Golfweek Adventure: National Championship Challenges, Hurricane Helene Impact, and Rising Golf Stars
October 7, 2024 • 53 mins
In this episode, Tim and Chris discuss the upcoming National Championship and reflect on the challenges faced during the golf season, including weather-related cancellations. They welcome Lance Lacombe, a highly talked-about player on the tour, who shares insights about his competitive experiences, mental preparation, and highlights from his successful season. The conversation also touches on the importance of adaptability in golf and the excitement surrounding the National Championship.
Chris Sazos shares his journey from a casual golfer to a competitive player on the Dallas/Fort Worth tour. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of transitioning to tournament play, including his recent victories and the excitement of moving up a flight as he prepares for Nationals. The conversation highlights the camaraderie and competitive spirit of the Golfweek Amateur Tour, emphasizing the importance of competing within one's skill level and the joy of golfing with friends.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Ladies and gentlemen, golf Week Amateur Tour the
podcast Talking about all thingsGolf Week Amateur Tour,
including interviews with tourdirectors, players and course
pros.
Now here are your hosts atlantatour director tim newman and el
paso las cruces director chrisrocha chris, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You know the the regular.
The regular season for 2024 isfinally over.
We're at the point of the yearwhere we've been talking about
it since you know, Black Fridayin 2023.
And we're ready to get startedfor National Championship.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, we are Right around the corner.
You know, once this podcastcomes out, we're going to start
getting ready, getting packedready to go.
Once this podcast comes out,we're going to start getting
ready, getting packed ready togo.
Make sure that the good oldsticks are safe for my
seven-hour flight from El Pasoto a good old head island.
But I can't wait.
You know, I've been lookingforward to this for a while now
(01:17):
and can't wait to see you allout there, so it'll be fun.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, it's going to be fun.
You said a seven-hour flight.
We talked to JP Tassin lastepisode and he says it's a
10-hour drive for him If youwere to drive how far is it?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I mean, I could look it up, but on an estimate, let's
see, it's 14 hours to Houstonand then another another 10 to
Orlando and then four up, so atleast a day straight.
Okay, the person we need to askis Gabe, because he makes that
trip every year from Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Does he drive that van or does he drive something?
He drives that van?
No, I wouldn't be doing that,so he does my planes.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
So the person that asked that would be him.
But I mean it'd be a long, along drive and unless I'm like
either really crazy or I havesome stops along the way, I mean
I would attempt to do it oneyear, I guess.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
No, we don't want to do that.
Just just say no to that.
Okay, it okay as so.
Anyway, we both wrapped up ourseasons this um, you know, a
couple weeks ago, and I do wantto hear how that went, because
you had, you had a little hiccup, that again.
What players don't understandis you know we have contracts
for courses and sometimes thingsgo really well and sometimes
(02:40):
they they don't, and we have tobe flexible.
You know we had the hurricanecome through here on the East
Coast and you know there were anumber of tours that had to
cancel, and you know that'sminor compared to some of the
things that they're dealing withfrom that end.
But we got ours in.
We just had to move start timeon Saturday.
(03:02):
And then we also need to talkabout the shirt contest.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yes, we do the win.
Yeah, I mean we'll have thatready to go, but yeah, I mean it
happens.
You know Things change.
You would hope or you wouldwish that you'd get that
information as quickly aspossible, but if you don't, you
just have to adapt, and I meanthat's the name of the game,
especially with us buildingthese schedules.
(03:27):
You know, november, october,November of the previous year,
anything can happen right.
So I mean, even in my first, myfirst year as director, or my
second year I think that's whenCOVID hit and I mean everybody
had had to shake it up then.
But you never know what canhappen.
(03:47):
It's fun though.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
It is.
Well, let's go ahead and getright on into it.
We've got our next guest.
You know we have talked abouthim probably I don't know 15 or
20 times out of the last.
I mean we've got 50-someepisodes We've talked about him.
You know, 15 or 20 times out ofthe last.
I mean we've got 50, someepisodes.
We've talked to him, talkedabout him.
You know, 15 or so times.
He's probably the most talkedabout player on the tour.
(04:11):
That's never actually been onthe podcast.
You know, and I'm sure thereare people out there saying,
well, does this guy really exist?
Does he really exist?
I'll tell you what.
If you're from the Jacksonvilletour, you know he exists
because you've seen him play anduh he, he's a stick he can play
.
So let's go ahead and welcomein uh lance lacombe from the
jacksonville tour.
Lance.
Finally, welcome to the showbuddy, glad to be on.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Appreciate you guys having me.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You've played in in a couple of events that I've run
um the dixie classic, uh up inlake oconee, and yeah, I've seen
you play and we had donnie on acouple weeks ago.
He's talked about it.
Some of the other champ playersthat we've had on have have
talked about your game.
You're you're a minus 3.5handicap solid it's.
(04:57):
How does that happen?
How does golf, how does thegolf round actually happen for
you?
You know what's your mentalitygoing into it.
I mean, looking at your scores,I think you played in 16 or 17
rounds this year.
I think 10 of them were in the60s.
That's pretty solid.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
I just really worked on trying to stay patient this
year.
I played a lot with my buddiesthat play on mini tours over the
fall and I was tired of gettingmy teeth kicked in every
Sundayay.
So I started working beingpatient, hitting the right shots
, because I play with buddiesthat'll go shoot 62 and leave
four or five out there andthey're not on tour, which is
crazy.
So biggest thing I've beendoing this year trying to stay
(05:38):
patient.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
We talked just a little bit offline.
Hb kim is out there with withChris and talking about you know
he's trying to get back on tour.
You know so much of it ismental and you know you could be
that guy that you're playingwith right.
And then you get out there andyou start playing.
You know for real money and howhard it is and how much you
(06:01):
have to actually overcome youknow to be able to make it out
there it's insane.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
I tried my hand at pro golf for a couple years.
I didn't give it the best run,but I learned a lot.
I learned that preparation iskey and there's so many people
that are working four timesharder than you that you don't
even understand and then there'sjust some people that
preparation is minimal when itworks.
I mean I have a couple.
(06:26):
I have a buddy that plays onforeign fair.
Now he started working on hisgame the last couple years and
really getting good and got hiscard this year's, implying he
said I mean, it's just so toughout there.
I wouldn't wish that job onanybody trying to play corn
fairy mini tours.
That's as hard as it gets, yeahyeah, we had games.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I don't know if you heard the episode where we had
gains beard on and he was.
He was coming up in the in thein the 70s and 80s.
You know, trying to make itwhere it was.
You know so much, so muchharder because you know there
wasn't a lot of money in it,there wasn't a lot of sponsors
in it.
You know, driving all over, youknow the southeast, you know
just just trying to.
You know, get into that mondqualifier.
(07:03):
It's taxing.
And you're sleeping in your car, you're not eating like you
normally would, you're nottraining like you normally would
, and now you've got to go outand perform.
It's got to be one of the mostdifficult things I can imagine.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Especially, it's taxing on the mind because it's
funny, we can go play a Sundayround with our friends and we
don't play so good.
But I was like, okay, we'llhave a couple beers afterwards,
have a good time.
But you shoot 73, 72 and amajor event.
You're like I just lost athousand dollars this week.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
It's crazy so let's talk about your year on the golf
week tour so far this year.
So you played in 13 tournaments.
You had eight wins and twosecond places, and let me just
start here with the secondplaces before we get into the
wins.
So, out of 13 tournaments, youfirst or second in town out of
13,.
(07:53):
Chris, think about that.
Yes, imagine.
And of those two losses, youlost to Jeff Wong at the Sea
Island Regional by one stroke.
And then you turned around Ibelieve it was probably almost a
(08:15):
month later and you went to aplayoff with Wong at Palmetto
Hills, the Hills and Jonescourse, and went to a playoff
and lost by a stroke to him.
I mean so if you think about it, you know, losing to Jeff Long
by one stroke, that's going tohappen, right, I mean number one
(08:38):
, he's hard to beat.
He's hard to beat on thesecourses here in Hilton Head and
you took him to the limit.
Tell me what that was like, youknow, because when you're in
those tournaments at that highlevel and Chris remember when we
had Dennis right before SeaIsland, he talked about how
stacked that damn flight was.
And he started listing off names.
It's going to be tight.
(08:58):
What's it like?
Because in those tournamentsyou don't have a shot to give
away.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
Right, right, yeah.
So at Sea Island I had atwo-shot lead going into 16, and
I blocked right off the tee andthen I hit the wrong shot,
trying to be too aggressive, andended up making a seven on the
par four, which does not help,and then fought back and I ended
up lifting out a 10-footer fora playoff at Sea Island.
But I mean Jeff, just Jeff doeswhat Jeff does.
(09:26):
I mean he hits it down themiddle and hit on the green.
He's bound to hoop a couple ofthem.
I mean the man's one of thebest putters I've ever seen in
my life.
So I mean it's good.
I mean I've become really goodfriends with Jeff over the years
, so if anybody was gonna beatme like, I'm pretty happy that
your buddy won.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yeah, those are the worst.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Yeah.
And then at Palmetto I had atwo shot or one shot lead going
to 18.
And I three putted and he madepar.
And then he hit probably thebest fairway bunker shot I'd
ever seen.
It was howling into the windraining on the third hole at
Jones, which you guys know it'snot an easy tee shot.
So to hit in the fairway bunkeris not a bad tee shot.
(10:08):
But he hit it to two inches andat that point you just got to
tip your cap and say good job.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Jeff, I'll see you inside.
Yeah, there really isn'tanything you can do about it.
Yeah, outside of that, what aresome other highlights for you?
Because, again, you know, as Igo down, you won eight times.
You won the regional at SequoiaNational.
You know you won it at King andthe Bear, you won Halifax
(10:37):
Plantation, you won the two-dayOsprey Cove and the Sea Island
Resort.
What?
Speaker 5 (10:43):
were some highlights for you.
Sequoia was a big highlight.
That's my favorite force.
We played all year.
I mean there's nothing like it.
You don't get to especially inFlorida we have such flag golf.
To just go play in themountains is a blast.
I mean that's a bucket listtrip for even just a boys like
bachelor party trip.
What along to play a tournamentthere.
That's going to be on theschedule every year that they
have it there.
And it was good because thatwas one of my first rounds that
(11:06):
I hit it really good and theputter didn't work the first day
but it was one of those thatthe ball striking carried me and
it was good to see thateverything I've been working on
has been it finally came tofulfillment.
On that first round I shot 66.
Second day was a little bit ofa struggle but it was 40 degrees
and raining and you know it'sone of those days you don't want
(11:27):
to be on the golf course.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Yeah, you know, last year there was a lot of rain up
there and this year was supposedto be nice.
And, chris, you know we'veactually talked about Sequoia
National and I do the northernswing is what I call it early in
our rotation in Atlanta and weplay a course that's literally
(11:52):
like 20 miles from SequoiaNational that same weekend and,
like you said, playing up in themountains up there there really
is nothing like it.
It's beautiful.
Generally, the weather isreally nice.
It really is a good place to goand play.
Again, it's out of the way.
A lot of people don't reallyknow about it but, like you said
(12:14):
, it's a hidden gems.
Well, I mean anything.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, it's an awesome track.
Any courses in the mountainsare usually hidden gems.
We have a couple here up norththat uh, we enjoy going to play
every year, so I mean, they'realways uh fun to just go out
there and let them rip.
Especially in the mountains youhave a little bit more
elevation than anywhere else, soliz what are some highlights
for you outside the tour?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
because I know you guys at your level are playing,
really playing all over theplace, and you're playing in
some other really good uh,competitive type of events.
Where else have you played?
Speaker 5 (12:47):
I played.
My first uh non-golf week eventwas the florida azalea.
I actually had foot surgerythis year they had to chop my
foot up and fix it this year butit was my first event back and
it's uh.
The florida azalea is a blackgolf club, old school donald
ross course it's.
That was my white whaletournament to win and I finally
got it done this year.
So that was the highlight of myyear by far.
(13:08):
I had two tournaments that Ireally want to get done this
year.
It was Azalea Nationals.
We got one of them so far, sothat's a tournament that we
can't ever forget.
So what's so special about thattournament?
So it is for North Florida.
It's, besides, like theJacksonville City Amateur.
It's the second biggest eventthey have in North Florida.
I mean, there's a handful ofguys that have won the Masters
(13:29):
back in the day that have won it.
A handful of guys are on tournow that have won it Peter Uline
, notable name, riyaji and MataA couple of really good college
players right now.
And it's a weird course.
It's 6,000 yards from the tips,but they bake those greens out
to where you have a dime to landit on or you're missing the
green, see, and it's just theultimate test of mental game.
(13:49):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
That's it so 6,000 yards.
And, chris, people say thatcourses are getting too long and
you have to be able to bomb itto be able to score and win.
Who's saying that?
Come on now, you know, you'veheard your guys.
You've heard your deflate guyssaying that they got it.
I guess you're right, you'reshort, come on now.
(14:11):
And this again, this goes toshow you, show you, you have to,
especially to be at the levelthat lance is at right.
You really have to be able toto hit every club in your bag
and and know what that distanceis, know how to control it, to
to truly be a really specialtype golfer.
As we're getting ready to gointo the national championship,
(14:32):
what's your philosophy and whatare you thinking about?
Going in there?
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Because you're playing American Dunes and
Golden Bear yeah, I think that'stwo courses we're playing.
I'm not going to get to play apractice on either, but I have a
couple apps I use to map outcourses whenever I don't get to.
And the way dunes looks like areally fun track.
I've heard it's very difficult.
Now I've heard it's also animpeccable condition 24 7 and I
(15:01):
talked to one for a little bitabout golden bear and he said
it's just a fun track.
Good old school Carolina course.
You gotta hit it through theshoots and the trees and paw
your way around, which I likethat type of golf.
It's fun to not have to bangdrive everywhere, even though I
love hitting driver everywherepossible.
It's fun to kind of raineverybody in the same spot and
see who hits it better right.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
yeah, you have to do that there, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
So you haven't played .
Speaker 5 (15:27):
Atlantic Dunes at all .
No, I haven't played either ofthe courses.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Well, you're in for a real treat.
The closing holes at AtlanticDunes, man, they're tough.
They're really tough.
That's what I've been told.
They're not going to be lowscores like you all had out of
Hampton Hall a couple years ago.
But you know you get over toGolden Bear.
That's where you're going to,at least that's where you should
(15:55):
get some low scores.
But Atlantic Dunes it's goingto be tough from start to finish
.
I think you're going to like it.
I really do.
It's a beautiful course.
It is always in perfect shape.
Even when we do the seniorregional there in February, when
it's cold, it's in great shape.
Sea Pines does a great job withall those courses that are in
(16:18):
there.
You're in for a real treat.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Yeah, I want to play the icebreaker, but I just don't
feel like getting a littlesalamander shiver while I'm over
a t-ball, so I'm gonna staydown in florida where it's a
little bit warmer you're smart,I think five years ago, if you
had said that, I said, oh, it'snot that bad.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Um, you know, because I came from pennsylvania and
now I've been down here for alittle bit and I love it down
here, don Don't get me wrong.
But you know, if it gets downto the 40s now I'm saying, oh,
get a little cold, as opposed towhen I was in Pennsylvania.
You know, I just started sayingthat until it was like in the
30s and 20s.
But I'm wearing pants now in40s instead of shorts.
(16:58):
Same here.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
Yeah that that southern cold.
It's a little crispy for sure.
I'm a diehard Steelers fan so Iwent to a Steelers game the
Jags-Steelers playoff game andit was zero degrees and I feel
like it's not as cold as whenit's 20 degrees in Florida.
It's crazy.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Well, if you go up there and it's a wet cold, you
will forget it.
It's the absolute worst.
Chris, you don't know anythingabout 30 degrees or 20 degrees
no, no, no, no, I stay away fromthat.
Actually, chris, I think thatwe need to convince somebody to
(17:41):
do a regional, let's just say,do a regional in Virginia or
somewhere along those lines.
Actually, well, you know what?
Vegas was a little chilly thisyear.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Vegas was a little cold.
You are the second day.
At least, the first day wasn'tterrible, but the second day got
a little cold at the beginning.
Or did I mix them up?
No, it was the other way around.
The first day was cold all day,because that's when you were
supposed to bring me coffee andyou bailed on me.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Yeah, I did, I was cold.
I stayed inside.
Yeah, I had coffee inside.
Sorry, man, I'm sorry, I'm notproud.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
It happens.
Anyway, that's how you knowyou're good friends.
If someone forgets a coffee,you just know you're good
friends.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, exactly, exactly, yeah exactly.
Exactly yeah yeah, keep tellingthem that.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I can only do what I can do.
But, lance, thank you so muchfor taking some time with us
tonight.
I really do appreciate it.
I do want you to come see uswhen you check in on Thursday at
the Hills Course in Palmet,when you, when you check in for
national championship and I getyou on live.
A little bit Sounds good.
You let me know.
All right, bud, you take careof yourself and we'll talk to
(18:53):
you soon.
Thanks guys.
All right, brother, thank youAll right.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
So I get the privilege of interviewing our
next guest.
You know we, you know we talk alot on the on the tour or on
the podcast about how our tour.
You know we welcome new memberswith open arms and no matter
what your skill level is,whether you're starting off in
champ or all the way to d, youknow everybody has a chance and
it just shows how muchdetermination, how much time you
(19:19):
want to spend into it todetermine how well you play and
how well you, how much you getbetter throughout the years.
Um, it might take one, two,three seasons or it might be
right away.
Um, so our next guest isactually from the dallas fort
worth tour.
Uh, he's a good friend of mineand um, now he's going to be a
travel buddy, uh, on all thesegolf trips we go to.
(19:40):
So we want to welcome him fromdallas, mr chris sazos.
Chris, welcome to the show,thank you, thank you.
Thank you for having me happyto be here.
No problem, man, we're gladyou're here.
Um, you know you're our lastofficial guest before nationals,
so don't be nervous.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
No, no, it's an honor .
Speaker 3 (19:56):
But uh, let you know, our listeners know.
You know you've been on tourfor what it's?
Two years now.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Yeah, this would.
Yeah, this would be my secondseason on tour tour.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
For what?
It's?
Two years now.
Yeah, seasons, this would, yeah, this would be my second season
on tour.
Yeah, so two years on tour and,um, you know, first year wasn't
probably your best year, but Imean you were still trying to
get your feet wet.
Yeah, do you agree?
Speaker 4 (20:15):
yeah, absolutely um, I only end up playing half the
season, uh, last year.
But I mean you, you hit thenail on the head, definitely
kind of just tipping my ortipping my toes into that, that,
that pond it was.
It was rough for the lack ofbetter words, not really used to
playing competitive golf likethat, but it was it was.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
it was still fun, fun enough to be to come back and
play a full season this yearright, I mean and like you said,
you know it's um tournamentgolf is completely different
from going out with your buddiesand getting those gimme's every
, every other hole yeah, yeah,exactly, especially when you're
like still, uh, somewhat greento the game, like myself, like
it's a big difference playingyou know, getting you know two
foot gimme's to to now having tolearn proper rules, learning
(21:02):
about you know drops, takingproper strokes and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
So it is a little intimidating at first, but you
find the groove and it gets realfun, real quick.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Right, I mean, how long have you been playing golf
for?
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Little over two years now, actually Maybe about
working on my third year.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
So you got the itch or the bit by the golf ball
again, then straight intotournament play.
That, yeah, it takes a lot ofguts to do that yeah it, it
definitely, it definitely hit mehard.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Um, that honestly got your brother kind of was the
one that encouraged me to getinto it, and then, obviously,
talking to the, the two of youend up going to the same fitter
that you guys went to to get itsix months after I started and
really just haven't looked backsince right, right, and and for
all the listeners, you know, Idon't think we mentioned it, but
he's, he's in d flight, um, buthe's not staying in d flame and
(21:55):
we'll touch on that later.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Um, but let's fast forward.
You know, you had you had firstseason, couple events, just
trying to get used to it.
Uh, you come out this seasonand boy did you play a lot.
What's this?
One, two, three, four, five,six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
eleven, twelve tournaments withone regional um.
You joined us out there in themichigan regional.
Which phenomenal track, granted, granted.
(22:21):
You know, the scores may show,but we had a lot of fun.
Yeah and uh, unfortunately foryou, you got rained for nine
holes straight when I say rain,I mean like a downpour for nine
holes.
You, you all came in.
Look looking miserable, likeyou just wanted to throw your
clubs in the trunk and drivehome let me tell you when, uh,
(22:42):
when we made the turn there.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Um, well, we made the turn there.
I could, like the two guys thatI was partnered with, uh, were
from the local tour.
So I see them kind of likelooking up and then looking at
each other and they're like, allright, let's get some rain gear
on.
So they turn over and look atme.
They're like, hey, do you haveany rain gear?
If you are, you I'd startputting it on because it's about
to start sprinkling.
So I was like kind of lookingat them and you know, being from
(23:04):
the dallas world war tour, likeit really don't rain like it
does in in michigan, uh, Iturned around to see these guys
putting on like special pants,like different kind of jackets,
and all I had was, like you know, like a typical pullover, and I
was like this is my ring gear.
They're like looking at me like, oh, you knew, unprepared.
Yeah, lo and behold, like yousaid, like torrential downpour
(23:25):
for the next nine holes, I don't.
I mean, I might as well havebeen playing in a pool with the
way my clothes walked out.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
It's crazy, yep, you know.
All jokes aside, I was nice andwarm and dry.
I had the rain for like, maybethe last two holes or the
sprinkles for the last two holes.
But then when it started comingdown it was, oh, bless your
hearts.
But anyways, you know youstarted off pretty strong, a
couple scores way better thanwhat you had the first year, um,
(23:51):
and then coming in may 26, bearcreek, uh, you get your first
victory ever.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
so that's your, I believe I want to say your
eighth round total since you'vestarted yeah, yeah, you know,
and I think, actually um earlierin this season too, I think, I
had a second place finish atchampion circle, where I don't
think I finished too far behindthe gentleman that won, but yeah
(24:17):
, that that may.
Victory at bear creek was firstone on tour.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
It was probably the proudest one that I've had so
far and and it was pretty coolbecause it was the weekend right
before we went to americandunes you kind of had that
momentum there.
You, you know again solidrounds.
Then you come back home and youjust, you know, keep putting
the pressure on the leaders inyour group, points-wise.
(24:41):
I mean, you know we talkedthroughout the season but you
were right there giving thempressure.
And then you go back to BearCreek and you take another
victory.
So that's two victories at thesame course or same location
different courses yeah and uh,you know, I think, I think duane
said in his email best thatthat bears creek is your, is
(25:01):
your home course now, becauseyou just can't lose there yeah
it both.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
both those tournaments they treated me well
.
Um, they're great tracks,enjoyable play, um, definitely
type play into.
I think they play more into mystyle of of golf where it's kind
of you know a pick your shotkind of guy, you know be smart
off, be smart with the tee boxand then just find your way to
the green as quick as possibleand they just kind of play into
(25:28):
the shot shape, the natural shotshape, a little bit.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
So I had some two good rounds, yeah so, yeah, so
looking at it, with your firstwin was your ninth total round
and you break 90.
Okay, then you go, then six,you know the sixth round after
that, which would be your 15thtotal round, you again break 90.
And as d flight, ladies andgentlemen, as d flight.
(25:52):
Then you go the weekend after,shoot at 87 at texas star and
take another victory.
That's three wins in one season.
You know how hard it is foranybody to get three wins in one
season, especially with theamount of players you guys have
in your flight alone.
I mean, we're talking.
You know, dallas, fort worth,has probably one of the largest,
(26:15):
if not, uh, the largest tour inthe country, but you alone have
31 players in your flight.
Yeah, yeah, and for you to winthree is just, I mean, hats off
to you, yeah I appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Yeah, um, the dallas fort worth tour is is is huge
and I think they typically Ithink we typically average a
little over a hundred hundredplayers a tournament shout out
to duane, always facilitatinggreat rounds, um, but, yeah, I
mean, whether it be 10 people,30 people playing it's, it's,
it's always a good time to beable to, to be competitive, I
(26:51):
guess, is the way to put itright, right so so we're coming
in here and I correct me if I'mwrong, but I think leading up to
your tour final you were upwhat?
200 points, maybe 300 points,yeah actually I was up, I think,
just shy of yeah, going intothe season for the owls up, just
(27:11):
up 300 points from second placeand then I think a little over
five or six hundred points maybe, or around 500 points from
third place right.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
So I mean the.
It's coming down to the wireand for anyone who hasn't won a
flight championship, I'm gonnatell you right now it is the
coolest thing ever to know tocall yourself a flight
championship.
I'm going to tell you right nowit is the coolest thing ever to
call yourself a flight champion.
So we're going in the tourfinal and we're trying to.
You know, you're trying todecide do I play, do I not play?
I encourage you to play.
(27:44):
You know, let the chips fallwhere they may because, again,
winning a tour champion or tourflight championship is one in
itself.
And now you go, you play, youdon't win, I think you take
second, but you win your flightchampionship.
So now you have the chance towin a trophy in every flight
(28:06):
from here until you're donegolfing.
Right, not everybody gets thatchance, trust me.
Not everybody does.
So now you have this chance togo.
Do that.
Um, how do you feel about?
Speaker 4 (28:16):
that I mean it's it's , it's a, it's a bit, it's a
great, it's a bittersweetfeeling, I guess, to say like,
yeah, like I mean you, you didsay like I was kind of
contemplating playing thatfinale for the sake of being
able to go to to nationals as ad-flatter, but at the same time,
like I, I love, I lovecompeting, you know what I mean.
So to to kind of have that ideaor that mindset, to kind of
(28:37):
just like lay over and allowsomebody else to take over that
points race, uh, just didn'tkind of sit too well with me.
So when I finally decided toplay and show up, you know,
while it wasn't my my greatestrounds, like you said, it was
good enough to be able to takethat points rates and it's great
.
And now to be able to work myway up to the ranks, eventually
trying to, you know, match yourlevel, is the ultimate goal.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
now, I'm not that good.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
All right when your handicap only has one number in
it.
Before, before the, before thedecimal.
I mean it's can't say nothing,Touche.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Touche.
Okay, so we're going toNationals.
You know, once this airs, we'regoing to be a week and a half
away from meeting up at theairport in Dallas to get our
flights over there.
But you're not going as aD-Flighter, no, you got moved up
, you know.
You're going as a C-Flighter,which isn't a bad thing, let me
tell you.
This's not a bad thing, becausenow you get to really test your
(29:32):
game and the courses you'replaying oyster reef, hampton
hall, two of my favorite coursesout there.
I've said before, hampton hallis probably my favorite course
out there, wide open, okay, soyou can, you can grip it and rip
it and um, it's not a terriblylong course.
So I I think you're gonna havea great time.
(29:55):
Um, but what are your thoughts?
Going into a new flight, yourfirst round is gonna be your
national championship round uh,you know it's, I think.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
I think easing into it like in a normal tournament
would have been a little bitideal, kind kind of getting used
to the yardage adjustment.
But I mean playing at seaflight, even at the Nationals
level, it's going to be fun.
Luckily I play quite a bit withyour brother out here and he is
a I guess we'll call it astickler for making me play at
(30:29):
the same tees he does.
So playing back tees isn'tplaying back tees from I should
be playing, I guess I should say, is it something that I'm not
unfamiliar with?
So it just just be slightadjustments going up a few, a
club or two in certainsituations I.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
I mean like, like I tell every, every newbie that
goes on, nationals from our area, um, it's gonna be a club or
two, regardless.
You're playing C-level, butyou're right.
I mean, I guess, because I'm adirector, but I encourage
everybody to play the tee boxthat they're going to have the
most fun at.
But if you're already playingfrom tees that the C-Flighters
(31:07):
play from, I think you'll beokay.
I mean we went, you know yourjust play from.
I think you'll be okay.
And I mean we went.
You know your last four rounds86, 87, 91, 88, that's solid,
even for sea flight, that'ssolid.
You know you drop three, fourstrokes on the green, around the
green, you'll be right there incontention.
So I don't have any worry aboutyou.
(31:28):
But I, you know we want tobring it up because your journey
here, um, under 20 rounds total, uh, since you started right a
year and a half, and you'vealready progressed through one
fly, uh, I'm pretty sure the seaflighters in dallas know your
name and they're they're.
Some may be looking forward tonew me, but some might be a
(31:50):
little nervous.
Uh, and, and you know, I justcan't wait to see what you do
next year and you're gonna havea great time at nationals.
But, like, what are yourthoughts?
How are you feeling now goinginto, uh, this new chapter in
your, in your, your golf game?
Do you know?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
I'm excited for it.
Uh, I know I talked.
I talked to your, to yourbrother, christian, earlier in
the year and the the sea flightpromotion was always a goal.
Like I said, I had hoped thatit transitioned a little sooner
in the season, but obviously thegoal is always to progress.
So to win flight champ and thengo into sea flight, it's
(32:28):
awesome.
I look forward, like I said, tothe continued um competition
and I don't know that anybody upthere in that flight knows my
name, but I got my eyes on some,some targets on those guys,
kind of monitoring them andtheir scores and whatnot.
So um it, just like I said,just continuously looking for
for an improving goal.
(32:49):
You know what I mean mean.
Try to shoot low.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Right, right, right.
So we're going to be inNationals.
Definitely.
Come see us at the welcomeparty.
I mean, you're going toprobably be in the same car, so
it doesn't matter.
But you know, come say hi.
I know Tim wasn't able to behere today, but he'll want to.
You met him in Michigan, he'syou know.
I just want to forward he'ssuper proud of you, he watches
as well and uh wants to send hiscongratulations.
(33:14):
But uh, you know we're gonnahave a great time at the course
we're gonna play on on Wednesday.
Yeah, I can't wait for that.
It was one one of the bucketlist courses and then you know
we'll go out Thursday, hit arange or two and uh, get
prepared for the for the nexttime.
But uh, you're gonna enjoyOrchard Reef, but you but
Hampton Hall is my favoritecourse out there, so I hope
(33:34):
you're ready yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
I've looked into them a little bit.
I've been kind of going on totheir sites and kind of scoping
through their scorecards and theholes.
So it's a phenomenal track itlooks.
I hope it's just as gorgeousand I'm sure it is in person as
it is in those photos.
But it's just as gorgeous andI'm sure it is in in person as
it is in those photos.
But I mean, nationals week isgoing to be a fun time, a lot of
(33:57):
golf to come and hopefully alot of low scores to go along
with it.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Right, yeah.
So last question before we getout of here.
I'm playing on the golf weekamateur.
What do you like most about it?
Speaker 4 (34:11):
I've said it a couple of times, it's the, the
competition.
You know what I mean.
I'm a very competitive personbut specifically is being
competitive within your skillgroup.
That's.
That is the absolute beautyabout golf week amateur or that
about golf week is is being ableto be competitive within your
skillset.
Right, Like the handicap systemis great, Like nobody wants to
(34:33):
go out there, you know, be aD-flighter playing against champ
flights, being able to competeagainst people that are at your
skill level and, like you said,you know have the chance to win
prizes, trophies, you know, alittle bit of recognition, have
the opportunity to come on thepodcast, you know it's the
rewards for that.
Competitiveness, you know,within the skill set is is by
(34:54):
far the best thing, not tomention the travel opportunities
that come along with it withregional events Cool.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Well, chris, I appreciate you taking some time
off from your busy day.
I know you're traveling rightnow, um, but yeah, man, I can't
wait to see you in.
In what a week and a halfalready.
Speaker 4 (35:10):
I wish it was it was sooner, I'm ready to hit the
links and get this golf going.
Yeah, yeah, it can't come fastenough.
I've been counting the dayssince since the season finished,
uh, for this trip, but I lookforward to running into you at
the at the dallas airport.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Yep all right, brother, will you be safe and
we'll talk to you soon.
Yes, sir, you'll be, take iteasy, all right.
All right, tim.
So chris is officially our lastguest before our or my trip to
nationals.
You can just walk to whereveryou want to go on that Island,
but it's always a great time tohear these guys' stories.
You know we had plenty ofstories throughout the year and,
you know, top it off with oneguy that was really working hard
(35:48):
all year long.
I had a couple of goals that hewas able to achieve and now is
going to test his skills in thenew flight in Nationals.
Yeah, I'm really proud of him.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
You know I met him when he was on the trip out
there with us in Michigan forthe regional at American Dunes
and you know just kind offollowing him.
You know, through the mid partof the season he struggled a
little bit, got a littlefrustrated and I'm really proud
of him how he turned thingsaround and finished the season
really strong oh yeah, he's beenworking real hard on his game
you know, hitting the rangetaking tips.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
It's hard for me to give him tips because I'm not a
lefty like he is, butnonetheless he's been working
hard on the things he needs toand I think he'll do good.
I think he's a little nervous.
I mean I got moved up to bflight one year, probably four
nationals and, um, you know itcan be nerve-wracking not to
know what to expect, especiallyit being your first uh nationals
(36:44):
.
But he'll be all right, youjust gotta keep it in the
fairway at that point yeah,he'll be fine, you know.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
you know, being from a from a really big tour like
that, you're generally playingwith pretty good competition,
not that smaller tours don't,but obviously the bigger tour
that you have, the more playersthat are in the flight, the more
likely it is that somebody'sgoing to have a good day and for
him to finish strong.
The way that he did just showsthat he can play up to that
(37:13):
C-level competition and thecompetition is going to be even
stronger when he gets here in acouple weeks.
It's going to be great.
He's going to have a great timehe's going to do well, not
worried about that, yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
I mean we're all excited to get out there and
start playing.
I wish it was quicker than aweek and a half still.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Yeah, me too.
Kind of, Kind, of kind of.
It is one of the best weeks ofthe year, just being able to see
everybody and catching up.
I think the one good thing thatwe had this year, which we
haven't had in the past, is wedid get to go to some regionals
and we did get to see peoplethat we wouldn't normally see
(37:54):
until we get to Hilton Headthroughout the year, which, to
me, I had a blast, and next yearI think it's going to be even
better.
I'm not telling you the onethat I know yet.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
You keep saying that, but you don't give me any
details.
So I see how it is no.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I've got to keep it hush until it's officially
announced.
My guess is it's going to beannounced at National
Championship.
I really hope so.
Most of the time the regionalschedule, if it's not done, it's
pretty solid.
So I'm hoping this one's goingto come out and we'll definitely
go to that one.
That's pretty solid, right?
So I'm hoping this one's goingto come out and we'll definitely
(38:35):
go to that one, that's for sure.
Oh, okay, let's wrap up.
I'm just going to slide overthat and we'll move on.
Let's go ahead and wrap up ourindividual tours.
And you know we talked about itbriefly in the opening.
There's always something thathappens and you know, sometimes
the players don't talked aboutit briefly in the opening.
There's always something thathappens and you know, sometimes
(38:55):
the players don't know about it,but sometimes the players do
know about it.
You know, like for me, my firsttournament of the year, we had
a real mix-up in start times andthen the course kind of threw a
few extra tee times in front ofus.
So we ended up starting almosttwo hours behind time and there
(39:16):
really isn't anything we can doabout it.
I mean, it is what it is.
You just got to kind of rollwith it and players still had a
good time.
So it was a great event.
But what happened with you onthe last tournament?
Speaker 3 (39:30):
I mean, and you know we explained to everybody, we
build these schedules all aroundthe country.
I mean and, and you know weexplained to everybody, we build
these schedules all around thecountry.
You know, october, november,december, um, for the most part.
I mean, as they start a littlebit later, they probably start
their schedule a little bitlater, but uh, you know, I get
all my things done by the end ofNovember, so that December I'm
not worrying about it.
And um, this one course, weknow, on a sunday, two day, two
(39:54):
day final, you kind of want tohave everybody hanging out, have
a good time.
Awards, you know, season endingawards, all that fun stuff, um.
so I specifically asked thiscourse to do a shotgun um on
sunday.
It wasn't a problem in november, but I guess for the next 10
months they had some managementchanges and forgot to inform me
(40:16):
that they had changes and notallowing any shotguns for
tournaments anymore, regardlessof the time, which I still don't
understand that, because youcould have 72 guys out and back
in four and a half hours asopposed to taking up four hours
of routine time.
Same amount, but, um, right,needless to say, you know, uh,
(40:39):
the monday leading up thetournament, they let me know
that and I had to scramble, um,but it is what it is.
You know, everybody had to dowhat we had to do.
Fortunately we couldn't have thebig celebrations that we could
so kind of strategically placedit to where Champ A and B would
kind of finish within an hour ofeach other to be able to have
(41:01):
those upper guys hang out for alittle bit.
We did those three and thenjust held off C and D until they
were done and then did thosetwo together.
So it worked out.
You know, a couple of guys stay, gave the restaurant some
business.
I wish we could have given themmore, but it is what it is and
you just got to adapt and that'swhat we do.
And, uh, we learn from it andyou know, next year we'll we'll
(41:23):
see if we have a tour event.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
That's all that matters, and as long as the guys
have a good time and you knowno other issues with the
tournament.
It is what it is right.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Oh yeah, it was a great time.
I mean, you know, even lookingat a two-day final, the biggest
margin of victory was fourstrokes in the flights.
So I mean, and that one,unfortunately, was my flight,
because I took second and lostby four, but you know, it was
(41:59):
just great to see that close ofcompetition come down to the
wire for every flight, which wasnice.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
That is good, you know, because again it ends the
season on a high note and it'ssomething to talk about, you
know, during the offseason itreally does get them ready and
prepped for I guess you guysstart in January, right.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
Uh, yeah, we'll.
We'll start in January and um,and I'll have some fun events
throughout the off season.
I want to do a uh tournament ofchampions and have every guy
that won an event they'reinvited to come play and see who
(42:41):
can be the the champion of themall, with their handicaps, of
whatever they finish golf weekwith.
So that's kind of fun, kind ofkind of declare one person as
not the mvp of the season, butlike the champion of champions,
and then do a two-man scramble.
Um, that we typically usuallydo in the beginning of the
season, but I think with all ourtraveling and everything it's a
little hard to get thatscheduled this year.
Um, so we've got to keep thattradition going because I know
the guys like events like thatbe able to partner up with
(43:01):
somebody and try to take takethe victory.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
That's good, there's tournament of champion.
Events are becoming a littlebit more popular, you know,
across the country too.
Speaker 3 (43:13):
And again.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
I think they're fun.
It keeps the camaraderie going,keeps guys interested and, you
know, it keeps everybody hangingaround.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
Oh yeah, and you know , it allows one person to have
trash talking for the whole year, Exactly.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
We finished up the same weekend you did.
I'm sure everybody's aware ofthe hurricane that came through
and you know it affects us alittle bit.
You know no big deal.
We had to move Saturday teetimes back a little bit but you
know the damage that Helenecaused is going to be affecting
(43:49):
people for a long, long time.
You know there's kind of aswath from really kind of
Augusta up through the upstateSouth Carolina region, up
through North Carolina intoTennessee.
And I saw something just theother day that you know there's
two major roads, i-26 and I-40,in North Carolina and Tennessee
(44:16):
that won't open up until likeSeptember of 25.
Yeah, and those are two majorroads.
I mean so getting from NorthCarolina to Tennessee, to
Nashville, to Knoxville.
Those are the roads that youtake.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
I mean, those are interstates, yeah, and for them
not to be open is very alarming,and I saw the picture from
Augusta National on what theyhad going on or the damage that
they had, which was pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah, we lost some lives.
I think it was like maybe 500lives and that's not something
you generally see as far inlandas that, I mean generally,
you're going to see that on thecoast, you know Gulf Coast and
then the east coast of Florida,for it to be that bad where it
(45:05):
is.
That's how powerful thesestorms are.
And again, you know thinkingabout the people that have lost
everything.
I know a couple families wholiterally lost everything, but
they made it out okay and youknow, just our thoughts are with
everybody that's dealing withthese, with this tragedy,
(45:26):
natural disaster.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
Yeah, I mean you do the best you can.
I know my sister wascelebrating her wedding
anniversary and they were in theeast part of Florida and they
had to leave a day early.
They were able to do, you know,most of the things that they
wanted to do, but they still hadto leave a day early to get
(45:49):
back home to Orlando beforeeverything hit.
So I can't imagine.
That's why I live in the desert, I guess in the middle of the
United States I can kind ofavoid all that.
I'm far from tornadoes, I'm farfrom hurricanes, but I've been
through a hurricane warning acouple of years back in Orlando
(46:11):
when one went right by and forsomebody who's never been in one
it's alarming, especially withyour whole family there.
So I can only imagine whatpeople are going through.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
Again wish everybody the best and hopefully that we
can get things cleaned up andget back to somewhat normal life
as soon as possible.
Now, as we're wrapping thingsup, we just have a couple more
things before you've got to geton the plane.
We've got to talk about theshirt contest.
By the time this airs, we willhave a winner.
(46:43):
Last time I checked it it wasreally close.
I mean, I'll look right now forthis.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Give me a second, I'll pull it up.
I've been eyeing it every,every, every day, so it's a 148
to 119, currently 29 votes withliterally 24 hours to go.
So I mean I hope somebody has agood push or let's see what
(47:13):
happens.
I mean anything can happen.
Honestly.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
Anything can happen.
You never know who may beholding some votes back.
You never know if Zuckerberg'sgoing to have a hand in this, if
there's a little four-year-oldgrandchild going to have a hand
in this.
Nobody knows.
Speaker 3 (47:30):
Nobody knows We'll just wait and see.
Yep, we just got to wait andsee, can't vote, but it's been
fun, it's been exciting.
I know you and me have a lot ofwork as far as if we're going
to do it next year, what we canchange or make better, but uh, I
think it was successful for itsfirst year yeah, I think that's
me too.
Speaker 2 (47:49):
I, you know I loved it and maybe we should.
We will talk, you know, intheseason, figure out what we're
going to do.
I don't want to speak foranybody because we do have to
get the okay from Dennis andJennifer because they covered
the national championship hereon this, but I got a good
feeling.
If it's not this, it'll besomething.
(48:10):
We're going to do, aseason-long something, something
.
Yeah, so that'll be something,right, we're going to do.
We're going to do a season longSomething, something.
Yeah, so that'll be that.
And you know we've got as wemove forward into this.
You know this is the lastepisode before National
Championship.
Yep, right, we will be live theWednesday before National
(48:30):
Championship starts.
You know, right after our tourdirector awards and dinner,
it'll be you and me and we'll beinterviewing tour directors and
we can't sorry, we can't giveyou a time on that, because it
just whenever it's over that'swhen we go.
So it's not like we've got to.
Speaker 3 (48:52):
They try their hardest every year to stay on
time, and every year it goes alittle long.
But you know, it's the time forus directors to kind of unwind
and just relax and just talkwith all the fellow directors.
But yeah, like you said, assoon as we're able to, we'll get
on.
We'll probably be sitting atthat desk waiting and the second
they say bye, we're going to.
(49:12):
All right, we're live.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
So desk waiting.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
And the second, they say bye, we're gon na all right,
we're live, so exactly, andwe're not going to stay as long
as we did last time too.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
Well, I'm thinking we may just have somebody or some
people bring it.
Just bring us a few plates offood and we'll see.
We'll see, let's see whathappens.
As long as I get somecheesecake, man, I'm I'm good,
we'll get you some cheesecake,that's exactly what I need.
Oh, and then on Thursday forregistration.
(49:40):
Registration starts at 4o'clock in Palmetto Dunes at the
Arthur Hills course.
We'll be there and I thinkwe're going to go live from 4 to
6, chris, that works, so pleasestop by.
Please stop by and see us Sayhi, put a headset on, step up to
the mic and chat with us for alittle bit and look forward to
(50:03):
catching up with everybody.
Speaker 3 (50:05):
Yeah, coming out.
It was fun last time.
We got to meet a lot of peopleand can't wait to meet more and
hopefully, you know, we get somegreat funny stories that we can
all laugh about and talk aboutmoving forward.
Speaker 2 (50:20):
I'm sure we will.
I'm sure there's going to besomething, so I guess that's it.
2024 season is rapidly comingto a close.
We got the best week of golfcoming up here in just a few
days, so I hope everybody makesit safely and we look forward to
(50:42):
seeing everybody, you know,real soon.
Speaker 3 (50:46):
Yeah, I can't wait.
Everybody travel safe,especially us from the West
Coast.
California tour, denver, vegas,vegas, you know, get there safe
and, uh, we'll have some, we'llhave a good time.
Speaker 2 (50:57):
I can't wait, all right bud can't wait to see you
and uh travel safe.
Likewise, talk to you soon you.
Ladies and gentlemen, golf Week Amateur Tour the
podcast Talking about all thingsGolf Week Amateur Tour,
including interviews with tourdirectors, players and course
pros.
Now here are your hosts atlantatour director tim newman and el
paso las cruces director chrisrocha chris, welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
You know the the regular.
The regular season for 2024 isfinally over.
We're at the point of the yearwhere we've been talking about
it since you know, Black Fridayin 2023.
And we're ready to get startedfor National Championship.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, we are Right around the corner.
You know, once this podcastcomes out, we're going to start
getting ready, getting packedready to go.
Once this podcast comes out,we're going to start getting
ready, getting packed ready togo.
Make sure that the good oldsticks are safe for my
seven-hour flight from El Pasoto a good old head island.
But I can't wait.
You know, I've been lookingforward to this for a while now
(01:17):
and can't wait to see you allout there, so it'll be fun.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, it's going to be fun.
You said a seven-hour flight.
We talked to JP Tassin lastepisode and he says it's a
10-hour drive for him If youwere to drive how far is it?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I mean, I could look it up, but on an estimate, let's
see, it's 14 hours to Houstonand then another another 10 to
Orlando and then four up, so atleast a day straight.
Okay, the person we need to askis Gabe, because he makes that
trip every year from Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Does he drive that van or does he drive something?
He drives that van?
No, I wouldn't be doing that,so he does my planes.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
So the person that asked that would be him.
But I mean it'd be a long, along drive and unless I'm like
either really crazy or I havesome stops along the way, I mean
I would attempt to do it oneyear, I guess.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
No, we don't want to do that.
Just just say no to that.
Okay, it okay as so.
Anyway, we both wrapped up ourseasons this um, you know, a
couple weeks ago, and I do wantto hear how that went, because
you had, you had a little hiccup, that again.
What players don't understandis you know we have contracts
for courses and sometimes thingsgo really well and sometimes
(02:40):
they they don't, and we have tobe flexible.
You know we had the hurricanecome through here on the East
Coast and you know there were anumber of tours that had to
cancel, and you know that'sminor compared to some of the
things that they're dealing withfrom that end.
But we got ours in.
We just had to move start timeon Saturday.
(03:02):
And then we also need to talkabout the shirt contest.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yes, we do the win.
Yeah, I mean we'll have thatready to go, but yeah, I mean it
happens.
You know Things change.
You would hope or you wouldwish that you'd get that
information as quickly aspossible, but if you don't, you
just have to adapt, and I meanthat's the name of the game,
especially with us buildingthese schedules.
(03:27):
You know, november, october,November of the previous year,
anything can happen right.
So I mean, even in my first, myfirst year as director, or my
second year I think that's whenCOVID hit and I mean everybody
had had to shake it up then.
But you never know what canhappen.
(03:47):
It's fun though.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
It is.
Well, let's go ahead and getright on into it.
We've got our next guest.
You know we have talked abouthim probably I don't know 15 or
20 times out of the last.
I mean we've got 50-someepisodes We've talked about him.
You know, 15 or 20 times out ofthe last.
I mean we've got 50, someepisodes.
We've talked to him, talkedabout him.
You know, 15 or so times.
He's probably the most talkedabout player on the tour.
(04:11):
That's never actually been onthe podcast.
You know, and I'm sure thereare people out there saying,
well, does this guy really exist?
Does he really exist?
I'll tell you what.
If you're from the Jacksonvilletour, you know he exists
because you've seen him play anduh he, he's a stick he can play
.
So let's go ahead and welcomein uh lance lacombe from the
jacksonville tour.
Lance.
Finally, welcome to the showbuddy, glad to be on.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Appreciate you guys having me.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You've played in in a couple of events that I've run
um the dixie classic, uh up inlake oconee, and yeah, I've seen
you play and we had donnie on acouple weeks ago.
He's talked about it.
Some of the other champ playersthat we've had on have have
talked about your game.
You're you're a minus 3.5handicap solid it's.
(04:57):
How does that happen?
How does golf, how does thegolf round actually happen for
you?
You know what's your mentalitygoing into it.
I mean, looking at your scores,I think you played in 16 or 17
rounds this year.
I think 10 of them were in the60s.
That's pretty solid.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
I just really worked on trying to stay patient this
year.
I played a lot with my buddiesthat play on mini tours over the
fall and I was tired of gettingmy teeth kicked in every
Sundayay.
So I started working beingpatient, hitting the right shots
, because I play with buddiesthat'll go shoot 62 and leave
four or five out there andthey're not on tour, which is
crazy.
So biggest thing I've beendoing this year trying to stay
(05:38):
patient.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
We talked just a little bit offline.
Hb kim is out there with withChris and talking about you know
he's trying to get back on tour.
You know so much of it ismental and you know you could be
that guy that you're playingwith right.
And then you get out there andyou start playing.
You know for real money and howhard it is and how much you
(06:01):
have to actually overcome youknow to be able to make it out
there it's insane.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
I tried my hand at pro golf for a couple years.
I didn't give it the best run,but I learned a lot.
I learned that preparation iskey and there's so many people
that are working four timesharder than you that you don't
even understand and then there'sjust some people that
preparation is minimal when itworks.
I mean I have a couple.
(06:26):
I have a buddy that plays onforeign fair.
Now he started working on hisgame the last couple years and
really getting good and got hiscard this year's, implying he
said I mean, it's just so toughout there.
I wouldn't wish that job onanybody trying to play corn
fairy mini tours.
That's as hard as it gets, yeahyeah, we had games.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
I don't know if you heard the episode where we had
gains beard on and he was.
He was coming up in the in thein the 70s and 80s.
You know, trying to make itwhere it was.
You know so much, so muchharder because you know there
wasn't a lot of money in it,there wasn't a lot of sponsors
in it.
You know, driving all over, youknow the southeast, you know
just just trying to.
You know, get into that mondqualifier.
(07:03):
It's taxing.
And you're sleeping in your car, you're not eating like you
normally would, you're nottraining like you normally would
, and now you've got to go outand perform.
It's got to be one of the mostdifficult things I can imagine.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
Especially, it's taxing on the mind because it's
funny, we can go play a Sundayround with our friends and we
don't play so good.
But I was like, okay, we'llhave a couple beers afterwards,
have a good time.
But you shoot 73, 72 and amajor event.
You're like I just lost athousand dollars this week.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
It's crazy so let's talk about your year on the golf
week tour so far this year.
So you played in 13 tournaments.
You had eight wins and twosecond places, and let me just
start here with the secondplaces before we get into the
wins.
So, out of 13 tournaments, youfirst or second in town out of
13,.
(07:53):
Chris, think about that.
Yes, imagine.
And of those two losses, youlost to Jeff Wong at the Sea
Island Regional by one stroke.
And then you turned around Ibelieve it was probably almost a
(08:15):
month later and you went to aplayoff with Wong at Palmetto
Hills, the Hills and Jonescourse, and went to a playoff
and lost by a stroke to him.
I mean so if you think about it, you know, losing to Jeff Long
by one stroke, that's going tohappen, right, I mean number one
(08:38):
, he's hard to beat.
He's hard to beat on thesecourses here in Hilton Head and
you took him to the limit.
Tell me what that was like, youknow, because when you're in
those tournaments at that highlevel and Chris remember when we
had Dennis right before SeaIsland, he talked about how
stacked that damn flight was.
And he started listing off names.
It's going to be tight.
(08:58):
What's it like?
Because in those tournamentsyou don't have a shot to give
away.
Speaker 5 (09:03):
Right, right, yeah.
So at Sea Island I had atwo-shot lead going into 16, and
I blocked right off the tee andthen I hit the wrong shot,
trying to be too aggressive, andended up making a seven on the
par four, which does not help,and then fought back and I ended
up lifting out a 10-footer fora playoff at Sea Island.
But I mean Jeff, just Jeff doeswhat Jeff does.
(09:26):
I mean he hits it down themiddle and hit on the green.
He's bound to hoop a couple ofthem.
I mean the man's one of thebest putters I've ever seen in
my life.
So I mean it's good.
I mean I've become really goodfriends with Jeff over the years
, so if anybody was gonna beatme like, I'm pretty happy that
your buddy won.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
Yeah, those are the worst.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Yeah.
And then at Palmetto I had atwo shot or one shot lead going
to 18.
And I three putted and he madepar.
And then he hit probably thebest fairway bunker shot I'd
ever seen.
It was howling into the windraining on the third hole at
Jones, which you guys know it'snot an easy tee shot.
So to hit in the fairway bunkeris not a bad tee shot.
(10:08):
But he hit it to two inches andat that point you just got to
tip your cap and say good job.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Jeff, I'll see you inside.
Yeah, there really isn'tanything you can do about it.
Yeah, outside of that, what aresome other highlights for you?
Because, again, you know, as Igo down, you won eight times.
You won the regional at SequoiaNational.
You know you won it at King andthe Bear, you won Halifax
(10:37):
Plantation, you won the two-dayOsprey Cove and the Sea Island
Resort.
What?
Speaker 5 (10:43):
were some highlights for you.
Sequoia was a big highlight.
That's my favorite force.
We played all year.
I mean there's nothing like it.
You don't get to especially inFlorida we have such flag golf.
To just go play in themountains is a blast.
I mean that's a bucket listtrip for even just a boys like
bachelor party trip.
What along to play a tournamentthere.
That's going to be on theschedule every year that they
have it there.
And it was good because thatwas one of my first rounds that
(11:06):
I hit it really good and theputter didn't work the first day
but it was one of those thatthe ball striking carried me and
it was good to see thateverything I've been working on
has been it finally came tofulfillment.
On that first round I shot 66.
Second day was a little bit ofa struggle but it was 40 degrees
and raining and you know it'sone of those days you don't want
(11:27):
to be on the golf course.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Yeah, you know, last year there was a lot of rain up
there and this year was supposedto be nice.
And, chris, you know we'veactually talked about Sequoia
National and I do the northernswing is what I call it early in
our rotation in Atlanta and weplay a course that's literally
(11:52):
like 20 miles from SequoiaNational that same weekend and,
like you said, playing up in themountains up there there really
is nothing like it.
It's beautiful.
Generally, the weather isreally nice.
It really is a good place to goand play.
Again, it's out of the way.
A lot of people don't reallyknow about it but, like you said
(12:14):
, it's a hidden gems.
Well, I mean anything.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, it's an awesome track.
Any courses in the mountainsare usually hidden gems.
We have a couple here up norththat uh, we enjoy going to play
every year, so I mean, they'realways uh fun to just go out
there and let them rip.
Especially in the mountains youhave a little bit more
elevation than anywhere else, soliz what are some highlights
for you outside the tour?
Speaker 2 (12:36):
because I know you guys at your level are playing,
really playing all over theplace, and you're playing in
some other really good uh,competitive type of events.
Where else have you played?
Speaker 5 (12:47):
I played.
My first uh non-golf week eventwas the florida azalea.
I actually had foot surgerythis year they had to chop my
foot up and fix it this year butit was my first event back and
it's uh.
The florida azalea is a blackgolf club, old school donald
ross course it's.
That was my white whaletournament to win and I finally
got it done this year.
So that was the highlight of myyear by far.
(13:08):
I had two tournaments that Ireally want to get done this
year.
It was Azalea Nationals.
We got one of them so far, sothat's a tournament that we
can't ever forget.
So what's so special about thattournament?
So it is for North Florida.
It's, besides, like theJacksonville City Amateur.
It's the second biggest eventthey have in North Florida.
I mean, there's a handful ofguys that have won the Masters
(13:29):
back in the day that have won it.
A handful of guys are on tournow that have won it Peter Uline
, notable name, riyaji and MataA couple of really good college
players right now.
And it's a weird course.
It's 6,000 yards from the tips,but they bake those greens out
to where you have a dime to landit on or you're missing the
green, see, and it's just theultimate test of mental game.
(13:49):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
That's it so 6,000 yards.
And, chris, people say thatcourses are getting too long and
you have to be able to bomb itto be able to score and win.
Who's saying that?
Come on now, you know, you'veheard your guys.
You've heard your deflate guyssaying that they got it.
I guess you're right, you'reshort, come on now.
(14:11):
And this again, this goes toshow you, show you, you have to,
especially to be at the levelthat lance is at right.
You really have to be able toto hit every club in your bag
and and know what that distanceis, know how to control it, to
to truly be a really specialtype golfer.
As we're getting ready to gointo the national championship,
(14:32):
what's your philosophy and whatare you thinking about?
Going in there?
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Because you're playing American Dunes and
Golden Bear yeah, I think that'stwo courses we're playing.
I'm not going to get to play apractice on either, but I have a
couple apps I use to map outcourses whenever I don't get to.
And the way dunes looks like areally fun track.
I've heard it's very difficult.
Now I've heard it's also animpeccable condition 24 7 and I
(15:01):
talked to one for a little bitabout golden bear and he said
it's just a fun track.
Good old school Carolina course.
You gotta hit it through theshoots and the trees and paw
your way around, which I likethat type of golf.
It's fun to not have to bangdrive everywhere, even though I
love hitting driver everywherepossible.
It's fun to kind of raineverybody in the same spot and
see who hits it better right.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
yeah, you have to do that there, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
So you haven't played .
Speaker 5 (15:27):
Atlantic Dunes at all .
No, I haven't played either ofthe courses.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Well, you're in for a real treat.
The closing holes at AtlanticDunes, man, they're tough.
They're really tough.
That's what I've been told.
They're not going to be lowscores like you all had out of
Hampton Hall a couple years ago.
But you know you get over toGolden Bear.
That's where you're going to,at least that's where you should
(15:55):
get some low scores.
But Atlantic Dunes it's goingto be tough from start to finish
.
I think you're going to like it.
I really do.
It's a beautiful course.
It is always in perfect shape.
Even when we do the seniorregional there in February, when
it's cold, it's in great shape.
Sea Pines does a great job withall those courses that are in
(16:18):
there.
You're in for a real treat.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Yeah, I want to play the icebreaker, but I just don't
feel like getting a littlesalamander shiver while I'm over
a t-ball, so I'm gonna staydown in florida where it's a
little bit warmer you're smart,I think five years ago, if you
had said that, I said, oh, it'snot that bad.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Um, you know, because I came from pennsylvania and
now I've been down here for alittle bit and I love it down
here, don Don't get me wrong.
But you know, if it gets downto the 40s now I'm saying, oh,
get a little cold, as opposed towhen I was in Pennsylvania.
You know, I just started sayingthat until it was like in the
30s and 20s.
But I'm wearing pants now in40s instead of shorts.
(16:58):
Same here.
Speaker 5 (16:59):
Yeah that that southern cold.
It's a little crispy for sure.
I'm a diehard Steelers fan so Iwent to a Steelers game the
Jags-Steelers playoff game andit was zero degrees and I feel
like it's not as cold as whenit's 20 degrees in Florida.
It's crazy.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Well, if you go up there and it's a wet cold, you
will forget it.
It's the absolute worst.
Chris, you don't know anythingabout 30 degrees or 20 degrees
no, no, no, no, I stay away fromthat.
Actually, chris, I think thatwe need to convince somebody to
(17:41):
do a regional, let's just say,do a regional in Virginia or
somewhere along those lines.
Actually, well, you know what?
Vegas was a little chilly thisyear.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Vegas was a little cold.
You are the second day.
At least, the first day wasn'tterrible, but the second day got
a little cold at the beginning.
Or did I mix them up?
No, it was the other way around.
The first day was cold all day,because that's when you were
supposed to bring me coffee andyou bailed on me.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Yeah, I did, I was cold.
I stayed inside.
Yeah, I had coffee inside.
Sorry, man, I'm sorry, I'm notproud.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
It happens.
Anyway, that's how you knowyou're good friends.
If someone forgets a coffee,you just know you're good
friends.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, exactly, exactly, yeah exactly.
Exactly yeah yeah, keep tellingthem that.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I can only do what I can do.
But, lance, thank you so muchfor taking some time with us
tonight.
I really do appreciate it.
I do want you to come see uswhen you check in on Thursday at
the Hills Course in Palmet,when you, when you check in for
national championship and I getyou on live.
A little bit Sounds good.
You let me know.
All right, bud, you take careof yourself and we'll talk to
(18:53):
you soon.
Thanks guys.
All right, brother, thank youAll right.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
So I get the privilege of interviewing our
next guest.
You know we, you know we talk alot on the on the tour or on
the podcast about how our tour.
You know we welcome new memberswith open arms and no matter
what your skill level is,whether you're starting off in
champ or all the way to d, youknow everybody has a chance and
it just shows how muchdetermination, how much time you
(19:19):
want to spend into it todetermine how well you play and
how well you, how much you getbetter throughout the years.
Um, it might take one, two,three seasons or it might be
right away.
Um, so our next guest isactually from the dallas fort
worth tour.
Uh, he's a good friend of mineand um, now he's going to be a
travel buddy, uh, on all thesegolf trips we go to.
(19:40):
So we want to welcome him fromdallas, mr chris sazos.
Chris, welcome to the show,thank you, thank you.
Thank you for having me happyto be here.
No problem, man, we're gladyou're here.
Um, you know you're our lastofficial guest before nationals,
so don't be nervous.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
No, no, it's an honor .
Speaker 3 (19:56):
But uh, let you know, our listeners know.
You know you've been on tourfor what it's?
Two years now.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Yeah, this would.
Yeah, this would be my secondseason on tour tour.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
For what?
It's?
Two years now.
Yeah, seasons, this would, yeah, this would be my second season
on tour.
Yeah, so two years on tour and,um, you know, first year wasn't
probably your best year, but Imean you were still trying to
get your feet wet.
Yeah, do you agree?
Speaker 4 (20:15):
yeah, absolutely um, I only end up playing half the
season, uh, last year.
But I mean you, you hit thenail on the head, definitely
kind of just tipping my ortipping my toes into that, that,
that pond it was.
It was rough for the lack ofbetter words, not really used to
playing competitive golf likethat, but it was it was.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
it was still fun, fun enough to be to come back and
play a full season this yearright, I mean and like you said,
you know it's um tournamentgolf is completely different
from going out with your buddiesand getting those gimme's every
, every other hole yeah, yeah,exactly, especially when you're
like still, uh, somewhat greento the game, like myself, like
it's a big difference playingyou know, getting you know two
foot gimme's to to now having tolearn proper rules, learning
(21:02):
about you know drops, takingproper strokes and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
So it is a little intimidating at first, but you
find the groove and it gets realfun, real quick.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Right, I mean, how long have you been playing golf
for?
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Little over two years now, actually Maybe about
working on my third year.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
So you got the itch or the bit by the golf ball
again, then straight intotournament play.
That, yeah, it takes a lot ofguts to do that yeah it, it
definitely, it definitely hit mehard.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Um, that honestly got your brother kind of was the
one that encouraged me to getinto it, and then, obviously,
talking to the, the two of youend up going to the same fitter
that you guys went to to get itsix months after I started and
really just haven't looked backsince right, right, and and for
all the listeners, you know, Idon't think we mentioned it, but
he's, he's in d flight, um, buthe's not staying in d flame and
(21:55):
we'll touch on that later.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Um, but let's fast forward.
You know, you had you had firstseason, couple events, just
trying to get used to it.
Uh, you come out this seasonand boy did you play a lot.
What's this?
One, two, three, four, five,six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
eleven, twelve tournaments withone regional um.
You joined us out there in themichigan regional.
Which phenomenal track, granted, granted.
(22:21):
You know, the scores may show,but we had a lot of fun.
Yeah and uh, unfortunately foryou, you got rained for nine
holes straight when I say rain,I mean like a downpour for nine
holes.
You, you all came in.
Look looking miserable, likeyou just wanted to throw your
clubs in the trunk and drivehome let me tell you when, uh,
(22:42):
when we made the turn there.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
Um, well, we made the turn there.
I could, like the two guys thatI was partnered with, uh, were
from the local tour.
So I see them kind of likelooking up and then looking at
each other and they're like, allright, let's get some rain gear
on.
So they turn over and look atme.
They're like, hey, do you haveany rain gear?
If you are, you I'd startputting it on because it's about
to start sprinkling.
So I was like kind of lookingat them and you know, being from
(23:04):
the dallas world war tour, likeit really don't rain like it
does in in michigan, uh, Iturned around to see these guys
putting on like special pants,like different kind of jackets,
and all I had was, like you know, like a typical pullover, and I
was like this is my ring gear.
They're like looking at me like, oh, you knew, unprepared.
Yeah, lo and behold, like yousaid, like torrential downpour
(23:25):
for the next nine holes, I don't.
I mean, I might as well havebeen playing in a pool with the
way my clothes walked out.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
It's crazy, yep, you know.
All jokes aside, I was nice andwarm and dry.
I had the rain for like, maybethe last two holes or the
sprinkles for the last two holes.
But then when it started comingdown it was, oh, bless your
hearts.
But anyways, you know youstarted off pretty strong, a
couple scores way better thanwhat you had the first year, um,
(23:51):
and then coming in may 26, bearcreek, uh, you get your first
victory ever.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
so that's your, I believe I want to say your
eighth round total since you'vestarted yeah, yeah, you know,
and I think, actually um earlierin this season too, I think, I
had a second place finish atchampion circle, where I don't
think I finished too far behindthe gentleman that won, but yeah
(24:17):
, that that may.
Victory at bear creek was firstone on tour.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
It was probably the proudest one that I've had so
far and and it was pretty coolbecause it was the weekend right
before we went to americandunes you kind of had that
momentum there.
You, you know again solidrounds.
Then you come back home and youjust, you know, keep putting
the pressure on the leaders inyour group, points-wise.
(24:41):
I mean, you know we talkedthroughout the season but you
were right there giving thempressure.
And then you go back to BearCreek and you take another
victory.
So that's two victories at thesame course or same location
different courses yeah and uh,you know, I think, I think duane
said in his email best thatthat bears creek is your, is
(25:01):
your home course now, becauseyou just can't lose there yeah
it both.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
both those tournaments they treated me well
.
Um, they're great tracks,enjoyable play, um, definitely
type play into.
I think they play more into mystyle of of golf where it's kind
of you know a pick your shotkind of guy, you know be smart
off, be smart with the tee boxand then just find your way to
the green as quick as possibleand they just kind of play into
(25:28):
the shot shape, the natural shotshape, a little bit.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
So I had some two good rounds, yeah so, yeah, so
looking at it, with your firstwin was your ninth total round
and you break 90.
Okay, then you go, then six,you know the sixth round after
that, which would be your 15thtotal round, you again break 90.
And as d flight, ladies andgentlemen, as d flight.
(25:52):
Then you go the weekend after,shoot at 87 at texas star and
take another victory.
That's three wins in one season.
You know how hard it is foranybody to get three wins in one
season, especially with theamount of players you guys have
in your flight alone.
I mean, we're talking.
You know, dallas, fort worth,has probably one of the largest,
(26:15):
if not, uh, the largest tour inthe country, but you alone have
31 players in your flight.
Yeah, yeah, and for you to winthree is just, I mean, hats off
to you, yeah I appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Yeah, um, the dallas fort worth tour is is is huge
and I think they typically Ithink we typically average a
little over a hundred hundredplayers a tournament shout out
to duane, always facilitatinggreat rounds, um, but, yeah, I
mean, whether it be 10 people,30 people playing it's, it's,
it's always a good time to beable to, to be competitive, I
(26:51):
guess, is the way to put itright, right so so we're coming
in here and I correct me if I'mwrong, but I think leading up to
your tour final you were upwhat?
200 points, maybe 300 points,yeah actually I was up, I think,
just shy of yeah, going intothe season for the owls up, just
(27:11):
up 300 points from second placeand then I think a little over
five or six hundred points maybe, or around 500 points from
third place right.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
So I mean the.
It's coming down to the wireand for anyone who hasn't won a
flight championship, I'm gonnatell you right now it is the
coolest thing ever to know tocall yourself a flight
championship.
I'm going to tell you right nowit is the coolest thing ever to
call yourself a flight champion.
So we're going in the tourfinal and we're trying to.
You know, you're trying todecide do I play, do I not play?
I encourage you to play.
(27:44):
You know, let the chips fallwhere they may because, again,
winning a tour champion or tourflight championship is one in
itself.
And now you go, you play, youdon't win, I think you take
second, but you win your flightchampionship.
So now you have the chance towin a trophy in every flight
(28:06):
from here until you're donegolfing.
Right, not everybody gets thatchance, trust me.
Not everybody does.
So now you have this chance togo.
Do that.
Um, how do you feel about?
Speaker 4 (28:16):
that I mean it's it's , it's a, it's a bit, it's a
great, it's a bittersweetfeeling, I guess, to say like,
yeah, like I mean you, you didsay like I was kind of
contemplating playing thatfinale for the sake of being
able to go to to nationals as ad-flatter, but at the same time,
like I, I love, I lovecompeting, you know what I mean.
So to to kind of have that ideaor that mindset, to kind of
(28:37):
just like lay over and allowsomebody else to take over that
points race, uh, just didn'tkind of sit too well with me.
So when I finally decided toplay and show up, you know,
while it wasn't my my greatestrounds, like you said, it was
good enough to be able to takethat points rates and it's great
.
And now to be able to work myway up to the ranks, eventually
trying to, you know, match yourlevel, is the ultimate goal.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
now, I'm not that good.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
All right when your handicap only has one number in
it.
Before, before the, before thedecimal.
I mean it's can't say nothing,Touche.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Touche.
Okay, so we're going toNationals.
You know, once this airs, we'regoing to be a week and a half
away from meeting up at theairport in Dallas to get our
flights over there.
But you're not going as aD-Flighter, no, you got moved up
, you know.
You're going as a C-Flighter,which isn't a bad thing, let me
tell you.
This's not a bad thing, becausenow you get to really test your
(29:32):
game and the courses you'replaying oyster reef, hampton
hall, two of my favorite coursesout there.
I've said before, hampton hallis probably my favorite course
out there, wide open, okay, soyou can, you can grip it and rip
it and um, it's not a terriblylong course.
So I I think you're gonna havea great time.
(29:55):
Um, but what are your thoughts?
Going into a new flight, yourfirst round is gonna be your
national championship round uh,you know it's, I think.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
I think easing into it like in a normal tournament
would have been a little bitideal, kind kind of getting used
to the yardage adjustment.
But I mean playing at seaflight, even at the Nationals
level, it's going to be fun.
Luckily I play quite a bit withyour brother out here and he is
a I guess we'll call it astickler for making me play at
(30:29):
the same tees he does.
So playing back tees isn'tplaying back tees from I should
be playing, I guess I should say, is it something that I'm not
unfamiliar with?
So it just just be slightadjustments going up a few, a
club or two in certainsituations I.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
I mean like, like I tell every, every newbie that
goes on, nationals from our area, um, it's gonna be a club or
two, regardless.
You're playing C-level, butyou're right.
I mean, I guess, because I'm adirector, but I encourage
everybody to play the tee boxthat they're going to have the
most fun at.
But if you're already playingfrom tees that the C-Flighters
(31:07):
play from, I think you'll beokay.
I mean we went, you know yourjust play from.
I think you'll be okay.
And I mean we went.
You know your last four rounds86, 87, 91, 88, that's solid,
even for sea flight, that'ssolid.
You know you drop three, fourstrokes on the green, around the
green, you'll be right there incontention.
So I don't have any worry aboutyou.
(31:28):
But I, you know we want tobring it up because your journey
here, um, under 20 rounds total, uh, since you started right a
year and a half, and you'vealready progressed through one
fly, uh, I'm pretty sure the seaflighters in dallas know your
name and they're they're.
Some may be looking forward tonew me, but some might be a
(31:50):
little nervous.
Uh, and, and you know, I justcan't wait to see what you do
next year and you're gonna havea great time at nationals.
But, like, what are yourthoughts?
How are you feeling now goinginto, uh, this new chapter in
your, in your, your golf game?
Do you know?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
I'm excited for it.
Uh, I know I talked.
I talked to your, to yourbrother, christian, earlier in
the year and the the sea flightpromotion was always a goal.
Like I said, I had hoped thatit transitioned a little sooner
in the season, but obviously thegoal is always to progress.
So to win flight champ and thengo into sea flight, it's
(32:28):
awesome.
I look forward, like I said, tothe continued um competition
and I don't know that anybody upthere in that flight knows my
name, but I got my eyes on some,some targets on those guys,
kind of monitoring them andtheir scores and whatnot.
So um it, just like I said,just continuously looking for
for an improving goal.
(32:49):
You know what I mean mean.
Try to shoot low.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Right, right, right.
So we're going to be inNationals.
Definitely.
Come see us at the welcomeparty.
I mean, you're going toprobably be in the same car, so
it doesn't matter.
But you know, come say hi.
I know Tim wasn't able to behere today, but he'll want to.
You met him in Michigan, he'syou know.
I just want to forward he'ssuper proud of you, he watches
as well and uh wants to send hiscongratulations.
(33:14):
But uh, you know we're gonnahave a great time at the course
we're gonna play on on Wednesday.
Yeah, I can't wait for that.
It was one one of the bucketlist courses and then you know
we'll go out Thursday, hit arange or two and uh, get
prepared for the for the nexttime.
But uh, you're gonna enjoyOrchard Reef, but you but
Hampton Hall is my favoritecourse out there, so I hope
(33:34):
you're ready yeah.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
I've looked into them a little bit.
I've been kind of going on totheir sites and kind of scoping
through their scorecards and theholes.
So it's a phenomenal track itlooks.
I hope it's just as gorgeousand I'm sure it is in person as
it is in those photos.
But it's just as gorgeous andI'm sure it is in in person as
it is in those photos.
But I mean, nationals week isgoing to be a fun time, a lot of
(33:57):
golf to come and hopefully alot of low scores to go along
with it.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Right, yeah.
So last question before we getout of here.
I'm playing on the golf weekamateur.
What do you like most about it?
Speaker 4 (34:11):
I've said it a couple of times, it's the, the
competition.
You know what I mean.
I'm a very competitive personbut specifically is being
competitive within your skillgroup.
That's.
That is the absolute beautyabout golf week amateur or that
about golf week is is being ableto be competitive within your
skillset.
Right, Like the handicap systemis great, Like nobody wants to
(34:33):
go out there, you know, be aD-flighter playing against champ
flights, being able to competeagainst people that are at your
skill level and, like you said,you know have the chance to win
prizes, trophies, you know, alittle bit of recognition, have
the opportunity to come on thepodcast, you know it's the
rewards for that.
Competitiveness, you know,within the skill set is is by
(34:54):
far the best thing, not tomention the travel opportunities
that come along with it withregional events Cool.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Well, chris, I appreciate you taking some time
off from your busy day.
I know you're traveling rightnow, um, but yeah, man, I can't
wait to see you in.
In what a week and a halfalready.
Speaker 4 (35:10):
I wish it was it was sooner, I'm ready to hit the
links and get this golf going.
Yeah, yeah, it can't come fastenough.
I've been counting the dayssince since the season finished,
uh, for this trip, but I lookforward to running into you at
the at the dallas airport.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Yep all right, brother, will you be safe and
we'll talk to you soon.
Yes, sir, you'll be, take iteasy, all right.
All right, tim.
So chris is officially our lastguest before our or my trip to
nationals.
You can just walk to whereveryou want to go on that Island,
but it's always a great time tohear these guys' stories.
You know we had plenty ofstories throughout the year and,
you know, top it off with oneguy that was really working hard
(35:48):
all year long.
I had a couple of goals that hewas able to achieve and now is
going to test his skills in thenew flight in Nationals.
Yeah, I'm really proud of him.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
You know I met him when he was on the trip out
there with us in Michigan forthe regional at American Dunes
and you know just kind offollowing him.
You know, through the mid partof the season he struggled a
little bit, got a littlefrustrated and I'm really proud
of him how he turned thingsaround and finished the season
really strong oh yeah, he's beenworking real hard on his game
you know, hitting the rangetaking tips.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
It's hard for me to give him tips because I'm not a
lefty like he is, butnonetheless he's been working
hard on the things he needs toand I think he'll do good.
I think he's a little nervous.
I mean I got moved up to bflight one year, probably four
nationals and, um, you know itcan be nerve-wracking not to
know what to expect, especiallyit being your first uh nationals
(36:44):
.
But he'll be all right, youjust gotta keep it in the
fairway at that point yeah,he'll be fine, you know.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
you know, being from a from a really big tour like
that, you're generally playingwith pretty good competition,
not that smaller tours don't,but obviously the bigger tour
that you have, the more playersthat are in the flight, the more
likely it is that somebody'sgoing to have a good day and for
him to finish strong.
The way that he did just showsthat he can play up to that
(37:13):
C-level competition and thecompetition is going to be even
stronger when he gets here in acouple weeks.
It's going to be great.
He's going to have a great timehe's going to do well, not
worried about that, yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
I mean we're all excited to get out there and
start playing.
I wish it was quicker than aweek and a half still.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Yeah, me too.
Kind of, Kind, of kind of.
It is one of the best weeks ofthe year, just being able to see
everybody and catching up.
I think the one good thing thatwe had this year, which we
haven't had in the past, is wedid get to go to some regionals
and we did get to see peoplethat we wouldn't normally see
(37:54):
until we get to Hilton Headthroughout the year, which, to
me, I had a blast, and next yearI think it's going to be even
better.
I'm not telling you the onethat I know yet.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
You keep saying that, but you don't give me any
details.
So I see how it is no.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
I've got to keep it hush until it's officially
announced.
My guess is it's going to beannounced at National
Championship.
I really hope so.
Most of the time the regionalschedule, if it's not done, it's
pretty solid.
So I'm hoping this one's goingto come out and we'll definitely
go to that one.
That's pretty solid, right?
So I'm hoping this one's goingto come out and we'll definitely
(38:35):
go to that one, that's for sure.
Oh, okay, let's wrap up.
I'm just going to slide overthat and we'll move on.
Let's go ahead and wrap up ourindividual tours.
And you know we talked about itbriefly in the opening.
There's always something thathappens and you know, sometimes
the players don't talked aboutit briefly in the opening.
There's always something thathappens and you know, sometimes
(38:55):
the players don't know about it,but sometimes the players do
know about it.
You know, like for me, my firsttournament of the year, we had
a real mix-up in start times andthen the course kind of threw a
few extra tee times in front ofus.
So we ended up starting almosttwo hours behind time and there
(39:16):
really isn't anything we can doabout it.
I mean, it is what it is.
You just got to kind of rollwith it and players still had a
good time.
So it was a great event.
But what happened with you onthe last tournament?
Speaker 3 (39:30):
I mean, and you know we explained to everybody, we
build these schedules all aroundthe country.
I mean and, and you know weexplained to everybody, we build
these schedules all around thecountry.
You know, october, november,december, um, for the most part.
I mean, as they start a littlebit later, they probably start
their schedule a little bitlater, but uh, you know, I get
all my things done by the end ofNovember, so that December I'm
not worrying about it.
And um, this one course, weknow, on a sunday, two day, two
(39:54):
day final, you kind of want tohave everybody hanging out, have
a good time.
Awards, you know, season endingawards, all that fun stuff, um.
so I specifically asked thiscourse to do a shotgun um on
sunday.
It wasn't a problem in november, but I guess for the next 10
months they had some managementchanges and forgot to inform me
(40:16):
that they had changes and notallowing any shotguns for
tournaments anymore, regardlessof the time, which I still don't
understand that, because youcould have 72 guys out and back
in four and a half hours asopposed to taking up four hours
of routine time.
Same amount, but, um, right,needless to say, you know, uh,
(40:39):
the monday leading up thetournament, they let me know
that and I had to scramble, um,but it is what it is.
You know, everybody had to dowhat we had to do.
Fortunately we couldn't have thebig celebrations that we could
so kind of strategically placedit to where Champ A and B would
kind of finish within an hour ofeach other to be able to have
(41:01):
those upper guys hang out for alittle bit.
We did those three and thenjust held off C and D until they
were done and then did thosetwo together.
So it worked out.
You know, a couple of guys stay, gave the restaurant some
business.
I wish we could have given themmore, but it is what it is and
you just got to adapt and that'swhat we do.
And, uh, we learn from it andyou know, next year we'll we'll
(41:23):
see if we have a tour event.
Speaker 2 (41:24):
That's all that matters, and as long as the guys
have a good time and you knowno other issues with the
tournament.
It is what it is right.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
Oh yeah, it was a great time.
I mean, you know, even lookingat a two-day final, the biggest
margin of victory was fourstrokes in the flights.
So I mean, and that one,unfortunately, was my flight,
because I took second and lostby four, but you know, it was
(41:59):
just great to see that close ofcompetition come down to the
wire for every flight, which wasnice.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
That is good, you know, because again it ends the
season on a high note and it'ssomething to talk about, you
know, during the offseason itreally does get them ready and
prepped for I guess you guysstart in January, right.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
Uh, yeah, we'll.
We'll start in January and um,and I'll have some fun events
throughout the off season.
I want to do a uh tournament ofchampions and have every guy
that won an event they'reinvited to come play and see who
(42:41):
can be the the champion of themall, with their handicaps, of
whatever they finish golf weekwith.
So that's kind of fun, kind ofkind of declare one person as
not the mvp of the season, butlike the champion of champions,
and then do a two-man scramble.
Um, that we typically usuallydo in the beginning of the
season, but I think with all ourtraveling and everything it's a
little hard to get thatscheduled this year.
Um, so we've got to keep thattradition going because I know
the guys like events like thatbe able to partner up with
(43:01):
somebody and try to take takethe victory.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
That's good, there's tournament of champion.
Events are becoming a littlebit more popular, you know,
across the country too.
Speaker 3 (43:13):
And again.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
I think they're fun.
It keeps the camaraderie going,keeps guys interested and, you
know, it keeps everybody hangingaround.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
Oh yeah, and you know , it allows one person to have
trash talking for the whole year, Exactly.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
We finished up the same weekend you did.
I'm sure everybody's aware ofthe hurricane that came through
and you know it affects us alittle bit.
You know no big deal.
We had to move Saturday teetimes back a little bit but you
know the damage that Helenecaused is going to be affecting
(43:49):
people for a long, long time.
You know there's kind of aswath from really kind of
Augusta up through the upstateSouth Carolina region, up
through North Carolina intoTennessee.
And I saw something just theother day that you know there's
two major roads, i-26 and I-40,in North Carolina and Tennessee
(44:16):
that won't open up until likeSeptember of 25.
Yeah, and those are two majorroads.
I mean so getting from NorthCarolina to Tennessee, to
Nashville, to Knoxville.
Those are the roads that youtake.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
I mean, those are interstates, yeah, and for them
not to be open is very alarming,and I saw the picture from
Augusta National on what theyhad going on or the damage that
they had, which was pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah, we lost some lives.
I think it was like maybe 500lives and that's not something
you generally see as far inlandas that, I mean generally,
you're going to see that on thecoast, you know Gulf Coast and
then the east coast of Florida,for it to be that bad where it
(45:05):
is.
That's how powerful thesestorms are.
And again, you know thinkingabout the people that have lost
everything.
I know a couple families wholiterally lost everything, but
they made it out okay and youknow, just our thoughts are with
everybody that's dealing withthese, with this tragedy,
(45:26):
natural disaster.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
Yeah, I mean you do the best you can.
I know my sister wascelebrating her wedding
anniversary and they were in theeast part of Florida and they
had to leave a day early.
They were able to do, you know,most of the things that they
wanted to do, but they still hadto leave a day early to get
(45:49):
back home to Orlando beforeeverything hit.
So I can't imagine.
That's why I live in the desert, I guess in the middle of the
United States I can kind ofavoid all that.
I'm far from tornadoes, I'm farfrom hurricanes, but I've been
through a hurricane warning acouple of years back in Orlando
(46:11):
when one went right by and forsomebody who's never been in one
it's alarming, especially withyour whole family there.
So I can only imagine whatpeople are going through.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
Again wish everybody the best and hopefully that we
can get things cleaned up andget back to somewhat normal life
as soon as possible.
Now, as we're wrapping thingsup, we just have a couple more
things before you've got to geton the plane.
We've got to talk about theshirt contest.
By the time this airs, we willhave a winner.
(46:43):
Last time I checked it it wasreally close.
I mean, I'll look right now forthis.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Give me a second, I'll pull it up.
I've been eyeing it every,every, every day, so it's a 148
to 119, currently 29 votes withliterally 24 hours to go.
So I mean I hope somebody has agood push or let's see what
(47:13):
happens.
I mean anything can happen.
Honestly.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
Anything can happen.
You never know who may beholding some votes back.
You never know if Zuckerberg'sgoing to have a hand in this, if
there's a little four-year-oldgrandchild going to have a hand
in this.
Nobody knows.
Speaker 3 (47:30):
Nobody knows We'll just wait and see.
Yep, we just got to wait andsee, can't vote, but it's been
fun, it's been exciting.
I know you and me have a lot ofwork as far as if we're going
to do it next year, what we canchange or make better, but uh, I
think it was successful for itsfirst year yeah, I think that's
me too.
Speaker 2 (47:49):
I, you know I loved it and maybe we should.
We will talk, you know, intheseason, figure out what we're
going to do.
I don't want to speak foranybody because we do have to
get the okay from Dennis andJennifer because they covered
the national championship hereon this, but I got a good
feeling.
If it's not this, it'll besomething.
(48:10):
We're going to do, aseason-long something, something
.
Yeah, so that'll be something,right, we're going to do.
We're going to do a season longSomething, something.
Yeah, so that'll be that.
And you know we've got as wemove forward into this.
You know this is the lastepisode before National
Championship.
Yep, right, we will be live theWednesday before National
(48:30):
Championship starts.
You know, right after our tourdirector awards and dinner,
it'll be you and me and we'll beinterviewing tour directors and
we can't sorry, we can't giveyou a time on that, because it
just whenever it's over that'swhen we go.
So it's not like we've got to.
Speaker 3 (48:52):
They try their hardest every year to stay on
time, and every year it goes alittle long.
But you know, it's the time forus directors to kind of unwind
and just relax and just talkwith all the fellow directors.
But yeah, like you said, assoon as we're able to, we'll get
on.
We'll probably be sitting atthat desk waiting and the second
they say bye, we're going to.
(49:12):
All right, we're live.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
So desk waiting.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
And the second, they say bye, we're gon na all right,
we're live, so exactly, andwe're not going to stay as long
as we did last time too.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
Well, I'm thinking we may just have somebody or some
people bring it.
Just bring us a few plates offood and we'll see.
We'll see, let's see whathappens.
As long as I get somecheesecake, man, I'm I'm good,
we'll get you some cheesecake,that's exactly what I need.
Oh, and then on Thursday forregistration.
(49:40):
Registration starts at 4o'clock in Palmetto Dunes at the
Arthur Hills course.
We'll be there and I thinkwe're going to go live from 4 to
6, chris, that works, so pleasestop by.
Please stop by and see us Sayhi, put a headset on, step up to
the mic and chat with us for alittle bit and look forward to
(50:03):
catching up with everybody.
Speaker 3 (50:05):
Yeah, coming out.
It was fun last time.
We got to meet a lot of peopleand can't wait to meet more and
hopefully, you know, we get somegreat funny stories that we can
all laugh about and talk aboutmoving forward.
Speaker 2 (50:20):
I'm sure we will.
I'm sure there's going to besomething, so I guess that's it.
2024 season is rapidly comingto a close.
We got the best week of golfcoming up here in just a few
days, so I hope everybody makesit safely and we look forward to
(50:42):
seeing everybody, you know,real soon.
Speaker 3 (50:46):
Yeah, I can't wait.
Everybody travel safe,especially us from the West
Coast.
California tour, denver, vegas,vegas, you know, get there safe
and, uh, we'll have some, we'llhave a good time.
Speaker 2 (50:57):
I can't wait, all right bud can't wait to see you
and uh travel safe.
Likewise, talk to you soon you.
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Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.