Teeing Off the 2024 Season: Punching Tickets to the 2024 National Championship

Speaker 1: 0:45

The 2024 Golf Week Amateur Tour season has kicked off, and this episode of the podcast will be a compilation of interviews that were done at the first two regionals Southern Icebreaker in Hilton Head that was plated to Trenchones Gorsen, paul, matter Dunes, and second round was at Harbor Town in Seapines, and then the Western States Icebreaker, which was at the Paiute Resort Golf Club this past weekend in Las Vegas. Hope you enjoy the episode.

Speaker 2: 1:21

Ladies and gentlemen, Golf Week Amateur Tour the podcast Talking about all things Golf Week Amateur Tour, including interviews with tour directors, players and course pros. Now here are your hosts Atlanta Tour Director, Tim Newman, and El Paso Las Cruces Director, Chris Rocha.

Speaker 1: 1:53

Welcome back. This segment will feature interviews from the leaders of the Southern Icebreaker that was completed at the Robert Trenchones course in Paul Matter Dunes. We're here at Harbor Town on the second day of the icebreaker. We've got the sea flight leader after day one, Kevin LePage from Charlotte. Fucking Kevin.

Speaker 3: 2:13

Good morning.

Speaker 1: 2:15

Thanks for taking some time before you go out and get warmed up. It looks like it's going to be a great day. Yesterday didn't start off too well, I mean, it was rainy and cold and actually finished up for a beautiful day, didn't it?

Speaker 3: 2:27

It did. I mean, the forecast wasn't looking too good for the mornings. When we got up it was raining pretty good and got to the course and the rain stopped, but the wind was there. I mean it was 30, 40 mile an hour winds and we knew it was going to be a tough day on the course. But then it turned out to be 65 degrees and sunny.

Speaker 1: 2:46

Exactly, it turned out really great. After you guys teed off, I kind of went home and thought I had a free day and started doing some work a little bit outside of some minutes. I was surprised how well it turned out. Let's talk about your round yesterday. So you shot a great round of 81.

Speaker 3: 3:00

Yeah, you know, at the end of the day, when we tallied up to a scorecard and it came in with a 81 and it was actually a shock into me, I knew I was playing well, but I didn't think it was that low. What hold did you start on? Started on 13 and it was when was left to right, I hit my drive and we thought we'd lost it, but it was still in the rough Hit. My second shot, bounce right of the green, ended up in the crap. So I had to take a drop, chipped up to within five feet, made my bogey putt and I was like, okay, I can survive this thing if I just keep the ball and play. And that's all I did for the rest of the day.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Well, you did a really good job. I mean, if you look at your round, you know what you scored at one, each hole. When you talk about a C-flate player and playing a solid round, that's what you had. You had one double bogey, one birdie and the rest were parsing bogeys.

Speaker 3: 3:55

Yeah, you know, my goal yesterday was just to, you know, try not to make a big number. And I didn't get my double to the 17th hole. It was a big backup and I kind of rushed my second shot and again the ball bounced right of the green. It was in a poppers grass and one of the guys said well, I want you to try to take a whack at it and I'm like there's four feet of poppers grass right there, I'm not going to try to hit it out of it. So I took on playable and almost made my bogey putt. Yeah, you know, for an 81 on a regular tour, this is, I think, my fifth or sixth regular tour event. I looked at my Facebook page this morning and last year I played here and I shot 49-47. And so to come back here a year later and to shoot an 81, I'm just really happy the way I played.

Speaker 1: 4:51

But again, you know, for a C-Flight player that's the kind of round where we actually look for for a C-Flight player Nice, solid round, not many high numbers. I can make a lot of birdies, but you're just going to play consistent. You know par bogey golf and you really did that. But you also got a birdie on hole number 15. What goes through that hole?

Speaker 3: 5:09

Yeah, that was. You know I started off bogey. Our second hole was a par four. I made par. Third hole was a par five and I just had a really good drive right down the middle. I hit a solid three wood. I was about 118 yards out and into the wind and I'm like, okay, I just got to put an eight iron up there. I mean, and everybody's like you know, to me it's like eight iron would have been like 145 yards shot, but the wind was dead in our face and I put it within 15 feet and made a left to right breaker and got it in and you know it was early in the round so I didn't think it would stand up. You know I went bogey par birdie and I'm like, okay, you know, I'm feeling it today.

Speaker 3: 5:53

The only bad thing is I had a headache. I had a headache all day yesterday and finally about I think it was 16 or 14, the car girl came around. I said do you have any power age Something? I need some something to get some electrolytes out and I woke up with a headache. I came to the course with a headache but you know I didn't let that bother me, I just tried to stay focused and, and you know, one swing at a time. I wasn't looking forward.

Speaker 1: 6:15

Well, I don't wish you have a headache today, but maybe that, maybe that's the secret sauce, but but again, that birdie paid off for you A $230 skin. I think you're the only C-flag player that got a skin yesterday.

Speaker 3: 6:27

Yeah, I don't know, I didn't look at the the skin thing. I know that when I got here this morning, susan said, hey, a little bit of money for you, you know, and so it's always nice to to cash in on these. But you know, just overall, I'm just looking forward to a great round today here at Harbor Town. You know I get the lead, but you know anything can happen, especially this course, and I'm just going to do what I did yesterday. You know, grind, take one, one swing at a time and just, you know, keep it in play.

Speaker 1: 6:56

Yeah, that's really a good approach here. You know, we talked earlier. You said you've got a caddy and you know, like, like I told you, I think you know if we've never played here before, that's probably the best way to play it is to is to get a caddy and and really get that experience of playing Harbor Town. You know, harbor Town is much different than than the Jones course. You got to think a lot more. The greens are a lot smaller, so so what's your mentality from that perspective?

Speaker 3: 7:23

Well, you know, initially I was going to get a caddy, and then I was going to get the forecast and then there were predicting rain and this and that, so I decided I was just going to hold off. And then after yesterday, after the round, I was thinking about it, I was like you know what I need? I need some distraction. So let's, let's go out and get a caddy. So I came here this morning I'm hoping they can get me one and I just want to go out and experience. You know the course. You know I played here last year. One of the guys on the force. I'm had a caddy and I could see the difference on what a caddy helped him throughout the day. And so I'm hoping that they you know Harbor Town, can, you know, get a caddy for me and I can just experience the whole thing and just take in. I mean, look, right now the sun's out. I think it's going to be an awesome day and I'm just looking forward to it.

Speaker 1: 8:11

Yeah, it's going to be a great day. Kevin, thanks so much for taking some time with us this morning. Go ahead and get warmed up and good luck today.

Speaker 3: 8:17

Thank you very much.

Speaker 1: 8:23

Okay, now we're with the B-Flight co-leader from round one, chase Green from the Hilton Ed Tour. Chase, welcome, thank you for having me on Sure. You know, yesterday you shot an 83. To me it looked like a pretty solid round. What are your thoughts on yesterday?

Speaker 4: 8:38

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty solid round. A couple of hiccups here and there, but with the wind and the weather we had yesterday I expected to have one or two holes that weren't going to go my way, but all in all I felt like it was a pretty good round.

Speaker 1: 8:55

Yeah, it was and, like you know, you brought it up and I just talked to Kim LaPage from the C-Flight. You know, when I got there yesterday I said, man, today's going to be as good as it can be cold, it's going to be rainy, the wind is going to be blowing. You want to play the look at the back? Nine when you open up and you have to hit on 10 into that wind, into the ocean. How was it when you got to 10? Was the wind blowing or was it relatively nice?

Speaker 4: 9:17

Yeah, it wasn't all. It wasn't too bad. We started on 12 that day, so 10-11 were some of our last holes and I was kind of happy that we finished there rather than starting there. But yeah, the wind was blowing. It wasn't reachable in two by any means. Yeah, I don't think that hole was ever.

Speaker 1: 9:36

Unless you're a big bowler, I don't think that hole was ever reached. Well, even if you play from the forward teeth.

Speaker 4: 9:41

Yeah, I don't think so. No matter what, you're always going to have wind in your face on that hole, whether it's coming out of the West or the East. That day it's going to be as soon as you're on the ocean. Right there it's going to be blowing.

Speaker 1: 9:53

Yeah, so what are your thoughts and mentality going in today? You're tied for the lead with Kevin Ward from Michigan. What are you thinking?

Speaker 4: 10:01

I just play solid round of golf, trying not to pay attention to the leaderboard, and hit some good shots.

Speaker 1: 10:06

Well, I hope the best for you. Being from Hilton Head, I think you've got the leg up from the snowbird from Michigan, but at this stage you've got a beautiful day coming out here. I think, especially as the day gets going it's going to warm up a little bit and the wind's going to calm down.

Speaker 4: 10:25

Yeah, I think so. I was looking at it. It's not going to be nearly as bad as yesterday, but still I have about 10-mile an hour wind, so hopefully just trees will block a lot of it out over here.

Speaker 1: 10:34

Yeah, definitely, until you get back to 17, 18, I think you should be just fine. Yeah, I think it would be fine. Well, chase, good luck today and hopefully I'll be talking to you at the end of the round, hopefully, and we'll do appreciate it.

Speaker 4: 10:46

Thanks, take care, thank you.

Speaker 1: 10:53

Okay, we've got Randy Ward from Michigan. He's the co-leader in the B-flight. He shot the 83 yesterday. Randy, welcome, thank you, welcome to glad to be here. So you're down here in Hilton Head. We're standing on the practice screen of Harbor Town. Where would you be standing if you were in Michigan right now? By the fire, be shoveling snow right now? I think we're getting snow right now. Oh, my goodness, luckily you're here. Hopefully you got kids that can do all the shoveling for you. Definitely, so it better be shoveled by the time we get home. So tell us about your round yesterday at the Jones course.

Speaker 5: 11:25

It was somewhat typical for me. I make a lot of pars, not a lot of birdies 10 pars. But I could have done better the one triple on a par three, kind of stuck in my craw.

Speaker 1: 11:37

Well, but she did also had a birdie on one. So don't forget about that, I did have a birdie. So when the day started yesterday, it was overcast. It just stopped raining, it was cold and windy, but it ended really, really nice. But she started on hole nine and to me one of the toughest holes in that course is hole 10. So that's your second hole, hidden right into the ocean wind. How'd you play that hole?

Speaker 5: 12:03

I parted my normal short down the middle of the fairway on in regulation and two putt. So if I can do that play boring golf every hole I'm more than happy to do it.

Speaker 1: 12:16

You have to do that 18 times today and you'll be just fine. I'll be very happy then. Have you played Arbor Town before Two years ago and what'd you think? I loved it. It was a very nice course. So what's your mentality and what's your approach coming into today?

Speaker 5: 12:32

In the fairway, hit greens to putt. That's all I can do. I'm not long, you know I, I'm old now also on the senior tour, and Keep it in play, don't make mistakes that that's a good approach.

Speaker 1: 12:48

I mean it's. You know what we need to do. You keep it in short grass. One on the first one, hit the green, and yeah, and have one or two plus and you're, and you're, and you're golden. Yes, that'd be, that'd be a good day. We're, andy. Thanks so much for taking some time with us today. Good, good luck, and hopefully we'll talk to you afterwards. Bye, bye, over here on the practice putting green at Harbor town With Ryan Duffy and Chris Weinford from meridian putter. Thanks for joining us. And how'd it go yesterday, guys?

Speaker 7: 13:20

Oh, it's a beautiful day For me. This is Ryan. The golf wasn't great, but no, it was. It was a fun day out at the Trent Jones course at Palmetto dunes. Sun came out on the back nine, it was like 65 degrees. So, yeah, you know, even though I hit the ball 84 times, I had a lot of fun.

Speaker 8: 13:38

Chris, you didn't do any four times. I didn't need it 84 times, but it's echo the sentiments. It was a great time out there yesterday, whether it was great company was great to. Guys I played with were fun to be with. You know some longer rounds when you got 128 guys there, so it's good to talk to him. Played, played well yesterday and we'll see what happens today. I don't know.

Speaker 1: 13:58

Did you have a good time today? So it's a Ryan. Yes, or you played with some national champions. How'd that go?

Speaker 7: 14:04

Yeah, I mean, obviously I was in like the featured group and I was the anchor of the group. I'm glad they put up with me. I thought at one point they might just say, hey, duff, go ahead and play, play one ahead of us. So we want to see this. But uh, no, I mean, you know they're more fairways and greens type players me. I like to keep it exciting. I like to, you know, go into the trees and try and hit some creative shots out of that stuff. So it was fun. Those guys are great players. I mean, obviously, some of those guys have played in multiple usga events, some of those guys have been national champions. So it was really fun to to spend, you know, a day with them and had a great time.

Speaker 1: 14:39

Well, I'm glad you did so. Chris, you get to play with One of Ryan's partages yesterday in Joe Jaspers and gonna be interesting talking to you after the round. See see what your thoughts on how he plays.

Speaker 8: 14:50

You know I've Ryan said good things about yesterday. I'm always excited to play with guys who are really good, because usually that makes me look a little bit better, Just because I threw osmosis. But I played with Jim Autry yesterday.

Speaker 1: 15:04

Well, jim's a former national champion too, as good to see. Good see him here this week.

Speaker 8: 15:10

No, it was fun to watch him play. Not not many fairways were missed yesterday. I know he didn't like how he finished, but it was. It was a lot of fun watching him play and putt. So, yeah, we got a couple products for you, jim, stop over, we got a couple good ones for you. So what are you looking forward to today? I'm looking forward to seeing. I mean, we played a practice round here on Friday and and Ryan kicked my butt pretty good here. So I think today my goal is more to beat Ryan's score than than anybody else's. I have some demons to defeat and he said he's aiming for me today. So I think I think it's a two-man show for us here at Marie, and everybody else is just kind of watching us go at it.

Speaker 1: 15:50

So that's the real tour. Well, what are your side?

Speaker 7: 15:52

bets. Oh, it was the last night we bet and we bet dinner on the round yesterday, probably double or nothing. Tonight, with dinner once again. Yeah, I mean we'll have some fun out there. It's Harbor Town, it's gonna be a beautiful day. You know, that's one of the things that's so cool about these events. They play great venues, they play great courses. So I'm looking forward to getting out there and just enjoying the day.

Speaker 1: 16:14

That's good. So let's talk about reading putters here for a second, then I'll let you guys get back to talking to other players. What's going on out here this weekend?

Speaker 7: 16:22

So yeah, I mean we're just doing our standard demo. We've got a couple bags of clubs here, all the different models, including the models will be releasing in the next couple of weeks, giving guys the opportunity to hit them. You know we're at a tournament, so most guys got their putter all lined up. But after the round yesterday we had some guys come over hit some putts, had some guys this morning come over and hit some putts. So, yeah, just trying to get the brand out there, get in front of another. You know 128 guys who love the game of golf and for us it's just sort of one step at a time.

Speaker 1: 16:49

Yeah, Chris, I hope you heard that it's okay to buy a putter after the round. Yeah, we got, we got to get your here putting down from four or five to you know the one or two. So not not you, chris, my partner, chris, who's on the other end this but if you're putting four or five times and I'm Ryan you probably need a better partner, I think so yeah, I mean I'm always looking to get less putts, so I mean I'm in the right place for it well, you guys have a great product and I appreciate you guys spend some time with us and We'll see you in what five days.

Speaker 7: 17:19

We'll see you there. Yes, yeah, we'll be out there. Yeah, be there.

Speaker 1: 17:23

All right, let's go. Well, if you guys can do a demo day by the roulette wheels, I'll be, I'll be, I will be right there. Crafts for you. All right, guys. Thanks so much for spending some time with me this morning. Good luck today, and and we'll see you soon. That was good, thank you. Thank you, okay. We're here with Joey side the, a flight leader after round one. He's from Atlanta. It's always good to interview somebody from Atlanta. We don't get that very often here here at the icebreaker. You know most guys from Atlanta say we can come down here anytime, so but thanks for coming. So you had a great round yesterday, joey.

Speaker 6: 17:59

Yeah, I felt pretty good. I started on hole seven. As I got going kind of got and listen up the back nine I was really able to sink some birdie putts and the short game was feeling pretty good and swing was good overall at that time. Um, and then as the pack nine suck kind of started which would been the front nine Kind of started going. The back started stiffening up a little bit and some balls Kind of get a little wayward, but I was at least able to to manage enough to at least maintain the lead.

Speaker 1: 18:29

Well, like I said, at least you've got to maintain the lead at five over 77. When that course and those conditions yesterday, even though it turned out nice, I mean it started off a little bit of shaky, that's active a score, yeah it was that's.

Speaker 6: 18:40

That was the main goal. The first part of it because of the wind. Luckily it was warm, so at least I wasn't windy and cold but it was warm enough. I was just trying to maintain your ball flight, keep the ball below the wind, and just some of it's, a lot of it's. You know guessing when it comes to a lot of that stuff, because I mean, when it's blown 15, 20 miles an hour, you've got to, you know, kind of try to pick your spots and you're poison and then and try to Tag pens when you can yeah, and that's a good approach.

Speaker 1: 19:07

So over here at Harbor Town today, whether it's gonna be a little bit, maybe a little bit cooler, but maybe not as much wind, with your thought process and mentality going into today.

Speaker 6: 19:16

Today, with with the being Harbor Town, I've heard quite a bit a lot of you know about it, mom. I'm seeing the course on TV quite a bit, but from what I've, you know, been told to is it's it's really, it's not a long course, but you've really got to maintain the ball in the fairway. You got to pick your spots and even when you're in the fairway it's not necessarily you got to pick certain spots of fairways to make sure you have approached into green. So you know, I do have caddy today, so I'll be leaning on him quite a bit on when it comes to that kind of stuff to make sure that I am putting the ball in the right spot to at least be able to attack some pens and see if I can get some birdies.

Speaker 1: 19:51

Yeah, that's a pretty good approach and I was telling somebody else today, you know, if this is your first time playing, for sure you know, to really get that experience of playing at Harbor Town, it's have a caddy, you know, walk with them and be able to take it all in. You know, you mentioned about picking your spots. You got, you got to think a lot more here. Yeah, it's, it's tighter, like I said it, shorter. The green structure are much, much smaller, so yet you have to. Really this is a thinking man's course which, for me, you know, you know I don't do a lot of thinking, so I, yeah, I don't do well here, but I'm sure you're gonna do just fine.

Speaker 6: 20:22

Thank you very much. Um, yeah, I mean I will say that when I, you know, do have to think a little bit more, get creative and stuff like that, I seem like I had to have a tendency more to focus a little bit more. So I'm hoping in the longer and that'll help me out.

Speaker 1: 20:35

Yeah, I'm sure it will, joey. Thanks so much for take some time this morning. I go ahead and do which caddy, loosen up and get warm and hopefully I'll be talking to you at the end of the day. Good time, thank you. Good care. Are we got the D flight leader from tidewater or Wayne ends or Wayne Welcome?

Speaker 10: 20:53

Hey, welcome. Thank you, Good morning.

Speaker 1: 20:54

So yesterday at the Jones course, like you know, like I said, everybody else didn't start off too well. It was rainy, it was cold, I thought it was gonna be a wash out, but it turned out to be a nice state in it.

Speaker 10: 21:04

Oh yeah, it's a perfect. We look, we look at the weather all week. You know, when that sun came, I was like it was amazing, it's great, I enjoyed it.

Speaker 1: 21:11

So you shot 90 yesterday, which is number one. It's a good score for a D flight, okay. But you started off bogey, double, triple double. So you were eight over after the first four holes. Then you turned around and was only you know 10 over for the last 14 holes.

Speaker 10: 21:28

Yeah, it's my fault. I'm lazy, I'm old, I don't know. I don't know, I don't never warm up. I'll never warm up. I just go straight. I hit a couple of us go to first tee, but then when the sun came out, it was a wrap. You know, it's like for me. It's like I just need motivation. It's like if I get down and I just start thinking like you drove seven hours to do this, I could have stayed home and shot 105 if I wanted to. I like that. So little things like that motivate me. But but yeah, it was great, though I'm glad to turn it around, you know. Or once we got some good shots in there too, you know, get a little big break or something, you know, but Courses in great shape.

Speaker 1: 22:00

Yeah, it was in turn out beautiful day. Yesterday turned out to be, you know, mid-60s and some was out and everything else, but today you're played harbour town.

Speaker 10: 22:08

Oh yeah, I played it our last year in icebreaker and then I came down here Wednesday I mean my buddy we played a practice round. So it's a beautiful course, very tight but beautiful.

Speaker 1: 22:17

So what are you looking forward to today?

Speaker 10: 22:19

The goal today really is no three putts on this golf course. So the greens are fast and they're small. I saw the red that and doesn't matter how far you hit the ball in the fairway, for me, you know it's like it's so tight so they keep it in the fairway. You know, and like make sure you're on the right side, like like with the pro, say, when they come here and play. You know, just get a fairway. You still have to tree leaning over and you can be, you know, out of position. But my biggest thing is no three putts because these greens are really good and fast.

Speaker 1: 22:44

Yeah, I think no, three putts is a good, good goal for any tournament, but especially you're like you said. Greens are small, they're fast, yeah, and if you're not right right spot in in the fairway, or if you're not in the fairway, then then you could end up with three putt Without, without even trying. So. So you've been on tour since 2015,. Right?

Speaker 10: 23:02

Yes, sir, yes, sir yes. How are our tour Loudja, wonders our director. He does a great job. We got a big tour. I mean I loved every year. I mean he's the reason may reason. I still play on the tour because he's just, he really interacts with everybody. He'd like knows everybody for having a whole bunch of us. He really knows all those. I really like him. He does a great, great job.

Speaker 1: 23:19

Yeah, he does a great job and, like I was telling you, I mean he's always got something going on. You know with you guys. You know whether it's post on facebook whether it's. You know different side games, you know different little competitions, which keeps it fresh and and keeps you guys interested, not just you know during the the tour season, but but all year on.

Speaker 10: 23:35

Yes, sir, yeah, you're correct, he does like. He really loves it. He's 100% in it man. He's always on the facebook talking about things and he does a really, really good job, you know. So I like him and he gets the best golf courses for us and everything. So I commend him on his, on his hard work and everything he does.

Speaker 1: 23:50

Yeah, he kills me on his facebook live. Things doesn't matter, he's whether he's at home or he's on the golf course or whatever. I mean, every time pops up. I got chuck a little bit, but he does do a great job, all right. So, wayne, good luck today and hopefully we'll be talking to you at the end of the round. Thank you, sir, I appreciate it. Okay, so we've got, uh, jeff Wong, the leader of the champ flight. I mean, he's always at the top of leader board, jeff. Welcome, bud. All right, thanks for having me Appreciate it. So, round one you shot a 171 at the jones course. What would you tell us about the round? Uh?

Speaker 11: 24:22

well, it was a pretty, pretty straightforward round to begin. Came out birdie, the first hole, which is always good. Uh, I had a little chip in birdie on the par five. Third, it gets a two. Wonder, played bogey, free golf on the front nine. Um didn't take advantage of any of the par fives. Um part both the par fives on the front and number 10 being a par five, part it as well. So but I get to uh 14 and Got off the rails a little bit. Missed the green just slightly. I'm just on the fringe and end up four punting for there to make double slide back to one under and uh, then 15 is another par five which I part again, no birdie there. And Then knocked it on the green on 16 and three, putted For another bogey to bring me back to even and was fortunate enough to make a par on 17 and rolled in a nice 22 footer on 18.

Speaker 1: 25:16

So for a birdie, finish one under now's, so I'll come back to the birdie here in a second, but but it's it's Uncharacteristically for for you to have seven putts on two holes.

Speaker 11: 25:27

Yeah, it's uh, the first one. It was just misjudged uh 14 pin place and was a little bit weird If you looked at it. Uh, like the super skins and even the regular skins, nobody birdie that in the entire field it's the only hole, nobody birdie, and the pin was right in the middle. But there it was on such a slope that I just ran it past a little bit. Uh, coming back, it got a power lip the edge and ran out to about four feet, and then I missed that one coming back. It was just scratching my head, you know so, um, but it's uh, these pickups happen. You gotta, you gotta, let it go. You can get mad for one second. Well, walk off the green, let it go and move on to the next hole. And that's what I tried to do, so that's what I always try to do.

Speaker 1: 26:09

But that's good advice for the high handicappers. You know, not that it's good to see somebody like you four putt or whatever, but they, but they see that. You know it happens, even happens to the best players, but how they handle it, how they just, you know, let it go and move on, which then turns around and you, you birdie to me, which is one of the hardest holes 18 to close out your round.

Speaker 11: 26:28

Yeah, it's a good hole. It's a tough driving hole. Um, you gotta be pretty precise off the tee because it's such a severe dog leg right and you got ob left. You got to trap out to the right. You can go through the fairway, you can be short in the fairway in a bunker and then you're kind of Um blocked out of the green a little bit. So you got to get off the tee. That's check that box and if you can do that, that approaching the green being Too tiered and that back tier, trying to get all the way back to that pin where it was, is tough and it's, you know, got a little bit of slope back there trying to make the putt. Um, so yeah, you got a lot of good things go together on the hole and and fortunately I did and you know, putt went down.

Speaker 1: 27:06

So well, it's when I when I saw the birdie again. Generally there aren't many buries on 18 Ever, but you know, to finish the hole and where that pin actually was that. To me that's almost one of the toughest spots generally when we're here on national championship where they have it, have that hole. Uh, one sunday, you know, kind of on the lower tier when, when the left side of the green kind of rail on that slope, almost no, pretty much nobody ever buries that there either. So that's a nice job. But you've always had good success here at harbour town. So what, what you're playing for today?

Speaker 11: 27:39

um, my plan is Same as when and every time I go out. It's. You know, you got to do the. You got to get each hole, not just each, each round hole by hole. You got to take each hole shot by shot. You, here, especially, you have to get off the tee. That's step one.

Speaker 11: 27:54

Um, if you get off the tee successfully and you put yourself in a good position, you know. Now step two hit the greens here. They're not big greens, so hit the green anywhere on the green. You got a decent look at a birdie. And if not, you know, if it's, you know, try to get up and down, make park it, hit in the woods off the tee, recover, that's it. And uh, have patience. That's the biggest thing. It's, it's, uh, this course can Get into your head really quick with a couple Good shots that turn out in bad spots and you're blocked out and you can't believe it. Now you got to try to work something around, left to right, around the tree, and don't, you, don't pull it off, you make a double and it's like you know what the heck. So you just have to. You got to have patience. You really have to take it one shot at a time on this course, and that's it.

Speaker 1: 28:42

Yeah, you talk about that and I look at old 16, you know, to me that's, that's just, it's just a crazy hole. I mean you could, you could be literally right in the center fairway, right where you want to be, you think you want to be, but then you got that, that tree that's sitting right there, and now you've got to either figure, go over it, go under, go around it and still get the ball to stop on green. It's a perfect example of this course.

Speaker 11: 29:02

It is not a long hole. If you can negotiate that tee, be past it, be short of it, you know, be left of it, or something like that, and have yourself shot green, you have a wedging, that's it. It's, it's. You know, three wood wedge, um. But if you get out of position, off the tee just a little bit, you getting that bunker, you're in trouble. If you get behind that tree, you're in trouble. The rough out here can be no joke sometimes. So, yeah, dude, you got to take it that get, get that first shot going, get in play and Find your ball and go from there. That's it. That's one shot at a time. Golf, that's what it is.

Speaker 1: 29:40

But your account. Just go yesterday. You know you're in lean, but you also walked away with, uh, some nice skin money, which is also a bonus.

Speaker 11: 29:47

Yeah, yeah, that, uh, that eased the pain of some, a couple of bad putting holes. Uh, I didn't even know. You know I made birdie and get in or sign scorecards and one of my buddy comes up I'm to see, hey, nice skin and super skin on 18. It's the only one. I'm like, well, wait what? Yeah, he's like yeah, that's. Uh, you got a nice little payday coming. I was like, oh, I'm gonna get my money back. Uh, you got a nice little payday coming. I was like, all right, all right. So, yeah, the uh. I think the wife already has plans for that Money. So don't get a seema, don't show the website.

Speaker 1: 30:17

Yeah Well, Jeff, thanks so much for spending some time this morning. Glad you warmed up and hopefully we'll talk to you at the end of the round.

Speaker 11: 30:23

Thanks, so I appreciate it. Man, Take care buddy.

Speaker 1: 30:31

This segment we feature interviews with the winners of the southern icebreaker that was played at harbour town. In c Pine's own hilton hit. We're back at harbour town, we have the winners in. We've got our first, uh uh, flight winner of the of the year. Who's punched his ticket to the national championship? Let's welcome, uh, kevin le page from the charlotte tour. We talked to him earlier but uh, Congratulations on the win today. Thank you, Tim.

Speaker 3: 30:54

Uh, it was a grind out there um harbour town showed its teeth today and and uh, last year when I played it, uh, there was no win. But um, today, the, the win was out there and in the cold temperatures, and uh, I just battled all day to, you know, come home with a victory.

Speaker 1: 31:13

You were struggling a little bit as I was watching the scores and we talked a little bit about it offline. Why don't you tell everybody kind of your thought process and what was going on?

Speaker 3: 31:22

Well, you know, I just couldn't get through the ball. I was having a hard time, you know, getting the ball going down the fairway straight. It always says fade in the ball and then when I tried to overcorrect it I was pulling it, so I just kept grinding. The putts were really difficult. I was leaving them short. Anyway, these greens are usually fast, but I was just leaving them short. I think after yesterday playing all day yesterday, you know, having to hit the ball a little bit harder, I think I was just still timid. And finally, about the seven-or-eight, I finally got the speed down where I could roll the putts and I had, unfortunately, three lip outs, two for birdie and one for par. But you know, I just never gave up, I never got down on myself.

Speaker 3: 32:05

I made a triple on 18. I got to 17, 18 and the winds were like 30, 40 miles an hour in her face and I think I made par or bogey on 17 and got up to the tee box and I flared my drive out and unfortunately the wind took it and just took it way out into the condos. And then my second shot. I duffed it and I just picked up. I mean, I was done and I knew I couldn't do anything with it because you know the score, and I sat in the car and watched the guys finish out and I said, okay, we got to go to the back nine and let's just put my head down and keep grinding.

Speaker 1: 32:43

Yeah, you talked about that wind. I spent some time out on 18 today and the wind was blowing pretty hard. You know I tried to put the drone up. I don't know if you were out there at that point, but you know, as soon as I put it up in the air, it said there's two windies. You know we took it down but the wind was blowing pretty good. But you were partnering with Scott Hahn, who came in second place. You won by five strokes. You two were battling back and forth all day long. Tell me about Scott.

Speaker 3: 33:06

You know Scott's a really good golfer, you know he's out of Savannah and you know, when I looked at the scoreboard at the turn at after nine I saw somebody from Savannah but I didn't even look at the name and I'm actually kind of glad because you know we were playing together and I think if I would have known he'd have to be him or keep him behind me, then I probably would have made more mistakes. So I told my caddy Hunter. I said look, dude, I'm not looking at the board anymore. We're just going to keep grinding, keep reading the putts, keep doing what you need to do for me. And it worked out.

Speaker 1: 33:42

But tell me a little bit more about your caddy. I mean, you know like a caddy out here can be very, very beneficial. How did he help you today?

Speaker 3: 33:50

You know, just the putts, you know, keeping me focused going down the fairway. You know he just kept. We talked about everything else, you know, instead of worrying about the lead and stuff, and he's a college graduate looking for a job, you know, and he just kept me. You know we're needed to stay focused in and unfortunately, you know he had he had two putts that he read and he read a little bit further out than what they were supposed to do and the ball stayed where it was and you know, but as a good caddy, he said that's on me, you know, it's not on you. So yeah, but besides that, you know, he just he was a good young man and you know I was really glad that I finally got the chance to walk the course and have help with a caddy.

Speaker 1: 34:33

Well, that's good. But you know caddies at all levels that make those mistakes. You know all the time, you know and that's you know. It is what it is sometimes, but it's good that you know he's knowledgeable about the course and he made a mistake and say just own it and we want the next one and get it right. And that's pretty awesome. First tour of the year you got to win. You know you punch your ticket. How's that feel?

Speaker 3: 34:55

It feels really good. I mean, I've never won a regular tour. You know, I've won the senior tours. I've won the championships on seniors. I won two day on senior last year. But to come out right out of the box and win the first two day on a regular side, it's just a really good feeling and looking forward to the start of the rest of the season.

Speaker 1: 35:17

That's great and, you know, for a listener. You may recognize the name, Kevin LePage. You may not, but he's got a history of winning and doing interviews. He's a retired NASCAR driver. How does NASCAR relate or translate, or is it? How's it, like you know, playing golf and being in golf?

Speaker 3: 35:36

Well, when I retired I was, you know, very competitive and when I came here the first year, you know I didn't win well, but I just kept grinding and getting doing the best spinach I can do. And that's what NASCAR, you know, when if you can't win a race, you want to finish the best way you can, you know, as high as you can. And that's what I did. And then the second year I came back and the senior side, I struggled. I didn't struggle, I just said, look, this is what I'm going to do, I'm just going to try to get the best finishes. I have won the championship that year and three wins. So you know it's, there's a lot of relatability. The guys were in the sea flight, you know, in the senior side, were kind of pissed at me because I was winning a lot, but they didn't understand. But that's the competition in me. You know I'm the competitor and and you know I want to succeed and I want to do the best job I can. You know, each and every tournament.

Speaker 1: 36:29

Well, kevin, congratulations again. It is great talking to you and hopefully we'll see you in the winter surf again soon. All right, thank you, take care. Back now with a B-Flight winner, jc Moore, from the Hilton Head Tour. Jc, congratulations on the win today. The punch you're taking to the national championship, how's it feel?

Speaker 12: 36:50

I feel great, I feel excellent, I was confident so I can take these actually stay here home, yeah, so, yeah, so great, thank you.

Speaker 1: 36:58

That's awesome. So you went 84 yesterday. We didn't talk much around yesterday, but tell me about the Jonesport.

Speaker 12: 37:05

Well, Jonesport is a really fun course actually and it's great shape every year all year around. I live here, I played that course many times and I really like it. And it was windy. Do we know that weather actually was a little rough? But we can shoot some 84 yesterday, so I take it.

Speaker 1: 37:27

And 85. Today here at Harbor Town we talked a little bit offline. You said you messed up a lot. 85 is a good score. I mean you go down the list, right, and you see the score where everybody shot. 85 is a really good score. Tell me about your round.

Speaker 12: 37:40

Yeah, well, actually yeah, and Harbor Town is a PGA course and the Greens. You don't have to mess with it because they will get you and also hold 17,. Part three 135 yards. I'm gonna hit a sixth item 135 yards. Yeah, I mean, it's a great round 85, I'll take it too in here. I think it's my lowest round in Harbor Town, wow. So did you hit the green on 17? I did hit the green on 17,. Yes, make a par.

Speaker 1: 38:12

Hey, that's always good, right. How about 18? I spent some time out on 18 earlier in the day and the wind was howling. Wind was blowing. How was it when you got there?

Speaker 12: 38:22

Well, pretty much I make my drive all the way behind a three. So I got a punch out, hit it in my three shot next to the green, didn't make it through the green chipping and I'll actually make a closing, make a par.

Speaker 1: 38:37

What do you complain about? 85. That's a really good score. That's a good job on 18. It keeps the ball low. Even if you get in trouble, you can still make par right. Yes, and that's good to know for every level of golf, or whether you're a champ or a deflate player. If you get in a bit of trouble, relax, play your next shot and you can still make a par, Absolutely.

Speaker 12: 38:57

Yeah, that was in my mind. That was in my mind just make par. I mean, if you make a birdie it's absolutely great, but here, with these weather conditions, par is a winner.

Speaker 1: 39:09

So you actually won by three strokes over Brian Harden from the Tidewater Tour and your buddy Doug Burford from the Hiltonet Tour. So I'm sure when you play with Doug you just can bring the trophy around and show it to him all the time, right?

Speaker 12: 39:21

Absolutely, we'll do it. We'll do it actually for the next seven minutes. Actually, when I care with me, I'm not telling what he missed.

Speaker 1: 39:28

Bring the commemorative crystal trophy, because that's the one he'll really wish he had.

Speaker 12: 39:33

Yeah, actually, then he's talking about it today, this morning, and I was really excited because it's very special for these 30 years of the anniversary. So, yeah, I will do that Definitely.

Speaker 1: 39:45

Well, jc, again congratulations. You punched your ticket to the national championship. First win of the season, first tournament of the year. It's a great accomplishment, congratulations. Thank you very much. Thank you, guys. All right, take care and we'll talk to you soon. Back with the D-Flight Champion. We've already talked in one today, but let's welcome in Wayne Ender from the Tidewater Tour. Wayne, congratulations on the win today and you punched your ticket to the national championship, congratulations. Thank you, sir, appreciate it.

Speaker 10: 40:13

Thank you, Thaney.

Speaker 1: 40:14

Well, you had another pretty good round. You had 94 today for a two-day total of 184, but 94. On harbour town in this way, and especially like on the you know 1617, 18 again that's. That's a good score. Tell me about your room.

Speaker 10: 40:32

Yeah, yes, I started on 1617, 18, so I'll go three brutal holes. Of course I start off slow again, you know three bad holes, but then, like I said, you just gotta give yourself a kick in the butt and put in gear, you know. And then after that you know it was good. You know the greens are fast, like I knew they would be, and I said the key this place is just keep it in the fairway, you know right, and don't three putt. And that's exactly what I did all day today.

Speaker 1: 40:54

So it was good round for me, I think so we're watching scoreboard most of the day, or were you just out there, you know, playing your own golf ball?

Speaker 10: 41:02

You see, what I do is I wait. I wait till like after nine holes and then I'll take a glance at it and look at it and then I see where I'm at and then you know. But other than that I'm not really. I don't look at it too much. You know, could I pretty much know if I'm playing good or not. You know right where the war. I knew it was tough out there, so I know it was tough for me, is gonna be tough for everybody else. I mean, having that five shot league going in today, it helped out, you know. So it all worked out in there for me so I was good yeah.

Speaker 1: 41:27

And if you so, if you start on 16, yeah, I was probably out there on 18 when you went through and and and yeah, it's what I told my wife. I said you know we're. I was trying to fly the drone, get some pictures of you guys. Soon, as I put it up, the wind said not, they got got message is to win you. So I took it down. I hung out there for a little bit. I said I would not want to be trying to hit it into the 18th green in this man, this mess.

Speaker 10: 41:47

Yeah, you know I play smart. I just I built out right, you know I built out right, then Chipped it on the green and just too put it to move it on and I was it. I want nothing to do with that water or anything, yeah, you know. So it worked out for me, so it was cool. So what's next morning for you? For me, I go back home to the tide water tour and it's in Weasel River, virginia. Kings Mill is our next term in February. The LPG yeah, obga used to come there and the men used to come there back in the back in a day. So, yeah, it's a good course. The river course, it's another Pete die course. So I like Pete die courses.

Speaker 1: 42:20

So when I look at you guys schedule all the time, I mean that could that Kingsman? Course he gets you guys on there all the time you got. I mean you know you played there all the time. But those who don't know, if you're close to tide water or you want to come in, that's of course you don't want to miss.

Speaker 10: 42:34

Yeah, yeah, definitely yeah. Keys mill because we got a lot of keys mills are the river course. We got a golden horseshoe that's a Robert Trent Jones course. We got Reese Jones as a green course, got a couple Reese Jones out there all the hills. We got a lot of good courses and we is where big architects you tell the good yeah, all right Well, again, congratulations on your win and your punch ticket to natural championship.

Speaker 1: 42:55

Good luck the rest of year and I hope to see you soon.

Speaker 10: 42:58

Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. We're with the champ.

Speaker 1: 43:00

Flight winner obviously it's Jeff, jeff, along from the Hilton editorial, he's always right up there. Tough conditions out there today. Yeah, uh, very tough conditions, windy, very windy, cold.

Speaker 11: 43:08

Um, there's a lot to deal with out there, of course, was playing tough. It was, uh, it was kind of a try to survive right type of day. So Well, it's a, it's a. With you shot, you shot 75 today. I think it's a good one. I think it's a good one. I think it's a good one. I think it's a good one.

Speaker 1: 43:26

I think it's a good one. I think it's a good one. 75 today yeah, um, you were battling, battling with jay barns all day long.

Speaker 11: 43:32

We were, we were, we were going back and forth. He actually made a great, great birdie on 15 To tie, tie the entire tournament up with me and, uh, then he kind of let me slip through his fingers on the last couple holes.

Speaker 1: 43:48

So that happens. We I mean we, we've all done that, you know. But uh, you know, jay's a side golfer from national champion like yourself, like you play with jim alter today, national champion it. That's one thing that people don't understand. When you, when you come to these regionals, you're you're playing against stiff, solid competition, so you better bring your a gate.

Speaker 11: 44:08

You need to. You know you. Uh, you know that's kind of like I've. I've said before like today was number one, get off the tee, try to find the fairway. Uh. Two, try to hit the greener regulation. If you don't just Do your best to get up and down, if you make a bogey, you make a bogey, move on. If you can save par, great, and again it was just a survive. No one, no one's going to take a low out here in these conditions. Uh, it's just. Hopefully you're doing a little less worse than the rest of the people around you.

Speaker 1: 44:39

So so how was the wind on 18 when you got there? I was out there early, early like an early part around, and I was out there for so about three groups come through. We're gonna try and take some pictures and stuff but I send you guys. It's just too windy out here. How was it when you guys came?

Speaker 11: 45:08

It was howlin big left to right wind. Uh, 17 was dead into the wind. Um, we had one person almost hit the green. They were just on the fringe, only one out of the four of us and uh, yeah, um, it was hard left to right coming in to 18. I put one right down the middle left of the fairway and it the wind blew it almost across the carpath to the right, out of bounds almost, but stayed in and I was able to get it up there near the green again. Didn't hit the green but got around it, got it up and down, made a par.

Speaker 1: 45:41

That's it, that's all. That's all you got to do, that's. I was talking to a uh, beeflight champion. He said on 18 he hit a binding tree, punched it out, didn't get to the green, shipped it up and one putted for par. And you know Again, for, for all the golfers, whether you're a champ play player or a deflight player, it's play that one shot at a time. Don't get too high, don't get too low. Just play the shot and Make whatever score you can make. Don't get upset about absolutely.

Speaker 11: 46:04

I mean it's. It's a cliche to say take a one shot at time, but it's a cliche because it's true. Uh, it gets set all the time and there's absolute truth behind. Everybody makes a bogey or double bogey or triple bogey and they try to make it up on a hero shot on the next hole. You know you can't, uh, you just got to grind it out and you know, hit the ball, find the ball, hit it again. That's what golf is.

Speaker 1: 46:27

Well, again, congratulations on you win. You punch your ticket to national championship again. So Well, we'll see you soon. Thanks, I appreciate it.

Speaker 11: 46:35

Thank you, guys, take care.

Speaker 1: 46:41

All right with, with our final winner, the, a flight, a flight from a playoff. Was it one whole playoff? One whole playoff, one whole playoff at Steve Evans from the hilt net tour. Steve, congratulations on the win and congratulations on punching tickets in national championship.

Speaker 5: 46:54

Thank you, it feels really good to beat this incredible field. I was privileged to play with uh robert for two days and we battled for the lead Often on every hole. So there was pressure every single hole and at the end we walked off a golf course. We shook hands, we pulled for each other right and we had a good two days together. I just happened to come out on top Well you know it's funny you say that.

Speaker 1: 47:15

You know he plays on the land tour with me and everybody that's played with him has had nothing but nice things to say. I mean, he's, he's a good golfer. Um, even when he's not playing well, he's fun to be around. So I'm glad you got to play with him and and actually glad that, uh, you got to win.

Speaker 5: 47:32

Yeah, I know he's. He's old enough to be my son. I'm 28 years older than he is.

Speaker 1: 47:36

Oh my goodness gracious, we'll give him a hard time about that later, another time maybe, maybe when we're hanging out, you know having to be or something. But tell me about your, your round yesterday and the course and the conditions.

Speaker 5: 47:48

How do you do? Um, overall I did pretty well. Um, I struck the ball solidly. I kept it in play. Uh, in extreme conditions, 30 40 mile an hour wins. Uh, I'm not the longest guy in the field at 68 years old. I know I give up 60 80 yards plus to my playing partners, but I can keep it in play. I've been to 13 us open qualifiers and I used to be a college golf coach so I know how to play. That doesn't always mean you can execute you right, but I had a good time with the players and and it's fun. The competition is incredible.

Speaker 1: 48:21

Yeah, I was. I was just talking Jeff Wong, the, you know the, the uh champs like winner and you know it doesn't matter. When you come to these national you know regional tournaments you're up against some stiff competition and it doesn't really matter what flight you're in, like Jeff was in Jeff's a former national champion. He played with with j barms as former national champion. Jim Altry is a former national champion. So I mean and and uh, I think Joey plays like fourth this past year. So I mean you're, you're, there's good players here.

Speaker 5: 48:48

So you better come with your a game. It's incredible. There's a lot of players that play South Carolina association events that I'm aware of state amateurs, state opens, I mean there's some incredible amateurs, as you said, that compete in this field. It gives a golf week amateur an incredible Uh avenue to be able to recruit new players and for us to compete against each other. It's very honored to be a champion.

Speaker 1: 49:11

Yeah absolutely so. So today you were at your, your Uh finished one behind yesterday, so you, so you came back. You shot 82 today at Harvard. Down to Tell us about that, tell us about your round, what?

Speaker 5: 49:24

happened. I kind of got off to some rough start. I didn't strike it extremely well, um, but I finished very well, um, a couple of hiccups, like everybody does, an amateur golf. But that's what this golf course does to you. You throw in the wind and the small greens, the fast greens, um. Other than that, I kept my composure, I kept the ball in front of me Toward the end and uh was able to come out on top in a playoff.

Speaker 5: 49:49

So, did you? Did you have a caddy or no? I didn't have a cat. I do caddy here full time. So so you? So you're a caddy here. Okay, I'm a caddy here full time. I retired from healthcare about two years ago, used to be a college golf coach, so, having moved to the island, I come out here to caddy and uh, just because I'm a caddy doesn't mean you can execute right. Uh, particularly from the blue teams, you know, which is a lot of golf course for me. But, uh, I feel like I know my game very well. I know when I need to put the ball and I, I didn't really need a person that I wasn't familiar with, a second guess of me or tell me something different. I had my best friend in the world, my wife with me. That's awesome as an encouragement.

Speaker 1: 50:30

So that's awesome when you have your best friend with you. You know following you around. That's great.

Speaker 5: 50:35

Yeah, I'm Just feel very honored to win in this field.

Speaker 1: 50:39

Well, congratulations again on one not only your, uh, the first win of the season, but the first win of the regional season, and you punch, take it to national shame ship Congratulations.

Speaker 5: 50:49

Appreciate Tim. I appreciate all you do, buddy, thank you. Thank you, sir. Talk to you soon, okay.

Speaker 1: 50:58

We're off to Vegas and talk to players after the first round. The Western States icebreaker had Paiute golf resort just outside of Las Vegas. All right, chris, another round's over. Yes, how to go out there.

Speaker 13: 51:17

But we're not going to talk about my round today.

Speaker 1: 51:19

Not going to talk about today?

Speaker 13: 51:20

No, no, I put it this way Started triple, triple, double and decided to have a good time.

Speaker 1: 51:28

But at least she had fun. I mean, whether it's much nicer today.

Speaker 13: 51:32

I actually got to shed outerwear today there you go, which was nice, but that was about it.

Speaker 1: 51:39

We'll talk about outerwear later and what we need to. Our players need to start wearing.

Speaker 13: 51:45

I hope it's not closed shirts.

Speaker 1: 51:47

You have to talk about shirts.

Speaker 13: 51:48

Yes, yes, we do.

Speaker 1: 51:50

All right. Well, let's go ahead and get this thing started.

Speaker 13: 51:52

Let's go.

Speaker 1: 51:53

So you had 90 yesterday, Was it 90 yesterday? 96 today.

Speaker 13: 51:58

Yeah, it doesn't feel like a 96. It should be like a 146. Okay. But again, like I said, we had some good time, had some birdie attempts, ended up with double bogies, so it was just one of those rounds. But you know it's golf and seasons kicked off. We've gone through two regionals and a lot of the tours about the start pretty soon.

Speaker 1: 52:20

Yep, yep, yep, and you know we'll get your putting and your swing back to where it needs to be. You know, first couple rounds of the year, but we're lucky we got some winners today.

Speaker 13: 52:30

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1: 52:31

That's always good. You know, these winners have punched their ticket to national championship and so you know we'll definitely be seeing them in October and Hilton head, and it'll be beautiful down there yeah. So let's talk to our first winner. He's from the St Louis tour and I know Tyler Cardwell is going to be real happy to hear about this, so let's welcome Steve Roberts from St Louis. Steve, welcome.

Speaker 17: 52:51

Congratulations, thank you. Thanks for having me. Congratulations, thank you.

Speaker 1: 52:55

So you came from a couple back yesterday. You were, I think you were tied, for I was tied for fourth, tied for fourth.

Speaker 17: 53:01

I shot 81 yesterday. Okay, watch the leaderboard most of the day until about 12. And then I quit watching. Played with Randy Merrill all day Yesterday and today. He was leaderboard watching for me but was only informing me at the important times what what was going on. But I didn't know where I stood specifically. But knew on the last tee shot and the last putt that it was for something close right. But after I put it out he told me where I stood, so at that point I was tied. I guess Matthew still had to finish. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 53:42

Cause I know it was close. And and where were you playing with Matt? No, you weren't playing. No, he was in the group behind me. So I knew, I knew it was close and we thought it was going to come down to the last hole. So tell us about the overall round it Did you? Obviously you weren't watching the leaderboard, but but you know. Tell us how you played and what your overall type of game is. So, so, um, my, my overall type of game.

Speaker 17: 54:03

I'm good around the greens especially wedges, more so than putting. But, um, I don't consider myself a good ball striker, necessarily. I don't hit a lot of greens very often. Um, at home, on a good round, I'll hit 12 greens. On an average round, I'll hit eight or nine, um, but I'll still, make you know, four bogeys in a round and maybe one or two birdies. So that's, that's kind of my game, not necessarily long, but I'm accurate enough. So, um, today started out a par bogey and then I just went on a par run of I don't know five or six holes. And so today, in my mind I knew I was better than yesterday. Right, you know, because yesterday was a good day. Right, you know, because yesterday was a lot windier. A lot colder.

Speaker 14: 54:56

Yeah.

Speaker 17: 54:57

Um. So at that point I thought, okay, things are going good. I didn't really want a leaderboard watch because it seems like so much chaos and mayhem is going on out there in the wind. You know any holes of double bogey or a birdie, right. So I thought what's the point of watching the leaderboard early? But I couldn't help myself at about the turn. I looked at it. I was tied for the lead at that point, um, and then I quit watching it and I played one over, I think, from that point in. So wow, yeah.

Speaker 1: 55:28

So so you, uh, you double bogey 12, you know what happened there? Three putt, three, three.

Speaker 17: 55:32

Yeah, all right, chris, here we go. This is the green and three putt. See, everybody does it, I don't want to hear it.

Speaker 13: 55:37

Okay, everybody does it, but, but but my point is so, you so?

Speaker 1: 55:40

you double bogey 12, and then you turn right around and you and you part 13. So you didn't, you didn't let that Correct.

Speaker 8: 55:47

You Correct.

Speaker 17: 55:48

All right, that's what we're working on with Chris.

Speaker 1: 55:50

What Right Right.

Speaker 17: 55:53

I had 35 putts today.

Speaker 13: 55:55

So it's, it's a struggle. Today was a struggle.

Speaker 1: 55:57

Yeah, I was enjoying the views Well as long as you enjoyed, enjoyed the views, but but we'll get, we'll get you there, but but again, you know that that that is really the key for every flight, not just jam flight. You know, when you, when you make a mistake, or or you don't get a good bounce, you can't let it bother you, you just have to pick up and play your next shot, right, right and. And the fact that you're not going to get a good bounce.

Speaker 17: 56:19

you can't let it bother you, right? And the fact that I feel I can chip around the green. I don't usually worry about missing greens, you know, because it happens a lot, right? So it's no big deal if I don't. You know, as long as it's not in the desert, I can play it and I can, I can do something with it and give myself a chance. I did make on our very first opening hole. I missed the green. I chipped up to about 55 feet and made the putt. That was the longest putt I made all day, probably the longest putt I've made in months but came at the right time, made a par, I think. I bogeyed the next hole but then went on that par route.

Speaker 1: 56:53

So but, but, but again, you know, you shot 76 out here on these courses, I mean with with the wind and and the conditions, that's. That's a really good score.

Speaker 17: 57:02

Yeah, and it's good for me too. I mean, it's, you know, traveling away from my home course. I'll take 76 every day, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 57:11

So so the low round today was 74.

Speaker 17: 57:13

And I played with him. The guy that shot he's, he's my buddy and we came down here together.

Speaker 1: 57:17

Oh that's awesome. So you, so you did have somebody to really kind of push you and sure, yeah, and we played a lot of golf together.

Speaker 17: 57:23

We were not paired together yesterday and I think he shot the high score in the flight by a fair amount and then he shot the low score in the flight.

Speaker 1: 57:32

You know what he did. Also, he did and I'm not going to say, say what the score was but you're right, he, he was a high score yesterday, low score today, and again, that's just just a turnaround and, and you know, put putt around behind you, Right, Right. But yet you know, again, yesterday the conditions were a lot worse, A little bit colder. When was a lot worse?

Speaker 17: 57:51

Much, much yeah.

Speaker 1: 57:52

So what's what's next step for you?

Speaker 17: 57:55

Well, the guy I'm playing with, I actually go to work for him starting tomorrow. So we're flying to Denver, although our flight was canceled tonight, but we're going back there and going to work from his office for a few days. I'll go back home and then start working. As far as more golf in Missouri, my wife called me this morning. It's 15 below zero wind chill this morning, so it's not going to be. It's going to be a while before we golf. So as far as the next tournament, probably going to be May or so, honestly, Steve, you don't have to live in that kind of weather, man.

Speaker 17: 58:34

I know, I know there's nothing really good about Southeast Missouri. Honestly, you know, winters are brutal. They're not necessarily this cold that often, but they're never good. I mean they're they're 25 degrees and wet and that's, that's our winters. We don't see sunshine for three months.

Speaker 1: 58:54

Now it's time to move Right. Right, it's time to Vegas now. Well, that's what Vegas is, it's fine. You know we had a couple of tried and convinced me to move out here and, and you know, I know my wife was listening in and we've got grandkids that live in Pennsylvania and I said there's no way that I can convince my wife to come out here to Vegas with the grandkids.

Speaker 17: 59:13

Right, oh yeah, yeah, too far of a flight too. Exactly, right, exactly.

Speaker 1: 59:17

So but well, congratulations, Thank you, and I know Tyler's going to be thrilled. You know Tyler's doing a phenomenal job at St Louis.

Speaker 17: 59:25

Now I have to admit I I've played one tournament on the St Louis tour and that was about four years ago. Okay, I won it and I haven't played since, simply for life instances. You know where I.

Speaker 13: 59:39

I.

Speaker 17: 59:39

The tour is quite honestly, in about an hour and a half, almost two hours from where I live. So to go to one day events. They are on weekends, which is fantastic, but it's just. It just hasn't worked out. But I had made mental notes to this year. We're going to get in four or five tournaments Nice, All right.

Speaker 1: 59:56

Now I know Tyler's listening to. He just chimed in. So, tyler, you better get on. Steve, you know, call him, make make sure you got some some schedule for him, or have someone pick me up.

Speaker 17: 1:00:04

Don't pick me up, drive me up there.

Speaker 1: 1:00:06

I Tyler will do it, I know he will, so we'll see him again. Congratulations, and I know we'll see you in Hilton head in October. Yes, sir, all right, Thank you, thanks, guys Great thing, wow, I mean that's you know shooting 76 out here in the in this stuff and and and beating you know Matt, because that's a stick. I don't know if you've ever seen him play, I've heard, but he can really play. Take care, steve.

Speaker 13: 1:00:31

I've heard from HB HB play with him, yeah, at nationals when he went, and he told me it's nothing to sneeze about.

Speaker 1: 1:00:37

No, he's not, he's another one. Doesn't get too high or too low, and and he just hits the ball and onto the next one.

Speaker 13: 1:00:46

Maybe I need to get tips from him All right.

Speaker 1: 1:00:49

Well, while Chris is going to to find some more champions, let's just give a rundown of the of the skins. You know, super skins. We had a tour director, tyler Hudson, walking away with some money and and he's a super skinned no, it doesn't look like any Eagles today, but Steve Bassler got it, got a super skin. And so Steve Bassler's from the, from the Denver tour, actually he's, he's a see Roberts, his friend, playing together. Matt Bankston got a birdie on hole number 12 and Jeff Wolf got a birdie on 18, and the super skins are paying out $215 a piece. Now there were a bunch of champion A flight skins, starting off with hole number two, that Gary Schmidt had a birdie, tour director Derek Barnes, who's also the A flight champion, birdie five and Steve Bassler took six. Tony Slack, another birdie on hole number eight. And then we got Matt Bankston on 12 again and George Wolf took 18.

Speaker 1: 1:02:00

Now the, the, the BC and D flight skins, they're the ones that really paid out. He's paid out $305 a piece, and there were four of them. And so we had Jason Junior on hole number one and Jared Chasen he's the C flight champion, actually, jase Jared Chasen is B flight champion. And Tyler Hudson tour director Tyler Hudson from Cincinnati, dayton he got number four. And Kevin Durant, the Vegas tour director, got one on 16. So lucky of them, they got a $305 a piece.

Speaker 13: 1:02:36

All right, I round in one.

Speaker 1: 1:02:37

All right. So so we've got Derek Barnes, tour director from from Denver, our A flight champion, derek. Great job, thanks, man. How's it going? Guys Doing awesome. I mean, you know, we, we, we spent a little bit of time together yesterday and, and you know, you're, you're, you're leading after yesterday. By what was it? Four strokes.

Speaker 18: 1:02:57

I know, just just one stroke. Just one stroke, Yep.

Speaker 1: 1:03:00

And you? You seem to me like you're also just the. You know the baseline never get too excited, don't get upset.

Speaker 18: 1:03:08

You know that's, that's part of it. You got to kind of keep your, keep your composure. You know, out in Colorado we don't get to play too much, so we're kind of in the off season, but get to come out here and you know, and just keep it together.

Speaker 1: 1:03:23

Well, that's awesome and I guess you know your, your flights canceled, so you, so you're going to have to stay and celebrate.

Speaker 18: 1:03:28

Yeah, We'll see if my wife sees this, this cast, because she doesn't quite know that yet. I just found that out about 15 minutes ago, so we'll we're trying to figure something out. All the flights got canceled today, it looks like, and then tomorrow and might, might be in trouble. We'll see.

Speaker 1: 1:03:46

Was it was that you might be in trouble, or or your wife might be in trouble for you not coming up, or you're. We're ended up. You're going to be in trouble for not being able to get home.

Speaker 18: 1:04:09

I'm going to be in trouble for not being able to get home. Yeah, We've kind of worn out our welcome here. Want to get back home. Came here and I got to play some good golf, got to experience a good event with everybody. But yeah, it's snowing at home and there's work to do.

Speaker 1: 1:04:23

Yes. So so tell us about your round today, cause again, I mean, you seem to be to just be cruising. I think at one point you were, you were up by seven and you won by five over Matt Bankston from Mississippi.

Speaker 18: 1:04:36

Okay, yeah, you know I didn't really look at live score for the most part until about the 15th hole, just trying to go out there and grind it out, make pars stay doing nothing too crazy. And you know we were able to kind of keep it up and just chuck along. It was. It was tough. A little better weather today, not as cold, honestly but yeah, we kept it together and held it and finally looked and had a little bit of a buffer.

Speaker 13: 1:05:04

Yeah, it was nice weather today, so I yeah, I loved it. At one point there was no wind, so you could actually hit the ball to the pin and not have to figure about it.

Speaker 1: 1:05:12

Yeah, totally, I didn't feel any wind at all today.

Speaker 13: 1:05:15

You were outside.

Speaker 18: 1:05:15

No, that's why you can actually feel the sun though today.

Speaker 1: 1:05:19

So that was a good, that's good.

Speaker 18: 1:05:21

You know Vegas is good. It's hit or miss with some of the the temps and the wind, but you know it's great to be able to get out here and play some golf in the in kind of the off season, for us at least.

Speaker 13: 1:05:35

Well, well, now you get to go to nationals, you get to do the directors meeting and not have to worry about your entry fee.

Speaker 18: 1:05:42

Yeah, that's a, that's a super bonus. That was kind of the biggest, biggest reward of this whole deal.

Speaker 13: 1:05:48

Right. So now you get to party a little bit harder at the directors meeting.

Speaker 18: 1:05:51

Yeah, well, we'll see. I don't know if we could do that more than some of us did last this last year. But we'll see.

Speaker 1: 1:05:58

Yeah, well, we'll just leave it at that. Yeah, we can leave it at that. So shout out to my wife so you did pick up a flight skin 96 hours so that can add to your winnings and yep, yep, we got one of those today.

Speaker 18: 1:06:16

It looks like, looks like the BC and D got us some good flight skins. They did Good pot over there.

Speaker 1: 1:06:22

Three, three and some dollars. Yeah, I mean, that's pretty nice. We'll take that all day long, right?

Speaker 13: 1:06:27

At one point Kevin had the only skin.

Speaker 1: 1:06:29

Yeah, he did for a long while For a while yeah.

Speaker 13: 1:06:32

He was running around the green when he found out.

Speaker 18: 1:06:34

Yeah, that's a lot of money.

Speaker 13: 1:06:36

Well, what's next? I mean, obviously you said you can't, you can't play anything until May. Yeah yeah.

Speaker 18: 1:06:41

So what's next for us, or at least me? You know we haven't. We haven't touched sticks since national. So here in Colorado we're getting our schedule wrapped up, hopefully have that by the end of January and then get that posted and kind of build the tour up and we start about mid April. Okay, so looking forward to getting that going and the snow stopping in Colorado.

Speaker 13: 1:07:05

Right, right, right right, I mean nothing wrong with snow. I won't do the snow, I'll tell you that much. Yeah.

Speaker 18: 1:07:11

Got to love the snow, but it doesn't help the golf game. Well, I'm here, man, I appreciate what you're doing and everybody for running this tournament. It was a great time. It always is. It's a good break in January and I think more people should come out. They really should?

Speaker 1: 1:07:25

I mean it's. We joke about the weather a little bit, but you know, it's beautiful out here. You can't see it on camera, but what I'm looking out at is, you know, green grass in the fairway, desert and then mountains. It's beautiful out here, yep.

Speaker 18: 1:07:41

That totally is. One thing I do want to give a little shout out to is yesterday we got to play in a good group with some new guys from Arkansas Okay and the power of just golf week and the tour and they were honestly awesome. Awesome dudes had a great relaxing round. Everybody had a good time, had fun and that's what this is all about. So it really helped me out yesterday a lot.

Speaker 16: 1:08:02

I T8 baby.

Speaker 1: 1:08:04

Any chance you'll be able to get a regional up in the Denver area. You know we've been talking to.

Speaker 18: 1:08:08

Dennis about that. I hope so. I hope we can develop it. We got a good relationship with a course called Rain Dance Excuse me as long as course in Colorado, kind of like a TPC Colorado type of venue. It's really growing so we'll see. You know, we did determine a Keystone Ranch last year which is out in Summit County in the mountains, kind of a result style course, a lot of fun. You know, if we can get people out there, we'd love to. You know, two days. We do have like two or three, two days already on the schedule but we'd love to have a regional if we can get the people out there. Yeah, colorado is fun, but it really is.

Speaker 1: 1:08:46

And, and you know, for those that play, you know, on the East coast, like like us, we're like me. You know, when you get to Denver, the ball just oh, it's beautiful, it goes just a little bit further, about 20 yards it's nice I mean we, ours goes about 10 yards longer.

Speaker 10: 1:09:02

So, going up to.

Speaker 13: 1:09:03

Colorado. It's a fun trip you want to hit a 300 yard drive. Come to Colorado?

Speaker 18: 1:09:07

Well, still that's probably still three shots for me, but that's all right.

Speaker 1: 1:09:10

We'll get you. We'll get you there. So what are some other?

Speaker 13: 1:09:13

highlights for you for this year.

Speaker 1: 1:09:16

For the season.

Speaker 18: 1:09:17

You know, just picking up, we took over last year, just trying to build the schedule out, hopefully get more members, new members involved, introduced into golf week, really working hard to acquire new courses. Maybe we had a lot of people from Colorado Springs in some area outside of Denver last year, so hopefully we'll get you there Last year so hopefully we can progress to some courses closer that way and have a couple of events to really make it you know about an hour, hour and a half radius of Denver, downtown Denver to really involve a lot of people in Colorado and build up the term schedule.

Speaker 18: 1:09:58

Nice yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:09:58

There's people don't. I don't know if people realize or not, I didn't try one out there, but there's a ton of nice courses out there. Oh, beautiful courses yeah.

Speaker 18: 1:10:06

A ton of them and they're packed. You know that's one of the challenges in Colorado is that a lot of people are playing golf, so well, when you can only play golf for two months out of the year, I mean you got to get everything you can T-shirts and stuff, yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:10:20

Well, derek, thanks so much for spending some time with us. Congratulations, and maybe we'll hang out tonight, since you're not going anywhere. Yeah, we'll be around somewhere, all right, my friend.

Speaker 18: 1:10:29

Again congratulations.

Speaker 5: 1:10:30

Thanks, Joe Wow.

Speaker 1: 1:10:30

We have about that you know we had a real good chance of two tour directors taking home taking home the win today, but luckily we got one, Derek's fun guy. I mean, he seems really laid back but always wanted to have some fun. Right, Right, it was a great time.

Speaker 13: 1:10:51

We had Seaflight Champion.

Speaker 1: 1:10:54

Luke, say your last name for us Lourmore Lourmore. All right, so we got Luke Lourmore from the Mississippi Tour First off. Congratulations on the win. Thank you, is this your first two-day win?

Speaker 15: 1:11:05

No, I actually want to turn it in the new season.

Speaker 1: 1:11:08

Okay, so you're from the Mississippi Tour and I think Jason Boyk can just send something in as a congratulations. So the Mississippi Tour plays a second in A flight and Winn-C and D flight Wow, so we got two. That's Mississippi represented. We're going to do something about that sometime soon. So have you finished yesterday and compared to today Were you leading.

Speaker 18: 1:11:33

Yesterday or Yesterday I was in second Okay, I can tell you, I was in first pretty much the whole time.

Speaker 15: 1:11:40

So tell us about your round today.

Speaker 1: 1:11:42

Honestly, I got up and down, okay.

Speaker 4: 1:11:46

I just struck the ball, really good.

Speaker 15: 1:11:48

Struck the ball really good.

Speaker 1: 1:11:51

That's good.

Speaker 15: 1:11:53

How about?

Speaker 1: 1:11:53

putting, because I got a partner over here who struggles with putting. Putting was probably my best thing.

Speaker 15: 1:12:00

How many putts?

Speaker 13: 1:12:03

I too putted it every green pretty much. I still beat him. Okay, but he won the tournament. I understand, but I still beat him in putts.

Speaker 1: 1:12:14

So what's your? A game, normally like this weekend. Was it kind of normal for you? Yeah, pretty normal.

Speaker 4: 1:12:25

I played like amazing. I played good how old, are you 16.

Speaker 1: 1:12:29

How about that? Yep, to me. I mean, you know we've talked about this because we've had some kids on the show. I love it when we have kids come on and win. We're even just playing because, if you look around, most of us we're not kids anymore and we really need to get more, you know, the kids involved in these tournaments to really to grow the game, because, right, because this is a game that, again, you can play until you're 80. So, you know, I love having kids on. I really love seeing them win. I'm always, you know, pretty much pushing for kids to win.

Speaker 13: 1:13:05

Right, right, right. And now he gets to play national for free. Yep, I mean, I think we had what a 13-year-old win a couple of years back.

Speaker 1: 1:13:12

Yeah, we did, we did.

Speaker 13: 1:13:13

So it's still out there. You still have a chance. Don't think that you don't have a chance because you're young, yeah.

Speaker 7: 1:13:20

And he won beef.

Speaker 13: 1:13:20

but I believe it was C, it was C, it was C, I remember. Okay, so I mean, I mean, it just proves, you can do it.

Speaker 1: 1:13:31

Yeah, and anybody. And actually I think the year before that we had a 73-year-old 1-8 flight.

Speaker 13: 1:13:39

So Anything can happen.

Speaker 1: 1:13:39

Anything can happen. So how far do you generally hit the ball?

Speaker 15: 1:13:44

On the jogging Probably 260 to 280.

Speaker 1: 1:13:48

Okay, that's three shots from you on a good day, so, but I love it. So what would you say is the strongest part of your game? Strongest part of my game would be up and down. Okay, short game, it has to be right, it has to be.

Speaker 13: 1:14:04

That's what we've been talking about for a while now I'm halfway there.

Speaker 1: 1:14:08

Sure Okay, what are you up or are you down?

Speaker 13: 1:14:10

I'm the up part. The down part never gets there.

Speaker 16: 1:14:17

How you're killing me. Oh my God, oh my God.

Speaker 1: 1:14:21

So what are you going to really work on this year to get better at?

Speaker 7: 1:14:25

Definitely consistency.

Speaker 15: 1:14:26

Okay, ball striking.

Speaker 1: 1:14:27

All right, do you play on your high school team? Mm-hmm, that's all, sir. Keep it up, keep working at it. So what's the next tool? I mean, you're from Mississippi, so you're up. This is probably really cold, not used to this. So what's next for you? What's your next tournament?

Speaker 4: 1:14:44

Probably whenever dad's tournament start up again. Mississippi Tour.

Speaker 1: 1:14:48

Okay, so your dad plays.

Speaker 15: 1:14:49

Yeah, jason Borgman is the best at that, oh.

Speaker 1: 1:14:54

See, you should probably should have led with that. Yeah, that would have been Probably.

Speaker 13: 1:14:58

Probably, probably would have connected it.

Speaker 9: 1:15:02

There you go.

Speaker 1: 1:15:03

Well, buddy, what you need to tell them is dad, you got to do more tournaments, I got to play more.

Speaker 15: 1:15:08

Yeah, I'll tell them.

Speaker 1: 1:15:12

Well, is he here.

Speaker 17: 1:15:15

Right there.

Speaker 1: 1:15:16

Go grab Jason.

Speaker 13: 1:15:18

I didn't do it, Tim did See.

Speaker 1: 1:15:20

All right, jason, so we? I had no idea that Luke was your son. So we're talking about. You know when his next tournament is? And you said well, next time my dad starts playing again. I said well, who's your dad? Jason Borgman? Yeah, you got to tell us these things, man.

Speaker 14: 1:15:37

You should have volunteered that information up front. That's what I said.

Speaker 1: 1:15:40

You probably should have led with that, but this is awesome.

Speaker 14: 1:15:43

No, I'm very proud of it. He started out a couple years ago D-Flight, working his way up, so hope to see him continue moving up.

Speaker 1: 1:15:51

Well, I'm sure he will. I mean, you know he, what he said is the strongest part of this game is up and down, which that's really. If you're good at being up and down, the other stuff will come to just keep working.

Speaker 14: 1:16:03

Oh, exactly, you know, a good up and down will make up for a lot.

Speaker 1: 1:16:07

It really will. It really will. But how'd you play today?

Speaker 14: 1:16:12

Not terrible Up and down. Yeah yeah, I had some good holes and a lot of bad ones, so but I enjoyed it.

Speaker 1: 1:16:16

Well, I'm glad to see you guys out here. I can't tell you how happy I am for you and well, again, it saved you money for national championship.

Speaker 14: 1:16:24

Yeah, exactly, I'll say that this is an entry fee.

Speaker 1: 1:16:25

Man See, Do you have any others that are playing too?

Speaker 14: 1:16:29

Matter of fact, D-Flighter is a Mississippi guy. You're going to interview him next. I missed it. We had one at that.

Speaker 12: 1:16:35

All right.

Speaker 14: 1:16:35

We had a second in A-Flight. Right, we had a pretty good show in that.

Speaker 1: 1:16:39

Yeah, Mississippi really took care of business.

Speaker 14: 1:16:41

Yeah, we did very well.

Speaker 1: 1:16:42

That's awesome. Well, luke, jason, you stay. Luke, thanks so much for taking some time with us. Congratulations, and I can't wait to see you in Hilton Head in October.

Speaker 13: 1:16:52

Thank you All right, bud Congrats.

Speaker 1: 1:16:54

So we've got Dean Martel, martel, martel. Yes, sir. So Dean Martel for the Mississippi Tour. The D-Flight Champion Mississippi really cleaned up. So first off, congratulations on a win today.

Speaker 15: 1:17:07

Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:17:09

Have you played yesterday compared to today?

Speaker 15: 1:17:12

Yesterday set the pace for me. Today was not so good, but I kind of held on to everything. I had a really good day yesterday. It was one of my lowest rounds ever.

Speaker 1: 1:17:21

Well yeah, you had a low round of the Tournament D-Flight yesterday oh really yeah. Yeah, because we were talking about it and I said you know, in 86, in this weather, you know for D-Flight that was a really really good score, yeah.

Speaker 15: 1:17:37

So it was a had a bunch of one-putts, I had eight one-putts and hit nine fairways and it just fell in place.

Speaker 1: 1:17:46

How many one-putts? Eight or none?

Speaker 13: 1:17:49

I had that many three-putts Right, right, right right.

Speaker 1: 1:17:54

So today obviously not as good a round, but we never put our best rounds back to back, but you held on. What were your highlights today.

Speaker 15: 1:18:04

There wasn't a lot of highlights.

Speaker 18: 1:18:06

There was a lot of three-putts.

Speaker 15: 1:18:08

It was a struggle, it really was, and I kind of got into protection mode and so I just wasn't hitting balls far and had a lot longer shots in just trying to protect the lead. Let the course protect the lead for me.

Speaker 1: 1:18:22

But I think you were seven up yesterday and you finished five up over Tied for Frank Fermano from New Jersey and Greg Davis from Houston. So I mean you still had a five-stroke win, I mean. So you had to do something right. Even with a high score like that, you still had to play. Well, it was okay and yeah.

Speaker 15: 1:18:44

The course was. Today was way tougher, in my opinion, than yesterday Agreed yeah. Agreed, strongly agreed. Yeah, even though the conditions were way better, it was tougher.

Speaker 13: 1:18:54

See, but I like what he said. He said the course is going to help him manage the score, exactly Because it was a tough course and if you know that you and your group aren't doing very well, chances are especially like we said in C and D-Flight anything can happen.

Speaker 1: 1:19:09

Right.

Speaker 13: 1:19:10

That that will affect everybody else, Right? So?

Speaker 15: 1:19:14

yeah, I mean today's an attest, a testament to the scores in D-Flight especially. I mean you could tell that course was way harder just by all the scores on average you know.

Speaker 13: 1:19:24

I mean, out of 13 players, only five were under triple digits. Yeah, today in D-Flight, wow, and I mean not even 193, and the rest were 99s and 97s.

Speaker 6: 1:19:39

Yeah.

Speaker 13: 1:19:42

So this course played tough I'll probably say tougher than yesterday, even including the weather. It was tough. The pin positions were tough. Yeah, you would read right to left and it would go straight. Oh, yeah, there was a bunch of the points. Then you read left to right and it would go straight.

Speaker 15: 1:20:00

And then you read straight and it wouldn't go straight.

Speaker 13: 1:20:04

Whether you're three-feet out or you're 30 feet out.

Speaker 1: 1:20:07

You never knew what you wanted to do.

Speaker 13: 1:20:08

No, or someone would put right to left. They go right to left and then you try and follow them and it goes straight.

Speaker 15: 1:20:13

That was very much so Happened to me a lot too.

Speaker 1: 1:20:16

All right. So, Dean, what's next for you?

Speaker 15: 1:20:19

Next we have our season opener at Shell Landing in Gosher, mississippi. It'll be a two-day yeah two-day event.

Speaker 14: 1:20:25

It's major.

Speaker 1: 1:20:27

When is that?

Speaker 14: 1:20:28

Two weeks from this weekend, January 27th and 28th we start early in Mississippi.

Speaker 1: 1:20:33

That's good. You can, exactly, you can play all year down there Pretty much. Well, that's awesome. So you know you've got Nationals paid for, so you got that out of the way. So what are some of your other goals for the year?

Speaker 15: 1:20:46

I just want to be at the top of the points. I have been to the last three years and I've been to Nationals the last three years, so I just want to kind of keep that train rolling you know, and possibly move up the sea flight eventually.

Speaker 1: 1:20:57

Okay, well, we can make it happen.

Speaker 15: 1:20:59

Jason's making it happen.

Speaker 1: 1:21:00

I mean it doesn't take much, Just an email.

Speaker 14: 1:21:03

You shoot a couple more 86s like yesterday.

Speaker 15: 1:21:05

You'll be there pretty quick, exactly.

Speaker 13: 1:21:07

Hey, it's all good, I started in D and made my way up the beef flight. Good, might need to go back to C if my putting doesn't get better. No, we're not letting that happen.

Speaker 1: 1:21:17

Not letting that happen. Well, dean, again, thanks so much for taking some time with us. Congratulations, and we'll see you in Hillman.

Speaker 15: 1:21:23

Thank you guys.

Speaker 1: 1:21:25

Jason, before we let you go, what's some other highlights you have for your season?

Speaker 14: 1:21:29

This is the first year Mississippi is going to host a regional yes, march 15th and 16th that old Waverly and Mossy Oaks, so super nice courses. Really excited about that.

Speaker 1: 1:21:39

Yeah, so unfortunately we won't be there for that one. Okay, that's supposed to be my opening tournament, got you? We are traveling. Tell us about that regional.

Speaker 14: 1:21:53

Well, waverly is one of the nicest courses in the state, of course. They actually had the US women's open there several years ago, and about three years ago they had the US women's amateur there. Wow, so prestigious events there. That's nice, that's awesome.

Speaker 1: 1:22:09

So I mean, if you're not already registered, I'd get one.

Speaker 14: 1:22:11

Yeah yeah, we got a pretty good field already. I really hope it fills out pretty soon.

Speaker 1: 1:22:18

We've got great regions all season long. I mean it seems like okay, we had one last week and this week, and then you got yours coming up, and then they just keep going.

Speaker 14: 1:22:29

We're playing great courses oh, very much, so it's hard to pick which ones you want to go and participate in.

Speaker 13: 1:22:34

Yeah, it is You're telling us. When we had to pick ours, it took us a while.

Speaker 14: 1:22:40

You did. I let my wife help and that way she can you know kind of plan vacations around where she wants to go. I bring her with me there you go.

Speaker 1: 1:22:48

That's okay too. That's all right too. Well, jason, thanks so much for taking some time with us. Congratulations on the big Mississippi win. Congratulations on Luke's win. I guess you're heading out tonight, or?

Speaker 14: 1:23:01

Yeah, you got to be at the airport. Leave out at midnight, hit at home. So long night at the airport.

Speaker 1: 1:23:06

And no flight delays going to Mississippi.

Speaker 14: 1:23:08

I hope not. Everything looks good right now All right, take care.

Speaker 1: 1:23:12

Congratulations.

Speaker 14: 1:23:13

Thank you so much, dude.

Speaker 1: 1:23:15

All right well, jared, congratulations for winning the C flight. Nice job today.

Speaker 9: 1:23:19

B flight.

Speaker 1: 1:23:20

Excuse me, b flight. You're right, b flight. So you had two really good days. You shot 85 yesterday, 79 today. Tell Sprouts around today.

Speaker 9: 1:23:29

Man, I hit it good, everything was good. Two putt got on the green, two putt tried to make pause.

Speaker 1: 1:23:38

And you walked away with a nice sized flight skin.

Speaker 9: 1:23:42

I didn't even know. I want a skin on a birdie. Oh yeah, you did. It's the only birdie I made today.

Speaker 13: 1:23:49

I think that's the cash he just gave you.

Speaker 9: 1:23:51

Yeah, yeah, I didn't know, I want a skin too. Just now, $305.

Speaker 1: 1:23:55

Awesome.

Speaker 13: 1:23:56

You know, it's the only birdie I made. Hey, sometimes that's all it takes.

Speaker 1: 1:24:01

Exactly. But you know I mean you did really well. You know you got a six stroke win over Scott Rhodes from Michigan East. You really kind of wanted to see it going away.

Speaker 9: 1:24:14

Stayed out of trouble.

Speaker 1: 1:24:15

That's all you got to do.

Speaker 9: 1:24:16

Get in the fairway, get it on the green. Two putt Made a lot of pause Again one birdie. I didn't think I made a skin. I didn't know I want a skin.

Speaker 13: 1:24:26

Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. Again, like I said, I was in B flight. I did not have a great day, but to see a 79, which is what I was talking about last night might take. Might need to take it today. You came out and you played well.

Speaker 1: 1:24:40

Yeah, actually we talked about that, Didn't we? Yeah?

Speaker 9: 1:24:43

When I got out of the vehicle I told our tour director, jp. I said I just want to shoot 82. Shoot 82. I think I can win.

Speaker 1: 1:24:50

Yeah, well, 82 still would have won it. I mean, you know, scott Scott, scott went Scott Rhodes from Michigan East. He went 90 80. You know, so even that 80 is a really good score, you know. So I just looked like you had you had low round both days. Yeah, you're leading yesterday by one.

Speaker 9: 1:25:13

Yeah, when I got done I was like in sixth place, okay. When we got back at the hotel they said man, you in first. I had no idea.

Speaker 13: 1:25:20

See, that's when not looking at the scoreboard works.

Speaker 1: 1:25:23

Yeah, so were you scoreboard looking today?

Speaker 9: 1:25:26

I looked all day.

Speaker 13: 1:25:27

Yeah, I at one point I saw I had like a seven shot lead and I just tried to hit an affair with Well, I want you to know we're going to be in Louisiana for their regional Awesome and if you're still in beef flight, I'm coming for you All right, I'm going to make. I'm going to make Gina and them Paris together and I'm just going to have you look at the scores and tell me every hole. I'll be there.

Speaker 1: 1:25:52

Well, you know what you talk about JP, your tour director. You know this regional had a ton of tour directors here, which which I think is great, because they all brought people Right, you know. So, tour directors, go to regional, bring, bring your guys, bring your players, because it's it's, it's I'm just talking about. For me, and it's great to see so many tour directors there, because we only generally get to see them, you know, at national championship you know.

Speaker 1: 1:26:20

But it's great to see them in this type of environment. So I'm glad you, I'm glad you brought Jason with them.

Speaker 9: 1:26:27

You know you carried him along, you know we, we travel well, we go to, we bring a lot to Hilton head, we bring a lot to Las Vegas. These, these are the real. The two trips we make are Las Vegas and Hilton head, and I don't know how many we had, but I know it was a dozen at one point. I think we might have had up to 15, 17 LA South people.

Speaker 1: 1:26:49

Well, you know you talk about LA, South Louisiana, but you know both of these antlers travel. Well, they really do so again, thanks so much for joining us, Congratulations on your win and hopefully we'll see you in June. And we'll definitely see you in Hilton head. I'll be, back. All right, jared, congratulations.

Speaker 13: 1:27:04

But thank you guys, congrats. Well, we accomplished goal number one.

Speaker 1: 1:27:09

We did, we got them all, we got them all.

Speaker 9: 1:27:12

Right.

Speaker 1: 1:27:13

So I was. I was hoping we were going to get a get a couple of other players, but one just gave me the no go on it. We got Randy Merrill, tour director from Las Vegas. Randy, welcome bud.

Speaker 16: 1:27:26

Thank you, it's nice to see you guys.

Speaker 1: 1:27:28

It's good seeing you. I mean, you all did a phenomenal, phenomenal job this weekend. I can't I can't tell you how awesome this tournament was.

Speaker 16: 1:27:34

Thank you, we appreciate it. Yeah, we got really lucky with the weather.

Speaker 1: 1:27:38

Well, I was inside today, so I mean, it looked real nice out there.

Speaker 16: 1:27:43

Were you guys here last year.

Speaker 1: 1:27:44

No, I was not. I heard.

Speaker 16: 1:27:46

So last year it was 34 degrees, 40 mile an hour winds, and it was raining. See, I would have gone home and I'll have to feel thin.

Speaker 13: 1:27:56

I would have just well that.

Speaker 1: 1:27:57

That that's again. This is kind of their loss when you even even in the rain, it's beautiful out here.

Speaker 16: 1:28:05

You can't beat the way that they keep the course in shape.

Speaker 13: 1:28:07

Right, and it is like this all year long and it's not painted green Like it's actually grass out there.

Speaker 1: 1:28:12

It's actually green grass, right yeah?

Speaker 16: 1:28:15

The maintenance staff out here is phenomenal.

Speaker 1: 1:28:18

But you, you can tell it's they, they do, they do a great job here.

Speaker 16: 1:28:24

Well, this is this is my home course. I live seven minutes down the street from here, so that explains a lot.

Speaker 13: 1:28:31

Hold on Home course and you.

Speaker 16: 1:28:33

We will talk about that.

Speaker 1: 1:28:36

I'm not throwing Randy under the bus with that one, I mean cause. You know it's like being a tour director and having to run toward it. Yeah, it's like even it's a home course True true. With all the all that goes into this now.

Speaker 16: 1:28:51

I will say I haven't been able to practice or play much over the last couple of months. We've been working really hard to try to get the Las Vegas Right, the tour to grow, and we've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes with Sponsors and charity and all the things that we're getting together right now to make sure that we have a product in place Before our first event. Right right, so it's been kind of busy.

Speaker 1: 1:29:19

And you guys are doing a really phenomenal job. I mean I thank you. You know I People think that I just say that, but you know I don't say that lightly, because you know when it, when it comes down to it, you know we have to make sure that we're doing right by our players, absolutely, and and if we're not, people are gonna know and then they're gonna know that we're not being serious. But I mean you, if you come out here and you see what they've done today and you know, I really think that you guys are gonna do a great job and get, get Vegas back to where it really needs to be.

Speaker 16: 1:29:52

Thank you. Well, I'll tell you what well We've really tried to do for this next season coming up is make sure that we not only put out a product that people want to come and join right.

Speaker 16: 1:30:03

We want to make it affordable right, right, so we've had to work Really hard with the golf courses to try to get their rates down. For you know, for us to get a contract right, right, and if you go on, you know on our website and you see what our, what our Tournament fees are. It's the best that it's ever been.

Speaker 1: 1:30:22

Yeah, well, yeah, you know, I talked about it, you know briefly, you know, about about a month or so ago, and I couldn't believe. I couldn't believe the price you're getting. I'm gonna you just keep. You just keep rolling with what you got. Then don't listen to me.

Speaker 16: 1:30:33

I remember that phone call. Yeah, he looked at me and he said you guys have a two-day major for $200. He's like something has to be wrong. I'm like, no, it's not a typo, sir, we really did get that contract.

Speaker 1: 1:30:45

Man, it's crazy because I mean, I mean, this is a major metropolitan area, it's it's not like you know. You know, you know pick, I know it's. It's awesome. It's not Charles, yeah right, I don't know how you do it. I mean I mean, well, we can, we can. We're not even close anything that in Atlanta. We were never really close anything like that in DC, you know, so in Chicago and St Louis and all these other places.

Speaker 16: 1:31:11

So it's a good one yeah and I will tell you that for three years prior to this, you couldn't do it either. Oh, but we have been very fortunate to build some relationships With some of these golf courses and some of the you know, the tournament directors that are at these golf courses to be able to Say hey, listen, here's what we're doing, this is what the product we want to show up.

Speaker 16: 1:31:33

Showcase your course and put together something that's gonna look good for everybody, right? So in having the relationships that I've had I mean, I've lived here for 39 years now, so it's been I've played a lot of golf and seen a lot of things here in this town, so well we don't need to talk about what you've seen.

Speaker 1: 1:31:51

We'll talk about that later tonight. No, sir, I know I know we got a lot to do to wrap this thing up and Dennis is calling me to take pictures, so you know, what I'd like to do is we'll get you scheduled for, you know, like nice, 25, 30 minute in-depth interview about and and I love to hear what's going on in Vegas and I'm sure the players around the country don't want to hear about it Because, again, you know we talked about traveling to, to regionals all the time, but We've got a lot of guys that travel just to regular tournaments and I think Vegas is a great destination, you know, because you got got some great courses out here. So let's sit down and talk to you and go through some of that.

Speaker 16: 1:32:30

Yeah, we'll talk to your future.

Speaker 1: 1:32:31

Absolutely, I'll get this guy All right, but well, congratulations on a great tournament, first tournament under the belt. Thank you, guys. We'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 16: 1:32:37

We really appreciate you.

Speaker 1: 1:32:39

All right, chris, nice, nice job this weekend. Let's go ahead and wrap this up and and for everybody that's listening and watching on Facebook and YouTube, thank you so much for joining us.

Speaker 13: 1:32:51

Yes, thank you. Be ready to hear my on course Interviews with myself. That I did yesterday was better than this, than today's, because there was no highlights, no highlight what we'll talk about it. Maybe. Maybe the flying V that I saw. I don't see ducks either, so maybe that was a highlight.

Speaker 1: 1:33:10

I don't know what happens in Vegas says a Vegas, and we'll leave it on that. All right, chris, it's all over with and and everybody's heading home, except for you, know, we've got a lot of people's flights canceled and so they're gonna be hanging out here in Vegas, but not you. You got, you got to catch a flight.

Speaker 13: 1:33:29

I gotta catch a fly. We still got a while, so we're okay. But uh, yeah, I mean it's gonna be crazy to see what happens at the airport with people that just find out their flights are canceled. You know, I hope that they make it home safely and not have to wait a couple of days. We don't know what the storm, but I'm glad to get home. I, after today's round, I ready for a shower and yeah, I understand, I hope I can get home tomorrow.

Speaker 1: 1:33:59

I mean, it's looking like everything's okay, but Because that would be, that'd be a mess.

Speaker 13: 1:34:04

Yeah, I so, with your plans coming up, that would be a mess.

Speaker 1: 1:34:07

But yeah, I understand yeah we got a lot, a lot of good things going on and a lot of behind the scenes going on, you know, for the tour and podcast right that I think you know coming down the coming down the road real soon Is gonna pay off and I think our listeners are really gonna like it.

Speaker 13: 1:34:21

Oh yeah, I think doing this was great and, like I said earlier, we were able to get all five champions To come and talk. You know we're gonna try our best to do the first round leaders See how they're filling up through their first round and what their plans are that night. Kind of get that mindset to see how our listeners can see how these first round leaders in a huge tournament take it into date too.

Speaker 1: 1:34:45

Exactly, exactly but uh, you know Everybody worked this was it would did a phenomenal job and you know I said this in the in the live piece there was like 10 tour directors here. Yes, yes, it's freaking awesome and one one we almost had to was that two wins, and you know that those finish one, one back and I would say one and a half because we had the the son of a tour director.

Speaker 13: 1:35:12

That kind of counts a little bit.

Speaker 1: 1:35:13

Yeah, definitely counts, but but again, you know, he should, probably should have led with that, but but that's okay, he's young. Well, okay, he was a little quiet, he was a little quiet, but we that's okay, it's you know.

Speaker 13: 1:35:25

Did you see, though, his face light up when we said a 13 year old won? Yeah, because I kind of gave him hope and that's what we want. Yeah, keep that.

Speaker 1: 1:35:34

Keep after it. You know to everybody. You know, especially these kids that are playing, because you know we're getting more and more on the tour across the nation. Mm-hmm, dude, Keep after it. You know there's something you can do your entire life. You know keep working, keep going the range, get on the putting green chip and putt up and down Now what. You know what. We'll get you there too. But I love it when the kids win, really do.

Speaker 13: 1:35:59

I do too. I do too because my eight-year-old has been Begging me for a set of clubs. Only problem is is he's lefty, which is hard to find for an eight-year-old. But Once I gave him those clubs, I know he's gonna want to play and maybe we'll have him out here. I'd love to have that be a fun time. It would be. It would be. So we'll see. Let's see what happens. He's a talker, though, that's all right. Yeah, I'm warning you now. He talks as much as I putt.

Speaker 1: 1:36:29

Oh boy.

Speaker 13: 1:36:30

That's all right.

Speaker 1: 1:36:31

That's okay, you know. We Kids, it's okay. Well, you know, we can let kids slide with some certain things, and talk is one of them right, you know right. So you know, it was great seeing you and hanging out.

Speaker 1: 1:36:45

Likewise you know Vegas, vegas is a fun time, you know we. But Truly we both stayed out of trouble, right? Okay, we're not just saying that we, we really stayed out of trouble, which is, you know, not easy to do here, but it's great seeing you. And you know, as of now, our next trip is is scheduled for First week in June. Yep, that may stay. I mean, we're definitely going the first week in June. You know that may not be the first time I see you again, but but for now that's what we're going with.

Speaker 13: 1:37:14

Right, right, right, and it's gonna be a fun time out there. Mm-hmm and then we turn it back around and go the next weekend.

Speaker 1: 1:37:20

Yeah, go to Louisiana with Louisiana North Gina. You know, let me just say this before we go Gina really made my day yesterday, you know, after we after live broadcast, right, she called and and said some very kind things, but then she followed it up and she called Jen and you know, really kind of took it a step further and said some, some really great things, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate those kind words.

Speaker 1: 1:37:47

You know to know that there's other tour director out there that'll listen in and and and feel the same way that she does agree and then you know to share those good things instead of just, you know, keep. So that that was that that really made my day.

Speaker 13: 1:38:03

No, it was great, it was great to see. You know, once we signed off to see that phone call and immediately she was like put me on speaker. I want him to hear this. I'm like he's on the phone with Jen. But no, it was. It's great it. You know, I've been able to be privileged enough to be able to help her Just her second, second or third year, but be able to kind of see where she's grown yeah, because one it's tough to be a new director.

Speaker 1: 1:38:28

It is but two. It's tough to be a female new director and we have a good hand now and well, if you look at it, you know what some of the best I mean look at Michelle, right, mean she she's killing it and and Not taking names and not looking back right, and it's great to see we're gonna be out there.

Speaker 13: 1:38:48

I mean, that's what we kind of plan, right to give these female directors a spotlight for a little bit, because they deserve it. They work our fort right and be out there. I've never been to Michigan. I'm excited to go out there and check it out. I've never been to Louisiana, so I'm excited to go check that out.

Speaker 1: 1:39:04

I've never been Louisiana, right next door.

Speaker 13: 1:39:07

Next door. 24-hour drive next door, like we ain't. I ain't driving there. If I'm going anywhere, it's it's to Florida and I'm waving as we fly by. For that that 30 minutes Okay, but I can't wait, and my wife's going with me on that one. So maybe spend a little little time in New Orleans and then drive our way up. We'll see. Okay, but uh can't wait.

Speaker 1: 1:39:31

I'm excited. It's gonna be fun times and I know you got your first tour me come up here in a couple weeks. Yep you know, wish you and the players the best. And, and you know, I think the one thing we do want to announce is, you know, we generally drop our episodes on Wednesdays. We're gonna change that schedule up a little bit.

Speaker 13: 1:39:50

No, I agree, We've got to see our numbers from last year. It's great to see that we're having success. We didn't know when we started where this would go and, and look at this now you know we're gonna be able to travel the country and and do what we do, and it's only been a little over a year, right. So we've talked, we've had our conversations and I think we're stepping in the right direction.

Speaker 1: 1:40:13

Yeah, I think so too. So so from here on out, our episodes will drop every other Monday, and so the next episode it will be come out January 29th.

Speaker 13: 1:40:22

Yep right after my first event.

Speaker 1: 1:40:25

So you better be ready.

Speaker 9: 1:40:26

Oh, I'm ready.

Speaker 13: 1:40:27

We'll be alright. I Maybe have. I may have a winner too after that. So I'm planning on going to Arizona for their I always go to their opener, so maybe I'll come home with two wins and Less than 30 putts. We'll see. That's hope. So I don't know how my putting became the joke of this podcast, but it's. It's encouraged me to practice that.

Speaker 1: 1:40:50

You know that's, that's, that's the real key, right. I mean, you hit the ball really really well, maybe not this weekend, what was a good example? But you know, the key is you know when you miss the green or you know you're short to be able to get up and down, right, and that's to me, I think for you, that's gonna be the biggest Improvement that you can sit, that you're gonna be able to see in your, in your, in your square right.

Speaker 13: 1:41:13

I like I said today I had the ups, I didn't have the downs. And and when you get both of those and like, like our sea flight champ said, you know he had up and down today and that's what helped him win.

Speaker 1: 1:41:26

It's awesome in it.

Speaker 13: 1:41:27

Yep, it was great to see. You know, have him on there and then see his, his mom here, you know, smiling cuz Her little babies on a podcast. And you want a regional and that's a big deal.

Speaker 1: 1:41:38

It's good to see. Yeah, it is well as always. If you have questions, please make sure you send us an email. You can email me at Tim and ATC at amateur golf tour net and Chris. El Paso Amateur golf tour done that and you know, you start wearing your shirts, man.

Speaker 13: 1:41:56

Yes.

Speaker 1: 1:41:56

We got. I need to start seeing some shirts.

Speaker 13: 1:41:59

Yeah, I mean, even if we don't have the hashtag ready, please Tag golf week, put it on there and we will see it. Yeah, january is almost over and if we don't have a winner in January, that's one easy, easy, easy win, right? I mean, you know there's only eight winners we're gonna have. Why not have one?

Speaker 13: 1:42:20

I mean if I could enter if I could enter, you would see some crazy shirts, but I can't and I'm. I I've encouraged my tour to to bring their shirts. Maybe we'll have one of my event on the 27th. I hope so, but there were a lot of outerwear today and remember.

Speaker 1: 1:42:37

Yep, yep.

Speaker 13: 1:42:38

I mean, even if you put outerwear and then the shirt on top, that counts exactly. We just gotta be able to see it all.

Speaker 1: 1:42:43

All around, all around. All right, my friend, what you travel home safely, you know. Good luck over the next few weeks and we'll talk to you soon.

Speaker 13: 1:42:51

Yes, sir, likewise you.