In this episode of the Michigan Golf Review podcast, hosts Pat Evans, Andrew Rademacher, and Zach Guy discuss various topics related to golf, including their personal experiences on the course, food choices before a round, the controversy surrounding golf ball rollbacks, the character of golf courses like Quail Hollow, the importance of practice swings and pre-shot routines, and the debate over the size of ball markers. The conversation is light-hearted and filled with humor, providing insights into the golfing experience from the perspective of amateur golfers.
In Today’s Episode:
-Food choices can impact performance on the golf course.
-Hydration and protein are key for pre-round meals.
-Golf ball rollback could change the game for pros and amateurs alike.
-Courses can be well-kept but still lack character.
-Practice swings may not always be beneficial for amateur golfers.
-Pre-shot routines should be kept simple and short.
-Using a small ball marker can help avoid stepping in lines.
-Giant ball markers can be distracting on the green.
-Enjoying the game is more important than the course’s prestige.
-Golfing is about the experience, not just the score.
[Music] Welcome to Michigan Golf Review. I’m Pat Evans. With me as always is Andrew Rataker and Zach Guy. Today we’ve got a great podcast. I think no interview, no course review. We’re just talking about random subjects again, which sometimes are the best ones. Uh but first, we’re going to get started. But I played a couple rounds last uh last couple weeks for the last week. You know, one round I was hitting douffs and slicing it, hooking it, going all over the place, topping the ball, and the next round I played terribly. That was You didn’t like that joke? That was my joke. Wasn’t good. Yeah, cuz the first the the first one is bad and then the second one is then I played bad, you know. You hear me crying in the background booing you, Pat? What if a tomato just came in and slapped me? That’d be great. Anyway, that joke went over like a lead balloon. That’s all right. Um, we’re going to get started because there was a interesting exchange that um, somebody on Reddit posted that he he messaged a PGA player, a live golf player, excuse me, about what he eats before uh, a round. And, you know, he gave a pretty basic thing, you know, night before I had an In-N-Out burger, no booze during the round, some beef jerky, he has a snack, blah blah blah. made me think, what do you guys eat uh before a round? I I’m pretty, you know, if it’s a morning round, I generally don’t eat breakfast. So, I don’t eat breakfast. If it’s an afternoon, I don’t think anything about it. Do either of you think about what you’re eating before a round of go? I’m on the same page as you. It’s a morning round. I probably have not eaten. I try to hydrate. I’ll probably have some coffee and um some of the the daily supplements just to kind of fill up in that sense. But yeah, I actually kind of have it’s kind of been a joke that I like to play hungry both figuratively and literally for morning rounds at least. But yeah, if it’s an afternoon round, I’m not really thinking about what I’m eating prior. Probably trying not to eat anything too heavy. Um, but yeah, as far as like snacks, beef jerky is I’ve always long time said now that if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it might be beef jerky. So, it’s a snack that’s got everything. And that could be my go-to on the course as far as a snack during a round. And then some of the other things that Zach’s talked about in past episodes with just granola bar, whatever. Yeah, I mean beef jerky is a goat snack, I think, especially for road trips. Zach, you seem like somebody who thinks about things very carefully. Do you have a premeal that you go to? Uh, generally, yes. And you know me too well, Pat, because like I I do strategize the food on the course. Um, I my father-in-law has a bunch of chickens, so I get a lot of eggs from him regularly, and I generally like to eat six eggs before I go golfing in the morning. Like, if it’s like before I know it sounds like a lot, but if it’s like before noon or so, I generally like to eat six eggs scrambled. Um, and it’s it anything with like a lot of protein in it is really good for the golf course. You don’t want to load too much up on like carbs and and like the sugar part of carbs just because that can weigh you down. You’ll have a crash later on. But like the jerky idea, that’s just a fantastic snack in the course. And this is something that I think when I was learning to play golf, I didn’t really respect or like think about and now I definitely do because like we’ve all been there. It’s like a three-hour round. You might have had one or two oat sodas and you’re starting to get a little, you know, cranky and you really need to eat food on the course and a hot dog of the turn is great, but like you probably need a little bit more. So, um, granola bars in the bag are always a go-to, too. We got into the cart last week at at league. Uh, my dad and I and my dad goes, “I got a couple brownies.” And I go I was like, “Special brownies?” Goes, “No, I’m too old for that. These are just normal brownies.” So, uh, I guess brownies can be a good course snack, too, you know. So, there there’s that. Um, yeah, maybe I need to start thinking about what I’m eating before heading out. Maybe not necessarily for a nine-hole league night, but uh, you know, if you’re doing 18, you you’ll be surprised at how much better you play in the later uh, part of the round if you’re not like, you know, thinking about your your stomach. Yeah. I will say too though, if I’m playing well, like on the front nine morning round and I haven’t eaten and I’m starting to get hungry and, you know, tummy’s rumbling a little bit, I’m like, “Nope, I’m playing too well. I’m not going to change it. I’m just going to continue to play very hungry now.” That’s amazing. Uh, yeah, I love this. I mean, I It’s a great topic. I just love talking about food, so you know, anytime we get to talk about food, I’m into it. Drop D drop that Reddit link, Pat, because the comments are hilarious because this guy gets absolutely roasted with his message being like, “Are you a chat GPT bot? Learn how to communicate like a a human.” Yeah. Uh can we put the link like right here, Zach? Probably. Yeah. Uh it’ll be here. Okay, cool. And then if you’re listening to this, which I’m going to figure that out this week of how to get that on all the podcast platforms because Jordan keeps complaining about it. If we can do that, we’ll get wider audience. And of course, if you’re watching this or if you’re going to start listening, like us, subscribe to us, comment if and only rate us if you’re going to give us like four stars or above because we don’t want to be negative and you know that’s uncool. but also comment on anything whether it’s on our newsletter here uh subscribe to the newsletter by the way but uh you know let us know what you want us to talk about in a podcast like this or what what course to review. Um we’re moving on to yesterday in our newsletter. This was being recorded a day after I sent a newsletter. I don’t know when we’re we’re publishing it. Uh I just learned about this new phase out of golf balls. I don’t really know how that’s going to work because I can just buy a bunch of current golf balls and keep playing those. Um, but apparently there’s concerns that golf balls are making golfers hit it too far. Um, which I think is kind of ridiculous, especially for amateurs like us. Uh, but you know, what’s the problem if everybody can use balls that go far? I don’t think there’s anything with it. But Zach, how do you feel about this? And what balls do you play with? Yeah, I um here’s a little secret for all listeners out there. There’s a website called um foundgolfballs.com or lostgolfballs.com and I recently in the past like year or two started buying my all my balls from there because you can buy near mint condition balls at a fraction of the price. So I get five dozen TP5s or TP5Xs, whichever I get the best condition um for under $100. That includes shipping and I think normally that would be like $250 or something like that. And um these balls are super cool. Like they’re they’re all really in good condition. They’re not refurbished. They’re not refinished. Um they have a lot of cool logos on them, too. So, I have like uh a University of Iowa one. I have a Trump uh National Resort one that I I sometimes take out on water holes and I never hit the water. It’s like kind of like a weird lucky charm. Um but anyway, it’s it’s a really cool website. I think they’re based in Toronto uh or Toronto, Ontario. And um they’re um I highly recommend them. Uh but yeah, I I’m all for the golf ball roll back just because like I don’t know, like it’s a little boring watching these guys bomb it like 300 yards and take a wedge in and have birdie looks on every single hole. They are absolute masters at their craft and they deserve all the best, but I want to see him struggle just like me. It’s more fun that way. It is interesting that that the article that I was reading says it’s only a couple, you know, 15 yards for the pros, which doesn’t seem like that much to take away, but, you know, I guess every yard counts at that level. Um, but the PGA of America CEO is against it. I think mostly for the the the recreational golfers like us, cuz hey, I can use all the help I can get, even though that might cut down on my slices going 30 yards, right? Wait, does the roll back apply to amateurs or just everyday guys? I don’t know. I don’t know how you would enforce that at all, but Right. Yeah. Supposedly, does a roll back factor in major slices? Like, is it just going to take distance off your slice, Pat? I think so. In my mind, it would. That’s like the last factors in from like the last 80% of your shot. Yeah. Tracer. Yeah. Okay. Right. Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. I play, just so we’re clear, because I have no difference in balls, but I’m I I searched uh you know, what’s your best beginner ball and a bunch of websites say Callaway Warbirds. So, I’ve been playing that, but I’ve also been playing super soft uh with with a nice orange color, which is easy to find when you go super sliced. So, that’s what I’ve been doing. But, I I need to figure out ball differences because I don’t see anything. Andrew, what do you play and how do you feel? I typically play a tailor made TP5X. Yeah, Zach, just what a coincidence. Didn’t know that about you. Um, I like to play Prov1’s, too. Um, I usually won’t buy them for myself, but if I get some for a birthday or Christmas, that’s always nice. I just feel like when I’m playing a top ball that like I’m trying harder and I I’m like I want really want to lose this less, you know, obviously, but I I will play most balls if it’s in clean condition. I I will say I’ve become a little bit of a stickler on if my ball gets a scuff on it, I probably won’t play with it. I I won’t putt with it at least. Um, but I’m still probably not good enough to be factoring in that stuff all the time. Um, I also get a discount through work for Tailor Made Products. That that’s factored in, but I’m gonna have to visit that website, Zach. Uh, and I’m I’m in agreement with you, Zach, about the the roll back. I wouldn’t mind seeing Yeah, seeing things toughen up a little bit. I mean, kind of a, you know, preface for what we’re going to talk about next with Quail Hollow. I saw that Jordan Spe called called it um Rory Maroy Country Club because he can, you know, drive the ball a million yards on every hole and just basically have, you know, a wedge in for birdie and carry all the fairway bunkers and all those obstacles. So yeah, for some golfers on tour like Rory Bryson, um you know, they can just drive drive the ball like crazy and take a lot of elements out that other guys have to deal with. So anything that’s going to even it up a little bit, I mean, I’m all for. Yeah. Yeah. And like I should say too like there’s something unique about the game of golf because I think we talked about this before where like if you if you are a baseball fan or a football fan or any of those other sports, it’s not like you can go play baseball at Com Park where the Tigers play, but we can all get tea times at some of these courses that these pros are playing. We can play the same clubs that they use, maybe with a little less lead tape. We can play the same balls as them. So, you really do have like a way to be like, “Okay, I can see how good these guys are and I can somehow participate in some semblance of this sport with them and, you know, having them play different equipment would change that feel, which I get.” And also, you know, it’s it’s a sales tool. I mean, let’s be honest, like we want to know what club Rory’s hitting because they want to they want to sell us whatever he’s playing these days. Tailor made. I don’t know. So, I I I get all that, but yeah, at the same time, like what what did Scotty Sheoffller win with uh at the last tournament? 30 under. Uh that’s that’s just ridiculous. Okay. Well, just give me a ball that can go like 40 extra yards. That’s what I want. Done for me. That long ball, Pat, from Long Sponsor us. That’s Yeah. Yeah. Right. Uh yeah, let’s move on. Okay. So, yeah, then the next thing is Quail Hollow where the PJ Championship is being played this week as we’re recording this. again. Don’t know when we’re publishing it. Um, hilarious quote from sixtime PJ Tour winner Hunter Mahan. He said, “I guess I would say Quail Hollow is like a Kardashian. It’s very modern, beautiful, and well-kept, but it lacks soul or character.” Um, that I just I like it because it’s a jab at Quail Hollow and a jab at the Kardashians. Um, and it is interesting cuz this is a regular tour, but now now they’re playing a uh uh now they’re playing a major there. And it’s not the first major they’ve played there, but it’s it’s an interesting quote. Uh, it just made me think of kind of, you know, some courses around town here that we’ve actually talked about recently that kind of, yeah, they’re great, they’re wellkept, they’re neat, but there’s something about it missing. Um, how do you feel about a major being played at a course like this, Andrew? I love the thing you just talked about Rory Mroy Country Club. Um, but yeah, I mean, how do you feel about, you know, places that lack soul? Uh, Zach, who’ you talk to? Whichever one of you wants to talk about. I’ll I’ll start. I don’t have a lot to say. I thought and thought about this a lot and maybe I’ll, you know, come up with something more profound, but I’m I’m kind of in like the the thought of beauty is in the eye of the beholder with golf courses. And you could have a different tie to a course for different reasons. Um, you know, I think of some courses that I really like that probably aren’t, you know, all that soughta to be played, but it’s like this is the first course I played or the one I grew up with or the one I played the most with my dad, like things like that. So, I don’t know. I mean, anytime I’m I’m on a golf course, I’m pretty happy for the most part, just just to be out there, you know, regardless. And if it’s well-kept, that’s even more reason. It’s like if it’s missing something, it’s missing something. So, for the pros, I get it. Like, they’re playing every day. They can compare and contrast with, you know, hundreds of other courses and and especially for a major, I guess, yeah, let’s put the microscope on it a little bit more. But for me as an amateur that gets out from time to time, like I’m just glad to be on the course. That’s fair. Yeah. I guess the major thing is what really stands out here, not necessarily local courses, cuz I think majors should probably rotate among places that only played for majors, not regular tour. Zach, what do you feel? I know, you know, we’ve shared this sentiment about courses sometimes, but how do you feel? Yeah, I I agree with Andrew. Uh that that’s a good point. And just being out there on the course is already in itself a win, you know, like I can’t complain too much about the course itself if I’m in the sun 70° duffing duffing chips. Um, but yeah, I I I just watched a little bit of the the tournament today and you know, guys carrying all the fairway bunkers. It’s not great. The course looks amazing on on camera. Like just the the look of the fairways, it looks like carpet. It looks awesome. Um, but yeah, it there there’s a couple courses that come to mind that I’ve played in Michigan, one locally here, and man, I’m I’m probably going to upset some people about when I say this, so don’t leave comments in the comment section, but um, Stonewater uh, country club or golf club, uh, which is part of the Redwater group, that is a very, very well-kept golf course, but it it none of the holes like really get you, you know? It’s just kind of like I’m out here golfing. I’m having a great time. But um nothing really you don’t you don’t like dream about it at night. Same thing with um Crooked Tree Golf Course up in the Boone collection. We played that a few times and it’s a very immaculate golf course. Very beautiful, but the holes are just like meh me. So I I can totally get it. The US Open is one of those majors that I really get down on because they absolutely try and mess you up uh in that tournament. And I heard about the is it a 260ard par three that they’re going to have this year at Oakmont. Um that’s going to be fun to watch guys taking driver out on a par three and hoping for the best. I mean that that is drama right there. That’s great. I’ll put a little bow on this topic with you know even Indian Trails which is a city-owned course here in Grand Rapids. It’s you know a course we play a lot just because it’s easy to get to and it’s fun. Um, but yeah, it’s just great being out there. Yesterday during league, my dad, you know, asked our our competitors, our the group we paired with to turn down the music because, you know, he’s an old school golfer and whatever. And they said, “Yeah, yeah, sure.” And this other guy who we’re playing with, you know, only played three times or whatever, turns it off. Wow, it’s so quiet and peaceful. This is great. And it was just kind of like, whoa. So yeah, just sometimes you got to sit and sit at a tea box and just kind of take it all in and just say like, “Wow, 28th Street’s right there, but it’s still really quiet, peaceful. There’s birds chirping. There’s a deer right there. A groundhog right there. This is beautiful.” Notice I put in the animals as what? Could you not hear our group from four holes away? Uh, I did hear your boom box on one of the holes when Well, it’s Victor’s, but right next to when we were on a greens next to each other. I I heard that. And you didn’t hear the wine bottle being unccorked? No, I didn’t. All right. You ruined my perfect segue of talking about animals to our next one. RIP. Happy Gilmore Star and Dr. Dittle star. Morris the Alligator. He died at 80. Uh, it’s just I just wanted to make note of that because it was all over the news this week and it’s uh it’s pretty sad. I mean, he was 80 years old. That is the alligator. The alligator. Oh, it was a real alligator. Wow. I know. That’s kind of what my thought was. I didn’t realize cuz doesn’t he get in there and punch it? I don’t think they must have used a dummy. That probably wasn’t is a great actor, I guess. Method. Yeah. So, I just wanted to make note of that. Yeah. Yeah. Do do you remember the bear from like all those 90s movies? Yeah. Yeah. Oleg maybe. I don’t know. That bear was in like 30 or 40 movies. Apparently everyone loved him. They said he was like a great coworker. Just throwing that out there. Love it. I just wanted to make note of that. Pay our respects to to Morris the Alligator. Uh dead at 80. That’s pretty. I’ll buy some shoes in your honor, Morris. Some Gada skins. That’s not. Sorry, that was mean. I don’t know if it’s very mean. I don’t know if that’s a good way to really honor that honor. All right, we’re moving in to a topic that Andrew wanted to talk about, so we’ll let him get started. Practice swings and pre-shot routines. Andrew, why did you want to talk about this? And what are your feeling? I was just kind of thinking about things we could talk about and what maybe I, you know, some things that grind my gears a little bit or just good topics to discuss um amongst golfers. So, I’m in the camp of I I like never take a practice swing, maybe on um the opening hole with my driver just to really kind of get loose and find that swing plane. But, um, I believe most amateur golfers are better off stepping up to the ball. The less time spent, the better. And just hit it because a lot of times, too, I see great practice swings. Sometimes several, any more than one is too much. I’m good with one if it’s consistent. One is okay. But where the practice swing is pure, it’s great. you know, you’re clipping the turf just how you want and then you chunk and it’s like obviously hindsight 2020, but it’s like you just use your your good swing on your practice swing should have just addressed the ball. So, pre-shot routines, keep them short, but I do believe in a pre-shot routine um like in any sport like a basketball free throw or um you know, a batter stepping into the box, tapping the plate a couple times with their bat. Um that I think there’s there’s scientific proven evidence that having that you know repetitiveness um getting into that zone, that mindset is helpful. But I think pre-shot routines should be simple and again short. So that those are my stance. Uh I guess kind of the you know the one thing I will say about a practice swing is for for a chip um I you know a few back and forths to kind of get that um that cadence that rhythm is normal to kind of feel you know whether you’re in the rough or you know against or with the grain. You know that’s fine. But man, standing over the ball forever, practice swings galore, just not doing anybody any favors. Well, I feel like you can really get in your head, too. And that’s probably a lot of amateur golfers biggest problem is Yeah. Um, but I mean, talk about the guy I was with yesterday who said he’s golfed three times before. You know, he was taking practice swings before everyone and it was hitting the ground and I’m like, that’s not helping you, my guy. Like, it was pretty funny. Zack, how do you feel about practice swings and pre-shot routine? Yeah. No, I’m I’m right there with Andrews. It was something that I used to do when I was first starting. I thought that the more practice swings I took before I hit the ball would help me. It really probably doesn’t. It probably hurts you if anything. And I I think that your swing is built as you practice before a round, like on the range or at home. And that’s the time where you should be focusing on a swing with no ball or, you know, working on things. Um, by the time you get out to the course, you just got to let that training take over and have some fun and just get into the game and be confident, commit to the shot and go. The only time I really take a practice swing is um, if I have to do like a unique shot, like if I’m on like a hill with a weird stance and I have to build a stance, I’ll definitely take practice swings. Then I I do a lot of practice swinging outside of a bunker before I go into the bunker just because that’s such a unique shot that you have to hit out of a bunker. um those times or like Andrew said like with chipping like those are times where you really want to make sure it’s it’s the right feel. But I would definitely encourage anyone out there who’s who’s struggling with your swing to to just go step up and hit the ball. Yesterday at at the golf league that Pat and I keep talking about during this podcast, we should do podcasts every Thursday because we have plenty to talk about. That’s true. That’d be great. there. Yeah, there was there was a guy taking a lot of practice swings and he was a good golfer, but he really slowed us down. So, it took like two hours and 10 minutes to play uh nine holes. Um, and I don’t really totally want to blame this guy, but there was there was just a lot of practice swings going on. Yeah, I think Oh, sorry. Sorry. Go ahead, Andrew. I I was just gonna say I think there’s something to be said, too, about there’s a time and place to take a practice swing if you’re playing ready golf. like if you’re waiting for somebody to hit their shot, you know, and they’re on the other side of the fairway, like you can be taking your practice swing and getting ready in that time and um you know, use that to your advantage. But I think the biggest one for me is just like on on if it’s every T- box and it’s just like when are you going to address the ball and hit it? Yep. Yep. where you guys I mean it adds up if if you do like you know 30 40 seconds to a minute on every shot and you take in my case fewer than 80 shots a round. Um I mean that’s that’s all that’s a lot of time you’re spending um on your round. Pat, you’re you’re sort of on the newer side of of golf. Yeah. What’s your pre-shot routine? Like walk us through it. Mhm. I mean, I think I think I’m kind of the opposite of how you were as a beginner, Zach, cuz like I I’m just kind of like I just And this is something you both know about me. I don’t want to hold people up. I want to keep it going. You know, I’m now shooting on nine regularly under 50, which is nice. Um, but yeah, it’s Thank you. Yep. That was a humble brag there. Uh uh you know I like to just get up uh on like on the maybe on the first T- box I’ll take a practice swing but otherwise you know on the T- box I get up I address the ball I maybe take a one little pullback and and and check and then go even putting you know I’ll try to get a read. I don’t know how to read greens that well yet. Um but you know I’ve been putting decently recently and I don’t even take a practice putt swing you know I just get up there address it and go. Yeah. Yeah. And again, read the green, read your putt while somebody else is putting, like as long as you’re not in their line, right? And if you are in their line, then look from behind and, you know, see their putt and use it to your advantage. So, I think there’s there’s workarounds to if you’re super picky about needing these pre-shot routines and practice swings to still be efficient. Yeah. Pat, do you have a swing thought that you have right now? Yeah. Uh, I do because recently I’ve been, as you both know and and I think listeners by now have figured out, I have a pretty nasty slice that goes pretty far right uh and takes a lot of yardage off of my drives. You like to come over the top. We all know it. Uh, but recently I’ve been starting to figure that out. Starting at and nine over the weekend and then nine uh yesterday. Um, you know, my first two drives yesterday were beautiful right up the middle. Uh, and then it came back. So, I’m still trying to like kind of figure out my uh my my drive swing there and and figure out what I’m doing that makes it do that in my swing. Um, I think I’m I’m definitely hitting the ball consistently enough. It’s time for me to go get a lesson and see see how that does. So, maybe we’ll have to find a less an instructor who’s willing to one come on here and talk with us and then maybe film my lesson. They have to come on here before you hire them. Well, no, not necessarily, but I bet he’d come on. They they would come on and we could we could interview him, talk about, you know, beginner golfing lessons and then uh maybe even you guys can come out and watch me take a lesson and film it and make fun of me. Yeah. Um do you have a thought that you try and think about like before you swing? Like are you like come through, rotate down? Basically, now it’s come through and not pull it as a baseball swing cuz that’s what my dad keeps telling me is I’m I’m I’m push I’m I’m I’m slicing it because I’m following through like a baseball swing. So that’s what that’s what my thought is right now. What about you, Andrew? Do you have a thought that you’re struggling with? Um I wouldn’t say struggling with I one time out this season uh last weekend it went pretty well and I struck the ball really well I thought. Um, for me primarily it’s once I’m standing over the ball and feel like I’m well aligned and my club face is aligned how I want, I just tell myself to really focus on my tempo um to not get too sped up. And then uh, you know, really just trust my mechanics. So, I’m kind of telling myself that. So, I’m I’m trying to think as little as possible. The less I can think during my swing, the better. If I can just go blank, I’m probably hitting my best shot. Um, and then probably the other thing maybe kind of pre-shot is just like same thing you said Pat is just following through because my miss is usually right if I’m usually just not committing to to following through. Um, so yeah, I try to keep it super simple and really like less less is more for me. Zach, this was your question. So what is your thought? Yeah, I think I think when I’m playing my best, I have one swing thought which is down. But right now, I have like two because it’s so early in the season. Like it’s I think about the takeaway and the actual down swing which is probably not good. Yeah, it’s like down like once your arms once you get here, you just got to got to fire through. Um yeah, like once I’m in the top of the back swing, I’m just thinking go down. That’s it. All right. And now, Andrew, you brought this up, so I’m going to let you take it and we might not even weigh in here. Uh, I don’t know. My dad uses this little tiny ball marker. It’s like the tiniest thing I’ve ever seen. This little flat thing with a little pin that you put in. Um, which I love and that’s what I’ve he’s always played with that. That’s always what I’ve thought of as a ball marker. But you see more and more giant ball markers out there. So, Andrew, you brought this up. Go. It’s I don’t know if it’s gonna be a rhetorical question at this point, but why do people use giant ball markers? Um, isn’t it the point to get them out of the way? It makes no sense to me. Yeah. I mean, maybe this is in my head because in the round that I played the other day, um, you know, I asked one of the guys in my group if he needed me to mark my ball and he’s like, “Yeah, and like right on, it’s fine, you know, as long as you don’t have one of those, you know, giant ball markers.” And I was like, “Yeah, man. know I I don’t because I have a brain like there’s and my eyes work where it’s like I don’t need a you know pancakes sized ball marker on the green that you can see from my face. Um I keep one that’s attached to my you know my divot, you know, ball ball repair tool. Um I think the ones that people keep on their cap are kind of nice. Um the magnetic clip there so you’re never losing because sometimes I am digging for it in my pocket. But yeah, just use uh you know, a small coin. Um, one of the free ball markers that almost every course these days gives out. I still play with people that don’t have a ball marker though. So, I guess, you know, a huge ball marker is better than none in that case because it’s like you start looking and you grab a a leaf, you know? That’s what I did the other day because I lost my Well, I lost my ball marker, so I was like, I need to mark it with something. I mean, use a T. Like there are so many options. But I don’t know. Maybe like if somebody got a massive ball marker out like you know comically hilarious like that they had to unfold or something and inflate. Yeah. Like a kitty pool or like a whoopy cushion or something and they pull it out during a round. I’d probably I would probably laugh. But some are designed to not be, you know, ironically huge and people use them. And Zach, how big is your ball maker? I use a wine glass. So, I don’t know about you guys. Just carry that with you up on the green, take a little sip, and set it down. No, I I have a slightly different perspective on this because I was using a quarter for a very long time and everyone would walk in my lines. No one would see my ball marker and I it was just kind of getting a frustrating thing. when you buy from when you buy golf balls from foundgolfballs.com um they give you a a poker chip that has like a discount code on it and uh I was like you know what today I’m going to use this and so I was using I was the guy with a poker chip for a long time and I did feel like a tool bag I felt really stupid busting that thing out and putting it on the on the on the green but no one stepped in my line I promptly lost that and now I’m back to the quarter but yeah Well, and you know, I guess again, you’re most times probably not going to be putting your ball mark in the line of somebody putting, but once in a while a putt will roll over a ball marker, you know, and that’s why it’s there, but it should be left or right or whatever. But those poker ch I mean, if it’s something that sticks up, that’s going to drastically affect your putt. Whereas, like a coin is pretty flat, like if your ball rolls over at first, that’s probably on you. So, you can’t complain anyway. But your ball might not change much depending on the putt. But yeah, I mean something tall, you know, as far as a ball marker is just craziness to me, too. Yeah, we’re not out here playing mini golf, you know, trying to entire Jenga board ball marker. This was a great conversation as always, fellas. I I love this the topic podcast that we do. Um, I think we should again get out there soon as a threesome and and play a course and get to review it. But we’ll get to that soon. Um, until next week, let’s uh just keep thinking about playing, watching, loving golf. Um, and yeah, as always, subscribe to us, like us, review us if you’re going to give us a good review. Subscribe to the newsletter, Michigan Golf Review. And uh, until next time, I’m Pat for Andrew and Zach. See you. [Music]
