April 18, 2025 • 36 mins
Rory McIlroy's thrilling Masters victory takes center stage as we unpack what truly separates champions from contenders at Augusta National. The mental fortitude required to bounce back from a missed putt on 18 to win in a playoff demonstrates why McIlroy has risen to the pinnacle of professional golf.
We welcome special guest Evan, who shares his remarkable journey from college baseball player to golf professional in less than two years. His story highlights how passion, combined with access to quality facilities and technology, can accelerate development in this challenging sport. The conversation reveals that magical moment many golfers experience—when you feel that perfect strike and become forever addicted to the game.
The podcast explores the critical crossroads many golfers face between pursuing playing professionally or establishing a career in golf operations, management, or instruction. This decision requires honest self-assessment and understanding what truly brings fulfillment in a golf career. We discuss how modern data collection and analysis have transformed practice sessions into targeted improvement opportunities, giving today's players advantages unimaginable to previous generations.
We also preview Running Y Golf Course, Arnold Palmer's only signature design in Oregon, and celebrate recent tournament successes from our team. Looking ahead to next week's episode featuring mental performance coach Daniel Shuler, we'll dive deeper into the psychological aspects that make golf both maddening and magical. Subscribe now and join our conversation about the game we all love!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Welcome to the my golf source podcast.
Welcome to my golf source.
I'm Darren, I'm Noah, here wego again.
Week after master's week.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
That is my favorite time of year.
My man.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It was so exciting Rory wins in a playoff round
with Justin Rose.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, it was pretty fun.
Everyone always asks you who tovote for, who you're rooting
for, what you got.
Even my kids were like Daddy,is that who you want to have win
?
It's pretty special when yourkids are enjoying a golf
tournament as much as you areand your youngest is five and
he's just glued to the TV.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I am happy for Rory.
I'm glad he won.
He completed the grand slam.
My son was 110% in for Rory.
I got to say I was kind ofrooting for DeChambeau.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, it's, it's hard .
Speaker 1 (01:10):
He's a disruptor.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
He's a headline grabber.
He grabs people's attention.
He does off the wall things.
He says and does the unexpectedand he was.
He was on track for a big win.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I'm a little on the opposite side, rory and I see
eye to eye.
You know he's only about 5'8".
I'm 5'7 1⁄2" and ultimately Iwas in the locker room of the
PGA Championship and he was theone guy I wanted to go stand
next to and just see how tall hereally was.
I knew JT was kind of a littlesmaller, but he was even taller
than Rory, I think by an inch orso.
(01:48):
But I remember going over and Ijust stood right next to him.
Then he like shook my hand andstuff.
I mean, the dude's a class act,regardless of what the media
makes him out to be.
Same with DeChambeau um, usOpen 2010,.
I believe it was.
We're're at oakmont, got myjunior academy there and uh, and
bryson's an alternate and he'swalking in and he's a little guy
(02:11):
at this time.
I mean, he's so built right nowit's not even funny.
He's like a.
We were joking about it.
He's like a rectangle with armsright and he's just a beast,
you know.
And uh, you know he was justvery skinny at that open, but he
spoke and talked to our kidsfor about 20 minutes.
Didn't know if he was playingalternate and it was, uh,
probably one of the coolestthings and I just thanked him
(02:33):
for what he was doing for golfbecause at that time he was just
starting to get more into thescience of it.
His coach definitely wasfocused on, you know, just
launch monitor data only, andultimately that's what we do a
lot at the golf garage Maybe notas in-depth as what Bryson's
going, but pretty cool stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
So Bryson kind of jumped in both feet.
He's got single-length clubs.
He does a lot of things thatare technically abstract, that a
lot of players just don't seeeye to eye on, but it works for
him because he is so data-driven.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, I mean, ultimately he just wanted to
learn how to swing harder andharder and he puts a net up in
his house and all he's doing isswinging as hard as he can at
golf balls and all of a suddenhe's the longest guy out there
and he's learned how to controlthat.
Yeah, I mean.
Looking at the majorchampionships, that guy has no
fear on anything.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
No, and when it goes really good, it goes really good
, and when it goes really bad,it goes he says why?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
why did it do that, that?
What is it going?
Speaker 1 (03:36):
on the numbers, don't make sense yeah, it didn't
happen.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
So, no, no, and and you know what's really cool, I
mean when we had Jermaine on.
Jermaine's partner, jibo, isBryson's caddy, so I've spent
some time with him too and oneof the things that was really
cool and hopefully we'll haveJibo on the show here in the
next few weeks.
I'm going to reach out to him.
But we're playing golf atRunning Y.
(04:00):
A couple summers ago for ahead-to-head our academy versus
theirs.
A couple summers ago for ahead-to-head um, our academy
versus theirs and jibo told usthat basically anytime bryson's
putting inside of 15 feet, hedoesn't miss the hole.
So it doesn't always go in, buthe's like touching the hole
almost every single time.
Interesting, it's insane,because you know 15, you know 15
(04:21):
foot putts.
The make rate percentage is sub40 most of the time for the
tour, so for him to hit the holeevery time, that's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So where did it, in your opinion?
Where did it go wrong forBryson, Because he was doing so
well in round three?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
He just he didn't look like he had it mentally.
I mean the small things that Iwas watching.
He was just questioning so muchLike I can't get my hip through
, or I mean I heard that on theTV one time and I don't know
exactly what that meant in hismind, but he, he wasn't hitting
the shots.
I mean ultimately.
I mean Augusta is a big golfcourse.
(05:01):
You got to hit it far, um, andif you miss it in those trees,
you know you've, you can escape,but if you're not hitting the
shots, you're not hitting theshots, um, you know.
And then you're playing againstJustin Rose, who's coming up
strong, and and Rory, who'splaying some amazing golf, um,
(05:22):
and you know they both wanted itmore.
I mean, I think that's kind ofwhat it comes down to.
You always laugh when a playeris like who wanted it more?
You know, but the person thatcontrols the ball the best that
week wins, and whoever controlstheir emotions the best
typically also wins right.
Rory could have also thrown itin when Justin and him were tied
(05:43):
right and then he went down.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I mean it was pretty incredible, and Justin had a
commanding lead in the first tworounds.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Oh yeah, I mean it was so cool to watch Justin Rose
.
I was actually I've always beena Justin Rose fan.
There's a local player from ourarea, jason Allred, and you
know it sounded like when he wasdown in the desert he and
Justin Rose were both playingand practicing together at a
private club in Arizona.
That's what, that's what Iheard, at least and I've always
(06:12):
wondered, like how is it thatthey're playing and practicing
and then all of a sudden, justinRose becomes a superstar?
This was before.
He was like a big, big name andand then Jason played great
golf, he made it on the PGA tour, but he just didn't continue.
And it's always that thatquestion, right, like why did he
?
You know, justin make it, butJason didn't make it right?
(06:35):
I mean, jason hit it farther atthe time and you know just as
good and was in contention, andit's just amazing how good they
are.
That's what's the perspectivethat no one really pays
attention to.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Is it luck, or does it just come down to your
ability to embrace the pressure?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
It's self-belief.
Ultimately, they all have theability to hit the ball far,
they all have the ability toputt well, but what it comes
down to is you know when you'rein that zone, you know you're
going to make it, and if itdoesn't go in, you know you're
going to make the next one.
And then, when that one doesn'tgo in, you know they're going
to make that right.
It doesn't, it doesn't falter,nothing bothers you.
So I think ultimately it's likethat, the tiger effect, right.
(07:16):
Tiger's dad comes out and startstelling us all the things that
he used to do to Tiger Woodswhen he was a kid, to mess with
him, and just literally, I meannot abusive, but he was
preparing him Try to ruffle hisfeathers a bit For the worst.
I mean yeah, I mean to theextreme Right.
And so Tiger learned how toturn it on and turn it off
(07:39):
Ultimately, like again, this isa story that I've heard about
Tiger where there was a recruitthat was a really good player
coming out to Stanford and youknow Tiger's already won three
junior amateurs and anotheramateur and I think it's his
sophomore year before he playsAugusta and this is super crazy.
But front nine, I think Tigerand this young recruit tied.
(08:04):
And so the Stanford coach comesup and says, hey, how's it
going?
He's like, oh, it's going great, I'm tied with Tiger right now.
He's like, oh good, you know,that's great.
And so coach goes over to Tigerand whispers and said, okay,
it's time.
And Tiger goes and shoots likefour or five under par and
crushes this kid Right.
So it's one of those where, youknow, coaches said hey, don't,
(08:24):
you know, beat him up too bad.
And then all of a sudden it'slike rocky or something.
It's like don't give up, andnow I'm just going to take you
out.
So yeah, it's, it's prettyinteresting that step on your
throat mentality.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
So hole 18, rory had what approximately a five foot
putt and he kind of dropped theball.
He missed that putt which tiedthe round, caused the playoff.
That's discouraging.
That's a tough pill to swallowbecause that was a putt that
(08:59):
statistically was darn near agimme for him.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, no, I mean, ultimately you don't know what
he's thinking and you know it'sa five-foot putt at Augusta is
different than a five-foot puttat your average municipal golf
course.
Right, that's true you know thegreens are very pure, they're
very smooth, but where thatwhole location is, if you pay
attention to bunker shots andthings, they're playing it off
(09:28):
of ridges that are super extreme, where they're trying to kill
it.
You know 20 feet from the holeto let it trickle to the hole.
So he's also.
He's playing defensiveaggressive, right.
I mean, you have to beaggressive in the sense that
you're trying to make the putt,but if you don't the putt, you
don't want to have a crazy puttafter knowing that you just lost
(09:51):
the entire tournament.
So I think defensive aggressiveis a pretty good way of
thinking.
So he goes into the playoff.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Justin Rhodes comes in with a high because he just
played a good solid hole 18.
Rory missed a putt that heshould have made.
Now he's got the upper hand.
He's coming into this with alot of confidence and it went
really bad.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah, I mean and that's the funny thing too is
when you look at where Rory isand you think of prime, like
who's in their prime right now?
I mean I would say that Rory'smore in his prime right now than
Justin Rose, right?
Speaker 1 (10:33):
I mean when you look, much so, very much so.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, it's just like even the mentality of it.
He was so driven to win thattournament, yet emotions also
got to him when he had acouple-stroke lead to get back
to having to tie and ultimatelyyou look at that par five where
he had to flight a seven ironfrom about 200 yards I think it
(10:56):
was 15, um and hit a draw likeunder and then he like stuffs it
and it had to have drawn 15 to20 yards and you're just like
man under that circumstance with, I mean again that much
pressure right.
With the water short and goinglong to that pin, having did a
flop back, I mean, and youexecute that shot.
(11:18):
I mean, I mean it would havebeen just like it would have
been so sad for him to lose thatgolf tournament, based on the
ups and downs and the highs andthe lows and how he carried
himself coming down the stretch.
I mean, you know, you look backto when Stuart sink won the
British open um, uh, you know,and I think it was like Tom
(11:42):
Watson, right Wasn't even likecontention, and I mean
everybody's rooting for theunderdog and I mean, in a way,
you almost feel like Justin Roseis the underdog in that
situation.
Yeah, he's won the gold medal,he's won the major championships
, he's an incredible golfer, butI think at this point, rory is
the guy you're just looking toto go out and be that next Tiger
(12:03):
Woods we don looking to, to goout and be that next Tiger Woods
.
We don't like to say that, butultimately, his win record what
he's doing and tour the media,that fact that he can handle all
this pressure based onpotential divorce, then going
into not getting a divorce andthen going into what live and
PGA were battling right and he'sstill able to win a golf
(12:24):
tournament after doing all that.
I mean his expectations are somuch higher than any other
player in the world, right?
So, ultimately, right he's,he's.
He's partnering withorganizations that grow youth
golf, pga junior league andoperation 36.
I can't even imagine how manypodcasters zoom calls are, you
(12:44):
know in the limelight calls forall day long, right, and what,
what he's got to do, what youknow, and so it's kind of like
you never think of it.
It's like, uh, you know JayLeno and all those shows, and
you always laugh because you'relike, oh, he's just on at night.
You don't realize what they'redoing to prepare.
I mean it's a 24-7 job, nonstopto get that done.
(13:05):
And then you have to practice,then you have to be a family man
, a father and a husband, right,and he's still able to perform
at the highest level.
I mean that's incredible.
And these courses are gettingtougher.
They're not getting easier, Iknow so.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
No, and it's not talked about much.
Jason Day had a great showingat the Masters Love Jason Day.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
He's one of those guys.
I mean that leaderboard onSunday.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
I love that guy's attitude.
He is so happy-go-lucky all thetime and to see him placing.
What did he?
Was he tied for fifth?
Speaker 3 (13:43):
He was earlier on.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
He was tied for fifth .
He was earlier on and was tiedfor fifth, but I was super happy
to see him have such a greatshowing at the Masters this year
too.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Well, I mean, it's just incredible.
That leaderboard on Sunday wasjust one that I think was
exciting for everyone to see.
You had Rory and Justin PatrickReed was even up there.
He's you know the what is he?
Uh, he went to augusta state,you know, and you know, it's
just, it's like his home course,right, scotty scheffler?
Speaker 1 (14:14):
obviously, we all know um bryson, so a little bit
favored on that one, wasn't he,I think, number one I, you can
never rule him out.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
No, he's incredible.
When he's on, it's just hard tocome back.
You know, at Augusta I think,when you've got big hitters at
the top of the leaderboard, it'sit's it's tough to come back.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
So you know, the the masters is that that tournament
that kind of really separatesthe best of the best from the
best of the best.
Really, it draws that linebetween the very, very top
players in the league and allowsthem to shine when we get to.
(14:57):
Let's back up.
You know a hundred steps here.
When you're in college withaspirations of being on the PGA
tour and you're faced with thatcareer path in golf of do I get
my PGA card and become ateaching pro, work at a pro shop
(15:19):
, or do I jump in both feet andgo for the tour, what factors
come into play in that decision?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, I mean, ultimately I can speak on my own
story a little bit.
I always wanted to play on thePGA Tour I have back in seventh
grade I wrote a story about, youknow, beating Tiger Woods at
the Masters in the final group.
I mean, that's just that's howI felt.
I always wanted to be.
Injury ultimately took me outof some competition early on in
(15:48):
my professional career where Ididn't travel as much to go play
and I played in some mini tourevents and some bigger
qualifiers for the Opens andwhatnot.
And I think when it comes downto it, you're trying to figure
out what you're passionate aboutand I think when you get wound
up in just the playing side ofit, sometimes you lose sight
(16:10):
about maybe what you could begood at.
Um, and I think every you knowat least when I was going to the
PGA program, um, you knoweveryone wanted to just teach
golf and play golf, but mostpeople didn't do it because
there wasn't really a model forthat.
And now the PGA has more of aspecific program where you can
(16:33):
do teaching and coaching or youcan be in management or general,
you know, or executive right.
So it's nice to see thatthere's some evolution going on
with the PGA of America and thedifference too right.
So anyone can declare thatthey're a professional right and
go play in a professionaltournament and take money, and
(16:53):
then you lose your amateurstatus for a couple of years.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
How do you make that declaration?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah.
So I mean you ultimately can goto that tournament and sign up
as a professional I mean it'snothing crazy and then you lose
your amateur status.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
So I think the biggest thing is what are the
cons about losing your amateurstatus?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Well, I mean, I just think that a lot of people think
that they're ready to go proand they're maybe wasting their
time.
If you really look at it fromthe outside, looking in, I don't
think a lot of people what theydo is they try to move up
through the ranks instead ofjust going for the big stake.
Right, I mean, ultimately, if Iwas doing it again and when I
talk to people, um, yeah,there's a time and a place to
say I need to go play on a minitour, like the Pepsi tour or um,
(17:40):
you know, whatever it may be,even like the used to be gateway
tour.
You know there's a lot of thosetours.
I know Ryan's played on theDakotas tour, but those tours
don't actually get you PGA tourstatus.
They're kind of a way to go out,make some money, get some
competition head to head withsome you know really good
players.
And then you're trying to go toQ school.
So it's preparation for PGAtour qualifying school and
(18:04):
there's pre-qualifying first.
So if you don't passpre-qualifying, you're done.
So you paid money to get intothat.
Then you go to stage one, stagetwo, stage three, right, and
then you go to hell weekbasically, which is six rounds
of golf and you're trying to bein that top 20 to get your PGA
tour card.
Otherwise you get conditionalstatus, otherwise you get some
sort of mini tour status andthere's and that's great, right.
(18:25):
But ultimately the guys live inamazing, are in the top 30 of
the world, right?
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Maybe top 40.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
They're making, and again they're making money, but
they have the sponsorshipsbecause they're top 30 in the
world.
It's.
It's amazing to me how muchmoney they do make if they win,
but ultimately it's thesponsorships that are paying
their way.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Right.
So when you see somebody making$4 million winning a tournament
, Look at travel.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Look at travel expenses for the year and where
they stay and their caddy andeverything right Family.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Of course.
And then?
Speaker 3 (18:58):
their sponsors.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Their sponsorship is probably at least doubling what
their winnings are.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
I never even thought about this one, but I was
talking to a CPA one day and Ididn't even realize that any
state they play in, they gettaxed in that state above and
beyond.
So now they also have like 50tax returns they have to file on
top of that.
Can you imagine?
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
It's crazy.
It's like all professionalsports are like that.
Nba is like that too.
I never thought about that.
You play a game.
Don't tell me what I'm winning,Just tell me what I got after
tax.
Yeah, you know you.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
We always talk about how much money LeBron James
makes in a minute, but what's hegetting taxed on, right, right?
So Evan is our guest today.
Welcome to the show, evan.
Thank you guys, thank you forbeing here.
I bring up this conversationabout coming to the crossroads
in a professional golf careerbecause Evan is on that path
himself and I just want tounderstand the technique, not
(19:53):
just the technical side ofthings and what boxes need to be
checked, but the mentality sideof things that helps to drive
the decision as to what yourgolf career is going to go.
Is it going to go making acareer out of playing golf as a
professional and winningtournaments, or is it going to
be more getting yourselfestablished into the golf
(20:13):
industry in the operations,management, teaching, coaching
side of things?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
You know, I think, with playing golf, I think it
would be everybody's dream tomake money actually playing golf
tournaments.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Of course.
Who doesn't want to play on TVand play on the PGA Tour right?
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Winning golf tournaments is hard and I've
only actually been playing golfnow for just under two years.
I played baseball my whole life.
I played two years of collegebaseball and getting this job
and working here, I just fell inlove with golf.
I love it, love everythingabout it, love playing it, love
the people that play it.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
When did you catch the bug, what specific instance,
what day was it where it justclicked and you're like forget
about baseball, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
so for golf it was actually when I was already done
playing baseball.
So I was done playing baseballand I kind of was going crazy
for a little bit.
Injuries was kind of the thingthat kept me out of baseball and
I had always thought that thatwould go a little bit further.
But when I was done playingbaseball I needed something to
do and I started going to thedriving range One day after
(21:19):
another.
I kept going until I finallyhit that one shot and you know
everybody talks about it.
It's that one shot that justfeels different than everything
else and all you want to do isdo that over and over again.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
You feel that ball hit the center of the club face.
You feel that ball, for thefirst time ever, compress.
That's it.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
And it's like crap, it truly is.
And getting this job here andbeing able to use this facility
it is truly the most incrediblefacility in the country.
It's amazing the technology,the people and just what it has
to offer it has allowed me to.
I mean, I've been playing golffor just under two years and
(22:00):
when I tell people my handicapthey kind of are a little
surprised sometimes.
But I also tell them I'veprobably practiced as much as
your average golfer would inabout five to 10 years in my
under two years of playing golf.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Well, just being an athlete goes a long way in that
as well.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Yes, a lot of people don't give credit to it
definitely, definitely helped inthe hand-eye coordination,
coming from playing baseballRight.
And you know, once I startedplaying golf I really wanted to
figure out a career that I couldhave in golf.
I always thought I'd be workingin sports.
I love sports, love athletics,and one of my passions is also
(22:39):
seeing people do things thatthey enjoy and improving at
things that they enjoy.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
When in the last two years did making a career in
golf kind of sink into your mindas being a reality.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Honestly not too long ago, Probably three, four
months ago.
You know it hasn't been toolong, so I've known you for
longer than that, yes, 100%.
Um, it hasn't been too long, soI've known you for longer than
that A hundred percent.
And I, even when I firststarted working here, I didn't
know that it was going to be mycareer Um, but I truly fell in
love with the game.
I think the game of golf is themost incredible game there is,
(23:17):
coming from baseball.
I love baseball.
It still holds a very, you know, important place in my heart.
But there's just somethingdifferent about golf, in my
opinion.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah, I mean, evan, you hit the nail on the head.
There's, it's a love story.
It's a, it's a love haterelationship and and there's,
there's nothing better thanbeing at a facility that allows
you to grow as a golfer and thengo out on the golf course and
see if you can, you know, be agood player.
(23:49):
Um, you know it's.
It's funny.
Ryan was on the show a fewweeks back, our director of
instruction, and ultimatelyryan's the reason that I hired
you, and I think you know that,because I didn't know you as
well, I just knew you from oakknoll.
I think you know that because Ididn't know you as well, I just
knew you from Oak Knoll, andyou know, obviously it's the
best thing Ryan's ever done forme.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
And.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
I'll just say that right now, ryan deserves more
than that.
Oh no, no.
But what I was going to say wasgoing back to how the facility
makes you better and how you cankind of fall in love with the
game in both ways.
You know, ryan's been coachinga lot and he works on his game
here and then he'll go and playin some tournaments and we
(24:31):
played in a charity event acouple of weeks ago that was for
South Medford High School,north Medford.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
High.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
School and St Mary's High School.
This is their big charityfundraiser that gets them
everything they need for theyear and it's at Rogue Valley
Country Club and my friend, likemy best friend, craig, is the
superintendent there and I'm amember and I haven't played it
much and I don't remember thegreens ever being so like firm
(25:00):
and smooth Like they're.
They're just great right nowand Ryan and I have a best ball
the first round and we shoot 73.
Like we shoot one over par in abest ball, which is just insane
.
Like that's so high for us.
And so you know we're justlaughing about it honestly and
(25:20):
our whole thing is okay, let'sgo shoot 58 tomorrow.
That was our whole thing.
It was never about what we shotthat day.
We were a little frustrated ata few things, but nothing that
wasn't.
You know.
We were out there having fun.
So the next day we go out andwe shoot 57, not 58, in a
two-person scramble.
(25:41):
And the reason I bring this upis because, going to Ryan, who's
tried to play on tour a littlebit, tried to do some things.
He's an awesome golfer.
He's still, you know.
That's not over for him.
No, it's not over.
It's not over for any of us,honestly, like it's.
It's just one of those things.
You just got to get it at theright time.
But but, long story short, ryanwas going second on putting.
(26:06):
I felt like he was rolling alittle better.
He had a few more rounds underhis belt this year than I have
and so, man, I would either makethe putt or I would just burn
the edge.
So we were both putting well,but if I missed the putt, ryan
was rolling it so good that hemade it after me.
These were like 15 20 footputts too, so it's not like we
were absolutely murdering it asfar as how close we were hitting
(26:28):
it, but we were just makingputts.
And so I remember thinking thatwe had this pro-am coming up and
this just happened.
Um, it's the rogue pro-am.
It's one of the biggest pro-amsin our area.
Two days at Grants Pass, twodays at Rogue.
I didn't play Grants Pass, Iplayed Rogue.
Um, and I go out there the firstday and I shoot 73 and I
haven't hit it that good in solong and the greens were
(26:49):
concrete and they were fast andyou're just like man, I felt
like I shot 66 and we get done,and Ryan and I both shot 73 and
I was like, okay, well, I feelpretty good about myself,
honestly, considering how littleI played and you know I'm in
the top I made money that day,you know and of all the 20 pros
or whatever, I'm in the top fiveor something.
And then Ryan and I are on therange and I watched him hit a
(27:12):
drive and I'm just like, okay,that looked a little different
and you could see he was kind ofready to play.
And sometimes you see thatabout a golfer, but while
they're warming up about howthey're ready to play, and it's
just that, that pure sound, thatdifferent look aggression.
that it's different, it'sdifferent and I was feeling good
, but I'm just like man thatthat just looks good.
So I said, hey, um, I think 64,it's going to take 64 today.
(27:33):
And he's like and I said whatdo you think?
He's like, yeah, that might getit done.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
And so yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
So you know he goes and I said, hey, don't save any
birdies for me today.
I always say save a birdie forme today.
And I said don't save anybirdies for me today.
So what's he go out and do onthe very first hole, knocks in
(28:01):
the hole to a tight left pinthat nobody even can get to.
So I'm laughing.
He texted me out there and he'slike I knocked it in the hole
on 13 and just started laughing.
I'm like, okay, so then nexthole, normally after a one one.
You know you're trying to make,not make a bogey, and he, right,
even said this the next daygoes out and birdies it.
So he starts out hole-in-onebirdie, par birdie.
He shoots a bogey free, 65, youknow, wins the day by five
shots.
You know 70 was the secondlowest world.
(28:23):
I shot 72, thinking I'm like ontop of the world based on,
again, how tough it was.
Um, but no, it was.
It was pretty cool to see that.
And again I'm going'm goingback to what Evan just said.
You know you fall in love withthis game.
Ryan's played since he was bornand you know, ultimately, being
in the golf garage and justpracticing and playing and
(28:45):
seeing what your ball does isallowing you to be better.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
It's been huge for me being able to get the data and
start like putting togetherfeels and what creates what sort
of shot.
The data is everything.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
As a manager, as a business owner.
I look at this situation.
You're describing Noah and I'mlike Ryan golfer you caddy,
because you're a motivatingfactor, obviously, in what he
does.
You have a lot of you, carryyour words, carry a lot of
weight with him.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Yeah, I mean, he's one of the.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
I'm seeing a recipe coming together for success.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
He's one of the few guys I'd probably carry his
heavy bag Maybe one round, andhe's a lefty, so he can't even
play with his clubs.
I know it's a bummer.
I mean I can hit it lefty, Ijust try not to.
I hyperextended my elbow incollege hitting it lefty, but
it's fun, I mean, yeah, it'spretty cool.
So, evan, one of the things I'dbe curious about is did you
(29:46):
ever know you were going to besuch a good bartender, and did
you know it was going to be partof the job?
Speaker 1 (29:52):
I had no idea he makes the second best Cadillac
margaritas the best old fashionsthough 100 all right, maybe the
best old fashions.
I haven't had one of those yetit's the boxer girl rabbit hole
whiskey.
That's what did it, yeah younow, now, now I'm only saying
second best to give, to givecredit to britney here.
(30:12):
But but you, you make a killerCadillac too.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I appreciate that, darren.
And going back to the questionI, if you would have told me two
years ago that I would havebeen bartending and doing an
event like I did today you know40, 50 people in here and I'm
making drinks I'm the only onein here making drinks for them I
would have laughed at you ifyou would have told me that was
that's what I would have beendoing two years ago, growing up
(30:40):
super shy kid, very introverted,a little bit of anxiety.
I can't see that now Totally.
That's why this job has beenincredible for me.
It has helped me in so manyways, not only as a golfer, but
just as a person.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
And I've met you know , being a member here at the
golf garage, I've I've met somany people who are so
passionate about the game ofgolf.
We love it so much and live andbreathe everything they do here
, um, in their teaching andtheir passion for the game and
everything, um.
I see that so much in you.
(31:16):
I see how you interact with thecustomers here.
I see your interaction and yourlove and your dedication for
being a good example and a goodmentor to my son and I just
can't I can't speak highlyenough for that.
So, on a personal note, notthat this is the platform to do
(31:38):
it, but thank you.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
I very, very much appreciate it, darren.
And Toby kills it.
I am so excited to just watchToby grow as a golfer and as a
person over the next couple ofyears and you know he has this
place to grow as a golfer and Iknow there's so many people here
that will also help him grow asa person and he is on such a
(32:00):
good path Awesome.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
I'm so excited.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show, but do tell us what
is your favorite course you'veever played.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
So, being that I've only been playing golf for about
a year and 10 months now,haven't gotten out to play a
whole bunch of courses, I wouldhave to say.
Currently my favorite one thatI've played is running why?
Klamath Falls?
Great, great course.
It's an Arnold Palmer designcourse and I loved it.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
I didn't know this ahead of time, but I had a gut
feeling you were going to saythat I am playing running.
Why, day after tomorrow, forthe first time, weather is
supposed to be perfect.
The course is in premiumcondition.
What advice do you have for meon that course?
Speaker 2 (32:49):
man, just take it all in.
It's a beautiful course.
It's always in great condition.
Um, greens greens are alwayspretty quick, at least they were
when I played them out there.
Um, some tight holes, some openholes, but it's really just
overall a fun course.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
What's the most fun hole?
What's your favorite hole inthe course?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Well, for me it was number 11.
Um, it's that super downhillpar three, and or number nine.
Nine's a fun one, that's a semidrivable par four, I mean it's
so I think it's like 320, 330,but it's straight downhill.
So if you hit a good ballyou'll get on, and I think when
I played it I was about fiveyards off the front of the green
(33:28):
and then I almost aced number11 nice, that's got to be a
favorite when you do that.
Oh yeah, it makes itautomatically.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Noah, what's your take on running why?
Speaker 3 (33:38):
It's my all-time favorite golf course in Southern
Oregon.
The views are incredible.
Arnold Palmer design right.
It's the only signature ArnoldPalmer course in Oregon.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
And Arnold Palmer has actually said that this is one
of his favorite tracks that he'sever designed.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Yeah, and I got to play his course in Pennsylvania.
It's nothing like this, youknow.
So it's just a uniqueenvironment and I think Evan hit
the nail on the head that it'sone of those courses that you
look up and you can be happy.
So, like Pebble Beach, everyoneloves Pebble because you can
hit a terrible shot and look upand say I'm in paradise, running
.
Why is so much like that?
Um, and I think that's like whyI love giving golf schools out
(34:15):
there, why I like taking peopleover there, and it's a course
you can go low on if you hit itin the right spots.
So hopefully you don't get anywind and you just get a
beautiful day over there andyou're going to love it.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
I have an 11 am tea time on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
That's perfect, it's going to be awesome.
How's the weather looking?
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Like 64 degree, 64 for the high, and couldn't ask
for anything more.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Hey, kind of like last little piece here.
I wanted to give a shout out tothe sau golf team.
We're heading up to ourconference championships this
weekend.
Right, the men's team shot ascoring record of five under par
as a team in round two in ourlast event and they are cooking
and we're going to be able tobring our entire team up.
(35:03):
So we're going to have somespectators there.
We're going to have somesupport there.
Our culture is family first.
We are like we're in a reallygood spot.
Our women's team's motivatedright now.
Our number one girl's playinggreat golf.
She shot under par this year afew times and she's got a good
chance to go on a nationalsreally good spot.
Our women's team's motivatedright now.
Our number one girls playinggreat golf.
She shot under par this year afew times and she's got a good
chance of going to nationalsindividually.
So we're we're looking to gocrush it up there Awesome.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Can't wait.
What do we have to look forwardto over the next two, three?
Speaker 3 (35:30):
weeks.
So next week we're going tohave Daniel Shuler.
Well, it's the mentalperformance coach.
He has helped um saint mary'sgolf team locally.
He's helped fortune uh, 200companies, ceos, um, he's a
scratch golfer himself and, uh,he's going to come on.
And then, uh, there's a couplesurprises in the golf industry.
(35:50):
A good friend of mine, um, thatworks for tidalist uh and the
tour department is going to becoming on in a few weeks.
And then I've got a few otherasks.
Within the PGA Tour side ofthings, we all know the mental
game is the toughest game.
It's the toughest game.
That's what your son Toby'sworking on right now.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
He is we had a rude awakening last week at a
Roseburg Country Club.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
Yeah, but you know what?
He's got it dialed in andthat's the next part of the
process.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
All right, thanks for joining us.
We'll see you next week.
Welcome to the my golf source podcast.
Welcome to my golf source.
I'm Darren, I'm Noah, here wego again.
Week after master's week.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
That is my favorite time of year.
My man.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It was so exciting Rory wins in a playoff round
with Justin Rose.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, it was pretty fun.
Everyone always asks you who tovote for, who you're rooting
for, what you got.
Even my kids were like Daddy,is that who you want to have win
?
It's pretty special when yourkids are enjoying a golf
tournament as much as you areand your youngest is five and
he's just glued to the TV.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I am happy for Rory.
I'm glad he won.
He completed the grand slam.
My son was 110% in for Rory.
I got to say I was kind ofrooting for DeChambeau.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, it's, it's hard .
Speaker 1 (01:10):
He's a disruptor.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
He's a headline grabber.
He grabs people's attention.
He does off the wall things.
He says and does the unexpectedand he was.
He was on track for a big win.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I'm a little on the opposite side, rory and I see
eye to eye.
You know he's only about 5'8".
I'm 5'7 1⁄2" and ultimately Iwas in the locker room of the
PGA Championship and he was theone guy I wanted to go stand
next to and just see how tall hereally was.
I knew JT was kind of a littlesmaller, but he was even taller
than Rory, I think by an inch orso.
(01:48):
But I remember going over and Ijust stood right next to him.
Then he like shook my hand andstuff.
I mean, the dude's a class act,regardless of what the media
makes him out to be.
Same with DeChambeau um, usOpen 2010,.
I believe it was.
We're're at oakmont, got myjunior academy there and uh, and
bryson's an alternate and he'swalking in and he's a little guy
(02:11):
at this time.
I mean, he's so built right nowit's not even funny.
He's like a.
We were joking about it.
He's like a rectangle with armsright and he's just a beast,
you know.
And uh, you know he was justvery skinny at that open, but he
spoke and talked to our kidsfor about 20 minutes.
Didn't know if he was playingalternate and it was, uh,
probably one of the coolestthings and I just thanked him
(02:33):
for what he was doing for golfbecause at that time he was just
starting to get more into thescience of it.
His coach definitely wasfocused on, you know, just
launch monitor data only, andultimately that's what we do a
lot at the golf garage Maybe notas in-depth as what Bryson's
going, but pretty cool stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
So Bryson kind of jumped in both feet.
He's got single-length clubs.
He does a lot of things thatare technically abstract, that a
lot of players just don't seeeye to eye on, but it works for
him because he is so data-driven.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Yeah, I mean, ultimately he just wanted to
learn how to swing harder andharder and he puts a net up in
his house and all he's doing isswinging as hard as he can at
golf balls and all of a suddenhe's the longest guy out there
and he's learned how to controlthat.
Yeah, I mean.
Looking at the majorchampionships, that guy has no
fear on anything.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
No, and when it goes really good, it goes really good
, and when it goes really bad,it goes he says why?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
why did it do that, that?
What is it going?
Speaker 1 (03:36):
on the numbers, don't make sense yeah, it didn't
happen.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
So, no, no, and and you know what's really cool, I
mean when we had Jermaine on.
Jermaine's partner, jibo, isBryson's caddy, so I've spent
some time with him too and oneof the things that was really
cool and hopefully we'll haveJibo on the show here in the
next few weeks.
I'm going to reach out to him.
But we're playing golf atRunning Y.
(04:00):
A couple summers ago for ahead-to-head our academy versus
theirs.
A couple summers ago for ahead-to-head um, our academy
versus theirs and jibo told usthat basically anytime bryson's
putting inside of 15 feet, hedoesn't miss the hole.
So it doesn't always go in, buthe's like touching the hole
almost every single time.
Interesting, it's insane,because you know 15, you know 15
(04:21):
foot putts.
The make rate percentage is sub40 most of the time for the
tour, so for him to hit the holeevery time, that's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So where did it, in your opinion?
Where did it go wrong forBryson, Because he was doing so
well in round three?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
He just he didn't look like he had it mentally.
I mean the small things that Iwas watching.
He was just questioning so muchLike I can't get my hip through
, or I mean I heard that on theTV one time and I don't know
exactly what that meant in hismind, but he, he wasn't hitting
the shots.
I mean ultimately.
I mean Augusta is a big golfcourse.
(05:01):
You got to hit it far, um, andif you miss it in those trees,
you know you've, you can escape,but if you're not hitting the
shots, you're not hitting theshots, um, you know.
And then you're playing againstJustin Rose, who's coming up
strong, and and Rory, who'splaying some amazing golf, um,
(05:22):
and you know they both wanted itmore.
I mean, I think that's kind ofwhat it comes down to.
You always laugh when a playeris like who wanted it more?
You know, but the person thatcontrols the ball the best that
week wins, and whoever controlstheir emotions the best
typically also wins right.
Rory could have also thrown itin when Justin and him were tied
(05:43):
right and then he went down.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I mean it was pretty incredible, and Justin had a
commanding lead in the first tworounds.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Oh yeah, I mean it was so cool to watch Justin Rose
.
I was actually I've always beena Justin Rose fan.
There's a local player from ourarea, jason Allred, and you
know it sounded like when he wasdown in the desert he and
Justin Rose were both playingand practicing together at a
private club in Arizona.
That's what, that's what Iheard, at least and I've always
(06:12):
wondered, like how is it thatthey're playing and practicing
and then all of a sudden, justinRose becomes a superstar?
This was before.
He was like a big, big name andand then Jason played great
golf, he made it on the PGA tour, but he just didn't continue.
And it's always that thatquestion, right, like why did he
?
You know, justin make it, butJason didn't make it right?
(06:35):
I mean, jason hit it farther atthe time and you know just as
good and was in contention, andit's just amazing how good they
are.
That's what's the perspectivethat no one really pays
attention to.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Is it luck, or does it just come down to your
ability to embrace the pressure?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
It's self-belief.
Ultimately, they all have theability to hit the ball far,
they all have the ability toputt well, but what it comes
down to is you know when you'rein that zone, you know you're
going to make it, and if itdoesn't go in, you know you're
going to make the next one.
And then, when that one doesn'tgo in, you know they're going
to make that right.
It doesn't, it doesn't falter,nothing bothers you.
So I think ultimately it's likethat, the tiger effect, right.
(07:16):
Tiger's dad comes out and startstelling us all the things that
he used to do to Tiger Woodswhen he was a kid, to mess with
him, and just literally, I meannot abusive, but he was
preparing him Try to ruffle hisfeathers a bit For the worst.
I mean yeah, I mean to theextreme Right.
And so Tiger learned how toturn it on and turn it off
(07:39):
Ultimately, like again, this isa story that I've heard about
Tiger where there was a recruitthat was a really good player
coming out to Stanford and youknow Tiger's already won three
junior amateurs and anotheramateur and I think it's his
sophomore year before he playsAugusta and this is super crazy.
But front nine, I think Tigerand this young recruit tied.
(08:04):
And so the Stanford coach comesup and says, hey, how's it
going?
He's like, oh, it's going great, I'm tied with Tiger right now.
He's like, oh good, you know,that's great.
And so coach goes over to Tigerand whispers and said, okay,
it's time.
And Tiger goes and shoots likefour or five under par and
crushes this kid Right.
So it's one of those where, youknow, coaches said hey, don't,
(08:24):
you know, beat him up too bad.
And then all of a sudden it'slike rocky or something.
It's like don't give up, andnow I'm just going to take you
out.
So yeah, it's, it's prettyinteresting that step on your
throat mentality.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
So hole 18, rory had what approximately a five foot
putt and he kind of dropped theball.
He missed that putt which tiedthe round, caused the playoff.
That's discouraging.
That's a tough pill to swallowbecause that was a putt that
(08:59):
statistically was darn near agimme for him.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, no, I mean, ultimately you don't know what
he's thinking and you know it'sa five-foot putt at Augusta is
different than a five-foot puttat your average municipal golf
course.
Right, that's true you know thegreens are very pure, they're
very smooth, but where thatwhole location is, if you pay
attention to bunker shots andthings, they're playing it off
(09:28):
of ridges that are super extreme, where they're trying to kill
it.
You know 20 feet from the holeto let it trickle to the hole.
So he's also.
He's playing defensiveaggressive, right.
I mean, you have to beaggressive in the sense that
you're trying to make the putt,but if you don't the putt, you
don't want to have a crazy puttafter knowing that you just lost
(09:51):
the entire tournament.
So I think defensive aggressiveis a pretty good way of
thinking.
So he goes into the playoff.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Justin Rhodes comes in with a high because he just
played a good solid hole 18.
Rory missed a putt that heshould have made.
Now he's got the upper hand.
He's coming into this with alot of confidence and it went
really bad.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
Yeah, I mean and that's the funny thing too is
when you look at where Rory isand you think of prime, like
who's in their prime right now?
I mean I would say that Rory'smore in his prime right now than
Justin Rose, right?
Speaker 1 (10:33):
I mean when you look, much so, very much so.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Well, it's just like even the mentality of it.
He was so driven to win thattournament, yet emotions also
got to him when he had acouple-stroke lead to get back
to having to tie and ultimatelyyou look at that par five where
he had to flight a seven ironfrom about 200 yards I think it
(10:56):
was 15, um and hit a draw likeunder and then he like stuffs it
and it had to have drawn 15 to20 yards and you're just like
man under that circumstance with, I mean again that much
pressure right.
With the water short and goinglong to that pin, having did a
flop back, I mean, and youexecute that shot.
(11:18):
I mean, I mean it would havebeen just like it would have
been so sad for him to lose thatgolf tournament, based on the
ups and downs and the highs andthe lows and how he carried
himself coming down the stretch.
I mean, you know, you look backto when Stuart sink won the
British open um, uh, you know,and I think it was like Tom
(11:42):
Watson, right Wasn't even likecontention, and I mean
everybody's rooting for theunderdog and I mean, in a way,
you almost feel like Justin Roseis the underdog in that
situation.
Yeah, he's won the gold medal,he's won the major championships
, he's an incredible golfer, butI think at this point, rory is
the guy you're just looking toto go out and be that next Tiger
(12:03):
Woods we don looking to, to goout and be that next Tiger Woods
.
We don't like to say that, butultimately, his win record what
he's doing and tour the media,that fact that he can handle all
this pressure based onpotential divorce, then going
into not getting a divorce andthen going into what live and
PGA were battling right and he'sstill able to win a golf
(12:24):
tournament after doing all that.
I mean his expectations are somuch higher than any other
player in the world, right?
So, ultimately, right he's,he's.
He's partnering withorganizations that grow youth
golf, pga junior league andoperation 36.
I can't even imagine how manypodcasters zoom calls are, you
(12:44):
know in the limelight calls forall day long, right, and what,
what he's got to do, what youknow, and so it's kind of like
you never think of it.
It's like, uh, you know JayLeno and all those shows, and
you always laugh because you'relike, oh, he's just on at night.
You don't realize what they'redoing to prepare.
I mean it's a 24-7 job, nonstopto get that done.
(13:05):
And then you have to practice,then you have to be a family man
, a father and a husband, right,and he's still able to perform
at the highest level.
I mean that's incredible.
And these courses are gettingtougher.
They're not getting easier, Iknow so.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
No, and it's not talked about much.
Jason Day had a great showingat the Masters Love Jason Day.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
He's one of those guys.
I mean that leaderboard onSunday.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
I love that guy's attitude.
He is so happy-go-lucky all thetime and to see him placing.
What did he?
Was he tied for fifth?
Speaker 3 (13:43):
He was earlier on.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
He was tied for fifth .
He was earlier on and was tiedfor fifth, but I was super happy
to see him have such a greatshowing at the Masters this year
too.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Well, I mean, it's just incredible.
That leaderboard on Sunday wasjust one that I think was
exciting for everyone to see.
You had Rory and Justin PatrickReed was even up there.
He's you know the what is he?
Uh, he went to augusta state,you know, and you know, it's
just, it's like his home course,right, scotty scheffler?
Speaker 1 (14:14):
obviously, we all know um bryson, so a little bit
favored on that one, wasn't he,I think, number one I, you can
never rule him out.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
No, he's incredible.
When he's on, it's just hard tocome back.
You know, at Augusta I think,when you've got big hitters at
the top of the leaderboard, it'sit's it's tough to come back.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
So you know, the the masters is that that tournament
that kind of really separatesthe best of the best from the
best of the best.
Really, it draws that linebetween the very, very top
players in the league and allowsthem to shine when we get to.
(14:57):
Let's back up.
You know a hundred steps here.
When you're in college withaspirations of being on the PGA
tour and you're faced with thatcareer path in golf of do I get
my PGA card and become ateaching pro, work at a pro shop
(15:19):
, or do I jump in both feet andgo for the tour, what factors
come into play in that decision?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, I mean, ultimately I can speak on my own
story a little bit.
I always wanted to play on thePGA Tour I have back in seventh
grade I wrote a story about, youknow, beating Tiger Woods at
the Masters in the final group.
I mean, that's just that's howI felt.
I always wanted to be.
Injury ultimately took me outof some competition early on in
(15:48):
my professional career where Ididn't travel as much to go play
and I played in some mini tourevents and some bigger
qualifiers for the Opens andwhatnot.
And I think when it comes downto it, you're trying to figure
out what you're passionate aboutand I think when you get wound
up in just the playing side ofit, sometimes you lose sight
(16:10):
about maybe what you could begood at.
Um, and I think every you knowat least when I was going to the
PGA program, um, you knoweveryone wanted to just teach
golf and play golf, but mostpeople didn't do it because
there wasn't really a model forthat.
And now the PGA has more of aspecific program where you can
(16:33):
do teaching and coaching or youcan be in management or general,
you know, or executive right.
So it's nice to see thatthere's some evolution going on
with the PGA of America and thedifference too right.
So anyone can declare thatthey're a professional right and
go play in a professionaltournament and take money, and
(16:53):
then you lose your amateurstatus for a couple of years.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
How do you make that declaration?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah.
So I mean you ultimately can goto that tournament and sign up
as a professional I mean it'snothing crazy and then you lose
your amateur status.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
So I think the biggest thing is what are the
cons about losing your amateurstatus?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Well, I mean, I just think that a lot of people think
that they're ready to go proand they're maybe wasting their
time.
If you really look at it fromthe outside, looking in, I don't
think a lot of people what theydo is they try to move up
through the ranks instead ofjust going for the big stake.
Right, I mean, ultimately, if Iwas doing it again and when I
talk to people, um, yeah,there's a time and a place to
say I need to go play on a minitour, like the Pepsi tour or um,
(17:40):
you know, whatever it may be,even like the used to be gateway
tour.
You know there's a lot of thosetours.
I know Ryan's played on theDakotas tour, but those tours
don't actually get you PGA tourstatus.
They're kind of a way to go out,make some money, get some
competition head to head withsome you know really good
players.
And then you're trying to go toQ school.
So it's preparation for PGAtour qualifying school and
(18:04):
there's pre-qualifying first.
So if you don't passpre-qualifying, you're done.
So you paid money to get intothat.
Then you go to stage one, stagetwo, stage three, right, and
then you go to hell weekbasically, which is six rounds
of golf and you're trying to bein that top 20 to get your PGA
tour card.
Otherwise you get conditionalstatus, otherwise you get some
sort of mini tour status andthere's and that's great, right.
(18:25):
But ultimately the guys live inamazing, are in the top 30 of
the world, right?
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Maybe top 40.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
They're making, and again they're making money, but
they have the sponsorshipsbecause they're top 30 in the
world.
It's.
It's amazing to me how muchmoney they do make if they win,
but ultimately it's thesponsorships that are paying
their way.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Right.
So when you see somebody making$4 million winning a tournament
, Look at travel.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Look at travel expenses for the year and where
they stay and their caddy andeverything right Family.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
Of course.
And then?
Speaker 3 (18:58):
their sponsors.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Their sponsorship is probably at least doubling what
their winnings are.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
I never even thought about this one, but I was
talking to a CPA one day and Ididn't even realize that any
state they play in, they gettaxed in that state above and
beyond.
So now they also have like 50tax returns they have to file on
top of that.
Can you imagine?
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
It's crazy.
It's like all professionalsports are like that.
Nba is like that too.
I never thought about that.
You play a game.
Don't tell me what I'm winning,Just tell me what I got after
tax.
Yeah, you know you.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
We always talk about how much money LeBron James
makes in a minute, but what's hegetting taxed on, right, right?
So Evan is our guest today.
Welcome to the show, evan.
Thank you guys, thank you forbeing here.
I bring up this conversationabout coming to the crossroads
in a professional golf careerbecause Evan is on that path
himself and I just want tounderstand the technique, not
(19:53):
just the technical side ofthings and what boxes need to be
checked, but the mentality sideof things that helps to drive
the decision as to what yourgolf career is going to go.
Is it going to go making acareer out of playing golf as a
professional and winningtournaments, or is it going to
be more getting yourselfestablished into the golf
(20:13):
industry in the operations,management, teaching, coaching
side of things?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
You know, I think, with playing golf, I think it
would be everybody's dream tomake money actually playing golf
tournaments.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Of course.
Who doesn't want to play on TVand play on the PGA Tour right?
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Winning golf tournaments is hard and I've
only actually been playing golfnow for just under two years.
I played baseball my whole life.
I played two years of collegebaseball and getting this job
and working here, I just fell inlove with golf.
I love it, love everythingabout it, love playing it, love
the people that play it.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
When did you catch the bug, what specific instance,
what day was it where it justclicked and you're like forget
about baseball, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
so for golf it was actually when I was already done
playing baseball.
So I was done playing baseballand I kind of was going crazy
for a little bit.
Injuries was kind of the thingthat kept me out of baseball and
I had always thought that thatwould go a little bit further.
But when I was done playingbaseball I needed something to
do and I started going to thedriving range One day after
(21:19):
another.
I kept going until I finallyhit that one shot and you know
everybody talks about it.
It's that one shot that justfeels different than everything
else and all you want to do isdo that over and over again.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
You feel that ball hit the center of the club face.
You feel that ball, for thefirst time ever, compress.
That's it.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
And it's like crap, it truly is.
And getting this job here andbeing able to use this facility
it is truly the most incrediblefacility in the country.
It's amazing the technology,the people and just what it has
to offer it has allowed me to.
I mean, I've been playing golffor just under two years and
(22:00):
when I tell people my handicapthey kind of are a little
surprised sometimes.
But I also tell them I'veprobably practiced as much as
your average golfer would inabout five to 10 years in my
under two years of playing golf.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Well, just being an athlete goes a long way in that
as well.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Yes, a lot of people don't give credit to it
definitely, definitely helped inthe hand-eye coordination,
coming from playing baseballRight.
And you know, once I startedplaying golf I really wanted to
figure out a career that I couldhave in golf.
I always thought I'd be workingin sports.
I love sports, love athletics,and one of my passions is also
(22:39):
seeing people do things thatthey enjoy and improving at
things that they enjoy.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
When in the last two years did making a career in
golf kind of sink into your mindas being a reality.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Honestly not too long ago, Probably three, four
months ago.
You know it hasn't been toolong, so I've known you for
longer than that, yes, 100%.
Um, it hasn't been too long, soI've known you for longer than
that A hundred percent.
And I, even when I firststarted working here, I didn't
know that it was going to be mycareer Um, but I truly fell in
love with the game.
I think the game of golf is themost incredible game there is,
(23:17):
coming from baseball.
I love baseball.
It still holds a very, you know, important place in my heart.
But there's just somethingdifferent about golf, in my
opinion.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yeah, I mean, evan, you hit the nail on the head.
There's, it's a love story.
It's a, it's a love haterelationship and and there's,
there's nothing better thanbeing at a facility that allows
you to grow as a golfer and thengo out on the golf course and
see if you can, you know, be agood player.
(23:49):
Um, you know it's.
It's funny.
Ryan was on the show a fewweeks back, our director of
instruction, and ultimatelyryan's the reason that I hired
you, and I think you know that,because I didn't know you as
well, I just knew you from oakknoll.
I think you know that because Ididn't know you as well, I just
knew you from Oak Knoll, andyou know, obviously it's the
best thing Ryan's ever done forme.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
And.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
I'll just say that right now, ryan deserves more
than that.
Oh no, no.
But what I was going to say wasgoing back to how the facility
makes you better and how you cankind of fall in love with the
game in both ways.
You know, ryan's been coachinga lot and he works on his game
here and then he'll go and playin some tournaments and we
(24:31):
played in a charity event acouple of weeks ago that was for
South Medford High School,north Medford.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
High.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
School and St Mary's High School.
This is their big charityfundraiser that gets them
everything they need for theyear and it's at Rogue Valley
Country Club and my friend, likemy best friend, craig, is the
superintendent there and I'm amember and I haven't played it
much and I don't remember thegreens ever being so like firm
(25:00):
and smooth Like they're.
They're just great right nowand Ryan and I have a best ball
the first round and we shoot 73.
Like we shoot one over par in abest ball, which is just insane
.
Like that's so high for us.
And so you know we're justlaughing about it honestly and
(25:20):
our whole thing is okay, let'sgo shoot 58 tomorrow.
That was our whole thing.
It was never about what we shotthat day.
We were a little frustrated ata few things, but nothing that
wasn't.
You know.
We were out there having fun.
So the next day we go out andwe shoot 57, not 58, in a
two-person scramble.
(25:41):
And the reason I bring this upis because, going to Ryan, who's
tried to play on tour a littlebit, tried to do some things.
He's an awesome golfer.
He's still, you know.
That's not over for him.
No, it's not over.
It's not over for any of us,honestly, like it's.
It's just one of those things.
You just got to get it at theright time.
But but, long story short, ryanwas going second on putting.
(26:06):
I felt like he was rolling alittle better.
He had a few more rounds underhis belt this year than I have
and so, man, I would either makethe putt or I would just burn
the edge.
So we were both putting well,but if I missed the putt, ryan
was rolling it so good that hemade it after me.
These were like 15 20 footputts too, so it's not like we
were absolutely murdering it asfar as how close we were hitting
(26:28):
it, but we were just makingputts.
And so I remember thinking thatwe had this pro-am coming up and
this just happened.
Um, it's the rogue pro-am.
It's one of the biggest pro-amsin our area.
Two days at Grants Pass, twodays at Rogue.
I didn't play Grants Pass, Iplayed Rogue.
Um, and I go out there the firstday and I shoot 73 and I
haven't hit it that good in solong and the greens were
(26:49):
concrete and they were fast andyou're just like man, I felt
like I shot 66 and we get done,and Ryan and I both shot 73 and
I was like, okay, well, I feelpretty good about myself,
honestly, considering how littleI played and you know I'm in
the top I made money that day,you know and of all the 20 pros
or whatever, I'm in the top fiveor something.
And then Ryan and I are on therange and I watched him hit a
(27:12):
drive and I'm just like, okay,that looked a little different
and you could see he was kind ofready to play.
And sometimes you see thatabout a golfer, but while
they're warming up about howthey're ready to play, and it's
just that, that pure sound, thatdifferent look aggression.
that it's different, it'sdifferent and I was feeling good
, but I'm just like man thatthat just looks good.
So I said, hey, um, I think 64,it's going to take 64 today.
(27:33):
And he's like and I said whatdo you think?
He's like, yeah, that might getit done.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
And so yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
So you know he goes and I said, hey, don't save any
birdies for me today.
I always say save a birdie forme today.
And I said don't save anybirdies for me today.
So what's he go out and do onthe very first hole, knocks in
(28:01):
the hole to a tight left pinthat nobody even can get to.
So I'm laughing.
He texted me out there and he'slike I knocked it in the hole
on 13 and just started laughing.
I'm like, okay, so then nexthole, normally after a one one.
You know you're trying to make,not make a bogey, and he, right,
even said this the next daygoes out and birdies it.
So he starts out hole-in-onebirdie, par birdie.
He shoots a bogey free, 65, youknow, wins the day by five
shots.
You know 70 was the secondlowest world.
(28:23):
I shot 72, thinking I'm like ontop of the world based on,
again, how tough it was.
Um, but no, it was.
It was pretty cool to see that.
And again I'm going'm goingback to what Evan just said.
You know you fall in love withthis game.
Ryan's played since he was bornand you know, ultimately, being
in the golf garage and justpracticing and playing and
(28:45):
seeing what your ball does isallowing you to be better.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
It's been huge for me being able to get the data and
start like putting togetherfeels and what creates what sort
of shot.
The data is everything.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
As a manager, as a business owner.
I look at this situation.
You're describing Noah and I'mlike Ryan golfer you caddy,
because you're a motivatingfactor, obviously, in what he
does.
You have a lot of you, carryyour words, carry a lot of
weight with him.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
Yeah, I mean, he's one of the.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
I'm seeing a recipe coming together for success.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
He's one of the few guys I'd probably carry his
heavy bag Maybe one round, andhe's a lefty, so he can't even
play with his clubs.
I know it's a bummer.
I mean I can hit it lefty, Ijust try not to.
I hyperextended my elbow incollege hitting it lefty, but
it's fun, I mean, yeah, it'spretty cool.
So, evan, one of the things I'dbe curious about is did you
(29:46):
ever know you were going to besuch a good bartender, and did
you know it was going to be partof the job?
Speaker 1 (29:52):
I had no idea he makes the second best Cadillac
margaritas the best old fashionsthough 100 all right, maybe the
best old fashions.
I haven't had one of those yetit's the boxer girl rabbit hole
whiskey.
That's what did it, yeah younow, now, now I'm only saying
second best to give, to givecredit to britney here.
(30:12):
But but you, you make a killerCadillac too.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I appreciate that, darren.
And going back to the questionI, if you would have told me two
years ago that I would havebeen bartending and doing an
event like I did today you know40, 50 people in here and I'm
making drinks I'm the only onein here making drinks for them I
would have laughed at you ifyou would have told me that was
that's what I would have beendoing two years ago, growing up
(30:40):
super shy kid, very introverted,a little bit of anxiety.
I can't see that now Totally.
That's why this job has beenincredible for me.
It has helped me in so manyways, not only as a golfer, but
just as a person.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
And I've met you know , being a member here at the
golf garage, I've I've met somany people who are so
passionate about the game ofgolf.
We love it so much and live andbreathe everything they do here
, um, in their teaching andtheir passion for the game and
everything, um.
I see that so much in you.
(31:16):
I see how you interact with thecustomers here.
I see your interaction and yourlove and your dedication for
being a good example and a goodmentor to my son and I just
can't I can't speak highlyenough for that.
So, on a personal note, notthat this is the platform to do
(31:38):
it, but thank you.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
I very, very much appreciate it, darren.
And Toby kills it.
I am so excited to just watchToby grow as a golfer and as a
person over the next couple ofyears and you know he has this
place to grow as a golfer and Iknow there's so many people here
that will also help him grow asa person and he is on such a
(32:00):
good path Awesome.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
I'm so excited.
Thank you so much for coming onthe show, but do tell us what
is your favorite course you'veever played.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
So, being that I've only been playing golf for about
a year and 10 months now,haven't gotten out to play a
whole bunch of courses, I wouldhave to say.
Currently my favorite one thatI've played is running why?
Klamath Falls?
Great, great course.
It's an Arnold Palmer designcourse and I loved it.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
I didn't know this ahead of time, but I had a gut
feeling you were going to saythat I am playing running.
Why, day after tomorrow, forthe first time, weather is
supposed to be perfect.
The course is in premiumcondition.
What advice do you have for meon that course?
Speaker 2 (32:49):
man, just take it all in.
It's a beautiful course.
It's always in great condition.
Um, greens greens are alwayspretty quick, at least they were
when I played them out there.
Um, some tight holes, some openholes, but it's really just
overall a fun course.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
What's the most fun hole?
What's your favorite hole inthe course?
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Well, for me it was number 11.
Um, it's that super downhillpar three, and or number nine.
Nine's a fun one, that's a semidrivable par four, I mean it's
so I think it's like 320, 330,but it's straight downhill.
So if you hit a good ballyou'll get on, and I think when
I played it I was about fiveyards off the front of the green
(33:28):
and then I almost aced number11 nice, that's got to be a
favorite when you do that.
Oh yeah, it makes itautomatically.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Noah, what's your take on running why?
Speaker 3 (33:38):
It's my all-time favorite golf course in Southern
Oregon.
The views are incredible.
Arnold Palmer design right.
It's the only signature ArnoldPalmer course in Oregon.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
And Arnold Palmer has actually said that this is one
of his favorite tracks that he'sever designed.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Yeah, and I got to play his course in Pennsylvania.
It's nothing like this, youknow.
So it's just a uniqueenvironment and I think Evan hit
the nail on the head that it'sone of those courses that you
look up and you can be happy.
So, like Pebble Beach, everyoneloves Pebble because you can
hit a terrible shot and look upand say I'm in paradise, running
.
Why is so much like that?
Um, and I think that's like whyI love giving golf schools out
(34:15):
there, why I like taking peopleover there, and it's a course
you can go low on if you hit itin the right spots.
So hopefully you don't get anywind and you just get a
beautiful day over there andyou're going to love it.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
I have an 11 am tea time on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
That's perfect, it's going to be awesome.
How's the weather looking?
Speaker 1 (34:33):
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Like 64 degree, 64 for the high, and couldn't ask
for anything more.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Hey, kind of like last little piece here.
I wanted to give a shout out tothe sau golf team.
We're heading up to ourconference championships this
weekend.
Right, the men's team shot ascoring record of five under par
as a team in round two in ourlast event and they are cooking
and we're going to be able tobring our entire team up.
(35:03):
So we're going to have somespectators there.
We're going to have somesupport there.
Our culture is family first.
We are like we're in a reallygood spot.
Our women's team's motivatedright now.
Our number one girl's playinggreat golf.
She shot under par this year afew times and she's got a good
chance to go on a nationalsreally good spot.
Our women's team's motivatedright now.
Our number one girls playinggreat golf.
She shot under par this year afew times and she's got a good
chance of going to nationalsindividually.
So we're we're looking to gocrush it up there Awesome.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Can't wait.
What do we have to look forwardto over the next two, three?
Speaker 3 (35:30):
weeks.
So next week we're going tohave Daniel Shuler.
Well, it's the mentalperformance coach.
He has helped um saint mary'sgolf team locally.
He's helped fortune uh, 200companies, ceos, um, he's a
scratch golfer himself and, uh,he's going to come on.
And then, uh, there's a couplesurprises in the golf industry.
(35:50):
A good friend of mine, um, thatworks for tidalist uh and the
tour department is going to becoming on in a few weeks.
And then I've got a few otherasks.
Within the PGA Tour side ofthings, we all know the mental
game is the toughest game.
It's the toughest game.
That's what your son Toby'sworking on right now.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
He is we had a rude awakening last week at a
Roseburg Country Club.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
Yeah, but you know what?
He's got it dialed in andthat's the next part of the
process.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
All right, thanks for joining us.
We'll see you next week.
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