When you tee up a conversation with Duane Anderson, TaylorMade's seasoned club fitter, and father, you know we are in for a great conversation! Thankfully, Greg Manley was kind enough to introduce Duane and me a few years ago, and our friendship continues to grow!
This episode intertwines the lush world of golf with the journey of fatherhood, as Duane and I reflect on the values that not only define our paths as dads but also shape the lives of our children. From his time at USC triumphs to how he got into golf, Duane brings to the table a rich perspective on parenting that is as varied and vibrant as the golf clubs he knows so well.
We share candid stories where our kids taught us a thing or two about honesty, and we ponder over the shared moments that fortify the bond between father and child. As we shift the focus to our careers, Duane and I recount the serendipitous swings that led us to where we are today, and how fostering curiosity and embracing change have been our caddies in this unpredictable game of life.
Closing out this round, we address the transformative nature of fatherhood as our kids venture into adulthood. With tales that evoke empathy and chuckles alike, we touch upon the importance of remaining an ever-present figure in their lives, armed with patience and humor. This episode isn't just for the golf aficionados or the parenting vets; it's for anyone seeking to understand the power of engagement, the strength found in empathy, and the laughter that lightens the load of learning to be the best dad possible.
Please don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!
When you tee up a conversation with Duane Anderson, TaylorMade's seasoned club fitter, and father, you know we are in for a great conversation! Thankfully, Greg Manley was kind enough to introduce Duane and me a few years ago, and our friendship continues to grow!
This episode intertwines the lush world of golf with the journey of fatherhood, as Duane and I reflect on the values that not only define our paths as dads but also shape the lives of our children. From his time at USC triumphs to how he got into golf, Duane brings to the table a rich perspective on parenting that is as varied and vibrant as the golf clubs he knows so well.
We share candid stories where our kids taught us a thing or two about honesty, and we ponder over the shared moments that fortify the bond between father and child. As we shift the focus to our careers, Duane and I recount the serendipitous swings that led us to where we are today, and how fostering curiosity and embracing change have been our caddies in this unpredictable game of life.
Closing out this round, we address the transformative nature of fatherhood as our kids venture into adulthood. With tales that evoke empathy and chuckles alike, we touch upon the importance of remaining an ever-present figure in their lives, armed with patience and humor. This episode isn't just for the golf aficionados or the parenting vets; it's for anyone seeking to understand the power of engagement, the strength found in empathy, and the laughter that lightens the load of learning to be the best dad possible.
Please don't forget to leave us a review wherever you consume your podcasts! Please help us get more dads to listen weekly and become the ultimate leader of their homes!
Hi, I'm Riley.
Speaker 2:And I'm Ryder and this is my Dad's Show. Hey everybody, it's KCJ Cox with the quarterback Dadcast. I'm excited to announce we have a brand new sponsor joining the show, which is called LatitudeSitkacom, a Latitude 57. Now this company's mission is to provide an unparalleled Alaskan experience that will enable their customers to explore everything that the region has to offer. Additionally, they are dedicated to supporting and promoting the local community, the culture, as well as protecting and preserving the natural beauty that the resources of the region have to offer us. So I'm going there in June. I can't wait. And whether you're looking to find a wellness retreat, if you're looking for a place to take your favorite customer, if you're looking for a way to maybe take your leadership team, check out LatitudeSitkacom, because they will give you some amazing sea exploration from fishing to commercial fishing, wildlife tours, beach excursions, scuba diving, snorkeling, even paddle boarding. If none of those sound interesting to you, well then go. Stay on land and go ITVing, hiking, hot springs, yoga, take a massage in. The team has over 20 years of local knowledge to serve you, and they also will be able to cook amazing meals while you are there staying in their facility. So go to LatitudeSitkacom now and book that next wellness retreat. You won't regret it. The majestic views will blow you away and, as I mentioned, I cannot wait to get there in June.
Speaker 2:So with that, let's welcome LatitudeSitka to the podcast and get right to today's episode. Hey everybody, it's Casey Jaycox with the quarterback dadcast. We are in season five and that sounds and feels fantastic. And again much love goes out to my college receiver, the one and only 86, tainunez, from the pride and joy of Yakima, washington. But today's guest only is happening because of the fantastic. Greg Manley introduced me to the wonderful folks at TaylorMade nearly two years ago and this next gentleman is one of the most, I would say, world renowned. He probably won't say that, but I think he is one of the most talented club fitters you'll ever meet. His name is Dwayne Anderson and he spent nearly close to 29, we'll call it 28 years and change at TaylorMade. He from many different roles, from Spendin' Life on the PGA tour, which we'll hear about. He has one of the most amazing putter studios that if you don't know what it is, google or YouTube, the Kingdom and Dwayne Anderson, and you probably will come up. He's a fighting Trojan. Fight on big fan of old Faro.
Speaker 2:But, more importantly, we're having Dwayne on to talk about Dwayne the dad and how he's continually working hard to become that ultimate quarterback or leader of his household. So, without further ado, mr Anderson, welcome to the quarterback dadcast.
Speaker 4:Oh, thanks so much.
Speaker 2:Pleasure to be here. Fight on, baby, I should get this done. Da da da, da, da, da da da da. Yes, we do play that often. That is for non Trojans that's like probably the most annoying song ever, but for Trojans it's got to be one of your favorites ever. Oh, absolutely. Well, I, personally everybody have had the luxury of getting fit, and I mean by fit like we're talking shafts, lengths, club face, and if you ever can find a way to get down to the Kingdom and experience the fantastic customer service by doing Anderson, I highly recommend it. So, thank you, dwayne, for that experience. Very nice of you. Okay, we always start each episode with gratitude, so tell me, what are you most grateful for as a dad today?
Speaker 4:Oh boy, my kids are healthy and happy and thriving.
Speaker 2:That's a common answer and it's a one I've told dads often like say that to ourself often and watch the smile on our face. Just put one on my face just saying it.
Speaker 2:I know I it's a fantastic answer. I'm grateful today for I had some one on one time with my daughter today from my son. He came home from school pretty much he goes right to the golf course, which I love. But my daughter I had to pick her up from. I didn't have to, I got to, I got to pick her up from basketball practice and then we spent some time at, went to Starbucks and went and got the mail, did a couple errands and just I love that alone car time where you can just ask questions and be goofy.
Speaker 2:And I saw and I picked her up to high school that she had like four of her friends and I was waving to them and then I was trying to embarrass her, which I did, and then honked, honked when I left the old bump, bump, bump, bump and they started. I heard them laughing on the way out and Riley is like dad, stop it. And I'm like I gotta enjoy this, why can't honey? And so luckily she laughed. But I was just great for that moment because I don't know. I try to focus on those little, little wins each day because it keeps my mindset positive and happy, absolutely. All right, sir, we'll take us inside the Anderson Huddle and tell us a little bit about each member of the, of the of the team.
Speaker 4:Oh boy, let's see. So start with my wife. We've been married for 24 years now. She is a new real estate agent, which is really exciting. She's taught for years and years and years college level communications classes and she's just awesome. She's kind of my opposite, where she's an extrovert and is a magnet for people and I tend to be quieter and more in the corner and watch and learn and listen as much as I can. So we're a nice, you know, opposite to track type situation.
Speaker 4:Her name is Thorez and let's see my daughter, samara graduated from USC last May and she is now taking a year call it a gap year thinking about law school and the LSAT, and she's actually working at a big firm in LA as a law clerk. So she's kind of immersed in it and deciding if that's what she wants to do, and she's a she's my big dancer, so she really wanted to stay in LA because she's dialed into the whole dance scene up there and just is thriving in that. She's my tapper and she was also on the dance team at USC, which was a lot of fun. The Trojan Dance Force does all the basketball games. They're kind of like Laker girls, I guess, and so that was a lot of fun through her four years up there. We went to a ton of basketball games and got to see her and see her dance and, yeah, just part of her life since she was very, very little. And it's just so cool that she still has a passion and still still drives her. So she's just awesome lover to death. Very happy. She's going to come see us here Thanksgiving in a couple of days.
Speaker 4:My son Dominic her name's Samara, I don't know if I mentioned that my son Dominic is a sophomore at ASU. He's in the Cronkite School of Sports, journalism and Broadcasting and he's my sports guy. I would you know. I remember when he was very young I would wake up to a box course. You know he's six, eight years old coming out of his room.
Speaker 3:Hey.
Speaker 4:Dad, you see the game last night. This guy had this many hits and runs and RBIs and baskets and this guy had a triple double. And I just sports that I don't really follow all that well, but, boy, I heard a lot about growing up so he's just been my sports guy playing basketball and football and so it's neat. And then he got into broadcasting in junior high. There's a really good broadcast broadcasting program here in the Carlsbad School District from junior high into high school of broadcasting, and even in high school they produce a news, they produce a news show every day. So he was fully immersed in the whole broadcasting scene and it turns out he's an amazing writer. So the sports and journalism thing is right up his alley and he's just doing great.
Speaker 2:So Dominic and Samar and Therese, I would say those are uncommon names. Yeah, tell me, I love that, though. Like where tell me, how did you guys come up with the names?
Speaker 4:Let's see so my wife Therese started her. Her father was born and raised in Lebanon and was fluent in French, and it's actually a French name spelled like Therese. But she got tired of being called Therese because it's Therese, so she actually has. We we've spelled it more phonetically so people would say it correctly, so her name is Therese. And then she had a very good friend who had a daughter named Samara, which now don't quote me because I do not speak Arabic, but from what I've been told means light brown in Arabic.
Speaker 4:Oh, there we go he just fell in love with the name Samara and then Dominic. That was an interesting one because all the all the males in my Anderson clan and Anderson family, all the males, have D names. So let's see, I got a brother David, and the brother Dean, my dad's Dale, and I got a nephew, dane. So we decided, well, if we find a D name we like, we'll keep it going, and if we don't, then we won't. And we just fell him up with Dominic. So he's got a, just a built in, built in Dom. Everybody calls him Dom, so didn't have to work too hard to give him a nickname.
Speaker 2:There we go, love it. That's cool, okay, so I would like to go I always like to go backwards now and understand a little bit about how our guess, how, life, how, how, what was it? What was it like? What was it like like for Dwayne growing up and talk about the impact your parents had on you that helped you as you became a dad?
Speaker 4:Oh, boy. So I grew up in a very small town in the middle of California called Porterville. Not many people have heard of it or know where that is. It's funny when I find people from the central valley middle of California then they would know where Porterville is. But other than that, let's see town of 20,000 people when I was growing up A lot of agriculture, citrus dairy farms, just kind of a pretty blue collar type of place.
Speaker 4:My dad was a band director. He was a music music teacher so he got a job Boy when I was a baby at this new high school in Porterville, california, so moved the whole family there and taught there for geez, almost 40 years I think he's. Yeah, my parents are both teachers from the small town in the middle of California. My mom was a resource specialist so she taught the learning disability kids, special ed kids, so probably one of those patient people you could ever come across. You know, married forever and my mom passed away five years ago but they just had this. You know, set this table.
Speaker 4:For us to have a stable family was important. You know, the third or four kids and, you know, just created this big family we had and everything was busy. My brothers and I were one year apart. So you can imagine three boys one year apart, just picking age 456, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16. Just kind of made him and my sister's a couple years younger than me. And yeah, can I brag on this? Please do, is that okay? My dad was inducted into the California Music Educators Hall of Fame about eight, nine years ago.
Speaker 2:Let's go.
Speaker 4:He was a very reputable music educator in California. So that was a big part of growing up with music. Is he still?
Speaker 2:with us.
Speaker 4:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Okay, is he still with us? Does he still play music?
Speaker 4:Not too much. He's getting up there and he's living with my sister up in Northern California.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not doing no more golf you know, yep, no, I well sorry about your mom. I lost my dad December 29, 2021. My mom's still with us. My mom remarried 20, 25 years ago. Yeah, and it's so. It's definitely interesting to see in your parents' age. But it's cool to reflect. Yeah, it's cool to reflect. And didn't know when your dad was teaching, did you and your siblings play music growing up? Oh, yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, see, my oldest brother was like trumpet and my next brother was played drums and I played a bunch of different instruments, from saxophone to French horn, tuba, bass guitar, kind of everything.
Speaker 2:So you're kind of like this, like would you like more? Like you're like the weird all Yankovic of Taemin made, or more like the Stevie Wonder or the Stevie.
Speaker 4:I for me, I think it was something that just came easy. I think just my what I've learned as I've gotten older and older. I'm really good at seeing patterns, and so music was just something. I could see the patterns of it and I could pick up an instrument and learn how to play it pretty quickly. Hmm, do you still play? Not much. No, haven't touched an instrument in a long time. I think it's one of those things when you know you're a, you know when your dad's music teacher you don't go into music. You know one of those were. Yeah no, I got me into golf at a very young age.
Speaker 2:Now, that's what I was going to ask. So did. Were you a family of golfers?
Speaker 4:My dad and my second brother and I were the big golfers. Okay, he, his, his dream was to be a member of a private country club. So of course this is a town of 20,000 people, so we'll use that term kind of lightly. Not not really like him ready in the valley. This was a golf course that was a private club and my dad was number number 18 in 1970 for $200. Wow.
Speaker 4:Family membership got in for 200 bucks. So my brother, older brother and I grew up there from junior high up. You know that was one of our passions.
Speaker 2:As you, as you think about, as you're telling me this story, talk about some of the values or must haves that your parents instilled in you.
Speaker 4:Integrity, dependability, honesty yeah, I guess that they're. You know pretty, you know middle class teachers. Family, take care of people.
Speaker 2:Is there a story that comes to mind when you say that?
Speaker 4:Were, you were you learning those lessons? I think in a yeah, I think it there was some you know situations of you know crazy household and you know when you made a mistake or screwed up was, you know taking ownership of it and being accountable for it. You know it was. There were a lot of witnesses around. That's right. See, couldn't get away with a whole lot, so maybe that's the story that comes to mind.
Speaker 2:So think about integrity, being dependable and honest. I mean two of those three for sure. You learned to the game of golf. Oh yeah, Were those lessons kind of reinforced to you and your, your brother, when you put golf through that?
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's I always have. I've always thought I'm in golf. People would ask me you know, throughout the years, you know who's who were the? You know tour players that were jerks and stuff like that, and I really had a hard time thinking of many or any really, because I think the game of golf just breeds some core values of people you know.
Speaker 4:It's a game of honesty. It's game of integrity. You call penalties on yourself. You're responsible for your score. It's not a you know you mistake is made. Guess who made it? You know it's. But I just think the game itself breeds a lot of those really quality traits in people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's. I mean I don't, I can't remember if I told you this. I know that you had a chance to meet writer last year. I think I shared this. I'm not gonna share this on Trotty's episode where. So apologize for people hearing this again, but I'll share the use of my resonated story or two.
Speaker 2:I mean he was when he was like in a second golf tournament, like it was a district tournament, and he ended up, you know, hits a decent shot off the tee. You know he was a little nervous. He hits his neck, shot up near the green and gets up there and chips on. He's got. Like you know, as you're a 10 year old, if you got a putt for par, as a 10 year old, nine year old, you're like oh, it's pretty good, you leave the bogey, it's not that bad. Right before he hits his putt he looks down, he looks up around and I see him market and he's like I could see like a big black mark on him, like that's fricking, not his ball, oh, and I'm like, oh, no. And so you kind of like and I kind of make the joke where I had that. You know the cartoon where the little angel comes up and says he better do the right thing, and then he's like just put it.
Speaker 2:I'm like, please, but do the right thing, please do the right thing. And he literally marks his ball, goes up to the rules official and says, sir, I hit the wrong ball. I'm not sure how it happened, but I don't know what to do. And you know, I was like, so, obviously I felt just horrible for him. But I was like, yeah, it's so proud that he did the right thing. Fantastic, you know.
Speaker 2:And he actually wrote that's what he wrote about for his senior essay for college, the ending. Yeah, it's kind of a neat, neat moment. But you know, he ends up it's funny he ends up having to go back. They give him a two stroke penalty. Now he's hitting like five from the middle of the fairway, from, like you know, 95 yards. He hits it to like 40 feet downhill, double breaker. I'm like, oh my God, this gets 10 written all over it. He puts it to like an inch tap in seven. I'm like. I'm like, dude, you, that was the best seven I've ever seen in my life. Right, we kind of laughed about it, but I mean, like, that's what, when you were talking about you know, honesty. Like that story will always be on my on my mind, my heart too, but I guess, as I shared, that does that trigger any moments your dad or you're growing up that you end up you would end up sharing with with Samarra and Dom. Oh boy.
Speaker 4:You're asking some deep questions.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the quarterback dadcast baby, my gosh.
Speaker 4:Yeah, just a few memories and feelings with my kids of it's okay to you know it's okay to make mistakes. Just be accountable, just have integrity, you know.
Speaker 4:But just to understand, we're humans and we are going to make mistakes, you know. And you know it's through with my son. You know he can tend to get very upset when he, when he screws up and it's like Dom, it's okay. But the world's still turning, we're still breathing. You know it's not the end of the world. Now learn from it. We can learn from things, but you know, turn out to beat yourself up too bad.
Speaker 2:I think what you talked about there is vulnerability and brings vulnerability and you also talked about. I mean, you also summarize one of my favorite words, which is grace. You give yourself grace, like one of my mentors. In life, it's okay not to know every answer. It's just not okay not to do anything about it. And what a gift when you don't have to know everything and you can say it out loud yeah, makes for an easier way to live life.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, I think it's one of the, you know it can be. One of the hardest things to do is to to give ourselves grace. Our own worst critics those kind of things.
Speaker 2:It's very true. It's like the artistic mindset. You know. Artists are always the hardest on themselves, absolutely Okay. So you grew up with brothers, which is probably like imagine WWF wrestling your sister was like what the hell? How do I, how do I get involved? This you got teachers. You're putting the band together. You're playing golf. Did you play competitive golf through high school?
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I played on the high school golf team. Did you keep going into college?
Speaker 4:I didn't play a whole lot in college. It was, you know, it's pretty funny. I went from this town of 20,000 people to a college of 32,000 people and in LA, and all of a sudden I had to what I got to pay for greenpeace. What's that all about? A tea time, what's that you know? So golf kind of took a little backseat. I would play when I'd go home. You know, go home for the summer and play a bunch of golf. Well, I was in LA at school. I didn't play at time.
Speaker 2:And what did tell me about your experience at USC?
Speaker 4:Kind of mimic what I just said earlier. Yeah, I mean, the first, first half a year was like just wow. Yeah.
Speaker 4:You know it's a huge change, but it was. It was great. I mean, that's called just, you know, one of the best times of our entire lives where we grow and learn and experience new things and run across different ideas and different people. And you know, so it was. It was an amazing four years for me, just from this kind of small town. I think one of the funniest things was realizing that it would always things that were popular, like fads and things like that would would get to my hometown a lot later than other places, and it was just kind of funny. All the trends and fads were right in my face and it was kind of shocking. But no, it was a great experience, I think. You know I've always been very independent and good on my own, and so it was very liberating for me.
Speaker 2:Very cool. How and what did you major in?
Speaker 4:So I went to USC in architecture, which was which was pretty neat. You know the freshman year architecture program. They take 100 students, so that was pretty cool to be a part of that and after, after a year of that, realize that's not how I wanted to spend my college years and change my major and I actually graduated with a degree in theater, believe it or not.
Speaker 2:Do you think your father's influence of mute and mom's influence of music drove you to theater? Oh, definitely.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that was, you know, growing up. We were always doing musical theater in the summers and that was real big back then. And yeah, it was, you know, some of my thought at the time. Maybe I wanted to do something like that with my life and ended up getting my degree in it.
Speaker 2:Did you do any like off Broadway stuff or plays and stuff when you got done?
Speaker 4:No, no, I actually went into casting for a little while, so we're kind of behind the scenes in that. Then I thought that's what I was going to do with my life. And then the recession. Recession hit and got laid off from my job and nobody was hiring in. I ended up moving down to San Diego.
Speaker 2:Which brings us right to TaylorMade.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah yeah. I kind of had nothing tying me to LA anymore after during the recession and my uncle said, well, come down and live with us. But okay, I ended up down here, I jokingly. Anytime I meet someone that's actually from San Diego, I say, no, you're not, because we all have stories that we ended up here.
Speaker 2:I love it. I think it's funny. Not many people I know that's probably a good story. I mean, I think you're right. There's the one person I knew from San Diego. He actually moved to Boise. But yeah, a lot of people are moved. They move in transplant. Well, it's probably because it's 75 every day and why wouldn't you want them not being that it's not bad. So talk to me, how did you stumble across TaylorMade and what's kept you there now for nearly 30 years?
Speaker 4:Oh boy, so so, you know, moved down here and working odd jobs and bartending and sold cars for a while and just took PLS out, thought maybe I wanted to go to law school, you know, just kind of trying to figure out life, and had just a great few years, a couple years there of having fun. And then my brother, second oldest brother he was at Purdue getting his PhD in mechanical engineering and he thought, wow, golf would be kind of a cool thing to do. So he actually called customer service here at TaylorMade and they happened to have a job that they were. They were searching for someone to fill a role in R&D, research and development, and so Dave was finishing up his PhD wasn't quite done yet. They weren't sure if he was the right guy. They said, well, tell you what, can you be in San Diego, can you be in calls about on Friday? So they flew him out here and he actually stayed with me in my tiny little studio apartment. He interviewed on Friday and they offered him the job on Sunday. Wow.
Speaker 4:And then about yeah, probably six weeks later he calls me up. He said, hey, they've got a job opening, you should apply, so I did. So, yeah, he's now our. What is he now? Let's see the associate vice president of research at TaylorMade.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 4:I did not know that.
Speaker 3:Hi, I'm Leslie Vickery, the CEO and founder of ClearEdge, a company dedicated to transforming the business of talent. Through our three lines of business ClearEdge, marketing, recruiting and rising that help organizations across the recruitment and HR tech sectors grow their brands and market share while building their teams with excellence and equity. I believe we were one of Casey's very first clients. He helped our sales and account teams really those people on the front lines of building and developing client relationships in so many ways. Here are a few. He helped us unlock the power of curiosity. For me it was a game changer. I was personally learning all about Ted based that's, tell, explain, describe, questioning and that really resonated with me. We also learned about unlocking the power of humility and unlocking the power of vulnerability. Casey taught us to be a team player, to embrace change, to stay positive. He is one of the most positive people I know. He believes that optimism, resilience and a sense of humor can go a long way in helping people achieve their goals and overcome obstacles.
Speaker 3:And I agree Casey's book when the Relationship, not the Deal it is a must read. Listen. Whether you're looking for coaching and training or a powerful speaker or keynote, casey is one of the people I recommend, when talking to companies, the end result for us, at least as one of Casey's clients our own clients would literally commend our approach over all other companies, from the way we were prepared in advance of a call, to how we drove meetings, to how we follow up. It sounds really basic, I know, but let me tell you it is a standout approach that led to stronger relationships. I encourage you to learn more by going to kcjcoxcom. You have nothing to lose by having a conversation and a lot to gain. Now let's get back to Casey's podcast, the Quarterback Dadcast.
Speaker 2:So what was your first job at TaylorMade?
Speaker 4:So I started off in it's called field testing in R&D. So through the development process we test prototypes. We got to make prototypes and we actually get players to test them. So player testing. So I would go out and we had different technologies back then. We used a surveyors, transit and mirrors and a laser to measure, carry and roll and we go out and test prototypes and get feedback and write up reports and submit them into R&D. So that's how we were developing and proving out our concepts back then. And, yeah, that's where it all began. So I was working on metal, woods and wedges, irons, everything, Bubble burners. That was the first project I worked on, the bubble shaft.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, that's a lot of testing.
Speaker 4:Old school.
Speaker 2:Okay, so not really.
Speaker 4:We were part of R&D teams and worked which was pretty neat where they went and bet us with different teams to be in that process. Also Because we were the ones kind of on the front lines hearing all the feedback and watching what the ball was doing and that was kind of a neat. Addition to just being outside. Testing products was to actually be integrated into the teams to help out. Wow.
Speaker 2:So for all the I mean not to go too golf nerd on us, but for the people at home listening, that's like okay, in case you had people on from the kingdom and the stuff like what the hell is like for the person that's never heard of the kingdom. Tell everybody what the kingdom is and what a day in the life is like for doing. Is golf heaven?
Speaker 4:All right, so it started out. We moved into this building that we are today in around 2000. And across the street there was this piece of land and I said, wow, that'd be kind of a cool test facility. We could build a driving range there and have a test center right across the street. And so the so we did, and the original name for this place was the research test center. And then in 2005, so we do a lot of research, r and D testing and all of a sudden they started bringing our staff, tour players up here to test out products and prototypes. And so somebody along the way had the idea well, how about we start bringing some of the public here and starts? Then it turned into a sitting center. So that's what we do here. We've got a beautiful piece of land and a great few different hitting areas for people to test products on.
Speaker 4:We use as advanced technologies as are available in the fitting process. So, day in the life boy, I would say. One of the things I'm responsible for is I'm kind of our tech guy, so I got to make sure all of our technologies are up to date, calibrating, working, looking for new tech, anything that we can use that cutting edge to. We're always just trying to get better at what we do. So it's a constant process trying to see what's out there and is there a better way to do it, and I think that's a constant in all my years at TaylorMade. In all my years at TaylorMade, every position I've held has been okay. Then again, I think, as part of my personality, type is just okay. How can we do it? Better.
Speaker 4:Just, this is the way we've always done. It is not a great reason to keep doing something right. So come in, set everything up. We do fittings from 9.30,. We start our morning fitting. It takes two and a half hours, usually two. Two and a half hours go through a full bag of clubs and we just have a little lunch break. We give our maintenance crew some time to maintain the grounds and then we start again at 1.30 until 4.30.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so it's just a fully immersive fitting process going through the whole bag one-on-one, as much time as we need, as how much time it's gonna take, and really just try to do it once and do it right. Really try to optimize the products that we are fitting someone into, tailoring them to themselves, trying to get a shaft or a length or a line goal loft all these different parameters that go into a golf club, and making sure that setup suits your tendencies in your golf swing and how you use the golf club. That's probably the easiest way, I guess. When I boil it down I say look, we're gonna identify what your tendencies are in your golf swing and then we're gonna make sure the equipment we put in your hand are helping and enhancing, and not fighting those tendencies. It's not uncommon for someone to have piece of equipment in their hands that is fighting their tendencies and making it harder to hit a quality golf shot.
Speaker 4:And then the other mundane parts. We do a lot of order entry and a lot of emails and taking care of our guests. Taking care of our guests, we're really. This is what we try to make. This is the epitome of club sitting and it's something that we take very seriously and very honestly. To make it that and not just assume that it is or assume that people think it is, but to actually make it that every day.
Speaker 2:Well, I know I've been lucky to experience it and it is. I pinched myself that I was able to go down there a couple of times and it is one of the probably one of the if you're a golf nut, it's like one of the experience of lifetime. So YouTube it. There's some great videos out there that Dwayne's been a part of or Trotty's been a part of, or other folks down at TaylorMade. I loved it, transition and talk about. I remember you told me when we were playing a little event I'm not gonna say what happened, we both know they're Dwayne, but what talk about your journey on tour and how challenging was that as a from a father's perspective, being away.
Speaker 4:Sure. So I, after being in field testing for a couple of years, I started working in golf balls, was kind of new to TaylorMade, researching and testing golf balls, to being out on tour with our staff players and our tour players testing out golf balls and new products, and then ended up being out on tour all the time, just kind of gravitated into that and realized that was something I wanted to do. So I became a tour rep and I was on the PJ tour for about three years and I was on the nationwide Nike tour, bycom I think it had three different names when I was out there and now it's the corn fairy tour. So I spent kind of some good amount of time on each one of those tours. It was fantastic. It was I was a lot younger than I am today and kind of traveling and a lot of hotels and rental cars and golf courses and, yeah, fatherhood that's actually what kind of.
Speaker 4:I knew I wouldn't, I knew I wasn't a lifer in that type of position. I knew that it wasn't something that I was gonna do my entire career, because I wanted to have a family and I wanted to be home when I started having a family. So let's see my daughter. She was born out still out there, and then, when Dominic came around, that's when it was time for me to get off the road and find a job inside. And I remember my daughter kind of being old enough to just about old enough to look at me like, okay, where are you going, why are you leaving, when are you coming back? And that's when it really was time to find a role inside the building.
Speaker 4:To do so, I went back to my roots. I called our VP of R&D, who hired me so many years before, and I said, hey, I need a job inside where I'm not getting on an airplane every Sunday. And he said okay, dwayne, I got a job for you. He goes putters. I said, okay, great, what do you mean putters? And he goes you're going to do R&D for putters.
Speaker 4:I didn't really know much about putters. I knew what one was, but I spent the next seven years doing nothing but from robot testing, the research to product development design just part of the team that would develop our putters and research new technologies and verify prototypes and see what we could learn about putters and how. The spider is a great example of that journey of here's a highly tech, high tech putter. Well, that was a lot of R&D that went into that and a lot of thought and a lot of research and a lot of testing, trying things and failing and succeeding and just learning. So I did that for about seven years, which was immersive. And then we moved the putter lab up here to the kingdom and I came with it and so now I get to do putters and I get to do everything else.
Speaker 2:Well, for the golf nerds dads alike are listening right now, this putter lab doing talking about is insane. It's different, different undulation. And when I went through it a couple of years ago I was like, okay, he's like all right, line up, I'm like I am. He's like where you aiming, I'm like I'm aiming right here. He's like no, like line up, I'm like I am doing. He's like, and he fired this laser, done thing. And I was like two inches off to the right.
Speaker 2:I thought I, I thought I understood like my putting stroke that was off. And it's amazing when you, if you have not been fit for a putter in your golf or data out there, go do it because you can. Like Lily, my, my, my stroke, I think it was like coming through two degrees open and then I had an open putter which made it, which made them magnify the openness. So it's like now I understood why none of my buddies would give me two footers because I'd fight that folks open, I'm freaking, yelling four right and missing it by a foot. Yeah, so super interesting stuff to learn about. You know it's interesting at the.
Speaker 4:What a lot of our guests tend to talk about after they've been here is the putter lab is one of them. Because most people have never considered their putter, they've never been fit for a putter, they've never gone to get help or a lesson with their putting and it's not really what we do up here as far as lessons but just the point is they've never really considered their putter anymore than just a waggle and a look. They kind of put it down and look at it and okay, did that look good to me. And then they waggle it back and forth a few times and say, okay, that feels good, and then they go buy it.
Speaker 4:And so you take them from that that point to okay, we're going to use a gear system, 3d motion capture that's measuring intensive degrees, 10th of miles an hour, what's happening. And then we also use a quintix system to measure the launch and how the ball's coming off the face and make sure it's rolling properly. Use all these technologies to say, well, this is the type of putter you should be using, based on your tendencies, and here's the specs that go with that. And so it's. I think that's one of the big reasons why people talk about. It is just because of me or you know, but just, they've never really considered their putter in a meaningful way. And then we take them to that all the way up to there and say, no, here, this is, here's the data, here's yeah, look and feel.
Speaker 4:Those are very important. That's one of the. For me, one of the coolest things about putting and putter fitting is that we have all this science and data we can fall back on, but the reality at the end of the day, look and feel and sound, and these things are also very important. So it's kind of a great blend between, you know, science and art. You know it really is, and it sounds very cliche when it comes out of my mouth, but it really it's a neat, neat place in there.
Speaker 2:Well, no, I think I think it's. I don't think it's cliche, I think it's true as, like, there's science and art and everything. I mean I found you ironic time you said this. We're recording right now, in late November, of this episode. Like I mentioned, we'll come out everybody in January. I just presented with another gentleman at a conference on the differences between science and art of like, sales and relationship building and how there's you got to look at both, and so I think that that speaks to me.
Speaker 2:There's not always not one way to think about it, but understanding kind of the why. I think that kind of leads us right back into parenting about like too often. You know we're his dad, we teach our kids these things, we tell our kids to do things, but sometimes, if we don't slow down to like, inspire the curiosity which I think is a superpower, a lot of us let lay dormant and we don't use it. And so I love to understand, like your, your role at TaylorMade for so long, the ability to have empathy, listen, you know, learn about so many different golf swings, you know. Having the, you know probably the. You know the experience of working with the best players in the world and then going home and being a dad, like talk about, talk about the hardest part of that lifestyle, of just not only being away, but whether the challenges that you recall were you came across your world that you had to kind of deal with on that job Wow.
Speaker 4:I think I'm trying to understand your question a little bit. The curiosity I think is huge to try to pass on to our kids. I love how you put that, that we spend a lot of time dictating or just telling them no, you do this, you do this, you do this. And I think one of the things that I've always and it's again what I do for a living and what I have grown up is why, why, why? Challenging them to think about it and use their curiosity and try to figure it out for themselves. You know, instead of just telling them the answer, I'll try to give them hints and see if they can work it out for themselves.
Speaker 2:That's gold there, brother. That's that's what I was hoping you're going to say. You know it's it's so powerful.
Speaker 4:You know long, you know. I wish I could take credit for all any of this. You know, really, it's the look back on it and you realize how many influences you've had in your own life. But you know, just challenge you to keep learning, keep. I guess one of the biggest things that came to me was listening and and being curious. I mean, those are two of the things that I've tried really hard to instill into my kids is to listen more than you talk and be curious. It's okay. It's okay to ask a dumb question, it's okay to. You know, don't be afraid to to fail, don't be afraid to ask a dumb question because you can always learn, we can always keep learning and I, you know, I've been here 20 years and I still come into work every day.
Speaker 4:I don't have all the answers. I I am so excited because I get to meet new people and I get to keep learning, because that's one of the beauties of golf is we're never done. You know, you're never gonna perfect golf and and I don't know, there's just some, some hallmarks. I get some Pillars that I try to live by. No, I think it's right up on to my kids.
Speaker 2:Tell me where do you think that skill came from for you the ability to get curious and help your kids, kind of that that improved their critical thinking skills.
Speaker 4:Hmm, why did that come from? I Think I think so. That is just part of my personality type, that I'm just naturally curious. Like I, I've always, I've always Wondered how things work, no matter what it is. Mm-hmm, I, you know, just somebody telling me how to do something. I'm the guy that something comes in the box. First thing I'm gonna do is read the instructions. You know, I'm not just gonna dive in and figure it out. You know I'm gonna. I need to know how it all works the world. So I guess I've just tried to pass some of that on. I don't know. I don't know if there was really a moment or Anybody who really inspired me to be that way. I don't know if that's just a personality trait, but that's, I Guess, just how I look at it is. I'm always hungry, mm-hmm, I'm always hungry to learn.
Speaker 2:I Kind of giggled, not at you but at myself, because I could not have been more opposite, dwayne, I unfortunately, like I Don't have an engineering mind, right I, I'm the guy that like reads the instructions. I start to him like oh, I think I got this, and then I put Together and then at the end there's like four parts. What do those go?
Speaker 4:Well, you know what funny though, too, is. Yeah, I've always been like that, I've always Tinkered with things, put things together. I remember when I was doing golf ball testing, our my boss, ben Wah he was our VP of R&D when he retired and he we were just starting then in golf balls this is a very this is 1997 6, 7, right in there, and you know, he said we need to learn about golf balls. I said, okay, great, and it was just me and him, the way of the team. And and he said, okay, there's a robot, I'm Palm Springs and it's at this driving range, and so it's our robot. We rented this building and our robots there, and so you need to set up a, a golf ball, and they had. There was a specific ball that was kind of the industry standard and you needed to get it at 9 degrees, 3,000 rpm, 160 miles an hour, and the club doesn't matter. Once you achieve that, those launch characteristics in a very, you know, testing environment in a very specific way. Then you test golf balls and see how they compare right. But okay, I never done any of this, you know. Okay, then he goes.
Speaker 4:So here's the manual for the robot Go, well, the manual is in French. Oh wow, because it was made by a French company, a robot. And then all the All the measurements were metric. I wouldn't figured it out. I had help. I didn't do it all myself, but that to me, was not a. I Wasn't intimidated at all by that. I was excited by it, something brand new. I had no idea what to do with it. Go figure it out, man. That was my bread and butter and so found the experts to help and figure these things out. And you know, we went out there and test the golf balls, started started this process of the tail made golf ball, of, you know, getting into the game of what is a golf ball and what are the differences between them, and blah, blah, blah. And Years and years and years later, you know there's one of our days here at kingdom is a robot day for golf ball and every morning there they're just about every morning.
Speaker 4:Anyway, they're testing prototypes and seeing what they do and how different they are.
Speaker 2:Do you, do you recall sharing that story of like having to get uncomfortable? Yeah, I guess, comfortable being uncomfortable and then just diving in with your kids and from a learning perspective.
Speaker 4:Oh, yeah, yeah, because I would remember my. I think I was always just the calming influence in those situations. You know, I'd see my kids get frustrated by something new or something that was hard and I, I think, because of that I could, I could pull them back and Okay, hey, let's, let's look at this, let's figure it out. You know, let's not get frustrated by it, let's not get angry about it, let's, you know it's a puzzle, let's put it together and, you know, figure out the process. And you know so I think that's For me, and the way I look at it anyway, was maybe just this, this calming influence, to To not get so upset, not not get frustrated so easily is Figure it out. Mm-hmm, work that work, the process. Yeah, I love work, work the problem, right.
Speaker 2:Well, I love that you remember doing that, and I love you because I always I'm a big believer in any learning that stories sell Versus. I would you know I tell sales teams stories sell slides, don't I mean you could?
Speaker 2:you can tell people all things the world, but you can't relate to a story, to tie something back to an emotion. And then I think we're at some of your vulnerabilities being showed again. You shared hey, I, I didn't know what the hell I was doing, but I figured it out and I chose our attitude and these are such valuable lessons we can teach our kids on Creating more positive people, more patient people, yeah, more inquisitive people and I think part of that is just the you know, that vulnerability or that ability to know that you're not perfect and that you're gonna screw up.
Speaker 4:You know and that it's okay. It's screw up, but let's learn from it. You know, but it's gonna happen.
Speaker 2:Well, so often. I mean you think about the golf industry. How much, how many, how many people live and die by their last golf shot and they let golf define them, or in any, in any industry I get. But like I think, since we're on the theme of golf, you know so I mean when we all want to shoot 65 and feel good about our game and think we're the best, but then golf decides to humble us and and we don't get any warning.
Speaker 2:It just decides to humble us. And I think about, as a father, when my son I Think I told you this, he actually my son, my writer committed to play golf at Southern Oregon next year. Oh right, yep, so he's off doing that. He's super excited. But, like I told him, we need to have, you know, some struggles. I'd say I Said you know, here's the thing I can guarantee you after a bad round a, I still love you the same, and the sun's coming up tomorrow, right, so you know I mean shoot, hey, we've all had bad rounds, but it's and not the last time we're gonna have a bad round, so I'd love that. You've kind of articulated that that really well.
Speaker 2:Okay, if you think about this is one question I always like to ask dads. Like so, if you to reflect back, you're watching film, you're in the, you're in the golf lab, but it's for dads now and you're saying, man, here's an area of my dad game. Yeah, that really wasn't the best, but I know I worked hard to get better at it, or I'm still working hard to get better at it, and maybe I'll lead my witness, which I don't think this will be your answer because it's you're way more patient than I am, but my, my gap still to this day is patience. But I think you're gonna be episode two. We'll call it nearly 240, see, kicking off season five, like having that many conversations with dads has helped improve my patients, which is like free therapy. So all the dads shout out to you Thank you for being part of this journey. But for you that other dads at home might relate to, do I tell me what's in there, your dad game, that you're still working hard to become better?
Speaker 4:hmm, for me, especially now that the kids are out of the house, is Engaging more often with them. That's Definitely something might I work at. It's easier for me to oh, they're fine, they'll call if there's a problem. But actually just to your point, is, though, that what you described earlier about those moments in the car just with your daughter and I don't, you know, I don't get those anymore on a daily basis, so I I kind of Keep.
Speaker 4:I try to keep that in the forefront of my mind, to reach out and and touch base with them more often Than I probably would normally.
Speaker 4:You know, it's just kind of balance once they leave the house is you want them to go be their own people and and grow and all those things, but and you don't want to I think that all my parents are always in my business and you know.
Speaker 4:So there's this balance. That has been interesting having my kids going through college and I think one thing I've realized is it's okay to just reach out to them and say hi and, you know, tell them that I'm thinking about them and see what's going on in the world and and it's it's been neat this last, I would say, a couple years In, because I think the first couple years when they've moved out, I kind of just left, let them be their own people, but I think the last couple years I've really reached out to them more, probably missed a more, who knows, you know. But it's been great because now I get to interact with them and they will reach out to me in For no reason, for nothing critical is going on, just to hey, I miss you and I want to see what's going on with you. You know so.
Speaker 2:That answer it. Holy man, you're making me like, oh my god, I'm seven months away from that.
Speaker 4:I'm just interesting time.
Speaker 2:Oh man, I'm not ready for that dude that's gonna be at us. I mean I'll tear up on a good AT&T commercial, so I know I'm gonna be a disaster.
Speaker 4:Yeah, there's definitely those moments are headed your way, oh boy.
Speaker 2:Well, okay, if we were to beside now before we get into some crazy fun lightning round stuff, like if you're to summarize when we talked About a lot of really good stuff, a lot of good themes, stories you shared, but if you're to kind of summarize two or three kind of actionable, I guess, mindsets or tasks or thoughts that dads can take from this, this conversation, to kind of like Maybe reevaluate their own dad game like a man here, here a couple areas I could be maybe coaching myself as a dad back home to say here's some things I can take this conversation to kind of become that Better ultimate or quarterback leader of their other home. Tell me what a couple things that come to mind based on what we talked about today.
Speaker 4:I think the empathy, the patience and the empathy to. It's so easy to find fault and try to correct it. That's, I think, kind of the default when you're.
Speaker 4:I'll say from my own experience, you know, as a parent, you know you, I think, when they're as they're growing up, you, you don't want to make the mistakes. So you, you know, don't do that, don't do that. And I think, as I've over the years and then a dad longer is realized that I got better at putting myself in their shoes and and talking to them more about about an experience or about a situation, than then just stepping in and saying, nope, this is the right answer, go, just do it. And you know, instead of hey, tell me about that. Why did it make you feel that way? Does that make sense? Is it? Is it? Well, here's another way to look at it and if I bring this other example or another way to look at a situation, do you feel differently about it? Now, you know? So I guess just being a little more patient, empathetic, as a parent, I think is massive and and account, and holding them accountable, you know, and and letting them know it's okay, it's okay to make mistakes, but let's be accountable to them.
Speaker 2:I wrote down five that are fantastic. I wrote empathy, patience. You really described curiosity, ended with accountability and it's okay to fail. Gold brother gold.
Speaker 2:I've after your first podcast, huh, okay, I now it's time to go into the lightning round where I ask you just random questions that have no probably value or thought to the world, but other than the chances, I'm trying to make you laugh and your and your job is try to answer these as quickly as possible. Okay, are you ready? Yep, okay, being a University of Southern California, trojan, you once casted will Ferrell in the movie old school, true or false? False? Okay, you were recruited to USC to be a part of their powerlifting team because you deadlifted 600 pounds in Portaville, california. Absolutely not, that's false too. How about those quads? I would have thought you did it, but I'm here's the giggle. I win. Okay, if I, if you were to go on vacation right now, where are you and trust going?
Speaker 2:oh, Rome okay, if you were not at the, if you were not playing golf or being around golf, tell me where would you want to spend your time? At the movies and reading. Okay, tell me the last book you read oh, jade City at the sci-fi thing. Okay, I'm into some sci-fi recently okay, if I was to come to your house for dinner tonight, tell me what we'd have.
Speaker 4:I fast on Mondays, so I don't know what my wife would be eating tonight okay, there we go.
Speaker 2:If you, if we were to go into your phone and we would, we'd place and we'd like go to the last song played, what would be a, what would be a song or two that your colleagues would be like what do I need listen to that?
Speaker 4:no way probably somebody Snoop Dogg or Dr Dre.
Speaker 2:I love it gangster rap by professor 90s gangster rap yeah okay, now, if there was a book to be written about your life, tell me the title oh geez, the quiet one. I like that, so you think you got it, j case you.
Speaker 4:You've had me talking more in this hour than I'm gonna be exhausted.
Speaker 2:Well, hey, you're almost done, buddy, you're bringing out the intro okay, now you, you, since you have casting experience you told me that earlier now you're you're tasked with with with casting this lead role in the quiet one. Because the book that, after you wrote it, it's killing it in all these hotels and hospitals and airports and coffee shops and and all Amazon, everybody's buying it. But now it's they're making a movie out of it and either, you know, start Dwayne and it's critically acclaimed, hit no movie.
Speaker 4:Benjamin Cumberbatch. There we go. Well, benny, benny's gonna be quiet and odd.
Speaker 2:Okay, and last question, tell me two words that described Tres social and caring lighting rounds over.
Speaker 2:I will call the tie. You did fantastic. I got a gig, although I want to thank you, brother, for spending time. If, if people are intrigued after this conversation, they want to learn more about Taylor made, they want to learn more about what you do at the kingdom I don't know if you're a social media guy would there be places you would link people or I can send them to to go to learn more about what you and your great colleagues at tailor made are doing?
Speaker 4:price. Our tail made website. Tail made golf. Calm, there's a link to the kingdom and all sorts of great info on there.
Speaker 2:Okay, make sure that's linked in the show notes. Well, brother, I want to thank you so much your time, want to thank our sponsors for your continued support of us at the quarterback. Dad cast, I'm grateful our paths across, I'm grateful that I was able to play some golf with you and be fit by yes, I've experienced the work, dwayne, and the personal Dwayne and both are fantastic humans. I want to thank all the dads for spending time with with me and for listening to these episodes and sharing with your friends and the more that we all can just you know, share what we're doing with other dads and try to work on becoming better leaders. We're home, we're gonna make better humans and we're gonna continue to do what Dwayne talked about, which is that continuous learning and continuous growth. So, brother, thank you again. So much. Greg Manley, thank you for introducing me, and Dwayne and I look forward to our path crossing again soon, buddy, but again, happy holidays to you thanks, it was a lot of fun.