 people with the NBA finals online and this makes you nervous. He's like, it's a different atmosphere, but it is so cool, man. It's one of those events. I feel like if we had it multiple times, it wouldn't be as multiple times a year. It wouldn't be as special. But the fact that it's once a year, you know what you're getting, and the fact that it's

going to be this kind of field, I can't wait for this thing to get going. Outside observers take is that you guys seem to be trying to at different events, bringing what makes that location or event special to life. That atmosphere is what makes waste management what it is. Pebble scene next last week, where like I'll focus. The drone shots where you guys were staging interviews. It just seemed like, all right, we have to set the scene for where this place is.

And it seems like, it seems like again, you guys are just incrementally adding stuff here and there. And it feels weird to be praising CBS as much as I am over compared to how it was four years ago or so, but we have to praise progress. Well, I wasn't there four years ago But no, I mean we obviously we see everything y'all say And we appreciate that you think we're going in the right direction. It's tough and golf golf boring man

It's it's hard. It's hard to make a golf broadcast really entertaining like I tell people all the time I mean you hear everyone. I used to love to turn the golf on and take a nap I'm like no we don't want you to that that's insulting to me that means I'm boring so we want to make it fun we want to make it energetic bring some energy to the broadcast different things but at the same time it's it's hard to make golf really really exciting that's why I think the little things we're doing here and there are really good the miking up of the players is fantastic I will say the one thing, and they'll probably get mad at me, they'll hate on me for this.

That thing we did on this weekend at Pebble, where it predicted where the ball was gonna land, I don't like that. I was like mind blown by it, I was amazed by it, and also like, I don't need that. Well also, we're gonna find out. That's my job, that's gonna say. That's my job is to tell you where it's gonna land.

And now it's got some computer that's obviously way more accurate than I am. It's amazing that it can do it. It's interesting to be able to do it, but I think the part of watching Golf on TV is the suspense of what's gonna happen while it's in the air. That's one thing, I want to build suspense while the ball's in the air. This is right at it. All over it, this is miles left.

Well, if something can show where it is already, it kind of ruins everything. It's like chat GBBT for, for, for announcers, you're getting replaced by the robots, but I don't think that's, that's quite, uh, ready. Man, I hope everyone's enjoying it. I think, you know, we're going to continue to try new things because listen, we want our audience to get younger. We will, that's, that's, that's exactly what our goal is. And so whether it's, you know, bringing younger people on like myself that can relate to a different audience or just new technology, I think we're heading in a very, very good direction.

Can you give people an idea of what your job is like in terms of how do you have to position yourself? How do you make sure no one can hear you? How do you get queued up? What are you looking at when you are doing a call? How does that work? Yeah, so obviously like when I first got into this business, I had no idea what that was doing. So it's just kind of, you learn as you go. There's not a whole lot of training, but down on the ground, I got my headset on, I can hear the producer, and I can hear the program in the air.

And so there's a lot of voices going on and everything. But I try to get far enough of down. One of the things that drives me nuts when I always watch golf with the on-course people is when they whisper Because I can't hear you and I can't understand exactly what you're saying. So we have this great technology of it. We call it a bird It's a little monitor that we carry with us and so I can see the coverage So I can get I can call this from 80 yards away and I like to get far enough away where I can still see but I can speak normal

And obviously with huge crowds you can yell and no one can hear you but I always try to get far enough away where I can still see, but I can speak normal. And obviously with huge crowds, you can yell and no one can hear you. But I always try to get ahead. That's my deal. I try to stay out of the players way. But I like to hang back occasionally and give them some shots every once in a while or hopefully they give me some.

But yeah, mostly just stay out of the way. But for me being on the ground, it's just, I feel like that's where I meant to be. When I first did it, I was up in the tower for a few weeks and it didn't go great. Like it was nothing special. Like it wasn't bad, it wasn't good. It was, they weren't going to hire me or anything like that. And I did the PGA championship for ESPN at Harding Park when there was zero fans during COVID. And I, Mike McQuay, the producer there, I said, will you let me go on the ground? And he said, yeah. And I went, I can't remember. I was with Spieth's group or who it was, but 10 minutes in.

And my year, he's like, this is where you belong. And I just, I never want to go anywhere else. McQuade seems like a talented guy as well. He's great. Fun to work with. What, I hate when people ask me this question. That's good. I hate it.

But picking out some of your favorite interviews you guys have done podcast wise or something that sticks out to you as your best interviews you've done, who would that be? Well, one of all times a non golfer who's a might Commodore okay hockey legend one Stanley cup In raw it's just he's the funniest dude on the planet. He's got the greatest stories I've heard all the stories a hundred times And I still cry laughing every time he tells him. He's just a great storyteller As far as golf wise like Joel Damon. It's just, he's so open, so honest. Max is the same way. One we did recently that really,

I think, surprised a lot of people. He won on the PGA tour, but it's not a big name. It's Charlie Belgian. Like his story is crazy and he sat right here and was so open, so honest. He said nothing's out of bounds. Like I don't care, just ask me. Talking about how, you know,

he had a bad drinking problem, was drinking on tour, you know, Xanax on the golf course, try to help his nerves, just hear what he went through while he was playing. And now he's been sober for 26 months, which is cool. He did really well in Bitcoin. He's thinking about going out and playing professional golf again, but just a wild ride he was on. And it was so cool to see someone like that, so open and honest.

Did you try to talk about it going back in professional go? Oh, like a money's not a big deal. It doesn't matter if you make the cut or not, then sure why not? He's a good player, but yeah, that's too stressful. Who wants to go play mini tours? It does look really stressful.

Like I can imagine like sweating out the birdies and bogies seems like it would be extremely, extremely stressful. It is. I mean, yeah, not everybody's like those top guys who it's like, Miss Cut, okay, no big deal. I mean, you're living and dying by every cut out there. I'm trying to keep your, when you're one of those guys has to fight to keep your job every single year, it sucks. I mean, it's so rewarding when you do it. But when you're saying, I mean, don't imagine going into wind them and you're like 124 on the FedEx. It's like, I just want to puke every single shot.

Couple shots could decide, you know, whether I get courtesy cars next year and, you know, it's tough. I mean, I remember one year at wind him, Martin Flores finished hole in one birdie and then made like an eight footer on par to get his card and it knocked some guy out. And I was like, imagine being the 126 guy that just got a hole in one make on him. It was Zach Blair.

I mean, I remember that. There you go. I mean, it's just, like, what's the worst possible situation? That. Well, I enjoyed hearing your stories, man. Thanks for having me in your home here. Look forward to Wasteman, this week I think it's going to be a great week. Excited to see what these designated events look like and we will have to do it against

a time and I'll see you at the end. You got it. Anytime. And thanks for dinner. You bet. I'm going to write club. Be the right club today. Yes. Yeah.

That's better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most. Expect anything different. Better than most.