The Green Scene
a podcast at the intersection of golf, real estate innovation, and building community
The Green Scene
Episode 1 - Shane LeBaron
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In this episode of The Green Scene, host Matt Green sits down with longtime friend Shane LeBaron for a conversation rooted in golf, perspective, and long‑term thinking.
Matt and Shane have shared a friendship for nearly 20 years, much of it shaped by the game. That relationship sets the tone for a thoughtful discussion on how golf influences leadership, relationships, and the way meaningful communities are built over time.
Shane is the Head of Golf at Olde Eight, where culture, connection, and intentional design matter just as much as the course itself. Together, Matt and Shane explore the lessons golf teaches beyond the scorecard — patience, trust, presence — and how those lessons carry into work, life, and building something that lasts.
This episode reflects the kind of conversations that often start on the course and continue well beyond it.
It's going and putting yourself in those situations to drive and try to succeed, yet when you fall short, which we all do, right? What did you learn? And now next time you're presented with that, what what skill set do you have now to sort of attack that, right? I didn't fall in love with golf because of golf. Uh he would ask if I wanted to get a hot dog.
SPEAKER_01One of the most prominent people that you can say that you really had to give some advice that, like, I can't believe I'm telling you to get to get some advice. And today is an incredible day as we're launching the first episode of the Green Scene Official Podcast. We're located here in Greenwood, South Carolina. And today, uh, before I get to my incredible first guest, I just want to remind everyone what the Green Scene podcast is about. Uh, this is a journey. This is a journey of my life, my career, uh, some of the amazing things that I've had uh to be a part of, whether it be in my career, in my life, some of the people that I've met along the way, uh, some of the incredible things that I've been able to work on, whether it's real estate projects or technology and innovation, whether it's some of the great people in golf that I've learned along the way. And so this is, as I mentioned, is a journey. We're gonna talk about a lot of the things that are fun that people can relate to. And without further ado, I'm gonna turn to my first guest. Uh, this first guest, the reason I've selected him to be on the podcast is because he's one of my best friends. Um, he's one of my best friends because he's a uh respectable person. He has incredible integrity, incredible character. And I couldn't think of a better person to join me as we launched uh the Green Scene official podcast. So without further ado, uh, I want to welcome Mr. Shane LeBaire. Thank you, Matt.
SPEAKER_00It's a it's a pleasure to be here.
SPEAKER_01So, so it it's it's awesome to have you on here. It really is. And I'm excited. And I think as we were talking about this show and preparing for some of the things, I I really hope people listen uh because I think we're gonna share, you know, a really true, authentic experience between you and I and how it relates to a lot of things that that we're involved with on a daily basis, that we're passionate about. And uh so I still I hope people as they listen to that, um, they lean in, they they they buy in. So so without further ado, I'm gonna I'm gonna talk a little bit about Shane and I. Um, I want Shane to tell us, um, just tell us a little about yourself, uh, you know, what you're doing right now, and then we're kind of we're gonna kind of get into how you and I became friends.
SPEAKER_00So right now I am uh one of the the partners and co-founder of of Old Eight in Greenwood, South Carolina. We're gonna talk about that in large part due to you. Um and uh my my career has been uh in in golf. I'm I'm a golf instructor, and I've been fortunate to have been at some of the great clubs in America. Um had a few awards along the way and teach some pretty fun people, but uh uh it's it's been quite the journey, and and to land it here is is a dream come true.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I appreciate that. And and and so let's talk a little bit about that, about your journey in in golf. Um, you lived an incredible life of golf, right? From from an early age with your family. Uh tell us about that journey, right? Before we get into, because I I want to talk about us as friends, but uh I I think you're selling yourself short, just FYI. Uh, but but talk about you know that that journey along the way and some of the things that that have you experienced as it relates to golf.
SPEAKER_00So I I I grew up uh in Lincoln, Nebraska. My stepfather is a club pro, and which is where I I fell in love with the game. And and the oddball part of that was uh I didn't fall in love with golf because of golf. Uh he would ask if I wanted to get a hot dog. And we would go to the range. And of course, the range, you'd get a hot dog and then you take your bucket of balls and you go out and you hit. And what I looked forward to was the hot dog. Well, along the way of going to get these hot dogs, I sort of, you know, liked hitting golf balls. Yeah, of course. And uh, and kind of one thing led to another, and as as all kids do, I played football and tried to play basketball and baseball and everything else, but golf really just uh just took hold of me. Yeah. And and, you know, to the point where I'm 47 years old, Matt, it's it hasn't let go. Yeah. Right. And uh it's not just something I do, it's a huge part of who I am. Uh and so uh got started very, very young. I would I would uh work at the golf shop. We called us grunts.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You'll like this. They called us grunts. And so grunts would clean the carts, we'd pick the range, and this is before this is before there were like range pickers that you drove around. Yeah, right. Like you're looking at the range picker. Yeah. I was the guy. So you'd strap one of those big brute trash cans on the back of a golf cart, right, with those two straps, praying that they hold, and you'd you'd drive the cart out there, and then you had shag bags, and you'd hand pick the range. So we'd hand pick the range every morning at 5 a.m. Um, plain wash all the range balls, get them set up for the day. Then I'd play golf till it was dark. And with with everyone you could imagine, my dad was the uh the head pro at a at a city-owned municipal golf course. So like I played with all kinds of people, you you you name it. And um I would play till dark and then come in and uh vacuum the floors, take the trash out, clean the toilets, and uh go back home, go to bed, and wake up at you know 5 a.m., pick the range and do the whole thing over again.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so that's how it started. And uh and it just stuck with me. And unfortunately, I got to play golf with a lot of people that when I was younger, they were a whole lot better than I was, right? And then being in that environment, you know, as a kid, you you see people hit shots that you can't hit or you'd like to hit, and you keep working harder and harder to get better. And and uh, and it just it just kind of stuck with me. And I I guess I guess I'm still from a standpoint that same kid working hard to get better. Yeah, you know, yeah, that's it's a really cool story, you know.
SPEAKER_01It's we're gonna get into that a little bit in this this episode about you know the the relationship of life and golf. Um, because one of the things that I called this the green scene, and I wanted to relate it to golf because I think when you really take a step back, I mean, golf is life. Um it is life. And and I know sports are a big part of our culture today, but um not everybody can pick up a golf club and and go be successful at it. Right. And and it's how you react and stuff. Um, but but first before we go there, I I want to talk about our relationship uh and how we met. Um, I I often tell this story, and I love the story because uh as I get older in life, um, you know, life, you know, is a it's an up and down, you know, you you're single, you get married, you have kids, you know, you everybody's got their own chapter and and book in life. And uh the cool thing about every chapter that I've been involved with, um, you know, we used to live in the same city, we didn't live in the same city, but we always kept in touch.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_01And we always had that commonality, that bond of what is a friend. Um, and and so I take great value in that as I'm 48 years old now, that you've been a constant friend of mine for my life, right? For for a long time. And and I'm gonna talk about that for a minute, uh, because I think people in today's society, um, people think they have friends, right? Yeah. But then there's like, then there's friends. They're like, well, what is a friend? And so a friend is to me is like somebody that you trust, somebody that has high integrity, somebody that you can call at any point in time, and you know that friend will be there for you, somebody that that will be there for your kids, right? Somebody that's always there as a cheerleader for you. And so I just, and I want to talk about that because I think it's I think it's really important to understand, you know, as we've grown in society, I think people have lost a little bit of of what a friend truly is. Um, there's family, right? And and everybody says, oh, you're like family, but you know, um, I think people have lost that meaning of friends. So let's just just talk about that, right? I want you to tell the story how we met, right? Because you probably tell it better than I do, but I still laugh, right?
SPEAKER_00I still laugh. So it's it's interesting. And with you, you know and me, I'm not a I'm not a fan of crowds, right? I get uh I'm usually the guy if there's a crowded room, I'm on the outside of the thing. You know, I found a I found a couch or a chair. Absolutely. And I'm sort of observing and and and checking it out. And and this was at uh in in Hilton Head 20 plus years ago now. Um our wives worked together at a club, and it was their annual Christmas party. And and and of course I'm there, I'm trying to be the supportive husband, right? And there's a room full of people. They had a bunch of employees there at the time. And um I'm sitting there and and I'd actually had met your wife a couple times and and gotten to know her. And and uh and and I'm I'm I'm sitting there and and I'm not talking to anybody. And here comes this guy, you know, hey, I'm I'm Jen's husband. Yeah. And uh, and it was interesting. I think at the time, you know, we started talking and and and you were you were kind of early in your career of your you know what you were what you want to do and and getting ready to do and the big buildup, you know. And and from a standpoint, I was really in the same position. Yeah, absolutely, you know, to to start something and and build on a, you know, start a foundation and build onto something. And I think we both uh certainly found a commonality over um two two two guys that really want to achieve stuff.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right? You know, the status quo just wasn't gonna do it. Absolutely. And and and then we sort of had that common bond, and and then it helped that our wives were good friends. And and I I could really truthfully see a lot of me in you. Um and and and so we we got along, you know, well immediately. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01It's crazy because uh, you know, a lot of times when and we started a family, and and when you have little kids, your world just you know kind of blows up, right, in a good way, right? You just got stuff, right? And then we had three kids and we went from man to man to zone and it was a lot. Um, but we always stayed in touch, right? And every time I call, you would always ask how other kids are doing, right? Just easy things, right? Authentic and and and that that respect that we had for one another was was pretty cool. And I think, you know, um that that's why friends, you know, that's why I think true friends really work, right? Because it there's that true passion, and there's that true desire. We had a common bond that we wanted to achieve some things in life. Um, and also, too, I gotta be honest with you, is as we were friends, it hasn't been easy over the years either, right? I mean, it's it's I think one of the neat things about you and I is it it's not always been, you know, a joy ride. Um, but I think also, too, we've supported one another and those joy rides have kind of got us to where we are today in terms of, you know, um, you know, what does success look like? And it's not all about the money, it's not all about the passion, it's a combination of a lot of things, but you know, success to me is is uh truly doing what we're doing right now, right? About what we're about to talk about and some things that we've gotten ourselves into. And and um, so you know, I listen, I I appreciate you as a friend. You just need to know that. And um, you know, you always tell me how it is, right? That's what I really love about you. And uh, you know, I think it's it's you know, you're a friend that we still know how to laugh. Right. Right. And I think a lot of people, you know, I find myself often, it's crazy, but like I find myself like I just need to laugh more. And I feel like when I'm around you, like, I mean, we're we're laughing a lot. Yeah. Uh that's true. Yeah, and so I I think it's fun. And of course, you know, our wives get along, and and um, so I just think that's that's why this relationship works, right? Is that we can work together, we can have fun, we can be friends, and we can support one another. So um, so that's why I wanted to have you on. I wanted to have a lot of people.
SPEAKER_00We can also get after each other.
SPEAKER_01We can get after each other, right? You know, that's that's part of a sustainable, healthy balance in a relationship.
SPEAKER_00You know, it's funny because it it it doesn't mean I I don't love you any less.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I hear you.
SPEAKER_00You know, in fact, sometimes there's more.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I I uh I tell my kids all the time, or I try, um, that you know, life is not easy. It's just not. Um, but you want people in your corner, you want them to speak the truth. Yep. You want them to be honest with you, and you want them to win with you, to lose with you, right? I mean, it's it's it's a hard battle out there, uh, this thing called life. And uh I'm proud of you, man, for for what you've done and and where you've come. Um, you know, I I guess one question before we get into the game of golf, right? Because I think, you know, we both have this passion for golf. Uh it's it's important enough to me that I've kind of said it's if there's three pillars on this podcast, golf is gonna be a part of every episode, right? In some form or shape. Not my not the success of my golf game on the course, right? That's a TBD, a work in process. We're gonna get that better. Yeah, we're we're gonna we're gonna work on that. But just some simple, relatable things about like how does golf relate to life and and to to to have the audience lean in a little bit of that about that. But just real quick, what has been your favorite place in your journey so far, where you've worked, who you've worked with, and and why, right? I mean, in the golf industry, you know, um, you know, tell me, is it is it been a person that you've worked with? Is it somebody that you've you've coached or trained along the way? You know, give us something just to that they don't know about you that like, you know what? When I was here, so and so was just incredible in my life. Who comes to mind?
SPEAKER_00Uh wow, that's that's loaded, you know? It's uh nothing like dropping a little uh I mean, you know, it's a something I didn't tell you about. Right. You look at 25 years of this collective plus experience, right? And you've worked with some amazing people, right? You know, as I'm sitting here, I'm thinking of you know the the the guys that sort of you know fostered my early uh golf as a little snot-nosed kid on the range eating a hot dog, yeah, you know, all the way to uh, you know, my move, Ashley and I've moved to Hilton Head, right? And um and everything in between there. But you know, it um it's to me it's really about people, if if I if I have to break it down, right? And uh what's funny with people is that specific times in your life, um a certain someone comes into your life and it really it really adjusts the way you you see or view things, right? And it's funny because um you know there's a phrase when when the student's ready, the teacher will appear. Yeah, right. And I'll never forget I was working at Moss Creek and Hilton Head and this this um and I I was I was so excited, by the way. Like I was teaching golf, it was Hilton Head, you know, I'm at this cool club, and and it was really one of my first jobs of you know, really getting into where I was going. And um this gentleman came up for a lesson and he drove in uh from Columbia, South Carolina. And I'd never had anyone come see me take a golf lesson that had to drive any more than maybe 30 minutes, yeah, right. And he drove hours to come see me, which shocked me, right? How does this happen?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And um he'd played in a tournament, he was in Hilton Head, didn't play so well the first round, we had a lesson, and um he shot 74 the second round and was very happy. Well, once a week he'd come down and he'd take lessons for me. And we got to know each other, you know, through that process. And uh I ended up calling these Lewisms. And you know, we're talking about Lumas.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, of course.
SPEAKER_00And you know, sometimes when people talk to you, they might have the greatest advice and and they're very well-meaning, right? But for whatever reason the words don't don't hit home, it just doesn't connect. Well, for whatever reason, everything that Mr. Lou said to me clicked. Yeah. Right. So here I am with, I don't know, at the time, we'll call it 20 students, maybe, right? And Lou would say, Hey, have you ever thought about this? And it just made sense. 40 students, bam. He'd come back the next week and we'd have this lesson. And at the end of it, he'd give me this little talk, and and uh all of a sudden, bam, 60 students, you know, 80 students like every single time. And it just kept growing and growing and growing. And um, and and not only has he, you know, been an influence on my on my teaching, right? But uh, but a major influence on my life. And I I I would say that Ashley would tell you the same, but there's not a decision that we have made, and we'd be we'll be married 21 years. Well, we've been married 21 years. Um there's not a decision we've made uh since we met Lou that hasn't gone, you know, we haven't run something past him before we've done it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And uh and he he really he really changed my life in the direction that that I thought it could go. He actually had a bigger vision um than what I had. Like he actually opened my eyes to, you know what, you can do more than what you're actually thinking about doing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And uh have fun while you're doing it, and and have a lot of fun while you're doing it. And and that would Lou Miller is definitely worthy of uh he gets a Heisman in my word.
SPEAKER_01When I think of Lou, the first word that comes to me is iconic. Yeah, it it really does. Like every time I see him, he's the same, he's positive, his is you hang on every word that he says. Um what I really love about Lou? He's been so successful and nobody knows it. You gotta hear this. Can I tell this? I love it. I mean, I absolutely love it because I know how successful it is, but he's never once said anything about it, and I just find great value in some of the some of the most successful people that I've been humbled to meet um don't tell you a single thing about themselves.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_01It's awesome.
SPEAKER_00This is crazy. So we're I'd been teaching him, I'm gonna call it two years, right? Right? We've had Easters together, we've had dinners together, like we've spent time, right? And his son comes out for a golf lesson, Brent, who's a great guy. And Brent had this golf bag from Wolf Creek Golf Club, uh, it's outside of Kansas City. And I'm looking at this golf bag, and I'd spent some time in my career in Kansas City and I knew Wolf Creek. I couldn't figure out how Brent would have a Wolf Creek golf bag. And and I'm giving Brent this lesson, and and and I keep in mind I've spent all this time with Mr. Lou, right? And I'm teaching Brent and I can't get over this golf bag. I said, where did you get that? And he says, Well, I got it from Mr. Beery. Well, Mr. Beery was the head golf professional at Wolf Creek. And I said, Uh I know I know Mr. Beery. How how how do you know Mr. Beery? And he just right off the cuff, he says, Oh, my dad hired him for his first head pro job. And I said, What are you talking about? His first, I go, he his first head pro job was in Pinehurst. Yeah, my dad was a director of golf at Pinehurst. And I'm like, Oh, you know, just all of a sudden, yeah, right. And so of course I get home, right, and I start, I'm Googling, I'm researching, right, all this stuff. And here's Lou, 1976, PGA Pro of the Year, uh, founded all these different golf schools. He's hired some of the great instructors, Hall of Fame instructors, yeah, uh, to work through Pinehurst names like Hank Haney, uh, pictures with him, and I don't I don't know, I don't know if anyone ever has this. There's a literally a picture with Ben Hogan, Lou Miller, and Muhammad Ali in the same picture. Yeah, that's pretty awesome. Like I can't imagine that, right? And and so Brent sort of put these pieces together for me. And I say nothing to Lou about this. Nothing. Well, Lou comes out, I don't know, a week later for his lesson, and he's all right, coach, what do we what do we need to do here today? And I just put my head down. He goes, What? And I said, Mr. Lou, you you've forgotten more about this game than I know. And he did his head just dropped.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. And he said, What'd you hear? And I told him, you know, and he says, Well, you're ready. I said, Ready for what? And and this this whole training thing started from there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And um, and yeah, that was and I would have never known uh all that advice that he was feeding me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. And I just figured he just kind of knew stuff.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I did not know that it actually came from been there, done that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right? At a very high level.
SPEAKER_01Well, and I think it ties back into he's a friend, he's been impactful, you know, you trust him, uh, he creates a legacy because you know you've you've coached some amazing people, right? We won't name drop on this podcast, but you you've you've been, you know. You can throw some out if you want. Okay. Well, you I'll let you throw them out. But you you've been blessed to be around some pretty successful people in this world and this globe. And and what I love about you is that, you know, uh somebody that we both respect, obviously you're closer to them than I am, is somebody like Lou and his pedigree. And and and again, I think he's an iconic person. Right. And and uh We saw him recently at a at a grand opening and it was great to see him and his wife and and everything else. So good story. Good guy. Right. Re really good guy. One of the best. All right. So let's let's talk about golf, right? Because, you know, I I believe um there's a lot of people that that are passionate about golf. Um I I often think about, you know, golf can be a lot of different things. And and you know, to me, you know, um you're very authentic, you're very natural, and you're very honest about golf. Um not only about the swing, right? Um, but you know, some of the impact that golf can have on life too, right? And and um, you know, I think golf is, you know, the more and more I get older, I hope I get wiser. You know, some may disagree with that, uh, but that's my goal, right? To become wiser. But I also think that, you know, as I start to really learn about golf and learn about myself and and and as you know, some of my family plays golf and at a high level. Yeah, at a high level. And and so I've I've been able to watch all that and and I always haven't been the best, right? And how I support them as a dad, you know, it's been a learning experience for everything. But I look at golf and I take a step back and I'm like, man, golf is just like business, right? I mean, you hit good shots, you hit bad shots. You know, when you hit bad shots, you got to think about how the heck to hit a good shot. Um, it's you got to make decisions under pressure, uh, and they're hard decisions, your heart's beating the whole nine yards. And I'm like, well, man, I live that life every day. Yeah, I just sit behind a desk and wheel around and have the fortunate pleasure to lead an amazing organization.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, so, so pick some highlights for me about golf and and you know, talk about how golf mirrors life and business, right? Like, what comes to your mind, you know, as somebody that's out there and listening to this and saying, you know what? I never thought about that. And I'm 40 years old and I still listen to things and I'm like, how the heck did I just not figure that out over the last 25 years? But it takes one thing just to listen to.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And you hear it and you're like, ah, the light bulb goes off, right? And some may go out and whack 400 balls just to figure it out. But what what does golf and life mean for you? Like it's been a huge part of you, right? I mean, we talked about Lou, but like, but like, what is golf and life for you as as people are listening to this, like, what does that mean? Like, when you think about life and golf and and how it relates.
SPEAKER_00Well, I I think that's a there's a couple things here. Uh, part one. Um what what I love about it is that it it you get out of it what you put into it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Golf is very true that way, right? So, you know, it's not, it's it's not like riding a bicycle. When once you've learned, you can always kind of do it. Uh, you can learn golf, you know, and then not play for two years, and it will feel like you you've never touched a club a day in your life. Yeah, right. And and it's an elusive game. It's it's sort of uh it's the never-ending challenge, right? And I always tease people, especially if they're new to the game and they say, What do you think? I said, But do you like a good challenge? And if they said, Well, I don't know, what do you mean challenge? I said, Well, it's tough. You know, if you like to get up every day and kind of grind a little bit, golf's probably the game for you. You know, you're you're gonna like the the figure it out stuff, right? The uh the read between the lines, the you learn a little bit about yourself at the same time, you're learning a little bit about the game, and you're you're blending those things together and it creates your kind of recipe. Um, that's that's that's what makes golf so special because the recipes, right, they're so different. Um, what motivates one player could not motivate another, right? And and at the end of the day, we're all you know climbing up that hill, and that hill is basically covered nice, and you're slipping and sliding and falling the whole time, and you just have to keep getting back up.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I think, you know, you you watch golf on TV, right? And the same player, obviously, Scotty Scheffler's winning a lot, right? That's impressive, uh, to say the least. But the same player does not win every week, right? It's not gonna happen uh because golf's gonna beat you more than you beat it. And so at the end of the day, uh you're basically trying to get your licks in where you can. And when you do have those successes, there's something about the level of difficulty to the game, and then when you do have those successes, and those successes are different depending on the player, right? Everyone's green jacket's different. So someone's green jacket might be, you know, getting over the water on the 13th hole, right? Right. If they as long as they do that, they're left. That's golden. It's the biggest achievement for them, and that's great. Someone's might be making a high school golf team or becoming maybe like your daughter, like to be a college all-American, right? Something like that. The goals change depending on the player. But the cool thing is that it always involves the goal and the chase of that goal and the hard work to get to there, and then rolling with the punches as it goes and and knowing that sometimes you're gonna have to pick yourself back up, you know, uh occasionally more than once. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I I often look at, you know, um, again, as I mentioned earlier, I have the fortunate pleasure to lead an organization of 40 plus people. And and it it can be hard at times, right? And you have that responsibility and that weight, and and and you know, I often tell some people privately, you know, sometimes I get lonely at the top, right? Because, you know, I mean, my my dad's a huge mentor for me, and and you know, I can always count on him for you know advice, whether I like device or not, that's a different story, but I can always count on him for for giving me that, like, you know, have you ever thought about this? Um, and I often think about golfers and and again, I've been close to some of it, and it is lonely at the top, right? Because, you know, everybody's like, well, we'll just hit the shot. Well, yeah, no, no, you know, yeah, I I want to hit the shot. Trust me, I want to hit the shot. Like it, it, I'm not trying to hit bad golf shots, but how that's how hard the game is, right? And and I often watch, like I used to tune in on Sundays, of course, when I was growing up and Tiger was in the hunt, I would find a TV on Sunday, right? It was just TV. You and everyone else. You had to watch. And I haven't felt that sensation in a long time, right? And then maybe because of my life got busier, but you know, good golf is hard. It's hard. And and I think life is hard too, right? Life is hard. And if I think about like, you know, every every shot is never the same, right? Just like you said, no, no, people don't win the same tournament. Scotty Scheffler is is kind of the phenom right now, but you know, every shot's different, right? Right. You get up, there's a different set of win variables, factors, the guy standing on the green, you may not like, you may like him. It's amazing what goes through your mind. And and and to me, it's um, you know, it's something that I reflect on and I've been reflecting on a lot. And that's why I'm so excited to kind of bring golf into the podcast, because, you know, I think as people relate things, right? Sometimes if you're going through things in your life, you're always kind of listening. You know, there's 10 million podcasts out there, right? But you're always kind of trying to listen to something that you can relate to what you wake up every day and do. Um, you know, and and life isn't easy all the time. You know, New Year's resolutions are real, right? You get on a, you go to the gym membership, and then, you know, like 75% of the people don't go, you know, two weeks after. Uh, but golf is that journey. And I love to see people in the golf industry, and I love to get your input on this. I love to see, because you have to have a passion of love for the game because practice is a thing in golf. Like, you know, there's very few people that you know that that can just, you know, pick it up and and go play and be competitive and win win win win win golf tournaments. But talk about the the work ethic it takes to be successful in golf. Like, how do you how do you teach your students, right? A rising student that's coming up, like well, what do you tell them? Lean on that advice of of somebody that just you know walks to you and says, I got this. Yeah, right. And then they go to the first tournament and like you're like, oh, how'd you do? Well, I shot an 89. Well, yeah, I knew that I saw that coming, right? But but what do you tell people?
SPEAKER_00You know, it's this this is a fun conversation to have for me. Uh, because frankly, it's happens a lot. Yeah, right. Um, I I think that you know, a competitive environment in anything is uh obviously heightens everything, right? And then golf, you're on an island, you're solo, there's no team. Yeah, right. So if if you miss a putt, it's not like someone else can step in and hit that putt for you, right? Or uh if you if you tweak your ankle, you're gonna have to play, you know, with with a sore ankle for the for the next 17, 18, whatever it is, hold you playing. Uh you got you have to deal with it. And you you you have to learn how to be your your own biggest cheerleader, right? Uh you've got to learn how to this is gonna sound funny. You have to strategically learn how to punish yourself. And what I mean by that is you have to take those lumps, right? Because those lumps, those mistakes, they're it's a learning curve. Definitely, it's a process, right? And so you got a round that's going great and everyone's had it, right? And all of a sudden the wheels fall off, right? Could be in a tournament, could be just playing with your buddies, whatever the case is. And and what did you learn about when those wheels fell off? See, that's the thing, right? It's it's it's going and putting yourself in those situations to to drive and and try to succeed, yeah, but yet when you fall short, which we all do, yeah, right. What did you learn? And now next time you're presented with that, what what skill set do you have now to sort of attack that, right? And so I think that's a big deal. Uh I also think golf's funny because you're oddly enough, you're almost never as good or as bad as you think you are.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. Like, like you've seen it with with your family, and so they play in some big tournaments, right? And they'll come off the golf course. And how was it? That's horrible. Yeah, I shot 74 today. It was awful.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well, the leader shot 72.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Right. They're two shots back.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_00Right. Maybe the wind was gusty that day, maybe the pins were in some tough spots. They feel like they didn't get anything out of that round when in reality, they're only two shots off the lead. Right. On the flip side, they could go out and shoot 67. I had a great round, it was good. Well, the leader shot 61.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Right. And there's about 17 66s in front of them.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. And you're going, wait a second.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know, so so so it does give you that um that give and that take and and and knowing when to roll with the punches is is is mightily important. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I you know, I love golf. I've been very close to it. Um I think golf teaches you to believe in yourself. Sure it does. Right. There's a lot of doubt in golf, right? And and I think um, you know, there's a lot of insecurity in the workplace too. Right. And and and one of the things is I over my career and I've I've been humbled here the last eight, nine months, like we've been going on rapid growth, right? And so I've spent a lot of time in strategy and spending a lot of time on building teams of people, and and and that inflicts change, right? And change brings fear to people, right? Like don't that people don't like change, right? Um, and it creates doubt and and and and and doubt when you get into the golf game is a dangerous space to be in. Um, and so that's what I love about golf. It like it teaches you to believe in yourself. And I think, you know, I mean, boy, um I tell my wife privately sometimes, I wish all my kids played competitive golf, right? No, but I also understand every kid is not the same.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01Um, because I just believe that what golf teaches you of hard situations, incredible moments that are followed four minutes later by hitting it in the water. And your just soul just goes bottomless. Um but how do you pick yourself up, come back, hit another shot, you know, to to get within contention or to win a tournament or whatever it may be. And I think, you know, to me, I think that's why it's such a great game and it's defined so many people, right? The golden bear. Um, so I mean, I I I I respect the fact that you've been in golf for that long and probably have had some amazing conversations. Um, yeah, I have I've I have a fun question. You know, yeah, like I said, you've coached a lot of really neat people. Um who's one of the most prominent people that you can say that that you really had to give some advice that, like, I can't believe I'm telling this person this piece of advice. Wow.
SPEAKER_00Um Peyton Manning. Okay. Uh who's he? I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm just kidding. He I think he played a little football. Yeah. Um, he's a really good man. Yeah. And and I got to know him in Denver. Yeah. And uh and and taught Peyton. Uh, but I'll never forget my first lesson with him, you know, Peyton. Um, Peyton's right-handed, yeah, obviously. And and could throw the snot out of a football, yeah, clearly. And I'm watching him hit a golf ball, and and he there was no zip on it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right? It was the I think it was our first lesson. There was there was no zip on that thing at all. And he was for him, his swing shape, and and not not everyone's gonna do it the same, right? But for but for Peyton Manning. I'm watching him, and it's it's all left arm, left hand, everything was all left sided. Right. Well, he's a hall of famer with his right arm, right? Right? He's got some athleticism there, let's say. Yeah, just a little, yeah, right. And I said, you know, Peyton, what's funny is um you can throw the the heck out of the football. And he said, Well, yeah. And I go, but you can't move a golf club at all. Like it's slow, it's pokey, right? It wasn't wasn't going.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so I gave him a golf ball and I said, Hey, do me a favor. I said, just toss that thing out there. And he whips it out there, you know, kind of like you're throwing a baseball, it's just a golf ball, right? But whips that thing out there. And I said, Now hold the club in your right hand and don't let go, but make that same motion. And the club goes, you know, whistles, right? It's got some speed, it's got some whip to it. I said, now put two hands on there and do exactly the same thing you just did with your right hand.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I go, You're in the hall of fame. Yeah, you got one of the greatest arms ever in the NFL. Yeah, it happens to be your right arm. Let's use that in your golf game.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00That was that was an interesting conversation. Yeah, I bet uh he was a fun student and and a really a spectacular human being.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, he just seems like a you know, I've I've been really admired by him. Of I feel like he's done a great job of just being involved in some amazing organizations. And you know, he's he's what you want to see in a professional athlete, right? Like it's it's not to get into professional sports, but there's a lot of people that are, you know, letting certain things ruin what professional sports and was was was really built upon. Um, and I feel like he's done an incredible job through his family and and what he stands for.
SPEAKER_00He's he's a good man, he's a good dad. Yeah, yeah. Um, I've I've even taught a son who's probably one day gonna win the Heisman. Really? He's one heck of an athlete. That's awesome. Um, that whole family is pretty gifted with the athletic genes, truthfully. So yeah. Um, but I will say this this is this is a fun topic because uh there's me teaching someone something, right? But also on the other hand, I learned lessons from my students. Yeah, right. And so uh David Duval is one of my students. David Duvall's famous for being number one in the world, overtook Tiger Woods when Tiger Woods was you know playing the greatest golf ever, Ryder Cup, won the British Open, blah, blah, blah.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And um, David's one of my students, and and we not only is he one of my students, he's become a very dear friend.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And um I was asking him, I don't ask much about this, but David shot 59. Remember where they played last week if you watched PJ West out there. And I remember watching that tournament and I was younger, and the earth stood still.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00There was this 59 watch, right? And and TVs were on, like people stopped doing what they were doing and just glued to this thing because that's rare, right? That's a that's a polar bear siding on a beach in Maui. Yeah, right, like it just doesn't happen. Yeah, of course, right? So I remember that happening, and I I'll never forget watching that round. And as they were playing, David had hit a shot up there onto the green. The other players in his group were they were like getting rulings or something was going on. Well, David and his caddy walked to the back of the green, and David had his back to the hole and the other players. And you know, they go to commercial break, whatever it is they do, right? But I remember them standing there and looking nowhere near the hole. Like he's got a putt for 59, and they're not overanalyzing it, they're not over there, you know, testing the wind, yeah, whatever it is, right? He's literally got his back to the hole. And I said, David, I asked him, I said, I said, I gotta know. I go, What what in the hell were you doing? You know, I go, what what is going on? He goes, Well, Shane, he goes, I'll I'll be honest about it. And I said, Okay. He goes, I knew what that was for. I really wanted it.
unknownRight?
SPEAKER_00Who wouldn't? Yeah, of course. Right, but I mean he wanted it, yeah, right? He knew that putt was for fifty-nine. And he goes, I've been putting well all week. And he goes, I didn't want to turn that putt into something more than what it was. Yes, it was for a 59, but it was a 12-foot putt, whatever the length was, right? Yeah. He goes, that's what it was. It was just a 12-foot putt. He goes, and all week I knew that my first look was my best look and the only look I needed. On the putt. He goes, so I got up there when it was my turn. I gave it one look and went. That's awesome. He goes, My first look was my best look and the only look I needed. And you know, you think about that, and I've watched players I've coached, hell, I've done it myself, right? You get a putt, whether it's for Birdie or a nice front nine or whatever it is. And now all of a sudden, because it you you you've you've increased what that means. The meaning of it now has gotten more important to you. So now you're gonna look at it a little bit longer. Maybe you're gonna look at it from the from the back of the hole, from the front of the hole, from the side. You're gonna walk it off. Put all analysis prowess. Right. You start doing all this stuff. Yeah. He didn't do that. He stuck right with with with with the horse he rode in on.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And and didn't change and drain that thing. And I think that there was something to learn from that stuff.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00My first look was my best look, and only look I needed. That that's and and and I say this here to you in this podcast, right? Um I will tell you right now, I don't think anyone knows what I just said.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's cool.
SPEAKER_00And that's that's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, and I think it's a great takeaway, right? For golfers, competitive golfers. You know, that first look is probably the best look, you know, and and I think about decisions, some hard decisions that I've had to make over my career. Um, man, you overanalyze those things and then some. Um, and when you reflect on them, why didn't I do it a long time ago when I was ready to make that decision? Because I got nervous and I doubted myself. And, you know, so I think that's a that 12-foot putt, you know. I mean, take the first look, right? I mean, I think that's a great story, by the way. A lot of trust in that, by the way. A lot of trust. And and I think it's uh, you know, a good conversation about golf. I know golf means a lot to both of us. Um, you live it every day, you know. I I try to play it, right? Infrequently, I'm trying to change that. Um There's something that you and I are involved with. New clubs coming. Yeah, you know, it's I appreciate that. You know, I I uh, you know, I I I I'm ready. I'm there, I'm I'm ready mentally. You know, I got a good coach, right? And uh he's gonna put me up to good things. So we're good, no pressure. So, you know, so the takeaway from that is is is golf and life mirror one another. It's um tarred, you struggle, um, and you know, you take one shot at a time. And um, you know, I mean it's it's it's kind of how life is, right? Sure. It's not fair, a little luck involved every now and then. Um and so let's let's talk about that luck, right? Because I believe you and I, um, I don't know if I call it luck, but there's a little bit of luck involved in a phone call that you made to me one day. Uh, and it's something that, you know, uh, we talked about friends, we talked about golf uh and what that means, that trust and that legacy that we're creating. Um, well, we've got something that even more that kind of defines that, right? We've kind of put that in motion a little bit, right? And and what started as, you know, you and eating a hot dog when you were younger, and you know, that morphed into your life and career. I mean, we've we've got something that that that we've worked together on or we're working together on and creating and building a culture, right, based on things that we've learned um here in a project here in Greenwood, South Carolina. And and I would be remissed if we didn't talk about that, right? Because I think it's kind of the you know, the bell of the ball, the the the cherry on top for my career, um, for our relationship. Um and it's called Old Eight, right? Old Eight is something that's uh it's currently in motion. And and I'll let you kind of tell the story, how it came about. I think it's a phenomenal story. Uh to your point about the 12 foot putt, I'm sure a lot of people don't know how old eight came together, but uh you're gonna hear it right now uh about how old eight came together. And and and then we're gonna talk about just the culture, right? About the culture that we're trying to create. old aid of why is it different, right? I mean, what why is it, you know, everybody can make a a uh to your point, um, you know, everybody can and buy golf clubs or buy the best equipment in the world, but you know, how do you use them? You know, what how do you put that to work? Like what is the significance of you waking up every day, you know, to perfect that golf swing? Uh we're we're doing that with a real estate project old old eight. And and so uh so tell the story, right? I'll I'll I'll give you the honors to tell the story and and and if you don't tell it the right way I'll I'll intervene. I'm just kidding you but uh but tell the story about old eight right and and and that call that came to me one day and and then uh then we'll get into a little bit about you know what is old eight and where we're at.
SPEAKER_00So you know earlier I I've been I've been I said I've been fortunate to have been at some pretty impressive clubs over the years as their director of instruction and um loved all of it right but each one of those places has given me takeaways yeah things I've learned things I liked things I didn't like and and along the way and you and I even talked about this a million years ago you know it's it's great when when you basically when you you've got the ball in your hands right when you're gonna make the decisions that's those are the best times right and in the private club business um you know I had a lot of freedom to do what I did right but at the same time there's boards there's committees there's all kinds of things and and it's not that I didn't enjoy my job but at the same time I thought I I think I we could do something cool here. Like we we could maybe make this better right as great as those places are I thought we we can we can do this better. It can be done better. It can be done a little different and so I got to searching right and I'm I'm I get on these lists and I'm getting these emails of this course is for sale and that course is for sale because the only thing that made sense to me was to buy something.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And at the time it actually started as looking for like you know I don't know 25 30 acres put a driving range in a pudding green and call it good you know a taco truck I don't know like it really started kind of small right caddyshack three right yeah a little bit of that exactly and so I'm looking at something along those lines and and um and then I start looking at these course listings and and and looking at different things that kind of make sense that you know or things that don't make sense right they all kind of go into the blender right yeah and um end up calling you one night and uh just checking in you know and and um you asked me what I was up to and I said you're not gonna believe this I said I'm actually I'm I'm trying I want to buy a golf course I'm trying to buy a golf course and uh and you said well where do you want to do it at and I said I you know I'd love to come back to the Carolinas right South Carolina in particular I said I'd love to come back you know but it's got to be the right thing yeah and I don't know if it was a day or two later or something you know we got off the topic and you talking about the kids and Ashley and you know and that kind of thing and it was a day or two later I think you got back to me and you said hey I got I got an idea and um I remember you and and your brother had gotten the place on the lake up in Greenwood and and your your families were spending a bunch of time and enjoying it and and Ashley and I talking about coming to visit y'all there, right? And um you said hey there's this golf course that that the owner it's not for sale but he'd really like to sell it to the right person and and you connected um the owner of that golf course with me. And he and I had an hour and a half long conversation and then you know one thing led to another and um you know here here we sit today with something kind of special.
SPEAKER_01Yeah I I remember that comment conversation it was yesterday and and um you know it it uh you know it was a fake conversation right as I I I've learned in my life to pay attention to the signals I'm I'm a lot of people would say I'm hardheaded I you know I'm I may or may not listen to what I want to hear when I don't um and and God created me the way he did right I've I've you know and I don't want to change that right there may be a few things I'd like to tweak or a few levers I'd like to go back and have that conversation with them but it is what it is right um but I I believe in fate and um you know privately a lot of people know that I sat beside my bride on an airplane right that's that's my wife um and so uh so I remember that conversation and where I was in the journey and and we were up in Greenwood and we were starting to prospect a little and you know we were kind of on the fence we didn't know if we wanted to do it or not and then of course that call comes in to you and you're you're telling me about Mitch and and and how you've met this incredible human being and that you know he was part of your your your story and and and and you flew down here and I'll never forget we we rented that house and we're all sitting there around that little table and we're just kicking it up and I remember thinking to myself I'm like these are incredible human beings like these are you know I'm just watching all this unfold and I didn't I didn't understand or I didn't you know because it was moving fast that train was moving pretty fast at the time if you remember um but boys I reflect now about some of the greatest stories of my career or uh some that I I didn't expect right that happened organically that happened with people that I admire the heck out of and I trusted and I think old aid is a great example of of those you know factors and variables right I mean it's if you look at what old aid is today and you look at that first conversation that you and I have it's not one plus one equals two it it it's a lot more and uh so it it's it's awesome it's incredible I think it's a lifelong opportunity for for both of us um certainly our company's ecstatic to be involved in it and and kind of help lead the charge on some of it um but let's talk about old eight what what is old eight and and you know what what differentiates old eight from a lot of the places that you've been um a lot of places that I've had the you know pleasure of working on I've been to some cool places in my career um but we're here in South Carolina it's one of the hottest growing states in the nation right now for a whole host of factors and that's not just next year that's for the next 20 to 30 years. How does old eight play into that? You know what what is old eight? Is it golf is it you know talk about it right?
SPEAKER_00I mean is it what makes it different right so this is this is this is the fun part for me right so it starts to me with the heart of it right yeah and the heart of it is is the people that were behind it from day one which is you Mitch Ashley and I you know getting this thing moving this forward yeah right and and then what what what was the goal right the goal is to create something that that families could experience for for generations right that uh that golf you know always to me is going to be the bell of the ball right but at the same time um you know we all know that uh we've got those friends or families that you know two of them love golf and two of them like to do other things right we needed to create an environment that that we had multiple outlets for people to whether go hiking whether they're on jet skis whether they're at the pool the fitness center um you know to do other than golf right and then and then do it in an environment create an environment that's that's fun that's welcoming a place that you know if you were to come up to visit on the weekends when you drive away you you just you just want to turn that car around and go right back and do it again.
SPEAKER_01Yeah right that was that was sort of the the the hook to it all and and I think we are uh very much well well on our way to to to getting there yeah um that that that initial idea right is still at the heart really of everything that we do right what it means and um to have that friendship with with you and I to have the friendship with Mitch and then to use everyone's expertise right at the same time to kind of blend to this this perfect storm that's created old eight which makes us unique because it's not just an idea right um it's it's way more than that it's it's a way of life it's it's a way it's it's a wave into the future right and oddly enough we're pulling a little bit from the past to create the future right I mean that's and that's the direction that we're going with it and then we've we found ourselves I think uh a beautiful niche in this in this in this golf space yeah golf real estate space yeah I um you know I think about we talked about friends and there's that trust and legacy and it's you know there's that support there's that feedback sometimes it's healthy right um and I and I truly feel like that's the family of of of what we have right and that legacy that we're creating and that opportunity that people have provided us and whether it be yourself or Mitch or Ashley like it's it's not every day is is roses right but that's okay as you're as we're putting this thing together and and building you know what I believe is um you know an incredible legacy right I I often say you know we're rooted in tradition but we're redefined for the future right because if you look at the game of golf I had the incredible pleasure to go visit you know where where the game of golf was was was started um recently and you know the the history was just off the charts. I mean it was just like you know I I was just blown away. Thick yeah it was thick I just reflected on it I'm like I can't believe I'm standing here like this is this is crazy. Um so that that tradition and that golf is amazing right and for all the reasons that we talked about now it's 2026 and so what's that look like today right and I think what when I look at old eight um you know I wake up every day and it's a grind to try to build teams of people to execute and work with all these incredible people and partners and there's so many people involved right we could sit here and talk about it for smart people 25 hours smart people right and I think if you look at the team of people that we've put together not just as the as the ownership group or the investors but it's the consultants right they have the same attitude that that you and I were just talking about right they bleed right they believe right they they're giving everything they have because they also understand the legacy that's coming together with old aid it's it's it's a place right it's built on it's it's it's a community right that's built around people right and people that are believing in a commonality of something that they want to create. Now the beautiful thing is right when you look at it it's just not about golf it's on the lake right um all the other amenities that we're creating in terms of whether it's restaurant and wellness or a general store or a a golf academy and I want you to talk about the golf academy because I think it's the differentiator for us. But if you look at all that that's an experience right and what do what do people want today? They want to be around an experience. I live in an old school community golf gates security officer right it it's a model of the past right it's a great place. I love it right but I feel like old aid is the model for the future of that you know we have all those things but we're expanding on that experience that somebody can come and live and play and work and eat and sleep and do it to create memories right our our tagline is you know made for the moments and I often reflect on that because you know if as we were going through our branding process, right? The the famous quote of Pat Conroy tell me a story right if you go on our website it's it's there. And I believe like life is about a story right and I believe old aid when you look at the story that's coming together for old aid um just today, right? The things that we've done in less than 12 months um not even alone what's going to happen in the next 12 months and if people start to see that and understand the real estate opportunities that you can live there and play that golf course and stay in those cabins and go laugh with your friends on the lighted putting course or short course like if you just start to to to count on your finger all the cool things that you can do, you know, that adds up to something that I believe is very desirable to people and I think built on friendship and legacy I'm biased but I really think people are going to want to be a part of that. So I mean I think it's it's a neat project it's a fun project and and and I think you know let's talk for a minute about the culture of old eight um you know and and you relay that to the golf academy if you don't mind right because I think that's a that's the you know as we wind this thing down right I think the golf academy is a really climax for your career for friendship for who's involved for how that came together like to me right this is probably a story that's never been told either right because it's a true example of doing the right thing over your career being around the right people and now it's part of this dream of old eight and culture of old eight that we're creating. So you know I'll I'll give you the honors to to tell that story.
SPEAKER_00So we're we're here today right because of relationships. Yeah that's why we're here yeah and and I think um we've we've all used our relationships um to to get this thing moving forward right and you know when this project started going um I've been very fortunate I've had a 20 plus year relationship with with Callaway Golf and their executive team. I was actually with their entire executive team at Adams Golf before Adams Golf shut down right so and and they've been uh huge in in in helping my career uh grow over the years and so when we were looking at here and then the you know the this extra property the Fletcher property right and we could do this par three course and this teaching center and all this all of a sudden like okay this is this is really real uh it's cool to have it but how do we really put the cherry on top of this thing like how do we really have this thing really truly make a mark right and um I used my relationship with with the folks at Callaway uh with Chip Brewer Tim Reed uh they've been amazing and you know it was funny I I didn't tell I called them and I said I got this thing going on yeah yeah right I don't know if I told you this no I don't think so so I said I got this thing going on and and we bought a golf course and we're doing this and that and and I I just I want to come hang out. Yeah can I come visit with y'all and so Alex our head golf professional Mitch Kovitz our our financial hero right and and I uh flew out to Carlsbed and had a full day sit down with the executive team at Callaway. Yeah and I said here's what we're doing here's who's involved and you know I said look you know my my wife's running things yeah you know and they all know Ashley right I said one of my dearest friends in the whole entire world Matt Green is is doing everything vertical he knows what he's doing he does it for the right reasons here's Mitch Kovitz who I've taught for a long long time his family his company his kids the whole thing I said this is this is what you're dealing with I said and here's what we'd like to do and they immediately said yes yeah like immediately and so one of the conversations we had and we were out there right so the thing at old eight to me it's this um it's cool it's is is it high end? Absolutely right but does it make you feel like you don't belong absolutely not right right it is that elite feel where it's just the amount just the perfect amount of polish and and sort of country at the same time. Yeah right it's the perfect amount of both and so when we were talking about the teaching center you see all these things the golf institute of technology and you know it's all sounds so clinical right and that's just not that's just not it. It's not really no you know it's not it's not what I do. And and to me it's it's it's we're looking at something that's a bigger picture, right? And so we decided to call the the teaching center the repair shop. Why is it the repair shop? Well it's where you go to get fixed. Yeah period right you're there because you you got an issue we're gonna fix the issue and we're gonna send you home yeah you know that kind of thing and and what Callaway loved it. Yeah I mean they ate that up uh the repair shop really a cool thing plus not only is your swing getting fixed it's where you go if you need your clubs regripped if you need loft and lies checked if you want a club fitting um we're gonna have one of the coolest club fitting club building areas in the country uh when this is all said and done and with huge thanks to Callaway obviously and all the technology that comes with that is going to be amazing. Yep yeah and um so one of the fun things will be is that when someone comes in and they have a lesson or book a fitting whatever it is if they book a fitting you will be able to leave with your driver your wedges and your putter in hand yeah we'll order the irons because that's too much to try to build on site right but but you'll be able to leave with those products from there. Everyone's gone to the demo day and fallen in love with a driver right and then they have to order it and then that new driver shows up and it's not like the one they hit at demo day right yeah you're gonna get the one right there you know for whatever reason. Yeah and but everyone's gone through that right uh you get to skip that step at the repair shop at Old Eight.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well I I think it's just an incredible story of everything that we've talked about right the relationships the legacy the family um you know when Callaway came out for our grand opening of old eight on November 7th and announced that we were kind of their East Coast location um that's special right that that's special it it it helps define what old eight really is right it's not your average community it this is a that's a place we're creating right and so people can come and experience that they can you know I often tell the story like you know what what's a day in the life of old eight well you know uh foursome goes out and and and and cracks 18 right they hit the tea time at nine but before that they're going to get a couple of cup cup of coffee and maybe hitting the nature trail for a run or something like that. And those who don't want to play the golf may go down to the wellness center or the spa or take a dip in the lake and then they all meet up and maybe go over and go to camp old eight and maybe shoot some clays or you know go on some e-bikes or whatever it may be. And then come back for dinner and sit around the fire pit. You know, it it it's you know and and there's a lot of marketing material that has all that and says all that in different ways but you know at old eight it's all integrated and because of some of the ideas that we've all had and some of the people that around it have helped weave that together right the Dan Kiefers of the world the Pierce Scott's the world these these people that are authentic in nature and their thinking and how they placemake you know um is is really you know I step back and reflect on it. Sometimes you got to step back and and smell the grass right because the grass smells good right but if you're just walking on the grass all the time like it's you don't take a minute and say like you know what take a deep breath man breathe this air because what old aid is it it is made for the moments right it it is a story that's coming together that you know everybody's got their story right I mean everybody's you know whatever you're selling they got their pitch their story but when the story happens organically right through actions or storytelling or you know um uh people that get involved like that story defines itself sure and that's what I love about old aid is that that story is defining itself and and sometimes I have to remind myself you know you know me I'm in I'm up early and I am jet fuel ready and the rocket is off um and when I stop right it's hard for me to stop uh when I stop I go to bed and I rinse and repeat right six seven days a week um but I love it and the reason I love it is because I'm passionate about it right and when you have passion in something to me it becomes simpler whether it's playing golf whether it's having friends whether it's doing something like old eight um you know that that passion to me is what drives you know all of us right to build something amazing with old eight and and I can't think of like you know everything that we've talked about and everything we've experienced like you know this is this is something that we're building this culture that we're building and and um I can't wait for as 26 comes alive right it's January now as 26 comes alive and people really start to see um what it is you know I I encourage people right come come check it out like it's celebrated right because this is this is a lifelong journey for people that have really passionately like this led us to this point um and I think it's it's a good story and and you're a huge part of that right you're a huge part of that.
SPEAKER_00Well I appreciate that and I I think there's a there's a there's a key here and when you when you look at the you know obviously my my my my deal is golf industry right so when I look at the golf industry um it's not different than most other things. It's a copycat thing. Yeah right so what happens is club A, whatever that club is sees club B. Uh put pickleball courts in. Well now they get together and go, you know what, we don't have pickleball courts and we gotta have pickleball courts. And so now we gotta have them, right? And that kind of thing. And well what's great about old eight is that's not what it is.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. So old eight is the thing where it has been thought through. It has been thought out by people that have experienced it, done it, been there, done that, seen it succeed, fail, or somewhere in between, right? And they're bringing all of those experiences to create literally the most unique experience you could possibly have as a family in in one general area. And and not just a unique experience but fun. Yeah. You know, like the kind of thing that you want to you can't wait to go to bed and get up and do this do it over again. Right. It's just going to be that cool. And and because of the people that we have and the experiences that they've had, their successes, their failures, the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between, right? It's lent itself to to what this this culture is, right? It's not that we have every answer, but boy, do we have some good ones. Yeah. Right.
SPEAKER_01I would agree, you know, and I just to put a bow on that, I I have noticed, you know, we talked about Callaway Golf, but you know, people want to be involved in Old Eight. You know, I I look at some of the building partners that we have like Builders First Source, um, enormous company. Um you know they're they're heavily involved in in Old Eight as we're we're working together on a platform with um one of our companies called Lanthorn Homes of trying to work on you know things are are rooted in tradition but how do we redefine those for the future in the building business? And then when they got involved like everybody else started to get involved like all these crazy name brands um because it's a good story. It's a good story. And when you have good people and good stories like you know yeah you you want some of that you want to smell that grass. Yeah you do right you want to celebrate that you want to you want to dive into that passion and uh that's what keeps me going every day. Right keeps me going every day and that's why I want to get on this green scene podcast and tell the story because you know I wake up every day and I I I I still read you know I'm a big Steelers fan. I read the Pittsburgh Post cadet Post Gazette and I'm I'm just so bummed that they're they're they're shutting down I'm hoping somebody gets in there because that that PG is a is a good connection for me. I'm a diehard penguins fan Steelers fan I I tune in right that's my therapy that that I watch um but there's so much negativity out there it just drives me nuts right and I mean it's it's even the weather people are trying to find the negative and get people all frazzled about snow or whatever may be but you know it it's time to to to you know mitigate the noise you know and I think if there's anything people get out of there it's like hey take a pause man smell the grass like you know celebrate the wins enjoy your friends and uh you know I I I guess that's what you know we'll we'll we'll wrap this and conclude it but you know partner I'm I'm proud of you right um we got a long road ahead of us yes we do but it's but it's gonna be fun I think people are gonna be really proud of what they see at at old eight and and uh if you're looking to take lessons out there you know this this guy uh you know I I think the repair shop is fitting right I mean I I'll have my car parked in there in a heartbeat man I bet you that so um but again thank you right uh look forward to many years ahead and uh you know what I'll say to everybody out there is thanks for joining us uh uh on the green scene uh official podcast and uh we'll talk to you next time thank you Matt appreciate it