Fairways of Life is joined by Mark Hubbard, our long time friend and PGA Tour Player. Mark is moving up the ladder at the PGA Tour thanks to the new structure while he also deals with moving houses and being a father.
Moving on will be Mark Hubard. Mark’s an old friend of the Fairways of Life show. Four professional wins to his credit. One of those coming on the corn ferry tour. 255 starts now on the PGA tour. 17 career top 10s. 91 corn ferry Tour starts in total. 16 career top 10s there. 77th in FedEx Cup standings. So he is secure for 2026. currently 92nd in the official World Golf rankings. And just to give credit where credit is due, putting from three feet, he’s number one on the PGA Tour. That’s 759 for 759 is joining us right now. I see the I see the look of shock on your face there, Mark. How are you? I’m great. How are you, man? It’s good to see you. Doing very very well. I I guess three feet for you is not quite the distance yet that try tries a man’s soul, but it’s not too beyond much beyond that before it starts to get a little nervy after a while, doesn’t it? Uh yeah, I I’ve done a lot of work on my putting and um I yeah, I’m pretty automatic from there and and I’m a great lag putter, too. So, I tend to leave myself uh you know, a lot of one to three footers instead of four or five footers. So, that helps. Um, we’re still working on that mid-range, but it’s getting better. Yeah. And when when last time you were with us talking about working on stuff, I remember you telling me, Mark, that you you were working on getting your swing less, as you phrased it, arms in more body, core, big muscles. How did that work out for you? And how much is that reflected in these positive numbers? Yeah, my Yeah, so I mean, I’ve worked on both putting and swing. uh the swing stuff with a lot more body with my new coach over the last couple years. Um it’s been great. Um I’m hitting it well, but I’m I’m a lot longer now. Um I’m a lot faster. I mean, you know, when we first started the show, I was probably, you know, cruising at 112, 113 miles per hour, and you know, I’m now more at like 161 17. Uh and it’s made a big difference. I mean, I know the old saying is drive a show and put for Joe Dough, but that’s just not necessarily true out here anymore. So, um, you know, it’s nice that I’ve gotten a little longer in my old age. Did Did you have to I’m I’m cur I’m asking to give you the context of the question is about the ascension of players because in today’s show we were talking a lot about watching players ascend. Jacob Bridgemond, you know, young guy. Andrew Novak, who who all of these guys were way outside of any thought of being in the top 50 last year. And right before our eyes, we’re seeing them grind away and fight their way inside the numbers. We watched the same from you over the course of your career, which obviously we’re excited about and very proud of you in doing, but my question is, where along the line, Mark, did you have to change your own selfimage? Did you say to yourself, I I deserve to be here. I can do this. I can compete against anyone. Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ve necessarily had that, you know, same rise that they have. Um, if anything, that’s been a little bit of the problem and a great reflection of how this year went for me. Um, I feel like I’m one of the more consistent just steady guys on tour um throughout my entire career really. Uh, and unfortunately that’s not always what you want on the PJ tour. Um, it’s really nice and don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great career, but you know, this year I played really solid the whole year. Um, probably better overall than I did the last two years and yet I finished what, you know, 13 or 14 spots worse um, at the end of the season and miss and miss Memphis. So, you know, a lot of times you are better off kind of having those really big great A+ weeks and then it doesn’t really matter a whole ton after that. Um, whereas this year, you know, I kind of just had my like B+ A minus game the whole year and had, you know, a lot of like 30 20 those sort of finishes. Um, and you really need those top finishes. You really need those wins. And, uh, you know, I haven’t won out here yet. Um, I know I can. So when you ask about like, you know, knowing you belong out here, I would say definitely when I had to go back down to the corn fry tour and in 19 especially, it was just kind of like, wow, yeah, I’m I’m better than this. I I don’t belong on this tour. Um, you know, and I I was lucky enough to win there and get my card back and I’ve been here since. So, um, there has there has been that moment where, you know, I I started to believe in myself more and knew I was meant to be out here. But yeah, I mean I’m still searching searching for that kind of rise that a JJ had this year. When you were very close to making the first playoff event last week, kind of on the edge, you were honest about admitting saying, you know, obviously I hope I get in, but if I don’t make it, I’m exhausted and it’d be nice to get home and see the family and that. uh where are you now that you’ve had a few days to rest, a little bit of time with your wife and with the girls to in reflection in terms of energy management, etc. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. I if I’m honest, I haven’t gotten a ton of rest. Um we got invited by one of my sponsors actually to go to Outside Lands in San Francisco over the weekend. So, we just got back home last night. Um, and yeah, it it I got what I’d say is I’ve gotten about 8 days of rest for my uh for my soul. Um, so I’m feeling very rejuvenated. Uh, you know, doing the things I love and and being with my family. But, uh, yeah, that, um, you know, 6:15 Pacific Coast wake up time this morning came pretty fast. Oh, yeah. Thank you for the Fairways of Life Show. We we definitely appreciate you making the effort to do the same. What is it like when you’re around the family, when you’re around your two girls? Uh the fact that they don’t care if you finish 77th or 27th or 107th, you’re just dad and you’re on the road a lot and now you’re home. Yeah, it’s awesome, man. And it it helps cuz you know it starts to make you care a little less about it, which I think is a good thing. You know, obviously you want to care when you’re you’re working your butt off and practicing and stuff like that, but you know, after the round like it doesn’t matter. And um you know whether or not that’s going to translate into you know me winning a bunch of tournaments or not I know it’s making me a happier better person and that’s all I care about that happier better person and and I mentioned it just a moment ago too Mark this energy management. How are you doing with that week in and week out? Because you yourself have told me over the years that that golf as a singular pursuit can be a lonely game. And I suppose that even gets more underscored when your when your family sitting at home missing daddy. Uh what is that like for you in terms of managing that whole mental health side of that which you guys do week in and week out? Yeah, I feel like it’s been pretty good. Um I mean right now they’re still young so they’re traveling a ton with me. Um so that helps. It’s going to be tough when they go to school. Um, we also moved this year, um, in February to like the Reno, Tahoe area. Um, it’s been great. It’s close to my wife’s family and reminds me of Colorado. So, that’s kind of been, uh, you know, rejuvenating for our souls as well. Um, and my team’s been awesome this year, so they’ve helped me. So, as you know, as much as uh you know, the last I had to do six in a row to end the season and um I really was exhausted at at Windham, um you know, it also I was able to pull through with a pretty special special Sunday, so you know, I still had a little left in the tank. And what is your plans playing wise for the next few months? Yeah, so I mean I I finished the regular season 77. Um I have to be in the top 100 by um the end of the fall, which is RSM. So there’s seven events I’m going to go play. Obviously um the finish at Windham helped me a ton and and took a lot of pressure off, but I still need to play uh and make a few few points uh to be secure and safe. Um that being said, I you know, I’ve had a lot of good finishes in the fall uh Jackson and Napa especially. I had a third in Bermuda last year. So I really like the fall schedule. I like those courses. Um, and I would probably play most of the events anyways. So, not a lot changes for me. Uh, and I’m yeah, back to reality after after an 8day hiatus being a little bit of a degenerate. So, uh, today’s D-Day and we’re we’re going to get back in the gym and and get things going and get ready for Napa. You have earned your degenerate status. There’s no doubt about that. That was quite a grind that you were on. All right. I always ask you about your sponsors when you’re on with us and I always love to start with Hubs Peanuts because we love them too. Uh could you talk to us about who you’ve aligned yourself with? Yeah, I saw them. Uh I saw a little commercial for them on the show. I was super happy that you guys uh you guys are friends. So he’s the best. Marshall’s awesome. Um my bag sponsor is Waste Connections, which has been really fun. Uh they’re a trash company. It was awesome at the Waste Management getting to talk a bunch of trash to them. um literally uh pun intended. Um so they’ve been great. Um yeah, I uh I was just at outside lands with with the knockown guys who are the best sunglass uh and best guys in the biz really. So they’ve been a fun sponsor. Um they’re trying to get me to wear them on the course. I I can’t yet, but I I try and wear them any any chance I get. I was thinking last night I need to do it in my interviews, so I should probably be wearing them right now. But but they’re the best, man. And um MGM’s still there with me. Centa Financial has been there. He’s a Houston guy. He’s great. I’m going on a little golf trip with him soon. And um yeah, it’s it’s been awesome. I I have the best sponsors, man. They’re all they’ve all been so good to me. And and credit to to Debo and my agents uh for getting me the right guys. You know, it’s it’s not all about the money. It’s about the the hang and the people you surround yourself with. So, they’re all part of my team and I love them. What are your thoughts, Mark, as we wrap up here today? But what are your thoughts in terms of how the numbers have shifted on the PGA tour? Namely, the 50 is so important now because of the signature events, etc., and the and the 100 from 125 in terms of keeping your card. Yeah. I mean, I’m always of the mindset that I never like taking away playing opportunities. Um, you know, even from when I got on tour, you know, if you look at the, you know, 400th best guy in or the 400th, you know, world ranked guy in the world right now, like he’s four times better than he was when when I was on tour in 20, you know, 15. So, in the last 10 years, he’s gotten four times better, but he has about a fourth of the playing opportunity. Um, so that’s sad to me because just the game is in such an amazing place like and and that’s what I think most people don’t realize is just like how freaking good the guys on the corn freight tour are. I mean even the the smaller tours, the you know Mckenzie tour and all those like the DP tour all the there’s so much good golf. So that as a baseline like I never want to see less spots. I understand why we’ve had to do the things that we’ve had to do like competition you know makes you change and re-evaluate. So, I don’t necessarily mind the going to 100 to make it a little more competitive. I just want that 100 to mean a little more. Um, for me, I never saw the problem with the 120 field invitationals, um, and making those the signature events. Like, those were always awesome fields and awesome competition and great ratings and what have you. So, I never saw the the point of of getting rid of those and and dropping those down 50 spots. Um, and I think it just kind of makes Memphis a little weird where, you know, yeah, you want to make the playoffs, but then it also doesn’t mean a ton if you do cuz like you still like, you know, if you finish 70th, you’re still going to play most of the fall to try and get in the 51 to 60. Um, so it’s just kind of this weird limbo where obviously the 50 is really important. you want to get into those signature events, but then beyond that, it’s kind of like it takes some of the, you know, I don’t know, just like the pressure of getting to the playoffs off and that and that’s not what you want. Like you want the playoffs to be as important as ever. Um, so I don’t know. I It’s all probably going to change next year. Um, we seem to be like troubleshooting a lot right now to find find that zone and we need to. Um, so it’ll be interesting to see where it goes, but I would love it if you know if you kept your card with a hundred, you get into the signature events and and that’s what the PJ tour is. Mark, we’re out of time, my friend. Thank you. See you folks.
