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Not Salty Golf Podcast
Not Salty Golf Podcast brings you insights from the top golfers and golfing experiences around the Great Lakes Region. Enjoy interviews with the top golfers, get tips and trends, equipment previews and learn about the most enjoyable destinations the Great Lakes region has to offer.
Not Salty Golf Podcast
Professional Golfer Arie Jackman
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This week we sit down with Arie Jackman who was the very first Team Great Lakes Gear Golfer ever. We discuss a summer where Arie dominated the West Michigan Golf Association (WMGA) events, and the games at Quail Ridge, which led to a decision to turn pro. Along with his professional career, Arie has a big social media presence so we discuss the benefits of documenting every golf shot and putting yourself out there for the world to see.
Not Salty golf podcast is brought to you by Great Lakes Gear, which is one of the fastest growing golf brands around the Great Lakes Region.
Instagram: @notsaltygolf & @glakesgear
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Not Salty Golf Podcast. Thanks for being with us. We have a very special guest this week, Ari Jackman. It is special for us because Ari was the very first golfer ever on Team Great Lakes gear. And so we will talk to him about all things golf, how he got into golf, a little bit about his high school and college career, and the transition to the professional game is Ari is down in Florida playing the mini tours, playing in pretty much anything he can get into to sharpen his game at the professional level. So a very, very special podcast for us. Other than that, we are waiting for the weather to turn and get consistently good so we can get out there on the golf course ourselves. If you are live or around the Great Lakes region, you know that uh the weather has been wet, a lot of rain and some cold temperatures along with that rain. And so I know these golf courses are waiting for warmer weather as well, so we can get out there, play some golf on a consistent basis, and enjoy this game we all love. So, with that, let's jump into this week's guest, Ari Jackman. Hey everyone, welcome back to the Not Salty Golf Podcast. We are so excited today. We have Ari Jackman on the podcast today. And Garrett, it's a special day, an exciting guest for us. Uh Ari was the very first golfer that Great Lakes Gear signed. And so that was a big day for not only us, but hopefully Ari as well. Um, and Ari is down in Florida right now. We're happy that he is joining us. And so let's dive right into it, Garrett.
SPEAKER_00Let's do it, McGee. Welcome, Ari. What's up, buddy? How are you today?
SPEAKER_05Thanks, boys. I'm doing great. Um, thanks for having me on. I'm looking forward to some uh some good conversation.
SPEAKER_00You bet, man. I bet you're getting some nicer weather down in Florida than we are up here in Michigan right now.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I've heard there's been some pretty bad floods up there, um, which I'm not I'm heading back in about a week, so not super excited to see that in the forecast.
SPEAKER_00No, you got a you got a paddle board, maybe a kayak. You might want to bring that back with you. Get my canoe out. There we go. Um, but let's let's kind of get things rolling here, man. I want to kind of touch on right what McGee led into out of the intro. You were one of the first Great Lakes Gear ambassadors, if you will. And I want to get on to kind of some of your golf prior to that and obviously following, but what what brought how did you land with Great Lakes Gear? What brought you to this experience? How'd you meet McGee? How did all this come to fruition to begin with?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I mean, it all started with funny enough, my TikTok. Um, I think McGee, I I will I would always go out to the golf emporium and practice when I played for GRCC. I'd be out there every day. I mean, those guys knew me like the back of their hand. And I think McGee had asked them, like, hey, what's up with this kid? Like, I see he's got a pretty big TikTok following. Like, and I think they had good things to say, hopefully. Um and McGee ended up messaging me or um getting in touch with me. And yeah, that's kind of what started it all. And I think we ended up first meeting in person at the West Michigan Am at the mines. Um, I had no idea who he was, and he came over and he's like, he's like, This is who I am, this is what I do. And from there it was uh it was all all hands on deck.
SPEAKER_00Seriously, I did not know that story. I did not know that. It was my charm, Garrett. You you are a charming individual.
SPEAKER_03He's like, Who's this stud? Yeah, I'm signing with that company.
SPEAKER_00Who is this dapper guy who's wearing all this swaggy apparel?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but he is correct. Mark at the golf emporium and the guys out the golf emporium. You know, we start talking about Ari, and they're like, Yeah, you know, and they said he was how good great of a kid he was, and you know, kind of quiet, but good kid, and um yeah, so that's reached out, and that's correct. So shout out to the golf emporium. But in true fashion, Garrett, he was recruited by Quail Ridge, Quail Golf Park, because um we went out and played.
SPEAKER_00I uh I remember that, and this is gonna be the I'm gonna echo the same thing I echoed in in Charlie's podcast for for those listeners that tune into that episode. Is I can't remember if I was part of the first round with Ari at Quail or if I was part of the second, but I remember being a part of an early one.
SPEAKER_02I think it was the second. I I don't I think it was just Ari and I that first one. Um, but it did take Ari long to become a uh I mean he's in the group text, so it didn't take him long to become an official member of uh quail golf park uh text group.
SPEAKER_05I hope no one gets offended, but there was a point in time, it's not anymore, but there were there was a point in time mid-season where the the quail text had to get muted because my phone was blowing up and I was I just kept checking it, thinking maybe something important was going on. And it was just the boys in the group text just going crazy, and I was just like, all right, I was like, I can't be checking my phone every five minutes.
SPEAKER_00All right, absolutely absolutely no offense taken because my mine's been muted from day one. There's not there's not a there's not a group text in my phone that's not muted, no chance. You put that many, you put that many people on a thread at one time, and you just never know when that's gonna go sideways. Especially that group, yeah, especially that group. Well, we're glad you're still a part of it, man. The fact that you're down south doing all the things that you're doing and are still active and engaged in that text thread is is pretty pretty impressive.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I enjoy seeing what's going on back up north, and I look forward to some uh to some Sunday 12 sums at Quail.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, a little Sunday lap at the lap around the park.
SPEAKER_02I have to say, people listening to the podcast, because I think we've made a reference with in Charlie's episode about Quail and the Eight Sums, or they're gonna they're gonna think we're kind of fabricating that. Like, oh, they must, you know, they're just throwing it out there saying they play with no. We literally play eight sums at Quail, or we play like 10, 12 people, like the last hour of daylight.
SPEAKER_05That's what what's what wasn't said in the last episode is that you know it'll be an eight sum, and every single person will have their own cart. There are eight carts, everyone hits their t-shots, and then it is just a scramble. You get off the cart path, and it's just a scramble all across the course. I mean, there's balls flying everywhere.
SPEAKER_00It's it is everyone for themselves. And and realistically, McGee and Ari, we you're not wrong. People might listen to this and think this is absolutely just fabricated nonsense. Um, it is a unique opportunity that that we've been able to execute the game in this fashion, I guess. I I'm trying to say this as professionally as possible, but uh we shouldn't set the expectation. There no eight sum is allowed. This isn't this this is a last hour before sunset kind of thing. Course is empty, like just chasing it before the sun sets and that kind of thing. Because by the time people show up to Quail McGee and like saying, Hey, we heard you guys do eight sums. We're gonna hear we're gonna we're gonna hear about it, and we don't want that coming back to us, man.
SPEAKER_02Definitely uh what's funny about that is you'll go to quail sometimes when they are super busy, which is all the time they're busy, and they're you know, turning carts like yeah, right away because there's a group waiting for the next group to finish, so they can grab that cart at times, and here we are. Where are all the carts?
SPEAKER_03I don't know. Look look down on hole number six.
SPEAKER_00McGee McGee's got them.
SPEAKER_03Great Lake Gear group. The quail boys are playing an eight summon, they all have their own cart.
SPEAKER_00It's it's an incredible experience, and and we're beyond fortunate to to have that facility be as welcoming and as accommodating and as and as engaged and having as much fun with it as we do. So it's it's a special spot, man. No doubt.
SPEAKER_05I mean, there's been there's been some clubs donated to the ponds there. I feel like that's a good uh good good payment. I think one of Brent's drivers is in the pond, not left of 12.
SPEAKER_03So I mean we're not we're not gonna name names. We're not gonna name names.
SPEAKER_05Sorry, we can bleed that out.
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_05We need some anonymity here.
SPEAKER_02Hey, all right. Over under. I'll set the overunder. You've been playing at Quail three years, correct? Uh 20, yeah, probably three years. Okay. Over under is 20. Do you take the over or under on how many clubs you've seen tossed and lost or broken?
SPEAKER_05Like tossed and like left? Like tossing upon the colour.
SPEAKER_00There could be three things tossed, lost, and broken.
SPEAKER_02Recovered, but not in the same condition it was pre-toss.
SPEAKER_05Um that's a great line. Um I think I gotta go with the under. It's gotta be close. I I I think if I think if you need more laps. Again, we're we're not naming names here, but I think if just a driver being dragged out the side of a cart on the cart path counts, then we're probably pretty close to the pretty close to the over. Uh, not we're not naming any names here, but the amount of times I've just heard a scraping sound, and it's just a driver being dragged out the side of a golf cart. Uh road rash is a common form of punishment.
SPEAKER_02Hey, the thing didn't work, so it had to be uh rearranged a little bit.
SPEAKER_05So maybe a little weight off the bottom. Exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_00We're just moving the CG around.
SPEAKER_02People people listening are gonna think like we have tempers and we're mean. We are not mean, we do not have tempers. We laugh about it, we have fun with it, and when when somebody does it, we all just kind of laugh. So it's in I would say it's more done in good fun than uh you know anything else, it's just what we do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. It's every uh a lot of members in that group have their punishment club. It's like the 15th club in the bag, the one that just like when things go when things go sideways, it's that's the one that feels the wrath.
SPEAKER_02It's okay. No names, but there is a member of our group whose whole bag is uh could be up for punishment at any moment that that that bag's on thin ice from the first T to the 18th green, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but it's not Ari's bag. We're going sideways here. We got we gotta rate it back in. Um, Ari. So uh first year with GLG, how long ago was that? Would that have been three years ago then? 2023. I signed with them.
SPEAKER_05Uh I think it was like right at the beginning of June of 2023, because I think the West Michigan M was like the last week in May, and that was when I met McGee, and then I played US Open final qualifying. I want to say it was like June 6th, and I was wearing the gear, so it was a quick turn, but yeah, I would say you know, beginning of June 2023. So yeah, probably two and a half.
SPEAKER_00Okay. And that's two and a half years ago. That's perfect. It's kind of where I was hoping to kind of direct this next with you, man. Is is we've known each other for about that long. Um, not a whole lot before that, but you said McGee found you on TikTok. So before we get to talking about the state of your game and kind of where you're at now, where were you then? Where was your game at? What were you, what were you striving for? What were you trying to achieve in Chase and all that?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, that was kind of you know the turning point, I guess you could say, of my game, like literally that two-month span from like getting done with college that year to signing with Great Lakes Gear. Um, I was a very average college golfer. Um, you know, I was pretty blessed to have the opportunity to play Division I golf, but um played two years at JUCO before that. And um I think about a month before I signed with Great Lakes Gear, I just won the Michigan Metal play, formerly the Horton Smith. And that was kind of like that was kind of the breakthrough um for my career. Like when I look back at that, that kind of sparked the flame for everything I've done since. Um so yeah, I mean, I was definitely just a pretty average player, and then you know, that month or so I kind of started to cement myself as one of the one of the better players around.
SPEAKER_00That's really uh that's beyond cool. Because again, knowing where you're at now and and looking forward to speaking to that and just seeing kind of where your work ethic has been for the last two and a half years has been just beyond incredible to and I've heard that story too, man. I've heard you talk about how your collegiate career was kind of by your by your perspecti from your perspective, average.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Um, yeah, there's there's a funny story about the whole spark, which we'll we'll get to in a little bit. But yeah, I mean, collegiate career yeah, excuse me. Collegiate career was definitely just step by step. Um came out as a junior golfer pretty good. I mean, I I had a pretty good junior golf career. Um, got into it super late, which it's funny. I think I talked to or I listened to Charlie and Caleb's episodes and they both kind of talked about how they were late late bloomers, and I was the exact same way. I mean, I started playing golf in high school, um, never played an AJGA event, never played any national events, just played in the local West Michigan stuff and a couple of game events here and there. And um my senior year of high school um got canceled because of COVID. So I played a bunch of junior events that summer and ended up making it to the quarterfinals of the Michigan Junior Ram. That was kind of like where I, you know, made a big step in the right direction. Um, and then heading into GRCC, I felt like I was kind of everyone was looking at me like, okay, this is the next really good player that's gonna come through here and just kind of lost everything for a couple of years. Um, I think I averaged just under 80 my freshman year. Um, it was rough. Um, I won my first event ever in college. Um, that was that was a pretty cool story. First ever event I played at GRCC, I won. And then after that, I think I won that event the next week. I made a hole in one on a par four, and then uh everything went downhill from there for a couple of years.
SPEAKER_02So I think I think that's a good point I just want to focus on real quick is uh like Ari just said, everybody we've talked to on this podcast with our players, they all just got better step by step. And and for people out there listening, if you're an aspiring golfer at any level, um if you just get keep getting better each day, each month, each year, just keep getting better and believe in yourself, like good things can happen.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, for sure. Um yeah, I mean I one thing that I'll say, which I've always believed, is like when I got into the game super late, I was never never had the talent, I guess you could say, never had the um just I never had a perfect swing, I never had a perfect putting stroke. So I kind of always just said like, you know, if I can outwork my competition one day at a time, like in the long haul, I know that the hard work and the reps are gonna outweigh the talent. And I I still believe that and I still still go by that.
SPEAKER_00I couldn't agree more, man. There's a lot of adversity in this game, and we all face it pretty much each and every time we tee it up. And and your work ethic and your drive and determination, the consistency, man, that speaks volumes, and obviously that's helped you get to where you are now at that the level you're playing professionally and continuing to pursue this game at that high level and beyond, man. It's it's fun to watch. You're doing something really special. Thanks.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02All right. My question would be um you went to Central, uh, you know, had a little bit of success there playing D1 golf, uh, got to play against that uh calib D1 caliber talent. Do you think that had a big impact on your golf career, just the level of people you were playing with and against?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah, I it definitely did. I mean, obviously going from you know, Division II JUCO to playing against, you know, some of the best players in the country. Um, there's a big step. Um, and it's a big learning curve of you know, how do you prepare for those events? You know, what are those guys doing? And again, we were a bottom 20, 30 division one team, so we weren't we weren't very competitive, which was okay. I mean, we were a young team and we were still learning, um, but it's it's not fun losing. I mean, we pretty much got our butts kicked for two years while I was there. Um, but I mean it also taught it taught me a lot of I just got to kind of sit back and take in what was going on and watch what these top programs are doing. Um there's a there's there's a story which I won't get into the details, but we were our team played in the Folds of Honor tournament at American Dunes the first year that it was hosted, and I ended up not playing, but I was I was there that week at the event and I got to kind of walk around and watch our guys play. And we were playing with UConn, or I'm sorry, not UConn. We were playing with UCLA and NC State, which at the time were two like top 40 teams in the country. Um, I actually watched Michael Lasaso, who now plays on Live, play that week with one of my teammates, and just being able to watch what those guys were doing, like it was a different level compared to what we were doing and what I was doing at the time. Um, but it also gave me a pretty good understanding of where I need to be and you know what things I need to improve just by watching that and watching them play a very difficult golf course that American Dunes was.
SPEAKER_00Gives you some good insight and kind of the evolution and and how to go from one level to the next level to the next level and kind of make those incremental strides, doesn't it?
SPEAKER_05Yeah. I mean, it's always been everything I've seen since I've gotten into college is is just consistency. Um, I mean, especially like my freshman year, I talked about I had some pretty big struggles, um, just ball striking and swing wise. And I always was was able to hit any shot I wanted, but the consistency behind it was was not there. Um, and that's kind of something I've strived for. Is again back then I used to practice, and it's like, okay, well, I hit the shot one time out of five, like well, that's good enough. And now it's like it's gotta be like every time. Um, I mean, I I used to go to the range and be like, all right, I gotta hit a draw, and it would take me three times to do it. I'm like, oh sick, I can hit a draw. And it's like, well, not really.
SPEAKER_00Um, so yeah. That's I I I love that. And from personal experience, I'll never forget one of the things working with my swing coach a handful of years ago, when I started to kind of really get back into chasing the game a little bit and playing competitively again. And I'd spend time just at his place. He's got a studio, we'd be on track man, um, just hitting balls for hours. And I'd hit a good shot, and I'd be pretty stoked about it, whether it was chasing a certain metric on track man, a certain ball flight, a certain anything. And my coach would just stop and look at me and he goes, Now do it again, and then do it again, and then do it again. And like that's speaking to that man, that's that consistency, and to get to that next level, that's what it takes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you know, that's that saying they say, you know, some of those top professional athletes, and I might get the saying wrong, but but it's something like you pra like most people practice until they can do something, and the great ones practice till they can't get it wrong, or something like that. Yeah, I think that's so true. Um you know, because when we're out playing and we'll hit a shot and we'll be like, Oh, see, uh you feel like you could do it, but the next time you're in that situation, you try to hit the same shot and you can't pull it off, you're like, okay. So there's a big difference, especially in golf, when you're one for five, and the next guy can do it four out of five times or five out of five times, and that's like the difference between Guys that are on tour and the guys that are trying to get to tour, uh, you know, I'm sure.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, that's one of the biggest things I've noticed from transitioning from amateur to professional golf of, you know, you go play an amateur tournament and it's a very difficult golf course, and you're kind of just like, okay, no one's gonna take it low because like there's enough trouble to where every once in a while, again, as as amateurs, and again, there's there's a select few amateurs who play at a tour level, but again, most of the time you're like, okay, I don't really need to go that low this week because the course is hard. And as a professional, like you go play a very difficult golf course, and there's someone, and there's always more than one person who is just not going to miss a shot all day. Um, that trouble just doesn't exist in professional golf. Is I've gone in, especially early on early on in my career, um, playing in these events. I'm like, this is a very difficult golf course. Like, there's a lot of water, there's a lot out of bounds. Again, something that an amateur player thinks about a lot because their misses are more often. And as a professional player, now it's like you go play a golf course and there's a ton of trouble, and people just don't miss. I mean, my first ever Q school I played in, the golf course was like 70, 300 yards, and there's a ton of water, ton of houses. Like, again, it's not the hardest golf course in the world, but it's long and there's trouble. And I think 18 under was the cut for four rounds. Like the if there's a fairway and there's a green, like it's it's it's a ball game. So yep, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00I'm I'm glad you kind of are heading this direction because I I want to touch on the transition. Obviously, you mentioned transitioning from amateur golf to professional golf, which you you really made that leap not that long ago. And before I kind of let you dive in more to that, I'm curious to ask you just from that 30,000-foot view, man. Like, if you were to look back two and a half years ago to when you were at the mines at the West Michigan Am and playing at that level that you were playing at on that day, say, to where you are now, like what a rapid rate of change, man. Do you I mean, would you agree? Would you have foreseen yourself in this spot two and a half years ago?
SPEAKER_05No, um not at all, to be honest. Um, again, like I said, it just it all comes down to consistency of back then I had the good golf in me. Um, like I talked about when I won the Michigan Metal play, I shot back 63s to win. Um, like the good golf was there, but it came very not very often. Um but it was still there, and now it's kind of like every single day I expect to go out and put up a round in the 60s. Um so yeah, I mean, I again I always I've always had good belief in myself and I've always believed that I'm able to do things that I want to do and be able to accomplish my dreams, but now to actually be living that and to be competing um and you know, giving myself the opportunities and going out and having some success. It's definitely uh again, you can you can have your dreams, but when they're coming, coming right in front of you, it's it's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_00So that is really cool. And before you got to this stage of your dreams, man, you had a pretty good run through the uh the West Michigan amateur golf scene before you made this jump, man. You had a you had a great run. Tell us a little more about that.
SPEAKER_02I was just gonna jump in real quick. Ari, uh watching Ari when we signed them and progress, and I'm glad you asked that question, Garrett. Won't you say that one summer, Ari, when you uh won the city match play and then went on to break the record, scoring record at the Kent County Am that kind of solidified in your mind, like okay, I feel like I'm ready to make the jump. And before you answer that, let's give a huge shout out to the West Michigan Golf Association. We all play in their events, and uh, so a big shout out to them.
SPEAKER_05But yeah. Yeah. Um going going back to the West Michigan Golf Association. On my I play a lot of events on the Minor League Golf Tour, and they let you do a little bio if you want. And my bio just says West Michigan Golf Association uh Order of Merit Champion 2023-2024. That's all and probably probably no one knows what it means because I think I just put you know WM G A on it. I didn't even put West for like it just says like champion, no one even knows what it means.
SPEAKER_00But that is too cool.
SPEAKER_05But yeah, no, that summer was definitely good. Um I'm kind of gonna go back a few months before that summer and just talk about um when I graduated college. Um I graduated my senior year at Central in the spring of 24. And again, like I said, I had a very average college career. I was I was ranked like 1900 in the country. I mean, like very, very average. Um and had no ambitions to turn professional. I wanted to, it was a dream of mine, but I just wasn't good enough. Um, so I decided to take a corporate job working for a pharmaceutical company. Um, but that job didn't start until August 1st. So for about two and a half college, I was, and I don't I think that was probably the most we ever played golf, Mike. We were playing at Quail four times a week that during those months. Um, and I kind of just progressed and progressed. And honestly, I can't put a finger on what it was, but something just kind of clicked. Um, I'd never won a West Michigan Golf Association event, which again, they're not major championships, but you know, for a kid who grew up on the West Side, like those are those are the major championships of in my mind. Like winning the Kent County amateur was like a lifelong dream of mine. Like I literally played that event for six straight years and you know, got to watch some of the players who have gone on and done really well in the professional ranks win that event. Um, so again, when I when I won that this that summer, like that was that was my major. I mean, that's probably the coolest event I've ever won to this day, or coolest event I've ever played well in.
SPEAKER_00So no doubt. You put on a green jacket after that event. Of course it's a major.
SPEAKER_02I'll put the Kent County Am field up against any amateur field in the Great Lakes region.
SPEAKER_05Dude, I've been saying this for so long. That event is one of the best events in Michigan. Like it's right there with a Michigan Am, uh Michigan metal play. I mean, the level of competition at that event and the difficulty of winning that event. Again, you look at the guys who have won that event. I mean, like they're very, very good players. Um, it's not like you've got you know random guys winning that event. Like guys who have won that event have gone on to do really good things, whether it's an amateur golfer and professional golfing, workmeister. It's funny. People would be like, oh yeah, do you know do you know Tom Workmeister? I'm like, yeah, he's he's on all the trophies I have in my house five times. Like I've got I've got one of the trophies, and Tom's name is on there five times on every trophy. Um, so yeah, they're they're very difficult events to win, and um, it's incredibly good preparation.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's a great event.
SPEAKER_00A lot of great events up here. And we miss having you, Ari. Um, obviously, as you were kind of running the table on all of us, we're not some of us aren't as disappointed that you turned pro as others might be, but we appreciate uh not that we don't want to test our game against the best, but chasing Ari Jackman became a pretty common theme there for a hot minute.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_05I think I think one of my favorite comments I've ever gotten on social media is when I announced that I was turning professional. Um, I'm actually gonna find it. I announced that I was turning professional on my post. One of my friends commented who plays in all of all those events, and he was just like said something along the lines of you know, from all of us who are amateurs and playing all all these events, like thank you. Like it was nice, it was about the funniest thing I've ever read.
SPEAKER_02Arick. One of the talking about that summer and those events, and I'll close that out period with this. Um, one of my most memorable moments I've had with any one of one of our Great Lake team Great Lake Skier golfers is Ari and I were playing in that final group for the Grand Rapids City match play. And he got down. I mean, you're down three after five holes, four after five, six holes.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, down four after six.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, down four after six. And uh we walked off that one green and we s we're walking to the next T box, and I looked at Ari and I said, you know, I don't know exactly, but it was something like nothing worth uh you know, any great accomplishment doesn't come easy. And just think of you know, when you come back and win this thing, how gratifying that will feel, you know, knowing you you you came back from four down. And so it was fun to you know, because I was in that group. Um I felt bad for Chester because he's a good friend of ours, and and I know like to lose a four up lead is not easy. Um but Chester, you know, and Ricky had their good great run at the four ball. Um, and so he hopefully that validated some of his summer. But just watching Ari never quit and put his nose down and kind of grind even harder and come back and win it in the for on the first playoff hole. Um was it was a cool experience. And one of my it's something you know I'll never forget. And is you know, we have a lot of fun times with our team, Great Lake Skare golfers at Quail and like we talk about, but being in an actual tournament, playing in the group with Ari and watching that happen was you know just a memorable moment for me.
SPEAKER_05That is a moment I remember telling I remember hearing about that. Yeah, that was a cool event. And yeah, I'll I'll never forget that conversation. I I remember it probably a little bit more sharply than you do, but we had just walked off six, and I yeah, it was four down after six, and we're walking to seven T. It's kind of a longer walk there behind those pine trees back to 70. And yeah, Mike was just like exactly what he said. Nothing's gonna be easy, pretty much, is what it was. And yeah, end up winning off, and that was pretty cool. And um definitely feel like, again, as a professional, I still draw for moments like that. Like my first ever Q-school, um, it was a very similar situation. Again, it's stroke play, not match play, but I was like one outside the number with 18 to play, and I shot like two or maybe one over on my front nine, and just kind of walked to the ninth team. I was just like literally thinking exactly of that speech that Mike had given me in that moment of like, you know, how cool is this gonna be when I go shoot 68 after being one over after the first nine and get my tour card. And I did. I shot five under on the back nine and got my tour card in my first Q school, and like those are the moments. And again, being able to actually do that in the match play and walk off the last screen winning, like that feeling drives me when I'm losing. Like it's almost more fun when you're down and you come back and get it than if you're just getting the easy way and other people are crumbling and you're just running away with it. It feels 10 times better to go in to go and earn it.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, that's cool. I love that. That is cool. And Ari kind of uh as as McGee said, we touched on a lot of the West Michigan Golf Association stuff, and then you're kind of climbed through those ranks and then your transition into turning professional and where you're at now. I'm gonna spin this all the way back to the beginning of the conversation when you mentioned McGee found you on TikTok. Obviously, you are doing all this wonderful and exciting stuff, chasing the professional ranks, but you're also documenting a lot of this stuff, correct? Yeah, that's true. Yeah, I document everything. Um what's this look? What's that look like? Tell tell the audience what what you're doing, kind of where you're doing it, and then and how you're utilizing that as a tool.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I document everything I do on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and then I think technically Facebook too. But uh yeah, I pretty much just everything that happens in my life golf-wise goes on there. It doesn't matter if I shoot 62 or 82. Um, I post every single score. Um, people get to see the ups and the downs. I post some of the financial stuff on there if people are curious about you know what does a week look like expense-wise versus earning-wise, of a you know, mini-tour play travel day look like. Um, so yeah, I get to document a lot of that cool stuff. And we've just uh just started to transition into putting a lot more long form content out on YouTube. So having full tournament rounds filmed, having Q school filmed, um, getting to see an inside scoop of you know what's going on on one of the most stressful weeks in golf, and you know, kind of get to hear inside my mind versus just seeing a score at the end of every day. So uh yeah, it's pretty uh it's pretty cool to be able to document that. I've always enjoyed uh always enjoyed the process of you know keeping people updated on what's going on. Um, especially with I've got a lot of people who support me back home in Michigan and when I'm across the country in Florida, like people want to see more than just a just a score at the end of a round, just to be able to see what's going on, how I'm feeling, you know, how it happened. Um, so it's been a cool, been a cool journey.
SPEAKER_00Sure. That's uh and and that's huge, man, because like that level of authenticity and that level of vulnerability is uh I respect the heck out of that, man, because that's I gotta imagine sometimes that's easier than other times. If you're if you're putting that putting it all out there, the good, the bad, and the in between. I mean, what's that what's that feel like for you?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I would say definitely this year. I've definitely opened up a little bit more into the negative, or not not negative, but just the hard times and the good times. I mean, it's very easy to post when you play really well in an event and have some cool content to put out. But I mean, there was an event probably about yeah, geez, probably three months ago, um, where my wife was with me that week and we were just filming some short form content for Instagram and TikTok during the week. And I had shot 65 in the first round of this event. It was a three-day event with a cut after two rounds. I was leading the event. And in the second day, I think I was like even with three holes to play or four holes to play. And we were just filming the last three or four holes, and on video, I went double bogey bogey on the last three holes, and I missed the cut by one after leading. It was all on film, and I kind of was just like, it's going up. Like I went home and edited the video knowing I didn't have a tea time the next day, and yeah, literally posted me hitting one out of bounds, hitting a couple terrible shots, and it's just kind of like again, there's there's the good and there's the bad. The day before I posted me shooting 65 and it was sweet, and the next day I'm sitting there like I really don't want to hit post on this, but I'm going to. Um, and again, that's the social media can be so deceptive of you know, half the stuff you see on there is just fake, and I want my stuff to be real. Like, I want people to actually be able to feel what I'm feeling and to be able to see what's going on, and not just the oh, Ari won a tournament today, and then two weeks later, oh, Ari shot 65. It's like it's it's just it's not all good. Um, but again, I've gotten better at posting the tough stuff and you know, just owning up to it and accepting it.
SPEAKER_00So sure. And curiosity, just from from my own wonderings, does being that vulnerable and being that authentic about it, does it kind of soften some of the challenges? Does it kind of make it feel like something that's easier to overcome? Do you feel like it motivates you differently? What's like what do you get out of that?
SPEAKER_05100%. I was actually about to touch on that. Um, definitely like, especially on that day, that was like the first really hard, like terrible golf I had ever had on film like that. Like I had never had something filmed that went like that bad. Um, and it was kind of just like it went up and it was over. Like, you know, if I wouldn't have had it filmed, or if it wouldn't have gotten posted, feel like maybe you're holding on to it for a couple days or for a week, and maybe in your next event you have some doubts about it and stuff. And again, I kind of just put it out there and I was like, hey, this is what happened. Like that was yesterday, today's a new day. So um, yeah, definitely like putting that stuff out there and just being open and honest about the bad days definitely makes it pretty easy to recover and get back to it.
SPEAKER_00Sure, kind of a unique form of closure on some of that stuff, if you will. For sure. That is that is cool, and that is because obviously, as an in playing golf, it's an individual game, individual sport, and to do it the way that you're doing it involves so many other people in so many different ways. And that's that's gotta be beneficial for you, right? Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_05It's definitely a unique thing. And um again, some people will say it's an added pressure of you know having a camera person out there with you, and again, it's just different because there's some pros who never post anything on social media, never post a score, and it's like you know, they go shoot around and no one knows except for them what happened. And for me, it's like that thousands of people are gonna see the score. I know that thousands of people are gonna see the shots, um, which I've never really felt like it adds any pressure. Like people have asked me before, you know, do you feel more nervous? Do you play more tentative when there's a camera person? And I just I just enjoy being able to document it. It's not really about how many people are gonna see it or any of that.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, that's that's really cool. I I like I said I respect that a lot, man. And with with that, um tell tell the listeners where where can they tune in to follow Ari Jackman a little closer?
SPEAKER_05Ari Jackman on everything at just at Ari Jackman. I've got the handle for uh for all of them. Thank you. I think YouTube I think YouTube might be Ari Jackman Golf, but yeah, literally you just type in Ari Jackman on any platform, and I'm the first account. It's uh I've got a unique name, so it helps with it.
SPEAKER_00So I love that. Instagram, Facebook, still uh what I I guess do you do they call it Twitter or X? Do you do that? No. I I don't do X. Okay, I take TikTok, YouTube. Your YouTube stuff's good, man. Like I said, uh I mentioned it to you when we were talking earlier, but I watched your most recent tournament video, and it's it's great content, man. I can't wait to see what more comes from you. Yeah, I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02And Ari, you're starting to do some cool collaborations on uh social media and YouTube with these videos, correct?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah. I've got a couple sponsors that are month by month. Um I've obviously got my new sponsor, Tease Cross Golf, which you know allows me to show my faith on the course and get to post some pretty cool stuff with them. Um, and then I've got a couple other sponsors. I one of my favorite sponsors is this app called Shop Pattern. Um, it's like the coolest thing ever. And it's funny because I think Garrett actually was using it before I had it or was sponsored by them. And like it's I think it's like $99 a year, and I have gotten so many professional golfers to buy it. Like, dude, it's worth every penny, man.
SPEAKER_00It's it's a no-brainer.
SPEAKER_05What is it called? It's called Shop Pattern. Um, the newest upgrades they have, it's insane. It's $99 for the year. It's pretty much a yardage book for any course in the entire world. They just added Straca Greens books onto it. Um, so you can have a Greens book course in the entire world. Um, it shows you live wind directions and like projected speeds. You can you can say, okay, I'm playing next Tuesday. I want to look at this golf course I've never been to, and it will tell you what the wind's gonna be doing on that day at that time that your teen off. You can change it to when you're teen off so you can see how the course is gonna play. Because it's like again, if the wind's 10 mile an hour into versus 10 mile an hour downwind, like that's totally changing the course of a hole. Um it it's it's pretty sick. And then you can add in all your shots. I mean, you can just add in your shot patterns from a track man or a launch monitor and You can literally take you could hit 100 drivers on track, man, and you can take that dispersion and you can move it hole by hole on courses that you've never been to and figure out where you should be aiming.
SPEAKER_02Okay. So um I have a point real quick, but before I get to that, is there a code that you're associated with you that if you can give the listeners? So if they buy it, they get like 10% off or something.
SPEAKER_05I do not have a code. Um come on. No code yet. Um maybe someday, but to be honest, 90 bucks versus 99 bucks for it. I I promise you it's it's worth every penny of the 99. It absolutely is.
SPEAKER_02So Garrett, and real quick, yeah. The Ari touched on it, so the cat's out of the bag a little bit that you know Ari is no longer with Great Lakes Gear. Um, when I was talking about collabs, Ari, I was thinking more like other YouTube golfers. Um, Busta Jack, I know one of their members did some cool collabs. But you know, you brought up that you have a um new clothing apparel sponsor. Um, and so if it's okay, like I'll just touch on that real quick, and then Ari, you can give your comments on it real quick before we move on. Um, it's been an amazing run with us at Great Lakes Gear and not Salty Golf, you know, with Ari. And like I said at the beginning of the podcast, Ari was our very first golfer. So it's like a parent, you know, having a child, and the child goes away to college or graduates or or something of that nature. Uh that it really feels that way in a sense. But as Ari's uh game has progressed and his his exposure has progressed, he has opportunities to work with different companies that might be in different positions to uh do more for him than uh you know Great Lakes skier can do, and we realize that. And the one thing that we'll always pride ourselves in at Great Lakes Skier is like we will never be somebody that holds uh anyone back, like we want them to reach for the moon and reach the stars and accomplish all their goals and dreams. And um we as you guys know and Garrett, like Great Lakes Skier, not Salty Gulf, we're a small regional company, you know, here on the in the Great Lakes region. And so um Ari, so well, if you want to talk about that, Ari, if you if you'd like, and then you can tell the audience about your new company you're with and uh things you have going with them.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, for sure. Um, yeah, I mean, obviously a lot a lot of people that follow me on social media know and have been asking. I know I've been asking you and asking me, you know, what's going on with the new sponsor, and um yeah, again, I we had a great run. I mean, one thing I've always told you, and one thing that I always appreciate and respect is you, I mean, you guys were the first people to ever give me a chance. Um, again, you found my TikTok account, which again, NIL was just starting. Like I had never, I don't think I had ever made any money or done any collaborations before on TikTok. Um, and to be able to partner with you guys for a couple years. And again, I kind of got to watch the growth of the brand um to go from again, it was it was just me for like I think a month before before you guys signed Charlie to now, again, I've joked, like you go to a tournament and you're wearing the same shirt as three other people because there's so many great like skier athletes, and it's so cool to see the gear being repped all over. Um it's become a pretty cool, unique uh atmosphere out there at tournaments because you know, we have you guys have so many of the top competition. Um but yeah, um, as far as the new brand, um, again, those who closely follow on social media, I've always been very open about my faith and um you know how I try and not get too caught up in the golf score and the golf results because at the end of the day, we're playing for a greater good and um for someone bigger than our just ourselves. So yeah, to represent my faith on the course and to be able to, you know, start conversations about Jesus just with my clothing. Um it's pretty cool. And it's uh definitely again, it's an it's another unique experience of they're not a huge company. Um again, they're not a foot joy, but um they're definitely big enough to where it's been cool to since I've joined with them to go to events and see other people wearing the gear and people are up in their faith. And um, yeah, it's just a cool opportunity.
SPEAKER_02That's great. Do you want to uh where can people find this company? Uh you know, we can let our audience know.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah, it's called uh Tease Cross Golf. Um, you can find them on Instagram, it's probably their biggest social media platform, and then it's just teascrossgolf.com. Um, if anyone does want to get any gear, there is a 10% code in my link on Instagram.
SPEAKER_02But um Ari, we're not in the habit of promoting other brands. But for you, because you are like I said, you are first, and we had a great run. And um, you know, I think this podcast hopefully is as great for you as it is for us, because like you said, when you start went to another company, I got bombarded with people messaging me, and half of them were I think were saying, Oh, now that Ari's gone, can I get on the team or can I take this spot or can I get you know, but the other half was like, Oh, what happened here? What's going on? I thought like Ari was, and so um you know it's hard to keep on top of that and respond to everybody, um, especially when they're not texting and they're sending social media messages or DMing and things like that. So um, but yeah, just for you, Ari, because you're special.
SPEAKER_05Thanks, McGee. Yeah, we uh we we probably should have posted something online saying no that's so so we didn't get so you didn't get a million messages.
SPEAKER_02Hey G Money, it is uh do you think it's about clubhouse time? We're done with the round and uh um enjoying some lemonade.
SPEAKER_00And trying to take this to the clubhouse, huh? Yeah, no, I think uh I think ahead next.
SPEAKER_02The clubhouse for us is uh you know, the round of golf's done, and we're afterwards we're just in the clubhouse, you know, having a good time. And so these are just doesn't necessarily have to be golf-related questions, just off the wall questions. Um I'll start G money. Um Ari, you we'll just say it. You have kind of a funky swing, you have a little unique action in your swing. I think it's money, but it's it's a different action. When I first uh met you and we had conversations, wouldn't you agree your swing though was beneficial for your social media following? Because a lot of people there was a lot of curiosity when they saw it.
SPEAKER_05100%. Um yeah, I've always I've always said to people like I kind of have an easy way out with the social media, but you know, I don't have to do extra. I kind of can just go play golf and I can film my shots and conversations can get sparked just because of that. Um I've I've had people who ask me if they post a social media video and they're like, you know, why is this not getting as many views as you? And I'm like, well, you have a normal swing and you're playing three holes of golf. Like it's just kind of boring. And you know, people watch me playing three holes and I'm like, what the heck?
SPEAKER_02Like I know, I know you could do a deep dive on this, but in a 30-second to 60-second answer, because I know the reason and it makes complete sense. Why do you swing the golf club the way you do?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I used to struggle with getting really steep on the downswing. Uh not on the backswing. Um, and used to get it, I used to actually take it inside and get it really across the line. And it started as a drill um actually at the golf emporium one winter, of just I was trying to get it as shallow as possible. I was like, how can I shallow the club on the downswing? And it just came from making a big loop. Um fun funny enough, it wasn't supposed to stay. It was just supposed to be a drill to help me learn how to shallow the club. And I just I just hit it so good. I was like, why would I, you know, I can get it into the position I want in the downswing, and um, you know, why would I ever change it? Um so yeah, that's pretty just a loop drill, and it stuck. So and I I've fine, I've fine-tuned it. Um, it used to be probably a little crazier than it is now, but definitely still in the same motion.
SPEAKER_00And it produces good golf shots. It produces a lot of good golf shots. See plenty of those, that's for sure. Plenty more to come. Plenty more to come. Alright, now I gotta ask, man, because I'm sitting here in my office, and you and I get the opportunity to talk gear often. Um what's in the bag, dude? Yeah, got a pretty fun golf bag.
SPEAKER_05Um playing the Taylor made MG wedges 60, 55, 50 and a half degree, and a 46 degree. Um, and then I've got Tacomo Irons. I actually just switched into a new set of those probably a month and a half ago, playing uh Tacoma 301 CBs. Um, and then uh recently uh took the four iron out for a seven wood um basket thing ever. I mean, like not having to look down at a four iron like ever is the greatest thing ever. It's like I get so excited when I'm 220 yards out now, but just like genuinely terrified. So uh yeah, seven wood. I've got a five wood, the seven wood and five wood are both PXG Gen 5 um clubs, which are very old. They're they're 2022 PXG clubs, but they are the best woods I've ever hit. Um and then currently there's about five different clubs that could go in the three wood slot. Um I have been gaming the R7 mini driver for a good bit now. It's probably been in the bag for I mean on and off about a year. Um, but it's been in for about the last three months. But currently testing out some of the QI4Ds and the Three Wood, and um I did, you know, do a little shopping on eBay the other day and had a box of some like six-year-old three wood show up at my door the other day. So I've been testing those. Um and then Driver is a ping G440 LST. Um and then putter is a tailor-made spider double bend, um, which you actually sent out to me a couple months ago, and that's been uh it's been a pretty good uh pretty good addition, but not gonna lie, I'm fighting it a little bit right now. So uh are you yeah, we're the the the the putter slot right now is it it could be changing here so that's okay.
SPEAKER_00Variety is the spice of life. Um are you playing the tailor-made ball, Ari?
SPEAKER_05I am playing the TP5, um, the new one, which is sick. I I did hear Charlie talking about that in his interview, and I can 100% back everything he said because it's it's pretty sick. Um it's so good. It's I've again playing in professional events, 95% of guys are playing a pro v1 or pro v1x, and I'm like, boys, you guys are missing out. I'm like, you gotta try this ball. I mean, if you're buying the the crazy thing is, like most of these guys playing in mid-tour events and qualifiers, like they're buying their own balls. And I'm like, at least try it. Like if you're gonna spend if it's not if they're getting them for free, it's one thing, but you know, if if people are buying their own balls, like you gotta try the TB5. It's it's pretty sick.
SPEAKER_00So I I love that and I appreciate I appreciate that kind of shout out and that kind of representation, man. I've always always enjoyed being a part of your journey and having the opportunity to to help, whether it's put a club in your bag or put a few hats on your head from time to time, or the ball in your bag, man. That's that's really cool. And then this new ball is special. Obviously, I'm I'm employed by the brand, so I I say that regardless. But it is this is an incredible golf ball for one. But to hear you echo that sentiment as somebody chasing the game at a high level and feeling like when you tee that ball up and at the competitive event that you have an advantage over the guys playing a pro v or a pro-1x is that's cool to hear.
SPEAKER_05One thing I will say, actually, two things. Uh just for timeline purposes, I started playing this ball uh June of 2023. Um right before I, you know, won everything we talked about. So uh just just in case anyone's wondering, uh just in case you're curious if there's any synchronicity or anything that's random, or if that's you know could potentially be the golf ball, I think we can uh you know people can have their opinions.
SPEAKER_02Hey G Money, uh we we could put a timeline together where Ari meets Great Lakes Gear, which in turn he meets Garrett Smith, which in turn starts playing a Taylor Make golf ball, which and so everything happens for a reason, McGee.
SPEAKER_00Everything as it should be.
SPEAKER_02We might get more you know credit than we think here.
SPEAKER_05My second my second thing I will say is I've always again the golf ball was insanely good change, and I've always enjoyed comfort. And literally one thing that I totally believe and I will die by that we were sponsored by I have no we were sponsored by Adidas in college, and I hated their clothing, like it didn't fit well. I'm a super tall guy, it was not good quality, like for a huge brand, it was not good. And I literally, the second I switched out of it, like when I graduated, I started playing so much better. And I would always play better in the summer when I was wearing the Great Lake stuff or you know, just a regular, like good quality polo. And I again people can have their opinions, but if you get if you don't feel good while you're playing, like it's that's a pretty big that's a pretty big problem.
SPEAKER_02So I saw you rocking the umbrella the other week.
SPEAKER_05I am still rocking the umbrella. Um there you go. Still got head covers on the fairway.
SPEAKER_00You can be an umbrella sponsor. He's still got head covers on the fairways too, McGee.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we could be a head cover umbrella sponsor.
SPEAKER_00There is something to be said about that though. You're you're not wrong. When you're comfortable what you're wearing, and the cut's good, the fits good, and then McGee, you and and GLG have always always brought quality product to market, and that's uh I mean you're feeling it right now. It's your busy season, you're out running around trying to fulfill orders, and your stuff flies, man.
SPEAKER_02You know that we're trying, we're grinding, we're trying. All right, all right. Uh like just you, like favorite food type rush when you go out to eat, where you guys going to eat type deal.
SPEAKER_05Um favorite food. I'm gonna have two pizza and sec I mean that's like the you know, not healthy version, and then probably the next one would be uh fettuccine, alfredo with chicken or steak. Doesn't matter, just yeah, I'm big pasta, big it's I'm a big Italian food guy.
SPEAKER_02So Olive Garden is the most underrated restaurant out there.
SPEAKER_00He talked about that bottomless like soup, salad, and breadsticks deal. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_05We we can have our arguments about that. Uh I mean it's just yeah, it's like the fast food of Italian, but yeah.
SPEAKER_02Well, what is something tell us something about you nobody would think or know?
SPEAKER_05Oh my gosh, that's a great see dude. The the problem is I put my whole life on social media.
SPEAKER_02You're not showing every you're showing the golf aspect, you're not showing the everyday life. Something about Ari that uh people wouldn't expect or realize or not.
SPEAKER_05Here we go. This is actually something neither of you would know. Actually, I got I'm going back. I got two. First thing, which I don't post a lot about, I don't drink unless I win a golf tournament. So I if I win a golf tournament, I'll have a beer. I don't enjoy it, I don't like it, but that's my thing of you know, I'll have a beer. So um I count Q getting through Q schools as a win. So uh last year I had one beer. Um, this year I'm up to two. So we're uh we're off to a good start this year. Um what beers were they? What brand? Dude, Mike, I don't even know, man. The first one, the first one I was in France, and the waitress came over and I was like, I was like, just surprise me. I think it was an Italian beer. Um that one was actually probably the best beer I've ever had. Um and then I think both the ones this year were maybe one of them was like a corona and the other one was like a Bud Light or something. I mean we're just doing it to keep the tradition alive at this point. I I just choke it, choke it down.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's great, that's cool.
SPEAKER_00Uh I love that, Ari. I I I've gotten on that bandwagon as well since the beginning of the year, and and the body the body's never felt better, man. It's gotta be uh it's got you've gotta feel good like day in and day out.
SPEAKER_02Ari, when you come back, you will not recognize G Money. Him and uh of our boy Kurt Bally are in the hot yoga.
SPEAKER_05They're killing the yoga.
SPEAKER_02I've seen that and the guy's he wasn't he wasn't overweight at all to begin with, and he's lost like 15 pounds. At a boy, yeah.
SPEAKER_00It's just it's a special thing, man. I'm telling you. I I literally picked it up for the mobility and just to kind of help work on some things in my golf swing. And that was what end of November, right around Thanksgiving last year. I've been to 139 classes. Holy crap!
SPEAKER_05Well, I'll I'll say this. I will uh when I get back here next week, count me in. I'm joining a session.
SPEAKER_00You want to come? You're actually coming back at a really great time. They're doing uh for two weeks, you can bring somebody to for unlimited classes, someone that's never been before, new guest.
SPEAKER_02I'm coming too. I'm Kurt Valley's guest.
SPEAKER_00You tell you tell KV, you let KV know that you're his guest now. Let's go. Yeah, I'm I'm in there. Um, one of the guys that's at the leaderboard, he's in there four days a week with me at 6 a.m. Um, there's people, man, and KV's getting on board. You start to recognize how to train like a golfer and how to train like an athlete, and and what this what this kind of thing does for you. It's good stuff. I'm gonna try I'll be stoked to bring you, Ari. That'll be that'll be awesome.
SPEAKER_05Sweet. And then second thing, I never got to it. Um, neither of you know this. Pretty much no one knows it. Um, nothing's been about it, but I did technically just buy a home. Um what? I see, we're we're gonna get into the details a little bit here for a second.
SPEAKER_00Why'd you do air quotes? How did you how did you technically we have like five minutes?
SPEAKER_02Just so we know, we have like five minutes left in interview before we we're gonna get cut off.
SPEAKER_05Um I'll make I'll make it I'll make it quick here. But uh yeah, bought a home on wheels. So me and my wife just bought a um RV and a truck. So we are fully mobile. Um let's go, dude. By the time this is posted, we'll I'm sure we'll have something out there. But yeah, we uh we bought it maybe about a week ago and we pick it up a week from today and uh head back to Michigan and uh yeah, we'll be in that full time and then we're gonna bounce around to a couple events here and there and take it out. Like we're taking it up to the Michigan Open for the week. Um, and then when fall comes around next year, we're just bouncing it down to Florida and yeah, we're we're pretty excited.
SPEAKER_02So you gotta send us pictures.
SPEAKER_05Congratulations, man. That is too cool. I will send you some pictures. Yeah, we're we're we're pumped up we're pumped to have our own space and not be uh you know, it's just it's hard when you're in an apartment for six months and then have to pack up all your stuff and move to a new apartment or a new spot. Um, it'll be nice to have our own our own home and something that we can just keep our stuff in and not have to move it every six months.
SPEAKER_02So you'll uh stay in campgrounds then, right?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah, we're staying in a campground. I'm not gonna say where actually, but yeah, in around the Grand Rapids area. Um it it is uh it is very close to quail, so that's gonna be dangerous.
SPEAKER_00Let's go.
SPEAKER_01All right. You got anything left for Ari?
SPEAKER_00Ari, man. Uh last question for you is what's next? Obviously, you've kind of alluded to your time in Florida, at least for this particular offseason's coming to an end. You're heading back to West Michigan for the foreseeable future. What's next, man? Where can the audience expect to see Ari Jack and take it from here?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, we're heading back next week, and then it's um a couple weeks off, and then it's kind of just right back to it. Um, my number one goal for this year and is just to have a place to play. I just want status. Like I pride myself on being consistent and being able to put up good rounds every day. And, you know, me and my me and my coach have always said like as soon as I can get that status and I can get those guaranteed starts, like we know I'm gonna do well. Um, and fully believe I'm gonna do well because the consistency is the consistency is just there. And over the course of a whole season, I I know that I can compete and uh you know be able to keep my card and to to be really high on the points list. So uh trying to get status as soon as possible. I'm gonna be playing some Monday qualifiers this summer before Q school in the fall, but hopefully I play well on the Mondays and can just go and get the card through that. Um so yeah, just I'll be on the road, I'll be grinding, I'll be up in Canada a little bit, and uh yeah, I'll be at the Michigan open though too.
SPEAKER_00So I love it, man. Good stuff. Looking forward to following you.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Just uh the one thing I will say as we close this, close this out is Ari has self-belief. I know a lot of good golfers, but do not have the self-belief, but Ari has that self-belief, and I think that's gonna go a long way for him. So uh you know, gee, we could sit here for another half hour and talk with Ari because there's a lot to get to. Um, but unfortunately, we're on a time limit, and so we really appreciate you coming on, Ari. And uh I look forward to seeing you at Quail here in the next week or two.
SPEAKER_05Yes, sir. I will uh I'll be I'll be on that group chat. We'll I'll be uh I'll be responding to some of those. And if you want to golf this week, right?
SPEAKER_02When you come back, don't tell anybody, just like in the group chat say when they say, Hey, is anybody say I'm in? Yeah, I'm in.
SPEAKER_00Yep, when you when you see those tea times get posted. I want hoop there, I'm taking hoop down 1v1 versus hood. Only all only if it goes on YouTube.
SPEAKER_01Exactly.
SPEAKER_00That has to go on YouTube. Get Hoog mic'd up. I'm sorry, that's too good.
SPEAKER_02Gareth though, both their swings. Oh, you mentioned them on YouTube, like Hoog swing, and and they both hit it like pure pure.
SPEAKER_00I just dude, I I will personally put the GoPro in for the cart cam for this content. I would I would die. This would that would be amazing. But I'm looking forward to a lot of great matches and a lot of great games. Ari, when you get back here, I I can't wait to catch up and see you, man. It's been a while, and I'll look forward to to all the things that this summer brings with you, man. Thanks, boys.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. All right, thanks.
SPEAKER_04And gap and gap.