April 28, 2024 • 34 mins
He’s ranked fourth in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability, a PING Pro, and professional golfer on the G4D Tour. Get to know Juan Postigo Arce as he joins Shane and Marty at the PING Proving Grounds to talk about his background, his game, and what’s in the bag.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The guys from paying.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
They've kind of showed me how much the equipment matters.
I just love that I can hit any shot I
kind of want.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
We're gonna be able to tell some fun stories about
what goes on here to help golfers play better golf.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome back to the Paining proven Grounds podcast. I'm Shane
Baker and Marty Jertsen over there, and we got a
great guest today. One Postigo joining us plays DP World Tour.
Is it Edgar or do you say E d G
A which.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Both of them, both of them, but I'd say ed Guys,
he's here.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
How long you've been playing professional golf? I only been
battling it out there.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I've been playing golf for my entire life, but professionally
just three years now, and it's been fun journey.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
How's it going? How how different is pro golf from
year one to now year three?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
It's quite similar. I mean I enjoyed the game the
same way I did when I was an amateur. I
really love traveling, I really love do what I do,
and so I haven't seen a lot of differences. Just
at my bank account, sometimes you just go up and
down quid the creek well, it's okay, it's okay.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
At least you got part you know sometimes you So.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
You were born without much of your right leg. You
started playing golf at the age of twelve. I saw
that when you were fourteen you were a thirty handicap. Yeah,
and you got down to a four handicap in a
couple of years.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Did the bug bite right away? Were you obsessed with
golf right when? You kind of film the game?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Like, I came really from a really sportive family. I
think when I was wronging with my disability, my parents
starting me to to sport pretty quick. I was a
good swimmer, was a good skier. I was pretty good
sailor at that time. But my granddad just retired from
work and he started playing golf, and so I was
the only grandson that want to play with him. So
(01:43):
that's why why I got engaged with the game, and
I really loved it. I think the opportunities that the
game of gold gives you as a disabled are much
bigger than any other sport. Because when I was sailing,
I have different boat. When I was a swimmer, I
couldn't make the same times at the other died. But
now as a golfer. I play with the same equipment
(02:04):
and the same golf club, the same golf ball, the
same golf course, and I can beat anyone. So I
think that's why the game already I got passionate about it.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Well, growing up in Spain, who are some of your
the golfers that influenced you or that you kind of
looked looked up to in your childhood and early on
your golf.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Care We're We're a pretty small country. Golf is not
very big sports, just soccer around there or tennis, but
we have pretty good golfers in Obviously, say bay status
has been the main experiension around them. We're from the
same town, so it's been great to have been close
to him and his family. And Oli is also a
(02:43):
big name marital and then obviously rum many others that
came through and that make the game much bigger in
our country.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
We hear so much about Savvy as this inspiration for
Spanish golfers and for European golfers. I mean, being from
his hometown, is it everywhere? I mean the people know
of him across the board. Is the kind of a
legend of Sevy in your hometown A big part of
your town now.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
It is it is Savy obviously is a big name
over there in might. Like forty fifty years ago, when
these men started playing majors and doing these kind of things,
golf was just a very small sport in the country,
just for the richest people. He was a cuddy, humble
guy from how the beginning farmer family. And so the
story he has, the way he did it, the way
(03:33):
he show us the younger that we were coming through,
how it's been done, it's really passionately doesn't make us
a bit more focused on our targets. And I think
he's a really big part of any European golfer, not
the Spandy, but European golfer Marty.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It's so interesting. You know, as Americans, we don't run
into this this that often, but you think about somebody
like Seve takes up the game, becomes obviously a great player,
starts to play well in major, starts to win major championships,
and then fifteen twenty thirty years later you see this
boom in golf from the area he's from or the
country he's in. You think about somebody like Victor Hoven, right, Yeah,
(04:11):
in Victor Hovelin and coming from a country that hasn't
had a whole bunch of great golfers from that area
over the years. You think about what Victor Hoblin's success
could do to where he is from in fifteen or
twenty years, as young players see them pop up. I mean,
you know, the dream Team in the NBA in ninety two,
and how many great basketball players have now come from Europe.
I mean it is crazy to see that how one
(04:33):
person can have such an impact on an area.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, and I think Spain is there's so much all
the players that come from Spain, the Spaniards, they have
this passion about them and at least from the outside
looking in, That's what I think we've seen with you, Juan,
And it's been fun for us at paying to get
to know you more and help support you with equipment
because you kind of bring that. You kind of bring
(04:58):
that to the game into the sport. Tell us about
the last tell us a little about about what you
think you were, the strengths of your game are, and
what your priorities are from a playing standpoint, competitive standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I think I'm pretty strong at every part of the game.
But my coach doesn't say the same.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Coach. Who is your coach right now?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
My coach is a big name over there. It's Sane.
He's from the same era that us. He's now sixty five.
He started cutting at the same time that he did,
so they were pretty close friends. So that's my kind
of coach, old school coach. We don't work too much
with technologiest. We don't like truck Man. I use it
(05:42):
at some points. I think it's necessary to know some
data sometimes, but we are not based on that for
the day work. But I think we work out on
the short game.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
It's really important because obviously with my disability, some times
I miss my balance on some longer show, so I
may probably miss two more greens that an average go
pro for perhaps, so I need to get up and
noun more. Usually, my driver is a big strength. Like
when I changed to being seven years ago. Eight years ago,
(06:15):
it was a game changer to have bing drivers on
the back because they really stable and those miss hit
I may have because of my balance, they keep the
ball in the fare away. I'm not that short, so
I think that was a big change for me. And
then from a bus striking perspective, I need to know
very well how the body is sitting. It's really important
(06:36):
not to be really wet areas or windy anything that
can move me. It makes it tougher.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Yeah, so short game and in terms of your club
head speed, we're talking a little bit. I've tried to
swing on one leg and Shane, I don't know what
I swing My drivers probably around eighty miles.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I mean the same. I mean, it's mean what you're
you're in that you're up in the uppward hundred, right,
I mean yeah, I mean very very impressive.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah, I'm around one o five. My goal is to
get to one ten.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
What are you doing to get to one ten? Are
you doing? Like speed training? How do you you working
out in the gym? Like how are you trying to
get to one ten?
Speaker 1 (07:17):
I'm doing everything I can. I mean, I'm working hard
on my strength, on my mobility, I'm working on everything.
But I think I'm reaching some point that is going
is getting tough to go up. There's a big player.
A few years ago we were at the Open Champion
to Miss Andrews and I was hitting balls in the
range and Bryson the shamble came in and he can
(07:40):
of take you a video, of course, but you can
take me a video. But after that, I asked him, Bryson,
what can I do to get some more some more mild,
and he just said no, it's very simple, very simple.
You have to hit one hundred drives every day as
high as you can, and your ball pit will increase
pretty fast. And I say, Bryson, if I hate one
hundred drives from Monday, I won't be able to get
(08:03):
out from bed until Thursday. So quite yeah, that's right.
But it was a fun conversation.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You initially tried to play with a prosthetic, right, and
then it just didn't make sense for you, So that's
kind of the reason you switched to just swinging on
one leg.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Well, basically, I play with my prosthetic my first five
years playing the game. But at the age of sixteen seventeen,
I had an operation on my stamp, so something went
pretty wrong. So everything that touched my stamp I have
like a nerve pain. So anything that touched this. Obviously
I can put my weight on a prosthetic kills me.
(08:39):
So that's why I had to decide or stop playing
the game or just keep with one leg. Was quite tough.
At the moment because I was like a two handicapper,
or I mean I was a good player at that point.
So starting playing from the beginning again, your mind knowing
how well you could play, but your body couldn't do
that movement was my talenting at that point.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Well let's go, let's talk about what's in your bag
a little bit. So you got uh ten k driver, Yeah,
talked a lot about the forgiveness helping you.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Uh, what's the rest of your bag? Breakdown? Look like
into your your metal woods and then into your long irons.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Yeah, I play ten k. Just a few days ago,
I thought the G four thirte was max was difficult
to improve, but these guys did it again.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Physics wins.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I just put it straight in the bag after hitting
three four shots here and then I've got five and
three boot The max is Uh. I wought my cheft
a little bit shorter than those from a long time ago.
I think Mike Lee, yeah seven years ago told me
to used to show those boots a little bit, and
I have much better impact than I feel the club
(09:48):
had much more table through impact. And then last year
I make a main sweet in the factory in Greensboro.
I used to play it two thirty four iron, but
it was some times difficult to get the carry distance
at some awkward spots, so we decided to build up
a hybrid. I was anti hybrid player, I mean, I
(10:10):
didn't like hybrids all. I thought it was going to
go left and those.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Way or that before right.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Yeah, yeah, But the fields over there I just fitted
pretty well. I mean, and the ball is just pretty
good ball flight, and I find that with my three
quarter swing, I can make the distance I was making
with my full fire and before it was pretty good change.
And from down there, I've got five fire into putting
wet to the I two thirties. I've been playing the
icy for a long time and this is my second
(10:36):
set of five two thirties. So it's pretty good, very
stable iron, very accurate with the distances, which I think
it's key on the on the high level, at least
I know exactly what the boy's going to do. And
on the heel impacts, it's amazingly it doesn't lose any distance,
I mean maybe two three yards, which is great because
(10:57):
I hit off the hill often, so I know my
boy's going to be in the green. Just that's the bin.
So it's pretty good. And then I changed a few
days ago from the glide Pro. I played Glipro for
a while, which I love them. Yeah, fifty four fifty eight,
I changed the S one fifty nine and uh, pretty
(11:19):
pretty good. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I noticed in your wedges you're using the h grind, right,
So what have you noticed with that? What do you
like in your short game technique? What are some of
the characteristics of how you use your fifty four and
fifty eight or your wedges around the green?
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Yeah, look with it. With the glide Pro, I found
out that sometimes I like using my my clap place
they would open all the time. Yeah, So I felt
that sometimes with the old wags is the bound the
bounds hit the ground before.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Too early, too early.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
So I went here and lit to my we've God,
what do you need the eighth grind? Okay, give it
to me. And it's like a little bit it's just
not the bouncy, just the grind, a little bit less bounty,
and I can feel like my face open on tide
lights and I know it's going to go through the
ground perfectly. And so it's like a little getting changered
to be fair, I mean I tested three days ago,
(12:15):
as I said to you, with your feeders, and it
was great to see how the ball was coming low
and spinny without interacting with the ground.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
So it was beautiful, beautiful, And you use that in
the fifty four and the fifty eight, so that H
one stands for half moon. Yeah, right, so you get
that little half moon crescent shape.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
So when you open the face, yeah, it's more fatterned.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
That the leadage stays lower to the ground.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Yeah, so that's pretty pretty good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
One, What is it like being an inspiration for people?
I know you travel around the world and you know
you try to raise awareness for disabled golfers. What is
it like when people reach out to you on social
media or people ask you how do you play golf
or how did you get into golf? What is it
like being a role model if you will, to so
many people out there.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I mean, I wouldn't like to say a role model
because my mother wouldn't be agreed with that. No, but
it is amazing. I mean to see what can you
generate just playing the game you love? It is something
great because for me I was more like this, It's
something I've been doing all my life. I've just my
crutches before that, my wett is, so I mean it's
(13:20):
something that I live with it and I don't know
what's putting to shoo. So I mean it's something that
I don't understand. But I see on people what you
create on them that feeling that I also can do it,
and that's great to see I received. I was talking
with Christiane a few moments ago on how many message
(13:40):
you received every week on social media on my son
You're just lost one leg, du country, what a golfer?
You think he will be able to keep going? Of
course he will be able to keep going. Just go
to the range, go to your head pro and start
building it and start doing it. And I think the
game of golf is the best platform to do it.
And I think with with brands like being that really
(14:05):
are focus on make this game adaptive to anyone, I mean,
just support too many other players that yeah, I mean,
we've got golfers without arms, I mean, and we've got
incredible engineers around here that are able to be a
set of plays for them. I mean, I think I'm
on the on the perfect spot to show because what
we are doing and we this partnership is is going
(14:26):
great because I think we will show many more people
what the game of goal and what equipment is going
to do in their lives.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Yeah, Shane, we had doctor Paul wood On who kind
of helped kick off a bunch of our engineering work
we've done. Want talked about, you know, some of our
paddle attachments we have for for golfers playing without arms.
It's pretty incredible and very fun to watch, very fun
to play play golf with you guys. I'm jealous of
your swing personally. For those of you that haven't seen it,
(14:53):
go go go google on and check out how pure
is golf swing is.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
So you mentioned Savvy is such an inspiration. Sevie's son
is your agent. How did that relationship come about?
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Oh, this is a little bit of a crazy thing.
I know Haabier and Carmen and Miguel the family for
a long time. We're pretty good friends. We are almost
the same age. He's a bit older than me, but
we're a good friend. We've played all of golf together,
and Habier was playing professional golf. He decided not to
play anymore two three years ago, and so we started
(15:30):
working together. He called me, I want I was playing
in Dubai the Wife and Ali two years ago, and
he told me that he was interested in working with me,
and I said, Lavier, of course, I'd love to work
with you. So I went back home and he called
me to go to his house, his dad house, big
house on top of the town and beautiful and for
the golf course. And when we went to the to
(15:50):
the hall and I was signing a dealer with Kavier
on top of a of a table with a glass table,
and under there it was all them how do you
call them? Those pages, the baties, the Asta baties, Brittish
Open batties, the PA Champion by the US Open battiest,
goosebumps on goose, And I was like, what I'm doing here?
(16:12):
I think it was a crazy moment in my career.
And obvisually working with him, it's pretty good. He's Spanish,
I'm Spanish. We got on well together. He's really interested,
really in my career and he's a golf lover. So
I think I'm in pretty good hands.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
What's your schedule like, what's what's a year like for you?
How many events are you playing? How often are you
traveling comes stateside much? And playing things over here? What
does your ear look like?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I traveled around let's year, I traveled twenty five weeks.
I played probably sixteen tournaments last year, and I had
ear nine weeks for sponsors or speeches or different kinds
of things, So pretty traveled much. My main schedule is
based on DP World Tour. We played there nine a year,
(17:00):
so that's pretty busy. And then I played the Major
with the JUS Open here in the US, British Open
in the UK, and also Open as well in Australia,
and then I tried to play professional elements in Spain
on the app Store as well on the Challenge Tour.
Who is quite a busy schedule.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah, I mean you're twenty thirty events? Is that fair
to say? I mean, is that? Are you close to
twenty five at this point?
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Yeah? Yeah this year, I hope. I mean I shouldn't
play that much. My doctors don't like me to do
that often. But it's just you can't say no, right,
why don't you you want to come to Phoenix? Oh,
we'll do it. Why not? I mean we want to
come to Japan? All right, We'll go to Japan, we'll
make it. And then you end the year you look
(17:47):
back and say, oh, I took one hundred and twenty
plains this year. It's just pretty busy.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
I got everywhere.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
I don't remember everywhere.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
One. Pia Nielsen and Lynn Marriott have been great. They're
great friends of paying Ping Ambassadords. I personally read their
books when I was growing up. Vision fifty four very
inspirational to me. Tell us a little bit about how
they've inspired you in their work.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
I think it's easy to know what they have done
for the game. I read that book as well. I've
got conversations with them, and I think the vision they've
got they have to make this game simpler than what
it is, is really what the key on their book.
I mean, you can make only one everything a whole,
you can bury everything a whole. Why not. We're more
(18:38):
focused on our missus than our targets. And that's I'm
a professional golfer and it still happened to me sometimes.
So I really think the vision they've got it's great
for everyone, for amateurs, but for professional is what makes
us for a living, So it's pretty important.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah. Yeah, Well, one tell us a little bit about
what you're especially maybe when you're traveling you know, and
playing tournaments. What does your practice routine look like. What
percentage of your time do you work on driving, full swinging, chipping, putting,
and how do you kind of organize that?
Speaker 1 (19:14):
So when I'm home, I try to practice every day
from Monday to Friday. I try to get the weekends off,
but they're never all because I play nine hole with
friends or just you. Yeah I'm a geek. Yeah, And
so I wake up seven, go to the game, make
some warm ups. It's really important for me to warm
(19:34):
up before going off to the range because my body
is quite stiff in the mornings. If I need to
go to the gym to lose up a little bit,
it's just half an a forty minutes warm up. I
go to the range. I usually hit one hour balls,
one hour and a half short game practice, and then
forty five minutes putting. And then I play nine holes
(19:55):
with a bag on my shoulders, not the tour back
just motorbag, hoop bag, grazy tour bag. Yeah yeah, yeah, yes,
it's too hard. And so after that, I get home
by two PM. I got lunch at that time, which
is normal time, and spent here's today. But that's a
Spanish time to have food.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
I'm jealous of Spanish time.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And then I have a little siesta, a little nap,
which is if you're a good Spanish, you have to
do it. It's just a master case. It's just you
have to do it. And after that real question, yeah,
I need to question how long is the nap?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
I mean we've been having these nap conversations this week
amongst the ping crew. Yeah, what's what's the time? Where
you know, five minutes or you an hour?
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Experts says that twenty minutes nap is the best. I
think twenty minutes snapped. It doesn't it's too short, yeah, okay,
like forty five minutes, forty five? Yeah, it can get
to an hour and fifteen, but shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Okay did you get two hours? That's just yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:53):
No one do you do you set an alarm? Or
is it you just wake up after forty five minutes? No?
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Yes? Yes, Isabell my girlfriend? She'll wake me up.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Okay, she's so long, Yeah, she's so it's launch then
that yeah, And then and then I go to the
gym one hour and twenty minutes probably I make a
strength Monday Wednesday, on Friday and Tuesday and Thursday with
cardios on bike.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
So that's my practice routine basically.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
One with your left leg. Yeah, how long can you
stand on it? Balance on it without the use of crutches?
Can you do this for multiple minutes on it forever?
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:32):
I can for hours?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Really?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
And then when you're reading Potts, are you crouching down?
Are you bending over? How do you handle reading Potts?
Speaker 1 (21:41):
I used to move much more than what I'm doing now. Visually,
I have to take care. I want to play golf forever,
so I need to be really careful about my body.
So my knee is some pretty good shape, but the
less I move it, they basically going to be in
the futer. So I've got a great caddy which is
doing all that reads on the line. We know it
to the for a long time, so I really trust
(22:03):
on on the lines. He's seen from from that view,
so he's doing that that job.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Have you been with your caddy for a while now.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, we know it tother for fifteen years now and
he's been on the back for almost three right now. Excellent,
it's pretty.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
You're developing a good I think Shane. That's one thing
we you know, we talk about golf being a team sport.
I think this is a great example of having that
great relation.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I mean the trust. I mean, I mean trusting the
read to the point where you know his eyes are
basically your eyes. Yeah, that's a that's a hard thing
to do as a golfer.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Right exactly. And I need and I need much more
sometimes than I carry. I need an assistant. Yeah, some
traveling logistics. I cannot carry my back. I carry myself
and I can't hit it to sixty, but I can
carry my back. So it's pretty awkward. But he's doing
we're traveling from the same place. He's coming with me.
He's had been with all that logistics, so it's pretty
helpful to have him in the bag. And he's doing
(22:56):
great in the course and obviously of the course, which
is so work that sometimes wouldn't see that they do.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
One. How did the relationship start with paying? How did
this come about? Oh?
Speaker 1 (23:06):
This is uh. One of the best stories that happened
in my life is just being the perfect spot at
the perfect time. So I was playing an event in
edguy event in Portugal maybe if I don't know the days,
but maybe seven eight years ago, and at that time
I was sponsored by another brand and so uh there
was a pink tent on the range and a man,
(23:28):
a feater, came to me. I didn't know who he was.
I thought it was a simple feater. So he came
to me, would you like to test? It was the
eye the blue irons? The eye blue, Yeah, the I
E one iron? Want? Okay, I want so those irons,
So I hit I will test them. I hit the
first shot, and the feater Mike Lee said to me, well,
(23:51):
what do you think on that one? I said one
forty eight eight? So I hit the second ball. I said,
I hit the third one. He like ten balls and
I call all the artists of those shots. So Mike
said me, would you like me to send you the
details of your feeling today? I gave him my email.
(24:11):
I didn't know what was going on at that point.
This guy was really kind with me, but I didn't
know anything. So five days after that, I receive an
email from Mike Leah, a beautiful email that I've got
around there, which is one of the most beautiful mails
I've ever saved in my life. Are saying that being
wanted to support me and if did I say yes?
(24:34):
I will say yes to be part of a family
and with all that that meant. So I said yes,
and I become part of one of the I've got
a big family. In my home were six brothers, but
this is even a big family worldwide, and everywhere you
go you feel like you were with the same people,
which is great. And so I have to say thanks
(24:55):
to Mike. I still see him out in Europe and
it's great too, what he did with me and the
path he showed me to go.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
So you say you have six brothers. Yeah, with six
brothers involved, I mean you said you come from an
athletic family. I know I read your I think your
granddad was a sailor. I mean a lot of these
things involved. What is it like growing up with six brothers?
I mean, I can only assume the household is extremely competitive.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
You need to be so fuss to get the food.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
You know, I'm assuming a lot of apps going on.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yeah, exactly, now, it was. It was really fun. I
mean I think now it's it's even better because now
we are there's more than ones are twenty two. They're twins.
So now we'll get on well, really well with each other.
We'll live in different places and we travel a lot
to see each other. We have really good relationship between us,
(25:43):
and I think we said a lot of memories from
those beginnings. But it was crazy because maybe at home
every single afternoon after school, they were fifteen times around
two of my friends, two of my sister friends. Two.
I mean it was like you have killer guy. Yeah,
it was case all the time.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
One are you a golfer that that gets nervous with
your on TV? First all big part to win a tournament?
Do you and how do you handle those situations?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
If any golfer in the world answered this question saying
that he's not getting nervous, he's a liar. Okay, he's
a liar. I think we all get nervous. And nerves
are good because when you are nervous, it means that
what you're doing it really mattered for you, you really
want to do it well. The problem with nerves is
that if you reach a level of nerves that you
(26:34):
cannot move your body the way you want. That's the
problem you have to fix. But I've never had two situations.
I really feel my mind and my body under control
ninety the situations. So I've worked with psychologists just to
try to focus in the present a little bit more
(26:55):
because sometimes nerves come not to want to miss that shot.
So your mind is in the future. What do you
have to think to hit? That's all what you have
to feel. So I work a lot in the past,
so I think right now I'm really stable at that point.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Marty, how do you handle him? Like, how have you
handled in the past in terms of being nervous it up?
You know, like we've talked about the sixteenth hole at Phoenix,
so we're playing a championship. What's your process to handle nervous.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
I remember I asked Christian Panya this question before I
played my first major, because I was starting to get like,
oh man, this is I'm going to get very nervous.
And he just said, I remember christiansen breathe just I
was like he was in hindsight, he was right. So
I do a lot with breathing, you know, try to
do these diaphragmatic, like real relaxing breathing techniques. But I
(27:43):
get very nervous on the first tea after I hit
that first t shot, I'm like, it's like popping the balloon.
I think relaxed it.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Is important on the on the first t to have
really a security shot. Yes, Like for me, I just
did a flow same we've been talking about, like a
big cut. I will never hit a driving down from
the first tier like I always hear a driver till
and he's a big head, difficult to visit.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
I always say that the worst is when you have
to fairly with on the first It's like the worst thing,
you know, I just want to hit drivers.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
I rather take the drive from the shaft and hit
it god like that than hit it like a dre.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
One.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
You're taking us through kind of your routine on a
day to day basis. I mean it's it's robust. What
do you do outside of golf for fun? Do you
follow sports or you what else do you do besides
just being a golfer.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I really like spending time with my family, to be fair.
I mean, my grandma is quite old right now, so
I like me in the afternoon with her. But I
going to the cinema. I stay a lot of time
with my brothers and sisters. Who's had a nephew, which
is quite good, quite a good feeling from big family man.
But a part of that I really like music, cinema.
(28:57):
I don't really like other sports. I like form that one,
probably because Alanso is agatting up there, So yeah, that's
prettyxciting for the spines. And Carlos signs as well, which
is a great golfer by the way, Carlos and that.
I followed tennis whenever Alcaa or Raphi is around.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Saw Alcoraz of the US Open last year, it was
like a next level experience FASTI as in human form.
It's crazy. I mean, you know, you see these pro
golfers hit it in when you're not watching on TV,
but you see it in person, and it's like it's
like a religious experience. Watching Alcaz play tennis was a
religious right, So crazy good.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Yeah, And I like I like following golf. I don't
follow everything in the tournament, but I love watching the Masters,
the British Open, US Open, the Cup, which last time
I think we won. Uh some research, right, But yeah,
I'm quite a calm man a part of my public life.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Let's say, what are your goals kind of going forward
in this sport? What are your golf goals as you
look ahead, not just in twenty four but beyond.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
On an individual perspective, I like to win US Open.
I think it's a big target on my schedule, also
the British Open. I think it's something really important to
go through and to take back to to Spain and
from a collective point of view, I think it's important
to get this game through more people. I think we
(30:20):
need to have a bigger stage even that what we
have right now, and I think we will get it
people just knowing what they're watching. I think it's amazing.
It's an amazing product to watch a small guy playing
against me one arm and shooting underpart every single day.
I mean, I think it's something crazy to see as
at a golf fund. And I think we can really
(30:40):
inspire so many people around the glove. I think in Europe,
like sixty percent of the population has a disability, so
that's a lot of people in Europe, so it might
have many people could play golf at the same level
as we are doing and make a living from that.
So we're just kind of making a platform so many
(31:01):
more players can come into the game. I think that's
a really a good goal that I talked about with
Brendan Lotter, which is War number two, ky Pop, which
is now War number one. We just need to create
this altogether to have more people into the game.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
One one, there's think about one more club in the
bat in your bag that we didn't get to. Is
your potter. Yeah, so answer D a little deeper face,
tell us a little bit about your connection, how you
got fit and what attracted you to that model.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Well, uh, this is in my life. There's a good
stories for around. So I was in the British Master
this year. I've been playing the Oslo patter from a
long time. I played the Oslo Bolt like from twenty
sixteen something like that, and then I changed last two
years ago to the Oslo PLD. What's the smaller head
the black one? And so I went to the British
(31:51):
Masters and the first day, oh man, I think I
shoot forty two paths in that round. It's not up
round with the potter, but my mind, what's going away?
So I jump into the truck and I said, dumb mate,
I need a patter and me go to the queue.
Not the only one, not the only one. So one
(32:12):
of the feathers of your features here in America was
there in the UK that week. I don't remember the name,
Sorry for that, but came with me to the pattern green.
I think fill Kenyon was arounded as well, and we
figure out that we need to change what was going
on down there, so it changed rustically everything. I was
playing thirty three inchies, we now played thirty four. I
(32:34):
was playing Mallet, now I'm playing more blady Potter. I
was playing a thick grip, now playing a regular grip.
So we trying to change everything. And I was working
pretty well with my twin because I'm really straightforward, so
that kind of head shape. I think it's going great
with that. I'm really happy with that. One a moment.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, one when you come to the United States, what
are you the most excited about? Is it some food
option when you come state side? What do you look for?
Or two of do you like a Chipotle?
Speaker 3 (33:03):
Guy?
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Like, what are you doing? You might not even know
Chipotle is a restaurant. I'm just wondering, Yeah, something here.
You come and you're like, I'm into this.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
I mean, I'm coming from Spain, so the food in
Spain it's yes, a bit bigger level. Yes, Yes, I
like coming to chisca factory or doing those kind of
things once a year, which is great. I love that
in pancakes and I like that. But you know, I
love how you are passionately for the sport. I really
(33:31):
like watching that, Like you really give a lot of
value to two adletes. And I think to any kind
of alt doesn't care if he's playing volleyball or playing
all or playing football or whatever. But you love that,
and you you give us a perspective much higher than
what we have in Europe, which is is something that's
(33:52):
really obviously. Hire a big car. I love driving big cars,
Like I'm going to get the big Yeah, Like like
my girlfriend couldn't jump into the car. He's five feet
he's quite small, so I almost have to jump in
the guy, just get the biggest one.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
It's very America.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
It's very different, Shane. You know you've lived over there.
Going to Europe and renting a car on a golf trip,
it's it's like tetris getting your bag.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
I mean, I mean in Scotland last year, I had
to take the rental back and I was like, this
isn't gonna I can't do it. I'll just do it,
but it's fine. I just this isn't gonna work for me.
The Northern Scotland I was out but yeah, that's so
funny about the svs. It's such a true thing. I
want to really appreciate the time. I mean, a great story,
love watching you swing, love watching you play, and uh
and yeah, just appreciate you spending some time with us
(34:40):
on the Pink proven Grounds podcast.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Thank you for mine the first time here, I'm hopefully
not the last.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Absolutely well have you back on. Thank You is the
Pink proven Grounds Podcast.
The guys from paying.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
They've kind of showed me how much the equipment matters.
I just love that I can hit any shot I
kind of want.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
We're gonna be able to tell some fun stories about
what goes on here to help golfers play better golf.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome back to the Paining proven Grounds podcast. I'm Shane
Baker and Marty Jertsen over there, and we got a
great guest today. One Postigo joining us plays DP World Tour.
Is it Edgar or do you say E d G
A which.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Both of them, both of them, but I'd say ed Guys,
he's here.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
How long you've been playing professional golf? I only been
battling it out there.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I've been playing golf for my entire life, but professionally
just three years now, and it's been fun journey.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
How's it going? How how different is pro golf from
year one to now year three?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
It's quite similar. I mean I enjoyed the game the
same way I did when I was an amateur. I
really love traveling, I really love do what I do,
and so I haven't seen a lot of differences. Just
at my bank account, sometimes you just go up and
down quid the creek well, it's okay, it's okay.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
At least you got part you know sometimes you So.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
You were born without much of your right leg. You
started playing golf at the age of twelve. I saw
that when you were fourteen you were a thirty handicap. Yeah,
and you got down to a four handicap in a
couple of years.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Did the bug bite right away? Were you obsessed with
golf right when? You kind of film the game?
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Like, I came really from a really sportive family. I
think when I was wronging with my disability, my parents
starting me to to sport pretty quick. I was a
good swimmer, was a good skier. I was pretty good
sailor at that time. But my granddad just retired from
work and he started playing golf, and so I was
the only grandson that want to play with him. So
(01:43):
that's why why I got engaged with the game, and
I really loved it. I think the opportunities that the
game of gold gives you as a disabled are much
bigger than any other sport. Because when I was sailing,
I have different boat. When I was a swimmer, I
couldn't make the same times at the other died. But
now as a golfer. I play with the same equipment
(02:04):
and the same golf club, the same golf ball, the
same golf course, and I can beat anyone. So I
think that's why the game already I got passionate about it.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Well, growing up in Spain, who are some of your
the golfers that influenced you or that you kind of
looked looked up to in your childhood and early on
your golf.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Care We're We're a pretty small country. Golf is not
very big sports, just soccer around there or tennis, but
we have pretty good golfers in Obviously, say bay status
has been the main experiension around them. We're from the
same town, so it's been great to have been close
to him and his family. And Oli is also a
(02:43):
big name marital and then obviously rum many others that
came through and that make the game much bigger in
our country.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
We hear so much about Savvy as this inspiration for
Spanish golfers and for European golfers. I mean, being from
his hometown, is it everywhere? I mean the people know
of him across the board. Is the kind of a
legend of Sevy in your hometown A big part of
your town now.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
It is it is Savy obviously is a big name
over there in might. Like forty fifty years ago, when
these men started playing majors and doing these kind of things,
golf was just a very small sport in the country,
just for the richest people. He was a cuddy, humble
guy from how the beginning farmer family. And so the
story he has, the way he did it, the way
(03:33):
he show us the younger that we were coming through,
how it's been done, it's really passionately doesn't make us
a bit more focused on our targets. And I think
he's a really big part of any European golfer, not
the Spandy, but European golfer Marty.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It's so interesting. You know, as Americans, we don't run
into this this that often, but you think about somebody
like Seve takes up the game, becomes obviously a great player,
starts to play well in major, starts to win major championships,
and then fifteen twenty thirty years later you see this
boom in golf from the area he's from or the
country he's in. You think about somebody like Victor Hoven, right, Yeah,
(04:11):
in Victor Hovelin and coming from a country that hasn't
had a whole bunch of great golfers from that area
over the years. You think about what Victor Hoblin's success
could do to where he is from in fifteen or
twenty years, as young players see them pop up. I mean,
you know, the dream Team in the NBA in ninety two,
and how many great basketball players have now come from Europe.
I mean it is crazy to see that how one
(04:33):
person can have such an impact on an area.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, and I think Spain is there's so much all
the players that come from Spain, the Spaniards, they have
this passion about them and at least from the outside
looking in, That's what I think we've seen with you, Juan,
And it's been fun for us at paying to get
to know you more and help support you with equipment
because you kind of bring that. You kind of bring
(04:58):
that to the game into the sport. Tell us about
the last tell us a little about about what you
think you were, the strengths of your game are, and
what your priorities are from a playing standpoint, competitive standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I think I'm pretty strong at every part of the game.
But my coach doesn't say the same.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Coach. Who is your coach right now?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
My coach is a big name over there. It's Sane.
He's from the same era that us. He's now sixty five.
He started cutting at the same time that he did,
so they were pretty close friends. So that's my kind
of coach, old school coach. We don't work too much
with technologiest. We don't like truck Man. I use it
(05:42):
at some points. I think it's necessary to know some
data sometimes, but we are not based on that for
the day work. But I think we work out on
the short game.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
It's really important because obviously with my disability, some times
I miss my balance on some longer show, so I
may probably miss two more greens that an average go
pro for perhaps, so I need to get up and
noun more. Usually, my driver is a big strength. Like
when I changed to being seven years ago. Eight years ago,
(06:15):
it was a game changer to have bing drivers on
the back because they really stable and those miss hit
I may have because of my balance, they keep the
ball in the fare away. I'm not that short, so
I think that was a big change for me. And
then from a bus striking perspective, I need to know
very well how the body is sitting. It's really important
(06:36):
not to be really wet areas or windy anything that
can move me. It makes it tougher.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Yeah, so short game and in terms of your club
head speed, we're talking a little bit. I've tried to
swing on one leg and Shane, I don't know what
I swing My drivers probably around eighty miles.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I mean the same. I mean, it's mean what you're
you're in that you're up in the uppward hundred, right,
I mean yeah, I mean very very impressive.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah, I'm around one o five. My goal is to
get to one ten.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
What are you doing to get to one ten? Are
you doing? Like speed training? How do you you working
out in the gym? Like how are you trying to
get to one ten?
Speaker 1 (07:17):
I'm doing everything I can. I mean, I'm working hard
on my strength, on my mobility, I'm working on everything.
But I think I'm reaching some point that is going
is getting tough to go up. There's a big player.
A few years ago we were at the Open Champion
to Miss Andrews and I was hitting balls in the
range and Bryson the shamble came in and he can
(07:40):
of take you a video, of course, but you can
take me a video. But after that, I asked him, Bryson,
what can I do to get some more some more mild,
and he just said no, it's very simple, very simple.
You have to hit one hundred drives every day as
high as you can, and your ball pit will increase
pretty fast. And I say, Bryson, if I hate one
hundred drives from Monday, I won't be able to get
(08:03):
out from bed until Thursday. So quite yeah, that's right.
But it was a fun conversation.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You initially tried to play with a prosthetic, right, and
then it just didn't make sense for you, So that's
kind of the reason you switched to just swinging on
one leg.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Well, basically, I play with my prosthetic my first five
years playing the game. But at the age of sixteen seventeen,
I had an operation on my stamp, so something went
pretty wrong. So everything that touched my stamp I have
like a nerve pain. So anything that touched this. Obviously
I can put my weight on a prosthetic kills me.
(08:39):
So that's why I had to decide or stop playing
the game or just keep with one leg. Was quite tough.
At the moment because I was like a two handicapper,
or I mean I was a good player at that point.
So starting playing from the beginning again, your mind knowing
how well you could play, but your body couldn't do
that movement was my talenting at that point.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Well let's go, let's talk about what's in your bag
a little bit. So you got uh ten k driver, Yeah,
talked a lot about the forgiveness helping you.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Right.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Uh, what's the rest of your bag? Breakdown? Look like
into your your metal woods and then into your long irons.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Yeah, I play ten k. Just a few days ago,
I thought the G four thirte was max was difficult
to improve, but these guys did it again.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Physics wins.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I just put it straight in the bag after hitting
three four shots here and then I've got five and
three boot The max is Uh. I wought my cheft
a little bit shorter than those from a long time ago.
I think Mike Lee, yeah seven years ago told me
to used to show those boots a little bit, and
I have much better impact than I feel the club
(09:48):
had much more table through impact. And then last year
I make a main sweet in the factory in Greensboro.
I used to play it two thirty four iron, but
it was some times difficult to get the carry distance
at some awkward spots, so we decided to build up
a hybrid. I was anti hybrid player, I mean, I
(10:10):
didn't like hybrids all. I thought it was going to
go left and those.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Way or that before right.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Yeah, yeah, But the fields over there I just fitted
pretty well. I mean, and the ball is just pretty
good ball flight, and I find that with my three
quarter swing, I can make the distance I was making
with my full fire and before it was pretty good change.
And from down there, I've got five fire into putting
wet to the I two thirties. I've been playing the
icy for a long time and this is my second
(10:36):
set of five two thirties. So it's pretty good, very
stable iron, very accurate with the distances, which I think
it's key on the on the high level, at least
I know exactly what the boy's going to do. And
on the heel impacts, it's amazingly it doesn't lose any distance,
I mean maybe two three yards, which is great because
(10:57):
I hit off the hill often, so I know my
boy's going to be in the green. Just that's the bin.
So it's pretty good. And then I changed a few
days ago from the glide Pro. I played Glipro for
a while, which I love them. Yeah, fifty four fifty eight,
I changed the S one fifty nine and uh, pretty
(11:19):
pretty good. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I noticed in your wedges you're using the h grind, right,
So what have you noticed with that? What do you
like in your short game technique? What are some of
the characteristics of how you use your fifty four and
fifty eight or your wedges around the green?
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Yeah, look with it. With the glide Pro, I found
out that sometimes I like using my my clap place
they would open all the time. Yeah, So I felt
that sometimes with the old wags is the bound the
bounds hit the ground before.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Too early, too early.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
So I went here and lit to my we've God,
what do you need the eighth grind? Okay, give it
to me. And it's like a little bit it's just
not the bouncy, just the grind, a little bit less bounty,
and I can feel like my face open on tide
lights and I know it's going to go through the
ground perfectly. And so it's like a little getting changered
to be fair, I mean I tested three days ago,
(12:15):
as I said to you, with your feeders, and it
was great to see how the ball was coming low
and spinny without interacting with the ground.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
So it was beautiful, beautiful, And you use that in
the fifty four and the fifty eight, so that H
one stands for half moon. Yeah, right, so you get
that little half moon crescent shape.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
So when you open the face, yeah, it's more fatterned.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
That the leadage stays lower to the ground.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Yeah, so that's pretty pretty good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
One, What is it like being an inspiration for people?
I know you travel around the world and you know
you try to raise awareness for disabled golfers. What is
it like when people reach out to you on social
media or people ask you how do you play golf
or how did you get into golf? What is it
like being a role model if you will, to so
many people out there.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I mean, I wouldn't like to say a role model
because my mother wouldn't be agreed with that. No, but
it is amazing. I mean to see what can you
generate just playing the game you love? It is something
great because for me I was more like this, It's
something I've been doing all my life. I've just my
crutches before that, my wett is, so I mean it's
(13:20):
something that I live with it and I don't know
what's putting to shoo. So I mean it's something that
I don't understand. But I see on people what you
create on them that feeling that I also can do it,
and that's great to see I received. I was talking
with Christiane a few moments ago on how many message
(13:40):
you received every week on social media on my son
You're just lost one leg, du country, what a golfer?
You think he will be able to keep going? Of
course he will be able to keep going. Just go
to the range, go to your head pro and start
building it and start doing it. And I think the
game of golf is the best platform to do it.
And I think with with brands like being that really
(14:05):
are focus on make this game adaptive to anyone, I mean,
just support too many other players that yeah, I mean,
we've got golfers without arms, I mean, and we've got
incredible engineers around here that are able to be a
set of plays for them. I mean, I think I'm
on the on the perfect spot to show because what
we are doing and we this partnership is is going
(14:26):
great because I think we will show many more people
what the game of goal and what equipment is going
to do in their lives.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Yeah, Shane, we had doctor Paul wood On who kind
of helped kick off a bunch of our engineering work
we've done. Want talked about, you know, some of our
paddle attachments we have for for golfers playing without arms.
It's pretty incredible and very fun to watch, very fun
to play play golf with you guys. I'm jealous of
your swing personally. For those of you that haven't seen it,
(14:53):
go go go google on and check out how pure
is golf swing is.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
So you mentioned Savvy is such an inspiration. Sevie's son
is your agent. How did that relationship come about?
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Oh, this is a little bit of a crazy thing.
I know Haabier and Carmen and Miguel the family for
a long time. We're pretty good friends. We are almost
the same age. He's a bit older than me, but
we're a good friend. We've played all of golf together,
and Habier was playing professional golf. He decided not to
play anymore two three years ago, and so we started
(15:30):
working together. He called me, I want I was playing
in Dubai the Wife and Ali two years ago, and
he told me that he was interested in working with me,
and I said, Lavier, of course, I'd love to work
with you. So I went back home and he called
me to go to his house, his dad house, big
house on top of the town and beautiful and for
the golf course. And when we went to the to
(15:50):
the hall and I was signing a dealer with Kavier
on top of a of a table with a glass table,
and under there it was all them how do you
call them? Those pages, the baties, the Asta baties, Brittish
Open batties, the PA Champion by the US Open battiest,
goosebumps on goose, And I was like, what I'm doing here?
(16:12):
I think it was a crazy moment in my career.
And obvisually working with him, it's pretty good. He's Spanish,
I'm Spanish. We got on well together. He's really interested,
really in my career and he's a golf lover. So
I think I'm in pretty good hands.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
What's your schedule like, what's what's a year like for you?
How many events are you playing? How often are you
traveling comes stateside much? And playing things over here? What
does your ear look like?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
I traveled around let's year, I traveled twenty five weeks.
I played probably sixteen tournaments last year, and I had
ear nine weeks for sponsors or speeches or different kinds
of things, So pretty traveled much. My main schedule is
based on DP World Tour. We played there nine a year,
(17:00):
so that's pretty busy. And then I played the Major
with the JUS Open here in the US, British Open
in the UK, and also Open as well in Australia,
and then I tried to play professional elements in Spain
on the app Store as well on the Challenge Tour.
Who is quite a busy schedule.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah, I mean you're twenty thirty events? Is that fair
to say? I mean, is that? Are you close to
twenty five at this point?
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Yeah? Yeah this year, I hope. I mean I shouldn't
play that much. My doctors don't like me to do
that often. But it's just you can't say no, right,
why don't you you want to come to Phoenix? Oh,
we'll do it. Why not? I mean we want to
come to Japan? All right, We'll go to Japan, we'll
make it. And then you end the year you look
(17:47):
back and say, oh, I took one hundred and twenty
plains this year. It's just pretty busy.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
I got everywhere.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
I don't remember everywhere.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
One. Pia Nielsen and Lynn Marriott have been great. They're
great friends of paying Ping Ambassadords. I personally read their
books when I was growing up. Vision fifty four very
inspirational to me. Tell us a little bit about how
they've inspired you in their work.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
I think it's easy to know what they have done
for the game. I read that book as well. I've
got conversations with them, and I think the vision they've
got they have to make this game simpler than what
it is, is really what the key on their book.
I mean, you can make only one everything a whole,
you can bury everything a whole. Why not. We're more
(18:38):
focused on our missus than our targets. And that's I'm
a professional golfer and it still happened to me sometimes.
So I really think the vision they've got it's great
for everyone, for amateurs, but for professional is what makes
us for a living, So it's pretty important.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Yeah. Yeah, Well, one tell us a little bit about
what you're especially maybe when you're traveling you know, and
playing tournaments. What does your practice routine look like. What
percentage of your time do you work on driving, full swinging, chipping, putting,
and how do you kind of organize that?
Speaker 1 (19:14):
So when I'm home, I try to practice every day
from Monday to Friday. I try to get the weekends off,
but they're never all because I play nine hole with
friends or just you. Yeah I'm a geek. Yeah, And
so I wake up seven, go to the game, make
some warm ups. It's really important for me to warm
(19:34):
up before going off to the range because my body
is quite stiff in the mornings. If I need to
go to the gym to lose up a little bit,
it's just half an a forty minutes warm up. I
go to the range. I usually hit one hour balls,
one hour and a half short game practice, and then
forty five minutes putting. And then I play nine holes
(19:55):
with a bag on my shoulders, not the tour back
just motorbag, hoop bag, grazy tour bag. Yeah yeah, yeah, yes,
it's too hard. And so after that, I get home
by two PM. I got lunch at that time, which
is normal time, and spent here's today. But that's a
Spanish time to have food.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
I'm jealous of Spanish time.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And then I have a little siesta, a little nap,
which is if you're a good Spanish, you have to
do it. It's just a master case. It's just you
have to do it. And after that real question, yeah,
I need to question how long is the nap?
Speaker 2 (20:28):
I mean we've been having these nap conversations this week
amongst the ping crew. Yeah, what's what's the time? Where
you know, five minutes or you an hour?
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Experts says that twenty minutes nap is the best. I
think twenty minutes snapped. It doesn't it's too short, yeah, okay,
like forty five minutes, forty five? Yeah, it can get
to an hour and fifteen, but shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Okay did you get two hours? That's just yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:53):
No one do you do you set an alarm? Or
is it you just wake up after forty five minutes? No?
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Yes? Yes, Isabell my girlfriend? She'll wake me up.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Okay, she's so long, Yeah, she's so it's launch then
that yeah, And then and then I go to the
gym one hour and twenty minutes probably I make a
strength Monday Wednesday, on Friday and Tuesday and Thursday with
cardios on bike.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
So that's my practice routine basically.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
One with your left leg. Yeah, how long can you
stand on it? Balance on it without the use of crutches?
Can you do this for multiple minutes on it forever?
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:32):
I can for hours?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Really?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
And then when you're reading Potts, are you crouching down?
Are you bending over? How do you handle reading Potts?
Speaker 1 (21:41):
I used to move much more than what I'm doing now. Visually,
I have to take care. I want to play golf forever,
so I need to be really careful about my body.
So my knee is some pretty good shape, but the
less I move it, they basically going to be in
the futer. So I've got a great caddy which is
doing all that reads on the line. We know it
to the for a long time, so I really trust
(22:03):
on on the lines. He's seen from from that view,
so he's doing that that job.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Have you been with your caddy for a while now.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Yeah, we know it tother for fifteen years now and
he's been on the back for almost three right now. Excellent,
it's pretty.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
You're developing a good I think Shane. That's one thing
we you know, we talk about golf being a team sport.
I think this is a great example of having that
great relation.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I mean the trust. I mean, I mean trusting the
read to the point where you know his eyes are
basically your eyes. Yeah, that's a that's a hard thing
to do as a golfer.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Right exactly. And I need and I need much more
sometimes than I carry. I need an assistant. Yeah, some
traveling logistics. I cannot carry my back. I carry myself
and I can't hit it to sixty, but I can
carry my back. So it's pretty awkward. But he's doing
we're traveling from the same place. He's coming with me.
He's had been with all that logistics, so it's pretty
helpful to have him in the bag. And he's doing
(22:56):
great in the course and obviously of the course, which
is so work that sometimes wouldn't see that they do.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
One. How did the relationship start with paying? How did
this come about? Oh?
Speaker 1 (23:06):
This is uh. One of the best stories that happened
in my life is just being the perfect spot at
the perfect time. So I was playing an event in
edguy event in Portugal maybe if I don't know the days,
but maybe seven eight years ago, and at that time
I was sponsored by another brand and so uh there
was a pink tent on the range and a man,
(23:28):
a feater, came to me. I didn't know who he was.
I thought it was a simple feater. So he came
to me, would you like to test? It was the
eye the blue irons? The eye blue, Yeah, the I
E one iron? Want? Okay, I want so those irons,
So I hit I will test them. I hit the
first shot, and the feater Mike Lee said to me, well,
(23:51):
what do you think on that one? I said one
forty eight eight? So I hit the second ball. I said,
I hit the third one. He like ten balls and
I call all the artists of those shots. So Mike
said me, would you like me to send you the
details of your feeling today? I gave him my email.
(24:11):
I didn't know what was going on at that point.
This guy was really kind with me, but I didn't
know anything. So five days after that, I receive an
email from Mike Leah, a beautiful email that I've got
around there, which is one of the most beautiful mails
I've ever saved in my life. Are saying that being
wanted to support me and if did I say yes?
(24:34):
I will say yes to be part of a family
and with all that that meant. So I said yes,
and I become part of one of the I've got
a big family. In my home were six brothers, but
this is even a big family worldwide, and everywhere you
go you feel like you were with the same people,
which is great. And so I have to say thanks
(24:55):
to Mike. I still see him out in Europe and
it's great too, what he did with me and the
path he showed me to go.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
So you say you have six brothers. Yeah, with six
brothers involved, I mean you said you come from an
athletic family. I know I read your I think your
granddad was a sailor. I mean a lot of these
things involved. What is it like growing up with six brothers?
I mean, I can only assume the household is extremely competitive.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
You need to be so fuss to get the food.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
You know, I'm assuming a lot of apps going on.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yeah, exactly, now, it was. It was really fun. I
mean I think now it's it's even better because now
we are there's more than ones are twenty two. They're twins.
So now we'll get on well, really well with each other.
We'll live in different places and we travel a lot
to see each other. We have really good relationship between us,
(25:43):
and I think we said a lot of memories from
those beginnings. But it was crazy because maybe at home
every single afternoon after school, they were fifteen times around
two of my friends, two of my sister friends. Two.
I mean it was like you have killer guy. Yeah,
it was case all the time.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
One are you a golfer that that gets nervous with
your on TV? First all big part to win a tournament?
Do you and how do you handle those situations?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
If any golfer in the world answered this question saying
that he's not getting nervous, he's a liar. Okay, he's
a liar. I think we all get nervous. And nerves
are good because when you are nervous, it means that
what you're doing it really mattered for you, you really
want to do it well. The problem with nerves is
that if you reach a level of nerves that you
(26:34):
cannot move your body the way you want. That's the
problem you have to fix. But I've never had two situations.
I really feel my mind and my body under control
ninety the situations. So I've worked with psychologists just to
try to focus in the present a little bit more
(26:55):
because sometimes nerves come not to want to miss that shot.
So your mind is in the future. What do you
have to think to hit? That's all what you have
to feel. So I work a lot in the past,
so I think right now I'm really stable at that point.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Marty, how do you handle him? Like, how have you
handled in the past in terms of being nervous it up?
You know, like we've talked about the sixteenth hole at Phoenix,
so we're playing a championship. What's your process to handle nervous.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
I remember I asked Christian Panya this question before I
played my first major, because I was starting to get like,
oh man, this is I'm going to get very nervous.
And he just said, I remember christiansen breathe just I
was like he was in hindsight, he was right. So
I do a lot with breathing, you know, try to
do these diaphragmatic, like real relaxing breathing techniques. But I
(27:43):
get very nervous on the first tea after I hit
that first t shot, I'm like, it's like popping the balloon.
I think relaxed it.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Is important on the on the first t to have
really a security shot. Yes, Like for me, I just
did a flow same we've been talking about, like a
big cut. I will never hit a driving down from
the first tier like I always hear a driver till
and he's a big head, difficult to visit.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
I always say that the worst is when you have
to fairly with on the first It's like the worst thing,
you know, I just want to hit drivers.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
I rather take the drive from the shaft and hit
it god like that than hit it like a dre.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
One.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
You're taking us through kind of your routine on a
day to day basis. I mean it's it's robust. What
do you do outside of golf for fun? Do you
follow sports or you what else do you do besides
just being a golfer.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I really like spending time with my family, to be fair.
I mean, my grandma is quite old right now, so
I like me in the afternoon with her. But I
going to the cinema. I stay a lot of time
with my brothers and sisters. Who's had a nephew, which
is quite good, quite a good feeling from big family man.
But a part of that I really like music, cinema.
(28:57):
I don't really like other sports. I like form that one,
probably because Alanso is agatting up there, So yeah, that's
prettyxciting for the spines. And Carlos signs as well, which
is a great golfer by the way, Carlos and that.
I followed tennis whenever Alcaa or Raphi is around.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Saw Alcoraz of the US Open last year, it was
like a next level experience FASTI as in human form.
It's crazy. I mean, you know, you see these pro
golfers hit it in when you're not watching on TV,
but you see it in person, and it's like it's
like a religious experience. Watching Alcaz play tennis was a
religious right, So crazy good.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Yeah, And I like I like following golf. I don't
follow everything in the tournament, but I love watching the Masters,
the British Open, US Open, the Cup, which last time
I think we won. Uh some research, right, But yeah,
I'm quite a calm man a part of my public life.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Let's say, what are your goals kind of going forward
in this sport? What are your golf goals as you
look ahead, not just in twenty four but beyond.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
On an individual perspective, I like to win US Open.
I think it's a big target on my schedule, also
the British Open. I think it's something really important to
go through and to take back to to Spain and
from a collective point of view, I think it's important
to get this game through more people. I think we
(30:20):
need to have a bigger stage even that what we
have right now, and I think we will get it
people just knowing what they're watching. I think it's amazing.
It's an amazing product to watch a small guy playing
against me one arm and shooting underpart every single day.
I mean, I think it's something crazy to see as
at a golf fund. And I think we can really
(30:40):
inspire so many people around the glove. I think in Europe,
like sixty percent of the population has a disability, so
that's a lot of people in Europe, so it might
have many people could play golf at the same level
as we are doing and make a living from that.
So we're just kind of making a platform so many
(31:01):
more players can come into the game. I think that's
a really a good goal that I talked about with
Brendan Lotter, which is War number two, ky Pop, which
is now War number one. We just need to create
this altogether to have more people into the game.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
One one, there's think about one more club in the
bat in your bag that we didn't get to. Is
your potter. Yeah, so answer D a little deeper face,
tell us a little bit about your connection, how you
got fit and what attracted you to that model.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Well, uh, this is in my life. There's a good
stories for around. So I was in the British Master
this year. I've been playing the Oslo patter from a
long time. I played the Oslo Bolt like from twenty
sixteen something like that, and then I changed last two
years ago to the Oslo PLD. What's the smaller head
the black one? And so I went to the British
(31:51):
Masters and the first day, oh man, I think I
shoot forty two paths in that round. It's not up
round with the potter, but my mind, what's going away?
So I jump into the truck and I said, dumb mate,
I need a patter and me go to the queue.
Not the only one, not the only one. So one
(32:12):
of the feathers of your features here in America was
there in the UK that week. I don't remember the name,
Sorry for that, but came with me to the pattern green.
I think fill Kenyon was arounded as well, and we
figure out that we need to change what was going
on down there, so it changed rustically everything. I was
playing thirty three inchies, we now played thirty four. I
(32:34):
was playing Mallet, now I'm playing more blady Potter. I
was playing a thick grip, now playing a regular grip.
So we trying to change everything. And I was working
pretty well with my twin because I'm really straightforward, so
that kind of head shape. I think it's going great
with that. I'm really happy with that. One a moment.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, one when you come to the United States, what
are you the most excited about? Is it some food
option when you come state side? What do you look for?
Or two of do you like a Chipotle?
Speaker 3 (33:03):
Guy?
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Like, what are you doing? You might not even know
Chipotle is a restaurant. I'm just wondering, Yeah, something here.
You come and you're like, I'm into this.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
I mean, I'm coming from Spain, so the food in
Spain it's yes, a bit bigger level. Yes, Yes, I
like coming to chisca factory or doing those kind of
things once a year, which is great. I love that
in pancakes and I like that. But you know, I
love how you are passionately for the sport. I really
(33:31):
like watching that, Like you really give a lot of
value to two adletes. And I think to any kind
of alt doesn't care if he's playing volleyball or playing
all or playing football or whatever. But you love that,
and you you give us a perspective much higher than
what we have in Europe, which is is something that's
(33:52):
really obviously. Hire a big car. I love driving big cars,
Like I'm going to get the big Yeah, Like like
my girlfriend couldn't jump into the car. He's five feet
he's quite small, so I almost have to jump in
the guy, just get the biggest one.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
It's very America.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
It's very different, Shane. You know you've lived over there.
Going to Europe and renting a car on a golf trip,
it's it's like tetris getting your bag.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
I mean, I mean in Scotland last year, I had
to take the rental back and I was like, this
isn't gonna I can't do it. I'll just do it,
but it's fine. I just this isn't gonna work for me.
The Northern Scotland I was out but yeah, that's so
funny about the svs. It's such a true thing. I
want to really appreciate the time. I mean, a great story,
love watching you swing, love watching you play, and uh
and yeah, just appreciate you spending some time with us
(34:40):
on the Pink proven Grounds podcast.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Thank you for mine the first time here, I'm hopefully
not the last.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Absolutely well have you back on. Thank You is the
Pink proven Grounds Podcast.
Popular Podcasts
1. The Podium
The Podium: An NBC Olympic and Paralympic podcast. Join us for insider coverage during the intense competition at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. In the run-up to the Opening Ceremony, we’ll bring you deep into the stories and events that have you know and those you'll be hard-pressed to forget.
2. In The Village
In The Village will take you into the most exclusive areas of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to explore the daily life of athletes, complete with all the funny, mundane and unexpected things you learn off the field of play. Join Elizabeth Beisel as she sits down with Olympians each day in Paris.
3. iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2024 Olympics.