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
Golfing Spirit Unleashed: New Your Upstate Senior Tour Insights, and Southern Icebreaker Champions
Curious about the vibrant world of amateur golf? This episode is packed with insights, starting with our chat with Don Frame, the new tour director for the Upstate New York Senior Tour. His fresh perspective and enthusiasm for senior golfing opportunities are truly inspiring, offering a glimpse into the unique challenges faced by directors and players alike. Hear how strategic course selections and regional tournament planning can transform player experiences, despite the unpredictable weather that often shapes our golfing journeys.
We also celebrate the competitive spirit that defines the Golfweek Amateur Tour. Listen to thrilling tales from recent tournaments, including the Southern Icebreaker, where winners like Joe Jaspers, Steve Evans, and Aaron Allee reveal the mental grit and strategic finesse required to succeed. Through their stories, discover the camaraderie and deep-rooted passion that golf ignites, especially in regions like the Carolinas where talent thrives. Their triumphs highlight the joy and challenges of the sport, emphasizing the mental and strategic elements that make golf both exhilarating and demanding.
As we wrap up, the episode shares heartwarming stories, from Tracy Taylor's regional victory to Brandon's unforgettable hole-in-one. These moments underscore the unique bond and community spirit within amateur golf. With tales of friendly rivalries, such as the Ryder Cup Challenge, and plans for future tournaments, we celebrate the connections and emotional triumphs that golfing brings to players of every age. Join us on this journey as we explore the joy, challenges, and growing community of amateur golf enthusiasts.
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Hey, Chris and everybody, welcome back to the Golf Week Amateur Tour, the podcast and, Chris, you know, you and I we talked about some big changes we've got coming for the podcast for the year and I don't know about you, but I'm really super excited to share this big news today with everybody.
Speaker 4:Yeah, completely correct. You know we've been growing. It's been a great journey and we want to invite you and your businesses to join us on this amazing journey we've been on. So, as of this episode, you know, we're officially opening up sponsorship opportunities for the podcast.
Speaker 1:Chris, exactly. You know we've got an amazing community of listeners and members and golfers, you know, that are passionate about amateur golf and the tour. So, whether you're a golf brand, a local business or just somebody who loves the game, this would be a perfect chance to connect with an engaged and enthusiastic audience.
Speaker 4:And it's not just about reaching our audience. By partnering with us, your brand becomes part of the story we're building here, one that celebrates the players, the courses and the incredible energy of the Golf Week, amtour.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we could tailor any sponsorship packages to meet your goals, you know, whether shout outs on the show, mentions on social media or even custom segments where we highlight your brand. And, Chris, you know, the first one I'm thinking about is Roger's Rules. Roger needs a sponsor.
Speaker 4:He sure does. So. If you're interested in partnering with us and getting your name of of your business out to the amateur golfers across the country, reach out today. Just email us at d mac that's d m a c at amateur golf tour dot net yeah, let's team up to make this podcast and golfing amateur tour community even stronger.
Speaker 1:And and just remember, you know, the sponsorships is what allows you know, chris, you and I to travel to the regionals, to be able to go out and see everybody. So, you know, we can't wait to hear from you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean thanks for tuning in and, as always, keep hitting them straight. All right, let's go ahead and get the show started.
Speaker 1:Let's go. All right, let's go ahead and get the show started.
Speaker 5:Let's go, Ladies and gentlemen, Golf Week Amateur Tour proudly presents Golf Week Amateur Tour, the podcast Talking about all things Golf Week Amateur Tour, including interviews with tour directors, players and course professionals. Now here are your hosts, Tim Newman and El Paso Las Cruces tour director, Chris Rocha.
Speaker 1:Chris, we're halfway through the month of January. We haven't talked yet. So, number one happy new year. It's good to see you.
Speaker 3:Time flies.
Speaker 1:Like I said, we're halfway through the month. We just wrapped up a southern icebreaker and we've got the western icebreaker this week, and California had a tournament last week as well.
Speaker 4:So we're rolling in bud. Yeah, I mean, you're telling me. I had a couple of my members up in California, not a couple, one or two and uh, they told me, hey, uh, sorry, we're cheating on our tour, we're in California playing their first event. I said for one, why is California starting so early, jesus? No-transcript.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's going to be a good year and you know we'll talk about Icebreaker near the end. Some of the good things that happened there real big things, exciting things happened, so we'll talk about them later. But first thing, you know we do have some new tours this year with new tour directors. And right now I'm in Hilton Head and it's about 30 degrees.
Speaker 4:You showed some Photoshop picture of your phone where it says it's we know it's 70 there, so don't lie, I wish. But that winter storm, the little bottom tip, is touching our area and it was supposed to snow last night. It didn't in my part of town, but in other parts of town it did, and it's supposed to snow again tonight. But the kids still have school and they're upset about it. But El Paso's not used to cold weather, so everybody freaks out when it's under 50.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, I can only imagine. I mean, you have a coat, you have a coat, you've got electric blankets.
Speaker 4:I have this and that's all I got, so just running from my car to my work to get there as quickly as I can and not slip.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm headed out of town for a couple weeks and one of my first stops was going to be in Atlanta and I got word that it's supposed to snow and get ice in Atlanta. So I'm not going there. I don't know if anybody remembers the last time it snowed or got ice in Atlanta I mean the whole city shut down, I think for three weeks. So I'm postponing that. But hopefully this cold spell will wrap up soon. But let's go to upstate New York and talk with Don Frame, the new tour director for the upstate New York. Senior tour Don, welcome to the show bud.
Speaker 7:Thank you, appreciate it. Glad I could be on.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm really excited to have you here and to open up a new senior tour. The Upstate New York Golf Tour is doing really well and I'm excited to hear about the senior tour because I'm sure that's going to do just as well.
Speaker 7:Yeah, adam's doing a hell of a job up here. I actually played right from the beginning, started playing three years ago when I actually won the first tournament he played. I won the seed division but there wasn't too many guys in it at the time because it was brand new and it went on, for it's been on. This is third year now and he's doing really well with it. And I talked to Dennis all back in. I went to the Nationals in 2002. And I mentioned to Dennis about.
Speaker 7:You know you guys do anything for seniors. You know on the tees, you know it's kind of tough for me to keep up with these young kids here that are hitting the ball 350 yards. It's like I haven't got a prayer. And he said, no, he says we do have a senior tour. And I said, well, like where? I mean I have never heard of it. He said, well, the closest one to you is probably Washington DC.
Speaker 7:And I was like, well, wait a minute. I said that's like a six-hour ride. I'm not going six hours to play in a senior tour, you know. So it just wasn't feasible. But I continued to play on the tour with Adam up here in upstate New York and you know it started off slow but it gained momentum quick and there's a lot of guys around here that want to play and there's a lot of older guys like myself that want to play and we're all in the same boat. You know we're playing off the regular tees and it's a tough nut to crack. I mean, I'm 71 now and you know the ball don't fly like it used to.
Speaker 7:So I went to the Nationals this past year, you know back in October and I'm not sure who it was that I spoke to One of the girls at the main desk and I mentioned something to her and she said just contact Dennis, send him an email. I did, and one thing led to another and here we are. It's brand new. Right now I think I've got 10 or 12 guys on the tour. I actually booked three venues today.
Speaker 4:They called me back Nice.
Speaker 7:I now have five venues on the market and I have a notebook right here. I've been in touch with about 15 or 20 of them, but the biggest problem I'm having right now up here is most of the pros that run the clubs up here are in florida or arizona or somewhere else right now and they're not answering their phone and so and they said, well, call me back, you know, after the first of the year. So I've been making more phone calls recently, but a few of them have got back to me and I'm making good headway. I don't see any reason why I won't have 10 to 14 uh, you know tournaments on the tour once I get rolling here yeah, but but don those.
Speaker 1:Those course pros are smart. They went south for the winter yeah, I should have. I'd say come on down. But like I told Chris, it's 30 degrees here in South Carolina now and I don't like it.
Speaker 7:I can't imagine you have to agree with me. One of the guys on our regular tour did go down to the icebreaker. I actually played the icebreaker two years ago and it was fun. But I'd rather be in Florida. It's a little bit warmer down there and, to be honest with you, dennis has been in touch with me about playing the senior icebreaker. I just can't get out that weekend. But I did look up some regionals and that one senior regional down in Mission Inn Resort looks very appetizing. Looks like a really nice club.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm looking forward to the senior regionals because, you know, one of the big differences between the golf week tour and the senior tour is that, you know the competition is still fierce but the atmosphere is a little bit more relaxed. You know the competition is still fierce, but the atmosphere is a little bit more relaxed. You know, with the older guys and women Still fun. Chris, you could chime in on this. You've had a senior tour as well on that?
Speaker 4:Yeah, definitely. I had a senior tour and a golf weekend and I will say the senior tour guys, they like to hang out and chit chat afterwards and it's a great time and, like Tim said, you know, it's very relaxed. It's not they're competitive, but it's not to the teeth like the golf week guys are. So it is a lot of fun. I do enjoy the senior guys and even in golf week playing with the senior guys's. It's a lot easier to have a great round when you're riding with a guy that, whether, like you say, whether he drives 200 or he drives 225, he's happy with being in the fairway. Because that's the way I play too. I play old man golf, yep I hear you there.
Speaker 1:So Don tell everybody a little bit about yourself. You know what did you do before you got involved with the tour.
Speaker 7:Basically, I played in leagues up here and again up here. It's really tough because we don't start playing until if we're lucky we can play in late April, you know, and so you start basically in May and you might be able to play till September. So the seasons are really short up here. I played in a couple of leagues. I got involved in doing some season-end outings, so I managed a couple tournaments up here. You know I helped my nephew out who started a non-for-profit tournament up here for what do you call it? Make-a-wish Foundation, and you know I helped him out with that. So I've been involved in a little bit of tournament action. Not a lot, but this is a whole new venture for me.
Speaker 7:But I'm a people person.
Speaker 7:I've had my own construction business for 37 years, met a lot of people over the years and, uh, you know, and golf has kind of enabled me to meet a lot more people.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and, and to be honest with you, one of the things that I enjoy most about playing in this tour the first year I played was 2002, and I'm sorry, 2002, 2023, or 22, I'm sorry and in 2023, I went out of town nine times. I played regionals all across the country and I met guys and it's funny because you meet somebody and then you meet somebody in the next tour and you know this guy from that tour. Meeting new people was just. I love meeting people and talking to different people from all over the country and and I just had a really good time doing that and not to mention locally there's a lot of golfers around here who I would never meet had I not played in a tour like this. And more guys keep coming out and meet more guys and all of a sudden you have a new round of buddies that you're playing with just because you met them on the tour.
Speaker 7:And it really works out good. I mean, I can't get enough of it.
Speaker 1:It really does. And, donnie, you're the epitome of what we're looking for in players. In three years, okay, you played in 58 tournament rounds with tour. Wow, yeah, 58. So so you're averaging almost almost 20 rounds a year, uh. And and, like you said you, if you travel, you you meet new people and you can, like I said, you get, you get new golf groups everywhere you go. And so when you go to the, go to the regionals, or you go to another local event, you've got guys that you already know and play with.
Speaker 7:It's great. Yeah, yeah. And it's funny because when a buddy of mine first brought this to me three years ago and he said you know, check this out. I was like I don't know, you know, it sounds this and everybody's got that same attitude.
Speaker 8:you know like it's more than I want to spend it's more.
Speaker 7:But I and all I keep saying it to him is look, just try it. Just try it, because it's either for you or it's not. I know some people that they don't like it, but until you know what it really is, you can't, you can't say no to it. That's my opinion opinion.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and Chris, I don't know what you think on this, but generally, if we can get them out to one tournament, we've got them hooked Most of the time.
Speaker 4:Yep no.
Speaker 4:No, I agree, that's what I tell my guys. You know we've said before everybody brings one person and the tour is doubled at that point. And you hear like you said, you hear like you said. You hear that well, I don't know if it's for them. You won't know until they try it. Like anything in life, you won't know until you try it. So bring them out. I almost want to guarantee that they're gonna enjoy the product that we, that we put out here, and the fact that they get to travel the country and play events and regional. All that. It just makes it a whole nother level. Yes, it does absolutely so.
Speaker 1:What courses are you looking at for this year, don?
Speaker 7:oh well, uh, let me just pull the calendar up here. I've already got, uh, a course called thunder heart, that's down in the catskills, just south of me, about an hour south of here. Uh, I have one already booked it's called, called Burden Lake Country Club. Again near here, there's another one, queensberry Country Club. That's a little north of here, probably about 40 minutes north of here. Uh, turning stone, really nice course, highly rated, one of the top rated courses in new york state, in fact. Uh, and cobleskill, which is a little bit south of here, and I have a handful of other ones. I don't want to just start dropping names because I'll be here for a half hour, because literally I've contacted like 22 courses either by email or voicemail or something, and there's a ton of them around here. And and it's funny because it's I I originally tried to uh make sure that I booked different clubs than adam books in the regular tour so that guys join that are in his tour will join my tour, because I'm playing different venues, and of the, of the five that I have booked right now, the only one that he is playing is turning stone.
Speaker 7:Uh, so I'm off on the right track. I do know that I am gonna have to book a couple of them that he books, because there's some real popular clubs in the area that guys want to play and some guys may only play in the senior tour. So it's only fair that I do take a couple of the really nice local ones and get him in there. So but yeah, he's already got, I think, 10 tournaments booked and again he's been in business. So last year when he played there he already booked a date for this year.
Speaker 7:So it just made it easier for him. So I'm kind of dancing around the dates here because I don't want to book a date. I can't book one on the same day he's booked. So it's fine, there's plenty of room for both of us.
Speaker 4:I think what makes a region good with a senior and a golf week is the partnership between both directors, and I mean you've known them for so long. I think you guys can make a great partnership. You know us, like Arizona and us, it's just one director for both, so it's easier. But I think you're on the right track with, you know, not booking on the same day or trying not to book the same courses, because then it just becomes repetitive and now your golfers are choosing to play on one other than both. So I think you're on the right track K to play on one other than both.
Speaker 1:So I think you're on the right track. Kudos on that, yeah, yeah. And the reality is, I mean, if you're going to play turning stone twice, who's going to complain about playing turning stone twice? Right, exactly, exactly, and that's kind of what.
Speaker 7:I feel there's a couple other local country clubs that are, you know, highly thought of. That we're both in, you know, we're both getting involved in and it's it's worth it, because the guys will play those twice a year.
Speaker 1:They won't even hesitate yeah, yeah, and you know I'm I'm probably talking out of turn here. I'm not sure if if you and adam and dennis have had this conversation or not, and if I'm talking out of turn and I'll probably, when this comes out, I'll probably get a phone call. But you know, it would be great to get a regional up in that area. I mean, that's, that's, that's to me. That's one area that is is kind of lacking of where we have regional. Yeah, that's just, that's just that. You know what I'm saying, Chris.
Speaker 4:No, I agree. Don't let me go down all by myself.
Speaker 4:No no, I agree, I think the states, like, like you said, like New York, it's also a tourist state. So you know you can go and you can visit the big cities and then drive down an hour, two hour, play a golf tournament and then head back home. I completely agree. I mean I'm, you know, I guess you threw yourself on the sword, so I'll throw myself on the sword too. I don't know how Texas, as big as we are, we don't have a regional yet. But that's the conversation, for not here, but eventually we will. And it's just one of those places where people love to go and they book vacations there. And if there's a regional tournament, I know when it comes down to me and my family vacations and she's my wife's probably going to hear this because she's in the other room but I'll look at the regional schedule first and then we'll book a vacation around that, because if I'm going to travel somewhere, I might as well take advantage of that trip exactly well, chris, you've been married long enough.
Speaker 1:You know. Diana knows how you do, how you do things. This is, this is not going to come as a big shock. You're right.
Speaker 4:You're right she probably looked at the regional schedule before I do and she's been throwing hints all, all fall, fall, winter, oh man well, if you're lucky.
Speaker 7:If you're lucky enough, you got a wife that likes to golf too not yet.
Speaker 4:She likes to drive the car and, uh, look at scenery. But if it's, if it's the same thing for the first four holes and she's done, count her out I hear you, but she's supportive though.
Speaker 1:Right, that's and and don. When I when I, I mean you talk with Jennifer all the time. When we got married I'm talking Jennifer Newman, not Jennifer McCormick when we got married, I figured if I was going to be able to play golf, she's got to play too, and so I bought her a set of junior clubs because she's 4'3", and that's what we did on our honeymoon, and now she works for the tour. So you know it, it worked out Okay.
Speaker 4:Oh my God, I can't believe you said that.
Speaker 1:Why you laugh. She said what.
Speaker 4:Instead of instead of I cut down some clubs, he said I went and got the junior set.
Speaker 1:Well, hold on a second. Hey, jen, did not buy you, junior clubs.
Speaker 4:Okay, no, I believe you Come on in. I wasn't calling you a liar I believed you.
Speaker 2:For the record, I'm not 4'3" but I do have kids clubs. When we went for our golf school and we had official measurements, you know did the whole nine yards to get fitted for clubs. The person who did it, who became our friend, kind of laughed because he looked at it and he said, jen, I just want to tell you your height and all your measurements are completely consistent with junior clubs. So save the money and go for it. There you go.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I'm a helpful, thoughtful husband.
Speaker 4:That's the greatest story I've heard all year.
Speaker 1:Well, well, don thank you so much for joining us tonight. I really do appreciate it. I'm looking forward to big things from you and I'm I'm hoping that I'm going to see you down at the Mission Inn Regional, because I'll be there. Sounds good, All right bud. Thank you, fellas.
Speaker 7:Good luck. Appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1:All right, take care. Let's take a break from the show to hear about Strixon's ZX Mark II irons.
Speaker 8:A great iron set needs more than good looks. It's got to be fast and got to be pure, but good looks. It's got to be fast and gotta be pure, but good looks never hurt either. The all-new zx mark ii irons from strixon tim.
Speaker 4:I think it's a great idea that we're going through all the the new directors this year. Um, I think last year, you know, we might have missed the ball on a couple new directors, but uh, it's important to give these guys the highlight because they're taking a big step. You know you and me know it's not easy give these guys the highlight because they're taking a big step. You know you and me know it's not easy running tournaments to begin with but then having to start the whole thing, the whole process of the scheduling, all of that that people don't see very outgoing like I was when I started and you have to stand up in front of 50 guys and go over the rules. It can be very intimidating and they might not know that, but it takes a lot of guts to be able to do that and I think us giving them the kudos and that support and letting all our listeners know what new tours are available is something that I've enjoyed doing the last couple months.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's good to see them put faces and names and get to know them a little bit. And the one thing with Don in upstate New York is he is right on. We had Adam Cahill on last year and you know, if you remember correctly, he he said that he was going to turn things around up in up in New York and he had a phenomenal year last year. I mean, he blew it out of the water and he's he's you know some of the behind the scenes things that that I've heard that he's doing. That is that's really taken off for him. He's doing a really good job with Don coming in on the senior side. I really do think that the momentum that Don's going to pick up some of the momentum from what Adam's doing, that's really what we'll see.
Speaker 4:Right, right. And the fact that they know each other too is going to be even better because it's just a quick phone call. I'm pretty sure they've had in the previous years, without him being a director, that they can just piggyback off each other and both have a successful season.
Speaker 1:I'm sure that they will. I mean, you know how it is, the first year of a tour is tough, but I mean the courses that he's already got. Again, who's going to complain about going to the tourney? Right, twice, twice, come on. I mean, if that's what you've got to complain about, man, I want your life Right, right, right. You know what I mean. And so, again, they've got some really good courses up there. Even though the season is a lot shorter than it is down south or in El Paso or some of these other places, they pack a lot of good golf in a small amount of time.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, the guys up north do a phenomenal job across the whole country because they've got a handful of months to work with literally a handful, and then it's done.
Speaker 1:I almost think that their job is tougher than some of the other places because the season is so short and everybody is trying to pack in that short time frame right, as opposed to to here, down, down south you know north carolina, south carolina and south, and where you are in, in texas, even though it's 70 degrees there for you now, I mean people are still getting out and trying to play yeah, I mean we get to play year round.
Speaker 4:You know, maybe five days out of the year we can't play. Maybe I mean because even if it's drizzling, we're still going to play. But we have all year. We have 12 months to play. These guys have five months to play and have to wrestle with all the other local public or tourists or what not that are going there to play within those five months exactly. So I would agree with that statement tourists or whatnot that are going there to play within those five months Exactly.
Speaker 1:So I would agree with that statement. Yeah, so I'm looking forward to big things with them. And let's talk about the winners from the Southern Icebreaker, see who won and see what some of the good things that happened this weekend. Let's do it. Welcome to Sea Pines and the Harbortown Resort.
Speaker 1:The 2025 Golf Week Amateur Tour season is now underway with the annual Icebreaker Classic. First round was at Robert Trent Jones' course in Palmetto Dunes and the second round right here at the famed Harbortown Resort course. We had amazing competition this weekend. We crowned five winners. All punched their tickets to the National Championship. It's hard to believe in the first tournament of the year, you can punch your ticket, but these five amazing golfers did just that and I can't wait to talk to them. On top of that, we had a hole-in-one today right here at Harbortown on hole 17. Thanks for listening and hang tight, and we're going to talk to these five amazing winners. We're back here in the Harbortown Clubhouse with the Champ Flight winner.
Speaker 1:Everybody knows this guy Joe Jaspers. Joe, congratulations, this is an old hat for you. I mean jeff won three years in a row, which I mean last three years, you guys been neck and neck, and this year, you, you being by what? Uh, seven strokes. Well, we kind of flipped roles. I, I played well this year and I mean he struggled today. It wasn't his best day, uh, you know, that's kind of the way it worked out last couple years, you know. So, uh, yeah, jeff's tough competitor, he really really tough, uh, but this is my first time winning the icebreaker, so okay, so, so you're not, so it'll be not territory.
Speaker 1:So that's, that's another one check. You know, chad dolphin isn't right, exactly, yes, but but two, two rounds this weekend, 73 yesterday at the jones course, 72 today. You know you're not gonna say this, but I'll say it to me. That's just Jared Daz ripped off. Don't make mistakes. Do what you have to do, get the lead, stay in the lead and just keep grinding, go and go. Well, it is. Yeah, I mean, he looked at enough bad shots in there so you got to work at it a little bit. But yeah, I think I made one birdie today, so it was a. It was just, yeah, just tried to harm the depth.
Speaker 1:But this course it's tough to make birdies, anyway it is. It is. It's tough to get in the right side of the hole and and with the weather it's a little pulled out there. So the ball didn't quite quite as hard. And for you you know the vehement golfer that you are you know this is a you have to actually think your way through this. You're not just going to bomb it and and get a good score. You have to actually think and and that's that's another reason why it's so tough to get to get birdies. The greens were very receptive and again, how it wasn't cold like it was yesterday, but it was still still pretty chilly, still were pretty chilly. The greens were firm and fast. Course is excellent. Shade both days actually. The courses are for really good. So I can't blame the course for anything. But you know hills and head golf. When you get to the island it's different than anywhere else. You play it's a couple because you've got to put the ball in play. If you don't put it in play, you're going to be making bogeys, delvies, triples all day long. I think that. Yeah, so I mean the last couple years you've qualified for the.
Speaker 1:Uh, you're a senior amateur, what are your goals this year? You going back to do my goals? Get back in there. Um, you know, if timing works out, maybe try to get back to us mid-am, okay? Uh, try and go through the us senior open. See if I can. You know, get that off my bucket list. Um, those are kind of the three big years for me this year. You know, you and I talked before you're qualifying for those. You say it's it's it's more difficult to qualify for them than really to make it through the first two rounds, like the US.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because there's only one, maybe two spots. There's only two, maybe three spots in the depth of the fields in the Carolinas. There's a lot of really good players here. So, yeah, you've got to beat a lot of good players just to get in there and you see a lot of Carolina guys playing their most championships. Just because of that, a lot of guys from the Carolinas actually go other places, other states, because the fields maybe aren't quite as big and there's deep.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, I tell people all the time, if you want to play good golf against good golfers, this is the place. Absolutely. I've been playing this for, I think, probably at least 25 years. I've been out here and it's been a great way to get consistent competition, play against great players, make great friends. Absolutely, joe, thanks so much Congratulations and we'll see you this year. All right, thanks, all right. You too. We've got the A-flag champion, steve Evans, with us back-to-back. Actually, I think we were standing in this exact spot last year when we did this interview. So congratulations on back-to-back with us, thank you. Thank you, it feels really good. It's good to see you Again. You've got your best caddy over here, my wife Aileen.
Speaker 1:So we just talked a little bit about yesterday's round over at the Jones course. Tough day yesterday, talk about that a little bit. Well, the golf course is incredible. First of all, the greens are amazing. The golf course was very well maintained. The wind and the cold played havoc with all the players and if you just mishit it a little bit it's not going to go anywhere Right. So you just kind of had to manage that around and expect some shots and, you know, go on to the next. It's just a positive attitude and you know sometimes it's hard when it's cold and you know you keep hitting the ball like that. But but I mean, you put yourself I think you were gave the high back so you weren't out of it, no.
Speaker 1:And so you come in today and you start off with all sixgeys right Right out of six bogeys in a row. And I didn't, I was just a half a bubble off. I'm like, okay, keep it up, keep it up, keep it up. And I turned it around a little bit and made three birdies and four holes. Okay, 13, 15, 16. That is yay. And then I thought you know what, I'm just going to look the lead aboard. I thought you know, I'm just going to look the lead aboard, because one time yesterday I was a 21st player, okay, and then I was in 7'8", 7'8" and I thought, well, maybe if I can get to the top five, I look and I get a three-shot lead. So then that puts a different kind of pressure on you when you know you're. But by that time I was playing a little better right and hitting the ball a little more solid, solid and thinking very clearly and had the best encourager there with my wife and just kind of finished it off in a good way and made a good six-footer for par on the last hole to win by one. Oh wow.
Speaker 1:So you know, I caught up with you guys at the tee box in 17 because I was trying to get a picture of all the leaders. I said, wait a second. He came from, I think you were like four groups back, and so we had to run up there and he hit a great shot. I hit my target the very front of that green. I was not going to challenge that pin. I thought if I could get to the front of green, two putt, get on dodge. And that's exactly what I did. Well, that's all you need to do and that's actually smart To me. I think that's one of the toughest par threes on the course because you, you have a little bit of bailout to the right. That's yeah, that's really not where you want to be, because you still have to come over. I mean, you, you got to, you got the junk over here, you got trees and, uh, you, you got the trap there. So you only have a little bit of merit bailout and everything else is hazard or penalty area. So I was very fortunate that that's why I ended up hitting it pretty solid to finish. When you hit it solid, you could control your lines and control the district right, and it paid off well. Congratulations back to back and maybe we'll see you here again next year. Rick, for two guys. Hey, steve, take care. All right, we're here with the B-Flight champion, aaron Ali from the Hilton Head Tour and congratulations from the window. They like you.
Speaker 1:So yesterday you were over at the Jones course, shot 86. Pretty good scores yesterday, considering the weather A little cold balls aren't flying anywhere. Tell us a little bit about the rest of it. Yeah, I was actually a little frustrated with the 86 because the Jones course was supposed to be the easier of the two. It is. Yeah, I wouldn't say it's much easier, but compared to what Harbertown and the great reading I've heard about Harbertown, it was supposed to be easier. Of course, you know I didn't play horrible, but I just couldn't get the ball on the green, I couldn't hit a green regulation, and so it was a lot of chipping and trying to get up and down, and it worked out all right. Wasn chipping and trying to get up and down, uh, and it worked out all right. Uh, wasn't too thrilled about the 86, but when I saw where I was at and, uh, the order of things, I wasn't too upset that.
Speaker 1:How far back were you? I mean, you shouldn't have ever put more shots back for sure. That's really no big deal and that obviously is a big deal because it came back in and won my two, I think. But then you, you weren't out of it. It wasn't like you had to do a whole lot of bill of work. You just had to play 30 boots.
Speaker 1:This involved, which is what you did today with 82. That's right. So talk about that. Yeah, just a consistent day. Had two holes where I didn't go my way, but overall just a consistent day and was able to clip the ball in the hole, did less strokes today than I did yesterday. That's always key, that's always key. So you know, with the 82 today you said there were a couple holes that you didn't do. Well, what were some of the things that you did do? Well, I put the ball in clay off the tee box so I didn't put myself in danger off the tee box. There was some scrambling going on, but keeping the ball in bounds, which is a big thing here with the tight force, kept the ball in bounds and was able to at least scramble around and scratch out enough pars and bogey saves to save my round. Yeah, that's critical here. I talked to the Chanflett runner, george Astros, about this a little bit ago.
Speaker 1:You know this course isn't a course that you're going to bomb it out. You've got to think your way through this. It's about where you place your tee shot and where you place your approach shot. There's a whole one on 17 today. Yeah, and I was talking to somebody else 17 is probably the toughest par 3 there is. Yeah, because you only have a little bit of bailout to the right and everything else is either hazard or penalty hit Correct. Yeah, so I actually like 17. I think 17 felt easier because of the bullpen. It wasn't tucked in trees and everything else like some of the other par 3s, so I felt like 17 was a little bit of the easier one. However, a hole-in-one is amazing. It is. It doesn't matter what bolt, I'm only on the good bolt. Yeah, I think I caught up with you on 16. The approach had to 62. Yeah, I can't remember where you hit it, but it sounded good Short. Everything was short, but that's okay to be short there too. Raf Because you.
Speaker 1:Everything was short, and I think that's most clearly what we're talking about. Ladies, just between yesterday and today, right, everything just seemed to be coming up short, but I'm up for most. Well, you didn't come up short, everybody else pulled it short. Well, eric, congratulations, try to spend some time with us. Good luck to the rest of you. Oh, by the way, you know, your national championship is May 2nd, so you're probably stress-free until October. Exactly, right there. Welcome back to Harbor Town Clubhouse. We've got CJ Hutchins from the Columbia Tour, our sea flight champion, cj. Congratulations on the win, bud. Thank you, sir. You went wire to wire, which is hard to do in any region, but especially these two courses. Jones' course played really tough yesterday, and Harbortown is always a tough one. So let's talk a little bit about yesterday. At Jones' loss, you shot 88 yesterday, right 88. Well, tell me about the round. Oh man, everything was tight. It was cold too. Don't forget that. Oh, too cold, too cold. I just tried to keep everything in black. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I was struggling a lot on the box. That was most of my tee shots, I'd say but I kept it short enough to where I just kept everything in front of me, okay, and so you come over here today to Harbortown. Obviously, this is a course everybody wants to play Now. They see it on TV. Dj Pro's been playing here for years and you came in again wire to wire. How'd you finish today? 89. 89. So that's pretty solid.
Speaker 1:Talk about your round today, because you had Terry Lawson, the tour director from South Florida Chase and Youth, all day long to Talk about it. He was right there all day and unfortunately, I'm a scoreboard watcher, but it didn't seem to affect you. I knew exactly where we were all day long and I probably attribute the whole weekend to leaving my driver in the truck. Okay, I didn't even pull driver, I took mini driver and hit it and just tried to keep the misses as small as possible. That's true. But yeah, terry was a tough competitor All day he was. We were close and, like I said, scoreboard watching it. So I seen when he was right there. So we called up to you on hole 17. Yeah, yes, there's, hole 17 is par 3, it's. It's a tough bar three. You got there's trouble all the way around, um, and your tee shot was just off off the green on the fringe. Yeah, too far off. Uh, terry was on the green but he put it first. He was still out. He put it first and terry I. I know you'll see this, but it it was not a good effort, terry, and if you remember what I said to you, I said CJ, you got a pretty better effort than that because I'm trying to get this whole film. You had me nervous. The tee shot at first I thought it was long, possibly in the bunker. I got very excited that it wasn't, and my caddy Jack, he helped me out a lot today with the reads and everything and read a good line and put a good roll on it. I think it filled in the hole in the last revolution, though it did. As I was looking through the camera it's a little bit more difficult to see, but it looked like it was drifting out to the right just a little bit and then at the very end it just left. The last second. The hole caught it on the right side. It was definitely a good play bit and then at the very end it just last second. The hole caught it up the uh, right side. So it was, uh, it was definitely a good play. It was, and I was already thinking about 18, so I was. Yeah, I was in my own head already so it was.
Speaker 1:Yes. Well, only a putt to remember. Yes, there were a few birdies on 17 today, but anytime you that's a, that's a tough hole. Anytime you can walk away with par on 17, that that's you get. You do well, but you walk with a birdie. I didn't. You can walk away with par on 17,. That's you did well, but you walked away with a birdie. You didn't get paid out on it, but I just knew that was going to hold up. I was counting that already as soon as it went in. But yeah, I looked a couple of holes later and there was already three birdies on that hole and then apparently somebody else got a little bit better yeah so just a little bit better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there was a hole in one on 17, a flag player, and we'll talk about that a little bit later today. So talk a little bit more about your caddie, because the caddies around here really do help you all as players, especially if you never played this course. And go back to 17 for a second. You guys were talking back and forth about where you wanted to hit it and you hit that line. So talk a little bit more about how he helped you. Well, 17, not so much, but just on most of the holes where I would have automatically grabbed the mini driver and just swung away. He he pulled me to five wood or hybrid and left me in good position. So even if I sprayed it right, I was still in a good position. On the shorter holes where if I'd have hit driver or three wood or something like that, I would have been probably out of play. So he pulled the bigger clubs out of my hands a couple times and then I didn't let him pull them out a couple other times and it didn't go my way. So it was. I say my worst holes were the holes that I disagreed with him, that I went away from what he wanted me to do and I tried stuff that. You know you try stuff. Tournament's where you try new stuff right, Exactly Every shot. Yeah, I tried way too much new stuff that I probably shouldn't have, but luckily I got away with it. Well, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:You won the regional today, punched your ticket to national championship and again first one of the year, knowing that you're in your season and national champion's already taking care of it. That's got to be a weight to lift it off. Oh, 100%, it's definitely a big weight off its own. It's going to make the rest of the year a little bit easier and I'm already ready for nationals. We can't speed it up. Well, CJ, congratulations, it's been seeing you and good luck the rest of the year. Take care, Welcome back. We've got the D-Flight champion, Tracy Taylor from Arkansas. Tracy, congratulations, I tell you what I'm so ecstatic for you. We've been through this so many times. You get close, you get close, you get close, and today, actually this whole weekend, you led start to finish, Did I? You did.
Speaker 3:I've watched the leaderboard so I didn't know.
Speaker 1:Let's start with the Jonas Porsche yesterday Yesterday, you know I talked a bit about it with the Seaflight champion. It was cold. Yesterday I saw you before the round. You said it was my responsibility to make it a little bit warmer today. I think I came through with that. But let's talk about your round yesterday at the Jones course. Jones course is tough and you blew the course away.
Speaker 3:We went out for a practice round on Friday and I just was like I am not getting in those buckers, and so I just did smart golf yesterday and, uh, left my five wood in the bag and just pulled out that little five hybrid. It was just straight down the middle and I'm never long, but I'm not wrong. So that's pretty much how I handled that course yesterday but I'm not wrong.
Speaker 1:So that's pretty much how I handled that course yesterday. Well, you were leading by nine strokes at the end of the day yesterday. They said and so we see you today and you know, caught up with you out on 18. And I know you all started on back, we caught you on 18. And you know you said you didn't start off too well and what did I tell you, bought a golf club to play. You did Hang in there and you know you ended up winning by what? Nine, nine again. So talk a little bit about today, and you know the emotions and some of the things that you were dealing with.
Speaker 3:First of all, I want to say thank you, and this is just a phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal experience, and Dennis and you guys do a great job. Um, so, yeah, I started out, double bogey, triple, double bogey, triple. So I was 10 over in four strokes and I just saw my league just vanish. Um, and I, I just was like come on, tracy, come on, get it together. Um, what?
Speaker 3:What tripped me up was how fast the greens are and they're not receptive. They don't know like, and I don't have spin on my ball. And so those first few holes, my ball was just going crazy and I was getting in bunkers, and so I just was like get it together and get smart again. And so I cleaned up the front nine, but that back nine it got cold and um, but um, by the time we got to our last hole, I wasn't watching the leaderboard, but I asked one of the guys. I said, well, do I have it secured? And he said by 11 strokes. And I was like you're kidding. And so, um, but the guys were just great and um, you know, I just, I just am so blessed to be here about that again.
Speaker 1:I can't tell you how ecstatic I am for you. Um, and you know, the first tournament of the year you got your national state care of. That's got to be a a pretty big weight lifted off. You can be, I wouldn't say, relaxed, but you know, you know you're qualified, you know you're qualified, you know you're here, you know it's taken care of. Now you can go out and win Aaron, I want to hear that, that'd be great.
Speaker 3:That'd be great.
Speaker 1:So what other regions are you going to this year?
Speaker 3:We are going back to American Dunes. Everyone needs to put American Dunes on their list. That is just a wonderful place. And then the Arizona Tour. I just left Gabe and, and so we're going to go back and do TPC then area.
Speaker 1:I see well to talk about American Dunes, because I was out there last year and you're right if. If you haven't been, that's, that's a you.
Speaker 3:You have to go, you have to be you have to do it and you need to get a practice round in so you can cry it out, meet your tissues, take care of all that emotions and stuff um that everybody needs to do. American Dunes it's the home of where they ideated Folds of Honor and it's just very humbling and, I don't know, very sacred. So beautiful, beautiful for us and love it. Love it. Michelle does a great job there too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she does a great job. And you know, chris, I don't know chris, and I've talked about going, me going out to scottsdale this year. So, hopefully, hopefully, we'll see you out there. Now I don't bring jennifer. Well, that's up to her. Jennifer's always invited. She is always invited. But you know I, I travel so much she says you know what I'm she, she wants to stay home, but, uh, she went to french lick last year so maybe we'd get her out to scott. We'll see. But, tracy, again, congratulations, great seeing you and, uh, look forward to seeing you brought to you.
Speaker 1:We're back with the mayor of hilton, ed. Uh, john romson jr. So good to see you. Well, it's, it's. You know, we wouldn't miss this tournament for anything, right, anything. Starting out yesterday a little chilly, but who cares? It's January, right, you know? And it's called the icebreaker for a reason. So you wear the right clothes, you get the gloves on and you get yourself mentally ready. Well, you know what I did yesterday. Right, I got there early. I saw you didn't get a chance to talk to you. I wear a jacket, you guys went. Well, I went back inside. I don't blame you, sorry, yesterday it was a little chillier than it was today. I'm out of dunes. Trent jones played great, the greens were fantastic, they were a nice speed um, and after about two hours it got you know, the. The real cold went away. It was. It was great to play this weekend today at harbbortown. As always, perfect condition, just everybody here at Harbortown is top notch, just like yesterday.
Speaker 7:Pamela Dunes, trent Jones just a great weekend at golf.
Speaker 1:Well, you come in today and before you, even to y'all, you won. That's right, okay, so we're talking about that now. Okay, so you know part of the Golf Week Tour and you know what Dennis McCormick does. He and I love this. I love this. He has a what's he call it? A raffle. You donate money that goes to the American Cancer, the V Foundation I'm sorry, the V Foundation and we lost our father a few years ago. So whenever I have that opportunity, I'm jumping in. And so, lucky, lucky me, I won, they pulled my number out, and so that was a great way to start.
Speaker 1:I didn't play so great today. I had a lot of shows, well, well, I don't want to say what I scored, what I shot, just look it up. But, but, um, I, you know I had one or two really good holes and, uh, it's, it was a great day. Was this so great, though? The playing partners I mean, yeah, all of them, all of them uh, travis, george, um, brandon, one of One of them you might be talking.
Speaker 1:Hey, we're talking. He's not going anywhere and I'm not going to tell you what he did, but you want to stay tuned for this? Yeah, he did. That's a pretty big deal. It is a real big deal what he did. It was on hole 17, an iconic hole, and I think you know what he's going to tell you, but it was great to see you. That's awesome. Well, john, it's. It's always good to see you. Um, I'm sure we'll see each other throughout the year. Absolutely, man, I'll be here all year and it's great to see you. Thanks for coming out. This is like sweet cat, take care of yourself. All right, we're back here at the harbortown clubhouse with the man of the day. We we matched a little bit, but brandon, now all in one today on hole 17, congratulations.
Speaker 6:Congratulations, buddy. Thanks, you're pretty awesome. What an iconic hole.
Speaker 1:Tell us about it. Man Jay and I were hanging out there most of the day. I don't know if you knew that I didn't. We were hanging out there most of the day. We kind of drove it up and took pictures of people and that sort of thing, Okay. And then we went and got some food. And apparently it was a raw 10-32.
Speaker 6:It was a long day out there and I think it was at 2.14 pm. It was a 167-yard 5-hybrid. My caddy told me to go nowhere near the pin and I just went for it. So I put it right over the edge and it just tripled on and we saw it roll on right towards the cup and just hit the pin and dropped in like a natural putt. So it was all we were. At first we were kind of making sure it was like, did it really go in? And I was like I saw it drop. But at the same time I was like, well, take the golf cart and go up there to make sure of it. So, yeah, I almost broke my caddy's back too, because, yeah, jumping on him and giving everybody's hugs, so that's also who was in your group.
Speaker 6:Uh, we, we had George Hizdea. Uh, we had Jr so, jr, so another great story. Right, so Jr Wins the Santa or the Jimmy V for Apple, right, so he already won seven, 50. And then, right after my hole in one, he birdies 18. And so him and I were the only two that split the $1,140 pot. Seriously, yeah, so him and I had quite a Monday.
Speaker 6:So you won, you won. That way, you're the winner. I won, you're the winner. I don't need to raise a trophy today. That was great, that's awesome.
Speaker 6:So how many of all of you got? That's my second one. My first one was in 2000, and gosh, seven or eight, something like that, and it was in Oceanside. California didn't even get to see it. It was a. It was a. It was an elevated green. I hit into the front bank and it rolled up and over, and by the time we got up there and looked at the cup, it was in there. Um, so I didn't even know when I hit my first one and, uh, and this is going to be, you know, just a memory bank for the dreams that you kind of have at night, exactly. And so Harper Towns is going to take care of you. Right, they gave you a flag. So they gave me a flag, they gave me a presentation. They are going to put my name in one of the plaques that they have for the hole-in-ones that are up here in the special men's locker room.
Speaker 6:This place is pretty awesome. This is, this is. This is phenomenal. I mean, I came up here before my round and took pictures of everything you know, you got the plaid jacket and so much history after you know the heritage after the Masters here, and I mean I'm just kind of, I'm just kind of in a daze and here I wasn't sure if I could keep it together afterwards but drove it right down the middle in 18 and almost made par there. But you know, 38, 45. I mean the front nine just ate me alive today, but at the same time I survived and have another double after my first two doubles. Okay, so I'm good. That's a lot. That's it for today, right? I mean, it's amazing, my birthday, it was a tier 43. A tier 43 today. Um, it was. It was a phenomenal round. Um, I had a great caddy, eric and nicholas here. Um, I just just had a fun day. It was a great walk. That's awesome. Yeah, it's a it's.
Speaker 1:I mean number one, this, this place, it's up, we see it on tv, yeah, and just like you know, if you ever been to a pj event, you know what you be in there in person. What you see on tv, sometimes it doesn't do it justice. I this. To me, this is one of those places.
Speaker 6:Yeah, uh, I mean there's some polls out here, I think it was. There's that one hole where it's an elevated green. It's just surrounded by bunkers. I had a perfect drive and we waited a little too long for me to hit a good shot up in there, but I ended up getting up and down from the bunker, um, and it's just kind of one of those holes where it's like you almost wish you saw more of it on tv right, because it was. It's that art, I mean.
Speaker 6:Like, where the pin was today, you probably had a, I don't know, maybe a 15 foot radius. I mean it was small and you know it destroys rounds, so it doesn't. Well, all these greens are are a lot smaller than than people really seem to be on right, yeah, um, there's. I mean I'm pretty sure the greens are putting in a 14 today. Uh, they were major championship rolling on ice and, uh, gosh, I mean I didn't have a three putts. Uh, it was a magical day out there. Honestly, I made some of the par putts, I made some of the things that just happened. It was like, yep, it's my birthday. It was like it's all just to do it in a tournament, though I mean, I would have never dreamt of having a hollow one in a tournament, so that to me is just really, really sweet.
Speaker 1:So we got.
Speaker 6:Cabin Farms coming up for you, guys. We got Cabin Futures Farms. June 7th and 8th, guys and girls, we have the grand opening. I mean they're peeling the plastic off of this golf course really soon. Um, you got the crew and you got the roost. Check it out on YouTube. Um, there's plenty of of access to it. We are all getting a four caddy out there. Um, so every group that comes out is going to get a four caddy. There is a lot to do out there. They give you your own water bottle. They have a special cookie that they give you when you go out there.
Speaker 6:It is a really magical place. It's the Old World Woods that's in Brooksville, florida. Cabot Citrus Farms took it over and right now it's a walking only, as they call them their shoulder season. So you need to walk it, you've got to have a caddy and for our event we get the first weekend that is outside of the shoulder season, so we all get carts. We'll have four caddy in each group and it's going to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:I'll be out there with you guys and doing these things. You've already promised me food trucks.
Speaker 6:That's right. Truck, that's right. Uh, there's a fire. There's a fire, wood fire, pizza grill. That's right out, uh, right out there. Um, you have the wedge course, you have a short course, you have a putting course, there's a chipping course, you have the range that has monitors on everything. Um, it's, it's enormous. I mean, they haven't even finished the club come to and it's going to be a really special, special place. So so steve calvin and I are co-directors for north central florida. We've gotten to play both courses. It's going to be a treat. Um, we hope you guys come out there and, uh, come live it up. There's only 100 play, there's only 100 spots. So you know, lyle already sold out the hokey. I'm in the hokey. I was like one of the last 10 in the Hokie. So I'll be at the Hokie and you know I always wanted to come up to the Icebreaker. You know Dennis's, you know inaugural event of the year, and to play Harbortown on my birthday was kind of a no-brainer. And gosh, to have a hole in your space is great.
Speaker 1:Well, Brandon, it was great seeing you this weekend. Congratulations, and I look forward to seeing you throughout the year.
Speaker 6:Thanks, tim, I appreciate it. Take care of yourself.
Speaker 1:Let's take a break from the show to hear about Strixon's ZX Mark II drivers.
Speaker 8:ZX Mark II drivers are for major players, major winners, major power. All new ZX Mark II drivers Only from Strixon.
Speaker 1:You know, chris, sitting there and being able to talk to the winners of regionals is I enjoy this. What we do here, right, you and I'll pass it to me here and recording it. But sitting next to them, like we did at National Championship, and feeling the excitement that they have and that emotion that's there right in the moment, right right, there's something that's really to me, it's really really enjoyable. It's a lot of fun to be able to celebrate those, you know, the wins with them, some of the accomplishments Yep, you know Brandon Peters from the hole-in-one on his birthday, you know.
Speaker 4:It doesn't get any better than that, honestly.
Speaker 1:It really doesn't. I mean, I was so happy for him.
Speaker 1:On the PGA course too. Yeah, jjr winning the 50-50 V Foundation raffle and what that means to him. I mean just having that conversation with him and seeing that, you know the emotion just from that and why he does that. Right, joe Jaspers, we talk about Joe Jaspers all the time. I mean God bless him, right? You know Tracy Taylor. You know I've known Tracy for years and years and years and years and she always comes close in these regionals and, for whatever reason, comes up short. But she, she blew everybody out of the water.
Speaker 1:I mean she she laughed at everybody. Um, she was so excited.
Speaker 4:Uh yeah, I think in general you know us doing this. They enjoy us being there. Yeah, you know doing these and you know the motto on the homepage is where amateurs play like pros and that's where we make it feel that way. At these big events. You know they get their trophy and it's like, okay, now we got to go do an interview.
Speaker 8:What do you mean? Now we got to go do an interview.
Speaker 4:Like oh, and it's live by the way. So, uh, cut your hair, you know, fix that hat a little bit. He's like what? Okay, yeah, I mean we're rushing to do interviews, um, but we want to catch that raw emotion. They just got crowned champion and we want to get that, that emotion, you know, so everyone can see what these regions are about. Or even national championship. Um, yeah, you know, at one point we were like, well, tell dennis to hold on real quick.
Speaker 1:We're doing interviews, we have their champions, he can't go anywhere else it makes it for for a great time, and I think that's what makes our tour um what it is now yeah, you know, and I'm setting up, you, you know, getting ready to do the interviews, and you know guys are coming in and I'm making sure the camera's in the right spot, making sure the computer's turned on this, that and the other thing.
Speaker 1:And the guy's name is Brian Cozart. He's in the B flight from Eastern North Carolina and he heard me talking. He said I know that voice, I've heard that voice that I read the podcast guys. I said yeah, but I'm not Chris, and and and we kind of had a laugh and and, uh, he said he listens to just about every podcast and he is so appreciative of the podcast and what value we're bringing to the tour and what value we're bringing to the eastern tour. And you know, you know we hear it a lot, right, and but when you actually see it and it's in, it's not that not that the other ones aren't heartfelt and not that we don't believe it, but when you can see it in their face and handshake and the appreciation in their face, that to me takes it to a whole nother level. And that's coming. We've got good tour directors across the country, but that's coming from a tour from Marty Martinez, who Brian thinks the world of because Marty again does a phenomenal job.
Speaker 1:Of course I mean they're always award winners Always, and when he says that, Brian says the value that we're bringing to him and to the Eastern Tour in general and how much that helps. That was a big.
Speaker 4:It made me feel good, Right Put it that way and I think you know 2024, we got to see that a lot and you know National Championship. A lot of people come up to us and ask us when we're going to their local tour or to their local regional. So we're wanting to be out there because everybody wants to have that feeling and have that chance to be on the podcast, which is great. I mean, if you asked us three years ago when we started this, if we're going to have a line of people wanting to be on here, we'd probably laugh about that. But now look at it, we got people that want to get on just and I still can't believe it Just to talk, or kids just want to get on just because it's cool nowadays to be on the podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's just go a step further. A couple years ago we had John Farrell, director of Golf at Sea Pines. When he was talking about Harbortown and the other courses, he made the sea pine resort. Um, he sent dennis a heartfelt message that I kind of wanted to share with everybody because, again to me, it's the epitome of what the tour is, and this is coming from somebody who is, he's, affiliated with the tour but he's outside this and somebody who we wouldn't normally get these types of accolades from. So this is the message, and I can't thank John enough for sharing this and for Dennis ordering it on to us. It says you have built something very special, dennis. Businesses often take on the personality of their creators and yours is so much fun by simultaneously respecting and honoring the game the way it's supposed to be played. Thank you for what you do for the game and us all. Um I that pretty much sums it up, yeah it does.
Speaker 4:I mean, I've been on this tour for, I think, close to 10 years now, a player and then director for seven. So it does. It elevates the game of golf because you can go out there any Saturday or Sunday and play with your friends or your little golf group, and it's the same guys every week. But it's hey, I'll take that game give me, I'll do this. But this is actual golf, like competitive golf, and for us older guys and I say older, I'm in my 40s almost but who can't go out to the basketball court and run with these young guys anymore, this is a competition that feeds our competitiveness. I guess you would say it that way. So nothing like it, it's nothing like it, I completely agree.
Speaker 1:And here's the other piece to it, because you know what it's like and you heard Don talk about trying to get scheduled courses and the other thing Sometimes dealing with pros. They're doing the best to make everybody happy, right? They're doing the best to make the owners happy, the general managers happy, you know, their members happy, their public play happy and us happy. And sometimes you know, we as tour directors are just like anybody else. It's we make it all about us and a lot of times we kind of forget about some of those other pieces to it. Right, right, and for somebody of John Farrell's stature to recognize what the tour actually brings to the game of golf, to Sea Pines, to Harbor Town, and take not only to see it and recognize it but take time to share his thoughts on that, that to me takes it to a completely other level. It's rare that we get, you know, those types of compliments from people of that stature.
Speaker 4:Definitely A hundred percent. And what makes it great for us is, at least when I talk to courses, confirm how many players or whatnot. And they're like, if I remember correctly, you have scorecards, you have cart signs, you're going to set up the table. I'm like, yeah, all I need from you is the golf course carts ready to go and the range ready to go. All right, you make it easy, and that's what allows us to keep coming back year after year after year, because we've built that reputation and we make it easy for them too. And I'm pretty sure they have tournaments. I know they have tournaments throughout the year and some of them are like we don't know what we're doing.
Speaker 4:'re just gonna sign up teams and then let you know. Okay, cool, thanks, um type of thing, because and I've heard the stories from you know, as we get to know these golf pros, we hear the story.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you have conversations and we see stories. Yeah, I mean, I see it. And and they and you know, when you get a new pro, sometimes they don't, they don't realize they haven't interacted with us other courses or other areas before. And you, I can hear it in their voices, I can see it in their faces. Oh, not another tournament. I can't, I can't put up with. I'm like hold on, man, just relax.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, we got you, we got it, we got it.
Speaker 8:I'll be, I'll be here saturday morning early setting up flags.
Speaker 4:I'll have everything printed out for you. You don't got to stress Friday.
Speaker 1:Just make sure your credit card machine works, because if that doesn't work, then I can't help you on that. I can do all kinds of things Right, but if your credit card machine doesn't work, I don't know.
Speaker 4:Right, but it just goes to the point. You know Dennis has done a great job to to build the tour the way it way it is and, uh, you know he picks some of the best people to be directors, not just anybody that wants to run a tour. Um, he'll, he'll wait on a, on a, on a city to start one until he feels it's right. Yep and uh, it's it, it it. We see it every year, directors meeting when we see the numbers. We see it every year and there's nothing that competes to it so you guys had your Ryder Cup we haven't had a chance to talk about it.
Speaker 4:You don't want to talk about it we'll talk about it let's hear it man, because you and I haven't even had a want to talk about it. We'll talk about it, let's hear it, man, because you and I haven't even had a chance to talk about it. Right, right, right. So we're going to start off this way. It was a great time, great time.
Speaker 4:We actually went to Benson, arizona, where we first had the Ryder Cup, when we decided to do this. So we went back to the roots course. You know, it's a jam, uh, fun. It's a fun rider cup style course. Uh, because, because greens are gettable and there's a lot of birdies out there that you can get, so it's a lot of fun. Um, it happened to be the weekend that they were having their christ party, so Friday night they were having their Christmas party and we just stayed and hung out and, man, we were drinking like crazy. It was a great time. But if anybody watched the last episode with the picture that was made of me the last episode, or two episodes ago, if you, watched it on YouTube you would have seen that picture of an elf.
Speaker 4:So I get to the course Saturday. This is how much of a love we have for each other. I get to the course Saturday and usually Jason Junio. He's an Arizona member. When we started this a couple years back, he brought a inflatable the boxing gloves, the inflatable, the big inflatable ones. Yeah, yeah and uh, me and gabe were posing pictures with them and all of this like having a good time. Last year he brought us actual boxing gloves and we had all the teams sign it and we got to keep them. So that's cool. It's hanging up in my trophy area.
Speaker 4:So this year I'm like what is he going to do? Nothing's happened, nothing's happened. Gabe's like hey, I need to go over the rules for you, blah, blah, blah. I'm like cool, walk with me because I got to get some stuff out of the car. He's like all right, so we're walking to the car and this man proceeds to ask me the dumbest questions in the world um, what t-boxes are we playing from? And I'm thinking you know why are you asking me this? You know what t-boxes you know? Just just questions that we've already discussed already.
Speaker 4:You know how should we handle this? How should we handle that? And I'm just like, okay, whatever, so we're walking back and as we get close to the cars he goes. And you just want to tell you, you know, we love you, right? Arizona tour loves you guys and I love you as a brother. I'm like, yeah, you know. Likewise, whatever. I don't know why you're getting all sentimental. And I look at my cart and they hang all around the cart, these little elves, baby elves, and they decorated my cart with Christmas lights. And at that point I knew okay, jason's, jason's behind us and he's over there smiling with the tape and the. It was a great time. It actually helped me find my way back to the clubhouse. I just turned on the lights and everyone was following me with Christmas lights. It was great.
Speaker 4:But, uh, first session, we. I think I believe I have a picture of the scoreboard. I believe first session, we dominated and then, second session, they brought it back real close. Give me one second Hold. On First session, we won 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to 6 to 5. We were up 6.5, 5.5. And second session, we lost 7.5 to 4.5. So it was a tight race going into singles and they just waxed us in singles. Just we ended up losing 28-19. But from what I hear from my guys, a lot of singles matches we were up with three holes, two holes to go and just fell apart. So, needless to say, we lost the belt. I have not stopped getting well. I got swindled into a group text that I apparently can't leave, with a bunch of.
Speaker 4:Arizona guys and every so often they send me a picture of the belt somewhere in Arizona, Like where's Waldo the belt?
Speaker 3:It's fine.
Speaker 4:It's well-deserved, but I'm going to use that as fuel for next year when they got to come to the West Texas and see what they can bring.
Speaker 1:Hold on, now they're playing.
Speaker 4:Where's Waldo with a belt and you're, elf, on the Shelf Right right, they're clever out there, I'm not going to lie, but it was great when Texas beat Arizona State, because I was nonstop. I still haven't stopped ragging on them about that.
Speaker 1:Well hold on a second here, because what were they doing?
Speaker 4:We survived. That's the name of college football playoffs. You survive, you move on, we survived. But yes, to answer your question, ryder Cup was great. I love it every year and I can't. I'm already looking forward to next year. But to throw fuel on the fire and it's not fuel, because you know we talked about it Everyone's trying to have little competitions with local tours. You know, upstate New York has two tours now, senior golf week, and they collab. You know us in Arizona. Yeah, we're four to four to five hours away, but we're still collaborating as much as we can. Gabe calls me and says hey, I have a challenge. I want to see if you're up for it. I said, sure, what's going on? Let's challenge each other first, one to 100 members. I think I was at 65, and he was like 68, 69. So of course he calls me when he's ahead, not when he's behind.
Speaker 3:Okay, he calls me and.
Speaker 4:I said, yeah, let's do that. What are we playing for? He goes. We have a dual event every year in Tubac, arizona, one of my favorite courses to go play. He goes, let's do. Loser has to pay for an entry fee and the winner gets to raffle it off. I said, let's do it.
Speaker 4:So he goes okay, I'm going to write up an email, I'll let you see it and then we'll send it. Okay, cool, this man sends it to his whole group. I'm at work here reading this email like, oh my god, I can't even get on the computer and do this real quick. But uh, um, his. His opening statement is uh, we've been challenged and let's El Paso. How to lose once again.
Speaker 4:I was like, oh no, he didn't. And it just becomes a text message really and he goes I should have been a WWE wrestler with my promo. So I'm like you got me here at work all riled up for no reason, but I got home, made an email, sent it out. But I got home, made an email, sent it out and I think I've gotten 10 to 12 memberships within a day. I don't know how many he has, but it's a fun competition. Let's see who can get to 100 first. I mean, usually we're around the same amount of members year in, year out, regardless. So let's see what we can do.
Speaker 4:And uh, things like that is just the fun part that the directors get to have with each other. Um, you know, along with the bragging rights with uh, the the director's cup at nationals, you know us five have bragging rights for the year and you better believe, when I go to uh tournaments I see some directors that were in that flight with me and be flight at nationals. I'm not gonna let them forget. But um, it's a fun part of golf too. Rider cup, the rider cup teams do that every year. You know whoever's the winner, I'm pretty sure, when they're at the course and there's a group of them you know, make way, the rider cup champs are coming through or something. You know it has to happen. You know, absolutely, you know it, or President's Cup, or whatever. It may be Right. I mean, I think I don't know if you've seen the, if you were watching the TGL the other day, the golf league that Tiger and Rory started the indoor thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I didn't see it, but I've heard good things about it. I didn't see it.
Speaker 4:So Tiger, I was watching a little bit and they had Tiger on an interview and they're complimenting his jacket and he goes. The only color jacket I like are green jackets and you know he's able to drop these little like bongs because nobody has more. And it's things like that. That makes our tours great is we have these little competitions. Gina's talked about it. You know all these other tours are talking about these little rider cubs that they do and it's bragging rights for them because they know they're going to see these other tours throughout the season. Right, and I know, when I have the belt and I go visit Arizona, I wear that thing. I use it as a ball marker on the first hole. So when you lose you got to take it, because when you win you know you're going to give it, exactly so Speaking of Tiger.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you saw the interview it was I don't know if it was before the event or after the event and somebody was giving him a hard time and they said well bet, you can't hit the camera in one shot.
Speaker 4:He hit the camera. Yeah, I saw that, I think it was before. What it was is, they were trying to see if it was possible. Just to be, you know, aware, do we need to move the camera, or is this something that we need to fix? And he goes where's the camera? Oh, up there on the top. He goes, oh okay, grabs the club, swings first swing, hits it and they show the camera footage too, and they see the ball coming and then moves the camera.
Speaker 4:That's just amazing, isn't it, to be able to just do that. I mean I I know you saw the pnc and how, how great that was, so he's getting there, yeah but but yeah, the, the competitions between tours, it's, it's, it's it's what part of what costs?
Speaker 1:all about the competition, the camaraderie, all those things wrapped into one and we're right back at it. Bud, you got an event in two weeks.
Speaker 4:Yep got an event in two weeks, Not even ready for it. You better get ready.
Speaker 6:This is the part.
Speaker 4:You know I use the same analogy every time we, every year we go through this like there's, it's a roller coaster ride, right and this is the part where you you see the ride. Right there You're in line. You hear the screams as as the next car goes through and you're thinking do I really want to do this Can?
Speaker 2:my 40 year old really want to do this. Can my 40-year-old back really?
Speaker 4:hold on to this, stop. And, of course, if I'm with my oldest, he's like you're scared, aren't you? You can't handle it. That's egging you on. And then, once we start printing everything, it's all right. Make sure that seat belt's locked, because here we go, here we go. Good luck with that. Likewise, you get to chill this year there's no chill this year.
Speaker 1:It's, it's. I'm still one of the reasons I do it. Because I did, I needed to back all some of the traveling that I'm doing, and guess what?
Speaker 4:You're traveling more.
Speaker 1:Traveling more, but it is. I'm doing stuff that I enjoy doing, but you know, that's all.
Speaker 4:That's all it's about. I mean we, I do it because I enjoy doing it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's that's the only reason I mean I do it because I enjoy doing it. Yeah, that's the only reason. It's a lot of fun. Put it this way If I didn't want to do it, I just wouldn't do it. Right, right, but we love it.
Speaker 4:So we're going to keep doing it. I get it. I mean I'm excited this show's going to be fun. You know, a new flight. It's been, I think, three years since I've been in a new flight Four maybe. So I'm excited to see what happens. E-flight baby. You know I'm actually excited about my game right now. Unfortunately, at the Ryder Cup one of my members couldn't make it. You know, unfortunately at the Ryder Cup one of my members couldn't make it. He got stuck in bad weather in Charlotte apparently. But I had to do two-man scramble me against two guys, took that one to 18 holes, lost on the final putt. Then I had to do two-man alternate shot me against two guys, won that one, four and three. So better believe I don't let that one down. When, when, when that group chat. I told you I can't escape when one of those two make a comments like oh is that why you lost.
Speaker 1:You just need to keep, keep it zipped up. Yeah, I mean, so you two are. You say, you say nothing.
Speaker 4:Yeah, say nothing else to say it, but you don't get to say that. And then singles I had to go meet against against two, two players. Uh, went one and one, but um, the way my game was flowing, that I was making putts that I haven't seen go in in a long time, so that that was very encouraging awesome all right, man, wrap it up and and and talk again here in a couple weeks. Yes, sir, you have safe travels. I know you're traveling this next couple weeks, so be safe out there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's going to be good times. Look forward to it and hopefully we'll be able to announce our I'm excited it's going to happen.
Speaker 4:I'm excited for this one. I know we've been talking about it for a while, but I'm excited it's going to happen. I'm excited for this one. I know we've been talking about it for a while, but I'm I'm super excited for this.
Speaker 1:And and uh, let's just put it this way it's something that's going to that can involve everybody, mm.
Speaker 4:Everybody chance.
Speaker 1:It is best to your family likewise stay warm?
Speaker 4:they won't. I've got hoodie, three blankets and we'll be all right. It's only two more days and then we're back to the 60s. Yeah, so you'll be fine. Yeah, it's gonna be cold. I'm just gonna cry for three days and then that's it. I don't send me any picture.
Speaker 1:I won't, yeah, so you'll be fine. Yeah, it's going to be cold here. I'm just going to cry for three days and then that's it that.
Speaker 4:Don't send me any pictures. I won't Either cry or more bourbon One of the two, because it keeps you warm. Just start drinking.
Speaker 1:All right, bud, you take care of yourself Best, to the family Likewise, be safe. Bye.
