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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
First, California-based country singer and influencer Madison Hurtado, aka @localdinergirl, and race-car driver Jordan Wiseley fell for each other – and then they sealed it with golfing. They exchange thoughts on luscious links, dodging alligators and the courses they’ll travel for.
Madison Hurtado: My dad has been golfing his entire life and his dream was for me to become a professional golfer. When I was younger, he put me in golf camp and I was like, “This is horrible, this is boring, I don’t want to do this.” But I got good at my drive. And then Jordan and I started dating, and he got really into it.
Jordan Wiseley: I played a little bit growing up, but around a year ago my friends who run The Zach Nichols Podcast invited me to play in a tournament they were hosting at a very traditional course called Torrey Pines in San Diego, California. After a full month of immersion, I was hooked. When you can hit that little ball with these little clubs and make it go straight and far, it just floods the brain with dopamine.
MH: It’s taken over our lives. Right now, we’re on the course at least two or three times a week and every time we travel. If Jordan’s racing in a new city, we’re thinking about where we can play.
Wiseley at Woodley Lakes
JW: There have been a lot of trips to Arizona; there’s a bunch of beautiful courses out there. And last October we were in Amsterdam and rented clubs for a round at Golf Waterland, an old-school club in the north of the city. I felt like we were in Disney’s The Greatest Game Ever Played. It was all foggy in the mornings and then the sun would start to appear.
The cool thing about the golfing community is that there are so many cities, states and parks that incorporate golf courses and make them public. And a lot of them are putting bars and grills there too, so it’s a great place to hang out. It’s becoming much more accessible than it ever was and as a result it’s drawing in a more diverse crowd. YouTube golf has had a big part to play in that as well, with high school and college golfers videoing their rounds and posting it on the internet. The only content you could get around the sport before was commentary off the PGA Tour.
I will say it has tested our relationship in ways we didn’t expect
MH: It is super-intricate, which is what keeps me coming back to it. No matter how good you get, you’re going to have a bad round, so your mind has to be alert. But it’s not as serious as you think out there; most people have been very welcoming. It’s all about respect for the game and giving yourself the patience and grace to learn how to hit a golf ball. I will say it has tested our relationship in ways we didn’t expect. I didn’t realise how bad I was at being told what to do until I started golfing.
JW: There’s something about viewing your relationship with a significant other through a competitive lens. It takes the personal out of it and we’re able to talk about issues in different ways. If we’re both playing badly, we put our arms around each other. When we’re playing good, we’re high-fiving and doing handshakes. We’re stoked for one another.
“We’re on the course at least two or three times a week and every time we travel,” says Hurtado
MH: And if it ever gets really bad, we’ll take some Fireball shots. That always resets the vibes. Otherwise it’s a lot of eating Titos.
JW: And drinking Arnold Palmers. One of our favourite golf trips was to The Links at Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, which is named after a traditional links course [the oldest style of golf course designed for rugged, coastal terrain]. It’s a resort, so definitely on the pricier side, but with a beautiful view of the Pacific. To get an amazing public golf experience in California, head to Simi Valley. We love Rustic Canyon. It’s so well-maintained, with rolling hills and grass that’s meticulously cut. You can be club members, but you can also buy tee-times.
MH: Outside of California, we love El Tigre in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, but beware the alligators. I chipped my ball up next to one and Jordan had to move him into the water (do not try this at home). When we’re away from home, we’ll try to play in the mornings so you have the rest of the day to explore.
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JW: Next on the list… well, we’re actually just about to play our first sponsored tournament in Minnesota.
MH: And this is only a year into golfing together. I don’t think there’s ever a right time to start; just do it, appreciate it might be a bit difficult and get out there.
