Will MacKenzie  0:00  
Just sitting there like there's no waves eastern North Carolina. It's summer. I'm swinging these hammocks. I ain't making a damn dime. And I'm like, that is sick. I was blown away. And I went out and hit balls the next day went out to iron wood. We call it iron weed. Went out iron. Would hit some balls. Went with my dad, and I said and it makes me almost cry dude, but like, because my dad passed and I love that dude. I said, Dad, I want to play golf. I'm like 25 And I said, What do you think? He said, 'I thought you'd never ask.'

Scott Riley  0:35  
Alright, welcome back to another episode of Straight Down the Middle'ish. We are joined by gosh just a frickin legend. Two time winner on Tour, lived in a van down by the river. Welcome up to Jacksonville Florida. Mr. Will Mackenzie Yes.

Matt Every  0:49  
Yeah, yeah, Aaron I know you're guilty of throwing the word or that word around a lot. Legend. But you're cheapening that word when guys look around because this is a real one 

Aron Price  1:03  
To the avid golf fun. I think a lot of people know Will Mackenzie but for the non-avid golf fans, they better learn  You should learn. Yeah, you should.

Matt Every  1:14  
Forewarning this episode's gonna be all over the place because I've spent enough time with you, Will. I know how it goes.

Will MacKenzie  1:21  
It's ADD I guess. Yeah, ADD.

Matt Every  1:24  
ADD and ADHD. Who doesn't have it These days?

Will MacKenzie  1:26  
My kids have it. They're only 12 and 14. We're already medicating the living dog crap. I actually steal them from myself.  At ease got to have them just mainly to clean stuff nowadays. It's not even to live properly clean clean the house and don't clean up after you know women and children.

Aron Price  1:53  
Is that the routine once a month? Instead of getting the cleaning. Just little little halfa. Yeah.

Will MacKenzie  1:58  
Just try to get the highest millage ease you can get.

Matt Every  2:00  
 Adderall or Adderall.

Will MacKenzie  2:06  
At ease dad.

Aron Price  2:08  
For all you people out there, you know not motivated to clean your house. Get out. It's first tip of the day.

Will MacKenzie  2:13  
It's pretty basic, you know, I guess see a psychologist or psychiatrist for 175 bucks and then you're dialed in for the for 12 months.

Scott Riley  2:25  
It's the great cheat code in life right there.

Matt Every  2:28  
Well, nobody in the world is like you especially in the golf world.

Aron Price  2:34  
Let's get a little backstory.

Matt Every  2:35  
Tell the people a little bit about yourself. I pick. Well MacKenzie came into my life. I was in, I believe I was a sophomore or junior in high school. And I started taking lessons from this dude Kevin Smelts at Champions' Gate. And I believe you were living there. That's when you picked the game back up. You had a pretty long hiatus from high school to how old?

Will MacKenzie  3:02  
Yeah. You know, I took off competitive golf from 14 to 25. I did.

Aron Price  3:10  
 That's not a very important range.

Will MacKenzie  3:11  
I did. Excuse me, I did play high school golf. My ninth and 10th You know, we played 18 hole matches. So I got out of school at like 9am and by then I was just I was gone. Mentally I was not into golf at all. I lost a big Junior tournament when I was 14 and I shut it down. I didn't play any more AJGA or, you know any East Coast golf or AJG events after I was 14. I had started back playing at 25. 

Matt Every  3:42  
Which was what year?

Aron Price  3:44  
Which is now a veteran.

Will MacKenzie  3:45  
Yeah, I was old bro. Mainly everybody was like that's there's no chance.

Matt Every  3:50  
Dude, you nobody on Tour goes from the age of 14 to 25 and doesn't touch it off. 

Will MacKenzie  3:56  
But no.

Aron Price  3:57  
One of one.

Will MacKenzie  3:58  
I was just like you and Price or the normal young golfer I was playing with the desire to become a PGA Tour player. And from 12 to 14 I was hitting you know a teacher bucket of balls every single day. I was playing tournament golf around the southeast and like I said, I lost that AJGA Ben Hogan boys in Las Colinas and lost my shit. You know, I was like I butchered it. I missed a three putted like 17, Mr. Short one for the victory on 18 and went to a playoff and lost a playoff and I said that is terrible. I was so pissed and livid. I get back home. This was late in the summer and my mom's like, we got to go get school supplies for eighth grade or ninth grade whatever grade I was going into, and I gotta be kidding me. All I did was play golf this summer. I didn't have fun. You know, I didn't you know I didn't do anything down at the river. I didn't fish. I didn't. We weren't really in a whiteboard and then we waterski barefooted. We did everything down at the river. We had a sick little River Cottage down to eastern North Carolina. And I was just lost. I need a sports psychologist at the time. Oh, 

Aron Price  5:10  
Oh, one question. Who beat you in that playoff?

Will MacKenzie  5:15  
The guy's name. I think he went to Georgia Tech. Is it Jason Walters or something? Now, yeah, he was pure. He was pure and, but I was like, I can't believe I just lost to this kook. I mean, not great. He was a kook.  I had him beat. Yeah, and everybody else in the field. And I remember as funny. David Duvall, I was shooting pool. I was in the 13-14 age group and the 15 to 18 age group was there. And that second day I shot like seven it was like how in like 30 in Las Colinas and or 69. And I got back. And I was like a couple back from the main lead of 15-18. And I was playing pool in there like pool shark. And then Duvall was pure at pool too. He was in the older age group. And he said something like I heard him say something. It was either him or Hank Kenny said slippery pencil. And I was like, Oh, yes, I'm allowed to fight somebody. 

Scott Riley  6:14  
That's an accusation.

Will MacKenzie  6:15  
 It was a heavy acky. And, you know, let it go. I don't care.

Aron Price  6:19  
But it's a insecure, older boy.

Will MacKenzie  6:21  
Yeah, it was funny. I mean, I loved him all. I mean, he was aware he can be a little funky, but whoever I really liked.

Aron Price  6:28  
He's a good dude.

Matt Every  6:29  
Do you ever ask Hank about that? I met up with them later in life.

Will MacKenzie  6:32  
You know, it's cool. Hank. I met up with Hank on the Canadian Tour. I was trying to qualify for the Canadian Tour. And, and I'm like, You remember me? He's like, Oh, yeah, I remember you. I made it play many events with him. And he came out like my fast friend. After that, he took good care of me. I mean, I was going through. He let me live with him for free. He took me to the bears. 

Matt Every  6:53  
You're out of golf for let's say a decade? Yeah, eight to 10 years. How do you what makes you want to get back into it at 25?

Will MacKenzie  7:03  
I went to Costa Rica. Like 99-ish, 98. I don't know.

Aron Price  7:09  
You went everywhere. You went Alaska.

Will MacKenzie  7:11  
I went to Alaska. Okay.

Aron Price  7:14  
Everyone's seen the movie into the wall. Yeah.

Will MacKenzie  7:17  
Yeah, he was just eaten. You gotta watch what you eat out there, though. Yeah. I went to Costa to heal my body. I did the three month thing and go for three months. And I went there to heal my body because I was beat up. I'd already had surgery on both knees from snowboarding. I had had like, bad bad injuries, because I was doing it like I wanted to, you know, to be on Tour. Yeah. And so I went there and it was after that I came home. And I didn't put it all these hammocks from the Yucatan from Yucatan, Mexico to try to sell them for 650 apiece. $7 the Shark Tank selling them for 50 You know, just it was a tough deal. selling tickets Hatter's hammocks and shit like that. You can't compete with Hunters. Yeah. That's sort of all over the eastern North Carolina surf shop.

Scott Riley  8:08  
What a hustle.

Will MacKenzie  8:09  
Yeah, I was I was hustling price selling weed on the side too. But, but anyway, so I was like, Okay, I'm selling these ,swinging these hammocks, and it's great. And I'm surfing a little bit and I still hadn't played golf. And it was that summer I'd got back and I saw the 99. It was the 99 I just got back 99 US Open Pinehurst number two paying against Phil. And when I grew up, I loved frickin pain. I mean, I was like, look, it's got freaking knickers, man. I mean, guys wearing knickers out there. And he was pure. And Phil was like young gun at that point. I mean, I guess he was stablished. But he was he was the man. I'd played in the north south. I'd played into Donald Ross Jr. So you're part of the country, my part of the country. I love his friggin Pinehurst. And dude, I'm just sitting there like, there's no waves, eastern North Carolina. It's summer, I'm swinging these hammocks ain't making a damn dime. And I'm like, that is sick. I was blown away. And I went out and hit balls the next day. Went out to iron wood. We call it iron. We'd went out iron would hit some balls. Went to my dad. And I said and it makes me almost cry, dude. But like, because my dad passed and I love that dude. I said, Dad, I said, I want to play golf again. And I'm like, 25 the bug is back. And I said, What do you think? He said, Son? I wish I thought you I thought you'd never ask. You know, because he let me go. He wanted me to be on tour. Sure. And he let me go. I said no, I'm not the Montana bro. Ain't where I'm doing what the hell I want. I'm sorry, dad. And he had to suck it up and be like, you know, but let you go. So your heart attack. I'm gonna let you go do your thing, son. Yeah. And then he was so like... 

Aron Price  9:59  
He was right. because when I came back and one, two PGA tour events, maybe that thing you keep grinding and grinding, we all know the junior golfers who are good at 1415 didn't even play college golf or play one year of college golf fizzled. So, you know, maybe so maybe not maybe that was right.

Will MacKenzie  10:17  
I know. So just goes, I would have burn out pricey. If I would have kept going. I mean, I burned out at 14, I was definitely going to burn out if I went to say, Carolina, or Florida or if I tried to go to a bigger school, I would have I would have burned out in college for sure. So it definitely a blessing in disguise. 

Matt Every  10:37  
We were talking about the, you know, some. Billy was in here the other day and he was talking about how good of an athlete he is. And you are...

Scott Riley  10:50  
Way better athlete than Billy.

Matt Every  10:52  
I mean, you might be the best one ever on tour. You're  so coordinate dude.

Aron Price  10:58  
Well, he's extreme sports. With the live and the two of the two is pivoting. Why doesn't the two I have some, you know, Christmas thing, all the Golf was put your hand up like a multi-sport can't like. They do it in Australia. 

Scott Riley  11:10  
Amen for that. 

Matt Every  11:11  
Or like the Pro Bowl right now? They're doing dodgeball, and stuff like that .

Aron Price  11:15  
Imagine trying to identify the best athlete. That would be...

Will MacKenzie  11:22  
I think you'd be surprised.

Aron Price  11:23  
Can I copyright that?

Will MacKenzie  11:24  
I think you'd be surprised. I think there's some better athletes. I mean, you know, you think you're a good athlete, right? Yeah. Okay, then. I think there's a lot of guys that are pretty good athletes. We know there's guys that have a high level of hand-eye coordination. You could go play darts against the students gonna frickin kill you know, or any backyard game that involves hand-eye coordination. There's some world class pingpong players on Tour. There's some great pool players. Yeah, as far as jumping, that stuff that you have to maintain and like really do to stay good at maybe, you know, DJ and some guys.

Matt Every  12:00  
But I've seen you do some gainers over like bushes in the pools.

Will MacKenzie  12:04  
I can definitely. It's part of that is also you have to that's mental. That's like I don't you have to be men. I was flipping. So like where I grew up eastern North Carolina. If you couldn't flip, if you couldn't do a a front, like a hand, a roundoff back handspring or roundoff. Back Flip. Yeah, you were like, you were like, you're a cook. You are totally. I mean, where I grew up, it was like, you know, it's like your black boys and your white boys and the white boys that were cool. could flip because the black boys taught us. And I was like, if you can flip at recess. You're like out there like with your thumb off your butt. Like you were like, You're a dog. You're a dork. I mean, you had to be able to flip to be good and to get picked at basketball for homeroom. You know, he just had to be you had to flip you had to flip so I learned to flip and like maybe third or fourth grade. 

Aron Price  12:57  
But let's be honest, you're on a baseball, football, soccer. Tennis. You're gonna you're gonna look what you've done it. Half a tour, dude. Embarrassed

Will MacKenzie  13:07  
They get they get little bit one dimensional on golf.

Aron Price  13:10  
I said it on another. That's previous podcast. Golf is one of the only sports you can be pretty much uncoordinated and make millions of dollars.

Matt Every  13:18  
Well, there is some there. You have to be coordinated. Swimming.

Aron Price  13:22  
You don't have to be like crazy coordinated to be a good swimmer.

Scott Riley  13:26  
There's no coordination in swimming. Is there?

Aron Price  13:29  
Not really.

Will MacKenzie  13:30  
It's a motion. 

Scott Riley  13:32  
Using your arms and legs at the same time.

Will MacKenzie  13:34  
Yeah. And you need to be big. You need to be tall. Yeah.

Aron Price  13:37  
But you're an athlete. 

Will MacKenzie  13:38  
No, put it into that. Yeah, I would say yeah, I've maybe a top 20 athlete out there on tour. 

Scott Riley  13:43  
So well. You're a huge outdoors man. How did you? How did you wind up in Montana? Why did you pick that?

Will MacKenzie  13:52  
Well, it was a process of elimination. I took 40 out west and like Albuquerque. And you know, from there, I was staying here. I was like Taos neck then headed north, you know went up and you know, next thing you know, I mean that like Telluride area that Southwest Colorado, man, this is sick. I love Telluride. But they didn't allow snowboarding at the time. And I was snowboarding junkie. I mean, I roots from skiing, but I was snowboarding at the time. And I said, Man, I'm gonna snowboard. So they didn't allow that. I camped out there for about 10 days in that box canyon. I was like this. This place is heaven. And then, you know, went through the whole Colorado Summit County stuff. I was like negative Ghostrider headed up north, you know, into the Mormon world of the Wasatch and Salt Lake City as like yeah, I don't think so. And then go to the oh, they are enjoying wherever I was. So like, then they think it's hard work and they're like, you know, it's just like the Canadian And women Yeah, in the summer like, summertime and like,

Aron Price  15:03  
That's part of what's the joke about the moments and the drinking? Like if as if there's two moments they won't drink. If there's a moment on their own, though, they'll drink your whole fridge. Same way with the women.

Will MacKenzie  15:16  
Yeah, I think it is. So through Utah and up north. Yeah. And then I went to Jackson and I was like, okay, Jackson. So I got a job. You know, everybody that stopped me knows, I mean, I got a little job at Taco Bell, because I actually ran out of money there. So I needed you know, replenish the funds. You know, I needed about 300 to move forward. Sounds like an amazing $300. I lived to Jackson worked at Taco Bell, and tried to work figure out how I was going to work on the mountain. And I was going to be a snow Packer at Snow King like early season, like where you like, real boots on the ground boots on the ground stuff. And they they had given me like, got you a free free card and a three pass. Yeah. So I was stoked on that. I'll say, Okay, I'm digging it. But I don't know, I just I was living in the van in like the frickin post office parking lot. And I just wasn't real down in Jackson. I was like, I don't know about this. And I finally.

Scott Riley  16:18  
So you went up in the summer?

Will MacKenzie  16:19  
I said, um, I said, I'm gonna go I'm gonna go north. One more time. I had a new a buddy that had been to Big Sky and said it was sick. So I went to Big Sky and it was like, first day, everything just fell in place. I like talk to the right, dude. He goes, Yeah, we need a security guard. I said get a gun because I am a redneck to both ways I can get I can wield a handgun. And he's like, No, you're not getting a gun, you're getting a taser.

Aron Price  16:50  
Compromise you get a flashlight.

Will MacKenzie  16:54  
Flashlight, you pick who's gonna pay me? Well give me a ski pass. And I said I'm in. I mean, granted, I got I got fired in about a month. For what? I'd be like the notch employee cafeteria. Definitely. I'd be in the book cafeteria, the head shaved. And they like what did you shave? I got. We're in Montana, bro. But like I asked, I mean, I'd go into the employee housing and these kids were these are the kids that don't go to college, you know? Yeah. And it's a lot of West Coast kids, but there's some East Coast Minnesota kids. And they'd be like light in the trash candle. I'd be like, keep doing what you're doing boys. I just didn't enforce any rules.

Scott Riley  17:39  
No security.

Will MacKenzie  17:41  
But I have probably part J like a north face. Security Jags insecurity on the back. They're like, well, a bag.

Aron Price  17:51  
It's like the whole monitor that you're always

Will MacKenzie  17:52  
It was fun. It was like  the dream job of all dream jobs. So got booted from that. I think they revoked my season ski pass this preseason, the. We hadn't even started the season. And so I went and started working in the main dining room doing dishes, and I got a ski pass that first year, first year, we got about 550 inches. Oh wow. It was one of those dream years where I listened and like Slayer and Metallica in the back, bustin doing dishes out. And it's just there's one window and it's dumping every day. And I just had the guy who I live with. So I was hooked. I was like, Yeah, I'm living here now. I'm gonna be here forever. And then I did find winners.

Matt Every  18:35  
Did you meet a love interest out there? Terrible. Yeah,

Will MacKenzie  18:39  
Yeah. Well, you know, it's, we call it we don't call it. It's Montana. But we also call it man-tana. There's not many. You're like, everybody's like there's a girl. I mean, it's like a race to get the girl.

Scott Riley  18:55  
Montana seven.

Matt Every  18:57  
Tell us about about one of the girls you dated.

Aron Price  19:01  
You must have been pretty good though.

Will MacKenzie  19:02  
Well, I was. I was you know, I mean, dude, I'm a dirtbag at heart living in your van so I can go you know I can I can go without for a while. Women I can just sit there and you know, please myself. You know. I do my own thing. I don't need like.

Aron Price  19:21  
Barbecuing alone. 

Will MacKenzie  19:22  
Yeah, just chill. And but yeah, then there comes a time where you got to, you know, like a camel to water.

Aron Price  19:32  
Smell the touch. 

Will MacKenzie  19:35  
Where's wood? So yeah, we had, yeah, I had to be a girl around. And back in the days you started, I left there and started working down the hill like that first year. I was like the I'm not gonna slave in here doing 300 dinners and busting dishes out. And being a dish dog so Go to work and down the mountain at a small restaurant. You know by then I was dialed in I was a local and let's just the middle my first season I started working for a guy named Dick all good all goods Bar and Grill. And last night, I worked there forever. And I would sometimes go cook breakfast on the weekends if I didn't want to snowboard. And then but mainly I just worked nights from four to 10. And I'd be out by 11 I'd go sleep in my van, wake up and go snowboarding like at 9am when the resort opened 

Scott Riley  20:33  
And then when it turned into summertime, you're a big boater you got into being a kayak guide.

Aron Price  20:39  
Yeah, that first year. How do you stay warm in your van in Montana on its fucking dominance night? 

Will MacKenzie  20:45  
Well, it was important that you have a great sleeping bag. That's like first and foremost, I had a north face Bigfoot, you know, I still go I'll go to REI every now and then it kind of just look at their gear and be like, Okay, what would I be doing if I was in med school Montana now and there's you know, you need to you need like a 10 below to 20 below bag out there meant pretty much minimum. So I had a I had a great bag. That was a big purchase for me. You know, things probably 350 Back in the days, and I slipped in that thing every night. Half the time just free balling dead naked. I've slept in there with wet I've slept in there with like hot water bottles to have slept in there with full face, balaclavas when it's so cold. Where like your breath is just like you got to cover your face.

Aron Price  21:32  
Any washer thing?

Will MacKenzie  21:33  
Um, not much. Not much. I don't know if I've ever bet never. Because just like I might ruin this thing. And this important

Aron Price  21:44  
Montana ladies crept in there. 

Will MacKenzie  21:46  
Yeah, they wouldn't really get.

Matt Every  21:48  
The hair.  Do the hair on their legs keep you warm?

Will MacKenzie  21:52  
Yeah, that's the one thing like it was tough to bring them into the van. Really, you know, there's not that many that are willing to go. Let's go to Europe. There are the Tiger Lily was Oh, yeah. Which she lives in Van dweller too. I mean, most of my girls were not afraid to sleeping outside. Either they lived outside or, or in a vehicle or they were not afraid, you know, or, or just they had to get had to get into the van with me. Yeah. It was a great time. So that.

Scott Riley  22:23  
Chapter ends you go down to Costa Rica rehab, and then let's play professional golf. And you're the Hooters tour player of the year. You don't know this about me, but you've inspired me to take the same damn route and failed miserably. But how, what were what was your reception like from players? Like did you know a lot of those guys, when you got back out there? They're just like, Where the hell did this guy come from? He's taking them out.

Will MacKenzie  22:49  
You know, I don't think that many knew me. I I contacted a dude named Brian Joffrey. That did I played all over. He was from Greensboro. He was really good. And it was basically him that I did. I said, What do I do? He goes I don't know. But I mean, he'd been gone for a long time. But if I was you, I would just start grinding every day. So I just said, my whole goal was I'm gonna outwork everybody. I'm gonna outwork them. And then, you know, I'm a slowly catch him. I know, they got a big head start on me, you know, through late high school and college golf. But I'll just outwork them, and then I'll finally I knew guys, we're gonna be burning out.

Scott Riley  23:30  
Where did you get that work ethic? Do you think that came late? Or do you always have

Will MacKenzie  23:33  
I think it was just like a the only way. I think that was where I was at. 

Matt Every  23:38  
It's kind of who you are, too, though. You're 100.

Aron Price  23:40  
Or you're.

Matt Every  23:41  
You're full on or are checked out?

Will MacKenzie  23:43  
Yeah, not not as much. Now, I don't know if I still have that kind of work ethic that I had. I had a belief No, I had exactly. I had a belief at that point. I was like, man, it's everything. I'm gonna do it. And it is what it is. And I remember talking to my mom, she was like, I mean, I was like shopping or something and not doing a good and she was like, you know, what do you think manual? Get back to Montana. You know, I had already been become an EMT. I had it made out of Montana. I was gonna live like, I'd be working at Yellowstone club just chillin right now. But, but I was like.

Aron Price  24:21  
I got some friends that are members out there.

Matt Every  24:22  
We really fucked that up. A lot better than PGA TOUR LIVE.

Will MacKenzie  24:27  
I said Mom, if I you know, if I if I fail at Q school and feel like I play really well. And don't get through, alright, I'll quit. But until then, I quit. And I'm not gonna quit until I make it and I will make it. So it's just like, alright.

Scott Riley  24:42  
Quite a well..

Aron Price  24:43  
You had like. You still had the 15 year old mentality in a 25-year old body, right? And you'd sort of like left for 10 years, but you were like, I'm mad. I'm just gonna keep going.

Will MacKenzie  24:55  
And I was if I would have gone straight into that Costa Rica trip was so vital because if you know, if you look at the dudes on like WSL every day just ripped. I mean they're in such great shape, because you're using your core and your swim and your shoulders are perfect. You know, it's not like it's a huge leg workout, but you're just in great shape. I came back in incredible shape.

Aron Price  25:19  
They'd big on that breathwork too, which I like.

Will MacKenzie  25:22  
I wasn't really doing that down there. But all I was doing the surfing wasn't working. I was surfing and hold on to for so long. I was eating all that ate in Costa Rica every single day is rice, beans and eggs for breakfast, rice, like smoothies and stuff at lunch, and then rice beans and chicken or like ground beef at dinner and smoothies. And then and then like, and like liquor and beer. But that's all I ate was rice, beans, eggs, and chicken and smoothies. Tons of smoothies.

Aron Price  25:59  
I mean,  not nothing out of a packet. Not preservative. 

Will MacKenzie  26:03  
Nothing, dude, I was feeling like a billion bucks. When I came back from there. I was just like, fired up to go. Do whatever,

Scott Riley  26:11  
We'll bump on some dorks on the golf course. I mean, you came from some extreme sports. You had to feel like you had a little bit of an extra edge. Kayaking in Montana is no joke. I mean, there's people die on those rivers every single year. Did you feel like there was any kind of extreme element to your game coming to this guys?

Will MacKenzie  26:30  
I mean, I'd already done it, you know, I mean, I definitely had been held upside down stuck in my kayak several times, like, borderline death. And yeah, so but now I gotta hit a fairway. But the whole thing about golf is a whole different like it's just a different set of circumstances. Like there's still fear involved in golf too. Now granted, I wasn't thinking about it. And I only started thinking about it maybe more in my older age. Once you get on tour you're like man, if I hit it in the shit here you know I'm gonna lose 20 G's or whatever you know you got a little bit fearful older stuff but it nothing's life or death and you got to like look at it. 

Aron Price  27:12  
But there's an intangible that still I can't explain it the difference between like a Cam Smith, who's not Dustin Johnson, or the shamba that can compete there's something on the inside that you know Willie Mac from his moment you know used but some people can't use it. They're so talented and can't tap into that part. It's nuts.

Scott Riley:  27:37  
So you got two boys there? 

Will MacKenzie  27:41  
Well, yeah, two boys, 14 and 12.

Scott Riley  27:45  
Any of them into what you used to be in to hunting fishing.

Will MacKenzie  27:48  
We're not into hunting down there. Because we're living in South Florida, which there can be some good hunting. But they're both into fishing. So they love to fish. That's my, that's their equilibrium. Because right now they'll sit on that friggin phone and play tic tock or do tic tock and, you know, they're just they see all this crazy mess of social media. And it's kind of disturbing.

Aron Price  28:15  
What a contrast it's gonna be a battle grew up, especially those years at West. Like that's the complete opposite of the kids today and not not just your kids or kids face today, as opposed to you like fuck at 15 or 16. I've had enough I'm going out west I'm gonna live in literally in the nature.

Will MacKenzie  28:32  
Yeah, well Maverick. My oldest. He may well do that. He told me he said, Yeah, I'm just gonna. I think I'll move out West after high school. Like his old man. I was like, go ahead, bro.

Matt Every  28:48  
Do yourself a favor.

Will MacKenzie  29:28  
I'll be visiting you constantly. What about Nash Nash is they're both enthralled with this whole social media. But Nash fortunately is pretty bright. Like he just he gets it. You know? He's a straight A student. Maverick. I just want to get him to at least High School. That would be great if he ever you know, I hope he does college. But yeah, he told me he goes. He told me I might go like University of Montana or CA or Montana State or Colorado or something? He goes, but not but I'm gonna I'm gonna snowboard I'm gonna ride all day and I'll take night classes to swirly, support your ass while you, you see snowboard all day. I'm sure you're really gonna go to class every night, you idiot. I love it. I love it when they when they like to do that, that little bit of outdoor stuff is so key to, you know, contrasting, hence this inundation of social media that they do, they're just, I mean, I can pick them up from school. And I mean, they could sit on their phone the whole way back home. 

Scott Riley  30:04  
That's their cure for boredom. And like, boredom is the opportunity to create .

Aron Price  30:10  
I mean, kids are constantly entertained, so when they're not entertained, they're like freaking out.

Will MacKenzie  30:15  
Bored. You know, you can't use that word. I remember. Yeah, I just I just hate that word. I'm bored. We'll go forgotten to do something. Right? I mean, how can you be bored in this life? You can go walk around. You know, anywhere out.

Aron Price  30:32
There's 40,000 million shows your watch list watching his show is not like social media interaction and screen time.

Scott Riley  30:38  
Pick up an instrument. 

Aron Price  30:40 
No way to be bored. No way.

Will MacKenzie  30:41  
Well, you know, my little one play sax, and he actually jams. And I mean, it's it's for school band. But the band the band, dude, the head of the band is pretty cool. And like, I went to see him play sax. They did their little winter, you know, their winter concert and do their plan to play in like Herbie Hancock and Hawaii, which is so epic. And I'm out there like, I'm almost cutting a rock near the star. I was like man, I mean, I was like Nash. 

Will MacKenzie  31:10  
Where he's like?

Will MacKenzie  31:16  
Dude, big. Like, wear nice clothes. I'm like, Dude, I'm so proud of Nash out there that they were jamming. Yeah, and yeah, so like, I'm like, dude, play that thing. I don't care if you're, you can play your you know, all your sheet music but learn to play, listen to reggae stuff, you know, those, those brass members jam. That's it's, if you do it, right.

Aron Price  31:45 
I'm guessing school band is a lot cooler than it was when we were because that's the one most positive thing of social media. Because it's spread around the world. It's the adults love these kids that can jam. Everyone that played an instrument when I was a kid was a dog. And the moment I left high school, they flipped from being a doctor being cool, because they are playing shows. It was a crazy thing. I blink wanting to talk about biggest dogs in high school. The moment they leave high school, everyone wanted to be them. But I think social media has probably helped the kids in the band. Get out there. And then they see it on social media, all the other kids love it.

Will MacKenzie  32:15  
Well, like you're saying, I think it's good for your mind. I was never good. I played, you know, I played violin for like, maybe a minute and I played trumpet in the band for a minute. And then just didn't stick with it and then tried to start playing guitar later in life. You know, because you're living in a van down by the river. You got to be able to play guitar. So I can play G, C and D over and over and over again. But was never great at it, but it doesn't really matter. I mean, you're so into it when you're doing it. And it's just it's amazing.  I've always revered instrumentalists. You know anybody you know bands, and anybody that can play? I'm like, Man, that is so sick.

Scott Riley  32:54  
Yeah, who are you into these days? What kind of music do you listen?

Will MacKenzie  33:00 
I mean, it's just everything I mean, I listen to I'll still listen to hippie music. I'll still listen to Grateful Dead and fish and widespread. And then I'll it'll go I've been lately I've been into like, like that 90s grunge job of like, going back into Allison chains and temple, the dog and that type of stuff. Because I was. I didn't listen to it as much as everybody else. Like I didn't watch TV from 93 to like, 2000 you know, I was living in I was basically living in a van. Yeah, I was living that life. So I wasn't

Aron Price  33:39  
That's amazing. I think.

Matt Every  33:41  
That's why I didn't like the word bored. 

Will MacKenzie  33:44  
Yeah, like those didn't miss much as well for music Seinfeld. Yeah. Yeah. And now I watch that stuff. I'm like, ooh, Seinfeld. Cissus hilarious. That Larry David. Like his Curb Your Enthusiasm. His his comedy is so awesome. Like, I follow Curb Your Enthusiasm on Instagram and I'll just sit there and watch it and he'll be walk in and just the funny shit happens to him. That is so bizarre that trips me out. Yes, there's a lot of movies and stuff I missed that I can watch now that are tripping me out.

Aron Price  34:18  
The Bill Clinton is just the slick Willie.

Scott Riley  34:21  
He plays a sax to look out Nash.

Matt Every  34:29  
Yeah. Oh gosh. Is Mav the one that's gonna golf?

Will MacKenzie  34:34 
Neither of. Neither

Matt Every  34:37  
Yeah not see is I've seen his action.

Will MacKenzie  34:38 
He's got some he's got the potential and you know I love I'm so into these kids as I know all y'all are it's just it's like they take over the that's the main one is the meaning of your life yeah it's seeing them grow and go through these little phases but yeah Mavericks got some decent talent and golf and but he'd rather go surfing there's if yeah if there's a way if he's going surfing he's much more into that.

Matt Every  35:06
Matt was playing with Charlie for a while right

Will MacKenzie  35:08
Yep they still hang but they they more go fish together because behind Charlie's house Elans is the sickest bass hole in like, Jupiter? Yeah, the the catch Nash and, and Nash hates golf but Charlie loves Nash because Nash lays right now she's just a natural fisherman. And yeah, Nash called a seven and a half pounder the other day and they're, you know, they catch fatties in old home. Wow. Yeah, but Charlie's kind of. It's so advanced compared to Maverick and golf. I don't even think Charlie likes to look at Mavericks golf swing anymore. He's like, God, man. He can't even survive in a tournament MAVs caddied for him. That's so cool. Yeah, they have fun. But Charlie's. I mean, Marik said the other day, he's dead. Charley hits you like further than you. Said, yeah. I mean, I'm digressing. He's progressing.

Scott Riley  36:03
So Charlie's about the same age as you were when you hung it up for a decade. Yeah, Cliff is there got to be more crushed him got to be worried about burnout. I mean, at that age,

Will MacKenzie  36:15 
Well, that's the thing about I saw my boys and I was that dad, you know, I haven't played in golf in five years. So I've been at home on the sidelines of all these events. And at first, I was going nuts, like, hands in the air, like, you know, like, coaches and then talking about dude, I'm like, Dude, how are you that uncoordinated? Your first step needs to be back on these patterns. And if you're playing quarterback, or some cornerback, and and now I'm just like, What am I doing? You know, just let, you know, support them when they need to be supported. And, you know, give them some constructive criticism if they if they want it. But you know, man, it almost got it was gonna get tough. I was gonna be more critiquing more just pure criticism. And I'm like, to 0.01 Dudes become going on tour, right? Yeah, I'm not gonna push my kid to go on tour. 

Aron Price  37:13
I mean, whatever comes from within, like you either got the bug or you don't have the bug, right? You don't have there hasn't been a player that's ever played. professional golfer didn't have the bug.

Scott Riley  37:23
Yeah. Now there's a beauty in letting that go, though, is as a father. I mean, you think you want your kid to be the exact same as you? And then once you recognize that they aren't, I mean, you just got to. Okay, you're yourself.

Will MacKenzie  37:36
You're exactly right. And the bug, as you call it, that addiction of wanting to get better. We I wanted to go. I wanted to go hit a bunch of balls when I was at age. And I'm like, Man, you want to get hit policies. He's like, actually, can you come out so you can pigs in a golf cart. And he's like, kids love eating the grilled cheese and like a Gatorade. And we used to, like carry a bag for 36 holes and just grind. So I guess it's a little different.

Matt Every  38:08
I'll take Liam out to Pablo and he just wants to go pick up the crab trap and see if there's anything in it. Love that. Yeah. So well, did you think, um, before we get you out of here, did you ever think later in your career that you'd be doing television?

Will MacKenzie  38:25
Yeah. I never thought about it. And I just not a big and you're really, really good attitude. I'm not a big planner. I appreciate it. 

Aron Price  38:34
I mean, he definitely bring a different vibe, which is needed energy on.

Will MacKenzie  38:37 
I get pretty energetic. And I remember I did it the first time and Greg Hafi. I was like, Hey, bro, what you know, what do you need me to do? Yeah, he goes, I need you to bring more energy. I tried to down it you know? Yeah, like my first couple times. I was in there like trying to be very proper. Like Matt every he's got 167 And it sounds like a little high draw here. And he's like, just act do BE YOURSELF bring the energy so yeah, I didn't think I'd do it and I don't know if I'm gonna keep doing it. But I'm having fun with it. It's a different vibe. You know, it's a little bit more behind the scenes. Yeah, I don't know if I wanted to go out. Be do golf. Chances are, you know, I see a car boy Johnson Wagner Central. I'm like, I don't know about that, bro.

Matt Every  39:29
You might not be a studio guy. 

Will MacKenzie  39:30  
Yeah, that's just too. He has to be too polished and too politically correct and too perfect.

Scott Riley  39:37  
Why is that? Why can't we just have guys on the shows ?

Aron Price  39:40 
But I think ESPN plus and PGA Tour Live it's it's definitely a loser.

Matt Every  39:45 
It's way loser. Sometimes you go in there and like try to get fired and you can't.

Aron Price  39:51 
Yeah, some of the producers are fantastic. They know they're giggling in your ear.

Will MacKenzie  39:53
And I think it could be even loser. We have. We have like three or four paid employees out there that are just hitting that. That mute button when when Oh, my ear every is dropping F bombs, dude, he had a shot.

Matt Every  40:10  
How good are those mics out there? 

Aron Price  40:12  
Yeah, they're insane.

Matt Every  40:14 
They pick up everything. 

Will MacKenzie  40:16
Well, we're listening to everything. Listen to the caddy player go back and forth. And then we're listened to the reaction of the player. And, you know, unfortunately, you know, they bleep it out because of political correctness. You know, they don't want to say something like, offensive. I didn't know. If it's mainly that, you know, I don't think they would mind if people were saying Shi Shi T and drop the F bombs. But if you say something that's a little more risque.

Matt Every  40:47
Yeah. The generals, yeah.

Scott Riley  40:49  
Tour needs an OnlyFans page for this type of content.

Will MacKenzie  40:53 
Absolutely.

Matt Every  40:54
Well, the first week, the first week I did it, I didn't know that they had someone that beep that out. We picked up I think it was JJ spawn on the hall and he might have bogey the whole before. This guy said the F word 10 times before he hit a shot and 10 times after like, I mean just fuck this Fuck, fuck, you know, whatever. And I'm looking at my guy was doing it with him. Like, are you serious right now? Like,

Matt Every  41:15
I can't believe this. Then was it muted? Oh, yeah, they made it.

Aron Price  41:25  
No. Then you got to come on and act like he's like, No, I said nothing.

Will MacKenzie  41:29
Yeah, yeah. I just think that with it being the ESPN plus it's like, almost ESPN X. I mean, yeah, it doesn't need to be X rated but no,

Matt Every  41:37 
But you should let stuff like that go and it goes.

Will MacKenzie  41:40
Well, he wants to hear it. I believe so. But Jay Monahan and the higher ups they don't they're he thinks they think they're trying to protect the player. In case the player says something that is really, really, really, really, like you said, like more gender ish. And that just doesn't play. I started stuffed up play in today's market, man. 

Matt Every  42:04 
Nobody likes that off. It's it's tough. There are certain cuss words that are worked better than others

Will MacKenzie  42:07
What they should have those guys should I mean, if you gotta if you're, if you're full time. Yeah, doing that. You shouldn't be able to differentiate what is okay, exactly. Okay. And the day,

Matt Every  42:18
The other day on the radio the other day on the other day on the radio, I said dipshit. All right. And then like, what? Oh, like that. And I was like, what? isn't really that bad? And, but that they're saying there's you're allowed to say ass on the radio. So there needs to be a like list of cuss words that we need a new list. A new list like, F word is okay. As long as they're all the actual trigger. Yes. Just don't abuse it. 

Scott Riley  42:49 
But you can you should be able to use this very descriptive term. What? the f word mean covers everything.

Aron Price  42:54 
It's yeah, most sense. 

Will MacKenzie  42:58 
It's a tough game. It's been around a while to playing for a living and you get a rifle one like 50 yards into the trees. I mean, how do you not just drop the F bomb or a GED?

Matt Every  43:07  
Yeah, something.

Aron Price  43:10  
We'll get back to golf. So I do want to ask this question. So when you come back from Costa Rica here grinding I'm guessing you think that yeah, I am going to win a PGA Tour event. Even though I haven't played competitive golf in 10 years.

Will MacKenzie  43:25  
They probably won't get that far down. But I knew I was gonna get on tour. I knew I'd get on tour or you know, it could have been a false sense of confidence or whatever. But I just had the I had the picture in my mind that I would be out there I don't know about winning or I don't know what kind of success I'd have but I knew I was gonna get out there. I just told myself I was and so I was grinding

Aron Price  43:50
And your first one was out west in the mountains 

Will MacKenzie  43:56
Yeah.In Tahoe yeah those felt comfortable that was felt comfortable you know the sage all around me. I would like walk grab the sage and rub it all over. I was like my deodorant smells so good. As I've always loved now Yeah,

Aron Price  44:09 
Underrated event I missed was opposite but Montreux was yeah.

Will MacKenzie  44:13  
I mean in one tiny events but they were cool. No of course was so good. The other one cool. Oh, the old saying are some fun? Oh yeah, it's kind of a whacked off course but fun. I remember, I saw the best grades and I was like, I think I missed 18 greens that week, but I got up down 17 times. So we're gonna work on your short game, fellas. That's right. That's the key.

Matt Every  44:36 
Yeah. And data scoring for sure. I wasn't gonna say stay in school, but I don't think you subscribe to that.

Will MacKenzie  44:44
College would have been cool.

Scott Riley  44:49  
Well, this has been the most fun I've ever had on a podcast. Yeah,

Matt Every  44:50  
This was good. 

Will MacKenzie  44:52 
Thanks for having me, fellas. 

Scott Riley  44:55
Yeah, we should. You gotta scratch the itch you turn 50 soon.

Will MacKenzie  44:55 
Come on. Don't scratch it. I'm gonna definitely go to Q school. You know, they only take five days. How old are you? I'll grant 48 and a half. It's round up. Yeah, so I'll go I think they give you two times.

Matt Every  45:13 
Kids stay active. Look how young this guy looks for 48

Will MacKenzie  45:30
Yeah, that's gonna be the key how I feel then. As long as I stay, I still actually hit it great. I hit the ball real nice shot. It's just like whether I'm going to be able to put and Chip there's days that I put decent and their body field decent, shitty. I might have to have maybe I might have to have like maybe a left hip surgery or maybe another left knee surgery. But other than that, I'm pretty good.

Aron Price  46:19  
Do the same job.

Will MacKenzie  45:17 
They do. They're like miracles. There. Those guys will those guys will get you in and out a little quick surge. Get you a couple of Nikes turkeys and you'll be on your feet hitting balls in like two weeks is crazy.

Aron Price  45:58  
No prob.

Matt Every  45:59 
 I love you Will. 

Will MacKenzie  46:00  
I love you guys. Thanks so much. Thanks