Step inside the world of golf with the prodigious Ryan Griffin, whose relentless pursuit for a spot in the top 200 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking is nothing short of inspiring. Throughout our conversation, Ryan gives us an exclusive look at his journey, from his profound experiences at Callaway and Archivefield to the meticulous strategies that shape his game. His dedication to transforming his performance is palpable, especially as he discusses the pivotal realization that reshaped his focus from swing to shot. Peek into the preparation that goes into tournaments like the Student Tertiary at St Andrews, and feel Ryan's palpable excitement for the Palmer Cup at his beloved Lahinch—a course that holds a special place in his heart.
Golf isn't just a sport; it's a discipline that requires unyielding commitment, something Ryan embodies to the core. We dissect the significance of the Lotham Trophy and Rosses Point, underscoring their role in WAGR standings and the importance of off-season dedication. Ryan provides a tour of his custom golf setup, including his AI 111P putter, and lets us in on the demanding regimen of a college golfer. Our discussion also casts light on the often unseen camaraderie that shifts to fierce competition in the professional sphere, and the nuanced balance of power and precision needed to excel within a hundred yards of the green. Join us for an episode that not only celebrates the triumphs of a rising star but also the sheer grit it takes to chase the dream of professional golfing excellence.
Step inside the world of golf with the prodigious Ryan Griffin, whose relentless pursuit for a spot in the top 200 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking is nothing short of inspiring. Throughout our conversation, Ryan gives us an exclusive look at his journey, from his profound experiences at Callaway and Archivefield to the meticulous strategies that shape his game. His dedication to transforming his performance is palpable, especially as he discusses the pivotal realization that reshaped his focus from swing to shot. Peek into the preparation that goes into tournaments like the Student Tertiary at St Andrews, and feel Ryan's palpable excitement for the Palmer Cup at his beloved Lahinch—a course that holds a special place in his heart.
Golf isn't just a sport; it's a discipline that requires unyielding commitment, something Ryan embodies to the core. We dissect the significance of the Lotham Trophy and Rosses Point, underscoring their role in WAGR standings and the importance of off-season dedication. Ryan provides a tour of his custom golf setup, including his AI 111P putter, and lets us in on the demanding regimen of a college golfer. Our discussion also casts light on the often unseen camaraderie that shifts to fierce competition in the professional sphere, and the nuanced balance of power and precision needed to excel within a hundred yards of the green. Join us for an episode that not only celebrates the triumphs of a rising star but also the sheer grit it takes to chase the dream of professional golfing excellence.
Okay, welcome back to the Irish Am podcast. In this episode, I'm joined by Ryan Griffin, so we're going to chat a little bit about Ryan and what his plans are for 2024. And we'll also be doing a couple of recaps throughout the year. So there's a couple of players involved in this, and I think it's going to be something that you, the audience, will get great interest in. I'm seeing how these players, I suppose, cope with pressure and what they do to prepare for tournaments. So, without further ado, ryan, welcome to the pad. My man, how's things guys? Y'all good? You were a nice day yesterday over in Calaway.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yes, over in Archivefield it was unbelievable the treatment we have. It's kind of an insight into how the professionals get treated and it's absolutely unbelievable. We got on the truck and kind of had a little like tour of it and just a little look. See, they kind of showed us just how well them guys get looked after and they had gone around the wages sitting there and he'll pick them up now and Augusta or wherever they see him next, and it's just crazy to see them things. But it's kind of a real insight, like I said, how the players get treated and something to aim towards.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, 100%, I suppose, like it's like everything else, but the goals are getting good. At something like this, I was massive rewards at the end of it, so I suppose something like this was kicking off the pad. Where would you like to be in 12 months in regards to golf?
Speaker 2:
In regards to my golf, 12 months from here I'd like to be really knocking on the door of in around up 200 and Wagga or something like that therapy. It's an achievable goal because you kind of have to really understand the Wagga golf system to really know how to get low on it. But at the same time, if you just play good enough golf and you're going to come down the rankings, so it would take care of it itself. But that would be a real nice thing to be able to say in 12 months time, but hopefully have a few trophies under the belt that stage as well. And what are you ranked currently? I think it was like in around 900 or something like that there whenever Jack last.
Speaker 1:
Okay. So I suppose, like looking at that, like we'll say, as the long term goal, so like what's kind of some small steps that you'll be looking at, was achieving that one?
Speaker 2:
Small steps. Now the final of the student tertiary has come up. Now to X-Time, over in St Andrews and thankfully certain at the top of the order, merit leaderboard and that. But it's extremely tight. So points and a half in St Andrews, so it's anybody's game, but you're going to have to go over and thankfully I've been lucky enough to play St Andrews a few times. Last time I was there I think it's around 65 in the old course and the void quick. So like a good memories in St Andrews managed to win the order out there last year. So like it's really exciting to get back and hopefully able to replicate last year as well. And hopefully all goes well that Kate is able to do the same in the ladies and we've two minutes students coming out in top.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and I suppose, like a reward for that one is Paramal Cup and something that you got to play in last year, and I suppose it's going to be an extremely special time around this time in Le Hinch, like isn't it it's, it'll be unbelievable, like last year, I think.
Speaker 2:
Last year, whenever I won it, it didn't really sink in. About Palmer Cup was because it didn't really know what to expect. I knew about it and I heard the stories and how good it was, but I just you have to experience it yourself. Yeah, and the fact that it's in Le Hinch this year Le Hinch is probably my favorite, of course, in the entire country and everything about it's just last, so it'd just be unbelievably special to teach out there playing, playing for the international side down there against the US.
Speaker 1:
The interest of ball statement, considering where you grow up, like, couldn't it?
Speaker 2:
I sure it's it's. It's God's country. You don't get it, it's God's country. The Hinch is really special and one of the things really like the Hinch is because it is kind of down nearly the other side of the country, so we don't really get a lot of chances to get down there because it is so far away. So anything we do get down there, that's always an absolute treat.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, 100%. And I suppose, like that was kind of a bit of a side note, but Le Hinch is like Le Hinch the soldier and just in general, like the tone, like the way it rolls into the course. As it is, it's a magical place. But I suppose, like back then, what we're talking about, so like we'll say last year, so like like a really strong year last year and you, as you said, you won the order of mirrors, which happens a bit earlier, and play good golf here as well. But at the back end of the year, like what was the one thing? When you sat down with your coaches at the end there, like did you look at and say, okay, I want to get better at this?
Speaker 2:
A big thing I kind of got into last year, which is something.
Speaker 2:
I think all players do ground out whenever they kind of reach that level of high performance, that really easy to fall into it.
Speaker 2:
And it's kind of thinking golf swing rather than golf shot, yeah, and you get kind of bog down in the moment of making sure your swing looks a specific way in specific positions and granted, that all has its place.
Speaker 2:
But whenever you're standing on over a shot, you just can't be thinking of them things and you just have to have the actual visualization of the shot you're trying to hit in the back of your mind. And I think that's something I kind of struggled with at the back end last year and it's something that I've been really working on now this year, starting out. Now I've kind of seen the results of that. So, like the last two turn on. So we had in the student series a finished second in Portugal, then I finished well tied third in France, but that was only because it was as good as second, because only when I lost that shot, yeah, but then a decent show in Spanish and then, as well, just the dust outside the top then, yeah, it's all a work in progress and it's really nice to see them results so early in the season.
Speaker 1:
So stop thinking about how good your swing looks on Gary's Instagram page and just focus on the shot like. Yeah, I don't know if anyone uses the word good or not, the ball flag looks good enough sometimes, yeah, the ball is like anybody else, I suppose. How do you go about working on that stuff then?
Speaker 2:
So I started psychology in college here. So I think the mental side of the game is huge and if you can kind of figure out your own patterns, then makes the game so much easier and like it's a real personal thing, because you just kind of have to figure out what works for you and everyone's going to be different. So you kind of just have to figure out your own routine and your own mental routine, step in and eight shots, which is something that we've worked with Donal Scott on and he's phenomenal in that area.
Speaker 1:
I suppose like routines and stepping into shots, so like what's your kind of drill? So like what are you doing to kind of set up your pre shot routine? Like is that just going to be like you're going to have two or three cues every time? I look like yeah.
Speaker 2:
So, like standing over the ball, you're going to think, or stand behind the ball, you're going to be thinking where kind of everything lie wind, temperature, all this sort of stuff and you're going to take all that and take count before you actually step into the golf shot. Because if you're kind of thinking of all that other stuff over the ball, then you're not going to be able to make as committed a swan as you could. I think it was forget who said it, I think it was Foxy is like you're better being committed to the wrong decision than in a half ass, that the right decision, which is completely, completely true, because the guy that makes more committed golf shots is the guy that's going to come out on top every single time.
Speaker 1:
That's a good nugget for anyone kind of listening. As well as that, like, I suppose, an average guy for like myself, we just tend to walk up, bang or the laser and hit a shot like in. That's kind of either. Well, you might have so much thought over the ball, we kind of don't have a lot of thought before the leaders or like where it ends up is just kind of pure chance. But certainly getting it measured that way. So I suppose the next three tournaments for your reign, because we'd probably catch up on I'm going to guess after them or kind of an on that point. So you mentioned the student tour series final in St Andrews. What's after that for you?
Speaker 2:
We'll be playing Lotham trophy then at the start of May and we're heading up to Ross's point then for the Irish air sandwicher. So those will be the next three tournaments, and then there's a few scratch cups and whatnot then through there. So they're the three. They're the three main ones.
Speaker 1:
So for you, then, what would success look like for you at the end of that? Three tournament spell wheels?
Speaker 2:
Main one is want to make that Palmer Cup team Like. It is the biggest thing on my mind, because you know how unbelievable it all is and you just know that it'll be absolutely surreal to get down there. So that's, that's number one. Lotham Trophy is a great chance to really showcase your to all the work that you've done throughout the winter time and whatnot, and really put that into practice. And such a tough golf course. So it'll be. It'll be a great day have a up 10 on. And then the Ross's point a good, good record or in Ross's point, I think is a great golf course. So like the fact that the Irish hands there is to be just unbelievable, the kind of do well, not as well.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it's going to be a different test there, which I'm like, being the Irish I'm, I suppose, there versus like the West and like stroke their own there a bit later on. There I think like it's like Ross's love amateur golf, like like they absolutely love it up there, so like there's no doubt that they're going to put a lot of work into it. So it's definitely be a great event and I say was like even with your long term goals here, like, so, like, if you're talking about my cup and waggon, like Lidham and Irish, I'm probably going to be two of the bigger events that you're going to take it up in the year for that purpose as well, aren't there?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And that's one of the things about waggon is that you have to be doing well in the big events because the the student series. It's great for us because a few of the people playing them don't have waggon. The rankings of what kind of just plummet to the ground. So it's great to kind of get the stats up, like on ones and top fives and whatnot. But if you're just kind of making playing on them, then it's not going to ever kind of go down too much, if you ever want.
Speaker 1:
Yeah yeah, and I suppose that we mentioned a very starty but a lovely trip in the Caliway truck. So what's your own setup at the moment? So what's in the bag for you? What's the driver? No kind of a gear.
Speaker 2:
I'm guessing I've got 20 clubs in the bag at the moment.
Speaker 1:
Any left handed? So's no.
Speaker 2:
I actually got a few there for you guys. So driver, driver, three wood, so all of the driver and three wood kind of permanently in the bag and then kind of move between hybrid, two iron and three iron, so just depend on the, on the course and whatnot. Then you're kind of chopping change between those. Then it's just like four iron and then down to three or wedges and got a real nice one of the AI 111P putters, like it is Okay. So like we got talking to Guy Sheamus yesterday as well on the turf ruck. He's been working on the turf for nearly 30 years and he's kind of able to explain the putter head shapes and styles that would work for your specific stroke. It was really cool to get that information and it suited the putter. That suited to you basically.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I suppose then, like having all of the right tools, getting the mindset ready, I suppose like massive keys to the year coming up. But what does an average day for a young griffin look like in terms of prep? So like you're in college, you know at the moment. So like you say, like take class over it, you have to do a bit of work, I'm guessing. Yeah, what's your golf schedule? Like golf?
Speaker 2:
schedule the. So like first thing in the morning you'd kind of get up and you get to the gym and kind of we're working with Robbie Cannon, so like he is us starting our programs and stuff, and we were doing four days a week at that. So that's gonna get that out of the way. In the morning can get you to bed, but in your you probably go and play as you can, because the academy doesn't open to the afternoon. So ideally, get out in the morning and play nine holes or so and just depend. You'll play something or other, like your always.
Speaker 2:
You're never going out playing nine holes just for the sake of us, like you're always working on something or playing some game to practice under pressure, basically, which is such a big one, whereas people can get bogged down saying, oh, I'm going to go out and practice here and head out for nine holes, when it's just they're just out for a leisurely walk, more than anything.
Speaker 2:
So it's really focusing on your intent, on what you're actually trying to do, and you can reflect on it then afterward, which is the nice thing about it, and then after that you can go back and reflect on the things then from that you found out in your nine holes in the morning and work on that in the range, and you can always get into short game work then in the evening because the academy over in Carton, the putting green on the Florida lights, so it's ideal. But like you kind of follow your own program and what you're working on in your swing as well and like little things always creep on and out. But that's kind of a standard kind of a day down here in college.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, so business also like how many hours a week would you reckon you're playing or practicing?
Speaker 2:
Oh, if you take playing out of us, you're practicing. You're definitely practicing two hours a day and then so, like whatever five days a week. You're practicing 10 hours Monday to Friday and you can add up whatever playing hours then on top of that. But it's kind of, if you're not, then you're falling behind. Yeah, which is what everyone says. You just have to work hard, because I think one of the funny things, like you're talking to people just in college none of the golfers about like heading away and all these trips and whatnot, and every single time you're going to get, oh, must be nice and oh well for some, basically, but it's all well and good saying that, but nobody sees the work that actually goes on dip, which is a big one. Like people think, oh, you just had out for nine holes or so, but like it's, it is so much more than that and anyone will tell you that that's achieved anything. But it just takes hard work and determination. Basically.
Speaker 1:
No, 100%, and I think like that's again, like that's kind of some of the point of this kind of series, I suppose, is just to give people an insight into like. I think people just think that everyone turns up at events and, as I think I said at the start, we're like you're just good at golf and you've played a kind of since you were young, you're just naturally good, but like the amount of time and effort like that goes into getting their first off and then having to compete under pressure, like it's not. It's just not as easy as people kind of think it is at all.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, 100% agree with that, because I'm blessed that I'm down in college and I have so much time to practice and play golf. But some of the guys that are playing in the events around Ireland they're working full-time jobs, looking after families. It's unbelievable the way these guys are able to go out and play and compete. It's really admirable and, at the same time, because they really can shoot good scores too 100%.
Speaker 1:
So let's say you rock up in St Andrews in two weeks' time, so you're going for a practice round. What are you looking to gain from a practice round? To help you throw the tournament? So?
Speaker 2:
like I said, looking off-packs, I know the courses that we're going to play in. So we'll get around the Jubilee course, two rounds around the Jubilee and then the final round around the Old Court. So the Jubilee is kind of a little quirky course, not overly long, but it can obviously be very difficult. But you just kind of go down there and at least you just get the lie of the land and how the ball is reacting on the green and how the ball is reacting in the fairways, bonkers, and you don't have to worry about the layout because you already know the place. So I think just getting the speed of the greens is the biggest thing around any length scores, because usually the greens are huge, and they are huge in St Andrews, so like you're going to have 100 feet plus at the pot. So just getting the pace right now and if you can avoid three pots, then you're gaining strokes on the field, so that the pace on the greens is the biggest one.
Speaker 1:
And then I suppose, like a tournament finishes and winning in or not, then so like, what are you going back to your coaches with and what are you kind of trying to debrief on?
Speaker 2:
So, going back, regardless of the outcome, you'll kind of have goals for your own performance to reflect on afterward. And some of my kind of right now are ones to stay in the moment and not really get ahead of yourself or live in the past. So you're just staying in the moment and focusing on what you're doing and solely what you're doing. You're not worried about what your playing partners are doing, what anyone on the leaderboards doing, and that's kind of a real thing to just stay present and commit to each shot as a government, because like you're out there for four or five hours at a time and like it can be absolutely grueling out there, so managing your energy and putting your energy in the places that you need.
Speaker 1:
To put it as a big one and are you recording that then, like we'd say more? So if you go off track, are you taking note or is it just kind of a mental note for you?
Speaker 2:
No, so I'll so. Whenever in my yardage book it's TCWPTF, I always read it in the top. So if your total club, one pitch and then total, and then at the end of it you have F for your focus, so, like for every single shot, you'll track all those and, like those, will all go into game four and beyond the computer. Then statistics are in black and white for how you performed, where you lost strokes, where you gained strokes, what you don't well, what you didn't do well. You'll have that on the game four job. And then the focus at the end is a great one, because whenever you start to like shots and stuff like that, there you can look at your focus. And it's always really funny to see because if your focus isn't really there, usually the outcomes not great, and usually whenever the outcomes great or Good, then your focus has been pretty good as well before the shot. So it's a real interesting kind of correlation between the two.
Speaker 1:
That's grand. So when I see in slow go, I want to look at it up. Actually, just You're even a bit deeper into right in reference brain, in his focus up there, and let's see what's going on. But it's, I suppose like even the focus one is a good one because, like it's gonna make you be very honest with yourself in terms of how that whole or that shot has gone, because you have to score yourself in focus and like, yeah, it's almost easy when the shot doesn't go right, or the shot does go right, to kind of say, okay, that was the number, it wasn't. But, like the focus, you have to be very honest with yourself in how much you want to improve, to say, okay, I was just a bit off there, I wasn't thinking straight.
Speaker 2:
Like yeah, yeah, exactly that. That's that that's a great point. Like you could Feel your ego and just right, 9, 10, right, could really highly through the whole day and just like blame everything else, like all the one you pop that or someone was rattling, tease me back swinging. Like it is just being honest with yourself and no one. Like if you had a good shot if you come out of there or not, because a lot of the time if, if your focus is good, like you're not, you might. It's not guaranteed that you're gonna have a good golf shot. Yeah, but it's a lot better golf shot than it could have been if it wasn't, if you weren't focused.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I suppose you mentioned panel cup at the start and we've been mentioned a couple names and one of the the perks of that last year was You've got to go on the test, your your game over and on the live qualifier what did you make it that one?
Speaker 2:
The live qualifier was an unbelievable experience. So it was my first actual professional tournament, yeah, so it was like the first. The first five or six holes I was as nervous as anything because I have a dabbig off club, the the front, the front nine is very tight, or left and right you're gonna you're gonna find danger and you could rack up a number, but it was unbelievable. Learning an experience that I find.
Speaker 2:
I kind of found that I was just trying to absorb everything, yeah, and in turn then I didn't play my best, but I like it was always just gonna be an experience as well would be great if you went need on, well, hmm, obviously, like the score and performance isn't everything. Like just seeing how the pros air for tournaments and how they play the golf course, it's really interesting. Like the guys that I played with like played a few holes with weird arms, but they played a few holes with Laurie Cantor, guys that are really well established on her, and just seeing how they Went about it, it's just really, really interesting and an unbelievable experience and opportunity to get, and what did you take away from?
Speaker 1:
I suppose playing with pros like what's the is anything stick out. No mind Couldn't among you.
Speaker 2:
I can take that back and work on that the the professional game, I can't find it's a real selfish game. So the guys that were like the guys in the practice round, like weird arms with Laura Cantor, they were all real nice guys, real chatty, but whenever, like the shotgun started and everyone was out, then everyone was just each to their own. Nobody was anybody's friend, like they're just there to put bread on the table, basically, and that's what professional golf is. But uh, the two guys that I played with a guy from Monday and an American guy, they didn't hit it as far as I thought they were gonna have it.
Speaker 2:
I thought these guys are just gonna vomit, yeah, but they just kind of played their own game, put the ball in position and made a few pots that they don't make any silly mistakes. They don't make any soft bogeys, like the first few holes I Must a couple soft up and downs for par. They kind of keep the momentum going and you make a silly three pot or something like that there, and that's just the sort of mistakes these guys don't make, yeah, like from hundred yards and under. They're all so, so solid and I think that's where I seen the weaknesses my game, because on the range, like you're, you can hit it as good as anyone, but it's the actual hundred yards and how you actually score is the is the biggest echo in professional golf. I I seen and I yeah, no, it's definitely.
Speaker 1:
It's the horrible getting the violin, the whole, and like it depends on, like sometimes I just said, like I just said, like you can hear it as well as them, it's just figuring out Christ was like the final detail of getting it all done. But yeah, no, it's all right. Best luck for the year and I'm sure I'll see you plenty over the course of the summer on fairways and we'll we get more videos of that single Computer for that you don't think it is, and I'm both like so everything in behind you know you're both can go no higher than 10 feet near, okay.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely, absolutely don't care if I straight down one and a beautiful day.
Speaker 1:
That ball is just gonna be a stagger, it's gonna go over in there, st Andrews, and I'll chat you very soon again. Room a man. I can play a guy. I appreciate it, buddy, all right.