In this episode of Golf and Gospel, we’re joined by PGA Tour winner Andrew Novak! 🏆 We dive into a full breakdown of the Ryder Cup and Europe’s recent domination, recap Novak’s season on the PGA Tour, and even mix in a little football talk.
Tune in for an honest and entertaining conversation that blends golf, sports, and faith.
TIMESTAMP
0:00 Intro
0:25 Ryder Cup
2:14 Ryder Cup Envelope Rule
5:25 Keegan Bradley as Captain
11:36 Not making the Ryder Cup team
13:26 Novak Injury
20:12 Presidents Cup
21:28 Magical Season
23:11 Playoff vs JT
26:44 Love for football
29:39 College Football
30:23 Golf IQ
33:08 Hardest Par 3 on tour
36:03 Monday Night Football
43:25 Outro
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What’s good everybody man? Welcome back to Golf and Gospel podcast man. We got the homie Nate Wong, Jeremy Davis, but you guys don’t care about us. The most important guy on this call right now is the homie Andrew Novak. Man, appreciate you taking time on a football Sunday. We all know we like the game of football, man. Just to stop by and just, you know, talk about your season you had and just obviously, you know, what just happened in the Ryder Cup and stuff right now, man. So, appreciate you. Yeah, thanks for having me on. Absolutely, man. So, let’s just jump straight into it, man. Don’t want to beat around the bush here, man. Uh obviously close finish here, man. USA really fought back. Uh Bryson closing out. He looked like he looked just like he did at the open. How he just kind of, you know, fought through adversity, closed the gap for us, giving us that half point. But just from your standpoint right now, if you had to award an MVP for the RDER Cup, either Europe or USA, who would you give it to? Um probably Tommy, I guess, for Europe. I think Cam Young, like clearly MVP, no question. But it’s hard. It’s like it’s so hard to give like an MVP to a losing team. A losing team. Yeah. So, yeah, probably probably Tommy, I guess. Yeah, I think Tommy’s fair. Now, prior to Sunday, I was all over John Ron, bro. I was like, yo, he’s But Xander came and like gave it to him. Yeah. So, I was like, “Yeah, no shot. I pick John Ron, man.” So, I think Tommy’s a very good pick, man. He’s been I He’s had a great career, but he’s been hot ever since the tour championship getting his first PGA win. Who do you think MVP should go to? Like I mean it’s hard it’s hard to give it to the losing team, but I Cam Young was the only guy I think that went No, he lost yesterday. He went 3-1. He went three and one. Three and one. I was going to say I didn’t he he almost went undefeated and then Fleetwood almost went undefeated until he lost to JT. But it’s like he lost to JT of all people, you know? Like I felt like the odds going into that was so much more in in Fleetwood’s favor. I was like, yo, that was kind of a disappointment, but dude, the putts weren’t dropping for Europe today. Like they were not like yesterday the rest of the weekend, but today they were lipping out. That’s how we felt. That’s how the US felt the entire Absolutely. You know, I agree with you, man. Uh it seems like a controversial topic as the Ryder Cup just ended, man. But Novak, we would love to know your thoughts in regards to uh Europe getting rewarded at half point for Victor Havlin’s injury. I mean, they talked about this envelope rule. I’m really I mean obviously I was rooting for the US but once once it went like once Shane won that point I’m kind of glad that they stole one of the later ones because that would like there’s no way if it ended 144 there’s no way Europe can legitimately claim that cuz already in a tie it goes to whoever owns it but if if you have like an envelope rule or whatever like like I feel like that should void your tiebreaker win like that is ridiculous. Um, I’m sure they’ll do something with that. I think Keegan already said that they’ll be looking to fix that rule. Yeah, I’m surprised he even came to that. I don’t know what Victor had going on. Kind of a weird situation. I think it’s on with his neck. I feel really bad for Harris. Yeah, he didn’t get to compete. He l He barely got to play. Yeah. How many times did he play just once? He played twice. Both alternate shot sessions with Colin. Yeah. And they put And he played Rory and Tommy both times. Like that that’s that’s what he got to do. Yeah, which is totally unfair. Experience 100%. I think because was he he was last on the right car? Was he in 2021? So, he didn’t play in 2023, I think. So, I mean, I I guess Yeah, he did the whistling straits one. Yeah. Yeah. And that that does suck, man. And I’m sure he wants to go back out there and compete, too. Now, I think if it was a he a healthy Victor Havlin, I think he would probably got the best of, you know, Harris Ingres based on how the weekend was going. I think yeah, Victor Holland had a neck injury and I think it’s a similar injury that he had um at the Travelers, too. And I think it just kind of resurfaced here, you know, going into the RDER Cup, man. Um but yeah, I just thought it was super weird. I mean, it’s hard to compare it to other sports because golf’s not like other sport, you know, no other sport really rewards have points, but in this totality of sports, you never see someone forfeit and get rewarded based on this other stipulation with this envelope rule. I I saw Not I mean I’m assuming this tweet was correct but I saw a tweet saying the Solheim Cup if you WD the point just goes to the other team. So I don’t know why the cup different from that makes total sense. Weird. The other thing too is like every other sport is diff is like if you WD or if you can’t because like I remember like in UFC when like Cowboy Cerrone like got like he got he he broke his nose and like if you blow your nose tried to blow his nose. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Your eye puffs up and it’s like Yeah. he wanted to fight, but they’re like, “Nope, you medically can’t fight.” And he was still able to like, “I’m gonna get out there.” And they’re like, “You lost, dude. Sorry.” Um, and it’s like, I don’t know. But, dude, you’re right though. I think like if Victor would have played, I think it would have went probably his way if he would have played, but then again, dude, we thought Fleetwood was going to win. We thought was going to win and we we thought a lot of things are going to go Europe. That’s a great point. On Sunday. That’s a great point. That’s and that’s that’s why you got to tee it up. And it’s just in football, that’s why you got to do the kickoff. That’s why you got We gota thug it out. Gotta thug it out. For sure. For sure, man. Yeah. Now, I’ve said this in prior podcast, bro. And this is nothing against Keegan at all. Uh I’m a huge Steuart Sink fan. I love Stuart. Um pretty cordial friends. I thought he should have been Ryder Cup captain. However, I do want you to assess how you think Keegan did this weekend as a captain cuz I think he did a pretty good job. Especially I don’t know what type of halftime speech he gave going into Sunday, but it something worked. But I would love to assess how you think Keegan Keegan did. Is that for me? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We’re not on tour, man. I’m a retired NFL player. I think Keegan did really well through the whole process. Um, I think it was a really tough situation for him, especially with how he ended up playing this year and then for sure being stuck in that whole situation. I mean, realistically, like if somebody else was captain and he didn’t have to deal with that coming down the stretch, I have no doubt that he probably would have played his way into the 12 like pretty comfortably. Um, I think having to deal with that and like weighing that, I think there was like some of him that was kind of just like I don’t want to put myself in this position. I know. I know. I I think he did a really good job like managing the team, keeping the team in it. They put up a good fight today. Uh that like realistically there’s just like nothing you can do about the putting like I I think he said it in his interview after he wish he could have set the course up a little tougher. that that was like his one regret which I kind of agree because it did sort of turn it into more of a putting contest and Americans just got smoked in the putting contest I think uh obviously it probably shifted back but I think going into today so through two days I think uh data golf had strokes game putting eight of the top nine going into today were Europeans so oh yeah like it wasn’t even close they were just smoking us in the putting contest and I think playing playing maybe a little bit tougher setup. You know, general like consensus thought for the last 15, 20 years or so is, you know, the Americans are a bunch of bombers. So when you the Europeans play, they tighten the fairways and they make it super tough. And so that’s always kind of been a thing. But if you look at like the European team, like a lot of the a lot of their young guys kind of bomb it now. And so I think the Americans trying to lean into more of a bombing advantage and like opening everything up and cutting everything down. I don’t know if that necessarily holds like it might have used to have done because you know we had Russ on this team. Y Colin, um JJ, like these guys don’t hit it crazy far players like I feel like there was not really a huge advantage. I mean maybe for Bryson but like playing for you know a like more forgiving golf. I I think a more penalizing golf course because one of the things that people forget about Bryson because of his single length clubs and because of how steep he is, how upright he is, he’s probably one of the best rough players in the world. So, if not, honestly, he probably is the best rough player in the world right now. Like, yeah, like his ability to get the ball out, like he he’s so good at that. So, if we had set it up tough, you got Scotty in there hitting a ton of fairways, like a lot of guys hitting a ton of fairways, I think it it actually might have been more to the advantage of the US team. um set up that way. So that would have been interesting to see. Also, you know, it’s tough to say that because even if you set it up tough and then it rained like that, like guys are still be making birdies because greens would have been pretty soft. But at least maybe penalizing some of those for sure. Yeah, that makes sense, man. What were you saying, Nate? I was like that’s what Brad Donkey was saying. I think that’s a very good point. And who knew that they were going to putt that well? Like I I thought the US players are also great putters too, but yeah, I mean we burned a lot of edges and that was more of like a putter friendly birdie fest course because dude like birdie was the new par for team Europe. Like they Yeah, they were going crazy. Like dude with when uh Justin Rose made like seven birdies on the front nine like Yeah, dude. He shot 29 like Yeah. And and and the thing is like when people are like bashing Keegan, I’m like, “Dude, Europe just played that well.” Yeah. Yeah. He did a good job sticking to his guns and you this is the like this the analytics can say one thing, but like you know the players and you know golf and I feel like you can’t you can’t just stick to the analytics like you have to know what these guys are going to how they’re going to do dayto-day. That’s why like when whenever we do our predictions we based off stats. were never right. You know what I’m saying? Like I feel like when people are like, “Well, he the analytics say that this is the 132nd worst combination.” It’s like I mean I don’t think that’s great a great look for Keegan. Yeah. He he stuck to his guns and he did like and Dan Rap report says like players players win it. It’s not Keegan’s, you know, job or fault. So, but I know one thing I kept seeing too is um people kept trying to say like they hated like the lineups and stuff and I’m like guys you don’t really know that into the outcome and you’re only saying that because of the outcome of what was shown. Um I think he obviously had a reason but in regards to my opinion on how Keegan did. I think he did great man. I know people also were trying to give push back like man they should have got like more experienced guy to be a captain. I know Keegan’s only 39, never done it before, but I think now looking in the future, if they wanted to give it to Keegan, it’s like, man, he got his feet wet. He knows what he needs to do better. He knows some things that he did good. And going into the next Ryder Cup, if they so choose to give it to him again, even though again, I’m Steuart Sync bias. Um, I think he would do a very, very great job, better than what he did now. Hopefully, um, to get the cup back to the US cuz next year it’s in, uh, it’s back overseas. I forgot where it’s at, though. Not next year, two years from now. Ireland in two years. Yeah. Yeah, man. So, I I was happy way um with what Keegan did, man. And like I said, I would love to hear that halftime speech. I know me going into a back n playing here in Arizona, I’d be in shambles, dog, and I need something to pump me up to get me to play better golf, man. So, one thing I did get clearance from you, uh Novak, is uh you know, I’ve been cut before. I’ve gotten phone calls I didn’t like to hear at all. Um definitely not fun. I would love to know, you know, what the day was like, you know, getting the phone call from Keegan, you know, saying that you weren’t going to be on the team. I And I want to talk about the season you had. I thought you had an incredible season, man. I know a lot of predictions me and Nate had I was like, “Hey, my dark horse picking Andrew Novak.” And I said my stats, I said why and everything. Um, yeah, I would love to hear your thoughts on u on the phone call. Yeah, it was I mean it was Monday it was Monday morning right after tour championship. Um, I think he pretty much went through everybody. Uh, he called me. I mean, I knew how the call was going to go. Uh, I didn’t play very well down the stretch, so uh, it wasn’t like surprising to me. I don’t think that I was like his toughest call to make, uh, out of some of the guys. So, I appreciate getting the call. Uh, I I thanked him for like having me be a part of the whole process, like considering me, uh, getting to go to all the dinners and and everything. Um, I thought that was really cool. I mean, that’s not something I’ve ever been a part of before. I haven’t really been considered for any teams um, until this year. So, uh, it was really, you know, cool to do that. Get to meet some of the guys and, uh, know them a little bit better that way. And hopefully, you know, going forward, you know, when I when I can make these teams, um, I don’t know. I’ll be I’ll be a little bit more ready maybe. Yeah. Well, this this is my thing, too. Like I said, man, ever since, you know, DJ Dallas put us on each other, man. I’ve been a huge fan of yours, bro. Do you think if you didn’t have like that middle to end of the season injury, maybe we’re thinking a different phone call here at this time or or or do you think that is there something else that probably played into that? Yeah, the the injury was really poor timing. Um it was right before a couple majors and stuff. It Oakmont I just I mean I was that was probably one of my best tournaments of the year just because like I had no business making that cut. I hadn’t um before I teed it up on like teeing it up on Thursday. My first full swing in two weeks was my opening t-shot. Wow. Like it it is the least preparation anybody’s probably ever put into a US Open. That’s crazy, right? Like literally on Monday I showed up and I tried to hit I did like two like pitching wedge swings. Couldn’t swing. Mhm. Tuesday I ended up getting like a cort or maybe Monday. Yeah, I think Monday afternoon I went and met with an orthopedic. We were doing all kinds of stuff. Ended up getting like three different cortisone shots or well it was like one split up into three different places basically. Tuesday didn’t hit. uh just like walked some holes. Wednesday I walked the other nine and I swung at like 50%. Like I literally people had to think I was crazy out there like see like I literally was like taking driver and like chipping it like 200 yards down the fairway just like trying to get a visual and stuff for sure. And then I was literally like just chipping around greens and I literally didn’t do anything. And then Thursday showed up and in my practice, my warm-up session, I pretty much I don’t know if I quite even got up to like 100%. I was still like probably 80 90% just like feeling it out. Didn’t want to like truly I I just went out there and I was like, I’ll figure it out. Yeah, I was really proud of how I played that week. The problem is so that week I played those days, but again, I was not really hitting balls. No practice. Went to Travelers the next week. Didn’t hit Monday to Wednesday through Wednesday. Didn’t hit a ball. All I did Wow. I played my I played my nine-hole proam. Um but I I wasn’t hitting like full shots on the range that week, played that tournament again, then went home and didn’t hit any balls for two more weeks. So literally like I I really in the middle of the season didn’t hit balls for a month. And so I think like that’s crazy. I I just like I was like kind of rusty. I don’t know. I I didn’t hit the ball very well back half of the year. And I think like missing out on like a month of just hitting balls kind of like didn’t help. I mean, I still scrubbed together some good finishes. I played really well at Memphis and stuff. Yeah. And FedEx. Yep. Um I don’t know. I’m like I’m very happy with how the year went, but it was just like kind of unfortunate timing on it. Bad timing. Luckily after like even travelers luckily travelers this year was like 90 degrees, which was really big for me cuz Yeah. The problem was it was so cold and wet and that was like causing more issues I guess um when like when I was swinging, but when it was hotter like I was more mobile, the muscles were loose and stuff. So it it wasn’t as much of an issue, but um yeah, like it wasn’t like the injury didn’t bother me like back after the year like SC even Scottish and the Open Championship by then like even in that colder weather was not an issue. Um which was good, but I I think I did kind of miss out on some of that practice time. Yeah, man. What was your what was your injury? Yeah, I strained intercostal muscle which is the same thing Xander. What’s that? The same thing Xander. Similar. Very similar. A little bit different. I I talked to him about it actually because we were talking about um some things that could help it. It it was similar, but it’s like it’s so stupid. It’s like between the ribs and it really only like uh was an issue like when your ribs expand. And so like I could literally just be doing nothing at the house and I would have no issues like if you’re not really like it’s kind of a weird motion. The only thing I I couldn’t really breathe in heavily if you sneeze. Yeah. Yeah. Sneezing. Oh my gosh. Sneezing hurts so bad. like it was terrible. Um, but like really it was and I was fine on the back swing, but it was it was on my left side. So, as I would come through and then finish up like as I opened up. So, really like it was only like like hitting off an ups slope was awful. Like there were a couple times at Oak where I had to hit off an ups slope and that was just the worst. Uh, the rough was tough although I honestly thought the rough was going to be worse. When I saw the rough when I got there like Monday, Tuesday, I was like I there’s no way like if I hit in the rough I’m gonna die. Yeah. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad because it was so thick. It would kind of like like I couldn’t finish up that high anyway. So, like it it sucked, but it wasn’t necessarily as bad as I thought. Really, the ups slopes were like by far the worst. Um, like finish up on that. So, I I have a question for you based off that. Obviously, it didn’t help you, but like was there a little bit of it that was, let’s say, like beneficial? And the reason why I asked is uh a long time ago I played with uh Taylor Montgomery uh in at a AJ event and he had food poisoning. He doesn’t I don’t even know if he remembers who I am but um I played at AJ. He had food poisoning. He was just puking everywhere. Goes up and goes I think he shoots like 67. He wins the the whole thing. This was somewhere like in near Las Vegas. And I was just thinking of that when you’re talking about your injury, like did that help you like, hey, I’m just gonna find the fairway and like play easier golf or whatever. And so then that helped you like limit the mistakes. And I think something Yeah. Like I think some of the like I think it took some of the pressure like not that there was necessarily pressure, but I was like just get me through the week. Like I’m I want to swing as few times as possible and just make it work. Like I really like each day I was just happy to get through the day which I mean it’s US Open. I guess it is kind of like that but it’s like that anyways. Yeah. I don’t I don’t I don’t know. I mean I think I I would have rather obviously not have been dealing with that but I think I was able to like kind of manage it decently well enough. Um, I think I puted very well because I spent extra time putting during early week because I couldn’t do anything else really. Yeah. So, I felt really good on the greens in Oakmont, but I tough greens, too. Yeah. Yeah. Um, they probably some of the best greens I ever puted on. Those things roll so good. Yeah. I don’t know how they do it there because they’re poana, too, and they just roll perfect. Oh my gosh. Oh, yeah. I just I just can’t imagine like not taking a full swing and then like the first course you’re have to play is like 7,800 yards and you’re like well here goes nothing. That is crazy. Super crazy. I do want to talk about this too, man. So, you know, had a great season. Um hopefully this carries on going into the next PJ tour season. Uh, do I know the President’s Cup is not as a hype as event as the Ryder Cup, but would you say that’s also a goal to to be a part of that team as well or have hopes that you know your your season lead you into, you know, that team as well? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it’s it’s a home President’s Cup. It’s going to be a crazy atmosphere because it’s be in Chicago. Yeah. Um, yeah, absolutely. I want to be a part of that team. Um, one of the things that Keegan said to me like in some of our talks was like one of the hardest things to do is make your first team. Like it’s hard to make it through because like then once you get there, you can pro, you know, prove to the guys you play, you have that experience, guys are going to be a little bit more willing to pick you if it comes down to that. Yeah. So like like like for Ben this year, like he really had to go out and prove it and he absolutely did that and like he earned a spot on the team. Um hey, with your help too at the super fringe, if you’re like a fringe player, like it’s really tough to tough to make it. So yeah, um I I think you know if I can play well next year and and make that team and hopefully get some experience in team golf that that could open up some opportunities. You know, if I play well the next year, then I can be going over to Ireland. Yeah. Well, as I I was saying though, I mean, you obviously did well in team golf. We go to the Zurich, get your first PGA Tour win, man. Um and obviously talking about your season as a to in totality doing really well. What was clicking for you this year that you said like, man, like driving distance been going well? my my my approach shot has been going well. Give us give us the thing that clicked for Novak this year. Yeah, it was weird. I’ve been kind of like looking at my stats and stuff trying to put it together. I think I was just like more comfortable on the course. Like it was definitely my best putting year. Some of the changes I made in the offseason last year like definitely helped this year. So, it was definitely my best putting year. My short game was good. It’s always been pretty good, but it was it was really good this year. my approach game weirdly was like probably the worst of my career in the PJ tour so far. So that’s definitely like something I was fighting all year. Um and so it’s definitely something I can improve on for next year because I was not very happy with how I hit it. Um but I think it was just like I was more like willing to put myself in contention. I I don’t know like I just played better on Saturdays and gave myself chances to win golf tournaments. Like, yeah, previous years I played well, but I would like just play well enough to finish like 15th. And this year I was like playing well enough to put myself in final groups and give myself chances there. Like I was maybe a little bit more boomer this year, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing on the P. For sure. Yeah, I know what you mean, too. I don’t know if it was last year or two years ago. I followed you at uh the Phoenix Open and I think after day two you were leading and then it goes back to what you said then you finished probably somewhere around 15 16 place or something like that. Yeah. Um I do want to talk about was it RBC Heritage you know fought really hard got into the playoff with JT makes this incredible putt out of nowhere but I’m just like are you kidding me? Um, yeah. But I I would definitely like want to know your mindset going into the stretch and what it’s like going into playoff golf cuz I’m never going to be in this position. But I’m sure the the audience is curious about what’s the mental like is going into it? Like going into the playoffs this year? No. Yeah. Going into playoff golf like you and JT like what’s the what’s the mindset going into that? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah. Not FedEx stuff. Yeah. Were you in the final pairing or Yeah, I was final pairing. Uh he was he was one group behind, right? Maybe a group in front of us. Oh, right in front. Excuse me. Okay. Sorry. He was a group in front of us because I watched him putt on 18. So, um yeah, I I mean I knew we were going back to 18. Uh the nice thing about like playoff golf, like the worst you can do is second. Second’s still not bad. So, it’s like like I mean when when I’m standing on the tea in on Sunday, like I can make a 10 on the hole. I can still finish. I That’s not really something you’re thinking about, but like it’s it’s just me and in that case it was me and JT. That’s it. So like go out and and beat him. Then it kind of became more match play then. Yeah. Yeah. So it was I actually I always said like my nerves like I was feeling better in the playoff than I was on the 18th hole in regulation. Yeah. Um, I think like obvious like I got I went to scoring and so I had a little time to like settle down as well. Like just kind of like refocus and then go back out there. Um, I was feeling good. I mean, I hit I hit two good shots in the playoff. I don’t I’m not I’m still not really sure where the my second shot landed. Um, like not kicked very far, but I had a long look. It’s just like I don’t know making a three on that hole. Like that’s a really good three. Like JT just made a really good birdie. That was it was not that easy a hole. It was It was a favorable wind for it, but because of the wind it was like kind of hard to get it. Um like I I got it close in regulation, but like kind of it was like kind of I don’t want to say like fluky, but like my T-OT in regulation went like 20 to 30 yards further than I expected it to go. Yeah. And it would have gone in the marsh if I had hit it more left. Like I had threewood like 330 yards or something stupid like I don’t know. So I only had a gap wedge in regulation. Like I I legitimately in the playoff I had to like I made a conscious like hey I need to choke down on this or something because like through it should not go that far but it just did. So I have to So I had like I had probably 20 25 yards longer in um in in uh the sudden death playoff that I did uh in regulation just uh I don’t know what happened there but yeah I remember that downwind to like stop the ball near the hole. So it was like making birdie there like you’re you’re kind of just hoping to give yourself a look and then it was going to you know be make a putt. It’s kind of one of those holes that it really could have been a long playoff like because it’s it’s kind of hard birdie to make but it was also downwind. So it was like you know most likely can make par. I don’t know. Yeah. Yeah. I was I was so hop for you man because you know I I want to see you get an individual tour win. Um and Zurich still counts. I 100% but I’m like dog Novak so close. Love to see him close it. But that put JT made I’m just like that is so crazy. Like what are the odds of that happening man? But like I said, it’s been awesome rooting on rooting you on this year, man. And obviously, you know, me and Nate going to continue to do that as you continue uh to be on the PGA tour, man. But the question I have for you, man, you love the game of football. And it’s it’s funny because there’s like an opposite reaction between me and you right now. I played in NFL for several years. I love the game of golf. You’re on the tour currently right now, killing it. But you love the game of football, man. Is that something you want to pursue once your PJ tour is done or are you just a fan? You just like doing stuff like scouting and reading stats. I know you did some was with the Carolina Panthers when you went to training camp as a like a day scout or something like that they had you do. I did I did Jags training camp this year. I also did Ravens training camp. That’s what it was. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Kind of just got it set up. But yeah. No, I I I mean I’m definitely a fan. I love football. Uh, I have, you know, not gonna have any sort of playing career or anything, but I think coaching is intriguing to me as an option, like a retirement option. Um, I love like kind of the strategy aspect of football. Uh, I think like I don’t have like high aspirations for it. Like I don’t think I don’t think I want to do college. Like typically college you got to get in GA level something and build your way up. I don’t really have any interest in doing that just because like with my golf career I will have traveled so much like I I don’t I don’t think that I have probably like the drive to do like recruiting visits and stuff like that. Not at all. That’s that’s just too much. Like that’s too much time commitment. But I think like at a high school level absolutely like that would that would definitely be intriguing to me. I mean I don’t care if I’m just helping out. I don’t care if I’m offensive coordinator or whatever. I think it’d be fun to be be around the game and uh help some kids and I don’t know scheme up some stuff. That’s awesome because for me I was the I was the JV head coach at Valley Christian for golf and I had an incredible time man like obviously I can’t coach a swing at all. I mean I can see stuff be like ah you’re coming over the top or your face is open but I can’t like correct it you know mechanically like that. I could just tell you what I see but my whole purpose there was course management. can tell you about the course. I do study courses a lot and um and just to encourage the kids and and and keep them going and stuff, man. So, I I I love like your passion for football. Like I say, it’s literally just the opposite of me. Like me and Nate like he played college golf so this is different, but like me like nerd I nerd out about golf like oh he’s ranked this in Tro’s game putting or like he’s this and stuff like that. So, when I see how intentful you are like with football and like going things with Jacksonville Jaguars, going with the Baltimore Ravens and like just trying to enhance your football knowledge, it’s like it’s just super cool. I love seeing guys do stuff outside of their primary sport, man. And just so showing the versatility, dogs. Um, yeah. I I would love to see you as a high school coach. And now, are you still in Georgia or are you Yeah. Yeah, I’m in Georgia. I’m like St. Thomas, right? I’m Yeah, I’m basically where DJ’s from. So, Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. DJ went to Glenn. I think Brunswick High’s got a decent football team this year. They got a kid. They got a four-star kid that’s uh committed to Florida, but we’ll see how much longer he’s committed. So, yeah. Yeah, those things they they flop out all the time. Gator. We’ll see. They are they are looking really bad, bro. I feel bad for um DJ Lagway, man, because there was so much hype for him going in this season. And I don’t know if it’s necessarily him or just the the the you know, the surrounding team that he has. I don’t know if it’s coaching, bro. Um, but you know, hopefully he’s not one of those guys that, you know, they’re going to call it quits and end up in the portal. But that’s what it seems day. Anytime someone hits uh adversity, just like I’m out of here. They don’t want to just thug it out anymore. They just want to they just want to call it quits, man. Um, but dog. Yeah. Yeah. So, Nate, do you have anything else for Novak, man? Like I said, we want to we want to get to this Sunday Night Football. No, dude. I I was just so curious and impressed about by about your season, man. And on on that playoff hole, didn’t you out drive JT by quite a bit or See, yeah, JT had to take sixiron. He had to take six iron and I was like, yeah, he had to keep going first. I think you did out drive. I was like, yeah, I was like, dude, he’s going to hit it way closer than JT. I don’t even remember. We were both in the fairway. I mean, it’s both fair. I don’t remember. I think I think I hit I hit gap wedge in regulation. I can’t remember if I hit pitching wedge or nine iron. I think I hit pitching wedge in the playoff. Yeah, sounds about right. Like I said, I remember him going six iron, but I I don’t No, there’s no way he had six iron. I think I remember seeing that might have been past him, but I don’t think I was that far past them really cuz down win like Yeah, it was pretty downwind. Even if we had like 185 yards, like I doubt he would have hit much more than like I don’t see how like eight there’s no way he would have hit more than eight iron from like 185 yards. I don’t think he might have eight. That might have been how far he had isish. But yeah, I I feel like I I put that in my notes when we talked about it that he took sixiron and my iPad’s dead so I can’t go back to the RBC Heritage. But I mean I’m I’m okay with being wrong, but I could have sworn he took a sixiron cuz me and me me and Nate were just like, “Yo, Novak’s killing him off the tea, man. We just got we just we’re hoping you uh closed it out. You had that.” Yeah, but that that whole thing is so weird. Like you’re in the trees for so long at Harbortown. You don’t that’s like you definitely see the wind and you see it like oh yeah trees but you don’t like really feel it and then you get like to 16 17 18 and it’s like pumping because there’s no trees you’re like exposed to it like it’s so weird like you know you’ve been seeing the wind do weird things to the ball all day and you’re like trying to figure out what it’s doing and then you get to those holes and you’re like oh it’s doing this a lot of like I don’t know it’s so weird. No, it is because I remember I think Putnham, Andrew Putnham had told me like when we look at Waste Manager whole 16, it’s like you don’t obviously you don’t feel the wind because the stadium’s up and then you you hit the ball up and it’s like, “Oh shoot, we’re against it and then it’s short and you’re getting booed.” And it’s so tough. Like you’ll see what the flags are doing. So sometimes you even know what the wind is doing, but if you don’t catch your shot like perfectly right. So like if you catch it a groove low, it’s going to come out a little bit lower. Yeah. and it may not get above the stadium and so the wind doesn’t hit it. And so a shot that was maybe slightly off is now like even more off because it didn’t get like you’re expecting like okay it’s going to be over the stadium for a little bit so the wind will hit it just about this much but like right I don’t know it it’s a I mean obviously with whatever however many thousand people are watching as well. Right. I mean it’s there’s some stress on the shop but for sure that is definitely a tricky one. Yeah it is. And and and we we did this a long time ago. We said what we think the hardest part three is on tour. I mean, I know waste management isn’t, but I think the the environment makes it hard, but I think we said what? Sawrass. Uh, waste management. I don’t think we said Pebble and I think we went was it we say whole 13 at the Masters? 12. Yeah, 12. Yeah. Yeah, we said those. Yeah, we said those threes. And I say as far as like tricky. Yeah, I would say like 17 sawrass can be so tricky. I would throw Valpar number 13 in there. The wind will swirl on that hole. Like you can’t believe that hole has done some weird things to me. It’s very similar. Honestly, it has some similarities to Augusta number 12 there. Like I don’t know. The wind just swirls there. That one like just off the top of my head just jumps right to my brain. It’s like tricky. It was was it whole 15 at the FedEx that part three? Is that is that the FedEx championship where Scotty totally mislead and he pulled left? That hole was just Yeah, that hole was tough. Like from that back box. Oh my god. I need green island green from all the way. Yeah, from that back te I actually had two really good shots which I was happy with. But man, it was like like hitting that green was like there was no like hit an okay shot and get away with it. Like you had to just step up and hit a good golf shot. How far was that at three? Like two something, right? From the back te I want to say it was like 210 the first day. like from the back T to that front left and then maybe like 2 220 225 maybe when they put in that back right and not that big a grease. Yeah, the back right. Yeah. Water everywhere. That’s so crazy, man. Yo, are you one of those people? Are you one of those people that remembers all of your shots? Like maybe not your opponent shots, but Yeah. I used to like be crazy about it. And like I still can pull some out, but I’ve played enough tournaments now like year over year where like years will start running together a little bit. Um if if it’s like a moment like I can run through a lot of like bigger moments that I’ve had or like specific times. Uh, I’m not like quite Sean McVey on just like being recall on stuff, but I’m I’m pretty good about it. And I I’ll sometimes surprise myself and remember some stuff. My caddy I can sometimes like annoy him because I’ll be like, “Oh, this is like this shot I hit here, you know, like we’ll be talking through some through something and I’ll be like, “Oh, this is like the shot I hit, you know, like last year we were here on this day or whatever.” Or, yeah, you know, a couple weeks ago. It’s just like that one on eight and he’s like sitting there like trying to think through what I’m talking about. Yeah. I think that’s a good thing though, man, too cuz it’s like especially if you hit a good shot like that builds confidence going to the shot like oh I’ve been here before like I can pure this seven iron right now and you know get it how many ever feet through whatever safe birdie eagle part four par five whatever it may be man. Uh but last last question I have for you man. Uh Monday Night Football uh because this does drop on Monday. Who do you have winning between was it? We said the Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals. Oh, it’s double header. A double header. That’s right. Yeah. Yeah. Jets, Dolphins, and Washington. And then Yeah. I don’t Broncos, Bengals. Not going to be that great either. I don’t think it is, man. Because they had the hopes of Bo Knicks playing like how he finished and you’re hoping Joe Burrow would have been here, but Right. Exactly. Yeah. But yeah, I I would love to know your predictions for both those games, you know, Jets, Dolphins, as well as Broncos and uh the Bengals. Uh, I think I Oh, don’t let us spoil anything that you might do on your podcast, too, though. Oh, well, I I already I already did my picks for the week. I am on like a generational terrible run on our podcast. I don’t even know. Did the Bears just I needed the Bears to one and a half. Oh, do you do like Blazing Five like Coward? All right. I finally got my first win in a decent while the covered, which was good. Yeah, but uh I think I don’t think I touched either either of the Monday night games. Uh I do have the Packers on the Sunday night game tonight. Yeah, tonight I do have them covering that six and a half. I think Cowboys are going to be rough without CD and with all their issues offline. Micah coming back and is JV County is Javon County clear to play for Dallas? Uh I I don’t know. Well, I think I I think Par Parson’s going to have that entire team very fired up to play bench game for him. And the thing that sucks, you can’t double him cuz Rashard Garary’s been playing Yeah. just as well. So, it’s like what how do you how do you They have a good secondary like it’s not like there’s not really like you can’t if you say you keep the tight end running back into Chip and all this stuff like Yeah, you’re going to get clamped on the backside. So there’s not really a whole lot you can do like Yeah, we could just we could just double um what’s my dog name from uh Pittsburgh or George? Yeah, George Pickkins and then dude Yeah, you can and you can let everything else play out how it plays out tonight. Yeah, let everything else play out the way it plays out. So yeah, I Yeah, Cowboys got a few like I think Jaylen Tolbert’s okay like Yeah. Yeah. Tarpon’s fast. They got I don’t know. I I don’t I don’t I mean I think Packer’s defense is that good. But Turpin can make some contested catches like he can get it, you know, Turpin’s a playmaker. Yeah, he does bring an excitement factor to it, you know, if you know, getting the ball in his hands on jet sweeps, punt returns, and stuff like that. Yeah, he’s got the UFFL grit, you know. That’s how he wins like those those like contested catches because I feel like those guys who like fight harder will just come down with the ball, you know? Yeah. But we got Packers winning obviously. Yeah. And I think they I think they want to make up for that loss against Cleveland. Yeah. Monday Night Football. Justin Fields is clear, but that for me that doesn’t say a lot. I’m not I don’t I’m not really a fan of Justin Fields by any means. Yeah, I don’t think that necessarily makes the team like a ton better. I think that just changes the style they play. Like I think if you on your fantasy team, you probably rather die play. But 100%. But uh yeah, I I think playing the Dolphins. I think the Dolphins win that game. They did play they did play Buffalo tough. Yeah, I think the Dolphins win that game. They like I don’t know. I don’t have as strong a thought. I I think the Broncos like I feel more conf confident of the Broncos winning and actually looking decent against the Bengals than I do about like either of those AFC East teams. So, I agree. I think if the Bengals don’t figure out something this week, they probably will pull the plug and try to either trade for a Russell Wilson, maybe Kirk Cousins. Um, and and and see cuz like that division has not been doing that well besides Pittsburgh. Like did they did they pull it out or they lost? They they got blown out. They got killed, bro. So everybody didn’t even Martin didn’t even play in the fourth quarter. They said hamstring hamstring hamstring you don’t buy it. Yeah. No, I buy it. And I think and they had Cooper Rush in. Cooper Rush is a solid backup. He did well in Dallas. Everyone in the Ravens went down. Like Marlon Humphrey went down. Vanoi was out before the game. Vanoi they just put they just put Matt on the IR and their run defense has been terrible because he and then uh Wiggins. Wiggins got hurt like just before we started recording. Yeah. Just before we started recording. Yeah. Um Yeah, the AFC North. Yeah, it’s just not what everyone thought it was going to be. Healthy in that division. And the Steelers like might just win the division, which is crazy. Just to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Just losing the first round players like they always do. Just to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Yeah, bro. So they’ll they’ll win they’ll win the division. So they get to host a home game against the Bengals the second the Bengals get Joe Burrow back and smoke. Yeah. Well, but well, what’s the name pulled his hamstring, too? Jaylen Ramsey. He he I think he got a fumble a fumbler curry for a touchdown and joked about a a hamstring injury and then he was guarding Jordan Addison and actually I know. But then I’m saying then he had to guard Jordan then actually pulled his hamstring. So like I didn’t even see the end of that game. I didn’t even see that. That’s like Oh, dude. That’s That’s Is that like uh foreshadowing for Amarok as he like did the fake hamstring? Oh no, dude. Yeah, dog. last week. Jared Goff for real. Yeah, Jared G. No, my god. My god. But at least they got two number one receivers. I do like uh Jameson Williams. Yeah. So, at least they got two. Yeah. Yeah. So, they’ll be okay. And I guess me saying that in regards to George Pig, like he is number one. I think just his antics have kind of hindered him where people kind of want to bump him down to it too. But he has he has the upside of as a one. His talent is Yeah. is there. Yeah. I think his route running can be refined. This is me being a receiver in the league and well former receiver in the league and just kind of receive him. He could refine his route running, but in terms of contested catches, 50-50 balls does amazing in that. And sometimes a lot of these guys like you’re not going to see much refining. Like that’s just who they are. Pick Pickkins is good, but he’s good at what he does. So like Exactly. For sure. I think his route running’s all right. I just think his route tree is somewhat limited. I think CD you can line up anywhere on the field. CD is a good route runner. He can run slot, he can run outside, he can run anything. you’re it’s like stay outside. It’s kind of like DK. It’s you’re running a go, you’re running a stop, maybe a slant every once in a while or something, but like it’s not it’s nothing he’s very good at what he does, but I think it is like a bit more limited. Like I think when I think of like a number one, I want a guy that I can move around the field more. Like Chase, you can line up anywhere. CD you can line up anywhere. Like Jefferson Jefferson like they’re coming in motion. Like Puka Puka stays more in slot, but he moves around a lot still. Yeah, it’s guys that like can hit you from anywhere. Yeah, pickings is good, but like he is a little bit more like limited to what he can do. Look at all that all that scouting you’ve been doing, man. Paying dividends. There we go, man. Andrew, man, this pretty. Absolutely, man. But hey, Andrew, man, we appreciate you taking your time, man, to, you know, hop on the podcast, man. Like I said, you got two fans in me and Nate, dog, we are so excited for the PGA tour next year, man. But, uh, you know, uh, we’ll be thinking about you. I’m sure you’re fully healed, man. But we want to make sure that you hopefully you stay healed throughout the season, man. And you know, we hope to see you on the President’s Cup, man. But uh appreciate you guys listening. Once again, please like, subscribe, rate us on Spotify, and we see you guys on the next episode of Golf and Gospel Podcast. base.
1 Comment
Loved this interview! Huge fan of Novak!