Tour Director Wins Senior Amateur Tour National Championship & 4 Tours Compete to Win the Players Cup

Speaker 2: 0:55

Welcome to the Golf Week Amateur Tour of the podcast. We are your hosts, tim Newman and Chris Rocha. As the oldest and largest amateur golf tour in the country, we put on individual stroke play golf tournaments that are handicapped by flights in 48 markets across the country. The Golf Week Amateur Tour, where hammers play like pros. Welcome back, chris. We had a couple weeks off and enjoyed some time. This is really our down time. So we get about three weeks of down time between the end of the season and Thanksgiving and then everything ramps back up and I'm sure you're working on your schedule. I know I am. We're getting close, yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:03

I mean, it's a short, well-deserved break, but we take it and then, like you said, we get back in it, start calling courses, getting that schedule ready, and I know like for me I do the 12 days of Christmas thing, which is nonstop, and before you know it we're already kicking off the season, at least here in West Texas. Some tours don't even get to start. They still get a longer break than what we do.

Speaker 2: 2:31

Yeah, and that's really both positive and negative, right. Right, you're in a climate, like I am, where we can really play all year long. I try and not start till March just because of the time factor and any some time to take a break or recharge and do some of those other things. But some of those warmer climates they're really ready to kick off right after the ice breaker the first weekend in January.

Speaker 1: 3:02

Yeah, it's been a decision that we've had to make, but I think the players want to play more and that's what kind of helps when they want to play, because then we're able to get those events out there for them and visit some courses that may be we've having gone out to, because we can kind of expand all across New Mexico for at least my tour. So that kind of works out. So I'm still on the grind trying to get those courses booked and set in stone so that we can release a schedule Exactly.

Speaker 2: 3:37

And the calendar is a funny thing. Since we've been doing this, we've never really hit the calendar for when we have particular dates in the year that are important. So the weekend after last episode was Veterans Day, and we want to make sure we wish our veterans happy Veterans Day and really thank them for their service to our country, and what they do really allows us to be able to do what we do, and we really can't thank them enough.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Yeah, definitely, being in a military base city with Fort Bliss, we get to meet a bunch of military people, whether they're retired or active duty, so that's one of the holidays that touches a bunch of members that we have on our tour and a lot of our friends in HBKAM Billy and Oho. They've been on the episodes before and they're veterans. They served and, like you said, we just can't thank them enough for what they did for us.

Speaker 2: 4:43

Exactly, and we've got a number of veterans across the tour. I don't have the actual data for this, but my guess is probably about 40 to 45% of our members are veterans.

Speaker 1: 4:55

Oh, I would.

Speaker 2: 4:56

Would be my guess.

Speaker 1: 4:57

I'd put money on the over on that one.

Speaker 2: 4:59

Yeah, and I've got to. I just need to make sure that I mentioned a few people like my wife's grandfather he's a veteran serving in World War II my dad veterans, my brother veteran. So thank you to all the veterans, really do appreciate it. So you know, let's get get into. You know this episode a little bit more in depth. You know, last episode we talked to three of our senior national champions senior amateur amateur tour national champions and our first guest is our beef light senior amateur tour national champion and we're just going to call him a mall. We're not going to even attempt to butcher his last name, we're just going to be respectful and call him a mall. He is the tour director for the Indianapolis tour and he's our current beef light senior amateur tour champion. I'm all welcome to the show, yeah.

Speaker 3: 5:52

Thank you for having me, I'm all well.

Speaker 1: 5:55

First off, congratulations. You know, winning a national championship isn't easy. We've had a bunch of current national champions on our, on our podcasts and you know they've all said the same thing. It's something that is well earned but still takes a lot of work. So you know how do you feel right now, now that you can say you're a national champion on the senior tour?

Speaker 3: 6:19

Yeah, Thank you. Being a championship, it's been one of my bucket list. I would say that I started playing in this golfing amateur tour since 2014. I started my golf 2013. So as soon as I started my golf, playing golf, I was looking for some kind of a comparative league or something where I can play golf, because I'm always been a competitor. So I play volleyball, table tennis, you know all these. You know great sports. I always in college I played competitive golf, volleyball, all those things.

Speaker 3: 7:02

So when I took the golf, I want to play comparative. I was always looking to challenge myself, you know, and get better. So that's how it started. And then, as you guys know, this is my first year starting a senior tour in Indianapolis. So there he goes, I come to Houston, head I. I played my ass off and then I'm glad I won it. I won the championship. So, as I said, it's in my. It wasn't my bucket list since I started 2014. So finally, I was able to do it. I was hoping at least one of my members from between golf week or senior tour they are going to get it, but we were really really close. But I'm glad I was able to get it this time.

Speaker 2: 7:58

So are you the first member from Indianapolis to win a national championship, whether you either the golf side, golf week side or senior side, yep, well, that's it. That's even more impressive.

Speaker 3: 8:09

Yeah, yeah, we were, we were really close, but nobody won the national championship. As I said, you know, always we want to win. I ask all my players to come and, you know, come to the Hilton head and play and win the national championship. They come, they try, but we were, we were being close, but we never won national championship. So I'm proud that I'm the first one from Indianapolis winning the national championship there. You go.

Speaker 2: 8:44

Oh, you know that, again, that's really impressive. So I've been with with Dennis and golf week since, oh, 15 or 16 years and I've been tour director of a number of different tours and I don't have anybody's won national championship yet. Now I'm currently a tour director in Atlanta and we, you know, we had a national champion the year before I came in the beef light and that was Dion Cook. But so 16 years never had one. And you know when you, when you think about it, we're only crowned in 10 national champions a year. So you know it's it's hard to do, the competition is stiff. So winning one and you know, being the first of your, of your tour, that's heck of a heck of an accomplishment.

Speaker 1: 9:46

Yeah, I'm all you know. I'm actually in the same boat. I started playing golf 2013,. Started on the tour in 2014,. Been a director a little bit longer, but you know we've talked a little bit before. Being a director and then having to play is not an easy task. So you know, being able to do what you did and go out there and play a national championship is just remarkably here Again, congratulations, yeah.

Speaker 3: 10:16

Thank you, chris, you said it right here running the tournament and then playing in it, I felt really, really hard. So that's the reason why what I do is when I'm playing I mean I have to play in my tour I tell my players, hey, I'm taking you all to these courses because I want to play in these courses, these nice courses. Okay, I jokingly tell them that. So, but when I'm running an event, you are under percent right on it. Always I'm thinking, okay, how the tournament is going on, what players are doing, are they having any problem? I'm not able to concentrate on, you know, playing golf. Yeah, so normally what I last year and the year before I started doing.

Speaker 3: 11:03

You know, extra events, meaning I go to other places like Indiana, western Kentucky, cincinnati too. I go and play those events because I don't know to think about anything other than playing golf. I just go there and play golf. So that's when my scores, that's where my scores are really good. But when I'm playing in my event, when I'm hosting it, I suck. So when I go to the national, it's the same thing.

Speaker 3: 11:36

You know, I don't want to think about anything, I just focus on my game. Even sometimes I just don't even talk to the people that I'm playing with. I just want to focus on my game. So that's what I do. So when I come to Eastern here seven or 10 days, it's all golf. I don't think about anything else. But once in a while I get the call from work. That's always, you know, one of the things that I do. If the work calls me, I'm going to answer it. So, other than that, I like to play in regionals, I like to play in other tools, I like to play in nationals because my focus is going to be under person towards the golf playing golf, nothing else.

Speaker 2: 12:22

Well, when golf calls you, you have to answer, because you're not going to get rich playing on the amateur tour and if you want to eat and be able to continue to play golf, you still got to do the work thing. So I get it. Tell us about your rounds in the senior national championship. Think you played Golden Bear on the first day, is that correct? Um, bear Creek. Oh, you played Bear Creek. That's right, bear Creek. Yeah, I played Bear Creek on the first day and you shot an 80 and a high.

Speaker 3: 12:51

Yeah, I shot an 80. There is no highlighter, low lights, so to speak. On the first day I was, for some reason, I was making all the parts. So it's a normal day. When I say normal day, there are no bogies, or I mean sorry, there are no birdies, only paws and bogies, and then, I think, a couple of doubles. So it's a regular round, nothing fancy or anything about it. So I was happy that I was able to shoot 80, because I was thinking, the way I hit the last two holes, the way I played the last two holes, I thought I'm going to end up in like 84. But somehow I end up shooting 80.

Speaker 3: 13:40

But the second day is the important thing, because normally when I'm playing or leading or behind the leader, I always fumble, I suck my place. I'm my friend, they all know. So the second day when I started, I want to be not aggressive, play smart golf. That's what they told me hey, just go and play your golf, be smart, don't try to pull the driver on every hole, because that's what I do Almost every hole 14 holes I try to hit the driver. So those guys told me no, you're not going to hit the driver, play smart. So when I started the first hole normally the starting hole I make double or triple. That's how always I start my round. But fortunately when I played the Arthur Hill the second day first hole, I gave myself a birdie per chance. But I did not make it. But it's a good thing. So I made a part. Second hole once again put it on the green, I took a birdie. So now I'm even with Jamie the leader. So then I made a couple of mistakes here and there. You know five hole number five, six, seven. I gave up like a four or five strokes. I made double bogies or something like that. I don't remember exactly what happened, but that's what happened on those holes. So I gave up four or five strokes. Then at that point I was thinking uh-oh, so here comes some more. But somehow I managed to. You know par after that.

Speaker 3: 15:30

The highlight is one of the highlights that I think is hole number nine and 10. Because on the ninth hole I hit a perfect driver in the middle but I didn't go for the green. I lay up, then third shot, I left it short of the green, but the leader, jamie, is on the green like a four feet. I know he's going to make that pot. So I'm not even on the green, I don't want to chip because I'm a terrible chipper. So I pulled my potter, I made that pot, I made a body part from the fringe. Then I was like, okay, this is your day, mom. That's what I was thinking. And then he made up a jamming, made a pad, so we both made a park. I'm sorry, my buddy. So now we are moving on to hole number 10.

Speaker 3: 16:24

I mean, if you play that course, you know what I'm talking about. There is one palm tree on the left side, in the middle of the fairway. From the T-box that's how it looks, it's left side. I hit the drive, I hit the palm tree and there is only one palm tree on the left side. I hit the tree and then lucky that I was able to find the ball. It's in the rough, so I had to lay up. And then, good, lay up.

Speaker 3: 16:53

The third shot. I skid it skin, skinny shot. Then it flew over the green. Now I'm not even on the green. So once again I pulled my putter. I don't know why, but I did it. It went in. I made that putt for four. So between those two holes, at least I'm thinking I saved three strokes.

Speaker 3: 17:16

Then on I was kept on grinding. I wasn't making big mistakes, I was trying to make par. Worst case scenario I was making bogies and then 17th I don't know I was. I want to be going making a birdie. That's what my goal. On the 17th because 17th is really a tough hole I hit a big slice, end up taking triple. That's the worst hole that I played all day long. Then I go to the 18th tee. I was thinking don't make any stupid mistakes, just take a par or bogie was case scenario and see what happens. So I played really well.

Speaker 3: 18:04

I hit the driver and then I layup shot is really good 150 yards, because I don't want to go to the green, I just want to play some you know smart golf. I hit 150 yards, shot I'm in the middle of the fairway and then I didn't hit it onto the green, but you know it's on the right side of the green and then I put it. To put it, it's a part, so that's the winning part. So I played really smart golf. I listened to my buddies. You know they gave me some boost. Day before, when I had dinner with my buddies, they said hey, don't even think about it, it's a different round. Just go and play smart golf, don't try to pull the driver. So I just listened to them. I pulled my driver maybe three or four times. That's all they helped me. To be honest, my members are my buddies. They helped me to win this tournament.

Speaker 2: 19:01

Well, I'm glad you listened to them because it seemed to work out. You know you talk about hitting the one tree in the Hills course. I don't know if you played it before the hurricane came through a number of years ago, but it was. That course was even tougher. It took out a whole bunch of trees, and there's a few. If you can remember the number of trees that are still there that make it so difficult. Think about how bad it was. You know, before the hurricane came through.

Speaker 3: 19:32

Yeah, I played that course but I don't remember that course. But this time I really remember because I mean you can tell from the standing, from the T-Box, you can tell there is only one palm tree on the left side.

Speaker 3: 19:45

You can see it. How do you even hit the tree? So I mean, that's why these are the highlights, because there is one tree. I hit the tree, I got lucky, but I was able to get the part. Even though I hit two bad shots in the same ball, I was managed, I was able to get a part. So I think that's one of the holes I could have easily gotten, like a double.

Speaker 4: 20:15

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 20:16

So again, like I said, it worked out. You're just consistent. You went 80 round one, 80 round two and in both those rounds you were one shot off the low round of the day. So Gordon McCarty from Louisiana, shot 79 on day two at the Hills course and Joe Kennedy from Charlotte also shot 79 day two at the Hills course. But you were paired with Jamie Brannon from Central Carolina shot 79 at Bear Creek and you did your job on day two by beating everybody in your group. So if you beat everybody in your group, you know you're going to move up, or theoretically you're going to move up, so everybody in your group is going to fall behind you. So you did your job there.

Speaker 3: 21:24

Right, so that was my goal. So I'm not going to think about. Normally I don't look at any scores or anything when I'm playing. So within my group I know I'm playing good. So I don't know I'm going to win, but at the end I looked at it. Okay, yeah, there is, I'm winning, so that's how I know. So I don't normally look at my score, I just play my golf, but I know I beat everyone in my group, yeah.

Speaker 2: 21:55

But you want to talk about how you did it on the golf week side, or you want to skip that.

Speaker 3: 22:02

Yeah, probably I may skip it because I play really, really terrible Tim on Chris. I don't remember the scores, but let me tell you the conversation that I had with Dennis On third day. I was at the lunch place on the hills, so I had my lunch and Dennis comes. Hey, buddy, how did you do? I was really mad because I shot 92. Oh no.

Speaker 3: 22:32

And then, yeah, so, dennis, don't even, don't even talk about it. I played really terrible. I am really really, you know, angry at myself. So, because I shot 92, he said, hey, don't worry, but you're going to win the senior, or something along those lines. I don't know exactly what he said. No, don't worry, you'll play really good. You know, in seniors, something like that.

Speaker 3: 22:56

I said, dennis, it doesn't matter whether I'm playing senior, whether I'm playing D flight or C flight or whatever the flight it is. If I shoot 92, it doesn't matter, I'm not going to win or do anything good. So that's what I told him. So that's the conversation that I had with Dennis, because he came to me and he said, oh, don't worry about it, buddy, you will be doing good. So I felt like, you know, those things come to my mind when I finish the round. That's one of the things come to my mind. Okay, oh, dennis told me I'm going to do good, okay, so, anyway. So I just want to put it out there, you know. So, yeah, I don't. I don't, to be honest, tim, I don't want to talk about golf.

Speaker 2: 23:45

You know, chris has heard me say I can double bogey from anywhere, it doesn't really matter. You know what distance I play from I can double bogey. But you know, for guys that are decent golfers it's amazing what a change of mindset in a couple of days can actually do, you know, to your game. And again, it really just goes to show that you know there are some days that you have it and then there were some days that you don't. You know, if you stick, if you stick to your fundamentals and you stick to to doing the things that you know how to do and do well, you know you're going to see results and you're going to and you're going to see the positiveness of it and it really worked out for you.

Speaker 3: 24:21

Yeah, it did. So, as I said, you know, I give credit to my buddies and also my players. They always text me, they watch. You know we all do that right. We are golfers, right, we always look at the life's core and I'm getting like a bunch of text messages hey, play well, play well. You know all those things. So I really, you know, thank my buddies and all my players in my tour, because when I started this tour three or four years ago, I don't know what the heck I was doing, to be honest, okay.

Speaker 3: 25:00

So I got this tour and then some of the buddies came to me and said I'm also thank you for taking this tour. You are doing an awesome job. Keep up the good work. All these you know words make me do even better. So that's the reason why I go to. You know I I spend too much time, to be honest. Okay, to make this tour better. I call this bunch of courses, country clubs, all these high end courses to you know, play. In those courses I want to give my players a chance, or the good courses where they can go and play and compete. So that's my goal. So, as I said, senior two is just started. I was thinking I'm going to get like 40, 30 to 40 players. I got 64 or 65.

Speaker 2: 25:53

What I'm happy with that. Well, yeah, I mean you know the average. You know first year tour gets below 50. And you know so, so you blew that away. I mean you did a heck of a job the first year. So you know the good thing is you did a great job the first year. The bad thing is now you've got to repeat that and even get better for year two, which you know. I say it's a bad thing, but it's really not, because we know, we know what generally happens one in the second, third years. You know you're really going to explode. You know, like you said, because look at what, look at what else you've done with the, the golf league side as well. You know you've grown membership on that every year as well. So you know we're only looking for, for bigger and better things from you moving forward.

Speaker 3: 26:38

Yeah, so you. You're right, tim, I wasn't expecting 66, but when I was running the golf league tour a year before, a bunch of players came to me and said hey, I'm all. I want you to start senior tour. I want you to, you know, start the senior tour. I had so many comments jokingly two years ago I'm going back to two. Three years ago I was jokingly tell my players hey, until I get to 50, I'm not going to start the senior tour because I won't be able to play.

Speaker 2: 27:12

Chris, what?

Speaker 1: 27:12

do you?

Speaker 2: 27:12

have to say about that bud yeah, 52.

Speaker 3: 27:16

And then, yeah, last year, last year same thing. People come to me hey, I will bring more people into it. You know, I'll bring the seniors. I know a lot of seniors wants to play in this tour because they cannot compete in the golf league. So I said, you know what I'm going to do. It that's what I did, you know. So I just called Dennis and said okay, dennis, I'm going to start the senior tour, let's see how it goes. So I just started it and then my all my players, they backed me up. So I mean, I did.

Speaker 1: 27:52

I think that's how most senior tours are started is with golf league directors being asked by their members to start a senior tour for whatever reason. But I will tell you this not being 50 and running a senior tour has its moments, because you're sitting at the course for four and a half hours twiddling your thumbs or maybe, tim, maybe it helped me out and that's where I got better this year was being able to just practice for four and a half hours.

Speaker 4: 28:16

That big could be.

Speaker 2: 28:19

Christian. Yeah, you'll get to 51. Don't rush it, but you'll get to 51.

Speaker 1: 28:25

Oh, I'm not Trust me. I'm already looking forward to 40, I guess, but when I get 50, you guys watch out. All right, I'll be the Joe Jaspers of my time.

Speaker 2: 28:36

Well, let's hope so. Why don't you tell us about, you know, your regional French lick? You know, I know this was maybe tired of hearing me say this, but you know, that's one of the places that really has me intrigued and I'm trying to get Chris to agree to go up there with me this year. Yeah, we'll do a live broadcast from there. But you know, tell us about your experience up there and what you're looking forward to going back.

Speaker 3: 29:03

Yes. So once again I had to repeat the same thing. Everything comes from my members. So I normally talk to a bunch of members, my members, you know. I tell them okay, hey, there is a French League, why don't we start a regional? That's all, that's all the. That's where the conversation started. Then they were saying, oh yeah, definitely we should do it.

Speaker 3: 29:28

And then I started looking into the. You know how much it takes, what it costs. I mean I'm like, ooh, do I really want to do this? You know, will I be able to pull this off? Then my buddies, once again, they said I told them I'm always frank, I always tell them, okay, what is it's going to cost? I mean, I have a bunch of friends like a 10, close to 10 players. I share everything with them. So I told them okay, this is what it's going to cost. But you know, if I want to do it, I don't want to lose money running this tool. That's my goal. I don't want to lose money running this tool. Okay. So they said, guess what? You will be sold out, trust me. You know. That's what everybody said. Okay, I said, guys, if you said so, I'm going to call the course, I'm going to book it we are going.

Speaker 3: 30:27

So I called the course, I booked the dates and then I called Dennis. Dennis said okay, what do you want to name it? I think I said Midwest Regional or something. Dennis and Jennifer said no, there is already a regional called Midwest. Why don't we call it as a French League regional, something like that? So that's how the name is. The French League regional name started.

Speaker 3: 30:50

So once again, I credit to my players. They said okay, they give me the hope. They said I'm all, yes, we can pull it off. So at the end of the day, what happened was 200 players registered but only 120 is allowed. That's the maximum field I can take it to that course. So once 120 paid, I had to delete 80 people. That's what happened. So 200 people signed up to play and then 120 I had to take and then that's the maximum field.

Speaker 3: 31:26

So the good thing is, we played first day and the second day we are playing and the DICOS told me that, hey, we are going to give you a small gift to all the players. Whoever is playing, they will get a small gift. I said do you want to give it to me so I can put it in my goodie bag the first day, and then I give it to all my players. They said no, they have to play. Once the play is done, we will give them the gift. Okay, I was thinking they are going to give me a tiny little piece, something like that, anyway. So second day we played, everybody liked the course. And then second day we finished the round. Then Cadiz are bringing this shot glass and name tag, everything we put it in a tiny little bag.

Speaker 3: 32:15

So it's a nice really. I mean, I was surprised to see that small gift from the course. So everybody liked it. I liked it. And then a bunch of people come to me. I mean, you know what happens at the end of the tournament. You will be running from place to place, you will be doing so many things, but so many people came to me and said, hey, you're going to do this next year, right? I said, okay, I wasn't 100% sure, you know. So I told them okay, I will do it. So if I mean, I was surprised how many people took time to come to me and say thank you for running this. We enjoyed it. I hope you keep doing this every year.

Speaker 3: 33:10

We would like to come back and play this course every year. I'm like, okay, I mean, if somebody is taking time because I'm hiding in the room, okay, people are coming and saying, hey, I just want to tell you this. Nice job. I want to come back again. So please do it again. You know, once again, those are the things, those are the words make me do more every year. So we are going back to French League next year.

Speaker 3: 33:43

And also, tim, you and Chris, you guys talked to the GM up there. He was talking about the course. Some of the things that he said I did not know about that course at all until he said so. So you know who starts the design on a piece of napkin, right, right, you know. So that's a nice story. And I was listening to the podcast. I'm like, wow, you know, that's what. So it's a nice course. I liked it, and also all the players who came, they liked it. They all want to come back and play the course again. Guess what we are going next year. It's going to be. Hopefully I'm going to keep it running it every year during the Labor Day weekend.

Speaker 2: 34:38

All right Now, mal, I didn't pay you to say any of that stuff. So, Chris, you know, I think that's another incentive for us to get up there. I don't know what else I got to do.

Speaker 1: 34:49

I mean just say yes, you might have turned me over there, so get ready for my craziness.

Speaker 2: 34:58

Do you have any other highlights or things for this coming year that you want to share with with listeners?

Speaker 3: 35:06

Yeah, so for this year I'm including some new courses, but all the other courses that we played, we are going back to those courses because they're all nice courses and right now I'm negotiating the dates with one or two country clubs, hopefully one of them, yeah, one of them. I'm hoping I'll be able to get to one of the courses. So always I try to, you know, include some new courses. Country clubs are really hard to get in, especially in Indianapolis where we are. It's hard, it's a tough competition.

Speaker 3: 35:47

All the country clubs they say, oh no, we have only two, three outside events. I mean I have to have like 100 players even just to go and talk to them. You know, because they have these outings, outings are like 200 people. Normally they don't listen to you if you go in with 100 players, right, because they want to make money, they want to make you know. So that's the goal. I mean I get it. But at the end of the day, you know, I try to contact some of my buddies and buddies, buddies, you know they have a good contacts, so they give me the contacts. Okay, I call this guy, I call him. I mean by calling I'm not going to lose anything, right, they're going to say yes or no, so what? So I'm going to call you. You tell me what you want and I will tell you whether I can do it or not.

Speaker 3: 36:41

So, most of the cases the minimum number of players is the one the deal breaker. Price is not a big deal, but the minimum players always I try to stick to like a 60 players minimum. If anybody says 60 players minimum, I'm in it, right. So if there's an under I may think about it. But 60 players minimum, that's what I always write the contract, always that's what I sign the contract with.

Speaker 3: 37:09

So once again, the schedule, the golfing side schedule, is already done, except one course. It's a country club. I'm not going to name that country club because it's it's it's so high end course, so I'm not going to name it until I get it. You know what I'm saying, right? So, but other than that, my golfing is complete. My senior tour schedule. I'm waiting for a few dates from few courses. Once that's done, my schedule for both golfing and senior will be complete. I'm hoping everything will be done before the registration opens. The membership registration opens during the Thanksgiving holidays. So that's my goal. But this time of the year it's really hard to get hold of the golf courses because it's a winter, they close it, or all the pros they take a vacation, they go somewhere else. So it's really hard to get hold of them. So but I'm really close, close on, you know, getting both schedules done or finalized, so hopefully I'll be able to get it done by Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2: 38:31

Having this kind of Thanksgiving is is is really key because, like you said, you know pros go on vacation, you know when Thanksgiving comes, you know then then you have the Christmas holiday and it's just really difficult to nail people down. So the more you get, more we can get done before Thanksgiving, the really the better off, better off we are. Plus, it also helps in the membership drive. If players are seeing courses already booked, they can start making their plans and deciding yeah, I'm going to go that course from there, that course, etc.

Speaker 3: 39:04

Yeah, that's my goal also, because you cannot go and say register to play in over two, so what am I registering for? Right? So that's what. That's what players are going to ask what am I registering for? So that's the reason why I mean. I mean, as I said, the golf week is almost done. I'm waiting for one country club. I'm hoping they go to come back to me and say yes, you can have it Once that's done. My golf week is done.

Speaker 3: 39:35

The senior I sent an email. I did talk to people. Once those courses say yes or no, then I go to my next list, you know. So that's why, that's why I'm waiting, so I don't want to double book any of my dates. So, and one more thing, taiman, please, I like to thank my players because they are the reason why I'm running this to. They are the reason why this tour is successful. And also my players always come to me and say hey, I'm all you want to do this, I'm all I don't like doing this. You know. They give me straightforward criticism and I always listen to them. So thank you for my players. And then standing behind my or our product, right golf week, amateur to product. So I always thankful to my players and members.

Speaker 2: 40:36

Well, that's a great way to end this. And you know, I think I think most tour directors feel the same way. You know, if we don't have the, if we don't have the members, we don't have the players, we don't have a tour. And you know, it's really a players tour. It's not a tour directors tour, it's a players tour. And if we're not listening to them, you know, we we don't really have to have that tour, we don't really have the success as a national tour that we do without actually listening to the players as a whole.

Speaker 3: 41:04

And as a team on this. Thank you so much. You guys are doing a wonderful job doing this podcast. I mean, I listen to those four podcasts. You guys are awesome, Appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 41:18

Thank you so much and I'm all again thanks so much for everything that you do, thanks for taking some time with us and you know obviously, good luck in 2024 and we'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 3: 41:29

Thank you so much, guys.

Speaker 2: 41:30

Take care.

Speaker 3: 41:30

Have a good one, bye.

Speaker 2: 41:33

Well, congratulations to them all. And when in the B flight senior national championship, you know he's one of you know, a handful of tour directors that have won a national championship, you know, we're in just a second here we're going to talk to somebody else who's won a senior national championship. We don't want to get into that yet, but I understand you know how difficult it is for a tour director to not only, you know, run the tour, play the events and then still come out on top and do well in tournaments, and it's hats off to to a mall for doing that and looking forward to seeing big things from the next year. Now, as you guys know, this is the end of the end of the season for us and there was a Ryder Cup style event in the last week that some of the Eastern tours you know put on, and they had four tours. So we're going to welcome in, you know, to the tour directors from there. We've got Cephas Franklin from DC and Marty Martinez from Eastern North Carolina. Guys, you know, welcome to the show.

Speaker 4: 42:38

Appreciate it Tim.

Speaker 2: 42:39

We've been doing this, marty and you know, to Cephas tonight. We've been knowing each other for probably, you know, 12, 13 years to this stage. You know, to see this event that you all put on, you know comes from some of the things that we've done in the past, so why don't you just talk a little bit about? You know, the Players Cup, the history of it and how it ended up. You know to the event that you all had last week.

Speaker 4: 43:04

Yeah, for the Eastern North Carolina tour. This goes back to the 2014 timeframe where we were doing a Ryder Cup with the DC Metro and that inaugural year that we did it. We ended up winning that one and then that I guess, that rivalry keeping on because we got our butts kicked in 2015. Yeah, next year we took care of business.

Speaker 4: 43:32

Oh yeah, y'all did. Yeah, we certainly did. I remember that one Tim, you know I had never played a Ryder Cup stop event or floorball or anything like that. And 2014, my first experience, the first time I've eaten already, and man, that was tough. But then next year, man, we really put on a show.

Speaker 2: 43:59

Yeah, we smoked them, that's for sure.

Speaker 4: 44:01

It did. So I'm scared. I'm looking at the pictures.

Speaker 2: 44:07

Well, you know those back to back years. We played the same course each year, which you know I really love that facility. Maddipone Springs yeah, you know, just outside Richmond, that's a great course. You know they host as well. You know I really like that. You know the 18th hole. You know it kind of reminds me of Winston Straits, the 18th hole. You know where you come. You know your approach shot into the green, comes down off that hill to the green. It's a beautiful shot, you know. Again, you can have the cheers there watching guys come in. You know those two years were awesome.

Speaker 4: 44:41

Yeah, so Tim, and then you know, after 14 or 15, really didn't do another Ryder Cup to Tungley Grant. So if you don't know how I got to talking, and then I think 2020, we we read we played foul in Tidewater down in Beasburg and that year, man, we really put a weapon on. You know Tidewater had been playing Ryder Cup style to Grant. You know for Tungley Co to Nationals. You know with Louisiana, and you know our guys, first time I got excited and then we went down to Beasburg and we really played well and we pulled off that first win. And then that kicked me into the second year where, in 2021, we went to Ocean City and you know we played with the courses in Ocean City for three days and Lyland won the Cup.

Speaker 4: 45:41

That and so, and then in 2022, we decided we were going to expand it and we did, and we went to Word of Beach against Word of Beach, Eastern Tidewater in DC, and so the DC Cup was always against how we played Tidewater. Marty and I revived the belt of the Tourist Cup and then we didn't have a name for Word of Beach that year for that Cup. They beat us, and then this year we named the wall. So you know, now that we have Richland, we're playing the Blue Breakup. You can see in different ways the Blue Breakup, so inside the event, each Tourist also played for an individual. So and then the overall, which makes it fun.

Speaker 2: 46:38

I like that format because, like you said again, you know it's a three-day event. So you're, you're, you're matched up with one tour each day. How many guys per team? There's 24, breakouts, 24 per team.

Speaker 4: 46:51

So the way we decided to do it to make it, you know, evenly needed help guys was Wait, wait, wait, wait, no, we mixed. We went through for the champ and four for the deep flight, and then a six player, then every other flight, and so you got 12 matches going on throughout the day. And I'll be honest with you, damn, this year our guys were excited. You know we had trouble filling the team for DC last year and we had to play us with mother for the Boston guys. Peace man had a main up from upstate. We met a few guys from time to water and step in once a silly. This year was a pretty much pretty noted DC team and I have happened. What I got we didn't wear, but we bowed. Every day was about. I mean, nothing was easy, right? Oh, marty, we'll tell you that.

Speaker 2: 47:46

Yeah, well, you know you look at that in this in in a second you got you. Eastern DC played the first day and and see if I was following you guys on scruff they won in day three. But day one didn't look good, you know most of the day, but day three I thought it looked good and then it fell apart.

Speaker 4: 48:11

So they won. We ran into a bus. I'll just be honest with you. There were. There were a couple of Groups that went down to the last hole. Okay, so that that Blake Gravitt and Jason Cherry and Peter Burrows and tongue them hits, went down to the greater last hole at Eastern Wanted on the last hole. The other one that went down the last hole was the Bettina Martinez, james Moore, dave, look, can't cop. It went to 17 that they were up one and we were kind of half it one wanted so they'd be just the one. So if we got those on the first day and we can't, we're really close to Marty, better take that. And then the other one that went down to the last, to the last hole was the Gary Brett, titus, simmons, tommy and that ass and guns of Phillip. They have that we. We were all one Going into the lab into the evening cold and Jonathan them back and one that roll in there. I mean the matches were so close that there were a couple of runaways.

Speaker 2: 49:34

Yeah, you missed one runaway I want to talk about. But yeah, I don't know if you want.

Speaker 4: 49:38

Those guys were. Those guys were Before we got to the P Watts, you know, uh, you know it's back before it in Allen Bayney Again, see, for sprinkling a Jerry arm myself. And they were bragging from day one, you know, and Jerry night is out of hand, this play man, and we jumped on them early and they couldn't make, they couldn't get it back if he really was six, five, nine, seven, six. There was a. Well, we, you know, after you finish, as we were all playing for skin as well, you keep playing, and so one hole that Got it and shouldn't be counted. But other than that that was a good one. I'll tell you, my champ guys, my job guys, were three and up and they play and they play some horses and I had told them before we started, I know, loudest night game You're not gonna get like that. That's not got two of us for you. And they played the but off, he and he is, he is Tom, played the bus off.

Speaker 2: 50:46

Who was? Who was the tide water champ guys?

Speaker 4: 50:48

I wanted champ guys over Thursday. Oh, it was a big guy. It was Hold on, I got it right here. I'm pulling up right now. It was Mike Hartzell and Thomas Sutterfield. Okay yeah and you know I can work myself, cause I didn't think to get loud. His guys were gonna take him out. I said, man, when you hit and last you had a look at stuff and that's what they said. My efforts lights out all week.

Speaker 2: 51:22

Yeah, that's a, that's the thing with land. So I mean, he's either owner, yeah, right, and so he had a good weekend. But, marty, yes, you took care. Dc day one. You know what. What was? What was your, your, your whole mood with the players because you know you go into Richmond. You know nothing against Richmond, right, it's a new tour, you know. You know a lot of those guys maybe played at Tidewater before. Yeah, right, but you're really kind of looking forward to playing Tidewater on Sunday, yeah, that was your approach.

Speaker 4: 51:55

Yeah, I knew that I was gonna be our top system inch and I was really focused on it. But at the same time, we didn't keep on Richmond and the matches that I thought we were gonna win and the ones that that I kind of figured we weren't gonna win, we'll do that. So that's the fun part about all this, because as a Director and as the coach, you know you're trying to keep things integrity and and just give them the good speech and let them go at it. And, yeah, that that was the fun part about all this. Neat, my guys were hyped pretty much the whole year to Try to get on this team and now that we had the suppress, that, a kiss, yeah. And since we're gonna be the hosting tour for 2024, everybody wants to get on this team now. So now I've got to do some type of qualifier To make sure that I get the right people so we can get our cup back.

Speaker 4: 53:05

So well, I don't know about that for my right here, but you said something and I would jump in on and that's yeah, you know, being not just a director but a here and then coach. Yeah, you know, trying to keep guys motivated and won the fight. You know, on the course to keep the game, I will tell you the pairings is is is a tough thing Because you haven't. You know, from my perspective, I've seen the guys and I've seen your scores, but I haven't watched them playing and I haven't watched their interactions. I don't know about you, I'm still learning all my guys and so you know, the first day was kind of a trial get enough for me and what I was trying to I'll go out to you yeah, what I was trying to do is put two players together.

Speaker 4: 53:57

Then why, thought, complimented each other in their game? You know, not so much as I'm gonna put these two players together because I think they can win, because what you don't want to do is load a team and then not, you know, another team to start to win. And so what I find, absolutely what I found out in my parents of day one, all in me willing to say after day one and All my groups and pretty much the same after that, and that was because some guys, a couple guys, came to me and say, hey, I think I compliment this person in this person, let's look at this, let's do that. So you know, you listen to the players and you make a day, oh right, and it kind of work, oh, absolutely Well. And so you can see, on the second day, when we played Richmond, it was a different, it was a dog fight, you know. Now, rich will one, you know.

Speaker 4: 54:50

But again we went down to, you know, the last couple of holes to try to. You know there was Again Gary breath in the pilot. You know they lost over the last goal. Dave shoe white, nick Taylor, they lost on the last hole. Shaggy brown and get some. They lost on the last hole. You take those three matches right there when we could have flipped you know.

Speaker 2: 55:18

Yeah, well, even if you know, you know, even if you, if you have those matches, you know, right, I mean you're, you're, you know that that that gets you closer right I mean. So one was three and two, the carry on, crowley, Abernathy, cordova, was was three to. Get one that was five and four and one that was eight and six.

Speaker 2: 55:43

So those are blowways, right, you know. And really you got, you got to minimize those and you have to To win the closings. You know, as I look at, you know, at the tidewater Eastern matchup, well, you know, there was Marty. All the ones that you lost were were kind of runaways, except for the one, exactly, you know, the, the Durand Excuse me, the cabinet's horn grant hail match, right that. So they only won one up on that. The rest of them five and four, five, three, four, three and four and two. You know, if you minimize, let's just say you minimize Two of those and you have the other, that's, that's a different story.

Speaker 4: 56:26

Yeah, two or one full win and all of a sudden the truck, the, the cup, is coming back here and it looks different, you know, and the less thing you know that I tell the guys. I'm like, hey guys, you know, just play your best, keep like you know, key down to the last hole if you, if you can get it to 18 and force and force something at 18. That's good, you know. Uh, you know, I look at Jerry and I dear and I will have been three at all, but we ran into a bus. I was you know any great. Just he just could not miss a fairway. I Don't care what you get, I don't care how you did. It couldn't miss a fairway.

Speaker 4: 57:07

Now, partner was tricky, he was the one over here and there, but If she did make a mistake he did recover for it. I am, yes, and jerry and I just made a couple mistakes that we could know and and, but we took him. You know, if any told us at the end she's saying you know what? You see, you guys Play those harder than anybody played us all week. You know like, well, we were trying, but you know you were a bus stop. Yeah, that's fun to watch when you get those type of players. They just have that Mac for this stuff. You know, oh, this, this fun to be around.

Speaker 2: 57:45

And Andy definitely does. I mean, if I remember correctly, you know, not only in these matches, but you know kind of keeping my own on the lava cup. Yeah, you know, she's tough to be Very tough to be yeah, and then you know.

Speaker 4: 57:58

And then you know you look at it Because those guys do some off-season stuff like right now they're doing the same thing right now. You know, with winter things out in Thai water, that you know she's fair with the same person. Well, they pretty much playing together every weekend. Well, they there's a meeting with how he's gonna place and, and that helps them ever, you know, have talks. Go for doing that because it makes your players better, you know, and and you know, hopefully one day, you know, we may be able to do something like that. But you know, just doing this couple line, you know I will tell you the camaraderie between the teams, clean the players. You know tours, I mean you can't. I mean, wow, you just got sick. Yeah, I know there's more towards out there. I want to get involved, but the way this is set up, you know it compliments what we intended to do last year and I think this is just gonna be a good rivalry for years to call yeah.

Speaker 2: 59:04

Yeah, and, like you said it, you know more, more tours want to get involved in this. But the reality is, I think the way that you guys are situated, I think if they're gonna do it, it needs to be kind of regional, like that, right? So you know, if I could, if I could do something like that with, let's just say, charlotte and upstate and you Charleston or Augusta, I think that would be, that would be phenomenal. Now I'm kind of throwing that out as a hint To them guys west and I just I just booked a course, you know, a couple days ago that we're gonna do a two-day major at where it's gonna be between Atlanta, upstate, columbia, and so I'm not saying I'm just I'm not saying I'm just saying right, yeah.

Speaker 4: 59:52

That's how I get started.

Speaker 2: 59:55

So we'll see what happens now. Now, those, those tours and those tour directors know that it's booked and they're in. They don't know that I'm saying this yet.

Speaker 4: 1:00:03

It'll be a surprise, as Either their players or you know I had I think you're one of your players, or one of your players that we get Mitch. We just posted the next year where Marty's hosted and Mitch matters the what that's me hey can anybody play it?

Speaker 4: 1:00:24

I like no. You know, on the source, you know and you know I, a lot of guys are seeing it Because we found the post and we try to make it, you know, as big as possible. You know, even on, all of guys are trying to figure out now, you know, and why they said I got guys call me. So now, hey, I really want you know what I really want to be on the team. So, guys that I try to get on the team and what it do To go to my little beach and like, well, you know, then, with this, you know, like man, I should have gone last year. I'm not missing another one, oh so some act yeah.

Speaker 4: 1:01:03

And Marty says I'm paying to make sure that you know it's a fat, equitable way Of getting players on the team.

Speaker 2: 1:01:15

Well, you know and I've seen some posts you know back and forth and you know a number of different. You know tours. The best way to do it is playing tournaments and get past.

Speaker 4: 1:01:28

Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 1:01:31

You're only going to three tournaments. Four tournaments a year.

Speaker 4: 1:01:34

Yeah you're not getting seen as a player, you know, as a team captain, the good thing about what I did is all the players that were out there. I know all their games Because you know when we're doing our individual tournaments locally, you know I'm out driving around the lollipop until they're shooting or score wise and kind of what Cifus was saying, making sure that our partner up with the right players together, which you know. All three days which one of my teams were to see, all I did was kind of alter where they started, but they all complimented each other and I think that's because I know what they can do and what they can't do.

Speaker 3: 1:02:21

Yeah, that was pretty neat.

Speaker 4: 1:02:22

And one thing I do want to say we didn't do this up front, head south, to allow the time of water for winning Head south to the new Richmond tour director, Sean Redmond Yep, absolutely, you know he earned it and he's team, he earned it and you know, head top to those guys because they did the same thing, you know, and good news is that the four of us were all saved, you know, and we were focused on trying to ensure that one integrity of the game, quality of the game and that players have fun. And then hats off to the easy XF man. The guys did a bang up job and supporting us and that's what we're looking for. You know, I would tell any tour that is trying to do something like this, you can do it without the support of a great staff at a course that is going to support you and be there for you and kids, the XF heads off. Those guys did it. Yeah, they went up and beyond, because I tell you what it's like not back.

Speaker 4: 1:03:30

I got on the phone and I started calling all the local courses to go ahead and set up for 2024. And to get three days consistently with shotgun starts and them giving up some of their tea times in order for, you know, in order to our organizations to play. That's tough, yeah, but I had one course that's set up and said, hey, we'll take it, we'll do all three days and you will give you chunks of stars, then we would love to have you, and the good thing is it's kind of being a kind of love, I guess, a middle point for just about everybody. So it's going to be at a point going to 2024. Where is it?

Speaker 4: 1:04:13

O'connell out in Jerry Hills, north Carolina. You know, marty, I was looking at that. You know, for my guys I mean, that's about a two and a half, maybe two and a half hour drive, which is not bad, you know. Yeah, well, some of them were complex because we had Goldenberg Beach set at, which is about five and a half and six Wait a second Hold on Hold, on Hold on Hold on Hold on a second here.

Speaker 2: 1:04:36

Who's complained that they had to go to a rural beach?

Speaker 4: 1:04:39

Well, they were looking at it. I got a bunch of crowd.

Speaker 2: 1:04:47

I got a bunch of crowd, here we go. Oh, Jen honey, I have to go to a rural beach. Why?

Speaker 4: 1:04:56

I just have to. I just said you know, you know, we do, man, I know, I know.

Speaker 2: 1:05:03

But it's funny that that's the, that's the reaction. Oh man, I got to go. I have to go all the way to rural beach to play in this tournament. Yeah.

Speaker 4: 1:05:12

You know, because some of us have got a little trouble. We don't care. Where is that Exactly? That's right. Well, and you know, I'm right out looking at that location. Man, we'll talk a little bit on the lot and that's going to be awesome, man, it's right there on the water too, guys, I love that.

Speaker 4: 1:05:29

Yeah, there's going to be a there's one um, which called uh, facilities there on the property that they rent out, okay, and also an eating tune that's where the hotels are, which is not 12 minutes on the other side of the bridge, okay, so you can just let your players know I'll save my contact hotel and so I can look up something. But you know, just like anything else we do, you know the players, you're going to have to call and start making arrangements and stuff. You know, like what I do, what I normally do is just call to try to get a group right before we get the bed straight and yeah, oh, set it up and said, okay, now it's someone you got. I need to know what the facility exactly. Hey, man, you know, and we're excited, uh, you know, most guys are like, man, I wish they would have. But you know, we got a whole another season that we got to go through before we get there, but it's going to be a great 2024 season, very and it's up here Great 24 players.

Speaker 4: 1:06:27

Couple of DC. Oh yeah, okay.

Speaker 2: 1:06:35

Well, maybe we'll book this interview same time, same date next year. Yeah, we'll just revisit.

Speaker 4: 1:06:41

Yeah, he says all right.

Speaker 2: 1:06:44

So, as I brought you guys in here, I mentioned them all and not even going to try and butcher his name. You know, tour director from from Indianapolis, he wants to be, like, uh, senior national champion and you know one of the points that I made to him, that that you know there are only 10 national champions a year, right, there's only 10.

Speaker 2: 1:07:06

And I've been doing this with Dennis for 15, 16 years and all the tours that I've run, I've got zero, zero, okay. And Marty, you know, for those listening, you know I said there's, you know, there's another tour director. That's that's one national championship and that's that's you, marty, right, you, you won Right 2019. 2019. You also had Mike Dallas this year, you know, from from the A flight he wanted. So you, you know, I don't know how many more you've got other than that, but I mean, you know, so it's, it's rare to to to win a national championship and you know, to have a tour director do it is one thing. So now we got another tour director and Marty, one of the couple of years ago, but also as a as a player. How many other national champions do you have, marty?

Speaker 4: 1:07:52

Nelson Sanchez in a B flight in 2016. And then Dale Fuller won the champ flight. That was in 2021.

Speaker 2: 1:08:02

Oh wow, we're not good man. I mean, we've got none, we've got none, we got to do better. I don't know what else to do, but you know, here's what it is. So so see this. What do you got coming up for 2024?

Speaker 4: 1:08:19

I haven't slide it, man. I I spent most of it. I don't know if you looked at my schedule, I got 90% without there already. Okay, so we're going to start with blue mask this year. We haven't had blue mask on the schedule since about 2016. It's been a while, yeah, yeah, so I'm working blue match. Then we're going to move Westfields up early.

Speaker 4: 1:08:45

We're going to do a number of guests at Westfields second tournament, which is going to be like on the 24th of August. I'm out, so 24th and watch. My head's already taken. I'm trying to get to play as tough. Yeah, 24 watch. And then after that I'm trying to work on me to there and the local. So we I don't think we've ever played a twin late Fairfax County courts, so they have two courts in the Oaks and the late. So I'm in discussions with them on waiting on them to sign a contract outside on our side already Once they do that and I'll add that, and then we go from there to a law or heal.

Speaker 4: 1:09:32

Then we're going to do a combo so that we have three combo trying to get host. I each or when I counted this year my schedule. So the first one's got to be DC. Also that come at Augustine. The next one is going to be at the Highlands of private portion, richmond. That's on Saturday. That's on Saturday, not that one for Saturday, wow. And then a loud is going to hold, hot water is going to host everybody at Kisky Act on the 20th of July, wow, oh. So we got three combos and each one of those is going to be probably about a hundred and 44 plus golfers. We got double shot and a lot of locations for those tournament already.

Speaker 2: 1:10:26

Well, augustine gave you double shotgun. Yes, wow, that's a good job right there.

Speaker 4: 1:10:32

Yeah, and so Augustine gave me work. You know, last year we did it the first one and we didn't do it. You know we only gave one combo last year. That was a double shot, got a matter plan. So because that was so attended by all three floors, each floor had a minimum 48 golfers Okay. So we're going to do that again this year. We're going to have three combos and then after that we're going to go to Legs again as well. We have a place to table another course, the new one that I'm at kind of get back over course. They'll try to get more in Maryland. I Went back to your university in Rowland.

Speaker 2: 1:11:16

Okay, it's been a few years.

Speaker 4: 1:11:17

Yeah, it's been. It says 17. So I talked to them, their guy, he might have thanked the email me yesterday. So I said I haven't asked them. Hopefully this week if I don't go with them then I will probably go mother tribe with she'd treat. You know they were bought by the same folks, not a good blue bass, okay, and so blue lash, blue mash, help, shy greens and something else are all under checker. Sports now.

Speaker 2: 1:11:49

Okay so. That may help. That may help actually get on there, cuz remember you know it was, they raise the prices and then it was no, no, no, no salary tournaments.

Speaker 4: 1:12:00

Yeah and so and so the issue now and you get a lot of a good point. You know what's happening in the DC area. It's crazy. I don't know how long they're gonna give, but they are really, really raised the prices on for the weekends. So you know, up to a 70 right now. Trying to get anything up to 70, it's really tough. You know whiskey, I mean, I'm just you read that those guys are our savior, but will a stay with us every year and he's not trying to kill me price why?

Speaker 2: 1:12:34

I think that's the. You know those three there in that little cluster there. I think muskier Ridge is the best one anyway.

Speaker 4: 1:12:40

Yeah, it is, I love that course and so, and so that's what I mean, that's who we are like. I said, yeah, I'm, I'm just waiting on twirl plate and you know where's the ground, and I'm done my schedule.

Speaker 2: 1:12:54

So again, I really like the idea of those. You know, combo events, you know it builds the camaraderie and it also builds the. The what's where I'm looking for the, the head-to-head matchup yeah, this patient know for the players cup.

Speaker 4: 1:13:09

Yeah, what I like doing with those is I like mixing with players and what is possible. I don't have, you know, two DC guys. You know, for DC guys I spent a while so they were somebody they don't know on the play with you know and making competitive and you know, and so we we've done well, oh, whoa, that format. You know I'll not have good relationship, son, and I've talked, for you know we're already, we're fired up on this.

Speaker 2: 1:13:39

You know I was shown was gonna be on here and you know, again, he, he was called away its last minute I'm he's got to be fun to work with him. He's a fun guy to be around, fun guy to play with, and you know he's got to be fun guy to work with, you know so yeah. So, marty, how about you? I know you've you've got the a couple majors this year.

Speaker 4: 1:14:00

Yeah, well, some of our regionals have changed. You know, the first run off the bat for us is gonna be the senior masters. Now normally we would host that at River Landing in April, but unfortunately River Landing is all booked up already for April. So I had a Looked them on the back end for a two-day Regional in August, but the dates didn't work with National headquarters so I called Cutter Creek. Now Cutter Creek just hosted the CDA senior Championships. This course is a phenomenal track.

Speaker 4: 1:14:43

Now that's their loud wanting me to try to get the 2024. Claire's got booked for but unfortunately they couldn't do for three straight days. So I'm gonna use them for the regional for the senior side of the house. Now normally everybody knows we do Paul's invitation in February. Well, not anymore. We're gonna move that to March because we can miss it out on the senior icebreaker, because Mike was always booking it the weekend of the Mr Icebreaker. So now Paulie's is now no longer a two-day major, it's gonna be a three-day regional in March Over the St Patrick's Day weekend. So that's a big change.

Speaker 2: 1:15:35

Yeah, once we go further down the line, then you got yeah, understand that's gonna be a big problem because people gotta go all the way to Murdoch Beach.

Speaker 4: 1:15:46

I feel sorry for you guys.

Speaker 4: 1:15:49

Further. They gotta go to Paulie's Island. Oh my god, I will be as if you're right, but we'll definitely be sound up for that regional. I'll tell you I'm all you doing that. Oh yeah, yeah. So that's another two good ones right off the bat, and then we roll into the independence day regional, which is on the golf league side of the house. Now, normally we would do that at the legends. Yeah, I'm, I'm ready to move on. We played a course last year when we finished up the schedule, from Murdoch Beach, called brand dunes. Yes, and that place is great for raising ice. So that's where we're gonna do the independence regional this year. And then our final one will be the one that Murdoch beat Eastern and Charleston come together. That's the low country region on, that's on the senior side of the house. Okay, so Basically, there's two regionals on the seniors and two regionals on the golf league, so four total for me that I'll be dealing with this year.

Speaker 2: 1:17:00

And where is that senior one at?

Speaker 4: 1:17:03

True blue Caledonian Yep.

Speaker 2: 1:17:07

Yeah, I'm really impressed with the regionals you know in both the golf week side and the senior side. You know there's a lot of them. You know a lot of really good courses. You know in different places. You know a genius got one in Louisiana, michelle's got one. I really want to want to go up there to see that one. The yeah, the Great Lakes regional at at American dunes. That's gonna be phenomenal, along with all the others that are always good anyway. So you have players, get players, got a lot of choices. You know a lot of good places.

Speaker 2: 1:17:42

Yeah, I'm good place to go play golf. So yeah, you know, when registration opens up, you know on Black Friday I'm gonna sign up and then get registered as soon as you can. Well, guys, thank you so much for taking some time with it with us tonight. I really appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 1:17:59

You know, I love what you guys are doing now, yeah, you know not only for you know for your individual tours, because Both you have have have large tours. And, by the way, marty, when when I talked to Mike, he he just praised what you and pateena are doing, things, the world of you guys doing great jobs, so you need to know that. I appreciate it, thank you. And so again, not only the good that you guys are doing with your individual tours and but, but what you did with was a players cup, and, and and how you're bringing you know folks together from you know, from all four of these tours to, to, to compete and and Stay fresh and get ready to start the 2024 season. Nice job.

Speaker 4: 1:18:41

Hey, thanks, hey, I'll take all right guys.

Speaker 2: 1:18:44

Take care, we'll talk to you soon, okay.

Speaker 4: 1:18:46

All right, have a good one.

Speaker 2: 1:18:48

Look glad we get to talk to Cephas and Marty, tour directors for DC in eastern North Carolina, about the players cup. It's a great event at the end of the season. You're bringing four tours together. Know for competition, the friendship camaraderie, you know, in between national championship and and Thanksgiving and and really is kind of a way to increase camaraderie within the tours but also to to boost membership going into 2024 and I know it was a second year and looking forward to seeing how year three goes. They did a nice job, you know. Unfortunately Sean Redmond from Richmond and Lyle from Tidewater Couldn't make it, but you know we'll talk to them. You know it was as the 2024 season moves on. You know they've got some good things going in both of those tours. But as you know we're, you know we're winding down 2023 season. This is, you know, the official last episode of the season and you know the 2024 season opens up on black Friday. So remember, you know, when you wake up from from your Thanksgiving Turkey slumber Friday morning, go ahead and register. You know, I know a lot of tours are running specials, so make sure you wake up and and register as soon as you can. We talked earlier about you know how we take some time off, and right now Chris is away with the family vacation. They much deserve family vacation, so I'm hoping that he's relaxing and enjoying time with his family.

Speaker 2: 1:20:18

The El Paso tour does the 12 days of Christmas, so, again, you gotta make sure that you know. The only way to win prizes there is to make sure that you're registered, and in Atlanta. Yeah, I'm doing something a bit different this year. You know, with with costs going up everywhere, when everything you know we're running a $93 special or a Friday, saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. I knew that that's our early bird rate from 2021, 2022 and 2023. You know so it's the Kind of the rollback price if you look at it from a Walmart perspective. You know so you got three days to get the Rollback price of $93 and if you register, you know, in Atlanta for you, any of those three days, you'll be entered into a raffle to win either free super skins, bite skins or close to the pin for every local event for the year. You know so not only will you register early, but you have a chance to Walk away with a little bit of cash. Again, I know a bunch of other tours are running specials. So it doesn't really matter. You know where you're located, just get up and and register as soon as you can. And you know there's another good thing that the National Office has been working, you know, really hard on the website, you know, trying to make a little bit easier to use so any member that already has a password for the For the website to sign in you don't have to fill out a joint tour form this year. So that's a step. You know, if you, if you don't have a heavy password, you know if you, if you don't have a heavy password, you have to do it. But you know, one one, one last step for, you know, for returning members that have that password, all you got to do is log on and Pay the membership fee. Again, we're looking forward to the 2024.

Speaker 2: 1:22:06

As you know, we're running into Thanksgiving and I want to make sure that. I think thanks, some people know who have, you know, really kind of stood out and, you know, helped us along the way. You know, first and foremost, you know we need to thank Dennis and Jennifer McCormick. You know, without their vision we wouldn't have this tour which allows us play competitive golf all over the country, creating experiences, creating friendships, creating relationships all over the game of golf. So we want to make sure that we thank them. I want to thank all of the the Tour members who support us weekend and week out, even if you have to drive all the way to the Myrtle Beach for a tournament. But seriously, you know, without you all as members you know Registering and planning tournaments every week we don't have a tour, and so we need to make sure you understand how much we really do appreciate you. Not only you know Us as tour directors on a local level, but on the national level as well. Everybody understands, without you all as members and planning tournaments, we don't have a tour. I want to thank all my local members and I'm sure Chris is the same. You know you've been with us for you know your support of of us is, yeah, I can't, I can't put it into words how much, how much we appreciate you From the podcast perspective and again and I'm sure Chris would would agree here you know we started doing this, you know, low over a year ago.

Speaker 2: 1:23:38

We had no idea how big this was, was gonna be where, how big it's grown in just in this one year. So again, thank you for all the listeners. We appreciate we. We appreciate you listening. I Appreciate the positive feedback as well as the criticism. You know it's. You all need to continue telling us what you want and, you know, hopefully we'll be able to continue to Create the content that drives you all to listen to us Every episode. You know. Again, I can't really express how much I appreciate all the listeners and the feedback and everything that you all have have contributed to the podcast. We want to thank.

Speaker 2: 1:24:15

Thank all the guests you know Roger, who comes on, you know, once a month and, you know, teaches us about some rules. I can't wait to have him back December or first of January. All the other guests, whether they be tour directors or members, you know it's. It's been a great time, great ride this this year and we're again, we're looking forward to some bigger and better things Over the next couple of episodes. Chris and I are gonna roll some things out. You know we've talked a little bit about them, but we're really gonna kind of lay up some plans we've got for the upcoming year and hope you like it. And, again, if there's anything that you all want to, if there's any recommendations you have or you know you say you. Yeah, we really need to have so-and-so on the show. You know, reach out to us, let us know. You can email me at Tim N a T C at amateur golf tour net. Again, that's Tim and a TC. Amateur golf tour net. Or Chris at El Paso at amateur golf tour net. Again, that's El Paso at amateur golf tour net.

Speaker 2: 1:25:28

If any of you are gonna be on the road Visiting friends and family for Thanksgiving, please, please, please, travel safely. You know the experts are saying that this Thanksgiving is gonna be the most heavily traveled holiday in years. So please get there safely and get home safely. And, on behalf of Chris, I can't tell you how much I I'm appreciative and thankful for the tour, the players, all the listeners. You know what, what, what the tour brings to a lot of people is is.

Speaker 2: 1:26:04

It's really important, you know, and I love the camaraderie, I love the friendships, I love the, the connections, the relationships that we've built. The golf is great, but it's more to me about the again, the camaraderie, relationships and and and the people. So I want to make sure I think I thank you all, remember, be thankful for everything that we have to be able to to do some of these things and remember, you know our, our troops who are overseas, away from Friends and family, you know. You know protecting our freedoms and protecting us to be able to be able to do some of the things that we're doing. Remember, when you wake up one Friday, make sure you register and join us, and we're looking forward to seeing everybody For the 2024 season. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. Enjoy yourselves. We'll talk to you soon. Take care you.