August 13, 2024 • 44 mins
Mental Breakthrough: Jake Peacock's Path to Collegiate Success and Pro Ambitions
In this episode of the Accelerate Golf Podcast, I am joined by Jake Peacock, a standout collegiate golfer at the University of South Florida and the reigning American Athletic Conference (AAC) Men's Golf Player of the Year. Jake takes us on an inspiring journey through his transformation from a struggling junior golfer to clinching his first collegiate tournament victory as a freshman and becoming an elite player at the collegiate level.
Jake opens up about the pivotal role of his coaches and the opportunities that college golf has provided. He highlights the impact of his mental coach, Phil Shomo, who helped him break through the mental barriers that once held his game back. We dive into the details of Jake’s practice routines, the importance of applying pressure during practice sessions, and his meticulous approach to preparing for tournaments.
Throughout our conversation, Jake candidly discusses his weaknesses, shares strategies for overcoming challenges on the course, and reflects on his aspirations of turning professional. He also offers valuable advice to aspiring young golfers, emphasizing the significance of resilience, mental strength, and continuous improvement.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about golf, player development, and the mental game. Join us as Jake Peacock provides a glimpse into the life of a collegiate golfer, his goals as a senior at USF and his pro ambitions.
Presented by: QSchool Sports https://qschoolsports.com
Music: Intro and outro by Infraction Music – “Silent Night.”
Previous Episodes: https://accelerategolf.com/podcast/
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2lF07BOS0y7fIxoxoSxEAk
University of South Florida: https://www.usf.edu/
USF Men’s Golf: https://gousfbulls.com/sports/mens-golf
Hashtags: #pgatour #pgaprofessional #usf #golf #ncaa #junior #college #sponsorship #liv #professionalgolf
Tags: @Straight Shot to College Golf, @College Golf Alumni, @College Bound Golf, @CollegeReviews
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I was lucky enough to have had my best stuff in my first ever college start
as a freshman and to have actually won my very first start and I just kind of
took off from there freshman year and played some really solid golf. I don't know what I am.
Music.
I don't know.
(00:24):
Welcome to the Accelerate Golf Podcast, where we explore player improvement
and the business of golf through conversations.
I'm your host, Bikram Kapoor, and today I have the pleasure of speaking with
Jake Peacock, a rising senior who plays on the University of South Florida men's
golf team. Welcome to the podcast, Jake.
(00:46):
Thank you for having me. So Jake, you are a very accomplished collegiate player.
I mean, just this season, you won two tournaments.
You were including the conference individual championship.
You were named the 2024 American Athletic Conference Men's Golf Player of the Year.
Just told me you're going to play the a western amateur so it
(01:08):
looks like you have a solid golf game
you have your head squarely on your shoulders so take
us into life as a collegiate player at that level oh gosh where to begin college
golf is is so much fun and i think you know it's it's flying by people warned
me that were older than me like dude like take it all in because it it flies
(01:31):
by and you're going to miss it once you're out of it.
But it's been, it's been a great ride these past few years to be where I'm at
and to, I've been blessed to have found a home at USF in Tampa.
Coach Bradley and Coach Caldwell have been the greatest mentors,
greatest guys to, to guide me through this journey here in college these past few years.
(01:53):
And I think I've really matured my game.
I think I've I've just matured in general as a golfer and just as a person outside of golf.
And that's thanks to them. It's thanks to my teammates. It's thanks to the area that I'm at.
But no, college golf is, we, it's super special.
You know, we get to go to these amazing places, travel all across the country
(02:15):
and play in these, you know, high class events and compete at the highest level.
And it's for nothing. And, you know, I don't think I'm going to quite understand
how meaningful and how lucky we were until, you know, I don't have it anymore and until it's gone.
But now college golf is an absolute blast.
(02:37):
You know, I'm spending each and every day with my teammates trying to we're
trying to beat each other each and every day, trying to push each other.
And it's just really cool to be a part of a family where everybody's trying
to get better each and every day and eventually, you know, have the end goal
of making a national championship.
And we came up a little bit short last year and really looking forward to the
(02:59):
opportunity to make it back to regionals like we did last year and maybe pull
through and get to that natty.
But, no, I mean, I could go on all day about college golf.
It means the world to me, and it only gets better each and every year.
And so I've just been, I've been blessed to have found a home at USF and my
game has definitely excelled.
(03:21):
The University of South Florida is in the NCAA Division I.
And it would really, to set the stage and frame it correctly for our listeners,
take us through your journey.
How were you when you were developing as a junior?
How did you get recruited into college? And I I understand you transferred to USF.
(03:43):
So just take us through that journey. Yeah. So I don't think I,
I think I really hit my stride in junior golf really late in the recruiting
window and the recruiting process.
And so I think I, you know, I played, I played some of my best golf was like
the summer before going to college where I really started to step it up and
(04:06):
starting to become a more mature player.
And so I was very fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to have played at Western Carolina.
It was, you know, I didn't have many offers at the time and it gave me a platform
at the Division I level where I could go and kind of see what I'm made of.
And I was lucky enough to have had my best stuff in my first ever college start
(04:28):
as a freshman and to have actually won my very first start. And I just kind
of took off from there freshman year and played some really solid golf.
And while Western Carolina was very gracious to me and allowed me to have a
place to perform, I knew that I wanted to take my talents elsewhere.
(04:49):
And so I entered the transfer portal right after freshman year and went through
that fun phase of trying to find my next home.
I don't want to spend the rest of my years in college at.
And USF really spoke to me, and there was something different about them that
these other schools didn't have.
(05:10):
And I think a big part of it was Coach Bradley and Coach Caldwell,
and I got to meet the guys and just kind of get a taste of the family that this program's all about.
I was very fortunate enough to found a new home in Tampa right away.
Things were different. You know, I think everything, every kind of category
(05:31):
was at a different level from obviously the weather we're pretty spoiled with.
Tournament schedule resources the coaches all kinds of staff and just the organization.
Overall everybody really wanted to get better each and every day and push each other and.
(05:51):
Yeah it's been it's been a fun ride you know i've been i also attribute a lot
of my success most of it to be honest with you to a mental coach i've been working
with for a little over four years now.
His name is Phil Shomo. He's out of Hilton Head, South Carolina.
And it was probably my junior year of high school, something around there. That's summer.
(06:18):
I was playing in state junior.
And this is probably the lowest point in my golf career,
to be honest with you i i really grew
up with throughout high school and just
junior golf in general i i really had
some some routine issues with my game and
(06:39):
and i was kind of known as a as a slow player and
i knew it myself too but there was just a barrier that
i couldn't that i could not get over and so
i remember this day i was playing with a kid
who was working with phil at
the time and so Phil got to watch me play as well because I was in the group
(07:00):
and I remember this day was the only time I'd ever been penalized for slow play
it was the only day and it just so happened to be the day that Phil was there
and so after the round I had a really rough day.
And he comes up to me he tells
me that you know he works with the kid I played with and he
(07:21):
kind of told me about what he does he's a sports psychologist and works
in with mental training for golfers and
you know he told me a little bit about what he does and we
had a phone call you know a day later when I
got back home and and soon enough started working together via zoom sessions
and I remember it was later that summer not even I don't know a month or two
(07:45):
that I actually qualified for my first state amateur and I actually finished fifth that week,
which was a big accomplishment for me at the time.
One of my biggest ones at that point.
And, you know, Phil and I have been working together now for a little over four years.
(08:06):
And, you know, I think I've spent the majority of my training actually with
the space between my ears than I have with my physical part of my game.
Okay. And it's just really unlocked everything.
Levels to my game that that I had no idea
were even possible and so first things first
when I worked with Phil we really worked on you know
(08:27):
my routine first of all and so he just we
we went really deep into into the layers
of it and eventually kind of freed me up and and
built this new routine that I can rely on that's you know
quicker more allowed me to be
more confident myself and committed to what i'm
doing and i could talk
(08:48):
all day about the stuff that we work on but and we'll
get and we'll get into some depth in in there as
well jake yeah so was phil obviously
it sounds like it he was your first mental coach but before that did you have
a swing coach when you were growing up yeah i definitely i've had i've had a
(09:09):
few for sure i haven't been heavily into the physical lessons to be honest with
you like i don't get a ton of instruction,
growing up i definitely went back and forth with some instructors and currently.
I am with one of my first ones ever chris marado
from iron horse and yeah i
(09:30):
think you know the physical part of the game is obviously very very
important but i'm not so i'm not
a super mechanical guy like i'm not super into the the small details of of the
golf swing to be honest with you i haven't done a ton of work with my swing
over the years it's kind of looked the same for for a very long time you know
(09:51):
i i think when i do work with chris it's it's the fundamentals it's the basics.
But yeah i i think aside from
the physical part i have spent i've dedicated
a lot of time with phil on just kind
of unlocking my brain and allowing myself to you
know kind of trust my instincts and and trust myself
(10:12):
out there on the course and and you know learning he's
helped me really mature my game with understanding
course management and you
know when to hit certain shots when not to okay situations and he's really just
helped me mature as a player so it's it's been it sounds like it's quite a journey
(10:33):
so you know you were already quite good i guess in high school and,
and you said you were a slow player i mean you you admit that yourself that
you know you were kind of maybe a little bit anxious about the the outcome while
you were playing and then you met phil,
but just to go back to the first time you picked up the club who introduced
(10:59):
you to the game was it With your parents or somebody else?
Yeah. So apparently my parents came home from a trip to Mexico when I was 18 months old.
Apparently, my father handed me a snorkel.
Apparently, I held it, and I looked at it funny and turned it upside down and
(11:21):
literally just put it down like a golf club. I started just swinging it,
just started swinging away.
Apparently, the story goes that I was hitting pennies off the ground and off
the carpet and hitting them against the wall.
He was like, you know, honey, we got to get them a plastic set.
Apparently, that's how it went. And then, you know, they got me a plastic set
(11:43):
and then I'd be beating balls all day in the backyard, hitting them in the neighbor's yard.
And it's just nonstop. You know, I like to apparently put them under leaf piles,
you know, impossible lies.
I used to love that kind of stuff. So I couldn't get enough of it.
And then, you know, they got me a real set and, you know, things just kind of excelled from there.
(12:05):
They took off. and I think my first tournament, I played in a six-year-old tournament
when I was four years old and I think I actually played cross-handed that day.
I did at the time and I remember I played with a kid who was playing conventionally,
on the ride back home apparently.
I told my dad, I was like, hey dad, I'm going to switch my grip.
I'm going to swing it like that guy.
(12:27):
And I switched it and so that's how we got the hands correct on the club when
I was four apparently and then I really started to, kind of get into competitive
golf when I was about seven or eight years old and.
And then just kind of, now we're here, man. It's pretty crazy,
but that's a pretty wild story how I got into it.
(12:47):
Yeah, yeah. So that was 18 months with a snorkel.
And by what age were you scratch?
14, maybe. Probably 14, 13. 13, 14, you were scratch.
So just getting into high school and you were already a scratch player.
And then you got recruited by Western Carolina.
(13:11):
Then you transferred over to the university of south florida in your second year and,
phil's been the key to your
success it sounds like that yeah so so
so let's get a little bit in depth into what
he told you which worked so well for you because clearly
you had the the game already but you
(13:35):
already know probably better than i do there's so many different levels to golf
and to unlock the next level and the next level up takes more than just physical
skill as you're alluding to yeah so the day you met phil when you were penalized for snow slow play.
Like we were talking about earlier so you were probably anxious about the outcome
(13:58):
is that is that the right way to put it yeah i would say anxious i was kind
of a we worded as like a perfectionist.
I was trying to be a perfectionist and that's just not the reality of golf.
Like just never going to go perfect ever. Golf is not a game of perfect.
And, you know, I think I would wait for this, this feeling of comfort to,
(14:23):
to come to me and that would rarely happen.
It would, you know, it would change when that would happen.
You know, I wouldn't be be committed to the shot. I was easily get distracted by outside factors.
Apparently on the greens, I took the longest.
On shots because I would like literally pick up anything in my line,
(14:46):
like from the smallest piece, like it's just not even in the way I got.
That's the kind of perfectionist stuff I was, I was stuck and trapped into doing.
And I just, I just easily get distracted from what I'm trying to do.
And I, that really attributed to the really slow play is that I just wasn't,
I didn't have a simple process.
(15:06):
I would easily get distracted. I'd wait for this feeling of comfort to come
to me. and it just never would.
And so what Phil and I first started working on is we got to build this,
like we got to build this feeling of comfort.
And through that, it needs to be a consistent routine that you can rely on over
and over and over with every shot and keep it the same.
(15:28):
You know, that's why you have a routine so that you can rely on it,
especially in pressure-packed situations, you know, so that you don't fall out
of rhythm, so that you don't fall out of your flow of things.
And so we first
started on you know building a routine where you know
i take so and so amount of steps walking into
the ball and take the same amount of looks same amount of waggles with the club
(15:52):
and just keeping things simple that was the first thing we worked on was just
kind of trying to simplify the game and quickly started to see success there
as i mentioned I mentioned earlier about my first state amateur,
whatever it was, a month or two later after a few sessions with Phil,
definitely started to see change in a positive direction.
(16:14):
That's kind of what we first worked on, was routine and simplifying it.
And then what about on the greens? So if you fast forward to today,
what is your routine on the greens, if you want to share it?
So I think putting has become my greatest asset in my game for a few years now.
(16:39):
It's definitely been my best stat for a while. And I think that has developed
with the help of Phil, for sure.
You know, I've, like I said, I've simplified things in all ways with my golf game.
And, you know, I'm a very, I'm a very generalized putter. Like there's not many
layers to me when it comes to putting.
(17:01):
I'm very feel oriented, very instinctive on the greens. You know,
I don't, I don't line the ball up at all. I got to use a line.
I don't really, I don't spot putt. I don't look at a specific spot in the back of the hole.
Like I'm a very general, just kind of artistic putter.
Like I just kind of, to be honest with you, I just kind of set up to it and it feels right.
(17:24):
And then I just trust it. And I've definitely developed that with the help of Phil.
And, you know, I don't, it allows me to not second guess myself.
You know, whenever you have doubt, you know, creep into your head before a golf
shot, you know, It's hard to be committed to what you're doing.
So I think that's something I've really, really gotten much better at with my
(17:47):
overall game is just committing to golf shots.
And that's something that Phil and I reiterate all the time.
And that's one of our big words is commitment.
And I'm starting to veer off track here, but my putting is –.
My putting has been my greatest asset for a while now.
And I attribute that to just kind of trust in my instincts, not overthinking
(18:11):
and just kind of doing and not, you know, not overthinking things.
So, so when you get on the green, I'm just, you know, going into detail here.
So you mark your ball, clean it, whatever. You look at the line and then you set the ball down.
Do you take practice strokes or you just go hit the putt?
(18:31):
Yeah, so I'll just take two practice strokes looking at the hole.
And like I said, Bill and I worked on doing the same amount of looks,
right? Doing the same thing over and over with your routine.
So, you know, I take two practice strokes looking at the hole for speed.
And then I'll set up to it, take three looks and give it a roll.
(18:52):
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(19:16):
So now you're still working with Phil, but you also have your,
you know, Coach Bradley at the University of South Florida.
So how does that dynamic work? Do you look at the technicals with Coach Bradley
or, you know, in talking to him in a previous episode, he kind of stays out
of the way from the technical part of it.
(19:38):
You know, he sets up a program and allows you to do your thing because you're
already fully developed.
Most of you are at that level.
So just talk us through that dynamic.
Yeah. You know, I think both coaches,
they, you know, we have specified team practices, you know, where we coaches
(20:00):
look at our stats as overall as a team, you know, and we kind of identify what
needs the most work normally.
And then, you know, we'll spend a little bit more time on that stuff than, than others.
And coaches typically like to change it up.
Up we set up all kinds of different games and
drills and and performance-based you
(20:21):
know competitions with each other ways to you know always be competing and and
keep that you know those butterflies in the stomach as much as possible just
like it would be in a tournament you know trying to trying to mimic in the tournament
environment as often as we can.
That's kind of how they set up qualifying as well is
(20:42):
you know you got to win the qualifier in order
to earn a spot and then so yeah
overall they do a great job of kind of you know guiding us and giving us the
you know the best opportunities to get better with practice but when it comes
to them helping me out like with my personal game it's normally not a lot it's like like what you
(21:06):
said earlier, when you talk to him, he kind of stays out of the way.
If anything, they definitely have helped me before, but it's more just,
you know, fundamental, simple, you know, simple little fixes,
not, you know, not big changes in any way.
I've been fortunate enough to have played really good golf the past few years,
so it hasn't needed much changing or tweaking.
(21:28):
But yeah, it's normally just little stuff here and there that they help us with.
But they definitely give us the best opportunities for success each and every
day we practice down there in Tampa.
So you said something which I wanted to touch upon, and that is to keep the
butterflies in the stomach while you practice. I think this was something Christian
(21:50):
DiMarco, who graduated University of South Florida, is currently a pro.
And Josh Sala, another pro who went back into corporate life.
They both reiterated the fact that you have to have pressure while you're practicing.
And a lot of us amateurs, I mean, not you, but a lot of normal golfers don't do that.
(22:14):
So take us through like a typical practice session for you. If you're by yourself,
if there's no coach around, how do you put pressure on yourself?
We do it so often outside of personal practice.
It's not always the case in the environment that I put myself in.
Practice definitely shouldn't be easy. Practice should be hard because then
(22:39):
when you get into a tournament, it should come to you easier.
Year but no like I when I work on my own I'll I'll do a little bit of fundamentals
you know I always you know hit balls with an alignment stick but I've told you
before I'm pretty I'm pretty simple and not mechanical so like I to be honest
with you I don't really do a ton of drills I don't,
(23:01):
but I definitely you know take videos here and there and make sure you know
all the angles are right and the swing feels like it's in a good spot but typically
you know I dedicate time to each part of my game every day of practice.
And then, you know, we'll look at our stats and, you know, determine what needs
the most work from our personal game.
Okay. And, you know, we'll attribute a little bit more, you know,
(23:24):
dedicate some more time to those areas.
Got it. So just to level set the listener, how tall are you and how much do you weigh?
Six, nine. No, I'm kidding. I'm not six, nine.
We could call it six, but I'm a little bit under about 150 pounds or so.
(23:47):
So not a big stature. But you're lean and tall.
And how far do you hit hit the driver your seven iron yeah drivers typically
just a little bit over 300 and hit my nine iron about 190 your nine iron 190
sorry my seven iron i lied i hit my seven iron about 190.
(24:12):
Wow so so length is not an
issue for you and you know speed is
something 95 percent of the golfers struggle
with were you always blessed with speed while
you were you know developing as a golfer or
did you consciously do something to get
to that level no i didn't do a
(24:32):
ton of speed training you know i played baseball you
know from the time i was a little kid until
13 so i balanced i balanced the two for a long time and it was actually it was
really difficult to do you know I'd have a lesson with golf and get the swing
in a good spot and then come back from a baseball tournament and it's just like, what just happened?
(24:56):
The first few wedges are a little bit scary.
But no, I balanced the two for a long time.
And then I knew I wanted to do golf in the long run. So I quit baseball right before high school.
But I attribute a lot of the decent speed I guess I have for my build I definitely
(25:19):
think it was from baseball. I think it was from.
You know, I kind of developed that hand speed with my baseball swing.
And, you know, like I think even pitching, like just, you know,
pushing off a rubber, like off the rubber, I think, like things like that.
I definitely think my hand speed and kind of my quick, because my hips fire
(25:39):
really quickly, like they do.
Like almost like people tell me they fire too quick, and it's kind of a unique move.
It's more of a spin, kind of like what a baseball swing would be.
Okay. than so much of a horizontal shift of weight.
It's more of kind of like a spinning coil, which I've been told is a little
(26:01):
bit unique. And I definitely think it comes from baseball.
So do you hit a cut normally?
That's funny. I don't. I do not hit a cut. I play a draw actually normally 95% of the time.
That's my stock golf shot. you know i
don't i don't think i hit to be honest with you more than i trust
(26:22):
my draw all the time like i i don't hit a fade
unless i absolutely have to and so i think that's how my ball striking has really
developed like i can i can definitely pull out that fade like when i need to
but that's that's rare it's not my it's not my my go-to shot so yeah that's
about it so you know for example For example, if you're,
(26:43):
you know, if you have a long carry over water from the tee or,
you know, you're trying to get to a par five and two, and you really want to
bomb that tee shot, is there a particular thought in your mind as you step up to the ball?
No, I mean, I, I think I do a good job of keeping an empty mind when it comes
to being over the golf ball.
(27:04):
Like, I don't think when I'm standing over a shot, my mind's not racing with
thoughts and stuff like that.
You know, I, I separate, it's kind of what Phil and I have worked on,
you know, being, getting good at separating, you know, your think box and your execute box.
You know there's a there's a line there you know when i walk into
the ball like it's like it's empty mind now we trust in
what we already decided on so like we you know
(27:25):
i do all that deciding and picking a target and and all that when i'm you know
picking my club and then once i start my actual routine and walk into the ball
like it's just empty mind from there and just trust what you're doing commit
to what you're doing and it's been it's been working for for a long time now Yeah, yeah.
I mean, you've won a number of collegiate tournaments, right?
(27:48):
And so step the listener through your approach to, let's say,
an NCAA regional tournament.
Like, how do you prepare? And then the day of the tournament,
just take us through what you do to prepare and get on the first tee and what
you think of while you're playing.
So i mean we'll get into so for
(28:09):
example this past regional and san diego not
exactly close we flew out there and typically
we i mean when we fly out west you know we'll do it pretty good in advance so
you know we're not our bodies aren't caught off guard and have time to adjust
we fly san diego get a little practice in and then you know next day was practice
(28:32):
round this is where we dissect the golf course,
learn about it, learn where to miss it, where not to miss it.
And so figure out what we hit off each tee box.
And then, you know, when we get to the green, like obviously we get a good idea
of, you know, how, how receptive the greens are, you know, are they firm?
Are they soft? Like, do they take a hop and spin? Do they rip back?
(28:56):
Like we, you know, we quickly kind of get an understanding of what that does.
You know, we'll, you know, take a ball or two from the rough,
you know, see how different it flies, you know, obviously they'll have less spin.
In you know does this type of grass does it you know jump does it do you get a flyer do you not,
things like that and then you know we get to the greens i think
(29:17):
obviously it's the most important to spend most of your time on the grains around
the greens because that's where most of the adjusting will be needed because
you know in tampa we play on bermuda we play on bermuda grass and you know sometimes
when we fly these other places it's completely different grass it's bent
grass on the greens or something else.
(29:39):
So which, which react differently and, you know, there can be different softness
and, you know, around the greens, we definitely spend the most time for practice rounds.
You know, we'll throw, we have these, you know, we'll throw teas or these little
discs where we think hole locations could possibly be, you know,
and we'll, we'll chip balls to there.
(29:59):
We'll putt to there, you know, learn the contours of the green,
you know, Where are the fall-off areas?
Where's the spot next to this green that's a big red X, right?
Where do we mark it? It's just like a big X I cannot miss there.
Where do we want to miss? What's the easiest spot to get up and down from?
So there's a lot that goes into it when we're thinking about the off course and how to attack it.
(30:25):
But those are the things that come to mind for sure when we're kind of learning a new golf course.
And then, you know, once you got all that prep out the way,
You know, you don't have any doubts or, and you know exactly,
you know, what to expect when you go tee it up for round one.
And so that's, you know, that's kind of what we always do.
(30:46):
And for example, at regionals, that's what we did.
And I remember playing, uh, some pretty good golf that week.
I think I finished 13th at regionals.
I was, you know, we missed by, I think a dozen as a team, which really isn't
that far off to be honest with you. It's a shot a guy per day.
So, you know, We were right there. We gave ourselves a good chance,
(31:07):
a good effort for the year.
And I think I was in the mix individually during that last day.
I think I was only a couple off of the Indy spot for the national championship for a while.
But unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish strong.
But no, I think those are kind of the things we think about before we tee it up in a tournament.
(31:32):
It okay and uh you know once it's
time to once it's time to peg it for round one we
just kind of trust all the prep we've put into into
the week so sometimes you know as golfers sometimes you hit the first shot and
you know you got it that day you know you have your a game and many other days
at least at least at my level you know it's like the c plus game shows up yeah does that
(31:58):
happen to you and how do you manage that it does
happen it happens to everybody you know a big thing
phil and i have also worked on is like accepting
in advance that birdies are gonna happen bogeys are gonna happen like double
bogeys are gonna happen at some point like accepting that in advance the good
(32:20):
and the bad will allow you to accept it and not be caught off guard not you know.
Not come to this feeling of shock, you know, when, when you have a bad hole
or a bad stretch of golf, like that's just the way of the world. That's the way of golf.
You know, I think, you know, putting things in perspective also is very,
very important and something I've gotten better at doing and kind of eases the
(32:43):
mind, you know, kind of understanding like, dude, you like you're playing golf,
you know, like of all things you're playing golf.
Like there's a lot of people in the world in a lot worse situations than you
are, you know, you're playing college golf right now.
So So I think, you know, that helps ease the mind.
Big thing is just accepting that good and bad will happen in advance.
And then, you know, like it's just understanding that you are human,
(33:07):
you know, like, you know, it's not going to go perfect.
Golf is nowhere near a game of perfect and nothing ever is.
So, you know, I think the old me before Phil would, you know,
get very frustrated during a day like that, very upset and visually. Visually.
And, you know, I mean, of course I do get frustrated and upset,
frustrated at times, but I've gotten better at, at letting go, you know, a bad hole.
(33:31):
Like, I mean, I make a double, I'm going to be a little bit frustrated.
You know, walking to the next tee.
But, you know, before I pull that driver or whatever it is on the next hole.
You know, out of my bag, you know, I've gotten really, really good at letting it go.
And you know accepting that it happens and kind
of re you know rechanneling my focus on all right
(33:51):
now we got to focus on the now like that's like can't do anything about that
right so that's in the past and the old me would
just kind of spiral i think okay the old me would
you know let a bogey kind of drag and you know
i'd make another bogey and then another bogey and like accepting that
good and bad happen in advance has allowed for
me to have less blood on my
(34:12):
card less bogeys more stress-free rounds
and just kind of a you know a
much easier way of going about
my business so you know there's always
at any level there is a
shot which makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable you
know for whether it's a 50-yard bunker
(34:34):
shot or you know or for you
maybe it's a 230 yard carry over water
second shot to a par five so what
is that shot which makes you slightly uncomfortable that's a
good question i literally was thinking of you
know kind of that same bunker shot that the shambo had you know in the last
hole of the us open which you kind of basically said there as i was thinking
(34:57):
it i think the part of my game that's definitely still needs the most developing
is my fairway bunker game you know there's been a lot of different ways people teach that.
I think I'm still learning. I don't really know 100%, I guess,
the right way of doing it.
It's definitely a weakness in my game, and I think part of it is that I don't
really practice it all that often. Like, where are you going to practice that?
(35:20):
We're fortunate enough to, though, at USF at school, we've got a bunker where
we can practice fairway bunker shots, which has been great, and I've definitely
taken advantage of that.
But overall, uncomfortable shot.
Definitely, I think, fairway bunker shots probably, and then
definitely a little bit of an awkward like 60 50
yard bunker shot is definitely up there okay okay so just now looking forward
(35:45):
to the future it looks like you have all the tools and you know you have such
a refreshingly mature outlook to the outcome in in golf okay that.
It makes me you know really think that you
would be great you know at least trying out for the pro road
tours because you know with that kind of mental attitude
(36:06):
and you know your physical skills and
and your your golf skills is that something you're thinking about going to and
turning professional yeah undoubtedly that is definitely it's been the the plan
a for a very long time so that's you know that's what i'm working towards each
and every time i i wake up to a new day,
(36:27):
There's different pathways to the PGA Tour, right? Like the Q School.
I mean, it sounds like you're very determined and you would like to get to Q School.
And is that your plan as well? That is the plan. Yep. Like you said,
there's a lot of ways to get there.
And which way that'll be that I have the best opportunity of, only time will know.
(36:51):
But, yeah, I'm definitely excited about the PGA Tour U opportunity.
You know, I think obviously I played very well my junior year,
and so I think I'll have a pretty decent ranking going into senior year.
And, you know, if things, you know, shake out how I hope, then,
you know, I should have – hopefully would have some kind of status coming out
of college, which would be obviously unbelievable.
(37:14):
So it's just going to take it a day at a time, but I'll be curious to see where
I'm ranked at to start the year.
Year but you know i think definitely with a good year again i
think uh i think i could lock up some kind of
status how would you assess your weaknesses in
in you know with against a pro like let's say a successful pro like like rory
mcelroy or uh you know someone who's doing great you know like a dishambo or
(37:38):
sander shafley yep where's the gap between your game and his game yeah so i mean,
my steve bradley and coach coach bradley and coach cobble also kind of said this to me,
but like i i've done like the really hard
things the really difficult things like on the course like
in a round of golf like i typically do the hard things very well and
(38:01):
then you know i kind of lack on you know kind of the easy stuff like i think
you know the the gap is that the guys at the next level they do the hard stuff
really well too but they do the easy stuff they just absolutely dominate and
you know they don't let the easy opportunities slip away.
(38:21):
So for me like a weakness in my game for a while now it's kind of been my wedge
game you know anywhere from you know 50 60 yards to 130 has kind of been my.
A little bit of a weakness a couple years ago, and I've dedicated a bunch of time to it.
(38:42):
I mean, those are scoring opportunities, right? Those are the easier chances
is when you have those numbers in the greens.
And I think those guys at the next level take advantage and get that ball up
and in for birdie more often than I do.
But it's definitely gotten a lot better, but i still think that's kind of the
(39:04):
overall assessment i think you know we both do the hard things well but they
just do the the easy things just exceptionally exceptionally well,
and not that i don't do a decent job with that i do i think that that's why
i've been playing some good golf but they do it so so good and yeah that's what
(39:24):
i that's that's what i believe That's kind of what I've been told as well.
So I just need to continue to, I think, clean up and take advantage of those easy chances.
So do you have any pros who are your mentors who kind of tell you about life on tour?
And what would it be to make that transition from college? I mean,
(39:44):
there's definitely a couple.
You know, I think I was very fortunate when I was at Western Carolina.
I was very fortunate to have met and played with J.T. Poston.
A few times, who is a very accomplished PGA Tour player.
He was a WCU alumni. And when I was there, I got to meet him,
(40:06):
play with him a few times. I got to play in the same group as him.
And I came up, I think, one short on him both times.
But it was cool to kind of, like you said earlier, just have the opportunity
to match my game against...
Against a guy like that, a guy of that caliber. And when I played with him those
(40:27):
days, I could just see that he just took the easy stuff. He did so well.
And it just came so naturally and so easy to him. He was the difference maker.
But I still keep in contact with him.
So if I ever want to know something or want to reach out or call him,
I'm sure he would answer.
(40:47):
So I've built a good relationship with him and CD, Dede, Christian DeMarco is
obviously a pro guy as well.
But yeah, it's very nice to have those kind of relationships and kind of get
a look from the inside of how it really is with that life.
And I don't think it will fully prepare me, but it definitely gives some insight
(41:09):
as to what to expect at that next level.
So, you know, you've taken us in depth through your golfing journey and your plans for the future.
You do have one year you know coming
up the last year in college with at the
beginning of our conversation you said you know you
appreciated the opportunity and the fact that it's been so good and you'll miss
(41:31):
it when it's gone which it will be after a year so in this final year if you
don't mind sharing what your goals are as a team as an individual and also some advice for you know the
kids, the kid in high school dreaming about a collegiate career,
what do you have to say to them?
(41:53):
You know, I would say to you, like, don't give up kid, like do not give up.
That's the only, that is the only chance of you not knowing what you're made of is giving up.
And, and, you know, for me, like I was a very late bloomer.
I was a very small kid for a long time. You know, I was I was overlooked by
(42:13):
a lot of coaches, by a lot of guys.
A lot of people didn't believe in me, but I kept my self-belief high.
And I had a great – I think I have great people around me that support me.
Yeah, man, don't give up. Whatever people say to you, it doesn't matter.
(42:33):
It does not freaking matter, dude. Trust yourself. Trust yourself.
And believe in what you're doing. And you put your mind to it.
You put in the effort, man.
You can accomplish anything. And yeah, I think this year with school,
I just want to give it my all.
I always do, but especially this year more than ever.
(42:56):
It's my last crack at making a national championship.
We've been closer and closer to the doorstep of getting there.
And i know we're on the brink of of doing that
so the goal remains the same you know
continue to get better each and every day you know get in the winner's circle
(43:16):
again individually as a team obviously as a team first you know if the individual
win works out on top of that then great but we're going there to get a team
win and then you know just shut up the goal the biggest
goal is put ourselves right back in that same spot at regionals and give ourselves
a chance to go get in our spot in the national championship. So I'm excited.
(43:42):
That's fantastic, Jake. It's been an absolute pleasure speaking with you.
Wish you all the best in the final year of your collegiate career to your team.
Hope to see you on TV winning that national championship and hope to see you
on TV for many, many years after that as a pro.
Thank you so much. Thank you, man. Thanks for having me. It was a blast.
(44:04):
Thank you. And that, folks, is a wrap for today. Thank you for listening.
Music.
I was lucky enough to have had my best stuff in my first ever college start
as a freshman and to have actually won my very first start and I just kind of
took off from there freshman year and played some really solid golf. I don't know what I am.
Music.
I don't know.
(00:24):
Welcome to the Accelerate Golf Podcast, where we explore player improvement
and the business of golf through conversations.
I'm your host, Bikram Kapoor, and today I have the pleasure of speaking with
Jake Peacock, a rising senior who plays on the University of South Florida men's
golf team. Welcome to the podcast, Jake.
(00:46):
Thank you for having me. So Jake, you are a very accomplished collegiate player.
I mean, just this season, you won two tournaments.
You were including the conference individual championship.
You were named the 2024 American Athletic Conference Men's Golf Player of the Year.
Just told me you're going to play the a western amateur so it
(01:08):
looks like you have a solid golf game
you have your head squarely on your shoulders so take
us into life as a collegiate player at that level oh gosh where to begin college
golf is is so much fun and i think you know it's it's flying by people warned
me that were older than me like dude like take it all in because it it flies
(01:31):
by and you're going to miss it once you're out of it.
But it's been, it's been a great ride these past few years to be where I'm at
and to, I've been blessed to have found a home at USF in Tampa.
Coach Bradley and Coach Caldwell have been the greatest mentors,
greatest guys to, to guide me through this journey here in college these past few years.
(01:53):
And I think I've really matured my game.
I think I've I've just matured in general as a golfer and just as a person outside of golf.
And that's thanks to them. It's thanks to my teammates. It's thanks to the area that I'm at.
But no, college golf is, we, it's super special.
You know, we get to go to these amazing places, travel all across the country
(02:15):
and play in these, you know, high class events and compete at the highest level.
And it's for nothing. And, you know, I don't think I'm going to quite understand
how meaningful and how lucky we were until, you know, I don't have it anymore and until it's gone.
But now college golf is an absolute blast.
(02:37):
You know, I'm spending each and every day with my teammates trying to we're
trying to beat each other each and every day, trying to push each other.
And it's just really cool to be a part of a family where everybody's trying
to get better each and every day and eventually, you know, have the end goal
of making a national championship.
And we came up a little bit short last year and really looking forward to the
(02:59):
opportunity to make it back to regionals like we did last year and maybe pull
through and get to that natty.
But, no, I mean, I could go on all day about college golf.
It means the world to me, and it only gets better each and every year.
And so I've just been, I've been blessed to have found a home at USF and my
game has definitely excelled.
(03:21):
The University of South Florida is in the NCAA Division I.
And it would really, to set the stage and frame it correctly for our listeners,
take us through your journey.
How were you when you were developing as a junior?
How did you get recruited into college? And I I understand you transferred to USF.
(03:43):
So just take us through that journey. Yeah. So I don't think I,
I think I really hit my stride in junior golf really late in the recruiting
window and the recruiting process.
And so I think I, you know, I played, I played some of my best golf was like
the summer before going to college where I really started to step it up and
(04:06):
starting to become a more mature player.
And so I was very fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to have played at Western Carolina.
It was, you know, I didn't have many offers at the time and it gave me a platform
at the Division I level where I could go and kind of see what I'm made of.
And I was lucky enough to have had my best stuff in my first ever college start
(04:28):
as a freshman and to have actually won my very first start. And I just kind
of took off from there freshman year and played some really solid golf.
And while Western Carolina was very gracious to me and allowed me to have a
place to perform, I knew that I wanted to take my talents elsewhere.
(04:49):
And so I entered the transfer portal right after freshman year and went through
that fun phase of trying to find my next home.
I don't want to spend the rest of my years in college at.
And USF really spoke to me, and there was something different about them that
these other schools didn't have.
(05:10):
And I think a big part of it was Coach Bradley and Coach Caldwell,
and I got to meet the guys and just kind of get a taste of the family that this program's all about.
I was very fortunate enough to found a new home in Tampa right away.
Things were different. You know, I think everything, every kind of category
(05:31):
was at a different level from obviously the weather we're pretty spoiled with.
Tournament schedule resources the coaches all kinds of staff and just the organization.
Overall everybody really wanted to get better each and every day and push each other and.
(05:51):
Yeah it's been it's been a fun ride you know i've been i also attribute a lot
of my success most of it to be honest with you to a mental coach i've been working
with for a little over four years now.
His name is Phil Shomo. He's out of Hilton Head, South Carolina.
And it was probably my junior year of high school, something around there. That's summer.
(06:18):
I was playing in state junior.
And this is probably the lowest point in my golf career,
to be honest with you i i really grew
up with throughout high school and just
junior golf in general i i really had
some some routine issues with my game and
(06:39):
and i was kind of known as a as a slow player and
i knew it myself too but there was just a barrier that
i couldn't that i could not get over and so
i remember this day i was playing with a kid
who was working with phil at
the time and so Phil got to watch me play as well because I was in the group
(07:00):
and I remember this day was the only time I'd ever been penalized for slow play
it was the only day and it just so happened to be the day that Phil was there
and so after the round I had a really rough day.
And he comes up to me he tells
me that you know he works with the kid I played with and he
(07:21):
kind of told me about what he does he's a sports psychologist and works
in with mental training for golfers and
you know he told me a little bit about what he does and we
had a phone call you know a day later when I
got back home and and soon enough started working together via zoom sessions
and I remember it was later that summer not even I don't know a month or two
(07:45):
that I actually qualified for my first state amateur and I actually finished fifth that week,
which was a big accomplishment for me at the time.
One of my biggest ones at that point.
And, you know, Phil and I have been working together now for a little over four years.
(08:06):
And, you know, I think I've spent the majority of my training actually with
the space between my ears than I have with my physical part of my game.
Okay. And it's just really unlocked everything.
Levels to my game that that I had no idea
were even possible and so first things first
when I worked with Phil we really worked on you know
(08:27):
my routine first of all and so he just we
we went really deep into into the layers
of it and eventually kind of freed me up and and
built this new routine that I can rely on that's you know
quicker more allowed me to be
more confident myself and committed to what i'm
doing and i could talk
(08:48):
all day about the stuff that we work on but and we'll
get and we'll get into some depth in in there as
well jake yeah so was phil obviously
it sounds like it he was your first mental coach but before that did you have
a swing coach when you were growing up yeah i definitely i've had i've had a
(09:09):
few for sure i haven't been heavily into the physical lessons to be honest with
you like i don't get a ton of instruction,
growing up i definitely went back and forth with some instructors and currently.
I am with one of my first ones ever chris marado
from iron horse and yeah i
(09:30):
think you know the physical part of the game is obviously very very
important but i'm not so i'm not
a super mechanical guy like i'm not super into the the small details of of the
golf swing to be honest with you i haven't done a ton of work with my swing
over the years it's kind of looked the same for for a very long time you know
(09:51):
i i think when i do work with chris it's it's the fundamentals it's the basics.
But yeah i i think aside from
the physical part i have spent i've dedicated
a lot of time with phil on just kind
of unlocking my brain and allowing myself to you
know kind of trust my instincts and and trust myself
(10:12):
out there on the course and and you know learning he's
helped me really mature my game with understanding
course management and you
know when to hit certain shots when not to okay situations and he's really just
helped me mature as a player so it's it's been it sounds like it's quite a journey
(10:33):
so you know you were already quite good i guess in high school and,
and you said you were a slow player i mean you you admit that yourself that
you know you were kind of maybe a little bit anxious about the the outcome while
you were playing and then you met phil,
but just to go back to the first time you picked up the club who introduced
(10:59):
you to the game was it With your parents or somebody else?
Yeah. So apparently my parents came home from a trip to Mexico when I was 18 months old.
Apparently, my father handed me a snorkel.
Apparently, I held it, and I looked at it funny and turned it upside down and
(11:21):
literally just put it down like a golf club. I started just swinging it,
just started swinging away.
Apparently, the story goes that I was hitting pennies off the ground and off
the carpet and hitting them against the wall.
He was like, you know, honey, we got to get them a plastic set.
Apparently, that's how it went. And then, you know, they got me a plastic set
(11:43):
and then I'd be beating balls all day in the backyard, hitting them in the neighbor's yard.
And it's just nonstop. You know, I like to apparently put them under leaf piles,
you know, impossible lies.
I used to love that kind of stuff. So I couldn't get enough of it.
And then, you know, they got me a real set and, you know, things just kind of excelled from there.
(12:05):
They took off. and I think my first tournament, I played in a six-year-old tournament
when I was four years old and I think I actually played cross-handed that day.
I did at the time and I remember I played with a kid who was playing conventionally,
on the ride back home apparently.
I told my dad, I was like, hey dad, I'm going to switch my grip.
I'm going to swing it like that guy.
(12:27):
And I switched it and so that's how we got the hands correct on the club when
I was four apparently and then I really started to, kind of get into competitive
golf when I was about seven or eight years old and.
And then just kind of, now we're here, man. It's pretty crazy,
but that's a pretty wild story how I got into it.
(12:47):
Yeah, yeah. So that was 18 months with a snorkel.
And by what age were you scratch?
14, maybe. Probably 14, 13. 13, 14, you were scratch.
So just getting into high school and you were already a scratch player.
And then you got recruited by Western Carolina.
(13:11):
Then you transferred over to the university of south florida in your second year and,
phil's been the key to your
success it sounds like that yeah so so
so let's get a little bit in depth into what
he told you which worked so well for you because clearly
you had the the game already but you
(13:35):
already know probably better than i do there's so many different levels to golf
and to unlock the next level and the next level up takes more than just physical
skill as you're alluding to yeah so the day you met phil when you were penalized for snow slow play.
Like we were talking about earlier so you were probably anxious about the outcome
(13:58):
is that is that the right way to put it yeah i would say anxious i was kind
of a we worded as like a perfectionist.
I was trying to be a perfectionist and that's just not the reality of golf.
Like just never going to go perfect ever. Golf is not a game of perfect.
And, you know, I think I would wait for this, this feeling of comfort to,
(14:23):
to come to me and that would rarely happen.
It would, you know, it would change when that would happen.
You know, I wouldn't be be committed to the shot. I was easily get distracted by outside factors.
Apparently on the greens, I took the longest.
On shots because I would like literally pick up anything in my line,
(14:46):
like from the smallest piece, like it's just not even in the way I got.
That's the kind of perfectionist stuff I was, I was stuck and trapped into doing.
And I just, I just easily get distracted from what I'm trying to do.
And I, that really attributed to the really slow play is that I just wasn't,
I didn't have a simple process.
(15:06):
I would easily get distracted. I'd wait for this feeling of comfort to come
to me. and it just never would.
And so what Phil and I first started working on is we got to build this,
like we got to build this feeling of comfort.
And through that, it needs to be a consistent routine that you can rely on over
and over and over with every shot and keep it the same.
(15:28):
You know, that's why you have a routine so that you can rely on it,
especially in pressure-packed situations, you know, so that you don't fall out
of rhythm, so that you don't fall out of your flow of things.
And so we first
started on you know building a routine where you know
i take so and so amount of steps walking into
the ball and take the same amount of looks same amount of waggles with the club
(15:52):
and just keeping things simple that was the first thing we worked on was just
kind of trying to simplify the game and quickly started to see success there
as i mentioned I mentioned earlier about my first state amateur,
whatever it was, a month or two later after a few sessions with Phil,
definitely started to see change in a positive direction.
(16:14):
That's kind of what we first worked on, was routine and simplifying it.
And then what about on the greens? So if you fast forward to today,
what is your routine on the greens, if you want to share it?
So I think putting has become my greatest asset in my game for a few years now.
(16:39):
It's definitely been my best stat for a while. And I think that has developed
with the help of Phil, for sure.
You know, I've, like I said, I've simplified things in all ways with my golf game.
And, you know, I'm a very, I'm a very generalized putter. Like there's not many
layers to me when it comes to putting.
(17:01):
I'm very feel oriented, very instinctive on the greens. You know,
I don't, I don't line the ball up at all. I got to use a line.
I don't really, I don't spot putt. I don't look at a specific spot in the back of the hole.
Like I'm a very general, just kind of artistic putter.
Like I just kind of, to be honest with you, I just kind of set up to it and it feels right.
(17:24):
And then I just trust it. And I've definitely developed that with the help of Phil.
And, you know, I don't, it allows me to not second guess myself.
You know, whenever you have doubt, you know, creep into your head before a golf
shot, you know, It's hard to be committed to what you're doing.
So I think that's something I've really, really gotten much better at with my
(17:47):
overall game is just committing to golf shots.
And that's something that Phil and I reiterate all the time.
And that's one of our big words is commitment.
And I'm starting to veer off track here, but my putting is –.
My putting has been my greatest asset for a while now.
And I attribute that to just kind of trust in my instincts, not overthinking
(18:11):
and just kind of doing and not, you know, not overthinking things.
So, so when you get on the green, I'm just, you know, going into detail here.
So you mark your ball, clean it, whatever. You look at the line and then you set the ball down.
Do you take practice strokes or you just go hit the putt?
(18:31):
Yeah, so I'll just take two practice strokes looking at the hole.
And like I said, Bill and I worked on doing the same amount of looks,
right? Doing the same thing over and over with your routine.
So, you know, I take two practice strokes looking at the hole for speed.
And then I'll set up to it, take three looks and give it a roll.
(18:52):
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(19:16):
So now you're still working with Phil, but you also have your,
you know, Coach Bradley at the University of South Florida.
So how does that dynamic work? Do you look at the technicals with Coach Bradley
or, you know, in talking to him in a previous episode, he kind of stays out
of the way from the technical part of it.
(19:38):
You know, he sets up a program and allows you to do your thing because you're
already fully developed.
Most of you are at that level.
So just talk us through that dynamic.
Yeah. You know, I think both coaches,
they, you know, we have specified team practices, you know, where we coaches
(20:00):
look at our stats as overall as a team, you know, and we kind of identify what
needs the most work normally.
And then, you know, we'll spend a little bit more time on that stuff than, than others.
And coaches typically like to change it up.
Up we set up all kinds of different games and
drills and and performance-based you
(20:21):
know competitions with each other ways to you know always be competing and and
keep that you know those butterflies in the stomach as much as possible just
like it would be in a tournament you know trying to trying to mimic in the tournament
environment as often as we can.
That's kind of how they set up qualifying as well is
(20:42):
you know you got to win the qualifier in order
to earn a spot and then so yeah
overall they do a great job of kind of you know guiding us and giving us the
you know the best opportunities to get better with practice but when it comes
to them helping me out like with my personal game it's normally not a lot it's like like what you
(21:06):
said earlier, when you talk to him, he kind of stays out of the way.
If anything, they definitely have helped me before, but it's more just,
you know, fundamental, simple, you know, simple little fixes,
not, you know, not big changes in any way.
I've been fortunate enough to have played really good golf the past few years,
so it hasn't needed much changing or tweaking.
(21:28):
But yeah, it's normally just little stuff here and there that they help us with.
But they definitely give us the best opportunities for success each and every
day we practice down there in Tampa.
So you said something which I wanted to touch upon, and that is to keep the
butterflies in the stomach while you practice. I think this was something Christian
(21:50):
DiMarco, who graduated University of South Florida, is currently a pro.
And Josh Sala, another pro who went back into corporate life.
They both reiterated the fact that you have to have pressure while you're practicing.
And a lot of us amateurs, I mean, not you, but a lot of normal golfers don't do that.
(22:14):
So take us through like a typical practice session for you. If you're by yourself,
if there's no coach around, how do you put pressure on yourself?
We do it so often outside of personal practice.
It's not always the case in the environment that I put myself in.
Practice definitely shouldn't be easy. Practice should be hard because then
(22:39):
when you get into a tournament, it should come to you easier.
Year but no like I when I work on my own I'll I'll do a little bit of fundamentals
you know I always you know hit balls with an alignment stick but I've told you
before I'm pretty I'm pretty simple and not mechanical so like I to be honest
with you I don't really do a ton of drills I don't,
(23:01):
but I definitely you know take videos here and there and make sure you know
all the angles are right and the swing feels like it's in a good spot but typically
you know I dedicate time to each part of my game every day of practice.
And then, you know, we'll look at our stats and, you know, determine what needs
the most work from our personal game.
Okay. And, you know, we'll attribute a little bit more, you know,
(23:24):
dedicate some more time to those areas.
Got it. So just to level set the listener, how tall are you and how much do you weigh?
Six, nine. No, I'm kidding. I'm not six, nine.
We could call it six, but I'm a little bit under about 150 pounds or so.
(23:47):
So not a big stature. But you're lean and tall.
And how far do you hit hit the driver your seven iron yeah drivers typically
just a little bit over 300 and hit my nine iron about 190 your nine iron 190
sorry my seven iron i lied i hit my seven iron about 190.
(24:12):
Wow so so length is not an
issue for you and you know speed is
something 95 percent of the golfers struggle
with were you always blessed with speed while
you were you know developing as a golfer or
did you consciously do something to get
to that level no i didn't do a
(24:32):
ton of speed training you know i played baseball you
know from the time i was a little kid until
13 so i balanced i balanced the two for a long time and it was actually it was
really difficult to do you know I'd have a lesson with golf and get the swing
in a good spot and then come back from a baseball tournament and it's just like, what just happened?
(24:56):
The first few wedges are a little bit scary.
But no, I balanced the two for a long time.
And then I knew I wanted to do golf in the long run. So I quit baseball right before high school.
But I attribute a lot of the decent speed I guess I have for my build I definitely
(25:19):
think it was from baseball. I think it was from.
You know, I kind of developed that hand speed with my baseball swing.
And, you know, like I think even pitching, like just, you know,
pushing off a rubber, like off the rubber, I think, like things like that.
I definitely think my hand speed and kind of my quick, because my hips fire
(25:39):
really quickly, like they do.
Like almost like people tell me they fire too quick, and it's kind of a unique move.
It's more of a spin, kind of like what a baseball swing would be.
Okay. than so much of a horizontal shift of weight.
It's more of kind of like a spinning coil, which I've been told is a little
(26:01):
bit unique. And I definitely think it comes from baseball.
So do you hit a cut normally?
That's funny. I don't. I do not hit a cut. I play a draw actually normally 95% of the time.
That's my stock golf shot. you know i
don't i don't think i hit to be honest with you more than i trust
(26:22):
my draw all the time like i i don't hit a fade
unless i absolutely have to and so i think that's how my ball striking has really
developed like i can i can definitely pull out that fade like when i need to
but that's that's rare it's not my it's not my my go-to shot so yeah that's
about it so you know for example For example, if you're,
(26:43):
you know, if you have a long carry over water from the tee or,
you know, you're trying to get to a par five and two, and you really want to
bomb that tee shot, is there a particular thought in your mind as you step up to the ball?
No, I mean, I, I think I do a good job of keeping an empty mind when it comes
to being over the golf ball.
(27:04):
Like, I don't think when I'm standing over a shot, my mind's not racing with
thoughts and stuff like that.
You know, I, I separate, it's kind of what Phil and I have worked on,
you know, being, getting good at separating, you know, your think box and your execute box.
You know there's a there's a line there you know when i walk into
the ball like it's like it's empty mind now we trust in
what we already decided on so like we you know
(27:25):
i do all that deciding and picking a target and and all that when i'm you know
picking my club and then once i start my actual routine and walk into the ball
like it's just empty mind from there and just trust what you're doing commit
to what you're doing and it's been it's been working for for a long time now Yeah, yeah.
I mean, you've won a number of collegiate tournaments, right?
(27:48):
And so step the listener through your approach to, let's say,
an NCAA regional tournament.
Like, how do you prepare? And then the day of the tournament,
just take us through what you do to prepare and get on the first tee and what
you think of while you're playing.
So i mean we'll get into so for
(28:09):
example this past regional and san diego not
exactly close we flew out there and typically
we i mean when we fly out west you know we'll do it pretty good in advance so
you know we're not our bodies aren't caught off guard and have time to adjust
we fly san diego get a little practice in and then you know next day was practice
(28:32):
round this is where we dissect the golf course,
learn about it, learn where to miss it, where not to miss it.
And so figure out what we hit off each tee box.
And then, you know, when we get to the green, like obviously we get a good idea
of, you know, how, how receptive the greens are, you know, are they firm?
Are they soft? Like, do they take a hop and spin? Do they rip back?
(28:56):
Like we, you know, we quickly kind of get an understanding of what that does.
You know, we'll, you know, take a ball or two from the rough,
you know, see how different it flies, you know, obviously they'll have less spin.
In you know does this type of grass does it you know jump does it do you get a flyer do you not,
things like that and then you know we get to the greens i think
(29:17):
obviously it's the most important to spend most of your time on the grains around
the greens because that's where most of the adjusting will be needed because
you know in tampa we play on bermuda we play on bermuda grass and you know sometimes
when we fly these other places it's completely different grass it's bent
grass on the greens or something else.
(29:39):
So which, which react differently and, you know, there can be different softness
and, you know, around the greens, we definitely spend the most time for practice rounds.
You know, we'll throw, we have these, you know, we'll throw teas or these little
discs where we think hole locations could possibly be, you know,
and we'll, we'll chip balls to there.
(29:59):
We'll putt to there, you know, learn the contours of the green,
you know, Where are the fall-off areas?
Where's the spot next to this green that's a big red X, right?
Where do we mark it? It's just like a big X I cannot miss there.
Where do we want to miss? What's the easiest spot to get up and down from?
So there's a lot that goes into it when we're thinking about the off course and how to attack it.
(30:25):
But those are the things that come to mind for sure when we're kind of learning a new golf course.
And then, you know, once you got all that prep out the way,
You know, you don't have any doubts or, and you know exactly,
you know, what to expect when you go tee it up for round one.
And so that's, you know, that's kind of what we always do.
(30:46):
And for example, at regionals, that's what we did.
And I remember playing, uh, some pretty good golf that week.
I think I finished 13th at regionals.
I was, you know, we missed by, I think a dozen as a team, which really isn't
that far off to be honest with you. It's a shot a guy per day.
So, you know, We were right there. We gave ourselves a good chance,
(31:07):
a good effort for the year.
And I think I was in the mix individually during that last day.
I think I was only a couple off of the Indy spot for the national championship for a while.
But unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish strong.
But no, I think those are kind of the things we think about before we tee it up in a tournament.
(31:32):
It okay and uh you know once it's
time to once it's time to peg it for round one we
just kind of trust all the prep we've put into into
the week so sometimes you know as golfers sometimes you hit the first shot and
you know you got it that day you know you have your a game and many other days
at least at least at my level you know it's like the c plus game shows up yeah does that
(31:58):
happen to you and how do you manage that it does
happen it happens to everybody you know a big thing
phil and i have also worked on is like accepting
in advance that birdies are gonna happen bogeys are gonna happen like double
bogeys are gonna happen at some point like accepting that in advance the good
(32:20):
and the bad will allow you to accept it and not be caught off guard not you know.
Not come to this feeling of shock, you know, when, when you have a bad hole
or a bad stretch of golf, like that's just the way of the world. That's the way of golf.
You know, I think, you know, putting things in perspective also is very,
very important and something I've gotten better at doing and kind of eases the
(32:43):
mind, you know, kind of understanding like, dude, you like you're playing golf,
you know, like of all things you're playing golf.
Like there's a lot of people in the world in a lot worse situations than you
are, you know, you're playing college golf right now.
So So I think, you know, that helps ease the mind.
Big thing is just accepting that good and bad will happen in advance.
And then, you know, like it's just understanding that you are human,
(33:07):
you know, like, you know, it's not going to go perfect.
Golf is nowhere near a game of perfect and nothing ever is.
So, you know, I think the old me before Phil would, you know,
get very frustrated during a day like that, very upset and visually. Visually.
And, you know, I mean, of course I do get frustrated and upset,
frustrated at times, but I've gotten better at, at letting go, you know, a bad hole.
(33:31):
Like, I mean, I make a double, I'm going to be a little bit frustrated.
You know, walking to the next tee.
But, you know, before I pull that driver or whatever it is on the next hole.
You know, out of my bag, you know, I've gotten really, really good at letting it go.
And you know accepting that it happens and kind
of re you know rechanneling my focus on all right
(33:51):
now we got to focus on the now like that's like can't do anything about that
right so that's in the past and the old me would
just kind of spiral i think okay the old me would
you know let a bogey kind of drag and you know
i'd make another bogey and then another bogey and like accepting that
good and bad happen in advance has allowed for
me to have less blood on my
(34:12):
card less bogeys more stress-free rounds
and just kind of a you know a
much easier way of going about
my business so you know there's always
at any level there is a
shot which makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable you
know for whether it's a 50-yard bunker
(34:34):
shot or you know or for you
maybe it's a 230 yard carry over water
second shot to a par five so what
is that shot which makes you slightly uncomfortable that's a
good question i literally was thinking of you
know kind of that same bunker shot that the shambo had you know in the last
hole of the us open which you kind of basically said there as i was thinking
(34:57):
it i think the part of my game that's definitely still needs the most developing
is my fairway bunker game you know there's been a lot of different ways people teach that.
I think I'm still learning. I don't really know 100%, I guess,
the right way of doing it.
It's definitely a weakness in my game, and I think part of it is that I don't
really practice it all that often. Like, where are you going to practice that?
(35:20):
We're fortunate enough to, though, at USF at school, we've got a bunker where
we can practice fairway bunker shots, which has been great, and I've definitely
taken advantage of that.
But overall, uncomfortable shot.
Definitely, I think, fairway bunker shots probably, and then
definitely a little bit of an awkward like 60 50
yard bunker shot is definitely up there okay okay so just now looking forward
(35:45):
to the future it looks like you have all the tools and you know you have such
a refreshingly mature outlook to the outcome in in golf okay that.
It makes me you know really think that you
would be great you know at least trying out for the pro road
tours because you know with that kind of mental attitude
(36:06):
and you know your physical skills and
and your your golf skills is that something you're thinking about going to and
turning professional yeah undoubtedly that is definitely it's been the the plan
a for a very long time so that's you know that's what i'm working towards each
and every time i i wake up to a new day,
(36:27):
There's different pathways to the PGA Tour, right? Like the Q School.
I mean, it sounds like you're very determined and you would like to get to Q School.
And is that your plan as well? That is the plan. Yep. Like you said,
there's a lot of ways to get there.
And which way that'll be that I have the best opportunity of, only time will know.
(36:51):
But, yeah, I'm definitely excited about the PGA Tour U opportunity.
You know, I think obviously I played very well my junior year,
and so I think I'll have a pretty decent ranking going into senior year.
And, you know, if things, you know, shake out how I hope, then,
you know, I should have – hopefully would have some kind of status coming out
of college, which would be obviously unbelievable.
(37:14):
So it's just going to take it a day at a time, but I'll be curious to see where
I'm ranked at to start the year.
Year but you know i think definitely with a good year again i
think uh i think i could lock up some kind of
status how would you assess your weaknesses in
in you know with against a pro like let's say a successful pro like like rory
mcelroy or uh you know someone who's doing great you know like a dishambo or
(37:38):
sander shafley yep where's the gap between your game and his game yeah so i mean,
my steve bradley and coach coach bradley and coach cobble also kind of said this to me,
but like i i've done like the really hard
things the really difficult things like on the course like
in a round of golf like i typically do the hard things very well and
(38:01):
then you know i kind of lack on you know kind of the easy stuff like i think
you know the the gap is that the guys at the next level they do the hard stuff
really well too but they do the easy stuff they just absolutely dominate and
you know they don't let the easy opportunities slip away.
(38:21):
So for me like a weakness in my game for a while now it's kind of been my wedge
game you know anywhere from you know 50 60 yards to 130 has kind of been my.
A little bit of a weakness a couple years ago, and I've dedicated a bunch of time to it.
(38:42):
I mean, those are scoring opportunities, right? Those are the easier chances
is when you have those numbers in the greens.
And I think those guys at the next level take advantage and get that ball up
and in for birdie more often than I do.
But it's definitely gotten a lot better, but i still think that's kind of the
(39:04):
overall assessment i think you know we both do the hard things well but they
just do the the easy things just exceptionally exceptionally well,
and not that i don't do a decent job with that i do i think that that's why
i've been playing some good golf but they do it so so good and yeah that's what
(39:24):
i that's that's what i believe That's kind of what I've been told as well.
So I just need to continue to, I think, clean up and take advantage of those easy chances.
So do you have any pros who are your mentors who kind of tell you about life on tour?
And what would it be to make that transition from college? I mean,
(39:44):
there's definitely a couple.
You know, I think I was very fortunate when I was at Western Carolina.
I was very fortunate to have met and played with J.T. Poston.
A few times, who is a very accomplished PGA Tour player.
He was a WCU alumni. And when I was there, I got to meet him,
(40:06):
play with him a few times. I got to play in the same group as him.
And I came up, I think, one short on him both times.
But it was cool to kind of, like you said earlier, just have the opportunity
to match my game against...
Against a guy like that, a guy of that caliber. And when I played with him those
(40:27):
days, I could just see that he just took the easy stuff. He did so well.
And it just came so naturally and so easy to him. He was the difference maker.
But I still keep in contact with him.
So if I ever want to know something or want to reach out or call him,
I'm sure he would answer.
(40:47):
So I've built a good relationship with him and CD, Dede, Christian DeMarco is
obviously a pro guy as well.
But yeah, it's very nice to have those kind of relationships and kind of get
a look from the inside of how it really is with that life.
And I don't think it will fully prepare me, but it definitely gives some insight
(41:09):
as to what to expect at that next level.
So, you know, you've taken us in depth through your golfing journey and your plans for the future.
You do have one year you know coming
up the last year in college with at the
beginning of our conversation you said you know you
appreciated the opportunity and the fact that it's been so good and you'll miss
(41:31):
it when it's gone which it will be after a year so in this final year if you
don't mind sharing what your goals are as a team as an individual and also some advice for you know the
kids, the kid in high school dreaming about a collegiate career,
what do you have to say to them?
(41:53):
You know, I would say to you, like, don't give up kid, like do not give up.
That's the only, that is the only chance of you not knowing what you're made of is giving up.
And, and, you know, for me, like I was a very late bloomer.
I was a very small kid for a long time. You know, I was I was overlooked by
(42:13):
a lot of coaches, by a lot of guys.
A lot of people didn't believe in me, but I kept my self-belief high.
And I had a great – I think I have great people around me that support me.
Yeah, man, don't give up. Whatever people say to you, it doesn't matter.
(42:33):
It does not freaking matter, dude. Trust yourself. Trust yourself.
And believe in what you're doing. And you put your mind to it.
You put in the effort, man.
You can accomplish anything. And yeah, I think this year with school,
I just want to give it my all.
I always do, but especially this year more than ever.
(42:56):
It's my last crack at making a national championship.
We've been closer and closer to the doorstep of getting there.
And i know we're on the brink of of doing that
so the goal remains the same you know
continue to get better each and every day you know get in the winner's circle
(43:16):
again individually as a team obviously as a team first you know if the individual
win works out on top of that then great but we're going there to get a team
win and then you know just shut up the goal the biggest
goal is put ourselves right back in that same spot at regionals and give ourselves
a chance to go get in our spot in the national championship. So I'm excited.
(43:42):
That's fantastic, Jake. It's been an absolute pleasure speaking with you.
Wish you all the best in the final year of your collegiate career to your team.
Hope to see you on TV winning that national championship and hope to see you
on TV for many, many years after that as a pro.
Thank you so much. Thank you, man. Thanks for having me. It was a blast.
(44:04):
Thank you. And that, folks, is a wrap for today. Thank you for listening.
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