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
Legacy and Inspiration: Honoring John Livoti, and Celebrating Special Olympian Jared Stancil
What makes a legacy unforgettable? Join us as we pay tribute to the extraordinary life of John Livoti, whose unique character and love for golf left a profound mark on the Golfweek Amateur Tour community. We are honored to welcome Jared Beard, the tour director from Columbia, South Carolina, who brings stories of laughter and warmth, capturing John's indomitable spirit. Reminiscing about Italian restaurants and the unmistakable charm of John's New York accent, we celebrate the man who turned simple moments into cherished memories.
Our episode takes a turn towards inspiration with the remarkable journey of Jared Stancil, a Special Olympics athlete and talented golfer. Jared shares his story of perseverance, from winning eight gold medals to the supportive companionship of the community that fuels his passion for the game. His insights into overcoming challenges and savoring victories on the golf course are lessons in resilience and positivity that resonate far beyond sports. We delve into Jared's world, where determination and love for golf create a bond that transcends competition.
To honor those who embody the spirit of community and sportsmanship, we announce our exciting "National Member of the Month" and "National Member of the Year" contest. This initiative celebrates the outstanding individuals who enhance the tour environment. With reflections on camaraderie and the power of supportive relationships, we invite you to witness the lasting impact of these community members, whose contributions create a nurturing and vibrant space for both the tour and the game of golf.
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Chris, welcome back. It's good to see you, bud. Likewise, I'm glad that you're back in the driver's seat. Got to see all the controls you get to deal with on your end and I'll go ahead and gladly hand them back. It's good to have you back, brother.
Speaker 2:It's good to be back and I'm hoping I didn't get Wally pipped. Wally pipped, yeah, you don't know about Wally pipped. No, you don't know about Wally Pitt. No, you don't know about Lou Gehrig.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, I've never heard it that way.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know why you never heard of Wally Pitt? Because you've heard of Lou Gehrig. See, all you young people these days, you don't know anything.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm glad I'm back and you know everybody, just strap in. This is going to be a very special episode. We've got a lot going on Going to do a tribute to a tour director, We've got a very special player guest and we're going to make an announcement about the contest. Ready to get started. Yeah, let's go. All right, bud, let's do it.
Speaker 5:Ladies and gentlemen, golf Week Amateur Tour proudly presents 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 2:Chris, welcome back. It's good to see you. I got to tell you I'm kind of afraid for my job. You and Gabe did a great job last episode, so I'm hoping I still have a job after that. You guys really did a phenomenal job.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it. No, you will. I know he's been waiting on the sidelines to do this and, like I said, it seems like once a year we end up doing it, which is fine. But he was super excited when I told him we were going to do that and asking you know, we have a list of questions and I go no, we're going to freestyle it. You know, you got a question, just raise your hand and ask it. And it turned out great. I had a great time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's really kind of the best way to go. It's conversational and you know you can touch on a lot of different topics and you know, as I mentioned in the cold opening, I hope everybody straps in. You know, this is a this, this is going to be an episode that we've not done before, um, and you know we'll talk about some things, but we, you know we've we've got, uh, um, we're going to talk about a, a tour director who's passed, um, a real special story about a golfer from Tampa, and then we'll wrap things up with some other memories of John Lovote and we're finally going to be able to announce the competition this year, the contest.
Speaker 1:We've been talking about it for a while and we finally got the approval, and I'm excited. It's going to be a fun one.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So let's you know, Chris, I don't know if there's a good way to introduce this. You know we've um over the and over the course of the tour. You know we've lost a number of players and tour directors. It it never it. It's never easy um, and you know this. You know this one, you know, for me is is also kind of personal.
Speaker 6:I mean he's phenomenal.
Speaker 2:He was a good tour director, but he was. He was a phenomenal person. And so what I want to do now is is is bring in Jared Beard from the from the Columbia, south Carolina tour. There we go, because Jared took over for John Lovote. Jared, what's it been now? Three years. Now. This will be my third full year. Yes, yeah, going into his third year. John Lovote has been around for, you know, forever, long before I came around. I think he originally started as a Myrtle Beach tour director. I believe he was the upstate tour director for a while and then really kind of settled into Columbia. And you know, I'll tell some stories about John a little bit later. But Jared, first off, welcome to the show. I appreciate you coming on and talking about John. I know he meant a lot to the tour. But you off, welcome to the show. I appreciate you coming on and talking about John. I know he meant a lot to the tour, but talk about your relationship with him and what he did up there in Columbia.
Speaker 7:Yeah, so I first met John in 2011 when I joined the tour, got my first event, and he was an older gentleman then I think he was probably 70, you know a little old man sitting at the table wearing a big brimmed hat and that was, if you know John, that was his shtick always in a hat.
Speaker 7:And you know, as a New Yorker and as a younger South Carolinian, there was definitely a difference in some of the dynamic when we had some conversations and, you know, at first, uh, I wouldn't say abrasive, but he definitely had that, uh, that New York kind of toying to him and, um, you know, after the first event he sat, he sat with me cause I stayed the whole time and, uh, we talked to her a good bit and, uh, I really kind of got to know him and where he was from.
Speaker 7:He started telling me stories about, you know, his family and how he got here and what he did. And, you know, by the end of my first event you know we were friends already you know he had a really knack for making friends with people and telling stories and just, you know, just being a really great outgoing guy, even though sometimes he was a little, uh, a little abrasive on some stuff, but uh, if, uh, if you liked him, then you liked him yeah, and, and you say that, and john, everywhere, john, when he made friends and and he, he, he was, he was a fun, fun guy.
Speaker 2:I can I'm not gonna be able to tell a lot of these stories, um, because they're they're not necessary for public consumption, but some of the things that he would do or say. I remember one of the very first times that I worked with John. We did a combo event with I was running upstate at the time and we did a combo event with Columbia and Augusta at the Patriot. This was 2015-2016, somewhere along those lines and I didn't know John real well at the time. I didn't know Phil real well at the time. But, first off, phil Robinson is one of my favorite people of all time. I mean, he was just a great guy. John ranks way up there as well, I would say, maybe a step below, but two great people and at the time I didn't know him real well. And they came, I came up and and the two of them were going back and forth. I'm like, wait a second, you can't be saying those things to each other. But but but that was who they. I mean, they were friends and that that's just who.
Speaker 7:That's just who they were right uh, yeah, and you know phil was. I met him uh several times through, uh, through the tour, and you know he's another great guy and you're right, when they, those two, got together, it's like, are y'all friends or y'all like like y'all going back and forth and you're just giving each other a hard time all the time. And you know john was real good about, you know, giving people hard times, um, but you know that came out of a place of love it absolutely did, absolutely did.
Speaker 7:You know, he was, you know, just as my experience. You know, he'd call me out for lunch occasionally, especially when we started talking about, you know, transferring the tour and being with lunch and just sitting down and talking to him, getting to know him even better with lunch and just sitting down and talking to him, getting to know him even even better. Um, again, you know always some kind of story, uh, always, uh, trying to be helpful with you know, something that we could do, moving forward, um, you know, uh, technology wasn't his strong suit, even though he was in uh communications for, uh, I think, almost all his life. Um, but as we kind of got into the computer age, uh, some of that felt to the wayside. So, but as we kind of got into the computer age, some of that felt to the wayside. So I had to kind of help him along a little bit and explain some things. But he always was motivating and trying to get me to just be better and be better for the tour.
Speaker 2:I would say that you nailed it there. Technology wasn't his thing. We'll leave it. Say that you know their technology wasn't his thing and we'll leave it at that Because, again, I got stories there too. But you know, when it came down to it, he always wanted the tour to be better. Everything that he did was really aimed at making the tour better, the player experience better. Was was really aimed at making the the tour better, the player experience better. Um, and you know from he was like one of the first people that that I went went to a different tour where and others may have done it too, but he was one of the first I saw but always had snacks, always had bananas, always had water, always had you know, uh, you know crackers or something out for the players. And he said what he told me was you know, if you do something small like this, it doesn't cost a lot of money, but that goes a long way into the players appreciating and wanting to come back for the tour because it's kind of a low cost value add.
Speaker 7:Yeah, and you know we continue that to this day. Yeah, and, and you know we we continue that to this day. Um, and on that point, you know, uh, before the live scoring um system, we we had scoreboards right and so players would sit around and, uh, you know, watch the scores come in and be put up on the board. But in the meantime, you know, john would buy you know, sometimes buy beers for the players and you know the players would sit around and they'd chat and they'd tell them about whatever golf stories they had during the day and um, you know, just like the camaraderie and um the, the friendship and the fellowship was was super important to him, you know, not, not, uh, any, it's a value add, I guess. But you know, I think he wanted that and he wanted the for the players to, all you know, be together and and talk about their times.
Speaker 2:Give me a funny story, a funny appropriate story about John that you could tell in here, just so that the listeners who don't know.
Speaker 7:John could get an idea of who he really was.
Speaker 3:I got to think of the appropriate ones.
Speaker 7:So you know, he was, let's see, just in communication. He was talking about some advertising stuff one day, about you know how he was up in New York and kind of how he got started and talking about his kids and his love for baseball when he was younger and, um, you know he, he went straight into, uh, the advertising and communications business right out of uh, right out of high school and, um, he stayed there for forever. He was started in new york and I think he went out, uh, mid Midwest somewhere and then he got a job at WIS, I believe in the 70s, and he moved to Columbia and that's where he stayed and I think he met his I can't remember where he met his wife, but he always told really great stories about his wife and you could tell that he really, really cared for her, especially in the last few years. But he always talked about his family, he thought about his nephews, he talked about his all his sons.
Speaker 7:Uh, he was a very, very loving family person and I did meet, you know, several of his family along the way and, uh, you could just tell that he was a really he really, it really really meant a lot to him, like everybody in his life, whether it be the players or whether it be his family, you could really tell that everything really meant something to him. And, um, you know, I think if we all could, you know, do a better job of of, uh, making people feel appreciated, and um, so he, I think that's what he left on me, yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, Chris, you were up at Western Straits one year, but the year before you came up, John called me and said Tim, he didn't call me Tim, he called me Skinny is what?
Speaker 6:he called me.
Speaker 2:So let's be real and honest. I mean he calls he calls everybody kid, right. But if you got a nickname, that means you're good, right. So he would call me skinny, I don't know why, um, and he said I want to come up to whistling straits Straits with my son Thomas. I said, okay, let me know what you need. He said well, he's not a member and I'm going to need you to help me out. I said, okay, just tell me whatever you need to do. We'll make it work. And so we got him in and I said John, are you going to play with him? I think Thomas is either a champ flight or an A flight player. He was pretty good. He said are you going to play with him? Do you want to play too? He said no, all you want to do is just walk around and watch the sun, play with some straights. That's all he wanted to do.
Speaker 2:And you know, the first day up there was Friday. They played in the Skins game and it was brutal, brutal cold. I mean cold Wind was blowing. They played at the Irish course and John lasted, I think, two or three holes and then went inside in the bar area and we hung out there for a little bit. Saturday was pretty uneventful, but he walked on Sunday at Whistlin' Straits and you could just feel the bond, that and the love that John had. Just to be there and experience that with his son was incredible.
Speaker 2:We went out to dinner with him Friday night after the Skins game and it was, I say we, it was Jen and me, and me and and john and and thomas, and we went to this italian place and obviously john did all the ordering. I don't know how he knew the place, but he knew the place, he, he, he did, he did all the ordering. You know it was up there pretty much everything is is local and fresh and and so he was speaking with the chef and did everything. And that experience right there, you know, just getting to know John and talk with him and his son, there was one of my favorite memories of him.
Speaker 7:Yeah, another memory from John is as a trumpet player and as a musician. I think one of his uh, his grandchildren were in band, but john really loved, uh, really loved music and loved jazz and um, and, like I said, as a as a musician myself, he would burn me uh cds of of these things that he's listening to and he always this is amazing, this is and we talked about music and stuff like that and uh, I don't know if many people knew that, but he really had a deep love of music and jazz and apparently he could dance too, but I never saw him do that. That might have been a good thing.
Speaker 2:You know he made Jen CDs and sent them to him, sent him CDs to Jen like once a week. I didn't know he was doing for other people too. I thought he was just hitting on my wife.
Speaker 7:I got stuff I still listen to in the truck.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, that's awesome. We were at and Chris, you've done this before. You stayed in the house with other tour directors, right. One year I was staying in the house with other tour directors, right, and one year I was staying in the house with them.
Speaker 6:It was a bunch of us in there.
Speaker 2:Bruce had already passed at this stage, so it was me, john, dan was there and there were two other people there.
Speaker 2:And I get home late at night and John's sitting on the couch and he hadn't started calling me skinny at that point yet he said that guy. He said, kid, I need you to, need you to fix the shower for me. There's no water coming out of the shower. I said we need a water coming out of the shower and in these houses, with some people don't understand these houses are phenomenal and that that the shower that john was in was one that had shower heads on both sides, you know, a high one on each side and low on each side, and john couldn't figure out how to turn the water on. So I go in, I turn the water on. I mean it's, it's the one where you just pull the thing out. That's all you have to do is just pull it. And I said, john, it's working fine. I said, just pull it out. And he said, okay.
Speaker 2:He goes in 10 minutes later and says, tim, I can't get the shower turned on. What are you doing? I said John, pull the little knob out. That's all you have to do. And he's pulling out the wrong side. So he's standing on the wrong side of the wall pulling the thing out. It's not working because he hits a switch. He's thinking about turning around and pulling out the other. I on, john, I mean it's, it's, it's not too hard to shower head. I mean it's, it's, it's a plumbing, it's things like that that you know just were the way the way he approached things and the way he dealt with them.
Speaker 7:Was was just all john, but but funny as hell, just funny as hell yeah, um, he definitely had a knack to um, knack of telling you, uh, his way or um, figure it out kind of kind of deal. Um, exactly, especially especially with some of the players. Uh, you know, frustrating, frustrating things that happen during tour events and he's, you know, like john, just like just get over it or get out, kind of thing sometimes. Uh, you know he was, he was usually in the right, but uh, sometimes he's he said it in a in a different way, but yeah, that was just who he was.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh, yeah, with the new york accent, and, and you say abrasive, but and I get it because I'm, I'm from up that way too, and it's, it's just his way, it's just wait, then it comes off. Um, that's just who he was. I mean no nonsense to tell you how it is and and move on. And he would have, he would tell you how and get that smirk on his face. You know, you know that smirk. Okay, chris, how well did you know, john?
Speaker 1:um, not as well as both of you, that's for sure, um, but I think once he stopped being director is when I was slowly making my way in um. So I met him a couple times, but not not stories that that you all have, unfortunately. But I do love jazz music, so that would have been awesome to have somebody to talk to you about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've been thinking about this just over the last couple of days with John. If we look back and I haven't been with the tour as long as actually Lyle, I think, has been with the tour the longest at this stage Before that it was Tom Myrus who just stepped down, and before that it was John and so forth. And as we've grown and gotten a little bit older, some of the things that happened Jared, you joined the tour in 2011. Things are very different now and even from the tour director perspective, things were very different. We were smaller and the tour directors were, I wouldn't say maybe we were a little bit more close-knit, but maybe because there wasn't so many of us, there was a lot more interaction there, which allowed us to get to know people like you know, like Bruce, chris I don't know if you ever met Bruce, put it this way you put Bruce and Livoti in the same room. Not only will you not have to say a word, your stomach is going to hurt from laughing so hard. Not have to say a word, your stomach is going to hurt from laughing so hard. And just remember one time at National Championship this is a different house and I don't know, I can't remember what was going on, but something was going on in baseball and the talk turned to handicaps in golf, and I don't know how that switch happened either. Okay, but Livoni and Bruce were going at each other handicaps in golf, and I don't know how that switch happened either. Okay, but but Livoti and and Bruce were going at each other, I mean about handicaps and, and neither one of them were right, they were both wrong.
Speaker 2:And Dennis walks in and remember now, this is like 11 o'clock at night on, let's just say, a Friday or Saturday night at national championship, and everybody knows 11 o'clock at night on national championship, whether it's friday, saturday, to you know whatever night we've all had. You know, you know a couple beverages and dennis walks in. Dennis walks in, he hears this, he tells them both to shut the fuck up excuse me, it's probably not and he turns and leaves and both Lovoti and Bruce started, you know, cussed Dennis. And then 10 seconds later they both start going back at each other talking about handicaps. You know so, without really skipping a beat, I mean fun, fun times, times, just put that way yeah, he was always.
Speaker 7:He was always a fun guy to be around and uh, again, just just a great, great person. Um. You know I don't know if people know this or not, but uh, he worked with uh the, the local prison system, and it always seemed to be a different story um, but you know, he, he would go into uh the prisons and um for the, for the people who were coming back into society, and he would sit there and talk to him. I think he did that maybe once a week. Um, he was very, uh, very involved with that for a while. Um, but he was just trying to give back to back to the community and um, in the way that he he thought he could, yeah, that that's a that's thank you for saying that, because I forgot about that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, he did that for a long, long time and, you know, just trying to help those guys to reacclimate and, you know, give them some advice. You know the short Italian from New York, you know, but that's how much he cared about people. I mean, john was somebody who truly, truly cared about other people and you know you could feel that just from any interaction you had with him. Absolutely so well, jared, thanks so much for taking some time and sharing some of your memories with him. You know we're going to miss him.
Speaker 7:I know he's been gone from the tour for a couple of years, but he's still been around, he's still been on my ear, he's still trying to tell me what to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that'll go on for a while. That will definitely go on for a while. All right, my friend, you guys got anything good coming up in Columbia?
Speaker 7:Yeah, tour we start our first event on the first of the month, I think, and I'm looking at a couple more courses, but we got our schedule pretty much filled out. Hope to see everyone back. We got some new membership. We got some players returning that haven't been with us in a couple years, so that's good to see. Yeah, hoping to have another successful year and keep on growing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm disappointed we couldn't get Savannah Lakes back on this year. It was a scheduling issue. The date that we had used last year was taken and we only had a couple other open dates and those were taken as well. So hopefully next year we can get that back on the schedule, because I thought that event could turn into something pretty good.
Speaker 7:I do want to say one thing real quick I played my first regional events last year. I've been on the tour for so long but never have gone and played regional. But I played three regionals last year and, for anybody watching, if you've not played a regional, go play a regional If the one's close to you or you have to travel. Um, they are up, they are outstanding, they are extremely well done. Um, I played the frip one last year in hilton head. Uh, I played. Uh, where else where we go? Oh, sequoia, um, sequoia is a fantastic golf course up in the Smoky Mountains, if you can get out there. And then we actually traveled out to Indiana and played French Lake and that was just an awesome time. All three events were fantastic. So, anybody watching, if you've not played regional, I highly recommend it. It is a great experience.
Speaker 2:That's a good point. I remember seeing you out at. I remember seeing you a trip up at Indiana.
Speaker 7:French Lake. French Lake yeah, that's right Saw you there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and again, you said a lot. I don't even have to add anything, but thanks for doing that and again, thanks for taking some time with us today and I appreciate it. We'll talk to you soon, yeah absolutely.
Speaker 7:Y'all have a great day. Thank you everyone.
Speaker 2: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 never hurt either.
Speaker 1:The all zx mark ii irons from strixon tim, like you said before, you know our previous guest, um, it's gonna be a little, uh, somber moments in this episode, but, um, I think the stories are cool and, uh, you know, I wish I knew that. Um, he liked jazz as much, because I'm a huge jazz guy growing up, played saxophone, jazz bands, you name it so it would have been cool to have somebody to be able to talk to within the tour about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I knew he was into music and other types of things because, like I said, he's been sending Jen CDs probably for two or three years, you know, once a week, maybe once a month, whatever, and all different types of music and things. We're not even going to talk about some of the they're not safe for I about some of the not safe for I mean, but you're dating it by saying he would send CDs.
Speaker 7:Yeah.
Speaker 2:As Jen was heading to the funeral yesterday, she said, do we have a CD player in the car? And I looked at her and said, honey, we haven't had a CD player in the car since we got rid of the Pathfinder, and that was like three years ago. So, yeah, uh, john, John, I'm telling you was was a character and I mean I'm, I'm going to miss him. Uh, you know, we, we communicated, uh on a regular basis. You know he wasn't doing well, um, and but we, we thought that he was, he was. You know he wasn't doing well, um, and, but we thought we thought that he was, he was. You know, coming to the other side of things and um, and to hear, to hear what happened, it's, it's uh, it's sad um but we've got, we've got the good memories.
Speaker 1:right, right, and and that's that's what the tour is all about is building, you know, not just those golf friends, but like they become family all across the country, all across the country, all across the country.
Speaker 2:And I said at the top of the show that this is going to strap in because we've got some good ones today and we're going to go from one Jared to the other.
Speaker 3:I am so inspired.
Speaker 2:Saba, let me introduce the kid. I'm really inspired by our next guest. When Shane from the Tampa Tour sent me his information, I looked at it and I said we've got to have him on and his name is Jared Stancil. He's been on the tour. This is his second year. Let's just go ahead and bring him in and introduce him, jared, welcome to the show. Bud.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 2:You know I'm really impressed with the things that you've been doing. Let's start. How long have you been playing golf?
Speaker 3:14 years. 14 years.
Speaker 1:Longer than me. Hey, chris, you better watch, he's gonna be able to beat you here in a little bit, all right, all right, well, we'll save that till the end.
Speaker 2:So so, jared, tell us about a little bit about the. You know your your time with the special olymp Olympics and the medals that you won there.
Speaker 3:That's a good question. I would say being part of Special Olympics is showing other people how to compete and how to be a better person. Play golf and we can show the world. We can try to be the. They can try to learn experience and they can put their self and have faith in itself yeah, I won, like 14, eight gold medals. Fourteen.
Speaker 2:Eight gold medals. How many gold medals? Eight, eight oh my goodness, jerry, that's amazing. Yeah, that's awesome. You know the whole idea of and I'm glad you said that the whole idea of Special Olympics, maybe what a lot of people don't know it's. You know there's that competition. It's a lot like the tour, right, chris? You know the competition is important, but it's not just about the competition. It's about, you know, going out there and trying your best and giving it everything that you've got and the relationships that you're building and the skills that you're building and the skills that you're building and all those other things combined.
Speaker 1:No, I mean, I agree with you. I have a co-worker who won silver at this last Special Olympics in France and he brought that thing to the store. Man, those are some nice medals. Thanks, man, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:So what is it that you like about GameGolf?
Speaker 3:The reason why I'm going to bring this up. I love the name Golf because it's kind of like my future and I want to be a part of the golf family and I really want to have experience in and of myself. I can go out there and be competitive and I just want to focus and just keep on doing my best and never give up and just persevere.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's part of it. So I'm sure you're better than I am right now and you're almost better than Chris. But how do you handle adversity on the course? I know this wasn't something that we talked about before, but how do you handle adversity when you hit a bad shot or you miss a putt or things like that, because that's part of this as well, right, yeah?
Speaker 3:Whatever, if you hit a bad shot, which he says pick me up and move on and nibble.
Speaker 1:I tell you what Everyone needs. To learn that Exactly.
Speaker 2:Just put it aside, Good Chris.
Speaker 1:There it is.
Speaker 3:This is from Seattle and this one is from Orlando, my hometown is from Orlando, my hometown, so we went back to back and we were examined, we were out there doing our best and, like you said, just be you and just have confidence. What I did back then was magnificent. It was kind of encouraging, it inspired everyone. In the name of Florida.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, absolutely, you know. So what's the best part of your game right now? I?
Speaker 3:would say my driving. Yeah, why do you say that? Because I really want um to have confidence in my driving, because I really want to develop my skills and hit it straight and I can get more power, get more frames and I can be hit the ball and just go out there and just have a good time.
Speaker 2:There again. Hit the ball straight and have a good time. It's very easy to have a good time when you're hitting the ball straight, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Chris, yes, yes, it's very easy when you're hitting it straight and hitting all the greens, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:Oh man, and what part of your game are you working on right now to try and get better at?
Speaker 3:I want to work on my out and down putts and my iron shots because I really want to, like I said before. I just want to like when I hit, I just want to consider the ball and I can take some deep breaths and take my time and don't rush through it. Just be you, just be a part of the game you love. I'm not going to quit the game I love Very good.
Speaker 2:From my perspective. There's no quitting golf. No, because there's always another hole to play. There's no quitting golf? No, Because there's always another hole to play, there's always another round to play, and at least you know here on the tour you know there are so many different people that you can play with. Is there anybody on the tour here that you really enjoy playing with?
Speaker 3:I would say to that, I would say play with Howard, howard, yeah.
Speaker 2:He's nice too, All right. And what flight's he in? You're in the C flight now, right, yes. And what flight's Howard in C C flight? So I mean, does he know that he's now been highlighted on the podcast? We can let him know that so we can get this out to him.
Speaker 6:Oh, he was a really nice guy, he was.
Speaker 2:Awesome, okay, did you beat him?
Speaker 3:Yes, I beat him, so let's talk about that.
Speaker 2:You got your first win on tour this past week, right, yeah, yeah, and you shot at 84. Let's go ahead and show everybody the picture here of that.
Speaker 1:That's a solid score for sea flight.
Speaker 2:It is so. He shot an 82 last year, didn't you? I think you shot an 82 at a tournament last year in the sea flight. Yeah, at Plantation Palms last year in June, you shot an 82. Here's the thing, Chris you shot an 82 and finished in eighth place.
Speaker 6:I think that sport, though, was a little bit off because I think it was rain delay. There was a storm in Tampa. Down here we had summer storms. I think that was only for 16 holes, ok, well.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's still not not bad.
Speaker 2:I mean, 82 is like 7 holes for me.
Speaker 1:I mean so, jared, let me ask you this with that trophy, have you used it as a glass to drink out of?
Speaker 3:yeah, I mean, it's a glass to drink out of. Yeah. I mean it's a shit thing. I don't drink, but.
Speaker 1:I don't drink beer or wine, I don't do that I'm not a drinker. But you could do soda in there, you could do water I mean I don't drink either, right, and I mean we used it for a couple of Occasions. Yeah, just to show off when Arizona guys are around, things like that. Yeah, like my mom, for example too, you gotta tell the guys.
Speaker 6:When they announced that he won over the weekend. You gotta tell them what. The most important thing you told Shane was what are you gonna do with the win? I said I would save it for my honeymoon. You told Shane was what are you going to do with the?
Speaker 3:wedding I said I would save it for my honeymoon, whoa.
Speaker 2:Do you have a girl lined?
Speaker 3:up already. Yeah, because I have a girlfriend. I've been with her for six months now. There you go, and I think my relationship with her is doing awesome and I think she's the one for me. I just want to put her in the universe I just love. She's inspiring by people, she's kind, supportive, and I just want to keep on loving. That's the most important part.
Speaker 2:Well, you know and I'm glad you say that, because Chris and I talk a lot about our wives and how we can't do what we do without them and their support, and it's always good to have somebody in your corner like that, you know, because we can't do everything by ourselves, and you know the support that comes from our family and the people that we love. It's also good to be able to celebrate these high points with them as well. Now let me just give you a little piece of advice. I don't know if your mom's listening.
Speaker 2:So when you have winnings like this you know I'm not saying that you don't tell the truth to people have winnings like this, you know, I'm not saying that you don't tell the truth to people, but you know you make sure that you keep some of that, you know, some of that cash in your side pocket. You know, you know, for ever, ever, in case you just need, you need. You need some extra skin money, right, or have passion, passion, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely. See, that's awesome. So you won the playoff. Tell us about the playoff and kind of how you felt going into that.
Speaker 3:I didn't know I was going to win part of the action, because that's what tells me is I just want to be a part of, like the golf and be more competitive. I just want to surround the universe because I just love playing golf, because winning this playoffs, I will say, if I still want a 10, I will return on this one, because what I did was magnificent. I didn't give up and I did my best and that's what matters.
Speaker 2:You're absolutely right. Whether you win or lose, you go out there and you do your best, and it's always good to win. But winning a playoff is also a little bit special too, because it's kind of like match play it's do or die and it's just you against maybe one or two other people at that point, Chris.
Speaker 1:I agree. Yeah, no, I've been in many playoffs in my golf week career and I remember my first one. It was nerve-wracking, but once you get that first victory in a playoff, it's a lot of weight off your shoulders.
Speaker 3:I agree with you on that one, because when I see professionals on TV and they're in a playoff, they just tap it in, they're excited, they talk about it, they just spread and be the moment, just be the nicest golfer you can be. That's what the world wants. What the world wants is we have to show ourselves what we can do, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And dancing too. Now I'll tell you my most nerve-wracking playoff was at Nationals for the Directors' Cup, having 30 directors watching the green to see what's going to happen and cheering. Yeah, you know, when you three-put, going to happen and cheering. And yeah you know, when you three put to win it's always great, but it's embarrassing when it's in front of everybody, Right?
Speaker 2:I thought. I thought you're going to say it was most nerve wracking because I was telling you to hurry up.
Speaker 1:That too, I mean, you were, you were pressuring me, we had to get the podcast. I was just like let's get this over with. But that's one that I'll remember because I you know, when you have people watching and that's great being a director, because we get to pick the hole that they go to playoffs and usually it's 18. So they have to come back to the clubhouse and guys go and watch and it's a good time or go on the range and practice whoever wins or whoever they lose.
Speaker 3:They have to be a good sportsmanship.
Speaker 2:Then show gratitude and have growth you know, I think that's one one thing about about golf. You know the majority of people, especially on the tour, you know sportsmanship is not really an issue because I mean, we're all, we're all cheering each other on, we all want each other to do well. It's not a, you know, it's not a cutthroat. You know I want you to do bad. Everybody wants everybody to play well and everybody's very encouraging.
Speaker 3:I agree. And having courage, just having courage to put yourself out there and be a good citizen and adapt all the time and be the best person or golfer you can be, just having that attitude is hard. Having Dancer Young Star just like this, this win I had was kind of inspiring to people. That's what I'll say to this, because deep down inside they just always want to be a big part of the Golf Week family.
Speaker 2:Yeah and you are and you know, um, when, when shane sent, sent your information to me. This is before you even even got that win and you know. So that should tell you something that that shane really, uh, appreciate you being a part of the tour and loves having you, and I'm sure the rest of the guys feel the same way.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I agree. I just can't imagine this because I can't believe we have a God who makes people and we just want to have life and have a good attitude and have like the best sense of humor and the good, a good example for everyone and they know who actually they are well and hey.
Speaker 6:Another thing too, guys, I'll add, is the guys out there on the tour have been very welcoming to jared and like you said tour have been very welcoming to jared and, like he said, everybody's kind of rooting them on and you know, yeah, it it's been a great, great uh thing for jared to participate in. You know we were looking for some competitivists, you know, to keep them fresh in tournaments he's playing some high school golf and that's, but that's only in the fall. So the guys out there have been great with them that's.
Speaker 2:That's really really good to hear. And and um, chad I, I would be really upset if it was, if you, if you had said the opposite of that. Um, I mean, there's you what you know. We you know chris and I talk a lot about how inclusive golf is and how we need to make sure that we are including everybody. That goes from having females and kids, and anybody who wants to play is welcome here, and we've got a spot for everybody. And it's the one or two times that I've had to say something to people about. You know, you need to cut it out and leave some people alone. Once they realize what they're doing, they feel bad about it and that's just not who we are as a tour.
Speaker 6:Right about it and and it's, that's just not not who we are as a tour. Right, and you know another thing that happened over the weekend when um, a gentleman and his name's there and I don't know his last name, but he came up to jared after the round and um, he was just you could tell he was inspired by jared because he said you know, I worked in special education for 25 years and he gave Jared a hat and he's like you know, my wife worked with special ed kids for like 39 years. So you know, it's those moments that you see, when you know Jared touches people and I don't even think he realizes it, but it's just special when that happens.
Speaker 2:It really is and again, that's so good to hear. It's hard to explain to people about what the tour is until they've experienced it like that, about what the tour is, until they've experienced it like that. You know, because you talk to people and they think it's one thing and that's why I think if you can get people to come to one tour, they're going to come back because they see how the tour is, they see how the tour is run, they see how people are accepted. And you know we've got people from all walks of life on tour From a few years ago. We had a 12-year-old win the national championship. We've had females win the national championship, we've had people qualify for US Senior Opens and USGA events and now Jared with uh, with his win and winning special uh, winning gold medals for special Olympics I mean that shows that to me that the tour is. It's what makes a tour what it is.
Speaker 1:Completely agree.
Speaker 2:So, Jared, what one more question before we let you go? Um, what's your?
Speaker 3:favorite course to play on. I got two favorite courses. I would say we've run golf night. And the second one is um sarah noah from a paper pva journey. Those are two of my favorite courses. Are they both in Florida? Yeah, they are. When's your next tournament?
Speaker 3:I would say River Runs better because I want to be with my dad, because he is fired toward me, because I want to keep on loving my game, just want to keep on showing the course how it's meant to play and be one thankful person on earth. I will say this just having Dastydom is hard. Because I love playing golf, because my relationship with golf, I want to take it easy and be a part of it because I would run, I'm like a family to them, because they know what they want from me and they take good care of me. They know what they want from me and they take good care of me and I just want to be with my dad because he is a nice father and husband and a good tally and golfer and I just want to keep on doing it. And once I said I want to be a part of the community and have live experience and have live skills. Well, jared, we love having you part of our community and have live experience and have live skills.
Speaker 2:Jared, we love having you part of our community, part of the Golf Week family. And, Chris, I think that's the perfect way to wrap it up For sure.
Speaker 1:I completely agree. You know, if we make it out to Florida, I'm going to have to meet you you know, person to person, because it's very inspiring to talk to you today.
Speaker 2:Jared, thank you so much for spending some time with us. I love your story and we'll talk to you soon. Yeah, thanks for having me. 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:Tim, you know, having a conversation with Jared, I know he's been in the works for a while, but to actually see the news report that you sent me and talk to him, um, it's inspirational, honestly, and uh, it's just like you said, it's crazy how uh people with special needs, how much love they have for other people in the situation they're in. If everybody in the world could just take 10%, like you said, I mean it would be so much easier and I mean I'd like to play a round of golf with him. That'd be fun.
Speaker 2:How about that? You know it's so inspirational to see somebody like that, you know, to see somebody with the mental handicap that he has to have his priorities the way that they are, to be happy and smiling. By the way, it cracked me up what he said he was going to do with his weddings. I swear, I swear. I thought he said he was going to give it to his dad. I thought that was going to come out of his mouth. He shocked me with that. But good for him, good for him. So hopefully he learns to take a couple shekels and, you know, put it in the right pocket right right, you know what I'm saying, but, um, it is very inspirational, so happy for him.
Speaker 2:And in between the time that we did the the interview with him, uh, shane sent me a text okay, and I'm not gonna read the whole thing, um, but it has to do with Dr Howard, the guy that he beat in the playoff, and Shane said he didn't know anything about the hat, but he said that Howard says all he has left is his Wilson staff hat, but he wants to play with Jared again. Yeah, that's what we've been talking about for forever and I think that he is the epitome of what we're looking for in a tour member Somebody who loves golf, loves a tour, loves people, is encouraging other people, wants to get better, wants to have a good time, wants to competition, is happy to be out there, all those things Win or lose, win or lose. He didn't even understand what I was talking about. When he hits a bad shot, you know about getting upset, right? So I'm the guy putting negative thoughts in his head.
Speaker 2:He's just like it is what it is. Move on to the next hole, let's go, okay. Oh, my God, yeah, I'm so happy for him, so proud of him, and you know and Shane, this is for you, because I do know that you listen Thank you so much for sending that to our attention, because, again, those are the types of things that we really do like to to highlight and, chris, that kind of leads us into the competition. Now the contest yeah it does.
Speaker 1:I mean we've we've been brewing on it for a while and and I'm excited to to get this announced because it's going to be fun this year Me too.
Speaker 2:And God's honest truth. God's honest truth. We've been working on this for a little over two months and it just so happens that we got this conversation with Jared, so we didn't plan it like this right, did not plan it like this. But this is, you know, we've been working on it and trying to make sure that we get it right, and so here's the deal.
Speaker 1:Well, first off, let's put it this way, the shirts last year were great to see. It was, they were great to see and you and me learned a lot with having our first contest. Yes, A lot, a lot. So, um understand, you know, as we, when we wanted to do part two of the of the contest, um, we took a lot of the uh ups and downs of feedback that we got from everybody, especially at national office or national championship, Um, and I think we we landed on a solid idea this year.
Speaker 2:And and it kind of goes along with what we just talked about what are we looking for in our tour members? So here it is. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and I think it's going to be a game changer for the tour as we start to really think about our members and what we value, because we talk about this a lot, but how often do we actually highlight some of these things? We do, you know, I think local tour directors do a really good job of highlighting it locally, locally correct. So, tour directors, I think we do a great job of highlighting it locally. I think we need to take another step.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:And so here it is. So we're going to have a contest to be the national member of the month and we will have a national member of the year. So with 6,000 members, let's think about how we can go about doing that. And this is going to be the process. So each tour director, you have to submit at least one member as a nomination for the national member of the Month contest during the year. So this is what that means you don't have to submit somebody every month, but you have to submit at least one person between now and August.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:And that's 50 plus tourists and that's 50 plus torches. So it's going to be good competition, but, at the same time, these are the people that we want to highlight, because they are what we've been talking about with the torches.
Speaker 2:And so here's the criteria, and this is just somewhat of a list. So you're going to submit the name and you're going to tell you know, give the idea why this person should be member of the month or member of the year. Right, it's really simple. No-transcript, yeah, shameless plug, yeah. Are they listening to the podcast.
Speaker 1:I mean, we're doing the contest, why not?
Speaker 2:So those are the things that you should be looking for and that we're looking for that you should be looking for and that we're looking for.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, it's everything that you know. As we're setting up for tournaments or tearing down or things like that, it's those members that offer you know, hey, do you need help with the flags?
Speaker 1:Or you know, hey, you did a great job. You know, I'm bringing three guys next week. Or, hey, I've talked to my 10 friends that play every Wednesday at 2 pm. It's those guys that we want to highlight, Not saying that they're better than everybody else, but we want to give them the recognition that they probably don't think they deserve but they should have, Right, right.
Speaker 2:And I think they deserve. But they should have Right, right, you know, and I think about this, and let's just take Livoti as a for example, when we made the switch to go to electronic scoring and doing some of those other things, he had a tour member step up and help him and help him create the newsletters, help him run the live scoring and you know where. Obviously, you know the electronic stuff wasn't John's thing. But you know, without a tour member stepping up and doing that, you know, think about where Columbia would be from that perspective. So those are the types of things that we're looking for, right, right, right. Now, some limitations this is where we kind of got caught up last year. Right, we didn't really think some of the limitations through Alright Limitations for nomination would be that it's not open for any tour director and official assistant spouse on the contract for any person or member that helps tour director in exchange for some type of compensation, money, re-entry into events, etc. Right, right. So these, so I mean it's one of the reasons for that is because we, we want, want people to um, truly be doing this for the good of the tour and not that helping for compensation isn't for the good of the tour, um, but we want to make sure that it's. It's um, it's what I'm looking for, just heartfelt, yeah, heartfelt and member-generated. So just kind of keep that in mind, okay. So what you'll do tour directors and we're going to get all this information out to tour directors and get it posted for the members so that they see what's going on.
Speaker 2:Basically, what will happen is the tour directors will send us their nominations no later than the fifth of the next month. So by March 5th we'll have the first nominations come through and, chris, I think I may make you know I may. Maybe we should talk about this before I say it may make an executive decision. We'll talk about it offline. We'll talk about it offline before we do that, okay, because I don't want to cause too much ruckus on announcement day.
Speaker 2:So the first nominations will be due to us by February excuse me by March 5th. You and I will collect them, we'll collate them, we'll keep track of who's submitting them, all right, and then what we're going to do is we're going to take the names off Of nominations and we're going to pass them off to Dennis, and Dennis is going to look at it, and Dennis is going to choose at it, and Dennis is going to choose blind no information, no knowledge of it once Dennis picks the monthly winner, we'll make arrangements to bring that person on an episode of the podcast, congratulate them, give them some recognition and go on from there.
Speaker 2:All right, so we will have eight winners, like we did last year.
Speaker 6:Okay.
Speaker 2:This is why I'm talking about the executive decision here. So we'll have one for each month, january to August, all right. So I have one for each month, january to August, all right. And I think we're still talking about how we're going to choose the final eight. You know, I still maybe want to do the the poll, but maybe do some restrictions on that. Let's talk about how we're going to do that a little bit later. And and do this with um with the winner, the national member of the year gets free entry into international championship I agree it's gonna be.
Speaker 1:It brings everybody into the competition because we're asking all tour directors to submit at least one person. I know there's at least one person in your tour that you can nominate.
Speaker 2:And you can nominate somebody each month.
Speaker 1:Right. You're not limited to one. There's no limit of how many, but at least one, because we want to recognize all the tours out there.
Speaker 2:So start thinking about it, Tour members. I mean, it's February now, and so tours are starting to pick up with tournaments. I've already gone through two of them. We'll get back to you, don't you get mad at me? No, I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at you. I'm happy for you, but we don't have time to really get into it today.
Speaker 1:That's what it is. Pause. You're right, we have a busy show this episode, but next time we come back maybe I'll have my first win in A-Flight Maybe, I hope so.
Speaker 2:But you know, we just had the senior icebreaker this past weekend and we're off to the races, man. Yeah, we are, it's really going to start picking up and get going. So it was good seeing you. I'm sorry I missed you, but but again you know you gave did a really good job. I, I, you know I appreciate it.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it and I, I would say, I'll tell him that. But he better be listening so he can hear it himself. And if he doesn't hear it, that's on him, that's on him.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, as I was editing, I was, I was being real nitpicky. I said, well, he should have said this here, it should have said that there. That's not true, that's not true. Uh, but you, you, seriously, you guys did a really good job, roger, phenomenal job. I don't know if you did. You see the text I sent. I don't know if I sent it to you. It had to have been a spoof. The guy was carrying a tape measure in his bag. Hit the ball. No, I saw that. Yeah, I saw that. I kind of laughed. Roger didn't reply.
Speaker 1:I mean the guy's thinking out of the box there. Yeah, can't blame him on that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, anyway, my friend, let's go ahead and wrap this up and roll into some thoughts from tour directors on our good friend John LaVerti. Chris, this segment here we're just going to hopefully talk to some tour directors from around the country. You know, giving tribute to, to John Livoti, the, the former Columbia tour director. You know, like we talked with Jared Beard. You know we had to, we had two Jareds on this, this episode, but as you know, we we talked to Jared Beard earlier. You know, in the first segment. You know, everywhere John went, he made friends.
Speaker 6:And it's.
Speaker 2:And again, you know, since we're still recording here, I still can't give all of the stories that I know and some of the things he would say, but he was a funny, funny man yeah, I mean it seems like it just from hearing you know, being the outside party of the stories that you and Jerry were talking about.
Speaker 1:But I mean that's, would you agree or not, that's 99% of the members on the tour, though that can crack a joke and not take it serious and have a good time. I mean, at least from my experience meeting people you know, and, yeah, I think when he was starting to make his way out, I was a new director, so not as outgoing as I am now, you know, on the podcast and everything. So, um, I've probably seen him around, but uh, it's one of those that you just hate to to lose somebody, especially somebody in in in the little circle of tour directors that there is, because at some point, you know, within their tenure as tour director, they've met you in one way or another, whether it's through an email or director's meeting or you name it now.
Speaker 2:And just as we get going on this, my, my grandchildren just tried to facetime me, so I gotta tell them I'm I'm busy don't get over.
Speaker 1:It's like, it's like clockwork with them, isn't it it? It is, it is. You know. What are you doing? What are you doing? Interviews when it's time for grandchildren, facetime? I know, I know, but she sent me a video.
Speaker 2:My four-year-old granddaughter went to the refrigerator, got the milk jug out, started drinking from the milk jug. I was like I'm drinking from this cup because I'm allowed to, and then put it right here. It's funny.
Speaker 1:She didn't learn that from me. That's impressive that she can hold up a gallon of milk and not spill it.
Speaker 2:Well, it was almost empty, but you know, that's like.
Speaker 1:That reminds me of my little one who took the whole loaf of bread and started running away while eating pieces out of it.
Speaker 2:Very nice, very, very nice. So let me read what Dennis wrote about John. John, the Italian stallion tour director, forget about it was one of the few favorite sayings he always used, but nothing could be further from the truth. John was a very caring and giving man who did so much for both of his tours in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He taught some of my best tour directors the ropes and made all our players feel special for that day on the golf course. He will be truly missed, as well as infectious smile. I'm fortunate to have known him and can call him a true friend. Rest in peace, john. And that's from, that's from Dennis.
Speaker 1:Some big words.
Speaker 2:the Italian stallion yeah, oh, john, I mean he, like, like I said earlier, yeah, oh, john, I mean he, like, like I said earlier, you know he called, he called everybody kid and again, you knew you made it. If he had a nickname for you, uh-huh, I was skinny, that's what he called me, skinny.
Speaker 1:I know, I know I'm never living that one down for you see it is what it is. We laughed about it yeah, I laughed about it too when I heard it that's what we do.
Speaker 2:That's what we do. That's what we do. Jen said that there was one from Ed, early too, but I don't see that one, so hopefully she'll send that. One of the first times I met John was at National Championship back when it was. Were you still coming when we did the first day over at? Looks like we got somebody in, maybe the where Over at Palmetto Hall the first day over at looks like we got somebody in, maybe over at Palmetto Hall, palmetto Hall over at Barony?
Speaker 2:oh my gosh, why can't I remember this? We did the skins game and the first first round over scoring over at Port Royal Plantation. Yeah, so the tour director's dinner used to be on Thursday after the Skins game, and so my first year as tour director I was was there at the skins game, played in the skins game, and from there we went over to, uh, the house was on, um, it was in Palmetto dunes, the huge house, and uh, I needed a ride over, and I took the ride over, which I. That was the first time I met him, nice, this was 16, about 16 years ago, and I was thinking that, you know, I probably shouldn't have gotten in the car with him. This was 16 years ago.
Speaker 1:No, it was safer then.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so that was fun.
Speaker 1:No, I don't remember that. I just I started when they were having it at their house, the director's meeting, and then we moved it.
Speaker 2:Well, when it was over, at those first few years, there weren't a whole lot of tour directors. Well, there was a lot, but weren't a whole lot of tour directors? Well, I was, there was a lot, but not nearly as many as there are now. And, um, it was in a big house. The house was pretty huge. Uh, it had an elevator in it. It had, um it it it had like a theater seating. It was, I mean, probably one of the nicest things, nice houses I've seen, but obviously we outgrew it.
Speaker 2:I can believe that here she is, there we go, there, we go. Alright, how are you? I'm fine so what do you got?
Speaker 4:alright. So the first thing that I'll say is that I went to the service and as soon as I opened up the door to go in, I literally laughed out loud, because I opened up the door to go to the funeral service and all you heard were people laughing. Were people laughing? It was filled. The room was filled with I don't know, probably a couple hundred people all standing around talking, joking around and kind of sharing stories about Livoti. So I thought it was very fitting. What I wanted to say is and there's so much to say, but I thought I'd share If you take a look here, I've got all of these. I mean, I've got all these CDs. I've got three, four more that Livoti made for me. He said, hey, hey, kid, you're in the car a lot. Do you ever listen to music? And I said, yeah, I'm in the car driving all the time I listen. He's like what do you like to listen to? I said I don't know. It just kind of depends.
Speaker 4:And if you didn't know this, john was a huge music fan and he listened. He loved jazz, and so we started talking about jazz and then he would talk about other music and each one of these cds has a personal list typed up of what's on it. He would give me little stickies to go with it. I got a typed up letter, you know, for the first one says Jen, here are a couple of CDs for you. I was trying to get the big band guys. Then I found out I don't have two of them. Benny Goodman CD I know I had. His band was the first jazz group to play Carnegie Hall and it was in 1938. So John would always tell you stories. He'd give you all sorts of information you know. So he's going on and on sorts of information you know. So he's going on and on. And then he says to me uh, you know, anybody who knows john knows that he would say things that weren't always appropriate. He didn't mean anything by it. That never meant anything by it. So he would call me his jew girl because I'm jewish. And so in this letter I kid you not, this is what it says. Um other guy was Artie Shaw. What I realized was that all of them were Jewish. So I figured I would put together an all Jewish CD for you. So he sends that to me. And then you know we're talking. And uh, he even threw in one of my all time favorites. He knew I, like I'm a huge Zach Brown fan. So he sent me a Zach Brown song mixed in.
Speaker 4:One of his sons, at the funeral, said that you know he always had this love of music. And so what would happen is he'd say to his kids and his grandkids I discovered a new musician. And they'd laugh and say who'd you discover, dad? He'd say, have you ever heard of Eric Clapton? And they'd all laugh. So I'm looking over my list and I have in the music that he sent me. I've got Adele, I've got Van Morrison, I've got Eric Clapton, I've got the big jazz bands, I've got Michael Bublé, I've got anything you can think of truly all in these CDs that he made for me. So he was just such a special man, such a place in my heart. And for those of you who would see him on the golf course and you'd always see him in a different hat it hit me at the end of the service as his 10 grandchildren were walking out Almost every one of them was either wearing or carrying one of his hats.
Speaker 4:That's cool, it was it it was what's your? Special man.
Speaker 2:What's your favorite memory of John? I mean, I know you've got a ton of them, but when you came down, I think it was in 2018 or 2019, that's when you about my interactions with he and Phil and how close they were and some of the funny things that they would do, but you really didn't start interacting with him a lot until 2018, 2019. So what?
Speaker 4:are some of your favorite memories of him. Well, for me it was when we'd sit down at national championships and you know, people don't all the the after hours work that we do and uh, I was like one of my favorites was we were in one of the houses that uh dennis got where tour directors who were helping were staying, and so I'm in there and it was the year that we did uh, we sold shirts and stuff at the national championship so we had to inventory them and uh lavodi was helping me because he had a background in in sales and he kind of he knew so much about everything. And it was late at night and we were just sitting and talking. So he told me about his family growing up in New York. He was really smart. He skipped a grade, if I'm not mistaken, in school and was in like the gifted and talented classes, and so he would tell me stories, of course, would say how he had lots of Jewish friends because they were in that class, because they were all smart, and so it was really just sitting and talking. We talked about history, talked about life, talked about what it was like growing up, about how important family was, you know, telling stories about his kids, talking just about his experiences Over the years.
Speaker 4:He would come to me with ideas about the tour and he would say you know, dennis is a pretty smart guy, he created this whole thing. He said maybe he should think about this and he would kind of throw something out there. You'd have to look at him and say you know, that's a really good idea and would share it. So it was those kinds of conversations, it's that you know, we'd go to a tournament and he'd talk to people and he had a guy for everything. He'd start talking. He'd say I got a guy for that and he'd say let me introduce you to so-and-so, and it was just his just being around him. And then I would always laugh because it would be like the chain letters or you know something like that that you'd get.
Speaker 4:But he started to really send me information, like he would do research on topics that he thought I would be interested in and send it to me. So when I when I heard that that he died, I went and I looked and the last email that I had was from in December and I pulled it up and he said this is awesome and he sent me a whole magic thing. It was a show with Penn and Teller and I don't remember who else, and it was all. It was a magician and doing card tricks. So I have a treasure chest of emails from levote with little comments like oh, you got to read this. Can't believe what are they doing. You know political stuff. This is crazy, whatever it is. But he had sent me all kinds of of things just because he thought I'd be interested in it, because it was something we had in common, because he cared. And that's just who John was.
Speaker 2:So it was. Yeah, you know, jen, I don't know if I ever told you this story, but the first year that that I went to the masters, you know Dennis had was lucky enough for time to be able to get tickets and he would, he would get them out, and so I got tickets probably, actually, I think I got tickets the last year that he was able to get them and, uh, me and my friend, we stayed in a hotel in orangeburg, um, on wednesday we get. We were going on thursday, you know, for the first first round, and so wednesday I'm in the, in the hotel and I'm in the fitness center. Yeah, chris, I used to work out Right and I was doing the Stairmaster and I'm listening to Sirius XM, Golf Channel Radio, whatever it was called, and I hear John's voice and I hear John's voice.
Speaker 2:John had called in to the, to the uh and and and is talking on on to, to the announcers, on on on golf channel radio or whatever you know, talking about something golf related, and he was. He was criticizing something that that the, that the uh, uh announcer had said and had said and was wrong about, and John was correcting him. And then they got into talking. John was probably on there probably 10 or 15 minutes, so way longer than any normal caller would be, and you know he called he he called in to to correct him on something and then they just got kind of got into, you know, a typical John conversation.
Speaker 4:No, you didn't tell me that. That's the first time I've heard that story and I I learned, uh, I learned yesterday that, um, they actually have a name. Did you talk about this yet, tim?
Speaker 2:No, we did not.
Speaker 4:Okay, so I learned yesterday that there's actually a name for what John would do in talking to people. His family called it the John D treatment. They said he would talk to somebody. He would find out everything about him where they were from, you know, liked what they didn't like, where they grew up, how many you know. John would talk to somebody and he'd know how many times they've been married, favorite color, like everything about him. And, uh, that his kids and family called it the john d treatment. Um, so, so that's what would happen and that, to me, is part of just those are my fond memories. Just because he talked to you, just being with him and knowing that when you were talking to him, you knew he was honest, you knew he was sincere, you knew exactly what he thought and how he felt. You knew that he was hanging on every word that you said and he took it to heart and he would remember it. And as just just to who he was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we got an email from another tour director at early. I'm just going to read what what he wrote and then we'll get back to you in just a second here. This is from Ed Early of the Kentucky Amateur Tour To the family and friends of John Livoti. I never had the honor of meeting or spending time with John. On behalf of the Kentucky Golf Week Tour and myself, I'd like to express my sincere condolences and offer up prayers for strength and comfort during your time of loss. May God bless you all. Thanks, ed.
Speaker 2:I know John's family is going to be listening to this and that's going to mean a lot to them. So thank you for saying that. Yeah, but, jen, you're absolutely right. I mean, anytime John talked to you, it didn't really matter. I mean you knew he was listening, listening and you knew he was invested in the conversation. Whether you were cutting up, whether it was a serious conversation, which I don't know that I ever had a serious conversation with John that lasted more than two or three minutes, because it always devolved into us having a good time but you knew he was listening. You knew you knew he was had your best interest at heart and, um, one of the best for you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, uh, his uh, son Thomas, shared, uh, in his eulogy about their experience at whistling streets and, um, he said that, you know, even some of his family members didn't understand the role that the Golf Week Amateur Tour played in his life, or really how, not that they didn't understand the role. They didn't understand how much of an impact John had on the players and how big of a deal the tour was. Is, you know, and I just think about any tournament where he was or that people were at, that he was running, they knew who he was. You know, he would always say or do something that would make them laugh. They'd always be able to spot him with his hat. His son mentioned how and this made me laugh when I thought about it his son mentioned how John always liked to dress nicely and he always was in, you know, the golf shirts. I don't think there was ever a place where I was when we were playing golf or at a tournament where he didn't ask me hey, kid, come here, what do you think of this shirt? Should I get this shirt or this shirt? And he always bought a shirt, at least one shirt, at every place he was, and it wasn't also unsurprising to find out that he would sometimes get deals on his shirts too, because he didn't talk anybody into anything.
Speaker 4:So, uh, you know, I, I don't know, I just to me he was, uh, you know he was, wasn't much older than my own parents, but he was like a grandfather to me. He was the same type, maybe because you know his family, recent immigrants my grandfather. He just had an air about him that was just like my grandfather and just part of the family and I cried a lot but I also laughed a lot and in the room you just knew everybody was there. Everybody had their own stories and experiences and I just so totally feel like he's up there watching us and he'll always be with us. In spirit it's a little teary eyed, but I love that guy a little teary-eyed but just love that guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I talked earlier today about, you know my thoughts on the Whistling Straits trip with John and Thomas and you know you and I talked, jen, you and I talked about this over the weekend when the last couple of days, you know, when we, we, we heard about John and and, uh, not surprised to hear that Thomas talked about it in his eulogy. What were your thoughts? Because that that was classic, john. That that trip was to me was was classic John, you know from from the restaurant that we went to, um, the way he ordered food for everybody, the way he called the owner over and the chef over, and just, I mean, that was John.
Speaker 4:To me it was also knowing. So here's another thing that I don't know, tim, how much you knew or didn't know it would be. He was always looking out for the details. It was always he'd call me and say, hey, jen, you know I'm gonna book this for you. Know, my son and I to book this for you know, my son and I we're coming out, this is a special trip. And he'd be asking me a question. And then he'd call me back and he'd say I just wanted to let you know. I made my reservations and this is where we're staying, this is why. And then he'd give me the whole thing about it and he'd touch base with me and say I read the email that you sent out and you covered this, but you didn't say anything about this. And I'm like you're right, I'll mention it to tim, we'll put it in the next one.
Speaker 4:And it was, um, he was so excited about that trip, um it. It was because for him it was being able to be there with his son and having that family experience. And part of what Tom Thomas said at the service was it was a lot colder than we expected that first day. And he said he looked over at his dad when they were going for the practice round. Mind you, we were there in May and it was cold.
Speaker 2:It was cold. It was cold and, Chris, you know I don't like the cold and when it comes to baby, I'm fully admitting that I'm a baby. When it comes to cold, yeah, it was cold, but I'll have you this, I'll let you know this. I was out on the range that whole time, you know, getting people to their tee boxes. Make sure they got to the tee box on time, you know, because it was, the Skins game was not shotgun, it was a tee time event and I stayed out there.
Speaker 4:We got everybody off and all I had was was a light jacket and it was cold it was cold, it was cold and windy, and so so they were gone out for their practice round, which is one of the details that he had planned, that they were going to play in a practice round. And so he looks at at john and john was wearing every piece of clothing he had brought with him because it was so cold, so he had layer after layer, and as soon as Thomas said that, I remember that Like I pictured him and he had shirt and a jacket and everything, and so he decided that he was not going to play that round, he was going to go sit inside. And when thomas finished, he came inside and, uh, introduced thomas to the bartender and told him everything he needed to know about her, as he had sat and given her the john d treatment. So, uh, you know, but but he would, he, john would. Just, he wanted to make every tournament special when he was thinking about retiring from running the tour and he was lining up the new tour directors.
Speaker 4:People don't know it, but he stayed on in the background for over a year because he didn't want to give up making sure that his players were taken care of, and so he would call me sometimes. He couldn't get into the system, so I had to help him with that. But he was, he was watching, he was paying attention, he was making sure everybody had what they needed. He was you know another thing he would do that, oh my God, drove me crazy as the person who had to train the tour directors, because he would send out emails that were all lowercase or all capitalized and run on sentences, and he wrote those emails the same way. He talked and put things in there that should not have been in an email and I was just like, oh no, please don't do this. But he was in there just because he wanted to make sure that his players were taken care of, and that's just what he did.
Speaker 2:I think that's a good way to end this. Jen, I appreciate you coming on and talking about this, talking about John and your memories of him and what he meant to the tour and how he thought of the tour and the players. So, thank you all. We'll see you next time.
Speaker 6:Thank you.
