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
Camaraderie, Competition & Combat: Honoring Our Veterans Through Golf
This week on Golfweek Amateur Tour – The Podcast, we’re honoring Military Appreciation Month with an episode that hits deep and swings strong. Hosts Tim Newman and Chris Rocha sit down with two incredible veterans whose stories remind us how competitive golf events can become lifelines of community, connection, and healing.
First up: Navy veteran Warren Hodges
Warren spent 14 years in the Navy maintaining military aircraft like the EA-6B Prowler and the Super Hornet. But his most meaningful moment? Re-enlisting in an armory named after his grandfather. Now five years into the Golfweek Amateur Tour, Warren has played a staggering 77 rounds, proving that the drive for excellence and camaraderie doesn’t retire when the uniform comes off.
Then: Army veteran Chris Legare
Chris takes us into the heart of Iraq, where he served as a combat engineer clearing routes under mortar fire. His stories are raw, powerful, and unforgettable. Golf and fishing have become his “happy place”, helping him navigate the difficult terrain of PTSD, reintegration, and life beyond the battlefield. For Chris, the amateur golf community isn't just a weekend activity; it’s a mission of healing.
What you'll hear in this episode:
- Stories of sacrifice, service, and transition to civilian life
- How amateur golf competition provides structure and support
- The trust, mentorship, and golf community that veterans find on tour
- Reflections on Military Appreciation Month and the power of shared experience
- Tour updates, upcoming local golf tournaments, and a reminder to submit your Player of the Month nominations by May 5th!
If you're looking for more than just a golf podcast for everyday golfers, this episode will move you, challenge you, and remind you why this Tour is so much more than a scorecard.
Whether you're a long-time Golfweek member or just love great amateur golf podcasts, join us as we honor those who served and still show up strong on the fairways.
Listen now and tee up some perspective.
Visit amateurgolftour.net and senioramateurgolftour.net to learn more about upcoming amateur golf tournaments near you.
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Welcome back, chris. Hopefully you thought out saw some pictures of you at Firestone. You looked a little cold.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely it was cold out there, but no, it was a good time. Good time. Wish you were out there with us. A lot of guys were asking about you, so we know that we're getting listened to. But no, it was a great time, wonderful experience and hopefully we'll go back again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm sorry I missed it, but hopefully we'll go back and um I did. I did enjoy seeing some pictures and um, you know, got two. Two tour directors got wins, so so, so good times had by all right, I understand right right without getting into too much, but I do want to make sure that we get this thing out of the way before we go any further, because we can't have any more of the debacle. This is the last podcast before Mother's Day, so we don't want to forget that.
Speaker 2:So, happy, happy Mother's Day. Right, we're catching on.
Speaker 1:Took us a while, but we're catching on. Took us a while catching on, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, um, thank you, moms, for all that you do for for us and in the tour and and everything else. If you're, if you're a mom on tour, thank you, uh, for for your uh, membership and friendship and and what you do for the tour for yourself yeah, it's, it's very much appreciated. And uh, yes, what you do for the tour for yourself, it's it's very much appreciated. And uh, we're still going to.
Speaker 1:We're still going to hell, but at least we, we did not forget this year.
Speaker 2:No, we did not forget, and we're. We're in good standing for 2025.
Speaker 1:Well, we're in good standing for that piece. Um, we, we've got a whole bunch of other things that you know are just. You can just forget.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just buckle up and get ready. Yeah, so you know this.
Speaker 1:We're in Military Appreciation Month, which is, you know from a podcast perspective, one of my favorite months because you know we get to talk to veterans and active duty members of the tour and it's just good times and hearing good stories.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I get excited every time we do this, so you know we're going to have a good time this month All right bud Ready to get started? Let's do it.
Speaker 3: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, welcome back to normal temperatures for you. I heard it was pretty cold out there at Firestone.
Speaker 2:It was. It was a little chilly just for one day, just the first day. I think it was temperatures that they weren't expecting from what the locals were telling me, but apparently anything in the Midwest can happen between March through May.
Speaker 2:So, that might make deciding factors moving forward for us. But you know I had a great time. It was I'd go back because the North Course in particular I want a chance at that again in good weather. But it was fun, it was a great time, great, you know, great atmosphere and yeah, I mean you know how I am with cold but I do, honestly, I heard a bunch of people that either whether you text them or not or they listen to the podcast, we're like, hey, is it too cold for you?
Speaker 2:how you doing it's a little cold so uh I hope they're listeners and you didn't text them on the side, but uh, it was a good handful.
Speaker 1:I didn't text anybody, but I did know that it was cold. When Dennis sent some pictures and people were all bundled up, I was like, oh my goodness, chris. I think Chris is probably going to withdraw.
Speaker 2:No, that wasn't an option, but it was a good time.
Speaker 1:That's good to hear. We got a lot going on in this episode. Everybody knows it's now May and this is one of my favorite months of the year, so we've got Military Appreciation Month. We're going to be highlighting our members who are either active duty or veterans of armed services. Either active duty or veterans of armed services Can't thank them enough for what they've done, what they continue to do and for being part of the Gulf League family.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, I announced at a tournament that I was looking for some people to come on the podcast and right away had a group of people that come and wanted to give me their information and this and that they wanted to be part of what we do for these special episodes. So it was great to get that information from them and you know it's going to be a fun time. I can't wait. Like I told them, you know they're basically going to have the floor and we get to learn about their stories that they had and I think that's cool. That actually came from me. That wasn't part of the military. It's good to hear these stories.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we've got military members, we've got our. You know this episode comes out on May 5th and that's the deadline for the April members of the month, yep Nominations, and I don't know if you were copied on all of them, but we got a bunch.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty sure I was. I had to stop that real quick and say don't reply all, but we did get a lot, so keep them coming throughout the year, especially them, tour directors, because anything can happen Now that all the tours are on high alert.
Speaker 1:Well, I wasn't going to bring up that. You were complaining about the. The reply all I I I literally almost spit my drink out when I when I saw you complaining about you know, stop reply. I think it's funny. Jeff, jeff, the, the uh, indiana, west kentucky tour. Jeff man, what's what's? What's a few more emails? I know you get a lot, but what's it? What's a few more emails? I know you get a lot, but what's a few more? And here's why I say that though, because I don't know. I've seen and looked through them. If you can see what other tour directors are doing, you can really kind of adjust your nomination but that's not the point though tour directors are doing.
Speaker 1:you can really kind of adjust your nomination, but that's not the point though. Hey, hey, hey, I mean this is all about competition here. I mean, you jabbed.
Speaker 2:Dennis, after the first round. What can I say If it was?
Speaker 1:me. First of all, I'm thinking that's a bad move. I would not have done that. That's a bad move, but you do you.
Speaker 2:He didn't bring it up.
Speaker 1:He probably forgot I'm not even going to touch it. Let's move on. We've got members of the month, but nominations coming in. Don't forget the Strixon Iron Raffle. Make sure you get in on that. But, chris, why don't you go ahead and introduce our first guest for this episode?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean. So, like I said, you know I put out the challenge at the regional in Ohio and got a good amount of people to come on, but this one that did come was one of the first two that was really excited to be a part of it. So we want to definitely welcome from the Cincinnati tour local guy Mr Warren Hodges. Warren, how you doing?
Speaker 6:I'm good how you guys doing.
Speaker 1:I'm doing great. There's nothing like you know coming on and you know jabbing Chris a little bit. You know about the cold weather. You know I don't know what he would have done if he was in the military, I mean, and you got to put up with whatever you got to put up with.
Speaker 2:Hey well, maybe it would have made me a different person. You never know. No.
Speaker 1:Chris, I like you just the way that you are buddy, so thanks for joining us. Um, you're. You're a Navy veteran of of of 14 years. Thank you so much for your service and thanks for joining us tonight. Bud, you're very welcome.
Speaker 6:Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:So let's start off with you. Know why you joined the service, why the Navy, and tell us a little bit about your career in the Navy.
Speaker 6:Yeah, sure. So why the Navy? That's a good question. My entire family was Army. I had a cousin that went to West Point. My grandfather was the adjutant general of the state of Maryland. So why the Navy? I guess just my high school football was coming to an end. I didn't have anybody from college looking at me like hey, no, plus, my SATs were terrible.
Speaker 6:I really wanted a dumb lineman. So I ended up going into the recruiting office with a bunch of buddies and they went to the Air Force. And I went to the Air Force and at the time I was like six foot three, 220 pounds, you know three, three sport athlete in high school and they're like, no, you're too big man. And I was like, oh OK, fair enough. So I just walked across the hallway and I went and talked to the Navy cats and they were like, hey, we'll go ahead and do this and do this. Oh, cool You're. You know, inside body fat standards, you're good to go. Uh. So next thing, I know I graduate high school and I'm off to, uh, to great, great lakes up there, uh, north Chicago, oh my so, and I guess, uh, you know, that was, that was a good time in november, december and january I'm sure probably nice weather.
Speaker 6:It was great weather. It was like playing on saturday in akron. That was amazing, like, like, literally we would be soaked in sweat out on the grinder after we just got, you know know, punished for whatever, and we had to march to where we're building.
Speaker 6:We're going to and by the time we got we were going, our shirts were frozen solid. Wow, yeah, that's, that's pretty much what it was like, and I mean, it might've been a five minute jaw or a five minute march, but by the time we got we were going. Any water that was on your body and her body was frozen. Wow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I can't imagine. I mean so I'm an Army guy, army infantry, and I did my base training at Fort Benning, but it was I was. Base training for me was October to February and it does get cold in Columbus Georgia, but not Chicago cold. I mean a cold in Columbus Georgia but not Chicago cold. I mean a cold in Columbus Georgia is like 35. You know, it's definitely Great Lakes cold, that's for sure. Yeah, chicago was a whole other cold, so what?
Speaker 6:was your MOS. I was actually an airplane mechanic, so I did hydraulics and structures and I actually painted aircraft for a little while there, um, but went down to Pensacola to learn how to be an airplane mechanic. Um, that was pretty cool while we were down there. Um, you know, I I don't think they had the blue angels there at that time, because that's where, that's where they're at now and that's where they're training, but I don't ever remember seeing them fly over while I was there.
Speaker 6:Had a good time while I was down at Pensacola, got to play basketball against Roy Jenner Jr. What was?
Speaker 1:that that was something else.
Speaker 6:Yeah, from there I then went to Woodby Island, washington, which is like two hours south of Vancouver, we'll say the Canadian border, and about two hours north of Seattle, so you're out there on the Puget Sound. So when I was there, I was working on this aircraft called the EA-6B Prowler. So people are probably like what kind of aircraft is? That so if anybody ever remembers the Intruder, the A-6. Yeah.
Speaker 6:So it's basically kind of the same body style with, you know, the two wings and the two horizontal stabilizers and one vertical stabilizer, um, but it has four as two cockpits where you have two people sitting in the front, two people in the back, um, and so it kind of looked like a big drumstick from the side. Wow, like a drumstick, uh, out of a bucket of chicken. Um, yeah, you can make me hungry now, but this aircraft was uh, it was electric countermeasures.
Speaker 6:Uh so we'd fly in the air and we would jam you know incoming radar signals and then we would drop, uh what we call a harm or high-speed anti-radiation missile, directly on the battery or whatever. Uh, we targeted. Basically, that's what we did, um, while I was there, um, it would be on washington. Uh, what the whole lot to do? If you'd like to do four-wheeling and, like you know, trout fishing, that was your spot. Golf season wasn't very long. It was probably when I first started playing golf, because I didn't have anything to do.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 6:I mean, a nice day was usually around mid-80s, no humidity.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's Christmas weather. Yeah.
Speaker 6:Some of the best summers I've had were out there because the weather was awesome. But yeah, I was there for about six years. I became a recruiter and then I went back to Baltimore that's where I'm from Recruited out of Baltimore, actually Dundalk, which is like the east side of Baltimore, so I had that side of Baltimore County to recruit out of. I was recruiting Moonlight as a bouncer at a bar downtown, uh, so that was kind of fun too.
Speaker 1:Um, didn't get to play a whole lot of golf.
Speaker 6:Unfortunately, while I was in Maryland Um just the. The demands of being a recruiter were just a lot. We didn't have a whole lot of free time to do anything but bounce at night.
Speaker 1:I found time for that.
Speaker 6:Nighttime is always free, right, yeah, nighttime is usually free, unless I'm, you know, taking somebody to MEPs at 11 o'clock at night.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's. That's probably not a good idea.
Speaker 5:It's probably.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 6:That's never a fun day. To next day.
Speaker 1:No, so. So where? Where in Maryland are you from? I wonder, why the 443. I mean, that's where I'm from. I've been going from there for a while. Actually, you know, when I went in the military I'm much older than you, but when I went in I personally never went back. That's not true, forget. I said that.
Speaker 5:Liar.
Speaker 1:I do remember living back there, but that's my Pennsylvania number. That's why but?
Speaker 2:where in.
Speaker 6:Maryland are you from. So there's a little town outside of Baltimore on the northeast side. It's called Joppatown. It's in Hartford County. Yeah, yeah, so that's where I went to high school, and that's where I grew up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I said I actually lived in Hartford County in Bel Air when I went back. Wow, I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot man, wow, well, yeah, maryland's not that big. No, so that's awesome. So where'd you go after being a recruiter?
Speaker 6:So after I was a recruiter I went down to NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 6:And I started working on the uh, the new super hornet, which was, I mean, the best thing in the world because it was so easy to work on. You know, because I mentioned the ea6b prowler earlier. That was a, you know, it was built like the 60s and 70s, right, um, and so it had a bunch of linkages and cables and pulleys and this and that so on and so forth that, you know, that's part of my job, is the rig, all that stuff, so everything moves properly. Uh, and and also, like, just trying to take a panel off to get to the space you're going to is, you know, an hour long job just to get the panel off and to get access because there's so many screws, so many screws.
Speaker 6:But somebody, when they, when they developed the super hornet, they actually talked to the maintainers said, hey, what would make y'all's life easier? And honestly, you would take, you'd have a panel with 12 bolts on. You pull the bolts off and you're like, oh, look at that, that's where you need to work on, is right there, I don't have to take anything else out. And there's no pulleys, there's no cables, there's no nothing to that. You just get in the computer, you just get in the cockpit now turn the engines on, do whatever you got to do and line it up and rig it through that and save it and off you go.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. So how much training was there to be able to work on these aircraft? Yeah?
Speaker 6:So I think when I went to what we call A school, which is when I was down in Pensacola and learned how to do aircraft mechanics, that's probably about probably two months, wow. So the first month I remember was kind of like you were honing in on your metalsmith skills, like if you had to repair battle damage in the skin of the aircraft or something like that.
Speaker 6:So a lot of riveting, bending, doing all kinds of measurements, things like that with aluminum. And then, once you got through that portion, then you went into your hydraulics portion side where it was more about troubleshooting. So if you have an actuator that goes bad, how am I going to troubleshoot to understand that that's the part that's broken, not a different part inside the line of succession for whatever system? It is right. So you kind of just learned how to do that little bit of troubleshooting and then they would have you pull a part off of a jet and then put it back in the jet and then you'd run hydraulics through it and stuff like that and make sure it worked. So yeah, so that was about two months long. Wow.
Speaker 1:Did you ever get? Obviously not be a pilot, but did you ever get to fly in one of those?
Speaker 6:I never got to fly in the Super Hornet. I did get to fly in a C2, which is a COD, so they basically deliver mail and people. All right, I got to do a cat shot and a trap, so I launched off the aircraft carrier on that and I've caught the wire on one.
Speaker 6:How much fun was that? How much fun was that? I mean, knowing some of the people that worked on these jets, I was like, oh boy, okay, here we go. But I guess the cat shot is so you're facing backwards. First of all, so you're facing the tail end of the aircraft and you're just sitting there and the cat shot. You hear the engines revving.
Speaker 6:You're just sitting there and you're vibrating this little jump seat, and then you have no idea what's going on because there's no windows, you can't see anything. Next thing you know it's oh, we're moving. And then it goes from rattling to just smooth and you're like, okay, cool, from like rattling to just smooth and you're like, okay, cool, we're in the air, we're not in the water, and we're moving forward. We're good to go um the uh, the trap. When we caught the trap, so airplanes coming in, and what they do is they, uh, they go into the pattern, so they, they catch this loop, um, uh, and when he hit that loop and they bank it sideways, you pulled a couple of Gs and you didn't know they were there. And yeah, next thing, you know you're like, oh, I just passed out for a hot second.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, wow.
Speaker 6:Yeah. So you're then on arrival and the airplane's bouncing up and down and everything goes, and you're just okay, all right, we're on final, we're doing our thing, we're level, we're doing our thing, we're level, we're doing our thing. And next thing, you know, it's just boom on the deck and everything slows down. You're like cool, we're not taking off again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's cool. So when you were taking off, was there any warning or just None, you're just Zero warning, we're just sitting there, so you better be strapped in.
Speaker 6:Oh yeah, you're strapped in. Everything's rattling your teeth are rattling, inside your head and next thing you know and you're gone. You're like, oh, it wasn't so bad.
Speaker 1:Yes, chris, I'd like to try that once Me too.
Speaker 2:Once I'd like that's what I was going to do when I was hoping to get into the Air Force was fly jets, and when they said you have to do as fast as you can, I was like I'll probably never get a chance to do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So I was in the 82nd Airborne when I was in the Army, so you know jumping out of airplanes and that sort of thing and I'm scared of heights. But I would do something like that just for the experience, right, Just for that adrenaline rush and give it a shot. But I'd also like to fly in one of those jets and obviously I wouldn't want to pass out, I know I would but just to get somewhat of a feeling of what that actually feels like. You know what I mean? Mm-hmm.
Speaker 6:Like I guess the closest thing I could say it feels like if you've ever been on a roller coaster and there's one of those roller coasters, you sit down, you get locked in and all of a sudden, boom you're gone right. Yeah, it's not like you just roll out slow, you just boom Right. That's the closest thing to.
Speaker 1:Right, but at least you can see it. I love those.
Speaker 6:You kind of have an idea like oh, yeah, we're getting ready to roll out, so what's?
Speaker 1:your best memory of being in the Navy? Oh, my goodness, this is a family show. Right, it is a family show. You can tell us some other stuff offline. Oh my gosh Well like.
Speaker 2:PG-13, not really that much family.
Speaker 6:I know I'm trying to think of something that just sticks out in my head. So I mean, it was a lot of partying going on, you know. So I don't recall a whole lot between, like, say, 19 years old to maybe you know, 26 or so, right, I just know we had a great time and all of us, you know, got through it pretty unscathed. But for like a sentimental value I'd probably say, I reenlisted for my second time and I got to reenlist in the armory that was named after my grandfather.
Speaker 1:How about that yeah?
Speaker 6:re-enlist in the armory that was named after my grandfather. How about that? Yeah, so, and that was, if you're familiar, on Edgewood, arsenal, right there for Aberdeen Proving Ground. How about that yeah. So it's now the Major General Warren D Hodgins Armory.
Speaker 1:Dude, that's special. Yeah, that's awesome, that's pretty awesome.
Speaker 6:Yeah, that was pretty cool. Even my commanding officer when she was reenlisting she said not often do I get to reenlist a sailor that has his name on a building.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so don't you forget about it.
Speaker 6:Yeah, you know.
Speaker 1:You just remember. You just remember who I am. Yeah, oh, that's awesome when you think about things like that. Obviously, they don't just put people's names on buildings for nothing. That's special and we've been doing this. So this is Chris. This is our third year doing this.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:And the number of people that we've talked to and some of the things that we've learned that our veterans have done amazing stuff, amazing stuff, warren. Let me tell you what that's got to be one of the top things I've ever heard. Thanks.
Speaker 6:Glad I could share it with you all.
Speaker 1:I am too. That's special. I'm going to throw it down, but top that, beat that.
Speaker 6:Damn, I don't want to be that guy.
Speaker 2:I told you, man, we give you the floor and we love to hear these stories. That's one of the stories that we like to hear.
Speaker 1:You've been part of the tour for five years now, chris. I pulled up his scoring chart. Of course you did. Of course I did. I got to look. He's got 77 rounds in five years. Wow, warren, you don't miss. I try not to. I got to qualify. He's got 77 rounds in five years.
Speaker 6:Wow, chris Warren, you don't miss. I try not to.
Speaker 1:I mean, I got to qualify for Hilton Head, so Well that's you know it's not going to be cold when you come down here in October. Oh no, it's not. It's a great time. Yeah. So I mean, what is it about the tour that has you hooked?
Speaker 6:That's a good question. Tour that that has you hooked. Uh, that's, that's a good question. Uh, I mean, I mean that's a really good question. There's a lot of things like so, um, I actually met I I got acquainted with the tour when I was playing with the veterans golf association, so I did that for one year um and we played event, a shared event, with them, and all my buddies that you know were in the vga as well.
Speaker 6:You know, we're like who are these guys like? What is this? So on and so forth. We had a chance to get into like the super skins and all that stuff, um, and so we did that. And one thing I noticed is that at the end, the presentation of the awards and and the money, I was like, hmm, this is a little different than the vga. I was like all right, and then I started looking into it and I saw that you know, um, sorry, sorry, there we go. Uh, just wanted to pause the television to where I have better lighting, but uh, I so I saw I was being run, uh, and I got to look into it and I said, wow, they have way more events that are closer together than the VGA. The vga is kind of like a mishmash, you know. Uh, or at least at the time it was like we didn't know when the next tournament was.
Speaker 6:We didn't know, how many tournaments were going to be. So we said, all right, so let me check out this golf weekly. So you know, I talked to all my friends and you know guys I play in league with like, drag some of those guys over, um, you know, and I mean my buddy kenny cobb, you know, my buddy duane coker were the two guys initially that came over with me, okay, um, and then we just kind of, you know, grabbed everybody else, started filling up the roster on the golf weekly side for, uh, cincinnati, dayton, um, but then again, you know, I noticed that you know everybody we played with, everybody was cool, everybody had a good time. You know, if somebody needed a little bit of education, say on golf etiquette or whatever, like kind of you know, hey, you know, I'd prefer you not do this, you prefer you not do that.
Speaker 6:Okay, Not a problem man Gotcha, I understand where you're coming from, cause everybody has those little niches on the on the course, right.
Speaker 5:Right.
Speaker 6:But, you know, just out there and compete you know that's probably one of the biggest things is just the competition in general. You know, uh, just being able to, you know, fill that need for competition as an athlete my entire life. I get to go out there and I get to play with guys that are in the area that you know they they're not my friends, the people that I don't know that well, I'll go out drinking with them at, you know, five o'clock on a Friday afternoon so I get to go out there, compete with those guys and have those guys push me to try to be a better golfer, because some of these guys have sticks yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well your director Tyler had a really good weekend.
Speaker 6:Tyler had a real. Tyler seems to have a really good weekend when it counts.
Speaker 1:See, that's what you need to do. No-transcript See, that's what you need to do.
Speaker 6:He won French Lick last year, I believe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he did, yeah, did he win. He's his second regional win.
Speaker 1:He's a, whatever it takes man.
Speaker 6:I mean he bashes the ball, so that helps.
Speaker 1:Good for him.
Speaker 2:He's ready for a flight. Just saying I wasn't going to say nothing.
Speaker 6:Oh, I told him I's ready for A-flight, just saying I wasn't going to say nothing. Oh, I told him.
Speaker 2:I told him numerous times.
Speaker 1:See, well, you know, chris, you need some more competition up there, man.
Speaker 2:I need to be competition.
Speaker 1:What's your favorite course to play on tour?
Speaker 6:Ooh, that's a good one. I mean I mean now that you get to play Firestone every year. So I mean Firestone right now, probably the top of the list, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 6:Um, but um, NCR South Okay, that, uh, that is a legit golf course Reminds me a little bit of NCR South Okay, I think it's longer actually than Firestone. So NCR South is amazing. I got to play Springfield Country Club for the first time this year. That's amazing.
Speaker 6:I'd love to play that when the weather was a little better and the trees had leaves, I'm trying to think I'd probably say again ncr springfield, probably the top two like local courses that I've played. Um, I mean also stone lick hills down to cincinnati. That's a phenomenal course as well, great, great public course too. So there's probably three courses that I like the best in the cincinnati digging toward on a regular basis. So other than that, um, haven't really played any other excuse me any other places other than you know Hilton Head.
Speaker 1:You guys played at NCR South a few weeks ago. How'd you do there?
Speaker 6:I had a rough day. It seemed as, like you know, a green and regulation was impossible to find. Getting off the tee was a little issue and then just in general, just short games, just absolute trash.
Speaker 1:It's still early. It's still early, it's only April. Well, it's May now, but it'll come around.
Speaker 6:But unfortunately up here in Ohio we don't get to actually chip off through rough grass like that during the summertime because it's snow.
Speaker 1:You'd think we'd be great sand sand players yeah, well yeah well, well, warren, thank you so much for spending some time with us. Thank you for your service to our country. I I really do appreciate it very welcome I, you know it's, uh, it's.
Speaker 1:This is my favorite month of the year when we when these interviews, you know, talking to you guys, and some of the things that you've done. It's really truly amazing, even from. You know, my service was three years but I, like you, come from a military family, so I kind of have an idea, but some of the things that you all are doing now are just just blow me away. I mean, it's a it's incredible, thank you.
Speaker 6:Thank you for your service too.
Speaker 1:I appreciate it. So well you take care of yourself and we'll definitely see you in Hilton head. That's the plan. My buddy, I appreciate your wine. Take it easy. Let's take a break from the show to hear about Strixon's ZX mark two irons.
Speaker 4: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. The all-new ZX Mark II irons from Strixon.
Speaker 2:Tim, we just continue to have great stories from our members in the military, whether active or veterans, and Wayne Hodges just put that, that icing on the cake so far. So, like you said, it's going to be tough to beat.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a that's a heck of a story, you know, re-enlisting in the building named after your grandfather on a military installation. It's, he's got to be so proud, proud, but it's obviously one of the coolest things ever. I, I think, and um I I also loved how open he was and just just talked about the good times he had that he didn't really remember right, right, he.
Speaker 2:I would assume that uh, a lot of military people go through those times. So uh, he was. He wasn't afraid to talk about it. I mean, I'm pretty sure he has good off-air stories to tell.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's. I mean, think about it from a different perspective there. I mean, dude's 18 years old and his job is, you know, airplane mechanic. Yeah, you know these multimillion dollar machines that are defending our country and you know, an 18-year-old kid is responsible for maintenance and repairing those things. That's a lot of responsibility, for sure, that's bottom line On anybody.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so well, let's bring in our next guest, and I've been on this gentleman for a long time and let me just tell you something he doesn't miss Wayne doesn't miss when we bring him on. I'm going to give you a stat that is, it's incredible. But let's go ahead and again I've done this before let's go ahead and bring Chris Laguerre from the Hilton Head Tour on. Chris, welcome to the show. Thanks for spending some time with us, bud, Absolutely my pleasure. You know, I've known you for a long time and have been hoping to get you on, and I think this is a good reason to. But you're a veteran of the army, Correct? How long did you serve?
Speaker 5:I served for two and a half years actually. Yep, it wasn't very long, but it was pleasant.
Speaker 1:Well, that's all right. I did about three years and about the same. And what was your?
Speaker 5:MOS. I was a 12 Bravo. I was a combat engineer. I got to serve with the 299th Engineer Battalion 03 to 05. The last combat unit we the last actually tour that we did as a combat unit on the 299th engineer battalion, um, out of fort red texas. Wow, long time with um, I mean 299th goes back hundreds of years yeah, yeah and uh what sorry no, no, go ahead no, no, you go ahead ask, ask away, buddy, I'm an open book.
Speaker 1:I love it.
Speaker 5:So when you served on the combat tour, where were you? We deployed with the 101st Airborne Unit, march of 03. Okay, and we also deployed with the third ID. Um, yeah, we uh we started out in Mosul out of Iraq. We, uh, we spent about three or four months in Humvees and five-ton trucks, sleeping in and out tents, honestly, just clearing pathways for the rest of the combat units to come back through and make sure everybody was secure.
Speaker 5:My job was to basically clear the way for infantry. Infantry always claims to be the first ones in last ones out. Engineers are obviously overlooked and it's an honor to actually it's an honor to say that because infantry gets so much and I admire what they do, don't get me wrong, but we, as engineers, we have to be, we have to think about the way that the rest of them have to be. We have to think about the way that the rest of them have to come through correct and landmines, landmines. Obviously we have to clear the way with Bangalore torpedoes. It's just, it's hard to explain to people that have never experienced it and it's an honor to be able to share. It's hard too because obviously people that I talk to I don't have very many friends that I can share it with. So so the 299th Engineer Battalion.
Speaker 5:We go back in history, we enjoy what we do, we're hoorah, we're all about it. So we spent four to five months in Mosul, worked our way down south towards Dukrit. We took over the seven palaces of Saddam. We harbored probably 375 soldiers in the seven palaces of Saddam. We were a mile off of Highway 1. In the seven palaces of Saddam, we were a mile off of Highway 1. And we heard, I mean every night, every night it was mortars after mortar, after mortar, every 15 seconds.
Speaker 5:Sorry, we enjoyed what we did, but it was, but it, but it's a lot of suffering that a lot of young guys have to go through.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 5:So so my tour.
Speaker 1:I appreciate you sharing this, but.
Speaker 5:My um my my tour was 347 days.
Speaker 1:I can't tell you how much I appreciate that and, and you know, just just hearing this story, you know, kind of puts it in into perspective, um, or hopefully puts it into perspective for people who haven't served and don't truly understand some of the things that people like you have gone through. Even me, I didn't serve in combat, my brother did, and I can't imagine the things that you all went through.
Speaker 5:I mean, there's stories honestly there's stories that he can't share with anybody else that has no recollection or no idea what he went through and just like the redeployment process I mean whenever you come back and they put you through that two week redeployment process it's BS. It's BS. There's people that are interviewing you that have no idea, that have never seen a step foot in combat and they have to be able to put you through the redeployment process of coming back into the States and kicking old habits what's what you used to over the last 360 days. It's just right.
Speaker 5:It's. I mean, there's no comparison. Nobody can understand what you're going through or what you have been through unless they have been there themselves. And with even the veterans the the VA hospital, there's people that I've completely dropped my case because I'm put in front of people that have never been and they don't understand what I've been through. That's the thing. That's the change that I would love to see with our VA benefits. That is completely BS and I'm sorry about it. Sorry to say that, but there's Well.
Speaker 5:Chris, that's reality, it is, it is and we have to accept it, regardless of what we've been through. So we have to swallow what we've been through. So we have to swallow what we have been through to try and change or to try and get through to these people and make them understand what we've been through, even though they don't know what we've been through. It's just.
Speaker 1:Or at least get you in front of somebody who Get you in front of somebody who does understand it and can help you deal with some of those things Absolutely.
Speaker 5:I love it.
Speaker 5:It's something I would never wish upon my worst enemy and I wouldn't change it for the world. Because you know what? We still see each other, all of our combat buddies. We see each other every year out of fort hood good, and we meet up in austin every year and it's, and that's the thing, um, that's another thing that brings me to another point, where it people, people that have been in combat, we, we have to learn to trust people on their word, and first impressions are everything. We have to learn to trust people quickly because obviously out there we had to trust them to have our say, we have to Right, and if we can't trust them that that way, then there's no other way that we can trust him.
Speaker 5:And it's first first impression for me, one first and foremost, um, and it's it's hard to lose somebody out in combat, honestly, um, even somebody you grew up with or went to basic training with, and you go to the same station as each other and obviously we deploy with each other, and it's the way that Army was taught. We got to pick up and move on regardless of the situation. That army was hot. We got to pick up and move on, regardless of the situation.
Speaker 5:If we're fighting beside our battle buddy that we have gone to basic training with, or our best friend, whatever, and he's shot, he's dead, we can't sit there and sulk and reminisce on the old times. I mean we have to quickly pick up and move on. We have to take it with a grain of salt and we've got to move on. I had to do that a few times and it was the hardest part of the job.
Speaker 1:Hardest part. I can't tell you again how much I appreciate your service and being able to talk about it. We had somebody on last year who was kind of reluctant to come on but he did and I saw him a few weeks ago and what he told me was he was so thankful that he did come on and start to share because it opened up some things and he's gone to get got him gotten some help for it and he's felt like get got and gotten some help for it and he's felt like a weight lifted off and I'm not you know I'm not saying that in a sense, yeah, that's gonna happen with everybody, but it's not the entire way, but it's a little bit of able
Speaker 5:to open up and talk about it and get it out. I mean, obviously, put it into the atmosphere and let God first and foremost. I just love the fact that you guys are doing this. It's making people aware of. It's just all the trauma. It's just all the trauma that people have to deal with. 20 years later that people don't understand. We still deal with it. We're going to deal with it for the rest of our lives and that's not the weekend to take back.
Speaker 1:Yeah. All we do is suck it up, drive on. I mean Chris, sorry go ahead.
Speaker 2:I mean, I will say this man Meeting you for the first time, you know, you do say first impressions are a big thing. Uh, you left a pretty big impression, you know. Uh, it's not easy for somebody to come up and say, hey, I want to share my story and you being the first one to come up to me, never meeting me, um, really means a lot for you to be able to share that. So I do appreciate that, um. But you know, I mean, let us know as well, like, how did golf help you either get, get through everything that you've gone through? You know, did you start playing golf before you joined, after you joined, during?
Speaker 2:because, because we all know golf can also be a outlet golf is huge.
Speaker 5:Um, um, I actually just, uh, golf, golf. Golf came into my life at 11 years old and, um, it was my way of kind of disconnecting from what was going on in my life at the time. Right, um, it's my time to be with at one with nature and forget about everything that's going on and focus on the moment, because all you can do is change the future and the present. You can make certain decisions that will change your future, but in the present. If you live in the present, that will change your future, but in the present. If you live in the present, it will make you focus a little bit more on the future, if you understand what.
Speaker 5:I'm saying it's kind of one-on-one, I mean it's hand-in-hand with. If you don't worry about the past, obviously you can't change the past, can never change the past. My future is still up in the air, depending on what I do in the present. So what I do now is going to make my life that much better in the future. The past is For sure. I have to deal. The past is I have to deal with the past. I have to deal with the past and I have to learn how to deal with the past.
Speaker 5:And vocalizing it and getting it into the atmosphere once again is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's, I mean, the future is unattainable until you reach for it, and if you make that right decision in the present, it's going to make that much more attainable. I'm just so grateful to be where I'm at in this day. I'm actually taking my captain's license tomorrow, uh, for the next weekend, uh, this weekend and next weekend, so I'll be able to take up a six paying people and, um, my fishing, me being in my boat is my release. It's my happy place, aside from the golf course. Yeah Right, and I'm so. So who?
Speaker 1:who's gonna be your first six?
Speaker 5:I don't know yet whoever wants to be there. Man, I mean you guys, if, if you ever come down if you want to come down in october right, you're gonna be there october, correct? Obviously you still live in hilton head go ahead.
Speaker 1:I lost you there. But, chris, you know. You know I live on the island. I'm here. Go ahead, I lost you there. But.
Speaker 5:Chris, you know I live on the island. I'm here. Yeah, you guys are off Arrow Road, right In the RV park. Yeah, right off Arrow Road, yeah, yeah, now we're going to make it happen. Once I get certified, pass all the tests, get my CPR and get my TWIT card, we'll be good to go, no worries. And anytime you and Jen want to get out in the boat, and go on a cruise. I'd love it. Let's make it happen.
Speaker 1:That'd be great.
Speaker 5:That is my happy place, I feel like I'm not even working if I'm in the boat, and that's why I want to do things that don't stress me out. I can be in my happy place and just do my thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love it. I'm with you on that. So what's your best golf moment on tour?
Speaker 5:My best golf moment on tour. Has it got to be on the? Yeah, okay, my best golf moment on tour? Uh, first time I met dennis. Okay, I can see that of all people.
Speaker 2:I can see that I know, yeah, so it's.
Speaker 5:Um, it was strange we wouldn't be here without him, though, right, I know, nope, nobody would be here without him, right? 31 years man, it's yeah that's such a feat. That's crazy to think about it. 31 years man, um, I couldn't imagine running, having that much stress with him and jen, yeah, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh. So my best moment on tour was the moment I met Dennis.
Speaker 1:Where was? My first tournament Hold on, I can tell you Did you do research, yeah, of course. Come on, I did you know, I did you know, I did so. Your first tournament was Icebreaker in 2017 at the Jones course.
Speaker 5:Ah, okay, okay, okay. So I brought a 12-pack of Michelob Ultra and, yeah, mac, I introduced myself to Dennis because you know how Dennis likes to play with the first, like the new members, just to feel them out. Um, and he introduced himself. I was like look, my name's Chris, I'm from, from Beaufort, blah, blah, blah. He was like look, do you like to drink? I said yes, sir, obviously. He said, and he was like do you like the gamble? I said yes, sir, absolutely. I said I like the gamble a little bit, but I mean I'm I'm still kind of fresh on the tour, I need to feel people out. And he's like all right, so obviously you like the drink. So next time don't bring this water bullshit, bring uh.
Speaker 1:Wait a second. Bring the silver bowl. Don't bring that water, bring this water, yeah exactly, exactly.
Speaker 5:It was one of my favorite moments and ever since then, me and Dennis have been Side by side in everything that we do. I mean, this tour has brought so much joy to my life and I've met a lot of really great people.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 5:And I would never take it back for any moment in my life. And I would never take it back for any moment in my life. I mean, dennis is like his second father, honestly, and he would say the same thing about me well, I don't know if you know this.
Speaker 1:I know he thinks the world of you because he talks about you a lot he's one of my favorite people.
Speaker 5:He's one of my favorite people. He's one of my favorite people. I mean a lot of people hate him and there's a love-hate relationship. I mean honestly, there's no gray area whenever it comes to Dennis. Either you love him or you hate him. A lot of people take his stern voice for maybe being almost ridiculed, but he means well. He does. He means well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he does.
Speaker 5:He's seen me at my worst and he's seen me at my best.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 5:And that's all I'm going to say about that. He's done a lot for me, as he has for a lot of other people.
Speaker 1:For a lot of people. Yeah, A lot of people in the store. Here's one of the things that and I'm not going to give specifics on this he helps people and nobody ever knows about it, ever, yeah, and he goes out of his way to do things for people, not asking for anything back, not for any other reason, because that's who he is. He's somebody that helps people. Yes, and I'll just Chris and I'll leave it there, and that's.
Speaker 5:He's an angel in disguise man and a lot of people don't see it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 5:But they'll feel it later on in life and a lot of people don't see it. Yeah, but they'll feel it later on in life. They will, they'll experience it Exactly, exactly.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 5:You know you guys are, you guys are awesome and, tim, I mean you guys have always, always had a smile on your face, regardless of what you guys are going through, and and it I mean for the ones that are going through shitty times seeing those smiles go a long way, right I mean it's oh, I I appreciate that, chris, I really do it's, um, it's a whole nother level with with mentorship and advice and just being there for one another. Yeah, and that's what I love about the tour.
Speaker 1:You know that's what the tour to me is about it's about sharing these times.
Speaker 5:Yes, sir. So the um, so the whole whole army experience. I loved it. Um, I wouldn't change it for the world. Um, it gets you. What are you chugging on?
Speaker 1:A little Diet Coke.
Speaker 2:Diet Cheerwine. What so? Let me tell you a story about that.
Speaker 1:Silver Bullet. That's another water, see, yes, so when I was in the Army, I was stationed at Fort Bragg right and that's where I got turned on to Cheerwine and I've been drinking Cheerwine for Cheerwine Love it I got out in 1989. So I've been drinking Cheerwine for 35 years. What is that? It's a cherry soda.
Speaker 2:It's a Okay. Yeah, it's like a cherry drink. Does it come in a baby bottle?
Speaker 1:Get the hell out of here. Wait, when you cherry drink, does it come in a baby bottle? Get the hell out of here. Wait when you're old enough to grow a mustache, come talk to me. But it's bottled or brewed or whatever you want to call it. Whatever you get. In Salisbury, north Carolina, right.
Speaker 5:It's a local.
Speaker 1:It's awesome. Have you ever heard of Dr Enoff? So, Chris, my yeah.
Speaker 5:I experienced my first Dr Enoff in Banner Rock, north Carolina actually yeah, that's, I meant the pro that I worked for up in Diamond Creek. His father and mother-in-law were the ones that actually came up with it oh, wow pretty neat.
Speaker 5:Maybe go out and buy a case of it. I was like, alright, screw it, I'm going to support you, but I support everything. I mean Golf Week has been huge. I love Golf Week. I support everything. I mean Golf Week has been huge. I love Golf Week. I promote it everywhere I go. I talk it up as much as I can For people that never heard of it. I love it. And once they Google it and they experience it for the first time, they're like wow.
Speaker 5:It's like the first, um, I don't know, uh, outer body experience is, is what? Yeah, I can, I can say it is because because you could, you, I mean, you'll never meet anybody. You'll never meet people that are the same as you, or the uh, how do I want to phrase that? Uh, you'll never meet anybody the same. You never see anybody in the in the same same vision as you did before you knew them, uh, before they knew about golf week. Um, right, it's, it's. I mean, there's, there's a whole array of people that have been through so many experiences and if you want to share, people are open to hear it, and that's what I love about it. It's, it's, it's a family and that's that's that's the best way that I can express it.
Speaker 5:I mean, it's golf. Golf league is a family and Dennis is like the godfather. And I love that, don't don't tell him that, hey, he has. He has had me sleep on it, I've, I've been able, he's, he's welcomed me, him and Jen have welcomed me into their home for three or four nights and whenever I need him and it's yeah, it's. That's a whole, nother explanation. That's a whole other explanation. That's a whole other conversation.
Speaker 1:But that's who they are.
Speaker 5:Like I said, dennis is like my father, like my second father, and I want to say my dad's a little jealous of it because I do spend a little more time with Dennis than I do my own dad. But it's family, it's family and this is what I appreciate about you guys.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for hearing me out and my little half-drunk story, but it is what it is well, well, chris, I I appreciate you, I appreciate everything that you've done and you know, hit me up and you and I will go, and we'll go grab a beer or two or ten, or whatever it takes. I'd love to hang out.
Speaker 5:Let's get out in the river. Man, let's do it, let's get out in the river. Buddy guys, thank you so much. Spot on.
Speaker 1:Appreciate it, guys.
Speaker 5:Definitely, we'll be in touch.
Speaker 1:Let's take a break from the show to hear about strixon's zx mark ii drivers zx mark ii drivers are for major players, major winners, major power. All new zx mark ii Only from Srixon.
Speaker 1:Chris, you know, when we do these interviews with veterans, you know we never truly know what they're going to say, because we don't ask questions beforehand. We bring them on and we say let's hear what you want to talk about. Questions beforehand, we'd we'd bring them on and we and we say, let's, let's, let's hear what you want to talk about. And the emotion that that that Chris shared is is touching and, and what I think, a lot of people who who aren't veterans or or who don't understand some of the trauma that they've been through it's, it's, it's traumatic and we've got to do a better job in society taking care of these guys, I mean for sure.
Speaker 1:To hear some of the things that he's struggling with in terms of the VA. To me, that's just unacceptable.
Speaker 2:It's unacceptable, completely agree. I mean, you can tell the passion he had about it and even though you know, know, for the average person two years might not seem a lot, but I think every day that they're out there is a month worth of information and decision making and stress and all of that that just piles up. Um, you know, super thankful for, for all the people we talked to and all the people that have served for our country, but also, more importantly you know, the fact that he was able to kind of bring down those walls and talk to us about it you know, at some point we're kind of like I don't want to say we're, we're um shrinks, but at least we we can build that rapport and that comfortability to be able to just talk to us about it.
Speaker 1:And he really does appreciate, number one, the opportunity to be able to share, and number two, that we're interested in hearing it and actually listening to what he has to say.
Speaker 2:That's the other piece Right. Right, because anything could happen, right.
Speaker 1:You know, he mentioned the battalion that he was in, the 299th Combat Engineer Battalion and the kind of history that they had, but he didn't mention history and what again. What a lot of people don't know is they do have some serious history there. They were the first uh, uh, first engineer battalion on Omaha beach on D-Day.
Speaker 1:Okay, and if I would just suggest that if you don't know the history of D-Day or, uh, what happened, or the casualties that that that happened, uh on D-Day go take a look. Yeah for sure, the D-Day Memorial is in Bedford, virginia, which is just outside Lynchburg, and my father he volunteered there before he died, and so we had the opportunity a number of times to go and really get into some of the history of D-Day. And the reason why the memorial is in Bedford is because Bedford lost more people per capita on D-Day than any other town in the United States.
Speaker 2:Wow, I mean, it's a lot of people.
Speaker 1:They took serious casualties and when we went, we went a number of times but we had the opportunity to talk to some veterans who actually landed on D-Day, who were from Bedford and you know hearing some of those stories. So when Chris talks about that battalion, yeah, they've got history Right. Too bad, they led the 101st in when Chris was in, because everybody knows the 82nd is way way better than the 101st.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to go into that, I'm going to leave that with you.
Speaker 1:You should Just leave it right there, yep. But again, we're all brothers in this and that part is good fun and good jokes. But understand that. You know, when we talk to Warren, you know he's got good stories and that sort of thing. But we also have to understand the other side of that and that's why you know when, when people uh remember we're all volunteers, so when people volunteer to go into armed services, that's what they they know can happen.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:And we're so thankful for them and what they do and what they have done and what they continue to do for us and for us to be able to do this, chris, because you know there's there's places in the world that you can't do this.
Speaker 2:Right, right. We're lucky to be able to to do everything that we do, but also give that platform for others to come on here and and talk.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's that's first installment. I'm looking forward to, to our next episode, next episode, to have a couple more veterans on and hear their stories.
Speaker 5:Right.
Speaker 1:And go from there. But, Warren, I want to thank you. Really do appreciate the time and the stories and Chris, same to you and you know we'll just leave it there, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, hopefully we see him at nationals and we're able to to connect, and I know Chris will be there. He, he's gone. I mean he's on the Island. He's got nowhere else to be that weekend.
Speaker 1:Well, you know and we didn't get a chance to talk about this with him, but but he's got a hundred and 170 rounds.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:And okay, 170 rounds. Right and okay. So right now, he only has five rounds in 2025. Okay and so, if you take from 2017 through 2024, seven full years. Okay, he's averaging 23 rounds a year.
Speaker 2:That's almost tour director numbers right there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean he doesn't miss, I mean he travels, he goes regionals, he just doesn't miss an event. And those who don't know Chris, when he shows up, he shows up with a smile on his face and he puts a smile on other people's faces.
Speaker 2:And that's no matter what beginning or end of the round Yep.
Speaker 1:So so thanks in both and and looking forward to the next episode with with, with a couple more stories.
Speaker 6:For sure.
Speaker 1:Let's hear about Firestone. Let's hear about Firestone from you and your perspective. I know you didn't have your ideal 80 degree, no humidity, no rain, no wind weather, but let's hear it.
Speaker 2:Um, honestly, I I enjoyed the north more than the south. Um, I might be a few that did that, um, but there's like seven or eight holes that are touching a lake somehow and I think that can make or break a whole tournament. And then when you get up there in the hills, you know it's, there's trees everywhere. It's not easy and the South just seemed real straightforward. Every part four was straight, every part three straight. You know, only the part fives really had some some different looks. I, I really enjoyed the north. I would love to go back and take on the north with with better weather, because I mean, it was from what someone was telling me 30 degree wind chill, um, so it was cold. I had a underlayer shirt, hoodie, rain jacket and still hand warmers. It was that cold. My riding partner, the guy that was driving, had a blanket.
Speaker 1:So you can imagine. So are you just telling me that I would have been inside?
Speaker 2:You would have been inside the whole time, which isn't bad, because inside was nice and beautiful too, but you probably would have been inside the whole time, which isn't bad because inside was nice and beautiful too, but you probably would have been inside the whole time. It was worse than when we went to Vegas, I'll tell you that much. Yeah, I would have been inside. But great time though, I had a great time with both groups. Second day I was in like the second to last group, but I had one of my, or the guy that I was riding with. He got all the way up to like fifth place. He went on the six hole birdie run out of nowhere. It was crazy.
Speaker 1:Did he?
Speaker 2:win any money. I think you want a skin, skin and a super skin. My brother at one point had a skin and a super skin for about two hours. That was $1,200.
Speaker 1:But you didn't walk away with it.
Speaker 2:No, and it was a par 5 that he eagled, he. He pulled out from 108 yards and he was telling me that he hit the shot. It was online. He started walking back to the cart and never saw it go in. Everybody cheered oh man. Good for him, though. So he's, he's the land is. I guess somebody else came back. Well, obviously somebody else came back and covered him, but it was close to the end of the round, so that would have been nice to see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it kind of sucks, though, when you get an eagle and it gets covered Right, because usually they don't yeah, but I mean, hell, he got an, so let's be happy with that and and and take it and move on right. So what was the inside? Like I you know, so I don't know, I don't know if you actually looked at the pictures that dennis sent.
Speaker 2:Um, dennis, on the third floor, kind of like Butler Cabin at Augusta that you can rent out and stay there, and they were hotel-style little rooms. It was awesome. And then you have, you know, your main entertainment area with some TVs, couches, and then you all share you know community showers, things like that but it's connected to the men's locker room, which has a full bar up there, a wall of TVs. You can put whatever sport on couches, massage guns, you name it. They probably had it. Wow, we got to spend some time there Sunday afternoon while we were all unwinding and playing silly gambling games and you know how Dennis gets. So it was a good time. I had a great time there. Might stay there next time if we go up, because, uh, just to be able to experience that with other golfers that are there for that tournament.
Speaker 2:I mean you wake up and you're, you're right there. You can walk down and get your clubs and go to the range.
Speaker 1:But if it's cold you just stay inside, or you could do that, yeah, and then when you see people gathering because they're doing announcements, you can just run all the way down.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, that's all. I'm pretty upset that I missed it. You know in one hand, but you know family stuff. You got to do family stuff and that is what it is. We've both been in that situation. Wouldn't trade that either, right, but it is what it is. So hopefully next year we can, hopefully next year we'll go back and we can be there and do this.
Speaker 2:I want revenge, so we'll definitely figure it out.
Speaker 1:All right, all right.
Speaker 1:So there was something else. That kind of got settled. Today We've been talking about Stu's sub for at least a month, right? Maybe more than a month, right? So yesterday I just want to let you know yesterday I had a bunch of stuff going on and it was lunchtime and I'd eaten a snack. And it was lunchtime and I'd eaten a snack and Jen said, well, I can either go get you a half a stew sub or I can go get you, you know, a salad from this side and the other place. I said, look, I'll make a deal with you Go get me a salad and get me a full stew sub tomorrow. And she said, well, how does that work? So, so today she goes and she does, she gets me a full stew sub and, oh my gosh, it's so good, it is so good. I just, I just gotta tell you, but I do need to let everybody know that when Jen was there, she told the, the, the owner or one of the owners and the guy that was at the counter taking
Speaker 1:the order, that we've been talking about Stu's for about a month and they had no idea, so just want to let them know. Johan and Jeff, thank you for the subs. And they gave us a shirt Nice and they didn't have one that would fit. And so I said, well, take the shirt they have and I'll show it on air and, you know, maybe we'll do a giveaway or something. And so Jen was here with me a little bit ago and she was going to go home, and I was going to go home and I was going to show you the shirt right now you can see it. She took it?
Speaker 1:Probably not. She took it. Yeah, so it happens. It happens. But but let's, I'll show you a shirt next time and let's see if we can come up with a, with a contest to, to to give that away, cause way, because I mean, I can go to GoStoos and get a shirt at any time. But let's spread the love here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I agree. I mean you're getting me excited and we're still what five? And a half months away and I want a two-sub now. Can you just send me one, because I remember how good they were. It might not be as good when it gets here, but I remember how good they were.
Speaker 1:It might not be as good when it gets here, but Well, you know. So I told you I got a full one right and there's no need to have a full one. There's not, but you have a half. If you just eat a half one, you're going to say, man, I want more. I think I had a half with their soup, which is really good. But I ate the whole thing, I don't blame you.
Speaker 2:I'm like oh my.
Speaker 1:God, but it's, it's so good. Stu's is the best. Thank you, johan and Jeff, for what you guys do and we'll get, we'll get the shirt up next time and and we'll come up with a good contest to make sure we get that out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe the winner can come have a a lunch with us, that's great. While we're at nationals.
Speaker 1:That'd be awesome. So we got that. That's settled. We're not going to hell because of mother's day. Nope Again. Happy mother's day, everybody. Don't don't forget the raffle, yeah, the iron raffle, yeah. So if you want in on the Iron Raffle, $10, venmo. All that's in the. I'll put that in the show notes and we'll go from there. There was something else that we're missing that we want to talk about. Oh, how could we forget this? Player of the Month? Today is the last day to get your, your, your, uh your entries, nominations and tour directors Yep.
Speaker 1:Um, today May 5th, so if you're listening to it on Tuesday, you're already too late. Save it. Monday, may 5th. Save it for me, put it, save it, save it for me. But you know what, chris? I don't know if you've been copying on all of them, but we got some really good nominations so far I've been copying on most of them.
Speaker 2:I think I think after the 50th reply, all people started realizing not to reply all and just reply to us. Oh my gosh. I've read a couple of them and it's going to be tough. It's going to be tough, it's going to be tough.
Speaker 1:It's going to be tough and I appreciate all of the tour directors doing this and taking their time to do it. And again, it's really it's not for us, it's for honoring your members.
Speaker 2:Yes, definitely.
Speaker 1:Because that's what this podcast is about anyway. It's not about us, it's not about tour directors, it's about our members, right, and sharing things with them. So looking forward to that, and we may have a new graphic for it. Yeah, we're still working on that and once that's approved we'll make sure that we share that and give the person credit who came up with it and designed it. It looks pretty good, but again, we've got to get the approval before we just send that out.
Speaker 2:Approvals are always needed, but it'll help us. It'll help you and me stay out of trouble.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't need trouble, man, I really don't. And you know with what Dennis and Jennifer have going on with with with her, her parents. I don't want to be the cause of any more uh.
Speaker 2:I need to stress more than that and he was stressed.
Speaker 1:I'm normally causing them. I'm trying to cut back on that, but right, right, there's some time Right, anyway, anyway, uh, what else you got I?
Speaker 2:mean you got beat the heat. Uh, we just finished beat the heat, um, in the mountains. Um, you know, as we're recording this, I know it's gonna be a great time. Um, when you hear this, there'll be new winners and hopefully I'm one of them. But uh, it's just, it's always a great time to take out the family. I'm taking the family up there, you know. Just get a, get a nice little cabin and hang out, watch the deer roam in the back, as as you're trying to just chill and have a have a weekend away from the craziness of the city. Yeah.
Speaker 1:What's it like in El Paso weather-wise, Is it getting hot Same?
Speaker 2:Hotter with dust. I could taste the dust when I landed from Ohio. It was bad, Loved it huh, good to be home.
Speaker 1:Taste the dust, it is what it is, man Right. Well, dude, it's good seeing you. I really wish I could have seen you know, uh, your brother and and chris and and all you guys, but uh, well, next time I'll take you to this nice pizza joint we found out there luigi's pizza, luigi, so good you know, I like pizza so good, if you look at me, I like pretty much everything. I don't like onions or asparagus, but or sweet potatoes, but I mean the three good things for you make sense oh, it's good times, my friend, good times you.
Speaker 1:You travel safe this weekend and best to the family Likewise, and we'll talk to you soon. Yes, sir, thank you.
