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
Golfweek Adventure: National Championship Challenges, Hurricane Helene Impact, and Rising Golf Stars
In this episode, Tim and Chris discuss the upcoming National Championship and reflect on the challenges faced during the golf season, including weather-related cancellations. They welcome Lance Lacombe, a highly talked-about player on the tour, who shares insights about his competitive experiences, mental preparation, and highlights from his successful season. The conversation also touches on the importance of adaptability in golf and the excitement surrounding the National Championship.
Chris Sazos shares his journey from a casual golfer to a competitive player on the Dallas/Fort Worth tour. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of transitioning to tournament play, including his recent victories and the excitement of moving up a flight as he prepares for Nationals. The conversation highlights the camaraderie and competitive spirit of the Golfweek Amateur Tour, emphasizing the importance of competing within one's skill level and the joy of golfing with friends.
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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 chris, welcome back.
Speaker 2:You know the the regular. The regular season for 2024 is finally over. We're at the point of the year where we've been talking about it since you know, Black Friday in 2023. And we're ready to get started for National Championship.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we are Right around the corner. You know, once this podcast comes out, we're going to start getting ready, getting packed ready to go. Once this podcast comes out, we're going to start getting ready, getting packed ready to go. Make sure that the good old sticks are safe for my seven-hour flight from El Paso to a good old head island. But I can't wait. You know, I've been looking forward to this for a while now and can't wait to see you all out there, so it'll be fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be fun. You said a seven-hour flight. We talked to JP Tassin last episode and he says it's a 10-hour drive for him If you were to drive how far is it?
Speaker 3:I mean, I could look it up, but on an estimate, let's see, it's 14 hours to Houston and then another another 10 to Orlando and then four up, so at least a day straight. Okay, the person we need to ask is Gabe, because he makes that trip every year from Phoenix.
Speaker 2:Does he drive that van or does he drive something? He drives that van? No, I wouldn't be doing that, so he does my planes.
Speaker 3:So the person that asked that would be him. But I mean it'd be a long, a long drive and unless I'm like either really crazy or I have some stops along the way, I mean I would attempt to do it one year, I guess.
Speaker 2:No, we don't want to do that. Just just say no to that. Okay, it okay as so. Anyway, we both wrapped up our seasons this um, you know, a couple weeks ago, and I do want to hear how that went, because you had, you had a little hiccup, that again. What players don't understand is you know we have contracts for courses and sometimes things go really well and sometimes they they don't, and we have to be flexible. You know we had the hurricane come through here on the East Coast and you know there were a number of tours that had to cancel, and you know that's minor compared to some of the things that they're dealing with from that end.
Speaker 2:But we got ours in. We just had to move start time on Saturday. And then we also need to talk about the shirt contest.
Speaker 3:Yes, we do the win. Yeah, I mean we'll have that ready to go, but yeah, I mean it happens. You know Things change. You would hope or you would wish that you'd get that information as quickly as possible, but if you don't, you just have to adapt, and I mean that's the name of the game, especially with us building these schedules. You know, november, october, November of the previous year, anything can happen right. So I mean, even in my first, my first year as director, or my second year I think that's when COVID hit and I mean everybody had had to shake it up then. But you never know what can happen. It's fun though.
Speaker 2:It is. Well, let's go ahead and get right on into it. We've got our next guest. You know we have talked about him probably I don't know 15 or 20 times out of the last. I mean we've got 50-some episodes We've talked about him. You know, 15 or 20 times out of the last. I mean we've got 50, some episodes. We've talked to him, talked about him. You know, 15 or so times. He's probably the most talked about player on the tour. That's never actually been on the podcast. You know, and I'm sure there are people out there saying, well, does this guy really exist? Does he really exist? I'll tell you what. If you're from the Jacksonville tour, you know he exists because you've seen him play and uh he, he's a stick he can play. So let's go ahead and welcome in uh lance lacombe from the jacksonville tour. Lance. Finally, welcome to the show buddy, glad to be on.
Speaker 5:Appreciate you guys having me.
Speaker 2:You've played in in a couple of events that I've run um the dixie classic, uh up in lake oconee, and yeah, I've seen you play and we had donnie on a couple weeks ago. He's talked about it. Some of the other champ players that we've had on have have talked about your game. You're you're a minus 3.5 handicap solid it's. How does that happen? How does golf, how does the golf round actually happen for you? You know what's your mentality going into it. I mean, looking at your scores, I think you played in 16 or 17 rounds this year. I think 10 of them were in the 60s. That's pretty solid.
Speaker 5:I just really worked on trying to stay patient this year. I played a lot with my buddies that play on mini tours over the fall and I was tired of getting my teeth kicked in every Sundayay. So I started working being patient, hitting the right shots, because I play with buddies that'll go shoot 62 and leave four or five out there and they're not on tour, which is crazy. So biggest thing I've been doing this year trying to stay patient.
Speaker 2:We talked just a little bit offline. Hb kim is out there with with Chris and talking about you know he's trying to get back on tour. You know so much of it is mental and you know you could be that guy that you're playing with right. And then you get out there and you start playing. You know for real money and how hard it is and how much you have to actually overcome you know to be able to make it out there it's insane.
Speaker 5:I tried my hand at pro golf for a couple years. I didn't give it the best run, but I learned a lot. I learned that preparation is key and there's so many people that are working four times harder than you that you don't even understand and then there's just some people that preparation is minimal when it works.
Speaker 5:I mean I have a couple. I have a buddy that plays on foreign fair. Now he started working on his game the last couple years and really getting good and got his card this year's, implying he said I mean, it's just so tough out there. I wouldn't wish that job on anybody trying to play corn fairy mini tours. That's as hard as it gets, yeah yeah, we had games.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you heard the episode where we had gains beard on and he was. He was coming up in the in the in the 70s and 80s. You know, trying to make it where it was. You know so much, so much harder because you know there wasn't a lot of money in it, there wasn't a lot of sponsors in it. You know, driving all over, you know the southeast, you know just just trying to. You know, get into that mond qualifier. It's taxing. And you're sleeping in your car, you're not eating like you normally would, you're not training like you normally would, and now you've got to go out and perform. It's got to be one of the most difficult things I can imagine.
Speaker 5:Especially, it's taxing on the mind because it's funny, we can go play a Sunday round with our friends and we don't play so good. But I was like, okay, we'll have a couple beers afterwards, have a good time. But you shoot 73, 72 and a major event. You're like I just lost a thousand dollars this week.
Speaker 2:It's crazy so let's talk about your year on the golf week tour so far this year. So you played in 13 tournaments. You had eight wins and two second places, and let me just start here with the second places before we get into the wins. So, out of 13 tournaments, you first or second in town out of 13,. Chris, think about that. Yes, imagine.
Speaker 2:And of those two losses, you lost to Jeff Wong at the Sea Island Regional by one stroke. And then you turned around I believe it was probably almost a month later and you went to a playoff with Wong at Palmetto Hills, the Hills and Jones course, and went to a playoff and lost by a stroke to him. I mean so if you think about it, you know, losing to Jeff Long by one stroke, that's going to happen, right, I mean number one, he's hard to beat. He's hard to beat on these courses here in Hilton Head and you took him to the limit. Tell me what that was like, you know, because when you're in those tournaments at that high level and Chris remember when we had Dennis right before Sea Island, he talked about how stacked that damn flight was.
Speaker 2:And he started listing off names. It's going to be tight. What's it like? Because in those tournaments you don't have a shot to give away.
Speaker 5:Right, right, yeah. So at Sea Island I had a two-shot lead going into 16, and I blocked right off the tee and then I hit the wrong shot, trying to be too aggressive, and ended up making a seven on the par four, which does not help, and then fought back and I ended up lifting out a 10-footer for a playoff at Sea Island. But I mean Jeff, just Jeff does what Jeff does. I mean he hits it down the middle and hit on the green. He's bound to hoop a couple of them. I mean the man's one of the best putters I've ever seen in my life. So I mean it's good. I mean I've become really good friends with Jeff over the years, so if anybody was gonna beat me like, I'm pretty happy that your buddy won.
Speaker 3:Yeah, those are the worst.
Speaker 5:Yeah. And then at Palmetto I had a two shot or one shot lead going to 18. And I three putted and he made par. And then he hit probably the best fairway bunker shot I'd ever seen. It was howling into the wind raining on the third hole at Jones, which you guys know it's not an easy tee shot. So to hit in the fairway bunker is not a bad tee shot. But he hit it to two inches and at that point you just got to tip your cap and say good job.
Speaker 2:Jeff, I'll see you inside. Yeah, there really isn't anything you can do about it. Yeah, outside of that, what are some other highlights for you? Because, again, you know, as I go down, you won eight times. You won the regional at Sequoia National. You know you won it at King and the Bear, you won Halifax Plantation, you won the two-day Osprey Cove and the Sea Island Resort. What?
Speaker 5:were some highlights for you. Sequoia was a big highlight. That's my favorite force. We played all year. I mean there's nothing like it. You don't get to especially in Florida we have such flag golf. To just go play in the mountains is a blast. I mean that's a bucket list trip for even just a boys like bachelor party trip. What along to play a tournament there. That's going to be on the schedule every year that they have it there. And it was good because that was one of my first rounds that I hit it really good and the putter didn't work the first day but it was one of those that the ball striking carried me and it was good to see that everything I've been working on has been it finally came to fulfillment. On that first round I shot 66. Second day was a little bit of a struggle but it was 40 degrees and raining and you know it's one of those days you don't want to be on the golf course.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, last year there was a lot of rain up there and this year was supposed to be nice. And, chris, you know we've actually talked about Sequoia National and I do the northern swing is what I call it early in our rotation in Atlanta and we play a course that's literally like 20 miles from Sequoia National that same weekend and, like you said, playing up in the mountains up there there really is nothing like it. It's beautiful. Generally, the weather is really nice. It really is a good place to go and play. Again, it's out of the way. A lot of people don't really know about it but, like you said, it's a hidden gems. Well, I mean anything.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's an awesome track. Any courses in the mountains are usually hidden gems. We have a couple here up north that uh, we enjoy going to play every year, so I mean, they're always uh fun to just go out there and let them rip. Especially in the mountains you have a little bit more elevation than anywhere else, so liz what are some highlights for you outside the tour?
Speaker 2:because I know you guys at your level are playing, really playing all over the place, and you're playing in some other really good uh, competitive type of events. Where else have you played?
Speaker 5:I played. My first uh non-golf week event was the florida azalea. I actually had foot surgery this year they had to chop my foot up and fix it this year but it was my first event back and it's uh. The florida azalea is a black golf club, old school donald ross course it's. That was my white whale tournament to win and I finally got it done this year. So that was the highlight of my year by far.
Speaker 5:I had two tournaments that I really want to get done this year. It was Azalea Nationals. We got one of them so far, so that's a tournament that we can't ever forget. So what's so special about that tournament? So it is for North Florida. It's, besides, like the Jacksonville City Amateur. It's the second biggest event they have in North Florida. I mean, there's a handful of guys that have won the Masters back in the day that have won it. A handful of guys are on tour now that have won it Peter Uline, notable name, riyaji and Mata A couple of really good college players right now. And it's a weird course. It's 6,000 yards from the tips, but they bake those greens out to where you have a dime to land it on or you're missing the green, see, and it's just the ultimate test of mental game. Wow.
Speaker 2:That's it so 6,000 yards. And, chris, people say that courses are getting too long and you have to be able to bomb it to be able to score and win. Who's saying that? Come on now, you know, you've heard your guys. You've heard your deflate guys saying that they got it. I guess you're right, you're short, come on now. And this again, this goes to show you, show you, you have to, especially to be at the level that lance is at right. You really have to be able to to hit every club in your bag and and know what that distance is, know how to control it, to to truly be a really special type golfer. As we're getting ready to go into the national championship, what's your philosophy and what are you thinking about? Going in there?
Speaker 5:Because you're playing American Dunes and Golden Bear yeah, I think that's two courses we're playing. I'm not going to get to play a practice on either, but I have a couple apps I use to map out courses whenever I don't get to. And the way dunes looks like a really fun track. I've heard it's very difficult. Now I've heard it's also an impeccable condition 24 7 and I talked to one for a little bit about golden bear and he said it's just a fun track. Good old school Carolina course.
Speaker 5:You gotta hit it through the shoots and the trees and paw your way around, which I like that type of golf. It's fun to not have to bang drive everywhere, even though I love hitting driver everywhere possible. It's fun to kind of rain everybody in the same spot and see who hits it better right.
Speaker 3:yeah, you have to do that there, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:So you haven't played.
Speaker 5:Atlantic Dunes at all. No, I haven't played either of the courses.
Speaker 2:Well, you're in for a real treat. The closing holes at Atlantic Dunes, man, they're tough. They're really tough. That's what I've been told. They're not going to be low scores like you all had out of Hampton Hall a couple years ago. But you know you get over to Golden Bear. That's where you're going to, at least that's where you should get some low scores. But Atlantic Dunes it's going to be tough from start to finish. I think you're going to like it. I really do. It's a beautiful course. It is always in perfect shape. Even when we do the senior regional there in February, when it's cold, it's in great shape. Sea Pines does a great job with all those courses that are in there. You're in for a real treat.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I want to play the icebreaker, but I just don't feel like getting a little salamander shiver while I'm over a t-ball, so I'm gonna stay down in florida where it's a little bit warmer you're smart, I think five years ago, if you had said that, I said, oh, it's not that bad.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, because I came from pennsylvania and now I've been down here for a little bit and I love it down here, don Don't get me wrong. But you know, if it gets down to the 40s now I'm saying, oh, get a little cold, as opposed to when I was in Pennsylvania. You know, I just started saying that until it was like in the 30s and 20s. But I'm wearing pants now in 40s instead of shorts. Same here.
Speaker 5:Yeah that that southern cold. It's a little crispy for sure. I'm a diehard Steelers fan so I went to a Steelers game the Jags-Steelers playoff game and it was zero degrees and I feel like it's not as cold as when it's 20 degrees in Florida. It's crazy.
Speaker 2:Well, if you go up there and it's a wet cold, you will forget it. It's the absolute worst. Chris, you don't know anything about 30 degrees or 20 degrees no, no, no, no, I stay away from that. Actually, chris, I think that we need to convince somebody to do a regional, let's just say, do a regional in Virginia or somewhere along those lines. Actually, well, you know what? Vegas was a little chilly this year.
Speaker 3:Vegas was a little cold. You are the second day. At least, the first day wasn't terrible, but the second day got a little cold at the beginning. Or did I mix them up? No, it was the other way around. The first day was cold all day, because that's when you were supposed to bring me coffee and you bailed on me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did, I was cold. I stayed inside. Yeah, I had coffee inside. Sorry, man, I'm sorry, I'm not proud.
Speaker 5:It happens. Anyway, that's how you know you're good friends. If someone forgets a coffee, you just know you're good friends.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly, exactly, yeah exactly. Exactly yeah yeah, keep telling them that.
Speaker 2:I can only do what I can do. But, lance, thank you so much for taking some time with us tonight. I really do appreciate it. I do want you to come see us when you check in on Thursday at the Hills Course in Palmet, when you, when you check in for national championship and I get you on live. A little bit Sounds good. You let me know. All right, bud, you take care of yourself and we'll talk to you soon. Thanks guys. All right, brother, thank you All right.
Speaker 3:So I get the privilege of interviewing our next guest. You know we, you know we talk a lot on the on the tour or on the podcast about how our tour. You know we welcome new members with open arms and no matter what your skill level is, whether you're starting off in champ or all the way to d, you know everybody has a chance and it just shows how much determination, how much time you want to spend into it to determine how well you play and how well you, how much you get better throughout the years. Um, it might take one, two, three seasons or it might be right away.
Speaker 3:Um, so our next guest is actually from the dallas fort worth tour. Uh, he's a good friend of mine and um, now he's going to be a travel buddy, uh, on all these golf trips we go to. So we want to welcome him from dallas, mr chris sazos. Chris, welcome to the show, thank you, thank you. Thank you for having me happy to be here. No problem, man, we're glad you're here. Um, you know you're our last official guest before nationals, so don't be nervous.
Speaker 4:No, no, it's an honor.
Speaker 3:But uh, let you know, our listeners know. You know you've been on tour for what it's? Two years now.
Speaker 4:Yeah, this would. Yeah, this would be my second season on tour tour.
Speaker 3:For what? It's? Two years now. Yeah, seasons, this would, yeah, this would be my second season on tour. Yeah, so two years on tour and, um, you know, first year wasn't probably your best year, but I mean you were still trying to get your feet wet. Yeah, do you agree?
Speaker 4:yeah, absolutely um, I only end up playing half the season, uh, last year. But I mean you, you hit the nail on the head, definitely kind of just tipping my or tipping my toes into that, that, that pond it was. It was rough for the lack of better words, not really used to playing competitive golf like that, but it was it was.
Speaker 3:it was still fun, fun enough to be to come back and play a full season this year right, I mean and like you said, you know it's um tournament golf is completely different from going out with your buddies and getting those gimme's every, every other hole yeah, yeah, exactly, especially when you're like still, uh, somewhat green to the game, like myself, like it's a big difference playing you know, getting you know two foot gimme's to to now having to learn proper rules, learning about you know drops, taking proper strokes and whatnot.
Speaker 4:So it is a little intimidating at first, but you find the groove and it gets real fun, real quick.
Speaker 3:Right, I mean, how long have you been playing golf for?
Speaker 4:Little over two years now, actually Maybe about working on my third year.
Speaker 3:So you got the itch or the bit by the golf ball again, then straight into tournament play. That, yeah, it takes a lot of guts to do that yeah it, it definitely, it definitely hit me hard.
Speaker 4:Um, that honestly got your brother kind of was the one that encouraged me to get into it, and then, obviously, talking to the, the two of you end up going to the same fitter that you guys went to to get it six months after I started and really just haven't looked back since right, right, and and for all the listeners, you know, I don't think we mentioned it, but he's, he's in d flight, um, but he's not staying in d flame and we'll touch on that later.
Speaker 3:Um, but let's fast forward. You know, you had you had first season, couple events, just trying to get used to it. Uh, you come out this season and boy did you play a lot. What's this? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve tournaments with one regional um. You joined us out there in the michigan regional. Which phenomenal track, granted, granted. You know, the scores may show, but we had a lot of fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah and uh, unfortunately for you, you got rained for nine holes straight when I say rain, I mean like a downpour for nine holes. You, you all came in. Look looking miserable, like you just wanted to throw your clubs in the trunk and drive home let me tell you when, uh, when we made the turn there.
Speaker 4:Um, well, we made the turn there. I could, like the two guys that I was partnered with, uh, were from the local tour. So I see them kind of like looking up and then looking at each other and they're like, all right, let's get some rain gear on. So they turn over and look at me. They're like, hey, do you have any rain gear? If you are, you I'd start putting it on because it's about to start sprinkling. So I was like kind of looking at them and you know, being from the dallas world war tour, like it really don't rain like it does in in michigan, uh, I turned around to see these guys putting on like special pants, like different kind of jackets, and all I had was, like you know, like a typical pullover, and I was like this is my ring gear. They're like looking at me like, oh, you knew, unprepared. Yeah, lo and behold, like you said, like torrential downpour for the next nine holes, I don't. I mean, I might as well have been playing in a pool with the way my clothes walked out.
Speaker 3:It's crazy, yep, you know. All jokes aside, I was nice and warm and dry. I had the rain for like, maybe the last two holes or the sprinkles for the last two holes. But then when it started coming down it was, oh, bless your hearts. But anyways, you know you started off pretty strong, a couple scores way better than what you had the first year, um, and then coming in may 26, bear creek, uh, you get your first victory ever.
Speaker 4:so that's your, I believe I want to say your eighth round total since you've started yeah, yeah, you know, and I think, actually um earlier in this season too, I think, I had a second place finish at champion circle, where I don't think I finished too far behind the gentleman that won, but yeah, that that may. Victory at bear creek was first one on tour.
Speaker 3:It was probably the proudest one that I've had so far and and it was pretty cool because it was the weekend right before we went to american dunes you kind of had that momentum there. You, you know again solid rounds. Then you come back home and you just, you know, keep putting the pressure on the leaders in your group, points-wise. I mean, you know we talked throughout the season but you were right there giving them pressure. And then you go back to Bear Creek and you take another victory.
Speaker 3:So that's two victories at the same course or same location different courses yeah and uh, you know, I think, I think duane said in his email best that that bears creek is your, is your home course now, because you just can't lose there yeah it both.
Speaker 4:both those tournaments they treated me well. Um, they're great tracks, enjoyable play, um, definitely type play into. I think they play more into my style of of golf where it's kind of you know a pick your shot kind of guy, you know be smart off, be smart with the tee box and then just find your way to the green as quick as possible and they just kind of play into the shot shape, the natural shot shape, a little bit.
Speaker 3:So I had some two good rounds, yeah so, yeah, so looking at it, with your first win was your ninth total round and you break 90. Okay, then you go, then six, you know the sixth round after that, which would be your 15th total round, you again break 90. And as d flight, ladies and gentlemen, as d flight. Then you go the weekend after, shoot at 87 at texas star and take another victory. That's three wins in one season. You know how hard it is for anybody to get three wins in one season, especially with the amount of players you guys have in your flight alone. I mean, we're talking. You know, dallas, fort worth, has probably one of the largest, if not, uh, the largest tour in the country, but you alone have 31 players in your flight. Yeah, yeah, and for you to win three is just, I mean, hats off to you, yeah I appreciate that.
Speaker 4:Yeah, um, the dallas fort worth tour is is is huge and I think they typically I think we typically average a little over a hundred hundred players a tournament shout out to duane, always facilitating great rounds, um, but, yeah, I mean, whether it be 10 people, 30 people playing it's, it's, it's always a good time to be able to, to be competitive, I guess, is the way to put it right, right so so we're coming in here and I correct me if I'm wrong, but I think leading up to your tour final you were up what?
Speaker 4:200 points, maybe 300 points, yeah actually I was up, I think, just shy of yeah, going into the season for the owls up, just up 300 points from second place and then I think a little over five or six hundred points maybe, or around 500 points from third place right.
Speaker 3:So I mean the. It's coming down to the wire and for anyone who hasn't won a flight championship, I'm gonna tell you right now it is the coolest thing ever to know to call yourself a flight championship. I'm going to tell you right now it is the coolest thing ever to call yourself a flight champion. So we're going in the tour final and we're trying to. You know, you're trying to decide do I play, do I not play? I encourage you to play. You know, let the chips fall where they may because, again, winning a tour champion or tour flight championship is one in itself. And now you go, you play, you don't win, I think you take second, but you win your flight championship. So now you have the chance to win a trophy in every flight from here until you're done golfing. Right, not everybody gets that chance, trust me. Not everybody does. So now you have this chance to go. Do that. Um, how do you feel about?
Speaker 4:that I mean it's it's, it's a, it's a bit, it's a great, it's a bittersweet feeling, I guess, to say like, yeah, like I mean you, you did say like I was kind of contemplating playing that finale for the sake of being able to go to to nationals as a d-flatter, but at the same time, like I, I love, I love competing, you know what I mean. So to to kind of have that idea or that mindset, to kind of just like lay over and allow somebody else to take over that points race, uh, just didn't kind of sit too well with me. So when I finally decided to play and show up, you know, while it wasn't my my greatest rounds, like you said, it was good enough to be able to take that points rates and it's great. And now to be able to work my way up to the ranks, eventually trying to, you know, match your level, is the ultimate goal.
Speaker 3:now, I'm not that good.
Speaker 4:All right when your handicap only has one number in it. Before, before the, before the decimal. I mean it's can't say nothing, Touche.
Speaker 3:Touche. Okay, so we're going to Nationals. You know, once this airs, we're going to be a week and a half away from meeting up at the airport in Dallas to get our flights over there. But you're not going as a D-Flighter, no, you got moved up, you know. You're going as a C-Flighter, which isn't a bad thing, let me tell you. This's not a bad thing, because now you get to really test your game and the courses you're playing oyster reef, hampton hall, two of my favorite courses out there. I've said before, hampton hall is probably my favorite course out there, wide open, okay, so you can, you can grip it and rip it and um, it's not a terribly long course. So I I think you're gonna have a great time. Um, but what are your thoughts? Going into a new flight, your first round is gonna be your national championship round uh, you know it's, I think.
Speaker 4:I think easing into it like in a normal tournament would have been a little bit ideal, kind kind of getting used to the yardage adjustment. But I mean playing at sea flight, even at the Nationals level, it's going to be fun. Luckily I play quite a bit with your brother out here and he is a I guess we'll call it a stickler for making me play at the same tees he does. So playing back tees isn't playing back tees from I should be playing, I guess I should say, is it something that I'm not unfamiliar with? So it just just be slight adjustments going up a few, a club or two in certain situations I.
Speaker 3:I mean like, like I tell every, every newbie that goes on, nationals from our area, um, it's gonna be a club or two, regardless. You're playing C-level, but you're right. I mean, I guess, because I'm a director, but I encourage everybody to play the tee box that they're going to have the most fun at. But if you're already playing from tees that the C-Flighters play from, I think you'll be okay. I mean we went, you know your just play from. I think you'll be okay. And I mean we went.
Speaker 3:You know your last four rounds 86, 87, 91, 88, that's solid, even for sea flight, that's solid. You know you drop three, four strokes on the green, around the green, you'll be right there in contention. So I don't have any worry about you. But I, you know we want to bring it up because your journey here, um, under 20 rounds total, uh, since you started right a year and a half, and you've already progressed through one fly, uh, I'm pretty sure the sea flighters in dallas know your name and they're they're. Some may be looking forward to new me, but some might be a little nervous. Uh, and, and you know, I just can't wait to see what you do next year and you're gonna have a great time at nationals. But, like, what are your thoughts? How are you feeling now going into, uh, this new chapter in your, in your, your golf game? Do you know?
Speaker 4:I'm excited for it. Uh, I know I talked. I talked to your, to your brother, christian, earlier in the year and the the sea flight promotion was always a goal. Like I said, I had hoped that it transitioned a little sooner in the season, but obviously the goal is always to progress. So to win flight champ and then go into sea flight, it's awesome. I look forward, like I said, to the continued um competition and I don't know that anybody up there in that flight knows my name, but I got my eyes on some, some targets on those guys, kind of monitoring them and their scores and whatnot. So um it, just like I said, just continuously looking for for an improving goal. You know what I mean mean. Try to shoot low.
Speaker 3:Right, right, right. So we're going to be in Nationals. Definitely. Come see us at the welcome party. I mean, you're going to probably be in the same car, so it doesn't matter. But you know, come say hi. I know Tim wasn't able to be here today, but he'll want to. You met him in Michigan, he's you know. I just want to forward he's super proud of you, he watches as well and uh wants to send his congratulations. But uh, you know we're gonna have a great time at the course we're gonna play on on Wednesday. Yeah, I can't wait for that.
Speaker 3:It was one one of the bucket list courses and then you know we'll go out Thursday, hit a range or two and uh, get prepared for the for the next time. But uh, you're gonna enjoy Orchard Reef, but you but Hampton Hall is my favorite course out there, so I hope you're ready yeah.
Speaker 4:I've looked into them a little bit. I've been kind of going on to their sites and kind of scoping through their scorecards and the holes. So it's a phenomenal track it looks. I hope it's just as gorgeous and I'm sure it is in person as it is in those photos. But it's just as gorgeous and I'm sure it is in in person as it is in those photos. But I mean, nationals week is going to be a fun time, a lot of golf to come and hopefully a lot of low scores to go along with it.
Speaker 3:Right, yeah. So last question before we get out of here. I'm playing on the golf week amateur. What do you like most about it?
Speaker 4:I've said it a couple of times, it's the, the competition. You know what I mean. I'm a very competitive person but specifically is being competitive within your skill group. That's. That is the absolute beauty about golf week amateur or that about golf week is is being able to be competitive within your skillset. Right, Like the handicap system is great, Like nobody wants to go out there, you know, be a D-flighter playing against champ flights, being able to compete against people that are at your skill level and, like you said, you know have the chance to win prizes, trophies, you know, a little bit of recognition, have the opportunity to come on the podcast, you know it's the rewards for that. Competitiveness, you know, within the skill set is is by far the best thing, not to mention the travel opportunities that come along with it with regional events Cool.
Speaker 3:Well, chris, I appreciate you taking some time off from your busy day. I know you're traveling right now, um, but yeah, man, I can't wait to see you in. In what a week and a half already.
Speaker 4:I wish it was it was sooner, I'm ready to hit the links and get this golf going. Yeah, yeah, it can't come fast enough. I've been counting the days since since the season finished, uh, for this trip, but I look forward to running into you at the at the dallas airport.
Speaker 3:Yep all right, brother, will you be safe and we'll talk to you soon. Yes, sir, you'll be, take it easy, all right. All right, tim. So chris is officially our last guest before our or my trip to nationals. You can just walk to wherever you want to go on that Island, but it's always a great time to hear these guys' stories. You know we had plenty of stories throughout the year and, you know, top it off with one guy that was really working hard all year long. I had a couple of goals that he was able to achieve and now is going to test his skills in the new flight in Nationals. Yeah, I'm really proud of him.
Speaker 2:You know I met him when he was on the trip out there with us in Michigan for the regional at American Dunes and you know just kind of following him. You know, through the mid part of the season he struggled a little bit, got a little frustrated and I'm really proud of him how he turned things around and finished the season really strong oh yeah, he's been working real hard on his game you know, hitting the range taking tips.
Speaker 3:It's hard for me to give him tips because I'm not a lefty like he is, but nonetheless he's been working hard on the things he needs to and I think he'll do good. I think he's a little nervous. I mean I got moved up to b flight one year, probably four nationals and, um, you know it can be nerve-wracking not to know what to expect, especially it being your first uh nationals. But he'll be all right, you just gotta keep it in the fairway at that point yeah, he'll be fine, you know.
Speaker 2:you know, being from a from a really big tour like that, you're generally playing with pretty good competition, not that smaller tours don't, but obviously the bigger tour that you have, the more players that are in the flight, the more likely it is that somebody's going to have a good day and for him to finish strong. The way that he did just shows that he can play up to that C-level competition and the competition is going to be even stronger when he gets here in a couple weeks. It's going to be great.
Speaker 2:He's going to have a great time he's going to do well, not worried about that, yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean we're all excited to get out there and start playing. I wish it was quicker than a week and a half still.
Speaker 2:Yeah, me too. Kind of, Kind, of kind of. It is one of the best weeks of the year, just being able to see everybody and catching up. I think the one good thing that we had this year, which we haven't had in the past, is we did get to go to some regionals and we did get to see people that we wouldn't normally see until we get to Hilton Head throughout the year, which, to me, I had a blast, and next year I think it's going to be even better. I'm not telling you the one that I know yet.
Speaker 3:You keep saying that, but you don't give me any details. So I see how it is no.
Speaker 2:I've got to keep it hush until it's officially announced. My guess is it's going to be announced at National Championship. I really hope so. Most of the time the regional schedule, if it's not done, it's pretty solid. So I'm hoping this one's going to come out and we'll definitely go to that one. That's pretty solid, right? So I'm hoping this one's going to come out and we'll definitely go to that one, that's for sure. Oh, okay, let's wrap up. I'm just going to slide over that and we'll move on. Let's go ahead and wrap up our individual tours.
Speaker 2:And you know we talked about it briefly in the opening. There's always something that happens and you know, sometimes the players don't talked about it briefly in the opening. There's always something that happens and you know, sometimes the players don't know about it, but sometimes the players do know about it. You know, like for me, my first tournament of the year, we had a real mix-up in start times and then the course kind of threw a few extra tee times in front of us. So we ended up starting almost two hours behind time and there really isn't anything we can do about it. I mean, it is what it is. You just got to kind of roll with it and players still had a good time. So it was a great event. But what happened with you on the last tournament?
Speaker 3:I mean, and you know we explained to everybody, we build these schedules all around the country. I mean and, and you know we explained to everybody, we build these schedules all around the country. You know, october, november, december, um, for the most part. I mean, as they start a little bit later, they probably start their schedule a little bit later, but uh, you know, I get all my things done by the end of November, so that December I'm not worrying about it. And um, this one course, we know, on a sunday, two day, two day final, you kind of want to have everybody hanging out, have a good time. Awards, you know, season ending awards, all that fun stuff, um.
Speaker 3:so I specifically asked this course to do a shotgun um on sunday. It wasn't a problem in november, but I guess for the next 10 months they had some management changes and forgot to inform me that they had changes and not allowing any shotguns for tournaments anymore, regardless of the time, which I still don't understand that, because you could have 72 guys out and back in four and a half hours as opposed to taking up four hours of routine time. Same amount, but, um, right, needless to say, you know, uh, the monday leading up the tournament, they let me know that and I had to scramble, um, but it is what it is. You know, everybody had to do what we had to do.
Speaker 3:Fortunately we couldn't have the big celebrations that we could so kind of strategically placed it to where Champ A and B would kind of finish within an hour of each other to be able to have those upper guys hang out for a little bit. We did those three and then just held off C and D until they were done and then did those two together. So it worked out. You know, a couple of guys stay, gave the restaurant some business. I wish we could have given them more, but it is what it is and you just got to adapt and that's what we do. And, uh, we learn from it and you know, next year we'll we'll see if we have a tour event.
Speaker 2:That's all that matters, and as long as the guys have a good time and you know no other issues with the tournament. It is what it is right.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, it was a great time. I mean, you know, even looking at a two-day final, the biggest margin of victory was four strokes in the flights. So I mean, and that one, unfortunately, was my flight, because I took second and lost by four, but you know, it was just great to see that close of competition come down to the wire for every flight, which was nice.
Speaker 2:That is good, you know, because again it ends the season on a high note and it's something to talk about, you know, during the offseason it really does get them ready and prepped for I guess you guys start in January, right.
Speaker 3:Uh, yeah, we'll. We'll start in January and um, and I'll have some fun events throughout the off season. I want to do a uh tournament of champions and have every guy that won an event they're invited to come play and see who can be the the champion of them all, with their handicaps, of whatever they finish golf week with.
Speaker 3:So that's kind of fun, kind of kind of declare one person as not the mvp of the season, but like the champion of champions, and then do a two-man scramble. Um, that we typically usually do in the beginning of the season, but I think with all our traveling and everything it's a little hard to get that scheduled this year. Um, so we've got to keep that tradition going because I know the guys like events like that be able to partner up with somebody and try to take take the victory.
Speaker 2:That's good, there's tournament of champion. Events are becoming a little bit more popular, you know, across the country too.
Speaker 3:And again.
Speaker 2:I think they're fun. It keeps the camaraderie going, keeps guys interested and, you know, it keeps everybody hanging around.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, and you know, it allows one person to have trash talking for the whole year, Exactly.
Speaker 2:We finished up the same weekend you did. I'm sure everybody's aware of the hurricane that came through and you know it affects us a little bit. You know no big deal. We had to move Saturday tee times back a little bit but you know the damage that Helene caused is going to be affecting people for a long, long time. You know there's kind of a swath from really kind of Augusta up through the upstate South Carolina region, up through North Carolina into Tennessee. And I saw something just the other day that you know there's two major roads, i-26 and I-40, in North Carolina and Tennessee that won't open up until like September of 25. Yeah, and those are two major roads. I mean so getting from North Carolina to Tennessee, to Nashville, to Knoxville. Those are the roads that you take.
Speaker 3:I mean, those are interstates, yeah, and for them not to be open is very alarming, and I saw the picture from Augusta National on what they had going on or the damage that they had, which was pretty crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we lost some lives. I think it was like maybe 500 lives and that's not something you generally see as far inland as that, I mean generally, you're going to see that on the coast, you know Gulf Coast and then the east coast of Florida, for it to be that bad where it is. That's how powerful these storms are. And again, you know thinking about the people that have lost everything. I know a couple families who literally lost everything, but they made it out okay and you know, just our thoughts are with everybody that's dealing with these, with this tragedy, natural disaster.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean you do the best you can. I know my sister was celebrating her wedding anniversary and they were in the east part of Florida and they had to leave a day early. They were able to do, you know, most of the things that they wanted to do, but they still had to leave a day early to get back home to Orlando before everything hit. So I can't imagine. That's why I live in the desert, I guess in the middle of the United States I can kind of avoid all that. I'm far from tornadoes, I'm far from hurricanes, but I've been through a hurricane warning a couple of years back in Orlando when one went right by and for somebody who's never been in one it's alarming, especially with your whole family there. So I can only imagine what people are going through.
Speaker 2:Again wish everybody the best and hopefully that we can get things cleaned up and get back to somewhat normal life as soon as possible. Now, as we're wrapping things up, we just have a couple more things before you've got to get on the plane. We've got to talk about the shirt contest. By the time this airs, we will have a winner. Last time I checked it it was really close. I mean, I'll look right now for this.
Speaker 3:Give me a second, I'll pull it up. I've been eyeing it every, every, every day, so it's a 148 to 119, currently 29 votes with literally 24 hours to go. So I mean I hope somebody has a good push or let's see what happens. I mean anything can happen. Honestly.
Speaker 2:Anything can happen. You never know who may be holding some votes back. You never know if Zuckerberg's going to have a hand in this, if there's a little four-year-old grandchild going to have a hand in this. Nobody knows.
Speaker 3:Nobody knows We'll just wait and see. Yep, we just got to wait and see, can't vote, but it's been fun, it's been exciting. I know you and me have a lot of work as far as if we're going to do it next year, what we can change or make better, but uh, I think it was successful for its first year yeah, I think that's me too.
Speaker 2:I, you know I loved it and maybe we should. We will talk, you know, in theseason, figure out what we're going to do. I don't want to speak for anybody because we do have to get the okay from Dennis and Jennifer because they covered the national championship here on this, but I got a good feeling. If it's not this, it'll be something. We're going to do, a season-long something, something. Yeah, so that'll be something, right, we're going to do. We're going to do a season long Something, something. Yeah, so that'll be that. And you know we've got as we move forward into this. You know this is the last episode before National Championship. Yep, right, we will be live the Wednesday before National Championship starts. You know, right after our tour director awards and dinner, it'll be you and me and we'll be interviewing tour directors and we can't sorry, we can't give you a time on that, because it just whenever it's over that's when we go. So it's not like we've got to.
Speaker 3:They try their hardest every year to stay on time, and every year it goes a little long. But you know, it's the time for us directors to kind of unwind and just relax and just talk with all the fellow directors. But yeah, like you said, as soon as we're able to, we'll get on. We'll probably be sitting at that desk waiting and the second they say bye, we're going to. All right, we're live.
Speaker 2:So desk waiting.
Speaker 3:And the second, they say bye, we're gon na all right, we're live, so exactly, and we're not going to stay as long as we did last time too.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm thinking we may just have somebody or some people bring it. Just bring us a few plates of food and we'll see. We'll see, let's see what happens. As long as I get some cheesecake, man, I'm I'm good, we'll get you some cheesecake, that's exactly what I need.
Speaker 2:Oh, and then on Thursday for registration. Registration starts at 4 o'clock in Palmetto Dunes at the Arthur Hills course. We'll be there and I think we're going to go live from 4 to 6, chris, that works, so please stop by. Please stop by and see us Say hi, put a headset on, step up to the mic and chat with us for a little bit and look forward to catching up with everybody.
Speaker 3:Yeah, coming out. It was fun last time. We got to meet a lot of people and can't wait to meet more and hopefully, you know, we get some great funny stories that we can all laugh about and talk about moving forward.
Speaker 2:I'm sure we will. I'm sure there's going to be something, so I guess that's it. 2024 season is rapidly coming to a close. We got the best week of golf coming up here in just a few days, so I hope everybody makes it safely and we look forward to seeing everybody, you know, real soon.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I can't wait. Everybody travel safe, especially us from the West Coast. California tour, denver, vegas, vegas, you know, get there safe and, uh, we'll have some, we'll have a good time.
Speaker 2:I can't wait, all right bud can't wait to see you and uh travel safe. Likewise, talk to you soon you.
