We are at Cypress with the USGA and joined by the setup man for the U.S. Amateur and Walker Cup, Ben Kimball, and by the U.S. Walker Cup captain, Nathan Smith. Plus we talk Scottie’s press conference, Grant Horvat’s decision not to play a Tour event, Joel Dahmen and Geno Bonnalie splitting, and much more.
Support the show:
When it comes to EVs, Equinox EV is the smartest choice you can make
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD).
21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Terms: draftkings.com/sportsbook. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $150 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 8/3/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
You can learn more at https://brex.com/grow
Buy new ONE Hershey’s Double Chocolate Protein Bar on Amazon. Protein just got delicious
Limited time offer: 25% off PGA TOUR 2K25 Deluxe Edition (digital) https://2kgam.es/4jjHIFY
Head to shadyrays.com and use code: FORE for 35% OFF polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself the shades rated 5 stars by over 300,000
Check out our merch here: https://store.barstoolsports.com/collections/fore-play
Download the Barstool Golf Time App: https://beacons.ai/foreplaypod/barstoolgolftime
We’ve partnered with SKLZ, the leading sport-skill training brand, to develop co-branded golf training aids that help improve your game. Now available at https://www.golfgalaxy.com/barstool or in-store at Golf Galaxy and select Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport locations.
LIVE FROM CYPRESS POINT – 2:39
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER’S PRESSER – 11:28
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER’S PRESSER CONT. – 19:53
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP – 29:39
GRANT HORVAT TURNS DOWN PGA TOUR INVITE – 33:52
JOEL DAHMEN’S BREAK UP – 48:48
WYNDHAM CLARK BANNED FROM OAKMONT CC – 53:47
BEN KIMBALL INTERVIEW – 59:47
NATHAN SMITH INTERVIEW – 1:31:16
#BarstoolSports #ForePlayPodcast #BarstoolGolf
Follow Fore Play Podcast here:
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fore-play/id1200343264?mt=2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ForePlayPod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foreplaypod/
Check out Barstool Sports for more: http://www.barstoolsports.com
Follow Barstool Sports here:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/barstoolsports
Twitter: https://twitter.com/barstoolsports
Instagram: http://instagram.com/barstoolsports
huge show today. We’re doing it live from probably the most spectacular, unexpected venue that we’ve ever hosted a podcast from. We’re at Cypress Point in Monterey. Uh we’re talking with a different tone. We’ve got great interviews from the USGA. Uh we’re discussing Scotty’s presser, Rory’s presser, Grant Horvat breaking uh a golf news record, perhaps deciding not to play in a PJ tour event. All that is brought to you by Chevy in the Equinox EV, which is going to help you show up in style. It’s got the massive 17inch diagonal center screen. Uh iconic venue for a show today. Iconic. Yeah, we took the Chevy all the way from San Francisco down to Monterey. That’s a nice drive. Beautiful drive out here in California. Beautiful. Um I had to stop and use the restroom. We had too much. Little dairy for you guys. Yep. Too much dairy. It was a It was a emergency stop. Like pull over this exit. We’re going into a restaurant. We talked about that earlier. Actually, I’ve been trying to cut back on dairy for that reason. Yeah. It’s bad. At one point in the back seat of this beautiful Chevy, he went quiet and Bren and I were like, “What’s going on back? Something’s wrong. Something’s wrong.” U, but yeah, just insane that we’re here, we’re looking at the 16th hole. We’re looking literally looking at it. An outrageous golf course. Um, we’re going to get into the fact that um I don’t know if I’m going be able to swing today, so there’s a lot that’s going that’s going to be coming at you here on the podcast, but it’s all brought to you by Chevy. All of it’s brought to you by Chevy. And the Equinox EV uh offers 319 miles of EPA estimated electric range with frontwheel drive. When it comes to EVs, the Chevy Equinox EV is the smartest choice you can make. Where do you think we are physically right now at the Cypress Clubhouse? Are we above like a bunch of important people right now? I hear a conversation. You hear that chatter going for this like I saw like the chairman of this whole place was here. He had a nice jacket on that looks like Augusta, but it’s dark navy. Got the Cypress logo on it. He was what I think was right below us. Wow. I mean, listen, the chances of us getting out of here unscathed and like unbanned is really low. I know. It’s just something I had to bring up. No, no. I You’re right. I think we’re probably echoing. We’re at We’re at the highest point. We could be being heardund. We’re being eve like at the first I think it is, dude. [Music] For play presented by Bartool Sports, folks, we are back for a very big show. There’s a lot going on in the golf world. It’s open championship week. Um, so obviously people are focused on Port Rush, what’s going on. By the time this show comes out, they’ll be like halfway through the first round at Royal Port Rush. So extremely fired up for that. We’re going to get into a lot of the story lines there. However, you probably tell from my tone a little bit of a different situation. We are sitting in quite the fine room here at Cypress Point um on, you know, Monterey, California. We touched on it last show a little bit. We’re now here. We haven’t played our round yet. Um we have the second half of the show. Uh we’ve got Ben Kimble and Nathan Smith. Ben Kimble is um kind of the championship uh you know guru when it comes to the US Amter and the Walker Cup. He’s the inside the ropes guy. He’ll be setting it up. Course conditions. He’s been at the USJ for a very long time. So we get into everything about Cypress about them bringing uh the Walker Cup back to Cypress. I believe it was here in 1981. Other than that, there’s really been nothing here outside of just spectacular recreational play on a day in dayout basis. And then US amer at um Olympic club which is coming up next month which he’s also got the same role for that. So we talk a lot about Olympic club colost won there which you know we get into and so we talk a lot of of what the USG does. A lot of the championships you don’t really necessarily think about know about um focus on that these guys spend their entire kind of professional lives focusing on. The second half of the show is all about that. But we are sitting in this very fine room here at Cypress right now. Extremely elegant room. Yes. Unbelievable. What very more uh reserved of a place than I thought it would be. Like not like there’s no check in like uh like for the car or anything. How about that sign when you come in? Insane. Cypress Point. I said the same thing to Rigs. I was like they I they obviously do it on purpose where it’s just sort of like oh there’s Cypress and you’re there. It’s there’s nothing grand. There’s nothing You don’t have to be. Nope. The drive today going past Pebble Beach and knowing you’re playing a better golf course or like you know a more well worldrenowned golf course is psychotic to me. Like I like I was looking down there looking like at you could see 17 like the route that my guy took. You just drove right by Pebble like you’re passing Eisenhower blue. Crazy, right? I mean that’s my number one ever. Like seeing Pebbles like brings a tear to my eye and we’re like at a place that is ranked higher. Yeah, that’s nuts. We just scooted right by it. Yeah. No, this is We’re lucky to be here for sure. So, we’re in the clubhouse right now like we mentioned and the USJ’s done just an kind of a unbelievable um job and invite this week for us. We had the same experience yesterday at Olympic which the video is going to be awesome playing incredibly difficult which we get into a lot with um with Ben in the second half of the show, but we are about an hour and a half away from teeing it up at uh Cypress, maybe two hours away uh for the first time. And uh we’ve got a close battle going on between the three of us. We got quite the prize and we’re about to get out there and hit our T-shots. Did you get to see the first tea yet, Frankie? No. Is it right here? I mean, it’s right there. Where are we teeing off of first? We are not shotgun start. Um so we don’t 100% know that yet. I believe it’ll be somewhere on the front nine. Imagine they should put us on like 16. I said the same thing, but he was saying that they’re not doing that. They’re keeping people kind of towards the front. I want people to know as as you’re hearing my voice, I’m looking at the 16th screen at Cypress Point right now. I’m watching birds fly by. Oh, and it just looks I haven’t Oh, I just got my eyes on it. I would I would like to get a little peek inside the brain of Frankie PL right now because we’ve been getting updates all morning and later in the show it’ll be me and Rigs talking to the gentleman because I believe you had a chiropractor’s appointment. Yeah, I’m just I’ve been I’ve had my ups and downs on this podcast. This is probably as down as I’ve ever been. I mean, obviously I was down when like my dad had heart surgery. I thought I was going to die, but like there’s a lot of things that are going through my mind right now of just like why is this happening to me? And I know why it’s happening to me because we’re not supposed to be here. So it’s like God’s like putting me down a peg a little bit. But I woke yesterday and we were playing Olympic. We had a pretty brutal flight out here and like we always complain about flights and it’s probably getting nauseating to people about flights. Brennan and I were in JFK at JFK and we sat on the runway for 3 hours and the the pilot said, “We’re 10 minutes away from legally having to bring you guys back to the gate. We can’t keep you on the runway for more than 3 hours.” Um, we had just hit three. He’s like, “We’re going to find out in 10 10 more minutes.” The next update, they’re like, “We’re going to hit the air. We’re ready to rock.” There was crazy flooding happening in Jersey. Oh, yeah. I don’t know if people have seen NYC, Jersey, that whole area got like the worst storm. Flashing 300 years. So, like somehow we made it out. So, then you you sit on the whatever. It was like nine hours of being on a plane cuz we flew out to San Francisco. So, I felt a little stiff. Played Olympic Club yesterday. Felt good. Felt great on the range playing. Halfway through the round starts to just feel a little tense. And you start to do that like golf club on the back thing. I always have this upper back like right where there’s a C7, whatever they call it. I’ve gotten scans. I’ve gotten MRIs. There is something wrong there. There’s like a little bulging disc and there’s like a nerve pinched, but like you just get through it. Like I play golf all the time, almost every day. And like I just get through it. It doesn’t hurt like from day to day. I play Colonial Springs. Never hurt all year. Woke up this morning or I tried to go to bed last night and it felt like I was in a [ __ ] coma. I could not move my body. Couldn’t look left, couldn’t look right. If I laid on my back, it hurt. If I laid on my side, it killed. Nauseating. Like I was like sitting over the toilet like trying not to puke. That’s how much my back hurt. I’m like, “What’s happening to me? I’m I’m an active 31-year-old person. How is this happening to me? Why am I like like breaking down?” Then I looked around, found a chiropractor. She got me in at like 9:15. Missed the interview with you guys. I’m just like, she helped me. I mean, she cracked my back, but like she didn’t I mean, the whole time when you’re in your hotel room, you got to be thinking I’m playing Cypress Point. Yeah, that’s the biggest thing. That’s why I’m so down. Like, of course, like you don’t want back pain, but like why today, dude? Like, of all days, like why today? Like, why do I not feel unbelievable today, right? You know, like just like go after it. Alltime golf course. And yeah, I mean it it definitely I’m sure people are happy to hear that, you know? You know, I’m sure. I mean, we we we’re not supposed to be here, so like I should not enjoy my time. I’m glad that the golf gods took it out on you and me, too. You know, like I Who knows? Maybe I swing like super soft and it’s something. I don’t know. I’m sick. You were saying you were saying like I got to stop swinging so hard. I got swinging hard. It’s just a nature’s recon. You know, they’re helping out, you know? Yeah. It might be your special day. I was walking around Monterey like Mantis and like shout out to Mantis. He’s like the wetest guy in the Western Hemisphere. Eastern Hemisphere. All the hemisphere. All of them. All of them. Wetest. Wetest jumper you’ll ever find. But like I was literally walking around with like my knees leading. Like I’m walking around like this. Yeah. Yeah. Know it’s a really bad spot to be. That’s how I’m walking right now. Like that’s how I’m walking right now. Bad spot to be. So it is what it is. But here to carry around. I know. But you know I’m I I actually I asked Brendan if like he would play for me. That’s how bad it was this. And then like he’s a a righty so I was like thinking like Jared would play for me a lefty. So like that is still on the table. Look at Jared’s going to come crack you in the back. I’m going take a couple swings and like see how it is. I genuinely don’t know if I can swing a club right now. Would you then be the camera guy? I would hold the camera. Yeah. Wow. Wow. That’d be crazy. I mean, it would hurt me. I just don’t want to ruin I don’t want to ruin like there’s a part of like not wanting to like ruin your experience here. It’s like almost disrespectful to play this course and like not be able to swing the golf or it’s your 2008 US Open. We’ll see. Yeah. No. Yeah. And I don’t want it to be like an excuse. So, it’s like I don’t know what to do. It’s hard. It’s It’s sucks. No, I feel for you. Back pain sucks. I think the no sleep thing might be the worst part. Yeah. Yeah. I got dressed at 4:15 in the morning. You text me that this morning. Like I’ve been dressed since 4:30. I just like needed to like get out of bed. I was so nauseous. I like needed to just like walk around the room and my room is so small. I couldn’t really do any walking around. So, but we are at Cypress Point. I mean, I’m complaining for the first 10 minutes of this show. It’s This is the craziest thing that’s ever happened to us. So, it’s just that’s why I’m so down. I get you. I want to be like teary eyed because of how like like excited I am and how incredible this is. I’m like teareyed because I’m like holding back pain spot. I remember last year for the Pioneers US Open I had, you know, a bunch of my family and friends come and stay at the house and I remember my my good friend J.R. right when they got there was like deathly sick for like the first two or three days. And this reminds me of that where he just he was trying to muster up and be positive and get involved and maybe have a drink with us on the patio and not and he just was like I just need to go upstairs and go to bed. I feel horrible. And then eventually for the weekend he was good. But it reminds me. So anyways, we’re hoping No, we’ll battle through hoping that you battle through it. Jared will Jared. Come on, man. Opportunity of a lifetime dangling right in front of Jared. He called that chiropractor and was like, “You do whatever you can to make that work.” How about my chiropractor’s from Long Island? So weird. Monterey. We’re in Monterey. Yeah. Very random. So weird. Yeah. Uh anyways, uh you’ll see all the video footage from Olympic from Cypress. Hopefully Frankie is in that video and feeling well when we play. Uh let’s get to some storylines. We’ve got uh the Open Championship this week, Royal Port Rush. Uh we can start with Scotty Sheffller. Uh this video, a five minute answer that he gave when talking about golf and his life and his relationship to golf. Um, I love Scotty. I think Scotty gives sneaky, insightful answers and always has for a number one player in the world who probably his biggest critique is that people call him like boring, but when you play such good golf like he does and you have such good family life balance or whatnot, it’s probably a good thing for him to come off boring on the golf course. But this clip, I don’t know if we want to put the whole thing in. I don’t know exactly how put the highlights in. There’s a couple good spots. Put the highlights in. You know, I I think I said something after the Byron this year about like whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a a few minutes. It only lasts a few minutes. That kind of euphoric feeling and you win it, you celebrate. Get to hug hug my family. My sister’s there. It’s such an amazing moment. And then it’s like, okay, now now what are we going to eat for dinner? It’s fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it’s not fulfilling from a sense of like the deepest, you know, places of your heart. You know, there’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life and then you get there and all of a sudden you get to number one in the world and then they’re like, “What’s the point?” You know, that’s why I talk about families being my priority because it really is. You know, I’m blessed to be able to come out here and play golf, but if my golf ever started affecting my home life or it ever affected the relationship I have with my wife or with my son, you know, that’s going to be the last day that I play out here for a living. You know, this is not the beall end all. This is not the most important thing in my life. And that’s why I wrestle with why is this so important to me? Because, you know, I would much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer. When I when I sit back at the end of the year and, you know, I kind of try to reflect on things like having that sense of accomplishment from winning the Mast’s tournament, from winning the PGA Championship, I have a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for it, but it’s just hard to explain how it doesn’t it just doesn’t satisfy is is how I would describe it. It’s an unsatisfying venture. I don’t know what your guys’ thoughts on it were. I like it. I like this side of Scotty. I think, you know, sports fans generally when you see somebody who achieves at a very high level and an almost unprecedented level, their their quotes are to the effect of like, “This consumes me. Everything consumes me. It’s all I think about. I go to bed thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it. I eat, drink, sleep, all of this stuff all the time. And I never turn it off.” And Scotty to to a degree is the complete other end of the spectrum with it where he’s kind of like, yeah, I mean, I’m obviously I’m living out my dreams. I play golf at a very high level. I’ve been very successful the last couple years, but that doesn’t fulfill me. Like I think if you talk about a guy like Michael Jordan, I think he’s only fulfilled when he’s holding a trophy and is the defending champ and picture of him hugging and crying the trophy. And I think his carries over to the rest of his life all the time. Even now, he’s he’s Michael Jordan. His success defines him. That’s how people view him and that’s how he feels about himself all the time. And I think it’s interesting that a guy like Scotty does not feel that way. When he s when he is successful, it only lasts for a couple of minutes and then he feels like he goes back to regular life. And I love answers like this from Scotty just because it’s different than almost every other sports superstar that you’re going to come across. I agree. I agree with you. I thought it was it was second by second compelling. You had to listen to what he was saying. And I did I laughed like I think one of the top comments I saw was like, “This is a man who just wins too much.” It’s kind of what it was like. He’s getting bored with winning. This guy’s like, “Yeah, you know, winning every week, it’s really not as fulfilling as as one might think.” And like, well, I mean, you’re just winning everything all the time. Um, like when rich people say money doesn’t buy you happiness. As a super poor person, they’re like, “I’d love to have some money. I need just a little bit of that money. I think I’d be pretty happy. Give me a little bit of that winnings. You know, I would love to be bored with it. But yeah, that was kind of my takeaway, too, was And he also came off like a kind of a torn person on it. Like he was like, “No, winning is awesome, and I love the golf, but it’s not as awesome maybe as I think in the moment, you know, he was like almost wrestling with himself, which I think everybody kind of does to different parts of their life.” So, hearing like the number one player in the world do it was really interesting. And then contrasting that a little bit with like a lot of the Rory stuff that we’ve been, you know, ha hearing and talking about for the last 10 weeks since he won the career grand slam of him being like, you know, yes, I achieved this amazing thing. Now I’m like wrestling with what’s next. I got to try to find be motivated to where it almost like it’s, you know, you can almost spin it as like a negative that like Rory won this. Rory is an allconsum guy. Yeah, he is. I’m only happy, at least from my opinion and from what I see, he seems the happiest when he is on top, when he is winning, when he, you know, those 10 years when he didn’t win a major, he was obviously still very successful, but he wasn’t doing the thing that he that was consuming him all the time. And that was winning at a major championship level. And I just think that it’s it takes all kinds. And and Rory and Scotty are very different in that regard. Yeah. And I I was watching Rory’s presser last night and I always find it to be one of the most interesting press conferences in sports. No matter what, you just never know what you’re going to get from him. He’s always like thoughtful it feels like, which is why when he wasn’t doing media, I think it was such a big deal. Um, but he was talking about his relationship with Shane Lowry and he was saying like the biggest thing that Shane really taught me over the last few years is like he does such a good job of not bringing golf home. And he was like and that’s so hard for me. And he did acknowledge he said something like the phrasing. He was like and I he’s like I do understand like Shane and I are a little bit different position which made me laugh him being like well yeah you’re Rory Mroy he’s like Shane Lowry right which was funny but he was like so it’s it’s obviously probably a little bit harder for me in general. He was like but that’s a really hard thing. So he was admitting exactly what you’re saying which he was like my golf was all consuming and it was affecting my life at home my life everywhere. I was like golf wasn’t going well my whole life wasn’t going well. And he was like, I noticed Shane would be like, he’s like, we all we he has a couple daughters. I have a daughter. So like the more we would spend time together, he’s like, I could notice like Shane would be so frustrated on the golf course and I’d be like, man, the poor guy, whatever. He’s like, we would get home and then go over there for a family dinner or something and he would be totally different person and be happy and playing with his daughters and fully engaged and present. And Rory was like, I learned a lot from that. So it was very interesting to then see with Scotty like these guys are wrestling with. And Scotty had a great line where he was like, I would way I I would way first be a great father and husband than I would want to be a great golfer, you know? And like yeah, I think most people on the surface could would say that in a press conference, but to like truly mean it in your core of like I think a lot of people might think of like, no, no, go like win that Masters. You can always be like a dad. You can always come back and be like a good fight, you know, but it’s like no, no, you got to lock in and like go win those. and him being like, “No, no, like I that’s the biggest thing in my life is being really good at that stuff.” And then golf is not as fulfilling. It’s another thing, which again, I think probably comes off pretty frustrating to like the 71st ranked player in the world. It’s just like, you know what, can I just win one tournament? That’d be sick. I guess it is. Yo, go ahead. I was going to say it’s just it’s the most unique take on being the best player you could possibly find. uh any sport, all the guys that don’t get to that top all say that they just don’t have what it takes that the top guys have or they’re able to like you you’ll just get um you know a basketball player that’s like I didn’t have what Jordan had that the drive and that passion like I was really good at my sport but I didn’t have that extra gear and like Scotty has that extra gear but he thinks like a regular just athlete like he he’s a tier one but he thinks almost like a tier four that’s just out there for a paycheck but he wants to go back with and his family, you know what I mean? Like that’s all like a Kizner guy. He’s like like kids just like loves to just like live life. It’s not necessarily like the only thing that drives him is like trying to win majors. It’s also a good lesson in maybe that achieving everything isn’t the answer. Like a guy like Scotty has an interesting perspective where you would think like, oh, you do all these things and your life’s perfect. Yeah. Where Scotty saying, I’ve done all these things and my life doesn’t feel perfect. like these a these accomplishments on the golf course are not the things that are going to fulfill you. And I think that’s super interesting. [Music] Okay, folks. Sorry to cut off that conversation. There’s a lot happening today here at Cypress. It’s media day, USGA. There’s a lot moving, but bottom line, midcon conversation, we move to an outdoor location. Yeah. Trent has a new piece of clothing on his person. Only been 10 real minutes and a lot changed. Yeah. a ton. I I felt like um I just started hearing doors opening and I felt like I was in a Jason Bourne movie where it’s like now we just got to get out of this area now like slowly creaking open. That’s exactly what it was. I guess we were we were definitely talking about Sky Chef and we were hitting something good with you on Skype. Well, yeah. I So I wanted to say um this is kind of the way that I struggle with the viewing of life and like and accomplishments and happiness and all these things. when you’re like a psychotic person like me and you’re like really diving deep into every single situation and you’re trying to figure out like what is the meaning of any of this? Like we’re just floating on this rock and we’re dropping bombs on people and killing people. It’s like you don’t like why are we even like first of all why are we even here? What’s our purpose here? Is it to go play Cypress and like hit a ball around? Is it like to build out a family? Like is it to own a pizzeria? Like you know what I mean? like there what is the actual point as to like why we’re doing this? It’s like a bunch of guys figured out that like this little piece of green paper means something and like just rules our whole entire world. And uh I think Scotty on like a less psychotic level thinks that same way of like what are we actually do? Like none of this matters. Like and that’s weird to hear the best player in the world say that, but he’s like if I win this tournament it doesn’t actually matter to anyone. Not you, not like nobody. It’s it’s meaningless. Dude, I wanted to I had a a tweet reply and then I just I just whatever got away from it and but I was going to reply like now Scotty now imagine everything you just said except your whole job in life is to talk about you guys playing golf. Right. Exactly. And doing that for I was like that’s sort of where we’re at. It is a great point. It’s like if you really boil it down it’s it’s what it’s technically to reproduce is pretty much it which you and Brendan are the only ones here that succeeded so far. And even then it’s like well why like the primal Yeah. like like us being like the actual human beings. There’s no other reason to be here other than to reproduce, right? It’s like to survive and reproduce. That’s pretty much it. And we Yeah. We’ve advanced so much that we can now hit a little white ball around the greatest places on this planet. Yeah. No, I it it’s a great perspective and to hear him like clearly he’s fighting with that on a day-to-day basis and he can say all of that yet there’s still those clips from Oakmont of him on the range after every swing looking at his coach looking at his caddy and being like what is happening here? He’s so frustrated because he cares so much about it and and yeah, I think everybody kind of wrestles with that on some level of like what am I doing here? What is the point of all this? No matter what you’re doing, whether if you are a mega star like Scotty Sheffller and you’re the best at like probably the most fun game to play professionally that there is, you’re going to the most beautiful places, you’re dominating people, you’re a mast’s champion, you have all the perks, or if you’re working two jobs to pay rent and support, you know, kids as a single mother, you’re always like at any level kind of thinking like what is the point of all this? Like what am I doing? And and yeah, to hear Scotty kind of talk about it uh is why press conferences are cool to be honest with you. Like it’s why Yeah, it is true. It really gives so good at them. This that gives a lot of credit for press conferences to exist for sure. Yeah. Not that I’m saying they ever shouldn’t, but like you know a lot of guys go in there and it’s like what club are you going to hit on this and it’s like oh my god get me the [ __ ] out of here. But then every once in a while it’s probably 3% of the time you get something where you’re like that was worth it. Yeah. And it’s it’s funny like I was thinking about it when I was watching the Rory press conference. I was like, press conferences from the interview ease perspective are pretty ridiculous. Like imagine if once a week the whole world got to just ask you about everything you did that week and they’re asking like, “Oh, Rory, you went over back over to like the UK. Is that like a a poor? You’re trying to get out of America that it’d be like if they’re asking like rigs, why did you drunkenly tweet this?” And then that you know, and you’re just like, “I don’t know, man. I’m just living here at some point. Whoa. Why you pressing me on this?” Yeah. That’s like press conferences are crazy that like every week when these guys are on tour, they got to stand up there and be asked about all kinds of stuff. I was thinking about it during Wimbledon when it was like um Alcarez and the and the one girl who like they’re grilling her about her relationship with him all the time. I kept seeing that everywhere and being like this is ridiculous that these people have to answer for this stuff. Yeah. I guess like the origin of press conferences would be society identifies something that they find is really interesting and they want to hear from the people who do it and like that’s really it. made more sense when there was less access to people and it’s like the only time you heard from someone in like a year. Yeah. Right. And like I’m sure like the the media business of sports where it’s like all right now I’m going to write a newspaper article about what that person said like and we’ve just continued it regardless how media has changed. Yeah. Right. And it is like we almost they’re treating these in and again I I started this by saying this is why press conferences are great. They are great and I’m glad we have them and everybody can make the calculation in their own head of like well these guys get paid. there’s all kinds of money being made because of all the media attention which is given through press conferences and all that I I completely agree with. But it still as I was watching it was like man they’re being treated at times like it’s like their political leaders making huge life and death decisions for millions of people. And at their core they’re up there being asked like Rory you decided to come over to the UK a couple weeks ago. Was that because like are you sick of America? are you like does it feel good to be over you know and all these things where it’s like I don’t know I’m just a guy with a family that’s playing golf and trying to win tournaments but also trying to be a good dad and so all that I just found interesting and so again to bring it all like full circle to hear Scotty give that answer I loved it because it was a guy that was like it’s almost like therapy it’s almost like they have public therapy is kind of it’s also unique to be such a family guy as Scotty and be like the top of your sport that’s not very common no I mean Tiger Woods had his runins with just a lot of stuff and has run into a lot of stuff and well that’s what I was saying earlier where it’s like interesting that a guy who has this perspective has risen to such height correct yeah I mean and I talked about on the podcast like when we had Frankie like something changed in me physically and mentally I felt it there was a change there was a switch and Scotty had that I bet and it’s it like changed his perspective like this thing that he was pursuing his whole entire life has not changed even now this is my first trip with you Yeah, since we went we went to Florida real quick and then I’ve done a couple other things that have just been very fast trips but like kind of facetimes me and like they’re just like at the mall together and it’s just like I’m not there and it’s like there’s something like in your brain that’s like why am I not there with with the family that like we created. You know what I mean? Like there’s something biologically that like feels off, right? So, and obviously you like power through it, but like and everyone does it in the whole entire world. You figure it out. But I bet that that is probably what Scotty’s really talking about where he’s like, if it and he says at one point, if it ever affects that, I’m done golfing. Which is incredibly I’m sure it changed him. But I think he’s he’s had answers like this before his kid was born where they would ask him like, “What’s it? What’s it mean to win the Masters?” And he’s like, “Nothing.” At the end of the day, we’re all just going to like disappear and in 300 years, nobody’s going to even know who Scotty Sheffer was. Jared Kabis a little bit. Yeah. So he’s he’s an interesting guy for sure and I it’s great. I I really thought it was a really interesting answer. So did I. So did I. I think he goes home and just like I [ __ ] love all this. Like it’s all just a front like him being like super humble. Maybe he could have to be the best actor in the world cuz it seemed genuine cuz even when he was up there he’s like I don’t even know if this makes any sense. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. We do that on this podcast. I felt like I was sitting at that freaking podium. You guys understand anything I’m saying here? Right. And you know it’s going to go everywhere and you’re like I don’t even know if I believe what I just said. No. It’s like when we put out a quote of me saying is a that conversation we had about the shots you have to hit on like a couple holes at Augusta. Our title tweet was is Augusta National similar to Link’s golf and every comment was like dude came from our account. Nobody buries us more than our own account. the call is coming from within the house. One of the comments was what? Like, but then if you watch every comment was like, uh, no, one’s in Georgia on a side of a hill and the other one is literally a flat panned like it also goes to show and I do I’m victim of this too or I do myself where I’ll just read a caption, definitely won’t watch the video and I’m like, well, this person’s an idiot. Idiot. Dude, I said like I said, are some of the shots you have to hit? You got to get artistry. You got to get cute. You got to bump bump it in. Bump and run. Like there was a And obviously that could be a wrong take. I get that. That could I was just asking a question. That could be a wrong take. I never in a million years I think even in the clip I go. Don’t ever misconstrue this. Is that the word? Yeah. Misconrue this as me saying this course is similar. Don’t ever Well, wait till you see this caption. Wait until it gets into Rob White’s hand. Giant letters. Is Augusta the same as St. Andrews? Oh, it’s beautiful. Yeah. Yeah, I kind of fed you, too. I was like, “Yeah, Scottish architecture back in the day when that was a great point. That’s when I got the chills.” Yeah. No, that was And I think that was a real conversation that you’re just not allowed to have anymore on social media. That can’t do it. God, no. Um, yeah, Scotty, great presser. Um, and yeah, I like it’s we all like when the stars, the top players in the game have more layers to them and so when you do watch him play, I think that makes it more interesting. and what he’s going to say is a lot more interesting when he’s out there. So, um we’ve also had a couple more like Rory um said that he had this week circled on his calendar even more so than the Masters this year because home soil Northern Ireland um you know he set the course record I believe when he was like 16 years old. I think he shot like 61 at Port Rush. Uh so he talks about a bunch of means. I believe that John Rom said this is like the most meaningful golf tournament in the world um that you could possibly mean is the open championship. I saw uh uh Robert McIntyre was saying this is the purest form of golf that they play. And so you’re getting all those quotes which you get a good amount of this during the Open Championship every year, but just kind of highlighting a few of those. And then going into this week, uh it’s going to be so much fun to watch. We’re going to do like we usually do, I believe, a Sunday night reaction to whatever we see and then that’ll come out either late Sunday night or early Monday morning. So, it’ll be a day earlier than usual. Um, so fired up for the entire tournament. [Music] You know that moment, everyone? The one when you realize you left your favorite sunglasses maybe at the beach or on the roof of your car or on the boat or at a gas station three states away? Well, guess what? We’ve all been there as well. Then I found Shady Rays and it changed the game. These sunglasses are made for real life. Very, very good-looking, polarized, durable, not stupidly expensive. And here is the wild part. If you lose or break your Shady Rays, even on day one, Shady Rays will send you a brand new pair. No guilt trip, just replacements. These are what I’m wearing in all the videos. I get a lot of messages. People are saying, “What’s what pair of sunglasses you wearing?” I’ve got like 10 different pair that I bought um for uh with Shady Ray. That’s all pair. That’s all pairs. I um I’ve been wearing contact lenses more just like when I’m hanging around and when it’s Yeah, it’s great. And when it’s sunny out, slipping into contact, let me let me slip into something more comfortable here. And I wear sunglasses more and you notice a difference not squinting all day. It’s a huge m like cuz when I wear just regular glasses, I just squint and I’m just like this sucks. It takes away all of that stress, all that. Dude, it’s so nuts. Yeah. When I I have a pair of shady rays in my car and I hit the button, the things come down. I put them on and if you forget to put them on before you start and you’re you’re on the road, you’re already out there, you got the sun blaring down. Once you put those on, it is that like ease of tension underneath your eyes. You’re like, “Whoa, that feels right. It actually feels correct.” Yep, I agree with that. Um, so we have teamed up with Shady to bring you an exclusive offer, by the way. So, pay attention to this. Head to shady.com. Use our code which is 4 f o r e for 35% off polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself the shades rated five stars by over 300,000 people. That is shady rays.com. The code is four for 35% off polarized sunglasses. The biggest names in golf are teeing it up across the pond to chase history at the games original major the open championship. Want to make cash while watching your favorite golfers? You can bet um on the action at Royalport Rush with DraftKings Sportsbook from the opening round through the championship Sunday. DraftKings Sportsbook has you covered. They’ve got live betting, player props, and so much more. I know the tournament’s probably already kicked off because they’re way ahead on time. But one of my favorite things to do, I’ve said this many times, look at that leaderboard on Friday night, gear up for the weekend, maybe find somebody four or five shots back. You got a little bit of a longer odds. Maybe they’re 8 to1, maybe they’re 12 to1, but you think they got the pedigree to come back and win. Point is, you can bet on a golfer to win. Top 20, top 30, top 40. We did a top 20 parlay this week. DraftKings Sports Book’s the spot to do it. Really is just get activated. You know, it makes it makes the sports viewing that much more immersive. You really are are are engaged in so many different things that you would never ever be caring about. And it’s it’s just fun to have some action on it. Um, here’s something special for first- timers, by the way. New DraftKings customers bet $5 to get $150 in bonus bets instantly. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now. Use the code four. That is the code four fo for new customers to get $150 in bonus bets instantly when you bet just five bucks. Only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. [Music] I want to talk about uh Mr. Grant Horvat and his decision not to play in the Barracuda on the PJ tour is everywhere. Lit the internet on fire. I think at one point his name was trending and it said 100,000 tweets underneath it. Do you know how many tweets that has to be? It’s a lot. 100,000. The trending wouldn’t even keep up. He was like number six and number one had like 12,000 tweets. Like the algorithm hadn’t even put him up yet because there’s so many. Um yeah, that’s like the big house tweeting. There’s every person in the big house around. That’s how many people there. Um this just Yeah, I don’t even know that he expected to make this much news, but you know, he put out a video. He’s been decid, you know, he had kind of teased it for a couple months of like, I got this invite to play in PJ Tour event. Should I do it or not? Uh, which is genius engagement from the very beginning. Everybody weighing in on whether they think. Obviously 95% of people being like, “Yes, of course you should play.” I think he did the video with Scotty Sheffer that I watched where he was doing his five under challenge and Scotty was like, “I know people are going to chime in on like, hey, that give it to somebody who’s who’s grinding and actually deserves it.” And Scotty made the point of like, you realize you deserve it as much or more than anybody. He was like, “You’re having such an impact doing all this all these things in the game that like you being there is is incredibly important for for golf, so you should do it.” You know, all that. Uh he decided not to do it. Put out the video saying that the reason that he’s not doing is because based on TV deals and media rights, which is something we’ve harped on for the nine years that we’ve been doing this, uh won’t allow him to film. It will not allow him to film his play and his participation in the PJ Tour event. Can’t have his own camera crew. He can’t have his own footage. PJ Tour owns all that footage. whoever the broadcasting partner is for that event owns all that footage so he’s not allowed to do it. That was his reasoning for saying no and it’s gotten scorching hot takes from every single side uh of the issue of of people have now you know I’ve seen people chirping him being like it’s insane for you not to just play because obviously there’s multi-million dollar deals in every single sport. Why would you be able to do it? And then other folks chirping the tour being like how are they not coming up with some sort of caveat so that this guy can film it’s great for everybody and everything in between. So, uh, insane how big of a news story this became. Yeah, I’ve been torn. I really have been torn. Natasha Bennettfield. Yeah, I think I think we talked about in the car yesterday on the drive up that I there’s validity on both sides and that’s not great podcast fodder in terms of like I have an opinion and I’m ready to die on it. But it’s you look at it from both sides and you totally get it. Like Grant, if he can’t do his own thing, the thing that has gotten him to the point where he is getting an invite from the PJ tour, then if he just plays in the event, he the PJ tour is gaining everything. They the PJ tour wants the viewership that Grant has to then transfer over to the event. They want them to tune in and watch Grant play in this event, right? Grant gets nothing out of that. And I understand there’s people on the other side being like, why do you always have to get something out of it? But the PJ tour is doing the same thing to him. So, I understand why he’s not doing it. I think that’s sort of where I’m falling more. Now, when you when it makes this much wave and it makes this much noise, you’re gonna get the the sports fan who is just like, “Hey, man. We just want to watch who everyone thinks is the best YouTube golfer that’s not a pro golfer. We want to see how they would fare in a professional event. Why can’t you just do that?” And what Grant is thinking is I my fans are the reason that I got here. I don’t want them to jump over to this event where they’re not going to let me film and my fans aren’t going to be able to see the experience that they’re they’re used to seeing, right? I I you know what I mean? Yes. And I agree with that. I think that people do have to understand that this is this is Grant’s um career and job and it’s not to like I was thinking about it with Alistister when Alistar played in the PJ tour event and a couple times that he has been, you know, had that chance and we’ve talked about how you don’t get Cornfairy Tour points for playing in PJ Tour events. So, ironically, it’s Alistister’s goal and job, professional career goal, job, all of that to get to the PJ tour and play in PJ Tour events. So, playing in them and and having the opportunity to and saying no is crazy. It is not Grant Horvat’s job or career to be in PJ Tour events. It’s his job to create content for his audience. And so, outside of like self interest and self like intrigue of like, oh, I get to play in a PG tournament. That’s really cool. It’s not beneficial to him. It’s beneficial for him to be able to capture content of cool stuff, edit, put out that content, package it how he would like to. And if he’s not allowed to do that, I can 100% understand what he’s like. Like, well, I’m not going to go put a whole week of my life and career into this. Like, I could go whatever. There’s other things that I could do or it just doesn’t make sense for me to. And the other thing is like people being like, well, they get to jump over and watch. It’s like we know from experience of like they’re not just going to show 24-hour stream of Grant Horvat playing in the event. No, they might show a few shots here and there, right? So then you’re just tracking it on like Shot Tracer online, which So then it’s like, well, what are you doing? Why? And so I completely get why he was like, no, if I’m not going to be able to film stuff, then of course I’m not going to do it. Like why would I? But I also I just made the argument on the other side. I would love to see him play in the event and see what he shoots. So like that’s where I’m on both sides of it. PGA Tour is doing more than they’ve ever done by just extending him the invite. So, it’s like they’re getting [ __ ] on when they’re like giving this guy who’s a YouTube golfer an exemption to one of their events. And now it’s like, well, why aren’t you giving him everything? It’s like, guys, like we’re we’re baby steps here. Like, we’re giving this guy his dream. I mean, it was his dream at one point. He was a collegiate golfer. He tried to do the pro thing. It didn’t work out. Turned it over to YouTube, got f went on with good good, did his own thing. Unbelievably successful. You can’t tell me that him teeing up in a PJ tour event isn’t his dream. So, it’s like I see the people that are saying like I mean people are calling him like uh like all these you know different types of things of saying like you’re ungrateful or whatever it might be. I don’t know necessarily think it’s that but it is a little bit of like you’re forgetting where like the root of what you’re doing was does everything have to be an ad sense deal every single thing that you do. Why can’t this just be like a week that he just plays in the PJ tour? Unbelievable. The PJ tour is not coming at it pure of heart. They’re not giving it to him because like we love Gran Horvat and we want they huge risk on their part though. They’re literally giving him a sponsorship. But they are looking at it from like people are like oh you only do it for the views Gran Horvat. That’s why the PJ tour is offering him an exemption is to get that audience. Yeah. Yeah. Like they’re not doing it because they’re like we love him so much. Man like a guy off the street you wouldn’t be like hey they’re not giving a guy off the street an exemption because they’re like this has been your dream. You’ve wanted to do this. Here you go. Because he’s not getting views and making money is like what the PGA tour is. We can’t act like that’s the first time. That’s what Grant Horvette’s life is too. No, I know. But like Grant Horvette knew that when he was like weighing his options on if he wanted to play a PJ tour. This has been like months on I mean he he released that Scotty video months ago. He’s been kind of alluding to this for a really long time. And it’s like at the end to like not get all the things that you want. I could see why it turns some people off. I’m with you on that. I just think I am torn. Natasha Bettingfield. Natasha Bettingfield. I’m I’m fully too. I am too. Um, I mean, some of the comments were funny. It’s like other professional leagues that don’t let you film YouTube videos while you’re doing it. It was like MLB, NFL. It was like every single professional league that doesn’t let you like bring Sky with you to like film while you’re playing shots. Shout out to Sky. Yeah. I mean, the best in the game, but like it is crazy, right? Like it’s a PJ tour event. Like, is he supposed to be on the bag? Like, it’s insanity. But he’s an out but like Rigs alluded to earlier, Grant’s an outsider. I brought up this to you. I’m like, can Jazz Chisum just like make a YouTube video during a Yankee game? No, but he he signed up with the MLB under the like he’s like, “All right, I’m just gonna be on TV and that’s my deal.” Grant is an outsider to the PJ tour world. Not for that week, though. He has to have some respect for what they do, right? But he they also have brought like the Baseball Bat Bros. I think that’s their name. I just started following them. Unbelievable YouTube uh Instagram account. I think it’s the Baseball Bat Bros. You look that up. What do they do? Anyway, bro, they like they do like what we do, but they they do it for baseball and I think it’s like the most impressive thing ever. Like that’s baseball bat, bros. The guy goes to he gets invited to MLB stadiums and he just hits dingers and like they brought him to [ __ ] San Francisco and he was hitting balls into the [ __ ] Cove Cove. Yeah. And he launches balls. He’s a switch hitter. Pounds the baseball. Went to San Diego, pounding it off the hotel. So sick, dude. I watch him like that is unreal to be a a baseball creator and your name is up on the jumbotron. You’re getting just fast balls and you’re hitting absolute nuke bombs. Um imagine they invited him to a baseball game and like you can be on, you know, on the Yankees for today. Like that’s never going to happen. Did you ever think in a million years that a YouTuber would get invited to a PJ? Well, that’s why I think I this is that’s the argument too though is YouTube golf has so much power now. Why would that never happen? I don’t understand that. Like why did the PJ I think your following has to get big enough. Well, and it could happen. Well, I think the I’d be curious to what MLB would say that what he’s asking for. Would they let a guy go out in the left field with him and like film like as he’s catching? Like it’s you have to hold like true the rules of like the league to a degree. What Grant is asking for is he’s like asking them to change their policies and that’s interesting. I did see that he like kind of clarified that he wanted someone to like be outside the ropes and film his shots and then release at a later date, which if that’s true and they’re not letting him do that, that’s like ridiculous. Yeah. You like, why can’t you just like this video is going to come out in a month? Everything that you’re capturing at the tournament at the Barracuda will not be affected by what’s happening. But that’s not the tour’s decision, right? That’s the broadcast who paid hundreds of millions of dollars and they’re like, “No, we own footage of the competition.” And so no one else can use commercialize whatever footage, which is why, you know, this is we’ve hand we’ve been in this exact position on a much smaller scale the whole time we’ve been doing this, which is like if we were just fans that went to a PJ tour event, got bought a ticket, and we just posted on a personal accounts footage of like Tiger hitting a stinger on a tea, we could do that. But when you’re media member and you now enter the agreement with the PJ tour and their broadcasting rules and regulations, you now cannot post footage of the competition which is owned by the broadcasting partners. So, it’s very like Yeah, you got to think there’s people inside PJ Tour HQ who want him in it and would let him film. I bet all of them. They all Yeah, their hands are tied, right? It is funny cuz like they do want to move it forward and you can tell that I mean PJ Tour posted a video yesterday with Drewski. Did you see this? No. Druki is unbelievably hilarious. He does all the auditions. He goes from city to city. If you don’t know Druski, you’re living under a rock. You just haven’t been on the internet. No, he him and Caleb, they have that show. Unbelievable. Um, they invited him to go do a video with Max and the f this came from the PGA Tour account. The first 10 seconds of the video is Drewuski driving onto a green and and spinning the tires and picking up Maxoma. So, I mean, I looked at it with Trent and I’m like, where have we gotten to that the PGA Tour? I’m like I’m trying to wrap my head around what that would be equivalent to. Like someone inviting someone to Yankee Stadium and taking like a [ __ ] on this on the on like the base or something. I don’t know. Like that that is like the thing you don’t do in golf, right? And then like the PJ tour is like, “Hey, this is like what we’re going to do in this video.” But like so when and I still think it’s a funny video. Him and Max do a great job. But like it’s funny to watch them be so stick like from a from just like a viewership standpoint them being sticklers on like a guy filming from outside the roast but then like the next tweet was like you know Drewuski driving across a green which for historically would like never come from the PGA Tour account. So they’re trying to like do both. They’re trying to appeal to like oh like we don’t give a [ __ ] anymore. We’re like loose. We’re fun. We’re like edgy. We’re going to move it forward. And then it’s also like we’re also going to be on our hands and knees for every single person that gives us money and we’re not going to we’re not going to adjust our rules and regulations or our rights agreements at all to to uh you know move that forward into a new world. It’s also got to imagine they just didn’t see it coming. Now I know YouTube has been around for sign like latest deal like because at some point like this has been around for right also a funny you know because they have tweaked the policies for us for media right we’re now minimal I guess like in grand scheme of things right like own yeah they did they did but like they have tweaked it they’ve like made it more friendly for us to go to events we could put out video footage to a certain number of like total minutes that we just weren’t able to get any before. So it’s like they haven’t tweaked it. thing that is, you know, to your original point, Frankie, of like they extended this invite as like a like um a bonus thing above what they had ever done before and now the feedback is like negative somehow. So I like spoiled brat and it’s like I could see from some standpoint people thinking that you just got invited to PJ tour and you’re like no I want more. I know, right? Veruka, whatever her name is, who from Willy Wonuka Salt, is that her name? Who’s the one that’s like, I want Ma, but you know, I I you almost could, right? You could almost could like equate it to like an actor being invited into a good movie and them being like, you said no, cuz you’re not going to get paid. It’s like, well, no, I’m like my this is my job. It’s like what I do. So, it’s like, of course, it’s really cool for the average person to be in a movie. That would be We have other people. I just watched an interview with someone that was like, I did a movie. He did a Pixar movie and it was for [ __ ] it was for zero dollars but he’s like I just wanted my kids to like have that like you know like I I put all this work into it and he’s like I took no money cuz like it’s such an honor to be in like a Pixar. Didn’t like Jonah Hill do that for Wolf of Wall Street maybe. Like there are people that like and like that resonates with like the viewer as opposed to being like no I want like all the you know totally but I do think if like someone’s like oh this this actor got like asked to be in a Martin Scorsesei movie and they’re like awesome my fees $5 million and then they were like no no we’re not going to pay you and they’d be like well then I’m not going to do it and then they came out being like isn’t that your dream to be in movies why you know I respect the move I don’t want that to go unnoticed. I do respect the move because even for people like us, it it’s like a groundbreaking decision. It’s going completely viral. How many views did that video get on Grant’s second channel? Like his actual YouTube video. Did it go crazier on social or is it just as big on YouTube? Yeah. Is that where he put it on his second YouTube? Grant two. And it’s like he that guy that guy could cut a ham and cheese sandwich with not without even showing himself. Just a just a picture of a plate a video of a plate of him cutting a ham and cheese sandwich. It would get more views than us in a in an hour. 152,000. So it went way crazier on social. Yeah, it went everywhere on social. Everywhere. I saw like golf digest posted like a breaking like Tiger Tiger just like was entering the tournament this week. It honestly shows the type of get involved, too. Kirk had some Kirk had some quote tweets. It was making me laugh so hard. It took over the internet for sure. It’s It’s Yeah. The whole thing is very interesting and it’s interesting, I think, because we’re so torn. Yes. Natasha Bennettfield. Yeah, because it could go either way. Um, other news in the world of golf, uh, Joel Damon and, uh, Gino Banelli have split up. Yeah, that was shocking. Yeah, very uh, this program is very close with Joel Damon. Love Gino as well. They became one of the more famous duos in the world of golf through Netflix and Full Swing and all that. Uh, so it’s tough, but I think, you know, they I think Joel uh his original quote was like, “Yes, it’s uh you know, we had a it’s it was time. We had a great run.” I think was his original quote. And then he posted a whole thing on Instagram saying like, “We’ll absolutely still be the best of friends,” which I think is always hard for people to like really I don’t I don’t want to say believe, but like digest. Um, a breakup’s a breakup. Happens in golf all the time. Still very sad to see in general. Great duo, man. obviously rose to fame with Netflix like you said and you just really respected that duo. You respected the way that um that Joel played for Gino’s like like life and well-being like that weighed heavily on him and it affected him at times. It affected his play. like all that weight, that’s how close they are is that like the weight of Gino’s life and his financials and his family and and paying for his house and all that stuff like that affected the way that that Joel played. Dude, that one episode they like they they set the whole thing up as like the whole team being like everyone’s kind of pulling their weight at times except the top guy. It was like how they painted it was insane. But you’re like, “Yeah, that that is a heavy load for like for Joel to carry, for anybody to carry.” But it was also so cool that they’re so open and honest and transparent and Joel letting people like Joel even allowing the entire, you know, capturing of footage to lead to that kind of storyline is why Joel’s the best of like him just being an honest, awesome, open, normal guy who happens to be awesome at golf. And he is, you know, I if there’s anyone that could just like win a major that at this point that would like mean the most for like me, it would probably be like Joel Damon. It’s just like he’s such a good dude. And so for him as you know to break up is again just insanely sad. I get it. It all happens. You know we were saying we were talking about in the car ride on the way down yesterday. It’s like it’s funny you don’t see you you never really see when a player’s playing really well a caddy breakup. Yeah. It’s always sort of when they’re you know like Max this year Colin this year. I picture how those conversations go. It’s like dude I it’s almost the caddy bringing it up to him being like I got to go or the players like I’m holding you back. Like I’m holding you back. Like you go. Yeah. Like I feel bad. Like I got all this money. I got every Yeah. Kiz and Dewey for sure. Even Tiger and Joey Lava. Like at some point it’s like dude go with the human ATM machine Patrick Klay. Right. Like I I Tiger Woods I’m not playing enough to provide for you which is crazy right now. I’m sure I know Tiger was always taking care of Joey even when he wasn’t playing but like which is nice. Yeah. But there’s Mr. Woods. Yeah. All class. Yeah. I think the more you follow golf, the more you just you just become accustomed to these things happening. Like you would think, oh wow, Joe and Max are going to be together forever. Oh, Joel and J are going to be together forever. That’s just not how it goes. Bill and Bones be that’s just not how it goes. No, it’s not. Tiger and Stevie even like that was crazy. Then you’re like Tiger and Joey forever and now you know he’s got Lance Bennett on there. Lance Bennett, by the way, I really nice guy. Very active on social. I see him liking stuff all the time. He DMs me occasionally. Wow. He’s with someone else now, though. Yeah, he was cattying for um uh who was he catting for recently? Was it Colin maybe? Uh God, I can’t remember. He was cing for somebody recently that I saw that was a pretty big name which I was happy to see him out there. But um but yeah, you do like the one right now, Rory and Harry. Like that would be a crazy one. Crazy. But even he went from I can’t remember who he had forever. The older guy. Oh. Who was a very accomplished caddy? Yeah. Back when he was wearing the Jariah stuff. I can’t think of it. Um, but yeah, it’s it it happens. Yeah, it does. It happens. It’s sad, man. It’s very sad to see. But I completely understand. I completely get it. Um, weather’s good right now right now. You like this weather? Great golf weather. Just like not that windy. I think we’re going to get like a pretty sick Cypress day. I just really wish I could hit I really hope I could hit a golf ball. How you feeling? Horrible. Okay, but I’m going to take an Advil and I’m going to have Brennan Jones or someone put an icy hot on my shoulder. Wow. Nice. Wow. I have a nice like patch that someone’s going to slap right on my bare skin. That’s nice. I did that when uh and we were in Monterey. I changed your bandage on your back. You did when I had the skin cancer removal. Yeah, I remember we were like That’s so weird. We were like here. Yeah, it was here. We were in the Spanish Bay. We’re in our bedroom. Yeah, cuz we shared a room and we were like this we’re like this Yeah. Like this podcast is really grown up together. We’re having kids. I’m changing your bandage in the bathroom tag removal. I was like is that good? You’re like yeah yeah that’s right. That’s right. That’s right. You put a little ointment on it. Yeah, man. I’m here. We’re looking out for each other. So, then today it’ll be Icy Hot. I listen, I’m I’ve done it before. I think Ice Hot’s supposed to work. I don’t know. I think Ic Icy Hot’s great. Um, last thing on my list, Windham Clark’s been banned from Oakmont. Is that real? This is posted by Golf Digest. All right, so it’s real for real, dude. They want him to go to like therapy. Clark’s read this up. This is the headline from Golf Digest. Windham Clark’s former employer Dan Rapport. Um, as are we. Windham Clark’s suspension from Oakmont can be reinstated contingent upon full repayment of damages, making a meaningful contribution to a charity of the club’s choice and completing counseling and/or anger management session. I think I’m on board with them with him paying for everything. Like he that’s something he should have done. Like I think if he had maybe offered that originally, maybe he did. I don’t know the ins ins and outs of it. Then maybe they’re not suggesting that he goes to anger management classes. But that if that’s true, that’s very funny. And I think and it’s coming back in like 2033 or something like that. 203. So he’s got Yeah, he’s he doesn’t have, you know, he’s got a little bit of a window. Eight years, seven, eight years. But he probably needs to get moving on this. Imagine they just like if he qualifies for that US Open, can they stop him from going? I wonder he probably what the way I took that is he just can’t go play there. Yeah, but if you qualify for the tournament, it’s like I don’t know, man. That’s going to be that might be a legal case. I don’t know, man. That would be I mean I think you just got to go to those classes before that. Where do you think we are physically right now at the Cypress Clubhouse? Are we above like a bunch of important people right now? I hear a conversation. You hear that chatter going for this? Like I saw like the chairman of this whole place was here. He had a nice jacket on that looks like Augusta, but it’s dark navy. Got the Cypress logo on it. He was what I think was right below us. Wow. I mean, listen, the chances of us getting out of here unscathed and like unbanned is really low. I know. I know. It’s just something I had to bring up. No, no. I you’re right. I think we’re probably echoing. We’re at We’re at the highest point. We could be being heard. We’re being e like at the first I think it is, dude. Remember when we’re at Pebble and like we’re talking like Lurch was talking on the patio? Yeah. And someone said they could hear him. I was trying to take a nap from 80 ft down. Spanish. Dude, I remember when Lurch was my roommate in New York and we lived in like the 20th floor of some high-rise thing and people would get off the elevator. You had to go make a right, go all the way down the hallway, make another right, and then go through one of those giant like heavy steel doors and people be like, “Before my elevator elevator door opened, I could hear every word say.” And it was just him and I sitting on the couch talking God knows what. If he were chick on Instagram or something, if he were here, we would be in handcuffs. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Uh, all right, boys. We’re about to go have an incredible day. Please stick around for these interviews um with Ben Kembell from the USGA who is incredibly involved with the setup, everything that goes on inside the ropes of the US Amter and the Walker Cup. And then Nathan Smith who is the captain of the Walker Cup United States team. Um this is really good stuff, really good insight. So stick around for these interviews. Enjoy the Open Championship. We’ll be back uh Sunday night, Monday morning for kind of a knee-jerk reaction to the open at Port Rush. Can’t wait for it. And uh we’ll talk to you then. Hit it hard. Hit it hard. Hit it hard. [Music] Golf is hard, but protein is easy with one Hershey’s Double Chocolate made with 18 g of protein and only one gram of sugar to deliciously fuel your golf game. One uh Hershey’s double chocolate is made with Hershey’s cocoa, not Cocoa. And it is the only one, by the way. These are amazing. Dude, I’ve been throwing these in my backpack for when I travel and fly and I’ll be sitting on a plane like I’m starving. And it’s that weird in between time and I’m like, “Oh yeah, I got those in my bag.” Boom. Eat one and you’re good to go for the rest of the day. We got a tweet uh all three of us. It was like, I’ve been listening to these one bar reads for a long time and obviously the peanut butter lovers won. Everyone loves peanut butter. He goes, “This double chocolate one is different.” Oh. He went out, he got it, and and it is like legitimately unbelievable how good that tastes. It really does. It’s a Hershey’s chocolate bar. That’s 18 g of sugar. One gram of sugar. One gram of sugar. They are phenomenal. Um, protein just got delicious. You can alo also try ones other delicious flavors. They’ve got the one Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers, one Hershey’s cookies and cream, and their iconic one maple glazed donut, and one birthday cake flavors, but make sure you buy the new one Hershey’s double chocolate protein bar on Amazon. Protein just got delicious. This episode is brought to you by Brex. Brex is amazing, man. It’s amazing. I don’t need the talking points. We’re on a trip right now. You can expense things. You need to expense things. This is what it cost to make this engine, this operation run, to keep us cooking. And it can be quite annoying to file expense reports. Some of the competitors that we’ve used in the past, we’ve talked about the show before, but you just it would take so much time you just wouldn’t even do it. Be like, you know what, my time I’m going to I’m going to spend $450 over that twoe period to just not do it because it’s that annoying. Brex makes it so easy that you want to do it. You can’t It’s almost satisfying. It’s like watching a satisfying video on TikTok when you fill out Brets because it’s that efficient. We got dinner last night. Brennan Jones paid for it. I watched him take a picture of the receipt and I was like, “Make sure you use Brex.” He’s like, “I’m already doing it.” You just do it immediately. That’s the thing about it. You can do it instantly. It’s not like, “All right, I’m going to do that later because it’s going to take up a lot of time.” Take a picture, just do it then and it’s over. I did the drive uh up to Boston and back. Chipping up to Boston. Yeah. When we uh went to the Ryder Cup and it literally mapped it out for you and told you how much you would get per mileage. There you go. It’s crazy. Right into your account. It’s so good. Uh Brex has earned them uh earned the trust of 30,000 companies from fast growing AI startups to global enterprises and all the way to here at Bar Stool Sports. They do uh corporate card banking, expenses, travel all in one place. You can learn more at brex.com/grow. That is br.com/grow. [Music] All right, folks. We are joined uh by Ben Kembell from the United States Golf Association. We’re here at Cypress Point. So, if it sounds like we’re speaking with a different tone, it’s because we are. We’re um we’re nervously excited to be here. But Ben, uh tell everybody kind of why we’re here. We’re here to uh talk about the stretch run to the 50th Walker Cup match. you know, in a few short weeks, um, just after we complete the US Amter Championship, uh, up the street at the Olympic Club, we’ll come down here for the 50th edition of the Walker Cup match, celebrate, um, you know, the best amters in the world, you know, facing one another from United States of America and GB and I um, at one of the greatest venues in all of golf. Excited to to be here today. Certainly a momentous occasion. the Cypress point, you know, we sort of spoke about it in incredible um amateur almost elementary status, I would say on the last podcast. Yeah. Just, you know, it’s for for guys like us from Missouri, from Iowa, Frankie, Long Island. It’s like we grew up playing public golf. None of us really played competitive golf. You hear about Cypress as sort of this almost like the, you know, the house up on the hill that’s not really real. It’s not obtainable. It’s in the rankings. you see a few pictures, but outside of that, you don’t see much. Um, be here in the clubhouse, even for 10 or 15 minutes that we’ve been here, you can feel it. You can feel the history. You can feel the prestige, the pedigree of this place for you guys to bring an event like the Walker Cup here. What is that process like to even have a place like this open its doors for you guys? It It’s really special. I mean, obviously, we had a previous Walker Cup here in in 1981. um to to be able to return with open arms uh is quite spectacular. You know, it’s important to the players that be that are selected uh for both these teams to play at a spot that will forever be etched in their memory banks, win or lose. Um you know, at the end of the day, I think both teams want to win, but I think the players, you know, most of what we hear is, you know, I played my Walker Cup match at, you know, uh St. Andrews. I played my Walker Cup match at, you know, Lehch. that’s where we’ll be in 2026. Um, to be able to say Cypress Point, I mean, you get goosebumps just mentioning that that term. I think we’re all very very fortunate to be in the seats that we are in today to be able to watch this firsthand. I was 2 years old when the 1981 Walker Cup match was played and this is something certainly our staff and I think the whole world is going to say this may be a once in a-lifetime opportunity to see Cypress Point on full display. Um, and it’s just going to be a remarkable match. So, you know, the RNA was able to host it at St. Andrews a few years ago. Um, the, you know, United States came back, I believe, four consecutive wins there. Is this like when you guys host at Cypress, is that like, do you guys feel like that’s you answering being like, well, if you guys are going to host Sanders, like we’ll host at Cypress now. I think we look at all, you know, the USA looks at all of our championships and says, you know, it’s important to any of our champions, right, where they win their major, whether it’s a women’s mid amitter championship, whether it’s the US girls junior being played at Atlanta Athletic Club right now, it’s important to these players where they win. And uh, you know, for this team, both whether it’s USA or GBNI to say, “Hey, we won our match. We beat the Americans. We beat GB and II at Cypress Point. I mean, it’s, you know, I think we all know it’s it’s top five in the world. It’s really really uh special, but uh this match has grown so much from, you know, you know, the 50 editions prior to what it is today. Uh why not celebrate on the world’s greatest venues? So, I I’m extremely fortunate enough to have been here a few times before. Trent, this is your first time on property. Yeah. talking a lot about the prestige and all. I like what’s your what are your feelings? I mean, I’m very nervous. I’m very excited. Again, you like Rick said, you hear about this place as a golfer growing up and you just I had sort of even with the golf podcast and we’ve been able to we’ve been very lucky to play a lot of cool places. Um, I just sort of resigned myself to the fact that I would never play Cypress Point just because it’s that type of place. So, yeah, for for you guys to have us out here to play during this media day, I’m just like I’m very nervous. I want to get over the hedges on one. That’s like my biggest goal of the day. Um, but I I was wondering how long in the process like were you guys talking to Cypress Point like when does that start to happen and how long have you guys had your eye on this place for the Walker Cup to come here this year? Well, you you look at Los Angeles Country Club, you look at Simol, um you look at here, you know, Bandon Dunes in 28. We’re going to Oakmont. I mean, there’s some of the world’s greatest venues, you know, certainly the greatest venues um in our country. It’s not easy to host something like this, right? The disruption that is caused by, you know, the build, you know, the amount of time that the golf course is closed, um the interruption to the the membership, it’s it’s a fullon commitment, not only by, you know, the president, board of directors, the membership to uh embrace something like this, but it has been a number of years. I’ve been coming here since uh it’s probably been 2021 just after co you know getting uh familiar with the property getting familiar with the golf course superintendent and how we intend to to showcase um the golf course itself for the match but you know quite honestly I don’t have to do a whole lot McKenzie did the heavy lifting certainly he did all the hard work so when you talk about a match play event, riskreward and all those things. You know, just walk around the golf course today, you will see it in your experience. It’s already there. Um though we are the ones conducting the match this year because it’s in the United States, the USGA is not going to get overly involved in making Cypress any more than what Cypress truly is. It’s just going to play as is and let the players be, you know, the ones to watch it. It’s a pretty straightforward venue for us in that regard. Instead of us having to generate the setup, Cyprus is going to tell us what the the setup actually is. It is interesting. So you you know to educate kind of the listeners, you are the inside the ropes guy for um the amateur of the Walker Cup. Um, you know, this place there’s been so much talk about distance, about the roll back, about bringing, you know, old school venues back into kind of eligibility for big events. Um, I believe Cypress is 65, 6,600 yards from the back te’s or so. Um, you know, I know you kind of just mentioned it with the, you know, the brilliance of um, Alistister McKenzie and the design that it can kind of defend itself, but what can you guys do when it comes to this venue with setup to challenge, you know, I mean, I know it’s amateurs, but there those guys are, if you go look back at the pedigree of the Walker Cup teams over the last 10, 15 years, it’s all names that people know. These are some of the best players in the world and will be some of the best players in the world. What can you guys do to kind of really challenge them more so than just on a normal day out here? I I think, you know, first and foremost, I would say create a little create some nerves. Yeah. And how do we go about doing that? And, you know, and our outside the ropes team will do a great job in creating an environment that’ll make them feel that they’re really at something special. The venue will do a lot of that lift. They’re standing right there. That’s why you just Exactly. They’ll, you know, they’ll the the venue itself will do a lot of the lift, but you know, I’m not sure if you guys are aware of this or not. We’re actually partnering with Monterey Peninsula Country Club and utilizing their Point Joe um practice area as the warm-up space um for the Walker Cup match because we’ll have um you know, a trophy club tent down the right side of number one. The practice facilities here um are a little unique and and small. So, we’re actually going to have players over at the Point Joe Range at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. If you’ve never been there, I highly recommend you drive up there and try and sneak in and get a look. It’s probably the most beautiful practice area I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Faces right out into um the Pacific Ocean. But think about that as a player, whether you’re on GBNI or Team USA. You’re going to come over from Spanish Bay in a, you know, team van. You’re going to go to Point Joe and you’re going to be dropped off looking dead at the um the Pacific Ocean. You know, flags are flying. You can just feel the the crispness of the morning and then all of a sudden you got to get in that team van again and come down 17, you know, mile drive and all you’re doing is thinking about getting to Cypress Point and walking up onto that first tee and hitting that T-OT over the hedge, right? And I’m a South Carolina Gamecock if you can’t tell. Um, but I compare it almost to um, you know, Clemson football when they enter, you know, the stadium at Death Valley, their locker rooms are on the far side. They walk out of those locker rooms and have to get on a team bus and they drive around the stadium to the top of the hill, rub the rock, and then run down the hill. I think that ride from Point Joe on most days from Point Joe over here to Cyprus is going to build so much energy, nervous energy within in them that that is something that uh we have created as part of this experience that is going to be a factor in all this besides even hitting a golf shot. So you ask the question, how do you what do you do? Well, I think we can start a little bit with nerves. Uh, and then I think the rest really falls on on the players. It it’s it is a little over 6,600 yards is what it will play. Um, their brute strength will take over. Um, but they’re going to have to be precise. They’re going to have to think through some things. The formatting itself between forsomes and singles will force them to do that. Will the captain allow them to hit and just send it or will the captain ask them to play back and play smart? And obviously, you know, where we are in the world here, the wind is the biggest factor. So, a lot of the things that are going to happen during the Walker Cup match, we’re we’re not in control of. Mother Nature is. Alistar McKenzie is. So, we’re just going to put the T- markers, you know, in in cut the holes and let them make the magic. Uh the Greens out here are, you know, again, they’re Alistister McKenzie. Uh people are very familiar just from watching the Masters for decades. Any golf fans watching Oregon this, you know, in terms of green complexes is it’s Augusta kind of in Mterrey. Um what do you guys, you know, green speeds wise, firmness? Um you think you’re going to have them kind of you’re going to be able to kind of pick exactly how you how you want them? Is mother nature been cooperating? What do you expect out here from the greens? Because I think, you know, we talked about 6,600 yards or so. The greens are what defends itself. What are those going to look like for the competition? I I think from an average speed on the putting green surfaces, we’ll be in kind of, you know, low 12elves to mid 12elves. We’ll probably start in mid to upper 12s to start the day. It is high, you know, but that will settle back down. The plane speed will probably be closer to 12 than anything else, but there are several green complexes here that we’ll have to treat with with extra care. First Green is a perfect example. The Ninth Green is a perfect example. You’ll experience that today. We will treat that a little bit differently. Meaning, we may take a uh a cut out as opposed to double cutting and rolling. It may only be a single cut because they’re so exposed those greens because they’re exposed and there the slope in those greens is quite tremendous. Now, do the players feel that? They’re not going to they’re not going to be able to tell that we took a cut off, but in order to retain all of the great Mackenzie hole locations out there. We’re going to have to be thoughtful as as we go around. There may be a few other greens that we’ll be mindful of in that regard. But every single morning, as a part of what I do, I have to look at the weather report. We have an on-site meteorologist. We got to know what the wind is going to do. On-site meteorologist better than a normal meteorologist. Well, we had one. We hosted the cornfair event. We had one. That’s right. And we, you know, he see he acted like he was more attuned to the than the regular meteorologist, but I couldn’t tell. What did he had a stick he put in the ground? Yeah. Yeah, he did. He had some stick that he kept putting in the ground and he was g You remember that, John? And he was giving us some sort of reading. Yeah. We’re like, “That’s our guy. Hire that guy.” Yeah, sure. I I I would say this when in terms of wind and thunderstorms, which we’re not going to have here uh in September, they’re spot on. Terms of fog, nobody can predict what the marine layer is going to do and the imp impact that that could potentially have. And that is a factor in this Walker Cup match. If the marine layer comes in, the air is uh thicker, drippier, um you know, the golf ball’s not going to fly as far. Um, you know, so the captains and and the team managers are going to have to be on their game to make sure that they they keep the teams kind of informed on what’s evolving around them and and make them think. Um, I was that’s great. It’s in September. I was with someone from the Pebble Beach PR team on Sunday and I said, “If you could book if you yourself could book a trip out to Pebble Beach any time of the year, he said September is the best month weather-wise.” I like to hear that. Yeah, I I figured, you know, but we we plan for the unexpected. When we look at the weather forecast, we have to make our setup decisions based upon worst case scenario so that we don’t get burnt. And sometimes, right, you don’t get that weather and you wish that you would have done a little more in that area, but there’s only a few people that actually know that. The players don’t know that, right? It’s folks like myself that are like, “Oh man, we didn’t get that wind or we didn’t we could have let that green go a little bit further from a firmness standpoint, but um because the meteorologist said that this is a possibility. We have to be thoughtful in how we execute.” Well, I Cypress, this is it’s unbelievable to be here. We’re about to have just an incredible day. We’re going to convey it as with as much class as we possibly can on the video when it comes out. I want to talk a little bit now about the US Amter. Um, my biggest takeaway from yesterday was I can’t believe Colt No won here. You were a big part of the event when Colt No won there. Were you as surprised as as I am? Well, it’s funny. Um, Colt and I go way back. Prior to working for the United States Golf Association, I worked for the American Junior Golf Association. So, I’ve known Colt since he was uh a young junior in in Texas. And you know, when you really think about it in golf history, tap it a little bit more on the women’s side, but on the men’s side, there’s not many people that have won two USGA championships in the same year. I think of Ryan Moore winning the amter pub links and obviously the US Amter, but then Colt No in 2007 did the same thing, winning the amter public links, uh, and the US Amter. So, it was a hell of a run. In full disclosure, I’ve missed two US amits since 2005 when I joined the staff and that was in ’07 and that was uh in ’09. I’ve been every at everyone besides that. But uh hell of a win for uh Colt beating Michael Thompson who was playing I believe for the University of Alabama at the time and just uh fun to to see how his career’s evolved. It is funny. Cold nose. We love to give him as much grief as anybody on earth, but man, I play I play a good amount of golf with him and it’s hilarious how good that man that that man is at golf. Um, and yeah, so he was texting me. I said, “I put out a I think I I put up a picture of when you were kind of giving your spiel at at Olympic and that really cool glass room.” And he just responded was like, “Really hard to win there, by the way.” Like, “Yeah, okay. You won the amateur there.” Um, I was blown away at how difficult the golf course was um, yesterday when we played. And again, we have a a dual series of Olympic and then Cypress video series coming out in the next few weeks. But, um, you said something interesting beforehand that I would really like on record, which is that, you know, you guys kind of grow the rough more so to have it now to have it and then you can perhaps dial it back at the beginning of the tournament. So the condition that we saw it yesterday might be similar to championship Sunday. Yeah. Well, we knew you guys were coming, so we felt like it was proper to punish you a little bit when you were when you were there yesterday. This and get this out there. You know, I want everyone to understand how difficult it was. I know the ball flights for these guys. Everything’s going to be in the left rough. We’ll just, you know, juice the left rough. We don’t even know the ball flight. Oh yeah. Unpredictable. Could be anywhere. Incredibly unpredictable. You know, it it depends upon venue, right? I mean, San Francisco is a great growing environment. you know, the temperatures don’t ever get extremely hot. The it’s going to grow. The grass is going to grow. They certainly wanted to show um certainly to to myself what is capable by the end of the week so that we knew how to time when we maybe last top off the rough and what our starting height of cut will be. Um we’re we’re likely going to be around three and three quarter inches um you know the week prior to the US Siner and we’ll probably top it off on Friday when we open player registration back to that 3 and 3/4 and then we’ll save some gas money by probably putting the rough mowers away for the rest of the week and what the two players at the end of the week will experience will be very much what you guys experienced yesterday because what’s unique about the US amer it’s two days of stroke play where you’re playing against the golf course and then after that you’re just playing against each other. You’re playing against that individual that you’re that h you’ve got in your match and the golf course and how that plays it matters but it doesn’t matter as much. You just got to beat the individual on the other side there. So if the rough is, you know, four, five, six, seven inches in spots spots it was yesterday, I’ve just got to make a lower score than you, right? There’s no par. Par is irrelevant at this point. Yeah. Uh it was interesting in that Oakmont it was it was funny like every lie at Oakmont was horrific if you were in the rough I felt like um there were it was a little bit there were some spots that were quite playable and then there were some spots that were worse than Oakmont that we were in yesterday. So it was a little bit of a of a mix which again I didn’t mind. I thought that overall over the course of even just 18 holes for us it came out about even. It was maybe 70% of the time you were screwed and maybe 30% of the time you’re like all right I can do something with this get up there and maybe have a chance to make a par. So, it was great. That place, um, Olympic Club, you I know we’re obviously talking a ton about Cypress. Olympic Club is is very different in a lot of ways with 11,000 members. It’s an athletic club first, but I believe what, five US Opens that they’ve had there and then, you know, US amering there. A ton of history up there. Yeah, five US Opens. Um, you know, this will be the third US Aer that they have host. You know, women’s open. Um, I was there for the women’s open. It was excellent. our our Walker Cup captain um this year, Nathan Smith, won the inaugural um US fourball championship there. Siwan Kim won a junior there. Uh it’s a it’s a remarkable place, you know, but it’s kind of funny. We laughed about it the last couple days there that they’re not known necessarily they they’ve got great champions, but in their history, you know, their kind of runner-ups or those that didn’t win are just as popular around that club. You think of Payne Stewart, um, you know, Lexi Thompson had a tough run down the stretch. Um, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper overtook, you know, Arnold Palmer there. U, it’s amazing. You don’t know necessarily what Olympic club is is going to produce, but it is one heck of a challenge. Yeah. The young man who you guys had up there, who was the what, Cal State amer? Yes. uh who was talking yesterday was saying that they call it the you know Olympic the place where champions go to die where it’s like so many iconic champions have come up just short at Olympic and you can see why I mean it feels like there’s all that opportunity late in the back nine yes but it’s struggle you know we started on 16 yesterday which is the Jim Furick hole where you know he hooked one left and he lost that US Open it’s like it does feel like there’s this opportunity at Olympic it doesn’t on paper it seemed like you know it feels like you can kind of go low and then you’re out there and it just you just never get quite comfortable out there at any moment. It it’s a grind, you know. You know, after a 72 hole, you know, stroke play event doing that for four days in a row at that level, it’s it’s truly a grind, you know, with the reverse camber and fairways and just how precise you have to be throughout your round. It just wears on you um mentally and physically. So, it’ll be, you know, the individual that can, you know, prevail over all those, you know, different challenges that they’re going to see during the week is certainly the one that deserves to take home the title, but it is just a grind all the way through. We’ve got a guy who’s normally on this podcast laid up in a hotel room cuz he hurt his back yesterday. You guys might have killed Frankie Bar yesterday. We I think he’s at the chiropractor maybe now. I don’t know where he’s at. He booked a last second Monterey chiropractor to try to play Cypress today. I’ll tell you though, Olympic club, it’ll be interesting. You know, when the when the pairings come out for the AM, you know, depending upon where you’re you’re teeing off and what time of day, it’s going to have a huge impact. You know, normally you would think if you’re going off the first tee, you’d have the best shot of, you know, posting a decent number and making it to match play. But holes one through six at Olympic club are brutal. And they normally say, the members will tell you, if you can get through those holes even or one over, you’re home free. And you guys probably noticed as you started on the back nine, but you probably saw more of the back n later in your round. The back n opens up. It’s a little, you know, the fairway contouring is a little bit flatter. Um, but it is a a slightly wider Olympic club than it was, you know, when Colt won there or trees out. Is that right? A lot of trees out. Some some trees have come out and just the the Gilhans renovation, right? He wanted to make it member friendly but still retain kind of the championship test um within it. So, you know, we will cut the fairways every single day, you know, so the players that, you know, want to have complain about the rough, you know, guys, we cut the fairway every day. You know, you put it in the fairway, you will be rewarded. Um, but they they are nice and tight and um, you know, it’s it’s going to require absolutely the best. And I will tell you, you win the National Amateur Championship, it forever changes your life. And the reward for winning that is so great these days that we got to make sure that we’re identifying who that right person is. You know, exemptions into the Masters in the US Open and the British Open and other PGA Tour uh events. You’re up in the museum uh in Liberty Corner, New Jersey. You’re forever on the Havier Trophy. Nobody ever forgets. And we take that seriously for all of our our championships and and particularly uh the US Amter. It’ll be a great one. Yeah, it the uh I one of my favorites was when you guys took it to Bandon Dunes and that battle on the back nine and and I think that what’s so cool about these events, especially as amateur, it’s like taking the best players at that level in the world and being able to have a little bit more freedom with where you guys take them to uh on the course is is so fun to watch. And like I said, Bannon is a buddies trip type place generally. Sure. and to see it, you know, I know David Mcclelay kid was grinding for those years beforehand, getting the course ready and and you know, changing bunkers a little bit to test the best amateurs in the world and then watching it play out like it did with the conditions coming in is so cool. And I think that, you know, you guys are able to take that event and another thing I would say is, you know, there’s a lot of in golf in every every industry, but in golf, there’s so much commercialization of everything that sometimes kind of the integrity of it gets sucked out of it. And I think it’s important to remind people that the USJ, you know, you’ve been there for years and years, a lot of you guys have, like you guys are putting all of your professional time towards something that really matters in the game. And it might not drive the same commercialization, the same profits, the same revenue as the US Open, but it’s like your guys’ lives are committed to the USA amter, to the Walker Cup, to all the different events that the USGA does. And that’s really, really cool. It’s like for people like us that again everybody kind of I think on the recreational level has kind of a multiaceted relationship with the game. Yeah, it’s like we want to get out there with our buddies in a mun and listen to music and all that, but also if you step on to the site of a place like Cypress Point, you want to wear the nicest, you know, outfit that you have and look classy and not curse and speak properly and not, you know, like you’re happy to conform to that because that’s part of the golf history. And so I would just say I think being around the USGA for the last few days, you know, seeing all the work that goes in and you I got chills you describing, you know, how much thought you guys have put into driving them down 17 mile drive, putting them on the range at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. They’re going to see those unbelievably intimidating, you know, USGA flags and Walker Cup flags and probably the state California uh flag and the and all those things go into the planning and then getting them over here on the first te covering the hedge. That’s golf. That to us is like that’s golf in the way it’s been for 150 years. And you guys kind of walking that line of you’re trying to get it out there. You’re inviting people like us in here to showcase it, but also holding the line of of what it’s been for a long time is hard to do. And I think it’s cool for people to see that folks like you are putting all that work into it. Appreciate you saying that. I mean, we got a remarkable staff and people that put a lot of time and energy into it. We love it. That’s why we we do it. um requires a lot of you know time away from home and and travel but we do it same as as you guys and I will tell you you know looking back at 20 on 2020 um when the world was in a very different and and kind of sad place at the time the fact that we had the ability to still conduct you know the men’s and women’s open and certainly our men’s and and women’s amateur championships you know there was nothing else on television to watch right Bandon was the only thing and I’ve had more people come up to me after the fact and said Hey, that bandon, you know, US amer was remarkable. It came at the right time. It showed golf in its purest form, you know, on a landscape that reminds me of, you know, where golf was originated, whether, you know, Scotland, you know, the UK, wherever else um it may be. And it was uh an important accomplishment for us to get those four events in. I I’ll tell you a little side story, too. Um you know, I know you’ve probably got a record of, you know, days, consecutive days staying at Pinehurst. I may I may own the one at Bandon Dunes because of what was going on. I moved on site uh about during this time for uh for that Bandon Dunes event. So I was there probably 45 days in a row just simply to protect you know our staff that was coming out but also protect you know my own family coming back and forth across the country. So I got to see bandon dunes every single day for 45 days. No wind, no fog, wind from the north, wind from the south. It properly gave me the opportunity as the championship director to understand kind of that landscape. So, it’s it’s funny what we all sacrifice for the good of the game to, you know, share this unique opportunity that all of us have to, you know, showcase golf in its, you know, purest form, uh, to the world. So, thank you guys certainly for the the opportunity and the and the platform to continue to tell the story of the USGAA through the US Summit and through the USGA and the RNA for the Walker Cup match. No, of course. So, um, in terms of the two events, plugging it, what’s best for folks to get tickets, for folks to be able to view it? What’s where should people go and now that they’re going to be all hyped up? We’ve been talking about it for 45 minutes or so. where can they go to to watch to view to you know for you know for the US amer um you can go directly to usga.org or user.com. You know, tickets are on sale for the US Amitter there. I I believe it’s a 30 or $35 any day and uh you know a 150 for uh you know five tickets to come to any of the you know the match play rounds which is really one of the unique most unique experiences in golf because there there really aren’t any rope lines. There’s rope lines around TE’s and greens but you can truly walk in the fairways at Olympic. You know you guys know they’re all uneven lines but you can walk in the fairway hiking boots out. Exactly. with the world’s best, you know, amateur players and hear their thought process. They’ll listen to the conversation between the caddies. You don’t get to do that anywhere else in golf. No, except at USGA amateur championships. And we’re extremely proud of that. And and in terms of, you know, the the Walker Cup, you know, very unique venue here. Um not an easy property necessarily to have tens of, you know, thousands of, you know, spectators on the property. It’s a smaller attendance group. Um the demand was so high for tickets to this Walker Cup match that we had a lottery system, you know, for people to to get tickets to come. Um and that process has has now um ended and we’ll have somewhere between, you know, 45 and 5,000 people here a day on the grounds. And kudos to the lucky winners of, you know, the the lottery tickets that get the opportunity to come to Cypress Point. It’s really cool. That is uh amazing. Well, thank you. I uh like I said, it’s it’s awesome. The work that you guys put in and and the USJ and um and for us to be here is very special for us. So, we’re going to, like I said, try to convey that as well on on YouTube and and through our clips. But, uh keep up the great work and and good luck with the championships. Thank you guys so much. Appreciate the time. Thank you, Ben. [Music] Get the greatest in golf gaming for a limited time only. Get 33% off standard and legend edition PGA Tour 2K25 on PlayStation and 25% off the deluxe edition on Steam. This game is phenomenal. Really is. It’s just getting better. The newest uh rendition of the game that was an update is these challenges and the challenges map and I have been loving them. It’s so much fun. So basically we worked with them. They had these challenges. It’s like all right like go three under at the Charles Schwab or the US Open at Oakmont, right? It’s like and they give you like three holes or whatever it is. We made a bar stool map. It actually looks like an old school video game map. Go on it. It says bar stool golf. You click on it and it brings up all these little basically stones that you have to walk from. You have to do the first one. You got to get to the second one. The first one’s a hole in one at Pebble Beach on whole hole in one at um uh TBC Sawrass. Wow. So, and it’s unlimited shots though. So they they they made it almost like a YouTube video, like a challenge. You get a 100 shots. If you don’t get it, you go again. And you just keep going. You never have to putt it. You don’t have to go out. Just keep ripping shots. Ripping shots. I had to do one the other day that was um one club challenge at St. Andrews. They give you a 50°ree and you have to go two over or better in three holes. 15, 16, 17. It is so hard. You got to start putting the spin forward and hitting like they they have bumping runs. It’s it’s unbelievable. So the game is getting so good. It’s so much fun. There’s so many things to do. Uh this weekend I’ve been playing more video games. This weekend I’m gonna try to get involved in a stream on 2K. I really want to. Yeah, I got my whole my uh my whole setup there in the room and it’s just awesome. Um got two TVs. I can have the open on and play a little 2K. Buy PJ Tour 2K25 today. Discount based on 2K’s SRP. Sony offer ends July 30th, 2025. Steam offer ends July 21st, 2025. Terms apply. [Music] All right, folks. Now, we’re joined by a very special guest, Nathan Smith. You’re the captain of the United States Walker Cup team 2025 here at Cypress Point. How um we kind of mentioned it before, but how closely are you going to be watching our performances today? Well, I told you everybody’s a suspect for the Walker Cup. I’m going to be collecting your cards after today. Going to look up your Jin numbers and uh Is it a net event? It it uh No, that’ll be the Monday after. But uh no, that won’t be. But you know what? It half of it’s all in a shot. So we could put you with a college guy that hits at 400 yards. You wouldn’t believe how everything a short game wizard. You are. He actually is a short game wizard. You know, he have a real chance. So put like nine wedges in your bag and you can play with hits off the tea champion. Yeah. Um uh Colt Nose said to me one time, he said, “Rig, if you could actually hit the golf ball, you’d be really good.” And he’s right. Um, so you know, we’re uh we’re a couple months out from the event now. We’re here at Cypress and we we spoke with Ben quite a bit about the golf course and it’s as old school as you can have. It’s been pretty similar to how it is now since it was built. Um, how much are you kind of factoring that in that this is not um it’s it’s not long, super narrow fairways, wildly thick rough. It’s sort of a little bit more open. It’s, you know, you can send it if you want and try to make a lot of birdies. How much does the the style of this golf course factor in? Well, I think it’s incredible. First of all, I think there’s such a mystique with Cypress. They had the 81 Walker Cup here. So, a lot of people haven’t had a chance to be here uh beyond I know they had a you know, clam bake here back in the day, too. So, a lot of people haven’t seen the club or the course in, you know, could be 30 or 40 some years. And I think what you to your point what you originally see is 15 161 17. You originally think of 16 the greatest par three in the world and the most beautiful stretch uh 15 16 17 but Cypress is made for match play. The holes on the front five through nine are incredible riskreward. I don’t think any lead’s going to be safe. I think even 18’s going to be an exciting hole. So is it five and six are the backto-back par fives? Mhm. Yeah. And then is it eight and nine are kind of drivable? Eight and nine could be. I mean, if you’re down and want to take a run at eight, uh, but I think nine’s going to be an incredible hole and there’s some going to be some fun pins there. So, I just think before you even get to, you know, 15’s an incredible par three. 17’s beautiful par four might be the most underrated par. 15 is incredible and it’s so much fun and the pins I I just think people are going to see so much excitement. And I think it’s going to be one of the most beautiful, exciting Walker Cups of all time because I think no lead’s going to be safe. You’re going to see a lot of birdies. You’re going to see a lot of others. It’s going to be fun. Uh so, you know, for uh for this event with kind of the United States having quite a bit of a run here in the event. You feeling a lot of pressure to kind of hold the line here? Well, you know, sure. I mean, it’s your team. You you want to do the best you can, but every team’s different. Nobody’s protect. Everybody’s going after, you know, the same goal. I mean, the teams change. And what’s amazing, if we won the last, you know, how many, all those matches were close. And I think they’re they’re going to have an incredible team. Um, they play with a lot of heart, a lot of passion. They play great in all shot. We’re we’re going to have to be ready. It’s going to be tough. Uh, I know, you know, we kind of spoke about this with Keegan Bradley last week. You guys did, but you have any motivational lineup, anything motivationally coming in to to fire these guys up? Well, we didn’t I didn’t talk to you yet that you’re going to motivate him. I mean, you’re going to we didn’t talk. Wait, I thought we kind of had this motivation to discuss. Do you have at the dance cart? Do you have anything going on? I think our guy would be Frankie that could give a good motivational speech. It would Yeah, it would be it might last a little too long where you got to like cut them off at some point, but like the first five minutes would be you start playing like at the Oscars. You got to start like multiple days. We could do like half a dinner, one night, half another. But no, I was going to talk to you guys and see who you recommend. I thought that you guys would come up with something. We did talk with Ben about nerves and how they’re create they’re trying to create an an environment and atmosphere where it’s like, “Oh, wow. This is really something. What do you do to try to mitigate some of that and like just kind of get guys into the zone?” Well, to your point though, there will be I I think uh Cypress is going to bring out almost all the alumni of Walker Cups and it’s a who’s who list. So, I’m sure we will have guys that come into the team room, talk to the guys to your point, after you guys speak, of course, Frank. And uh you know I think playing on three teams I think you know at least the flow of the week. You know how how it works with dinners. You know anytime you get into Walker Cups or RDER cups the days get a little longer and the mornings get earlier. So you want to just make sure the guys are rested. Yeah. Be in their comfort zone. You know put them in situations to succeed. Who they want to play golf with? What’s the routine? Because you have 10 individuals. They’re all used to specific routine. You want to put it inside the framework of a team, but yet you want to make them feel comfortable. So that’s that’s one of the biggest challenges as any captain. So funny, we’ve had multiple players on this show who said the most nervous they’ve ever been over a golf shot was at the beginning of a Walker Cup that they played. Yeah, sure. And Colt Nost told a great story about playing with DJ, I believe he said, is who he played with. And he said DJ was seemed fine and cool, was all good. And then, you know, they announced his name and as they were announcing his name, they said, “DJ, hit the ball.” Like, as they’re announcing his name and he quick hit it. Cole was like, “What was that?” And DJ was like, “I don’t know what happened. I got so nervous I just had to hit the golf ball. I just did it. I just did it.” It is a feeling. A funny story for me is half the half of the uh is is alternate shot. So, what I would say is, you know what, I’ll take the even holes. Why don’t my partner, why don’t you take the odd holes? Tea off the first hole. You could ease into it. Yeah, that’s always that’s always the veteran player. Uh but it’s a feel. Of course, you had to do it. I did it for a couple uh you know, shots and some singles. It’s a feeling like you don’t have if you’re playing for yourself, it’s one thing you screw up, it’s on you. You don’t want to let your teammates down, right? You know, the country down, all the fans, parents, family, there’s so much into it. And um anytime you can represent yourself in anything for the United States and hear your name, it’s chilling. Uh, but it’s a feeling like you’ll never have again and you just need to enjoy it and embrace it and have fun. So, we love this part of the country as anybody who came here ever and visited Wood. Um, we understand at Spanish Bay and the Inn and Pil and the Tap Room and all these. What sort of uh extracurriculars you guys have lined up like any dinner locations? Is there a special team room spot that you guys got? Sure. Yeah. So, I think a lot of it’s the the team staying at Spanish Bay. Both teams will be over there and I think a lot of the USJs over at the lodge. So, a lot of it will be every night it seems we do have functions. It’s going to be, you know, incredible, you know, throughout the week and team probably won’t be at sticks late like we are. Yeah. Was I ate there last night, so it’s maybe you’ll see us there. Maybe that where the motivation, you know, could be. Maybe we’ll have some dinner there. So, that that’s traps, you know, little you could find some motivation. Yeah. Well, hey, you know, that’s it. So, uh, but no, we’re going to the week will be filled with a lot of incredible dinners with, you know, who’s who of the world. So, we can’t wait. So, we know for the Ryder Cup, we’ve talked a lot about that, you know, the home team has quite an advantage with the captain being able to kind of help with course setup and preparation on that. Is it similar here? It’s really not. Uh, I would just be honest with you. I think that the USJ and I think Ben who just I think they keep that close to the vest um with what they’re trying to do to make it fair. All class. I know. I wish I could. But you can talk some sentence if I could get some I’ll talk to knowledge. But they they do an incredible job. They set it up. So we don’t have any. I I wish I did, but it is what it is. Right. Right. Um can you is this Do you drink out of these trophies or these? Uh you can. Yes, you can. Yes. That thing looks like it could fit a lot a ton. Whatever you want. There’s a lot in there for you. There’s a lot in there. Both sides have drank a lot out of there. So it’s it’s it’s good. I’m sure you know they’ve kept it in great shape. Right. Um great. Hey, well, have you guys done any um you know, have you done any are you trying to like at events get get people together, team bonding or different things? Yeah, that kind of stuff. I think the nice thing is and and I heard Ben talking too about the US amer at the Olympic club. The nice thing is is at the Olympic club mid August down the road, you know, up the road from here. And I think we’ll try to do some stuff there and even maybe try to get the team, you know, here for a day right before the USM some of the guys that are picked or even maybe do some dinners there. It’s hard because everybody’s everywhere through the course of the summer. A lot of guys are playing in pro events. Some guys are playing US junior. Some guys are playing national amateur event. They’re they’re everywhere. So, but it’ll be nice to get them together a couple weeks before. Reminds me of Miracle a little bit where you got people coming from different colleges that might be rivals all throughout their junior junior career. Maybe put Miracle on and a little Herb Brooks inspiration. That’s right. Get it going. That’s what I mean. Yeah. Um All right, Nathan. Well, no pressure. I believe four in a row. Is that how many in the US is one? Is that right? I don’t even know. I don’t even like I said Jason hasn’t checked. I think I saw extensive research when I Googled it the other day. Yeah, sure. I believe that it was fourish in a row. If not, we’ll just cut that. We’re just try We’re just trying for this one. One at a time. Everybody’s going after the same thing. The slate’s clean at zero. You got quite the uh you know, amateur career of your own. And so, you know, good luck with the team and being able to be the captain at a place like this. I I feel unbelievably special just being able to sit in this chair at this place. So being the captain here is uh quite the honor. So congratulations and good luck. Yeah, thank you so much. And again, biggest honor of my life to be the captain of the Walker Cup, let alone at Cypress Point. It’s going to be incredible. Awesome. Good luck. Thank you.
22 Comments
Maybe don't do a PODCAST where you have to whisper the whole time??
1:30 no ad start
LFG! I can’t wait to see Cypress!!!
What's the walker cup? Who gives a shit.
This is not a golf podcast
Sorry frank that blows. Hope you got to play
Everytime they say "torn" Frankie says "Natasha Beddingfield" ..she doesn't sing that song. Its amazing how wrong Frankie is on so many subjects.
Is the only way for Grant to produce content is to play golf on video? There no chance he could’ve made a video about him playing, or shot by shot walk thru. To assume the only way he could make content is to film the shots w Sky and make a golf video highlights a lack of creativity, which makes me believe it’s an excuse
Content where it shows the journey to the destination/course is almost just as good as the golf content. #tips
Hey Chevy, turn your ads down! We’re listening to a talking podcast and you pump in these ads that jar the senses
I think Grant made the right choice, the PGA needs to get with the times when it comes to media rights if they want to continue this boom with the youth. I wonder if the Wesley Bryan stuff played into it as well, they're trying to force PGA's hand via YouTube golfs success.
This podcast has been around for how long? and only 29K subscribers? when is it time to hang it up fellas?
I see a very depressed man when Scottie talks about that. Someone needs to check up on that guy.
Surprised they let you film on the patio and not in some closet inside😂
Torn is not a Natasha bedingfield song haha am I the only 90’s kid on here? Come on Frank
Love how Frankie continues doubling down naming the wrong artist. Also love Frankie talking over people the entire show.
Keep it up !
Sorry Frank, hope you take some time off to sort it out and be with the family.
Listening to you guys talk about playing a course I've never heard of is some top notch entertainment
Frankie- you’re taking the first step. Wondering what is the purpose of all this. We were created to wonder. It’s natural. The purpose is to get to know our Creator while we’re here, the one true God. And the only way we get to access him is through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Savior! Having that relationship will fulfill that emptiness, answer all questions, and truly satisfy. Unlike winning a golf tournament, even The Masters. It won’t seem possible until it starts to happen. This is what Scottie is implying the whole presser. Scottie isn’t sad or searching, he’s found the answer. And winning isn’t it. It’s fleeting. So is our time here. We’re destined to die, but have the opportunity for eternal life if we just take it. If so, it’s promised we’ll get to live on this earth with our Lord and loved ones for eternity, with no pain, sadness or death, how the earth was always meant to be. It’ll be incredible, and I’d love for you guys to be there. Long time listener/viewer. First time commenter. Love you guys and thanks for what you do!
Olympic probably ate them alive…especially Riggs. Super narrow fairways and trees.
Grant already got an invite to KFT and got the outside the ropes filming for his channel. Its not new, and its fair to expect he could have thought it would happen.
There is no way this would even happen in another sport, teams want to win.
Golf is the only sport.
And it doesnt matter if he says yes or no, and its not shocking the PGA tour or Broadcasting partners said no. they always have. KFT is different.
And 3 of his shots might have been on TV if he did. Unless it was his dream (its not) there was no reason to do it unless he could share it.
3 episodes in a row now where Frankie’s microphone levels are so low I can almost not hear him. As an audio company we just simply have to fix this before releasing the episode 😅