Golfweek Amateur Tour - The Podcast
Welcome to the Golfweek Amateur Tour Podcast!
If you love amateur golf, the thrill of competitive golf events, and the camaraderie of the golf community, this is the podcast for you!
Join hosts Tim Newman and Chris Rocha as they bring you the latest from the Golfweek Amateur Tour, covering everything from all of the local golf tours through the road to the National Championship. We’ll break down recent golf tournaments, highlight standout players, and dive into what makes amateur golf competitions so much fun.
But that’s not all, we sit down with tour directors, course pros, and players from across the country to hear their stories, get insider perspectives, and maybe even pick up a few tips along the way. And, of course, we’ve got Roger’s Rules, where we tackle the quirkiest, most debated rules in golf (because let’s be honest, we all need a refresher sometimes).
This isn’t just another amateur golf podcast, it’s a golf podcast for everyday golfers who love the game, the grind, and the great people that make up the Golfweek Amateur Tour. So hit subscribe, grab a drink (or a range bucket), and let’s talk golf!
Golfweek Amateur Tour - The Podcast
Championship Stories From French Lick
Ever wondered how two iconic golf courses stack up against each other? Hear firsthand experiences from the Dye Course in French Lick, Indiana, and TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, where we navigate tough pin positions and quick greens, all while raising an impressive $8,000 for charity. You'll also get an insider look into standout performances, including John Wells's remarkable 70 in the Champ Flight. This episode is a mix of intense competition and heartwarming camaraderie that made our weekend truly unforgettable.
Young golfers bring a unique energy to the sport, and this episode celebrates their infectious enthusiasm. Listen to inspiring stories and personal anecdotes that highlight why youth participation is so vital. We also preview the upcoming National Championship in Hilton Head, sharing the excitement and community spirit they bring.
Don't miss the heartfelt conversation with special guest Chris Tillery, who shares his triumphant return to golf after an injury and the birth of his first child. Chris dedicates his win to his late grandfather, making for an emotional and inspiring story. We also explore the experiences of regional champions and the strategic insights that led to their victories, featuring voices from caddies and players. This episode is a tapestry of competitive spirit, emotional victories, and the incredible community that makes the Golfweek Amateur Tour so special.
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Ladies and gentlemen, golf Week Amateur Tour the podcast Talking about all things Golf Week Amateur Tour, including interviews with tour directors, players and course pros. Now here are your hosts atlanta tour director tim newman and el paso las cruces director chris rocha all right, chris.
Speaker 2:Well, welcome back or wherever, welcome to wherever you're at. I'm here at the Dye course at French Lick in French Lick, indiana, and I'm just going to tell you this right off the top you chose the wrong place, buddy. You went to the wrong course, you know.
Speaker 3:You keep mentioning that it's a great course, one day I'll get out there. But Dpc spout still got a piece of my heart and all we've had, um, I think you know the unofficial tally is, I think we rate put to eight thousand dollars this weekend for stand up or for the foundations. So you know it's just a great fundraiser. Great time got to see everybody that I enjoy hanging out with some arizona tour and wall, you know, played some decent golf. So one of these days we'll figure it out and I'll get out there. But uh, for now I I have to disagree.
Speaker 2:Well, agree to disagree well, well, if, if you raise eight thousand dollars, I'm okay with that, with you being out there, and, um, I'll tell you that we, we miss you here. Um, every everybody running to ask you know where's chris? I mean, they don't want to see me. You understand that. Right, it's not me that they want to see. They say where's chris right, where's chris right? And you know, I had some guys out here that came up to me and they're avid listeners. The gentleman that sent us the question about the alignment aid. He was out at the tournament. He came up to me and was talking to me about that, and then he asked me to help him to make his shirt for the August contest sure, for the august on death.
Speaker 3:So that was uh pretty cool to then get somebody entered, uh, because you need not facebook friendly, that we needed some help with that, so we were able to get that table there for them.
Speaker 2:Awesome, awesome. Um. So how did it go out there for you guys? Uh, you know, you know we'll get to. We'll get to your scores here in a second, but how did it go for everybody else? You know, it was great.
Speaker 3:There was a lot of low scores this weekend in all flight, which was interesting to see Stadium course greens were running pretty quick and as they got hotter they seemed to pick up a lot more speed, which was interesting on Saturday and apparently Sunday's pin positions were pro style pin positions and a lot of guys weren't happy about that, but it is what it is.
Speaker 2:And then Sunday I played champion, of course, probably my favorite of the two. We've had the discussion before great course.
Speaker 3:Green here for pure. But that was the hotter of the two days, the first day we had overcast for all to the round which was nice, you know, not having to worry about sweating through your shirt.
Speaker 2:It's always a great thing here in Arizona. Oh, absolutely Absolutely. You know you complain. You know you complain or people complain about the greens. You know pros, you know where the pros are playing, but isn't that part of the thing, right, where amateurs play like pros? Now, I'm glad I wasn't out there playing, and you know, when I look at the champ flight, john Wells shot 70.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:He finished the tournament four under. I mean, goodness gracious, right the stadium course at. Is that yeah, is that a 71?
Speaker 3:Yeah, they're both 71.
Speaker 2:They're both 71, right, yeah, both are 71. Those people lost for a little bit but it makes it a little tougher at that point. Yeah, but you know, I mean he did okay. I mean I thought about score. You know D fight, I did. Okay, I mean I thought about score. You know deep fight, I know the leader has very low score. C fight man. One of my guys almost pulled it off. Then he bowed me the last hole and lived out for par. So, uh, that'd have been cool to have a second regional champion there. Uh, beef bite.
Speaker 3:I need the guy who took second place. I played with him the first day and just lights out lights out in every green.
Speaker 2:You know, got in trouble and found the way to get on the green and two putt it was. It was great to see um and a flight. You know everybody, there's always some big hitters out there.
Speaker 3:So, um, I think it was a battle all day for that well, you, you look at b flight.
Speaker 2:You know um, you had 377s on on saturday on the stadium course right one, uh one guy from anthony to play at jensen. He was, uh used to be, an arizona guy and he's solid b flighter.
Speaker 3:Uh hit the ball a mile and I know he's an avid-flyer, hits the ball a mile. And I know he's an avid podcaster out there, so I'm going to hear it when he moves In fact I called him an avid B-flyer or a solid B-flyer.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, shooting 77 like that, that's. He should take it. Yeah, Take it. Oh, he has been all weekend. He's been giving a crap all week. Chill about it. Now the deflate there were some difficult scores in the deflate all weekend too.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there were. I mean, you know, sometimes it just can come out in play when the fairways are rolling and the greens are pretty solid the deep fighters. If they can hit it pretty straight, they'll get close and there was a bunch of roll off the fairway.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just running down the leaderboard here. So it was Ben was ben beardon from alabama who took it with a plus 27, and then robert was robert amat from denver was in second place, and then there was a tie for third place. Uh, jermaine luke, my guy from atlanta, and then, uh, brendan flantres from arizona. Yeah, um, you know I'm Arizona. Just looking down, I don't know if you were into Colin from St Louis. He finished tie free with Tracy Taylor from Arkansas Lots of names on there that are recognized. Yeah, and Brandon Philantris he's 15 or 16, I believe.
Speaker 3:I barely started playing golf.
Speaker 2:So you're in there, brandon Alatris. He's a 15, 16-year-old, yeah, who barely started playing golf, so he's getting there pretty quick. Good for him, good for him. You know, I like seeing that kids coming in and playing well and being on the tour, most definitely. How about Sea Flight? Sea Flight well, I mean, I'm going to be biased with my guy, orlando. I'll hold it off. Chris, hold on, we got a first guest.
Speaker 1:And for our guests.
Speaker 2:Hold on, chris. We got our first guest in here, so go ahead and put your headphones on and talk into the microphone as best you can. Hello, how are you doing? What's your name? Marcus Knight. Hello, how are you doing? What's your name? Marcus night.
Speaker 4:and where are you from marcus um santa claus indiana, stop it do you hear that, chris?
Speaker 2:I've heard it. I got. Maybe we have chris, maybe we don't. So, santa claus, indiana. Yes, sir, what's right here, buddy, I'm in B-Flight. B-flight, yes, sir, all right, and B-Flight Boyd and Laughlin.
Speaker 2:Oh, boyd, I got something for you over here, buddy, and you're from the Elton Head Tour, right? Yes, so for those of you that, well, I know you don't know, but Boyd won the raffle with the golf clubs and some. I'm showing the tea gifts that that they were giving. So that's, that's yours. It's a, a divot tool with their name engraved on it and a, a pouch of good stuff that you know we're that we won't necessarily talk about on, which was actually in there. But congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 2:So you come all the way out here. You win the clubs. I'm sure Dennis is going to be ecstatic about that. What are you going to do with them? I'm going to go ahead and put them up and see how they play. Awesome, awesome. You got space to get them home. I do. That makes up for the flight here. They broke my driver so, oh, my goodness, this makes up for that. And so you finished tied for fourth today. Yes, and then 90, 90. Actually, that's not, probably not the best, but 84 on this course it's a pretty solid round. Yeah, champion, tell them, show it off. I I understand, I understand that, uh, so how'd you do?
Speaker 4:today, I shot a 89, which I mean isn't amazing, but if you compare it to last year, it's a lot better, and so so how many times have you played this course? Just once, just once, yeah, wow and what do you think of it? Oh, I love it. It's beautiful, it's it's hard not to have a good time when you're playing here. I just love it. Ch, chris, you hear that. Yeah, now I heard that.
Speaker 2:So you know. So Jen and I were, you know, we came in this morning and put the drone up to, you know, to get some aerial shots, and after that we went out to breakfast and what we talked about is this is probably one of the nicest courses and setups that we've been to, and seriously one of the nicest courses and setups that we've been to, and seriously one of the nicest courses that we play on tour. What do you all think about that? Well, my favorite course is the Ocean course in Kiowa and Whistling Straits, which we play to tour. It's right there, there we go.
Speaker 4:Yeah, awesome course. I mean, I'm only 15, so I haven't been to many places. This is definitely my number one. I've been to the foul course. Okay, iu and uh, this course is more difficult and more beautiful as well. Yeah, it's, uh, this one's definitely my number one. It's all amazing, yeah and you're 15.
Speaker 2:yes, sir, you know as you, as you walked in, you know, chris and I were talking, there was a 16 year old. Um, what do you finish? Yesterday, chris, third place, third or fourth Tie for third? Yeah, I'm going to go with that. Yeah, tie for third out of the TPC Scottsdale Regional. And for me, I love it when youngsters are playing and doing well because, again, this is something that you're going to be able to play your entire life, and so I really like it when we have kids come in and play it and do it well.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, I love it. I mean there's not. There's not as many kids out here on the on the golf week amateur tour, but I mean that doesn't really bother me. I just love getting tournaments in and love getting that experience. And people other people might get uncomfortable, but I just love the experience and getting out here and playing golf.
Speaker 2:Well, I don't know why they're uncomfortable. I mean, you know we've had some kids play and some guys say, well, I can't hit it as far. I said, well, you know, there's other parts of the game and you should be happy that we've got kids out here playing and doing well.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, I mean it's the best way to improve is? You know, practice makes perfect is what they say.
Speaker 2:So Exactly yeah. So, boyd, what's next for you? I know you don't play and they don't going home. Well, we've got our two day and Hilton head, our number finals, and then, you know, national drive behind that. That's right. Right, are you heading out to the Nationals too? Yeah, I am. Yeah, that's going to be awesome. So make sure you visit us at check-in, because Chris and I will be there. We definitely want to get you back on and talking to the whole community there. Community there. Jed sexed me. I'm not, I'm not. Say that again. I said I thought you were frozen. No, I'm on some of these text messages here. That's part of the problem. When you're doing a number of different things, does your dad?
Speaker 4:listen to podcasts? Yeah, he does. He loves it actually, Does he really yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, does he play?
Speaker 4:No, he doesn't, why not Get?
Speaker 2:him out of here.
Speaker 4:I don't know, man, that's what I try to tell him. I try to tell him, but maybe he sees how much I love it, how much I fell into it, and he's scared. Does he play? No, he doesn't. How'd you get into the game then? Um, I went out a few years ago with my grandpa and my uncle and, uh, they beat me and I just really wanted to beat him, cause I loved going out there and swinging at the ball as hard as I could, and I just really wanted to beat him. So I kept Braxton, and when I started beating him, I just so I kept Braxton, and when I started beating him, I just there was nothing that beats that feeling Exactly, yeah, exactly, when you win. There's just nothing better.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I got to play with Marcus today. Okay, he's got the rubber band back, like we had when we were young. He's got an awesome short game.
Speaker 4:Awesome. Yeah, it was super nice. Thank you, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:I appreciate it. So, boy, tell me about your round today. Well, I got one triple, you know. Other than that, it was just you know some bogeys and free solid Didn't get too much trouble. Just, you know a little bit of rough. Okay, you know could have been better, of course, but it's been a lot worse, like yesterday, exactly.
Speaker 2:So, you know, and this grass is, you know, when it comes to natural championship, everybody comes down there and they complain about the grass that we have. You know, in Hilton Head and how terrible the rough is. How did you manage the rough compared to the rough that we generally play it up? Very similar, it's pretty much about the same. Yeah, I like the fairways here. The grass is more like hitting off the chat carpet. We got that raspy Bermuda. Yeah, the rough was about the same. Okay, we got that Rasky Bermuda. Yeah, rolf was about to say it.
Speaker 2:Okay, I just enjoyed it. What a great chorus. Yeah, it's Chris. The first thing I told Chris when he got on, I said you chose the wrong tournament to go to, but we'll get him out here one day, won't we Chris? Yeah, I'll be out there, don't worry, and then y'all better be ready. That's awesome. Well, guys, thank thank you so much for for joining us. I hope you enjoyed your your weekend out here. Um when, when you go back home, tell the people that didn't come that they missed out and this is where they need to come next year? Yes, sir, thank you, I appreciate it was a bucket list and it was worth it. Awesome, sure, congratulations, guys, thank you. All right, take care you guys. Marcus, my buddy from the way back when we saw him last night and I knew the staff off Really.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I love it, man. People always say are you serious? I'm like, yeah, man, I'm serious. Yeah, it was pretty funny.
Speaker 2:So we've been here about 30 years and he's like I don't know if I'll see any cost. Nobody at farm, oh, oh, sure thing, y'all take care. So there you have it, man, samick squad, indiana, santa claus, indiana, yep, there, there you go. I thought he was kidding. And if the town hall, if?
Speaker 3:the town hall does not have a naughty or night list in their lobby.
Speaker 2:They're missing out yeah, we gotta work with that marketing there, right? Yeah, but mark is 15 years old man. In the b flight he finished tie for eight, that's pretty good. Yeah, maybe the pairing guys, I'm sorry. Tie for tie 10, I'm sorry. Maybe the pairing guys for uh, nationals will pair me up with them one day. Well, you're going to be up there with the big boys, man. I mean, you're going to win your fight, right? Well, yeah, so you'll be paired with a one. All right, great, that's fine. That's what I'm talking about. So let's talk about your rounds. What happened on Saturday? You were paired with my buddy, jamil on Saturday.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and we started off.
Speaker 2:It was funny, so you had given me kind of a picture of what he looked like, and we had him on the podcast.
Speaker 3:I vaguely remembered what he looked like and I'm walking out of the restroom, he's walking in and I was like, oh, you don't. You don't say hi to somebody and shake their hand in the restroom, like that's just common knowledge, right? So I waited till he got to the car and he goes. I thought it was you. I was like, yeah, but I'm not going to going to shake your hand, I'm going to give you that curve. So I started off with jokes right away and great guy, great guy. He's like it's going to be a fun round. You know, I started off strong. Actually I didn't. First of all, I doubled when I was 80 yards out.
Speaker 3:And I was like, well, no warm-up, it's not going to happen, but we'll pick it up from there. And jokingly I'd said, after my double I said, well, by far, out here I'll have a 7-4. And you know everybody laughs, whatever. And I went with six straight pars and nice, that's when they were like wow, like he. That's when they were like wow, like he wasn't joking, he was serious he's not playing it off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was serious. Let's see what happened and we get to this. I don't know if you recall, we're watching waste management, but in the back nine there's a big lake at three holding around. Well, that that lake is my joker to my Batman.
Speaker 3:It's my archenemy and every time I play it I lose a ball for a hole. That's such a map lake.
Speaker 2:It's always happened. Well, this time, the first two holes, I didn't lose a ball. I got close. Two holes I didn't leave the ball.
Speaker 3:I got close but didn't lose one, so I thought I was going to break the curse on the par 5.
Speaker 2:I lost 3 on that hole. Oh, my goodness, so it caught. It still got it it falled and that one I picked up didn't get the punt. I don't know if that threw me off or whatnot.
Speaker 3:But then the bogey train pulled into the station and it was hard to get attacked off of that.
Speaker 2:So at one point it was just a matter of just trying to survive the best I can and put myself in the spot. It would have been fun, mate, yeah, and, and you know everybody has those rounds now and again. But then, you know, sunday you, you turned it around and played really well. Yeah, it was complete opposite. Uh, when 90 with like 45 to um, what was it? 78 with like yeah, 31-foot 30-plus, something of that nature.
Speaker 3:So it was a good turnaround, but it was tough to try and come back. I kept seeing my name come up the leader for Dignite but it was a little harder to do at that point.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and what did you finish Tide 14?
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, tide 14,. Right, yeah, tied 14. So I mean, compared to where you started the day, yeah, that's pretty good right.
Speaker 3:Honestly, with the way day one went, I didn't know what to expect for day two. I didn't know where I'd end up.
Speaker 2:I like to always have a personal goal, especially in bigger events to be in the top half.
Speaker 3:We were able to be done, but it was just a great solid round.
Speaker 2:Honestly, Starting off on hole nine, I think parred that one and it ended up going even par on the on what the course is back. Nine was, which was awesome, chipped in for birdie, um, and then just kept trying to grind the best I could right at that point you know you're trying to attack 10 then you get one little sloppy.
Speaker 3:It's gonna kind of hurt, especially at our b flight level.
Speaker 2:So so just keep trying. But you know, the 78 I'm happy with because it could have been an easy 99-day or a 98-day, so I'm happy with what the turnout was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's one of the things that makes a golfer golfer a better golfer is you know you hang in there, even when you're struggling a little bit, and you know just grind through and and take your pars and you know don't make too many mistakes, right, right, it was great, it was great and the guys I played with were. So we have chris, we got, we have our next guest here with us. What's your name? Ross richardson? Oh, ross, ross, I didn't recognize you. Buddy, how you been good, awesome. What's been going on?
Speaker 2:Uh, yesterday was a little bit of a struggle at the last course, okay, yeah, uh. But today I always uh, put these courses uh, the, uh, the beat, die course much better. And I did again today, uh, ended up with a uh skin in 11, which was a good day for me. That's, that's awesome. Yeah, but no, it was from st louis, right, uh, originally from st louis? Yeah, you were. When we caught up earlier, I was from st louis.
Speaker 2:I moved to indianapolis about three years ago and have been playing the indianapolis tour ever since. That's awesome. And so you played here before that, right, I played in last year's Viet and I played on other tours as well. Out here Played Donald Ross several times before, even in college, right, and I enjoy the course, but the course doesn't enjoy me. But the bead die courses is a gem that if people out there haven't played it, they have to play it. It's enjoyable. The vistas, the views are incredible. The photo opportunities out here are great, even if you're not playing all that well. Um, but the, the chorus is playable from the appropriate tees, right, and I enjoy that. That's awesome, and and so. So I had two other guests on and myself, so now that's a total of four people, chris. You hear that just, are you ignoring us, chris? I think he's ignoring us anyway, so no tim I'm not ignoring you.
Speaker 3:I I hear it. I hear it or a guy.
Speaker 2:Oh, he heard it. Okay, all right. So I mean, we're gonna have like seven, eight, maybe even 12, 13 guys and you're all gonna tell you the same thing uh, you, you went to the wrong course, I'm telling you. So you know, I was telling some of the other other people. You know, I've been to courses all over the place and and this is right up there with with straights, it's right up there with with turtle bay and in hawaii, and it's probably probably one of the nicest courses that we play all across the country.
Speaker 2:Um, I wanted to come out last year. It didn't work, but glad we're here. And and anybody who's listening, if you, if you don't come here, you're, you're missing out. And even if you're not a golfer, uh, coming out, coming up to the Pete Dye course here at French Flick, it is just to get a cart with the kids and, if they're not too busy, to actually go out on the course and take a look at stand on 11T and just look around. Yeah, because it's, it's a view you're not going to get anywhere, else you're not intrigued, right? So, ross, you've, you, you've got a knicker thing. I do tell us about your knickers and I, I gotta, I gotta be careful what we're saying here.
Speaker 2:I, I, I have a uh, a devout uh uh historical sense of uh self when it comes to golf. I very traditional uh and uh uh. Pretty much after uh the death of payne stewart, I made a uh a, a fashion choice to play all my tournament rounds with traditional knickers and I used to get them from a couple different suppliers and then I hooked up with Tim Berry and he's been my supplier of knickers ever since, as a nod to Payne Stewart as well. So he made all of Payne's attire as well and I typically get a monthly phone call from Tim Perry and it's always enjoyable to talk to him too. And I think it's fun for everybody else that I play with, not just enjoyable for me, I find them to be the everybody else that I play with, not disenjoyable for me.
Speaker 2:I find them to be the most comfortable things I have ever wore. I'm not much for shorts because I don't like burning my white legs, but the knickers have just been a trademark of mine and if I don't wear them, people get confused. Who is that guy? I don't know who that is. If I don't wear them, people get confused. Who is that guy I don't know who that is and I wore regular slacks for a tournament just because it was raining. I didn't have a decent pair. That wasn't going to make me look foolish out there, and they're like who is that? And they're like who is that? So I just I'll always bring a pair of black just in case it's wet outside and you get the splatter, just so the white's going to get torn up. But I enjoy it immensely and, as I say, I think the guys I play with I think like it and the various tours I've played over the last 15 years. Everybody knows me from most of the venues across the country isn't because of me showing up Right and back in St Louis, which is where all this kind of started. All this kind of started.
Speaker 2:Uh, it, uh, it was, uh. I actually got a couple uh, well, at least one particular uh guy in in st louis. Uh, uh, his wife reached out to me and it's like I want to get him a pair. I think he'd really like it. He wore it one time and he bought, uh, and just bought and bought and bought he's. He's got probably as many colors as I do, so so how do you choose? I mean, jen, jen told me how you choose what you're going to wear and and this to me is even it really kind of makes the, the rig, the whole thing full circle.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna say, well, I, I own 17 different colors and and or tech plans, uh and uh. It's just a simple app on my uh phone that I put. It's kind of a wheel of fortune and all the colors are represented. And if I don't have a particular school that I'm going to represent, uh, uh, if I'm playing one of the university courses, I'll typically play those colors, uh, even if I'm not from there. But everybody knows me as a ball state guy. I graduated from there in 92.
Speaker 2:But I'll spin the wheel and whatever comes up, that's what I'll wear. That's awesome. Uh, one of uh. It only allows me 15 colors, so if I don't like that color, I'll just grab one of the other two and go uh and uh.
Speaker 2:It's, it's just a fun thing. Well, it's, it's funny. You say that because I use, I use when I do our t times, our parents, I use wheel names and because people say I don't want to play that. You know what. Whatever you get, these are your group.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, ross, thank you so much for coming in. It's really good to see I did recognize you. It's good to see you. It's great to jump on the podcast and, uh, great to give you my uh, my feedback on my knicker fetish. That's awesome, uh. But yeah, it's, it's fine. Awesome, but good seeing you. Thanks, take care of yourself.
Speaker 2:All right, we got got another another guest. What's your name, sir wally bird wally, what would uh be flight being flight? What tour? Are you from Louisiana, south? All right, here we go. Louisiana, you came all the way up here. Yeah, 90 yesterday, 81 today, b-flate champion plus 29.
Speaker 2:First off, congratulations, thank you. How'd it go today? It was extremely impressive, not the golf as much as it is, just the overall course. The beauty of it. Coming from a flat land up here to play this kind of stuff is just absolutely mind-blowing. Exactly, it's an absolutely beautiful place. You know, you say that and I live in Hilton Head and I was talking to a Hilton Head player a little bit ago and you know, when everybody goes down to Hilton Head and down south to play those courses down there, they complain about the grass, they complain about this and that and the other thing.
Speaker 2:What's it like going from south to north and what were some of the differences that you saw? The biggest thing yesterday was the false fronts. I'll tell you. Those are just. I mean, we don't have that.
Speaker 2:In Louisiana. You can pretty much line up the ball before the green and roll it up. You do that. Yesterday you were 40 yards chipping back right to the green. Today was a little better with that aspect of it, but, man, the greens were just extremely fast compared to what we usually play with. There's also more elevation change on one hole here. Oh yeah, there is In the entire state. Yes, pretty much. Yeah, yeah. So, but yeah, this is amazing. Beautiful weather, very professional-ran tournament. I mean, it was just a really good job, very long.
Speaker 2:Well, was this your first time up here? Yes, when you go back, tell all those people they missed out. They missed out. We had an old group kind of playing old common days, kind of dropping off as we go. But you know so it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 2:Well, congratulations, thank you, and we'll see you in Hilton Head. Yes, sir, awesome, good day. Travel safe, bud. Thank you, appreciate it. All right, chris, we've got. Uh, chris, you're back with us? Yeah, I believe so. All right, so so we got it. We got a blast from the past at Amy, haven't heard from in a long, long time. Um, chris Tillery is with us. I don't know that you two have spoken since he said. Remember Chris Tillery is with us. What I don't know that you two have spoken since. He sent remember Chris Tillery, he sent you the golf ball marker from the Masters. I do, I do remember. Thank you for that. And he's joined us. And the good thing about him number one his wife is due to have another baby here in the near future. Congratulations on that, first and foremost. Another, what number is this? This will be number two for him. Okay, we need to get a TV in that room.
Speaker 3:Unless you want to have more.
Speaker 2:Oh, chris, you can't hear. No, I can't hear.
Speaker 2:No, I can't hear but you're static you can't hear chris, can you hear me maybe? Maybe, maybe you can't hear him. Ah, maybe I'm just talking to him and that's okay too. You know he should have been here, but he, you know he went to sctsdale, but whatever. So, first and foremost, congratulations. When I saw you yesterday for the first time after a couple of years, you said your handicap's going up, I'm going bullshit, bullshit, right, but congratulations. I mean you toured up. This weekend I did 77, 78. And this morning you told me you had too many three putts. And I'm thinking to myself okay, you, you were tied for second, you're right. And I texted you. This is your time for saying you're right where you want to be. Yeah, and you, you went 78 today. And you, I mean you lapped the field. You won by eight strokes. Yeah, it gosh, it felt great, honestly.
Speaker 2:And two, it's been a while since I played a couple tournaments. Um, I was nursing an injury all year. Um had a baby moved back to indiana, so I was originally on the atlanta tour for a little bit, moved back for the indianapolis tour and started concentrating kind of on my family. Uh, but when I saw french lake, I think you were the first person I reached out to yeah, I was like what, do I sign up for indianapolis or atlanta? I just want to play, um. But yeah, I know, I texted you last night and I had four, three putts yesterday and I thought I was out of it. Honestly, today just went great, even with the wind. Our caddy was telling us that, um, it was probably one of the we were going to get our money's worth today, with the wind, yeah, um, and with what I was shooting, I was shooting, um, I had a triple on my second, the last, awful, and everything else was just kind of smooth.
Speaker 2:Well, I again, I, I don't even know where to go with this because you, you, you won't. I saw, you know, 77, 78, um the uh, it was a. As I was watching the leaderboard I'm kind of lost for words here. As I was watching the leaderboard it was like after the sixth hole it wasn't close, I don't know if you were watching, but after about the sixth hole I didn't say it was over, but you could tell that it was heading in that direction. It took me probably eight tee shots to get one to be at all tee say it was over, but you, you could tell that it was, it was heading in that direction. Well, and it took me probably eight, eight, eight t shots to get one bit off t. Okay, um, I was kind of all over the place and then finally, even at one point in time, my caddy was saying like oh, go here. And I flew it. And he goes oh, I think you suddenly got a hold of one and I was like, yeah. So I got a little nervous at one point in time and honestly, this was my first big tournament, first big win since my grandpa passed away in may. So I started tearing up just a little bit on the final hole. But, um, you know, it was really cool because I just I just kept thinking at him and it kind of saw me down a little bit and just enjoyed it. That's awesome.
Speaker 2:Did you win any money? You win your skin money? I don't know if I got any skin. I got skin yesterday. I had one yesterday. But what would it pay out? Uh, 50 bucks at 50 bucks, 50 bucks better than 49 pay for my cat. There you go. How was? How was the caddy experience out here? He was great.
Speaker 3:Uh, so his name was bobby um and he actually said so he's been out here for 10 years.
Speaker 2:Uh, he's won a bunch of events as a caddy. Like okay, he was like use me, trust me, and actually on the first two holes I didn't ask him anything and finally I said all right, bobby, I need you pretty much. After that we were picking lines, we were picking spots on greens and things were just going in and just followed his. That's what you're supposed to do. You just listen to your daddy and trust him. That's awesome. That's awesome. So we also have rick wigginton, the uh, indiana west kentucky's senior tour director. Rick um.
Speaker 2:First off, I got to say I apologize. I saw you yesterday. The first thing you did, you fell over A two-foot step. I used to like six, eight inches step. Yeah, I figured I killed somebody before we even got started. You know we're down one, but you had a really good weekend too. I was fortunate, I guess as bad as I hit the law yesterday. You know, I mean my driver just left me and I think I had five fairways yesterday, four greens, but I got up and down a lot yesterday and then when I finished, you know I'm making a well and then I'll say, ok, well, I'm leading after it's like with an 8500. Okay, we got a chance and then today I just I started off. Man, it was uh, uh, you know the course, beautiful course. First time I played it, it's just awesome course. Uh, it's long for this old guy. You know six, 69 years old land, you know yards and again.
Speaker 1:It's your typical pete dyke course of all those little bunkers out there. Yeah, they do right. You know that I drove in yesterday. The other day it was like this is whistling straights with just a little bit less bunkering.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like you know, yesterday in the donald ross, all the fairway bunkers were right in my landing zone with my driver. It's like you. So now I'm trying to play around them. And just you know, on the day my driver didn't stay with me today, neither you know if I had done the five fairways. I had four greens today. I struggled, you know, first three O's, I double bogeyed first three O's and then I got a par and then I come back with another double and, you know, settled down on the backside, a real good backside. And my last hole, number one, I just chose the wrong club, going up to the green and triple OVD and cost me man well, one shot off the lead. You tie for second with them all.
Speaker 2:You know, the tour director, we say it all the time when you come to these regionals. I mean you, you've got to, you've got to play your best. Yeah, because, absolutely, because everybody, I mean the competition out here in these regionals, it's the, it's the real deal. So we, we talk about it, right, and then people sometimes say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Then you come out here and it's a real deal, ed, winning a regional is one of the greatest experiences you know.
Speaker 1:I was able to experience it last year up at whistling straights and, as you said, I you know, as you said I'm you know I'm sitting over my last putt and it's like I know I got to make this to win.
Speaker 1:All of a sudden, it's like you know, all of a sudden the tears start coming and the heart's beating and it it's like so I had to call myself that I've hit this putt 5,000 times in a long you know. I just hit it straight dead in the middle and then I lost it. I mean, it was just, it was like you know. And so they say there's no crying in golf, but when you win a regional, that's reason.
Speaker 2:Or when you trip over to step and I had to withdraw. Chris, was this your first regional win? Yes, yeah, congratulations, congratulations. It really is A guy.
Speaker 2:Like you know, national is kind of the same atmosphere as Madden, which you know what I mean. I'll take this with me to National this year and you know, play well down there. I'm sure you will. Yeah, I'm sure you will. Again, obviously, golf it depends on the day, right? You put together two good rounds on probably two of the toughest courses around. This is by far probably the toughest course I've played this year.
Speaker 2:Yesterday was probably the second time I was on the festival late this year. Yeah, at, you know, yesterday was probably the second time, you know. Well, guys, thank you so much for stopping in. Congratulations, chris, thank you. I can't tell you how proud I am of you and how excited I am for you. You know again, not just winning the tournament, but you're going to bring your second child in here in a couple months. That's even more important. So it's great seeing you. I appreciate it. Thank you, congratulations, bud. Take care, tim. Thanks, take care. I'll see you soon, ed. How you doing, bud? Let's go ahead and introduce you. You know, I know some of you all can recognize the voice Ed Monroe tour, director of Milwaukee Tour. He's also the voice of our intro. So, ed, welcome bud.
Speaker 1:Thank you, tim, I appreciate being here, this has been a fun region. It'll come down and play and this was a bucket list course to come down here and just had an absolute blast and you know, didn't play the greatest but uh, you know I still finished top half of in my flight, so, um, I guess I got that to. Uh, look as take as a positive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you, you do. And and again, yesterday you were, you were right there for a while, and and again, you know tough courses you'll get better at, at playing a little bit longer distance and and figuring out, um, you just can't four putt greens out here twice.
Speaker 2:There you go days so, so we have our. We have our next guest coming in. What's your name? Uh, drew taylor. Drew taylor, what flight? Gym, bud, jam, jam flight. Oh, cool boy. Yeah, congratulations, we'll get to you. And what's your name? Sir Kenan Burgess. Kenan Burgess, one of the caddies here? Kenan, first off, thank you so much for coming in on Labor Day to help our guys, you know, get around this course. Who did you caddy for today?
Speaker 3:So I caddied for Ron, and then I caddied for ARC AR Jason, and then I caddied for a RC a hair Jason, and then I caddied for I just had three guys and then I also caddied for a.
Speaker 2:Patrick. Okay, get a little bit closer so they can hear. So what's it like? You know, when? I guess, most of the time when you hear caddying, it's just general group play. You know, guys and girls guess, most of the time when you're here, caddy is it's just general group play. You know guys and girls coming out having a good time. What's it like in a serious competition for you, and how does your demeanor or mentality change as, as we're, as you're going through the round?
Speaker 3:oh, yeah, so if I know I'm getting some a serious player or something you know, I give them the more aggressive lines because there are little landing spots out there. It is tough, you know. But, um, also on the greens, you know it's very. It's all about speed on the greens and they'll, they'll bite and they'll roll out very quickly. I don't know they bite, so you know, giving them little tips and tricks like that which way it's going to bite civic, that is really helpful, so that's how long have you been doing this?
Speaker 3:this is my sixth year, yeah first several years I was in school, so it's really just the summer times of caddying, but last three years before timing.
Speaker 2:It's. It's awesome. It's a nice gig out here, that's awesome. So how often do you, you know, get to get to play here and yeah so they give us.
Speaker 3:Fortunately we get play days out here on sundays, so okay, afternoons it's a little bit slower, not as any replays. You know they'll put us out in the afternoon and us guys will have fun throwing some money every once in a while, so every once in a while, so like every sunday yeah, that's how.
Speaker 1:That's how it works. Yeah, not bad all right.
Speaker 2:So so Drew Taylor from South Florida, the ChamFlight champion 72-76, plus six for the tournament. Congratulations. How did it go out there? Pretty good starting. Kind of a sloppy finish today, that's all right. I mean, the back nine got pretty tough. Well, I started on the back nine.
Speaker 3:Okay, the actual front nine the wind picked up.
Speaker 2:But it was fun, I'll say it. Yeah, so is this your first time up here? It is, it has never been here before.
Speaker 3:I love it, though. It's beautiful. I definitely like this course a little bit better than the Donald Ross course.
Speaker 2:Nice, it's also good memory. It's like also, oh, wow, okay, that's, that's a, maybe that's a good way of putting it. You know, nobody has said that at all and I've, you know, talked to, you know, a bunch of players and even, you know, staying over the hotel, um, you know other guests and employees. Nobody has put it like that. But, ed, what do you think? That's? A? That's a a good analogy? Yeah, I would say definitely it's.
Speaker 1:You know, it's a tale of two different courses, ross, I thought had a lot more elevation up to the greens, You're getting a lot more where you're having to go that extra club up whereas this is more straightforward.
Speaker 2:There's a little bit of elevation change, but not that much. But you really got to read your putts well and you just got to. You know, good ball striking is going to get you a victory. So, terry lawson's, your tour director, right south florida, I believe. So I'm actually. I live at nashville, tennessee.
Speaker 2:I was, oh, so you're one of those few months, okay, but yeah, I'm actually from net, okay. Well, I was gonna plug terry because he, he, terry, because he listened to the podcast and he was texting me how to get on, how to get on. I was like Terry, I can't do everything, but Terry Lawson's, great Tour director of Nashville Phenomenal, nashville's got a great tour. What's it like? I mean, you're not really too far from Nashville from here, so there's not really that big of a difference. What was your overall impression of both courses? Very hilly, I just wasn't expecting that at all. Right, the whole drive here was pretty flat and what we got here is just on a mountain, yep, I was like, oh, okay, but yeah, I had a lot of forky stances uh, today and yesterday too yeah, I like it overall.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't think, I don't think there's any flat places except for the t-box. So you got 36 flat spots and that was it. And yeah, but I do like the caddies, though they they helped out a lot. How was your caddy experience? And who was it? Mr Randy, very good, the mayor, oh, the mayor. Huh, we called him the mayor. Okay, yeah, he did great.
Speaker 3:He's given us areas to hit too, but yeah, awesome.
Speaker 2:Well again, congratulations, I want to win. I appreciate you guys coming out and Well again, congratulations on the win. I appreciate you guys coming out and travel safe. Thank you, all right, take care. How about that the mayor? So we talked about the mayor and you know big leagues, little leagues, right yeah, the stuff that you know we probably never would have even known, right yeah, my caddy Marty was awesome.
Speaker 1:Been here a while and has did a great job and I want well.
Speaker 2:So now, yeah, go ahead. I want to know, I didn't know you're back. I want to know if there's any other caddy weaned out there. Say that one more time, chris. Are there any other caddy?
Speaker 3:names or the caddy already left. I don't know if they can hear me no, he, he's gone.
Speaker 2:I and I can barely hear you. But so we've got the sea flight champions from charlotte allen hagan. Congratulations, buddy, thank you it. I told you yesterday I was gonna talk to you, didn't I? Yeah, I told you that when I've written. So i've've known Alan for 15 years, I mean forever. Right, and I know I told you this when I was looking at the roster. I said there's nobody. I didn't know a whole lot, I didn't recognize a whole lot of names, didn't see his name, didn't see your name, didn't see somebody. So where else? Richard and I know from St Louis. And it turns out I didn't know a bunch of people here, but I looked up and there was Alan.
Speaker 1:I said whoa, I didn't even know he was here and I had the pleasure of playing with Alan yesterday and riding with him and that was a very fun experience and I'm glad you got it done, because I thought you were going to get it done. He played solid.
Speaker 2:We may have a tour first year and I got to check with Dennis on this. Back-to-back regional champions and not just back-to-back Last week at Kiowa champion, this week sea flight champion, french Lick. I don't know that we've ever and I'm not sure if Dennis is listening or not, but we need to check on that. This could be a first time. Take care buddy, drive safe. We'll talk to you soon, but this could be a first time. Take care buddy, drive safe. We'll talk to you soon. Yeah, absolutely, but this could be a first and you need to go into record books on that. Al. First of all, congratulations.
Speaker 1:Thank you. That's a great accomplishment. You know, to win one regional is a great accomplishment. To win two and then win them back-to-back, I mean again.
Speaker 2:I think that's a definite record book you know, going to put him in a Hall of Fame, get a picture or something. What he hears in the golf week hey, where's your door.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think we've done that in Milwaukee. We've started our own Milwaukee Tour Hall of Fame. I think we need to do that nationally, put a Hall of Fame for that. So, Dennis, we'll talk about that down in nationals. Dennis, we'll talk about that down in Nationals.
Speaker 2:So you know, when you look at the winners which to me is kind of strange so Chan flights from South Florida but plays primarily in Nashville. Chris Hillary won the A flight. He's kind of here but kind of Atlanta, all right. So we're looking at two Southern guys B-Flight, wally Bird, louisiana South. Three Southern guys, alan Hagen, who we got sitting right here from Charlotte Four Southern guys have won today.
Speaker 2:You know what and I've said this to the other guys you know, when everybody goes down to Hilton Head to play in our national championship, everybody complains about the grass and the trees and this and that and the other thing. What was it like for you coming up here playing in maybe some of the same grass but with some different obstacles to your game? Especially after playing last week at Kiowa, the wind up here today was real rough. I just kept the ball in play. I didn't lose a ball all weekend in this tall fescue. Wow, it was unbelievable. My drivers saved me all weekend. I was down the middle most every hole. And again, we talked about that yesterday too when I saw you and you just put the ball in a fairway. Yeah, you'll be fine. I mean, even if you have to take your wedge out, knock it down there. You know, keep it in play and you'll be fine. That was key.
Speaker 1:oh, definitely, that's, uh, one of the things that this course is yeah, if you getting into the rough, it's very difficult to get back onto the green. You know, within any distance. So you're always playing, you know to leave it a little bit short and then maybe chip up and make a par, so you kind of take birdie out of the equation or in my case, you're looking just to make that.
Speaker 2:You know solid bogey and and keep it right around that 90 level. For yes, that's what I was shoot for bogey every hole, yeah, yeah so we talked about in the car, just had it.
Speaker 3:I'm jp wooten, uh, friend of alan's. We we got a while hair in us to go up to french lick a few months ago and here we are and we get to also celebrate alan's birthday today too.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness, my goodness, alan, you're holding out. I would even promise you to live with that bud. Yeah, jp, what flight are you in bud?
Speaker 3:I am just a spectator. Oh, so you just, Yep.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he followed Alan around yesterday and today and he's by track trap.
Speaker 2:He's furnished the whole weekend for me, so it was pretty fine and that's awesome. Thanks for coming up. How can we?
Speaker 3:you're not planned oh, I just wanted to experience fringe league, support my friend alan. So, uh, I didn't honestly know much about this tour, um, and then now that I know about it, I might be something I look into here in the future.
Speaker 2:Maybe try to join, yeah you, you should, it's, I'm sure, I'll tell you. I mean, there's so much to it. There's's a competition, there's a friendship, there's the, obviously, the travel, you know, being able to play these beautiful courses, go all over the country, and you know what I said. You know a couple other people here. You know I've been, I've been a lot of places and seen a lot of courses and, being a part of the tour for as long as I have been at tournaments, a lot of places, this is probably one of one of one of the top resorts and courses that we've ever played. It is, I agree, a hundred percent. Yeah, because you, like, you've been part of the tour longer than I have. You know, you know 20, 29 years. This place is beautiful, as we were talking this morning and as I said earlier on the podcast, that this a lot of you is remind you a lot of whistling straights, what?
Speaker 1:just without the lake next to it, but the, the way, the style of the course, the fcue, the bunkering, it was like that was my first thought. I said this is, this is whistling straights, only without the lake, exactly, exactly. Oh, he came on so, al, what did you play with today?
Speaker 2:I played with uh don uh again and uh and Jeremy and Dawa.
Speaker 1:And they didn't play good with me. That was a good competition because I kept an eye on the leaderboard quite a bit during the day and saw that you were just kind of maintaining that top spot and I thought you know shooting 86, 85,. That's pretty good, especially on the style of courses that we've played.
Speaker 2:I kept it in play. That's the name of the game is keep it in play. And the other thing is, you know, it's rare that the leader after round one wins. Yep, and I mean, not only did you win, but you won going away, you smoked the field by nine strokes. Oh, I'm up the b flight now, probably well, but but again, like we talked about, if that, if that's what it is, that's what it is. I mean, you, you play, you play, you play, you play and the chips fall where they fall, exactly um, and I'm looking forward to going up to B5. That's awesome. But well, how old are you now? 62. 62 today on your birthday.
Speaker 2:Back-to-back regional champions, al, congratulations, it was number one, it was great seeing you and I can't wait to see you again here in a couple weeks. Thank you, I appreciate it. Take care of yourself and drive safe. Thank wait to see you again here in a couple weeks. Thank you, appreciate it, take care of yourself and drive safe. Thank you, we'll definitely see you down in Nationals. Thank you, thanks, guys. That's cool, chris. How about that? Back-to-back regional champion?
Speaker 3:That's awesome. I think that might be the first one ever. I'm pretty sure we would appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Thank you, ed. Yeah, yeah, I mean it's, and, yeah, I mean it's, and, and to win, to win down in in kiowa and then to win up here. Um, that's that to me is just. It's incredible, right. So, all right, all right, we got marcus, marcus back. Who'd you bring with you marcus? Uh, my dad? Well, welcome, thanks, um, your son had a great time. The real question is how come you're not, how come you're not playing? Well, I never really have played. Okay, well, we we've. We've got a spot for everybody out here, right, don't we? Oh, yeah, marcus, good to see you again, man, I see you again too I got my picture taken with him last year.
Speaker 1:Now we played it. Now we know the other late in d flight. Uh, we played that final round together and this kid can play some golf. Let me tell you this I said firsthand smokes the ball beautifully down the fairway, uh, made a lot of great putts down there. It was a lot of fun. So I still have that picture on my phone too, by the way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that is fun, but that's awesome. So, what? What do you think about him and and how well he's doing out of your own tour? Yeah, it's, it's great. He uh a little over a year ago last year was his first year on tour and I saw a uh commercial on tv and I was like, oh, for the golf week tour. And I thought, oh, that sounds interesting.
Speaker 2:And then at the time I was doing a paper route in the mornings uh, for extra money and I was like I like to listen to podcasts, so I thought we'll see if there's a golf week to a podcast so I looked you guys up and from, I had like three, four hours a night to listen to podcasts and you and chris were like maybe 12 episodes deep or something at that point, and so I ate them up within like a week and I mean I really wasn't sure what to expect, like coming to the tournament, right stuff. But you guys helped, right and it will feel more comfortable. I I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, when we, when we started this it was is really kind of the whole idea was to have some fun and be able to talk about what's going on across the country. Because, you know, as, as tour directors, a lot of times, you know, we get so insulated with what's going on in our, you know, in our local um tournaments, uh, we don't, we don't necessarily talk about or hear about. You know, the good things that are happening, you know in Milwaukee or St Louis or Dallas or you know California or what have you, and you know, and I think that's that's really kind of grown a sense of community with the tour and really the camaraderie that goes along with it. Oh yeah, I mean, you know, last year I got to play on like five different tours this year just because there was so much work that I was having to do with Milwaukee, that you know.
Speaker 1:I only made it over to get down to a regional and this was like driving distance.
Speaker 2:So you know it was nice to come down here and experience the Indianapolis tour for the first time. Yeah, yeah, and so, and again, that's, that's the other. You know the bonus gets good national championship, and you know compete at that level and I said it here once today that you today that when you come to these regionals, the local tournaments, there's good competition. When you go to the regional tournaments, you're talking about really, really good competition because you're getting some of the players from all over that are coming in.
Speaker 2:If you look at these scores, you're the B-flag, right? Yes, plus 29? 90-81?, you know. Uh, you're the b-flat, right? Yes, yeah, so plus 29, 90, 81. I mean that's, you know, tour director gomal and edrick wigginton um, those are, those are really good scores. Yeah, and I mean you've, you've got to be on for 36 holes and, yes, you can have a bad hole, because everybody's gonna have a bad hole, but you can't have I mean, yeah, at at home and stuff at the home, at the home tournaments, like the scores are the same, like we play much easier courses.
Speaker 4:This is the hardest course I've ever played by, yeah, by a marsh.
Speaker 2:Well, here's the other thing too. Too is Marcus. How old are you now? 15. 15. I mean so this year, last year. He's 14 years old and finishes tied for fourth at Nationals, so you probably should have led with that.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you didn't say that when you were on earlier. No, I didn't. You didn't say that. No, oh man.
Speaker 2:Wow, hold on, hold on, hold on. The star of the show was trying to tell me something.
Speaker 3:And he was in the D flight and now he's in the B flight.
Speaker 2:All right. So, mark, let me tell you something. You've got to share these things. That's a great accomplishment. I mean that's.
Speaker 4:I mean Thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt.
Speaker 2:No, that's OK. I mean it's huge and you know that's an inspiration to a lot of people.
Speaker 4:I mean that's what we, as tour directors, talk about you know, yeah, that's huge for me to hear actually, because that actually means a lot for me to hear.
Speaker 1:And, marcus, I'll tell you I talked to a number of people, not only people on the tour, but even talking to other people that aren't on a tour.
Speaker 2:I said you know I'm playing with a, with a 14 year old kid last year at nationals and he's smoking it in 50 yards past me, hitting the ball into the green making pots. I was like it was a fun, fun, you know watch.
Speaker 1:You know he's because not only am I playing, but I'm also watching somebody who's like got some skills yeah, he absolutely loved nationals last year.
Speaker 2:It was awesome and for me, look, it was anxiety inducing because I couldn't ride along like I normally, just like today.
Speaker 4:I couldn't ride along and I was sitting in the hotel room you know, at the beach house, just like refreshing, I went two seconds but to watch him climb up the leaderboard, because he was in like 20th or so at the start of that last day and to watch him climb up right.
Speaker 2:He got his highest second and then to still finish, fourth is just yeah, the child. I couldn't have been more proud. I mean, I couldn't have yeah it was.
Speaker 4:It was fun to watch when I was there. I just I didn't really think about any of that, that's. That's. I mean I think of other people like that. I was watching other people like wow, they, they're, you know, they're amazing, and I just I watch everybody else, like that. I don't really look at myself as like an inspiration or anything, but like, like you said, I don't look at myself like that, but I was just playing and sticking to my you know, sticking to my game, because people teach you things, and I was just trying to remember, like my routine and what my coach has told me and just kind of trying to get through it the best I could. I wasn't really thinking about, you know, my, where I was.
Speaker 4:I don't watch the leaderboard. I'm not a leaderboard watcher, yeah, I just I don't. Um, well, at first you did and then you learned something. Sometimes it's a blessing, sometimes it's a curse, but uh, now coming down the stretch, I knew I was doing pretty good because the second day I shot at 87. We think so, yeah, when you're at 87, which was the best score I think tied for the best score of the whole nationals uh, the deflight um division, yeah, and then one on sunday, uh yeah. And or on saturday, on saturday, okay. And so I knew I was in the mix at that point and I hadn't even looked at the tournament throughout the day or through, I hadn't looked at the leaderboard throughout the days.
Speaker 1:I you know, I had no idea, but I knew I was doing pretty good and I went into that last day nervous I can't lie and well, that was a, that was a power group we had last year as we had, uh, the person finished tied for second, we had you tied for fourth, we had the guy tied for eighth and of course, uh, this yo-yo here uh tied for 18th but uh, it was the best finish I've ever had in nationals by you know over 100 spots, yeah, and it probably helped that we were all playing well.
Speaker 4:We were, yeah, just kind of vibing together and living off each other. It was a great. It was a great group. Oh, I loved it. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Speaker 2:He talked the whole way because we drove so he talked all the way back here about, especially because he got a bunch of pictures like with you and there was another guy I know that you yeah I really liked.
Speaker 4:I was just, I mean, he couldn't. He couldn't stop about how much fun he had. I mean, if you guys, yeah, I haven't, that's awesome. I hadn't, I haven't done much yet in my life, so that was the most like exciting thing I've done like ever really, and so I was just trying to take it all in and really experience it for what it was. It was fun well.
Speaker 2:Again, congratulations. I'm glad you enjoyed it. We're gonna see you again here in a couple weeks. Absolutely, I appreciate it. Thank you all right guys. Dad, thank you so much. I appreciate you listening and and getting him involved and we'll, and I think next year you get you some clubs and come on out yeah, hey, I want to thank you too, because I listen to I've listened to every episode of the podcast, and most of them, probably three or four times.
Speaker 2:Thank you Doing those routes, just cycling through them again and again, roger's rules, oh yeah, oh, roger's rules. And all the interviews, like when Rick had to disqualify himself. That was one of my favorite moments. That's awesome. So I appreciate you, man, I appreciate you guys listening and we'll keep getting better and pump stuff out. So we appreciate it, appreciate it Thank you All right guys, take care.
Speaker 2:Ed, can you hear me? Barely, I got you. I can hear you. Nice meeting you. Take care of yourself. Thank you, susan. Have you told me you ask you about? Yes, we will yes, every once in a while. Thank you, susan, have you told me you ask you about? Yes, we will enjoy the server every yes, every once in a while. Thank you, come on there, we go. Good to see you. What's up, brother? How are you doing? I'll talk to you. All right, deflate champion Scott. We talked to one that won the course yesterday and just so you know, it must be me, because I told him when we saw him on the course, I said I'll talk to you tomorrow. Yeah, didn't I? Yeah, straight up. So that's three of the five winners. Just so you know when are you going to do that for me, Jim.
Speaker 3:Come on now.
Speaker 2:It's got to be the mind Half of it though, though was he accidentally uh, kind of accidentally on purpose almost got hit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, playing partner. That that's that's how I do. Yeah, yeah. So so, scott, you're the. You're the only indianapolis uh tour member to win. You, actually you're the only. You're the only, I would say, northern person to win. All the other flight winners are from southern tours. So congratulations, thank you. I appreciate that. It was a fun day. You've got bragging rights over number one, your whole tour Not quite yet. No, the guy that won D-Flight here last year was from here too. So, okay, indianapolis D-Flighters doing pretty well, pretty well up here.
Speaker 2:Well, you had a really good round today. I did, at 85, tell us about that uh t to green. I think it's probably the best golf I've ever played. Hit a lot of big putts, chip the ball close, mean probably within six feet. It was just overall a good day. The wind was killer and it was in our face a lot. So I mean, tee the ball down, don't try to kill it, get it and just try to hit fairways. You miss fairways here. You're done, you are done. It will penalize you. This place will just beat you up, and I learned that lesson the hard way last year.
Speaker 2:And, like I say, chipping close to get within six feet and being able to make a lot of those putts, yeah, I mean, that's very critical at any round.
Speaker 1:I know, yesterday when I played over at the other course other than hole number one, the front, I mean I would add 10 putts just there, so at 13 putts on the on the front, nine, which is amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think we started on 18 yesterday at the last course and I hit my approach short but I chipped up within, I think, eight inches. I think it was for opening bar. So I got off to a good start there, got off to a wonderful start here. I couldn't ask for any better. Actually, we started on the part three, 16th, and that hole ate me alive. Last year I think that cost me. Second. Last year I ended up finished the third here, um, and did the exact same thing right out of the gate, but I did, caddy luckily spotted my ball, I got, I bogeyed the hole, so release there. Um think I got a bogey on one and I was off and running on 17. I think it was, yeah, 17. I think I either parked that hole or bogeyed that hole, um, and then I birdied 18, so I was off running. That cool, great 18 is a. That's a good hole to birdie.
Speaker 1:I you know, had a nice par on that one, but yeah, it's. Uh, that's a tough hole, it looks just long with that big dodge ray.
Speaker 2:Going back if and what I learned here last year and watching a few of the guys in b flight, guys in a flight, if you certain spots, you could get here and then take advantage of those spots, but it can get yourself in trouble um don't let try to.
Speaker 2:it brings double and triple into play right away. Yes, it does. Yes, it does. So tell us about your caddy experience. Caddy was great Caden. I couldn't ask for any better today. That boy read those dreams like it's nobody's business. That's all it was. He gave me a read on two. Actually, I think I was above the hole and probably 17 feet out of par, and he told me to put it outside right about six inches, and I did hit it. Center cup par se.
Speaker 4:Thank you very much.
Speaker 2:I was like, yeah, and having somebody like that really kind of it's a different feel of the entire round. Oh yeah, for me today once I made that birdie on 18, got through one pretty much unscathed, because I know one here. Last year I put it in the water off the tee, didn't do that this year, got up and down for bogey two. I hit three wood off the tee there it's short of the green and hit a chip on, but it hit the green instead of hitting and stopping and rolling out some, it just took off. I don't know when it hit, but it went above the hole, which is something you really don't want to do here. If, as far as you hit, you do that and you're putting either downhill or you've got a crazy slope with crazy breaks. And again, he gave me a good breed in his world, yeah, we got so like four holes to play and I said help me, bring this thing home. He said you get me home, I'll make it worth a while. And I did, and you did Well, scott, congratulations. Said you get me home, I'll make you home, make it worth a while. And I did, and you did well, scott, congratulations on the win. I'm, I'm, I'm happy for you. Uh, and, contrary to popular belief, it had nothing to do with me. Yeah, yeah, he rubbed off on me a little bit yesterday and and and chris I'm not sure if chris is still with us or not, but uh, but Chris Scott's an avid listener to the podcast, which we love.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for your support. Yeah, where the hell is he? Yeah, he is supposed to be. He went to the wrong course. He went out to Scottsdale. Yeah, what's up with that, chris? Yeah, what the hell, chris? Hey man, but we need smalls. Hey, man, we need smalls Exactly. Can you hear him? Yeah, okay, good, go ahead, chris, tell him again. I said you keep getting me in trouble with all these guys. Hey, I'm not doing. What's your own course. Wrong coast, sweetheart. Wrong coast.
Speaker 2:You're supposed to be in west right now, enjoying this beautiful sunshine, all these hills, and he. And he doesn't get to see the craziest shirt I'm wearing today.
Speaker 1:No, he doesn't, I don't know if I wanted to be that creepy shirt.
Speaker 2:It's been sub-referenced on the podcast why we have a t-shirt contest I think I had one for today and I had a brain fart and left it at home. That's all right. That's all right. You didn't fart around enough to lose, so you're good Again. Scott, thanks so much for joining us. Thanks for coming out, congratulations, and we'll see you in a couple weeks. All right, bye, guys, take care. Thank you. All right, chris. We got one more set. Thanks for coming out, congratulations, and we'll see you in a couple weeks. Bye, bye, guys, take care. Thank you, alright, chris. We got one more set of winners coming in and one more interview after that, and we'll wrap it up. We'll get the two man winners in oh man, I can't say anything.
Speaker 2:Oh, man, seriously, the whole time. Uh-huh, man, that's not what we want, that's not even close to what we want. Oh, my goodness gracious, well, well, guys, welcome to the show. Apparently, the only thing that this show is me. Nobody wants to see me. Oh, my goodness, that great anyway.
Speaker 2:So who do we have here? Mike green, mike green and mant and duke? Yeah, duke sturges, duke sturges, you guys are the two-man. So who do we have here? Mike Green, mike Green and Matt and Duke? Yeah, duke Sturgis, duke Sturgis, you guys are the two-man winners, right? Yes, so what tour are you from? I'm from Cincinnati. Okay, beauty and the Beast, awesome. So I'm not familiar with how they did the two-man here today. How did it work? I don't know. I think it was just based on index and then we scored. I think it was 80% of handicap, yes, and then combined Okay, we shot lower than everybody else combined. I guess that's all it takes. Huh, yes, it was. It was great. Did you have a partner? No, I did not. So this was this. So was it? Did you guys know each other? Yes, we did. We played a bunch. No, I'm surprised about that. So when did he tell you? Like 20 minutes ago. Yeah, 20 minutes ago. So it worked out then.
Speaker 4:He's getting handed a massive wad of cash. He went this is for me.
Speaker 2:Win a. I was getting handed a massive wad of cash. He went this is for me, winning the team. Here's your partner. So how much did you win? 372 a piece. That's pretty good. Yeah, yeah, I worked out nice. Definitely pays for a lot of the weekend, right there.
Speaker 3:Definitely does.
Speaker 2:So what I do sometimes when I check in, so the national championship, when guys don't get in the skins like I'll go and I'll look real quick and say, OK, maybe they'll get some and I'll throw in all their skin money. Oh yeah, and yeah, I want some money, Don't tell him. And I give him a little cut of it. But you know, and I gave him a little cut of it, but you know, I learned my lesson.
Speaker 1:The first tournament I ever played which Tim was the first one he ever ran up in Milwaukee made a birdie on the second hole wasn't in the skins competition. Needless to say, I have not gotten out of getting into the competition ever since then and you know, made some nice birdies and made a nice chunk of change, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. Well, guys, thanks so much for joining us today. Appreciate you guys hanging out to the very end. You're the next to last, but you got paid. You did get paid, yeah, isn't that all that matters? That's all I've got here. There you go, thank you, awesome. All right, gentlemen, I'm not sure what's happening here right now. All right, jason, you're up, bud.
Speaker 1:All right, thank you guys for coming out All right.
Speaker 2:All right, jason, it's all over. Yeah, I can take a deep breath Almost Well, it's all over. Yeah, I can take it deeper Almost Well, it's almost over. I mean, you're in the hot seat now.
Speaker 2:First off, how did you play today? What player are you in? I'm an 8. Let's see how you played today. Horribly, oh, it couldn't have been that bad. What did you shoot? 95. Oh, that's all right.
Speaker 2:Damn, lost a driver in the. In the process too, we lost the driver, snapped it on the swing. Oh, jason, no, wasn't out of anger, just it. Just it just happened. It's just that. Hold on a second.
Speaker 2:God, chris is on here. I don't know if you can hear him. You know, chris lost, chris lost a wedge. He tapped it on the golf cart one time and it broke. You weren't tapping it on the golf cart or anything, were you? No, it was just a regular, real swing, A real swing. See, chris Sounded like a cannon went off. Oh my God. Well, jason, first off, you guys did a phenomenal job with this tournament. I can't tell you how well it was run. I mean, you did a phenomenal job as a player. What do you think? Oh, it was awesome and good to see you again, jason. Jason came up to our midseason major up at Glen Erin, so it was nice to see you again and you know this was an awesome tournament. It was a lot of fun. Two great courses, two bucket list courses. Obviously, next year would be one that definitely wouldn't deserve a repeat play again to come down. It's not that far of a drive.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you for coming down and yeah, maul does a great job with with the tour and and to get a venue of this caliber is is really an awesome opportunity for all of us here in the Midwest Two unbelievable golf courses.
Speaker 2:The one we played today, the P-Dy course, is going to be hosting the Corn Fairy Championship here in a month and I mean this course can be a feast. Well, you haven't heard me say it, you know, ed, you have. Of all the courses I've been to forever and all the courses that we play, you know, here on tour, this is is, in my opinion, one of the one of the top, one of the best um, and I agree, I mean I've been on tour um in variety of chapters for now 11 years. Ok, played in a bunch of regionals and been all over the country in regular events, and I would put this up in this top five venue courses that I've played in my time. And just the views, I mean the views from certain spots of the course. It's incredible, literally, it's. You know, it's top five for me, for sure as well, without a doubt.
Speaker 2:What about the staff? I mean because we stayed over at the hotel um, as far as I'm concerned, top notch. I mean I mean, just bend over backwards to make sure you're having a good time, make sure you have what you need. Uh, all the things that you know we say that we don't have in society. Anymore happens here. Yeah, I mean a big shout out to the French Lake Resort and the golf courses. To those that are unfamiliar with the resort itself, it's an old school, nostalgic resort. It seems like time has gone back a hundred years and just kind of it's a slower pace.
Speaker 3:You know there's a spa and the you know the barber shop quartets and you know it's just kind of a laid-back environment in town here, and then you've got these two championship courses and the pros have been phenomenal to work with, done everything in their power to make this just a great event for everyone, the staff, the caddies, I mean you name it everyone is just really friendly and trying to make sure you're having a good time, so you get the chance to come this way, hopefully for for our regional here next year um, it's a great experience, and and and it's it's family oriented too.
Speaker 2:We did a lot of players here with their kids and their wives and just there was a little bit of something for everyone. And again, you chime in here on this. I like that you said it was for families, because I saw a lot of them. I mean a lot of live spectators yesterday and today, um, over at the hotel, again I saw a lot, lots of families, you know, doing the things over there. Um, it's, it's when I want a great, great weekend. I mean it wasn't, it wasn't crowded. I mean you could, you could move around, sure? I mean in pretty much all all the things that you'd want to do around here. Plus, uh, last night, uh, anthony bernardy, pino bernardy, todd kurtz, myself, had dinner at the donald rouse course. Fantastic food, oh my goodness. That was just incredible. It was a lot of fun, good meal um, yeah, just the amenities around here.
Speaker 1:It's incredible. It's such a great venue. As you said, it's it's top now.
Speaker 2:All around, yeah, around. So what would you say to to the people that that missed out last year and then they chose not to come again this year? What would you say to these guys?
Speaker 3:You're really missing a couple bucket list courses. You're missing a destination to have a really nice weekend with the family.
Speaker 2:It's just one of those locations and events that we all look forward to. I mean, as an example, my wife. After last year she told me we're going back next year. I'm all better out on the schedule. I enjoyed it that much. I mean it's it's really one of those things you just circle the calendar and block it out.
Speaker 2:Well, jason, again, I can't thank you guys enough for the hospitality that you, that you all, showed us. You know the podcast team, even though Chris went to the wrong course this weekend, but Jan and myself, the house touts you all showed us and help and support top notch. I can't thank you enough and thank you for joining us Anytime, chris. Yes, I don't know what to say to you, bud. I mean, I think maybe we need to have a conversation with Gade next year and maybe you got to do a year. He's got to get away one year without you. We'll talk about it. Yeah, we'll have that conversation, all right. All right Again, jason, thanks so much, but take care and we'll talk to you soon. Sounds great, all right? And Chris, let's go ahead and and and put a bow on this. It's Chris, I know.
Speaker 2:I know you had a good weekend out there. We had had a great weekend here and this is the the official end of the 2024 golf week regional series. And we got we got one more. I know everybody has their, their local tournaments. Uh, you know championships coming up, but we've got one more big event coming up here in a couple weeks. If anybody knows, this national championship coming up here in about uh 45 days. I can't wait, it's gonna be a blast. Uh, going down to nationals last year was so much fun and you know, being in the meetings and stuff and and uh, being in the podcast at the end the meeting and then uh, just the, the whole, the whole vibe of the whole weekend. And, uh, I'll have to come up with a uh, another wild shirt just for denn. Well, we'll talk about that too. All right, guys, again, thank you so much. Had a great time here in French Lick. We're looking forward to seeing everybody in Hilton Head here in a couple weeks. Take care everybody, we'll see you soon.
