July 23, 2024 • 12 mins
ISCO Industries Chairman and CEO Jimmy Kirchdorfer discusses the three-year deal that is now in place to have an annual PGA event at the Hurstbourne Country Club. Kirchdorfer also talked about the difference between hosting an event at Valhalla and Hurstbourne, the growth of the event, and the possibilites for the public to get involved...
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
You're on news right eight forty whs. You just heard Paul mention that we
have a regular PGA Tour event andthe Commonwealth that is shifting over to Louisville.
The guy principally responsible for that isthe CEO of Isco Industries, just
referenced right there, Jimmy Kirchdorffer.Welcome back to the show. Hello,
(00:20):
Terry, glad to be back.Oh, it's great to see you today
at this announcement event, and it'syou know, we're all excited about it.
Like you said in that clip,we displayed golfers from around the world.
Media come around, they showcase whatwe're doing. Your company is sponsoring
what used to be called the Barbersoland so what can we expect at Hirstborn.
Jimmy, is it a three yeardeal? We have, Yes,
(00:43):
a three year deal. We'll haveit at Hirstburn and our vision is to
highlight Kentucky, move it around thestate. But the biggest thing we got
involved was mandatory was that it remainedin Kentucky. We didn't want this championship
move or this tournament moving outside thestate. Clearly, we had a lot
of people just thrilled with the PGAChampionship. You're one of the owners of
(01:06):
Valhalla Golf Course, which looks fantasticby the way. I mean, all
the upgrades you guys have done havebeen great. The event was phenomenal.
But Valhalla is a big footprint,a lot of acreage. So how do
you work with a you know,a smaller green footprints like at Hirstbourne Country
Club. I mean, this isthat's you know, more of a challenge,
(01:30):
I would guess, yeah, Butyou know, the PGA Championship is
a major. It's a lot morepeople on property at Hirshburn PGA Tour event.
You'd be able to get a lotcloser easier to the players, which
would be nice. It's not goingto be as attended, you know,
nothing is as attended as as thefour major championships throughout the year, So
(01:52):
you don't need as big of aballpark and as big of a venue to
host that, but you're getting somehigh quality players. Essentially, it's like
we noted here, it happens duringthe week of the Scottish Open ahead of
the British Open, and so thereare a lot of folks who don't make
that and then this gives them anopportunity. Plus, aren't there a lot
of European players who take part inthis this GOO Championship. Yeah, there's
(02:15):
fifty players that come over from theDP Tour, which is the European Tour
to play in it. But thefield is one hundred and fifty six so
we have a lot more than that. But yeah, it's so, you
know, the field keeps getting better. This is the best two weeks ago
we had it in Lexington, thebest field they've ever had, and it's
because they moved the FedEx Cup playoffsearlier in the year. So a lot
(02:38):
of players that maybe haven't had thestellar year they had and they're not over
at the British Open or not overthe you know, Scottish Open. They're
playing here to try and rack upsome FedEx points to make the playoffs.
Sure, and the finish that theyjust had at Keen Trace was unbelievable.
But that playoff and then Harry Hallyships a shot and impossible that goes in.
(03:00):
I mean that was a thrilling finish. Yeah, we had another exciting
finish. We do that a lotin Kentucky here when it comes to professional
golf. But that was a fiveman playoff that lasted three holes and that
was one with a chip in.So very exciting. And you know,
Hirshburn is one of the best coursesin the state and it has a great
(03:23):
membership. It's beautiful, the clubhouse, the facilities, the course is always
in great condition. The players arealready excited about it. I've talked to
some of them in Louisville. Hasa lot to offer. You know,
they'd been going to Lexington for severalyears, but it's also fun to go
someplace different. Some of these guyshave never been to Louisville or only a
few times, so they get toa lot of times. Bring the families
(03:46):
and see what we have to offerhere. Is this event going to require
a lot of volunteer help and willthere be a website where people can sign
up and do all that? Yes, that'll be getting kicked off sometime this
year. But yes, not asmany as we as we had at Valhalla,
obviously because the crowds aren't quite asbig. But there'll be a lot
of opportunities to volunteer. It'll beat ISCO Championship dot Com. We don't
(04:12):
have all that ready yet as faras the details, but we'll be communicating
that chances to volunteer, play inthe pro am, buy tickets, support
it, corporations to support it,for entertaining and and you know what I've
learned with hosting the PGA Championship isthis area, this town loves professional golf.
The support that was given here atValhalla by this community was amazing.
(04:36):
The PGA was so happy with itand impressed. And like Seth Wall said,
the CEO of the PGA says,Louisville shows up every time we come
here. Louisville shows up. Soit taught me something that deeper. Heill
love a good event, and Iknow we'll have a good time with the
ISCO Championship as well. There wasalso some access for some Kentucky golf in
(05:00):
the SCO this year at Keen Trace, and well, I don't know how
you make that work, but Ithink Cooper Musselman played very well in there,
and I know jam Butler was init. There were some other guys
that were local golfers. Is thatanother opportunity through this contract with you guys.
Yes, one thing we get witha tour we get sponsors exemptions,
(05:21):
so you know, for instance,we get my May get six exemptions that
the sponsor you know, can decidepeople that will bring something to the tournament.
And my uh kind of deal withthem is that I want local players
and use this as a launching padfor them. You know. Cooper Musselman
was a great story. He shotsixty two in the ESTCO Championship in Lexington
(05:44):
two weeks ago and uh, andnow he is in because of that,
he was able to Monday qualify andhe's in this week in Minnesota on the
tour. So yeah, we hadjam Butler make his PGA Tour debut former
mister golf from you know that otherschool on shove of a road high school,
but he was mister Golf there andhe made his PGA Tour debut purely
(06:08):
because he got a sponsor's exemption.And uh, Stephen Stalling's a local kid,
played the Kentucky player and so thatyou know, we'll be able to
do that. So you know,show support to these young guys launching their
career to try and hopefully become thenext Justin Thomas. Exactly right. And
Jimmy, I know you focus alot of effort also into growing the game.
You had some younger golfers there today. But that's how is that process
(06:31):
working here in Kentucky to keep thisgame growing? Well, it's the game
has given me so much and hknow, I look at you know,
it's hard to figure out what mylife would be without it. My dad
put a golf club in my handat a young age, and so we
want to give other kids that opportunity. So a lot of things we're doing
with this the first tee or theYouth on Course program where kids can play
(06:54):
for five dollars at some public golfcourses, and it has taken off.
It really helped in that way,a lot of the kids that couldn't play
other sports started to play golf.Uh. It's obviously the perfect social distance
sport, right and it's been growing. Our junior programs in the in the
state are growing, and it's it'sjust great to see because that's the future
(07:16):
of the game. And then isn'tthere also a benefit for that's connected to
the ISCO Championship that oh yes,yes, yes, Uh. The thing
I love about the PGA Tour isit's very charity based, So every event
has a charity tied to it.So my good friend David and Ashley Novak
(07:40):
and you know, we lost Wendyhere a few months ago. But there's
a great charity, the Wendy NovakDiabetes Institute. They're doing some fantastic things
and in the Novak family has beenvery generous to that to really help people
with that tough disease live a normallife. And uh uh, they're doing
some amazing things and kind of becominga center point for for the country as
(08:03):
far as the research and the thingsthey're doing here. So that is our
charity is the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute. That will you know that that comes
through people buying tickets and corporate supportand pro am events and all that.
There'll be some proceeds that'll go tothat good. Is there a special logo
that's put together now for this ISCOChampionship because people like to wear shirts that
are related to our local PGA event. Yeah, there's an ISCO Championship shirt.
(08:28):
Those will be uh you know,at the event next year. Those
will be able to be purchased andthe volunteers will have them as well.
And it's it's nice for me tosee our our company ESCO here with roots
in Louisville, be it a titlesponsor and and bring it, bring the
PGA Tour to Louisville. Okay,very good, So it'll be ISCO Championship
(08:52):
dot Com. When you said thevolunteer set up and all that's coming up
later in the year. All right, One one last question for you,
and that's swinging back to the pgChampionship at your place at Valhalla. How
did it feel watching Xander win overin Scotland this weekend because your champ has
now doubled down for a second majorin this calendar year. Well, I
(09:13):
got admit I was rooting for him. If if Justin wasn't gonna win,
I was hoping it was Xander.It validates us a little bit. Think
about this, Terry that the twoplayers that were doling it out at Valhalla
in the last whole Bryson de Chambeauand Xander went on to win the next
two majors after Valhalla. So itmakes us feel good. We bought the
(09:35):
brought the best players to the topof the leader board, and Xander was
so much fun. I hung outwith him late that Sunday evening, celebrating
with some cigars and some Valhalla bourbon, and he was a great champion.
So I was excited to see himget the wind over in Scotland. Yeah,
I mean we're seeing this new talentlatching. I mean Xander had won
(09:58):
a major and all of a suddenhe comes to Kentuck, Ucky and now
he's a major winner and now doubledown like this. It's like, that's
pretty awesome. And like you said, d Shambo, you know, I
mean these there's there's some great talentout there. This game is is you
know, it's appeal is reaching somenew portions of society, and so it's
good that we're out here and we'reon the we're part of the train ride.
(10:18):
Now. I think the games ingood hands. And yeah, there
are a lot of superstars out there. It's it's a lot of different players
can win and exciting finishes and uh, you know we had that at the
Halla, which was so much funto see it come down to the last
putt. You bet well, congratulation, congratulations on this one. This is
(10:39):
great. Thanks and it'll be it'llbe the place to be next year in
July. Uh, I think,you know, for our community, come
out and enjoy it, even ifyou're not a golfer. Uh, there'd
be a lot of fun things todo and kind of a social event as
well. So that's a good placeto harry, It's a good place to
have a tournament. I played thatFoster Brooks thick a few times. That
was why held you know, Ikept thinking about that and how much,
(11:03):
you know. I would go outthere with my dad and it was a
social event. I mean, wereally weren't out there to watch great golf
because if you think about it,most of the players were amateurs playing or
celebrities that couldn't hit the ball verywell. But it was such a social
event and fun to be at.And Louisvillions, you know what, they
want to be where the action is, so I think they'd get fifteen thousand
(11:24):
or so a day out there forthat event years ago. So I think
this is going to have a lotof the same feels that people are going
to want to be there, alot for the social and the entertainment side
of it. I remember John Dalypulling in on his bus with a big
Arkansas razorback on the back of it. He got out, he got out
of the bus, took somebody's driver, put a ball on top of a
PEPSI can and not three miles insome direction. We're like, who is
(11:48):
this nut? So that that wasmy taste of that. All right,
it's great. Yeah, Fuzzy wouldcome, Bob Hope would come, and
it was a great event. Well, I'm excited for this ISCO Championship in
Louisville. Thanks Jimmy, appreciate it. Thanks Terry. There you go,
Jimmy Kirchdorffer. He's chairman of ISCOIndustries. They're the title sponsor of what
(12:09):
used to be the Barbersol now comingto Hirstborn on at least a three year
deal and that'll be the week ofJuly seventh, a year from now.
More information later in the year howyou can volunteer be part of that and
get some of the swag and allthat business as well. Good times with
some of the best golfers in theworld here in Louisville with a regular PGA
event coming right back on news radioWaight forty whas
You're on news right eight forty whs. You just heard Paul mention that we
have a regular PGA Tour event andthe Commonwealth that is shifting over to Louisville.
The guy principally responsible for that isthe CEO of Isco Industries, just
referenced right there, Jimmy Kirchdorffer.Welcome back to the show. Hello,
(00:20):
Terry, glad to be back.Oh, it's great to see you today
at this announcement event, and it'syou know, we're all excited about it.
Like you said in that clip,we displayed golfers from around the world.
Media come around, they showcase whatwe're doing. Your company is sponsoring
what used to be called the Barbersoland so what can we expect at Hirstborn.
Jimmy, is it a three yeardeal? We have, Yes,
(00:43):
a three year deal. We'll haveit at Hirstburn and our vision is to
highlight Kentucky, move it around thestate. But the biggest thing we got
involved was mandatory was that it remainedin Kentucky. We didn't want this championship
move or this tournament moving outside thestate. Clearly, we had a lot
of people just thrilled with the PGAChampionship. You're one of the owners of
(01:06):
Valhalla Golf Course, which looks fantasticby the way. I mean, all
the upgrades you guys have done havebeen great. The event was phenomenal.
But Valhalla is a big footprint,a lot of acreage. So how do
you work with a you know,a smaller green footprints like at Hirstbourne Country
Club. I mean, this isthat's you know, more of a challenge,
(01:30):
I would guess, yeah, Butyou know, the PGA Championship is
a major. It's a lot morepeople on property at Hirshburn PGA Tour event.
You'd be able to get a lotcloser easier to the players, which
would be nice. It's not goingto be as attended, you know,
nothing is as attended as as thefour major championships throughout the year, So
(01:52):
you don't need as big of aballpark and as big of a venue to
host that, but you're getting somehigh quality players. Essentially, it's like
we noted here, it happens duringthe week of the Scottish Open ahead of
the British Open, and so thereare a lot of folks who don't make
that and then this gives them anopportunity. Plus, aren't there a lot
of European players who take part inthis this GOO Championship. Yeah, there's
(02:15):
fifty players that come over from theDP Tour, which is the European Tour
to play in it. But thefield is one hundred and fifty six so
we have a lot more than that. But yeah, it's so, you
know, the field keeps getting better. This is the best two weeks ago
we had it in Lexington, thebest field they've ever had, and it's
because they moved the FedEx Cup playoffsearlier in the year. So a lot
(02:38):
of players that maybe haven't had thestellar year they had and they're not over
at the British Open or not overthe you know, Scottish Open. They're
playing here to try and rack upsome FedEx points to make the playoffs.
Sure, and the finish that theyjust had at Keen Trace was unbelievable.
But that playoff and then Harry Hallyships a shot and impossible that goes in.
(03:00):
I mean that was a thrilling finish. Yeah, we had another exciting
finish. We do that a lotin Kentucky here when it comes to professional
golf. But that was a fiveman playoff that lasted three holes and that
was one with a chip in.So very exciting. And you know,
Hirshburn is one of the best coursesin the state and it has a great
(03:23):
membership. It's beautiful, the clubhouse, the facilities, the course is always
in great condition. The players arealready excited about it. I've talked to
some of them in Louisville. Hasa lot to offer. You know,
they'd been going to Lexington for severalyears, but it's also fun to go
someplace different. Some of these guyshave never been to Louisville or only a
few times, so they get toa lot of times. Bring the families
(03:46):
and see what we have to offerhere. Is this event going to require
a lot of volunteer help and willthere be a website where people can sign
up and do all that? Yes, that'll be getting kicked off sometime this
year. But yes, not asmany as we as we had at Valhalla,
obviously because the crowds aren't quite asbig. But there'll be a lot
of opportunities to volunteer. It'll beat ISCO Championship dot Com. We don't
(04:12):
have all that ready yet as faras the details, but we'll be communicating
that chances to volunteer, play inthe pro am, buy tickets, support
it, corporations to support it,for entertaining and and you know what I've
learned with hosting the PGA Championship isthis area, this town loves professional golf.
The support that was given here atValhalla by this community was amazing.
(04:36):
The PGA was so happy with itand impressed. And like Seth Wall said,
the CEO of the PGA says,Louisville shows up every time we come
here. Louisville shows up. Soit taught me something that deeper. Heill
love a good event, and Iknow we'll have a good time with the
ISCO Championship as well. There wasalso some access for some Kentucky golf in
(05:00):
the SCO this year at Keen Trace, and well, I don't know how
you make that work, but Ithink Cooper Musselman played very well in there,
and I know jam Butler was init. There were some other guys
that were local golfers. Is thatanother opportunity through this contract with you guys.
Yes, one thing we get witha tour we get sponsors exemptions,
(05:21):
so you know, for instance,we get my May get six exemptions that
the sponsor you know, can decidepeople that will bring something to the tournament.
And my uh kind of deal withthem is that I want local players
and use this as a launching padfor them. You know. Cooper Musselman
was a great story. He shotsixty two in the ESTCO Championship in Lexington
(05:44):
two weeks ago and uh, andnow he is in because of that,
he was able to Monday qualify andhe's in this week in Minnesota on the
tour. So yeah, we hadjam Butler make his PGA Tour debut former
mister golf from you know that otherschool on shove of a road high school,
but he was mister Golf there andhe made his PGA Tour debut purely
(06:08):
because he got a sponsor's exemption.And uh, Stephen Stalling's a local kid,
played the Kentucky player and so thatyou know, we'll be able to
do that. So you know,show support to these young guys launching their
career to try and hopefully become thenext Justin Thomas. Exactly right. And
Jimmy, I know you focus alot of effort also into growing the game.
You had some younger golfers there today. But that's how is that process
(06:31):
working here in Kentucky to keep thisgame growing? Well, it's the game
has given me so much and hknow, I look at you know,
it's hard to figure out what mylife would be without it. My dad
put a golf club in my handat a young age, and so we
want to give other kids that opportunity. So a lot of things we're doing
with this the first tee or theYouth on Course program where kids can play
(06:54):
for five dollars at some public golfcourses, and it has taken off.
It really helped in that way,a lot of the kids that couldn't play
other sports started to play golf.Uh. It's obviously the perfect social distance
sport, right and it's been growing. Our junior programs in the in the
state are growing, and it's it'sjust great to see because that's the future
(07:16):
of the game. And then isn'tthere also a benefit for that's connected to
the ISCO Championship that oh yes,yes, yes, Uh. The thing
I love about the PGA Tour isit's very charity based, So every event
has a charity tied to it.So my good friend David and Ashley Novak
(07:40):
and you know, we lost Wendyhere a few months ago. But there's
a great charity, the Wendy NovakDiabetes Institute. They're doing some fantastic things
and in the Novak family has beenvery generous to that to really help people
with that tough disease live a normallife. And uh uh, they're doing
some amazing things and kind of becominga center point for for the country as
(08:03):
far as the research and the thingsthey're doing here. So that is our
charity is the Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute. That will you know that that comes
through people buying tickets and corporate supportand pro am events and all that.
There'll be some proceeds that'll go tothat good. Is there a special logo
that's put together now for this ISCOChampionship because people like to wear shirts that
are related to our local PGA event. Yeah, there's an ISCO Championship shirt.
(08:28):
Those will be uh you know,at the event next year. Those
will be able to be purchased andthe volunteers will have them as well.
And it's it's nice for me tosee our our company ESCO here with roots
in Louisville, be it a titlesponsor and and bring it, bring the
PGA Tour to Louisville. Okay,very good, So it'll be ISCO Championship
(08:52):
dot Com. When you said thevolunteer set up and all that's coming up
later in the year. All right, One one last question for you,
and that's swinging back to the pgChampionship at your place at Valhalla. How
did it feel watching Xander win overin Scotland this weekend because your champ has
now doubled down for a second majorin this calendar year. Well, I
(09:13):
got admit I was rooting for him. If if Justin wasn't gonna win,
I was hoping it was Xander.It validates us a little bit. Think
about this, Terry that the twoplayers that were doling it out at Valhalla
in the last whole Bryson de Chambeauand Xander went on to win the next
two majors after Valhalla. So itmakes us feel good. We bought the
(09:35):
brought the best players to the topof the leader board, and Xander was
so much fun. I hung outwith him late that Sunday evening, celebrating
with some cigars and some Valhalla bourbon, and he was a great champion.
So I was excited to see himget the wind over in Scotland. Yeah,
I mean we're seeing this new talentlatching. I mean Xander had won
(09:58):
a major and all of a suddenhe comes to Kentuck, Ucky and now
he's a major winner and now doubledown like this. It's like, that's
pretty awesome. And like you said, d Shambo, you know, I
mean these there's there's some great talentout there. This game is is you
know, it's appeal is reaching somenew portions of society, and so it's
good that we're out here and we'reon the we're part of the train ride.
(10:18):
Now. I think the games ingood hands. And yeah, there
are a lot of superstars out there. It's it's a lot of different players
can win and exciting finishes and uh, you know we had that at the
Halla, which was so much funto see it come down to the last
putt. You bet well, congratulation, congratulations on this one. This is
(10:39):
great. Thanks and it'll be it'llbe the place to be next year in
July. Uh, I think,you know, for our community, come
out and enjoy it, even ifyou're not a golfer. Uh, there'd
be a lot of fun things todo and kind of a social event as
well. So that's a good placeto harry, It's a good place to
have a tournament. I played thatFoster Brooks thick a few times. That
was why held you know, Ikept thinking about that and how much,
(11:03):
you know. I would go outthere with my dad and it was a
social event. I mean, wereally weren't out there to watch great golf
because if you think about it,most of the players were amateurs playing or
celebrities that couldn't hit the ball verywell. But it was such a social
event and fun to be at.And Louisvillions, you know what, they
want to be where the action is, so I think they'd get fifteen thousand
(11:24):
or so a day out there forthat event years ago. So I think
this is going to have a lotof the same feels that people are going
to want to be there, alot for the social and the entertainment side
of it. I remember John Dalypulling in on his bus with a big
Arkansas razorback on the back of it. He got out, he got out
of the bus, took somebody's driver, put a ball on top of a
PEPSI can and not three miles insome direction. We're like, who is
(11:48):
this nut? So that that wasmy taste of that. All right,
it's great. Yeah, Fuzzy wouldcome, Bob Hope would come, and
it was a great event. Well, I'm excited for this ISCO Championship in
Louisville. Thanks Jimmy, appreciate it. Thanks Terry. There you go,
Jimmy Kirchdorffer. He's chairman of ISCOIndustries. They're the title sponsor of what
(12:09):
used to be the Barbersol now comingto Hirstborn on at least a three year
deal and that'll be the week ofJuly seventh, a year from now.
More information later in the year howyou can volunteer be part of that and
get some of the swag and allthat business as well. Good times with
some of the best golfers in theworld here in Louisville with a regular PGA
event coming right back on news radioWaight forty whas
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