WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.600 Hey, it's Josh carp and it's Friday, which means that 2 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:05.960 we are airing a Golf Smarter Mulligans episode from the archives. 3 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:09.080 Next week. We'll have a new interview on Tuesday with 4 00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:11.640 golf historian Stephen Proctor, so tune in and we're going 5 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.119 to have a special giveaway. This week's three run is 6 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:17.719 episode five hundred. Golf's Ultimate Goal Shooting Your Age Are 7 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:19.519 Lower with Richard Sezna. 8 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:31.760 Gol Published on August fourth, twenty fifteen. Golf's Ultimate Goal 9 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.280 Shooting Your Age with General Manager of Paradise Valley Golf, 10 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:40.759 rich Sesna. This is Golf Smarter Premium. 11 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:45.039 Here's your host, Fred Green. Welcome to the Golf Smarter Podcast. 12 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:46.479 Rick, thank you for inviting me. I appreciate it. 13 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:48.880 Rymma, it's great to have you on, and it's great 14 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:52.039 to have you in your own community here. I'm going 15 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.759 to take notes as we have our conversation. 16 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:55.799 I hope you don't mind certain. 17 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:58.719 And also not only will we have a Q and A, 18 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:00.640 but we're go also have some tree of your questions 19 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:02.840 and maybe you can win some prizes when we're all done, 20 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:04.400 and we have some gifts for you when we're done. 21 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:07.920 As well, we are live here at the Paradise Valley 22 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:12.920 Estates in Fairfield, California, which is right near Travis Air 23 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:19.760 Force Base in northern California. And this is really fun 24 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:21.439 for me to be here with all of you today. 25 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:27.319 Thank you so much. Rich briefly tell me your history 26 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.560 in golf, and then I have other questions for you 27 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:31.000 about that. 28 00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:36.439 I certainly played high school golf and then went on 29 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:39.760 to the San Diego Golf Academy, ran out of. 30 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:42.920 Money and story of many golfers in. 31 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:45.319 The United States Air Force, Thank you golf in the 32 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:47.959 United States Air Force a lot of golf. Actually tried 33 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:52.359 out for the Air Force golf team and made the team, 34 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:56.640 but got bumped because the major that was retiring unretired 35 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:59.760 of course, so I went back to my duties on 36 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:03.879 the floor lightline, but spent four years in the Air Force, 37 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:07.519 and at the time I volunteered at a golf course 38 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:10.639 near Luke Air Force Base, which at the time was 39 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:14.000 the only TAC base that did not have a golf course. 40 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:15.919 So I volunteered. 41 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:20.039 And while I'm volunteering, then I had access to both 42 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:22.960 professional and amateur events. I always played as an amateur 43 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:26.800 then individual that I worked with at this golf course, 44 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:29.639 went on to work for the PGA Tour. Well, my 45 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:33.319 enlistment was coming up, and I was torn between reopp 46 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:36.280 and or whether or not I wanted to stay in golf, 47 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.840 And of course it was unfortunate unfortunately for the military, 48 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:43.000 I hope, but fortunate for me. I chose golf and 49 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:44.800 I went to work for the PGA Tour. 50 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:46.280 Then when did you start playing? 51 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:49.199 I started playing actually in high school. I didn't start, 52 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:50.599 oh really as a youth. 53 00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:53.520 I my dad played Triple A. 54 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:56.840 Baseball oh for the Philadelphia Phillies organization. 55 00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:57.319 Wow. 56 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:00.520 He was a catcher, so the years that he played, 57 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:04.319 he was a home run hitter and a strikeout artist. 58 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:10.159 So I grew up playing baseball. And I injured my 59 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:14.360 shoulder in a bicycle accident between my eighth and ninth year, 60 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:17.759 and so I didn't I wasn't gona be able to 61 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:20.960 play baseball that year. So one of the one of 62 00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:23.599 my buddies who played golf, told the golf coach, you 63 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:26.080 had to ask rich to try out for the team. 64 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:29.919 So I did. I went out and I thought it 65 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:30.360 was great. 66 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:33.479 But baseball season was coming up, and I tried out 67 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:34.280 for baseball again. 68 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.360 But the baseball coach. 69 00:03:36.599 --> 00:03:39.919 And the golf coach had gotten together and decided that 70 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:43.520 I was playing golf. Oh really, I wasn't playing baseball. 71 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:46.840 And for the Riveries, I was in ninth grade. I 72 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.439 was five feet tall away one hundred pounds, so. 73 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:50.479 That's a golfer's body. 74 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:52.879 Yeah, it was better for golf it was for baseball. 75 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:56.319 So I ended up on the golf team. 76 00:03:56.759 --> 00:03:58.560 So was it the golf coach who was pushing the 77 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:00.639 baseball coach? Who was the baseball coach. It's going you 78 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:02.759 know what, I don't take them. He's yeah, take them. 79 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:05.919 I don't know that the two of them conspired to do, 80 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:10.639 but they made the great choice. Ye first year, my 81 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.919 in tenth grade played pretty well. I picked up the 82 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:19.519 game fairly fast. The fact that I was playing a 83 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:24.160 lot of different sports being athletic helped. The baseball movement 84 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:26.720 does help. There is some things that can hinder a 85 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:27.839 golf swing from baseball. 86 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:30.480 But I then went on and. 87 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:32.759 Got a job at the golf local golf course. I 88 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:34.399 fell in love. I couldn't that was it. 89 00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:35.120 I was hooked. 90 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:36.560 It happens every bit. 91 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:40.040 So I then the next year I became I was 92 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:43.319 third on the team, and then the following year I 93 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:47.439 was most improved golfer. So I was progressing and I 94 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:49.199 was enjoying at an awful lot. 95 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:50.639 So where did that? 96 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:53.920 How did that get you to become a PGA professional? 97 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:57.120 After I left the Air Force and joined the PGA Tour, 98 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:02.399 I immediately then joined PG of America. Because apprentice program, you're 99 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:06.160 supposed to get in about achieve your apprenticeship to a 100 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:08.680 class A golf professional about thirty six months. I did 101 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:12.040 it in twenty eight. I wanted it. I really wanted it. 102 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:13.759 I love the game and I wanted this to be 103 00:05:13.839 --> 00:05:17.720 my profession. So once I became a class A golf professional, 104 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:20.879 then that gives you the opportunity to the next start 105 00:05:20.920 --> 00:05:24.360 exploring other jobs within the golf industry. So I spent 106 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:27.959 eleven years working for the PGA Tour and then in 107 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:30.959 two thousand and one Keptra Sports, who I currently work for, 108 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.199 who we just hosted the us Open Chambers Bay. 109 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:38.120 They hired me away. 110 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:42.680 That didn't go from Kemper Sports. I'm sorry to distract 111 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:43.360 on that, but no. 112 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:47.519 Actually, keep in mind that when the USGA comes in 113 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:49.800 to set up an event, it doesn't matter what golf 114 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:51.480 course it is it's going to be hard. 115 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:54.079 It is a US Open. It's supposed to be the 116 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:55.160 hardest test, sight. 117 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:57.839 Out fast, It's going to be very difficult, rough will 118 00:05:57.879 --> 00:05:58.600 be tall. 119 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:02.639 But for us, it's a huge success. Yeah, having it there. 120 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:05.879 We're the first golf management company to ever be selected 121 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:06.519 to host. 122 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:06.920 A US Open. 123 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:10.519 Oh as opposed to a specific course or country clubs 124 00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:15.399 exactly right, interesting and a completely different venue. Right yeah, 125 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:17.879 But do they have any sense that they think maybe 126 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:19.759 it's not coming back to Chambers? But because there were 127 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:23.439 so many complaints by the by the even the Hall 128 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:27.000 of famersre it had issues with the golf course. 129 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:31.519 Well, I think if you look at the results and 130 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:36.279 the numbers that these golfers shot, some of them shot 131 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:40.319 some very low rounds, right, So the guys that that 132 00:06:40.360 --> 00:06:43.680 shot seventy four, seventy five, seventy six are probably going 133 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.680 to complain, But they'd complain at any golf course they 134 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:49.600 played shot that number. So no, I don't I think 135 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:51.399 it'll certainly be back to Chambers. 136 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:56.079 Was it Nicholas or Palmer that talked about You know 137 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:58.800 when a when a player complains that it doesn't suit 138 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:02.560 their game, it's like, sorry, you're supposed to suit your 139 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:03.720 game to the course. 140 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:04.439 That was Nicholas. 141 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:08.439 In fact, Chlais said he identified those that were complaining 142 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:11.639 and knew he eliminated them from the field. 143 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:14.519 Interesting because it wasn't a positive approach. 144 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:18.639 Everybody is playing the exact same golf course for every event. 145 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:24.480 So now doing a little more research on you, before 146 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:26.759 you started playing golf in high school, you had a 147 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:31.839 very interesting life. Share that tell us a story about 148 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.040 where you were doing as a young boy. 149 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:37.600 Well, for anybody that's interested in looking it up, look 150 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:41.120 up kid Ko Ki d Coo. It was a movie 151 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:45.079 about my life when I was a young man. When 152 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:49.360 I turned eleven, I started my own company, I Incorporated, 153 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.480 and I became the youngest president of any corporation in 154 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:54.360 the history of the United States at that time. I 155 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:58.319 don't know what it is today. We sign an agreement 156 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:02.879 with the developer in our area to maintain the seven 157 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:08.519 major streets so that when they were bringing prospective clients out, 158 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:12.040 they wanted no construction to bring whatsoever on the streets. 159 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:13.560 And how old were you eleven? 160 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:17.160 You were eleven and you said I have one of 161 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:19.279 adults working for you, Well we did. 162 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.680 In fact, I was one of I'm one of ten kids. 163 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:27.600 I grew up in the farming and ranching industry, and 164 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.759 the four youngest children were the four that were involved 165 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:33.879 in Kidco. And then we because we didn't have anybody 166 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:37.000 of legal age, we hired my dad as our general manager, 167 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:39.759 so we had somebody that could at least sign the. 168 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:41.480 Documents leaders sid the checks. 169 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:46.080 Yeah, absolutely, and we get involved in selling. We had 170 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:48.759 a lot of horses on our property and we started 171 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:53.679 selling horse manure as fertilizer to the local developer because 172 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:58.240 by California code, you had to encourage growth when you 173 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:01.720 put in a new road for embankments, and the developer 174 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:04.519 found a way to do it for relatively cheap compared 175 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:09.320 to sprigging or what any other means of putting vegetation down. 176 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:12.840 So once the Board of Equalization got ahold of that, 177 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.320 they thought for sure that we were a front for 178 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:20.000 my dad, and so once they came in, they filed 179 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:23.840 charges against us. They threatened us with jail time. It 180 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:25.240 got really crazy. 181 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:26.159 Well, that was an. 182 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:28.840 Invite to send that out to the media. My dad 183 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:30.960 was a great promoter, and so he did so. It 184 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.720 immediately hit the news wires and I ended up on 185 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:37.919 Mike Douglas and MERV Griffin for folks in the audience 186 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:40.559 would remember those kids are people too. I was on 187 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:43.559 Ronald Reagan's program twice when he was governor. In fact, 188 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:46.559 I have a famous line from one of his shows. 189 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:49.440 I said, if I was old enough, I would vote 190 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:54.000 for you twice. And Ronald Reagan has written me several 191 00:09:54.039 --> 00:09:59.000 times he had handwritten notes. Really, I say, yeah, So 192 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:01.480 I had an excite career as a young man in 193 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.600 Hollywood picked up the story and then made the movie 194 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:04.240 called Kidko. 195 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:06.840 You're kidding. No, it's about you. 196 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:09.320 It's about myself and my three sisters and what we 197 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:10.320 did with our own business. 198 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:11.919 Okay, got to look up the movie kid Co. 199 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:13.600 Yes, you were a. 200 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:17.279 Staff member of the Board of Equalization in the late 201 00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:21.679 seventies when this was going on. They weren't very happy 202 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:25.399 because the number of individuals that called in to their 203 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:29.840 facility in San Diego repeated those calls so often that 204 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:32.519 it shut down their phone systems time and time again, 205 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:35.799 and they literally came up with a way for us 206 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:37.519 to be exonerated. 207 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.200 Oh my gosh, Oh it was terrific. Great story. Was 208 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:41.399 a great life growing up. 209 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:44.120 Great story, great story let's get back to golf a 210 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:49.759 little bit, and you're talking about Chambers Bay Kemper Sports, 211 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:56.600 and it seems like numbers are high for great tournaments 212 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:00.080 like this watching. But let's talk about the state of 213 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:04.840 the industry right now. It seems as if there are 214 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:09.720 golf courses closing all over the country. Not many are 215 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:12.639 being built anymore. I think in twenty fourteen I read 216 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:15.960 four courses opened in the United States and one was 217 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:17.519 closing every eleven days. 218 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:21.440 Correct, what's going on. 219 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:24.879 We are no different than any other industry. We are 220 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:29.240 subject to our own economy, whether it be a microeconomy 221 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.759 or not. But we're also subject to major recessions. So 222 00:11:32.799 --> 00:11:38.320 there's going to be in every industry retractions. During the nineties, 223 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:41.639 we were building two three, four hundred courses a year 224 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:44.919 based on the prediction that we would never run out 225 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:45.600 of the golfers. 226 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:47.399 We ran out of golfers. 227 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:52.840 As the segment of golfers changed, we then started seeing 228 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:58.919 reclining declining numbers. So it's a natural retraction. It's unfortunate. 229 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:01.879 It's the industry I'm in and I love it, but 230 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:04.080 you are going to have to have this balance. The 231 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:07.240 Many experts say that we have about sixteen thousand golf 232 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:10.600 courses within the United States. Many experts say that a 233 00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:15.960 healthy balance is probably twelve five hundred. So seeing so 234 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:19.840 many golf courses close is just a result of too 235 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:20.600 many being built. 236 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.559 What do you think was the factor they got all 237 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:27.240 the excitement, of course, is the glut of courses being built. 238 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:28.279 A couple of things. 239 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.759 There was a major report put out in the late 240 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:34.799 eighties that stated that if we were so short on 241 00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:41.759 golf courses, the supply needed to be increased dramatically. Once 242 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.679 developers figured out that you can sell more homes quicker 243 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:49.399 for a higher value along a golf course, and municipalities 244 00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:53.399 figured out that they could do the same thing. Municipalities 245 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:57.200 also figured out that they could convert green space, which 246 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.759 legally they needed to have a percentage of green space 247 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:02.000 in this city instead of it being a park to 248 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:06.639 be a golf course. That also provided residents the opportunity 249 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:09.320 to get in and onto the golf course for a 250 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:12.519 much lesser feet So there was this kind of a 251 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:16.480 storm that was created. Unfortunately it ended up with too 252 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:17.320 many golf courses. 253 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:21.360 And just around that time, there was this lightning rod 254 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:27.360 on television charismatic golfer who was just dominating the sport 255 00:13:27.399 --> 00:13:29.159 as if it's never been done before. 256 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.600 Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods, it's exactly right. When I worked 257 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:36.279 for the PGA Tour, you could tell when the best 258 00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:40.039 players in the world, especially Tiger, were leading a golf event, 259 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:43.440 how there was a different type of energy. And when 260 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:47.879 the tournament ended each day, the range would be flooded 261 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:48.759 with people. 262 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:54.279 Interesting the range at the event, at golf facilities everywhere 263 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:54.840 in the country. 264 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:56.320 Yeah, oh, I know, yes. 265 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:59.440 Definitely there was a storm that had been created. It 266 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:00.519 was a great energy. 267 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:05.240 So once with Tiger, you've got Tiger Woods. 268 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:11.360 He played core sensational for ten or twelve years. He's 269 00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:15.799 had his personal challenges, and as we all know, golf 270 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:22.639 is more psychological than it is physical. The best golf 271 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:26.039 swings don't win every week. The best mind does. 272 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:28.240 Okay, so we're back. 273 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.120 You can control it. You've got to be able to 274 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:32.480 control your brain, control your emotions on a golf course. 275 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:35.519 If there's a lot going on in your world, it's 276 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:36.759 difficult to win a golf. 277 00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:38.200 Tournament, right, thank you. 278 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:44.600 I actually had a conversation with a former touring pro 279 00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:48.399 and he said that most people don't understand that when 280 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:52.399 you're on tour, you have to be able to eat 281 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:55.559 and digest anything. You have to be able to sleep 282 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:59.879 on any kind of bed with no problem, you have 283 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:04.080 to adjust to any time zone with no issue. And 284 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:07.320 as far as not getting emotionally involved with the people 285 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:11.960 you meet after the round of golf, you have to 286 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.600 block that out of your mind. And that's something we 287 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:19.879 don't realize how complicated, how difficult it is for somebody 288 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:22.279 to be on the tour, What a grind it is. 289 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:25.039 If we all see the four days worth, but we 290 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:26.159 don't see beyond that. 291 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:26.639 It's right. 292 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:28.759 While I was working for the PGA Tour, I used 293 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:32.720 to take time off and travel and teach golf and 294 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:35.759 go to Hawaii and cabbo in different locations throughout the Southwest. 295 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:38.039 I did that. 296 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:42.519 Repeatedly, and when you get home, you're tired, and when 297 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:44.840 you go to another location and you're expected to turn 298 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:47.919 it on because you've got a whole group. 299 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:50.200 Of clients coming in that don't care whether or not 300 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.679 you're tired or not exactly. They want to. 301 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:55.360 Start the golf instruction. They want to do what's on 302 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:58.519 their schedule. So I feel for the guys that travel 303 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:01.799 and do this for a living. It's a very tough business. 304 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:05.120 Very tough business. Now, let's talk about the state of 305 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:11.639 the game. There's technology has changed the game radically, technology 306 00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:15.919 and golf balls, technology and golf clubs in the last 307 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:20.639 ten to fifteen years. And it seems like because people 308 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:23.639 are hitting it so much farther, golf courses are getting 309 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:27.960 longer and longer. But they're building golf courses longer for 310 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.600 the touring pros. 311 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:30.159 Not for us. 312 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:31.159 That's correct. 313 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:35.960 And you know there's some courses that I don't have 314 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.639 a problem getting the ball in the fairway, but getting 315 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:42.159 the ball close is a lot harder. I mean, the 316 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:45.559 short game really is kind of disappeared because everything is 317 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:49.000 so long, so long. But we even did an episode 318 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:51.720 once called It's not about how long, It's about how close. 319 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:52.919 That's correct. 320 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:56.799 There's a titleist commercial right now that talks about the 321 00:16:56.840 --> 00:17:00.440 golf ball doesn't know who's hitting it right. 322 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:03.840 So it doesn't matter what game you have. 323 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:09.559 Play the game according to your satisfaction, what makes you happy. 324 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:13.200 Don't play it at seven thousand yards, play it at 325 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:16.440 five thousand yards, play it at four thousand yards unless 326 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:21.759 you're playing in USGA events and you need to run 327 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:25.400 to the computer after each round and file with the USGA. 328 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:27.680 Don't tee off of the t boxes. 329 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:31.039 Yeah, go out to the forward part of the of the. 330 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:33.039 Fairway play it forward, play it forward. 331 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:34.240 Part of that program to play it. 332 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.400 Forward, which is a terrible name, but a great idea. 333 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:37.119 It works great. 334 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:41.480 Anything that makes it easier for the golfer to enjoy, 335 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:44.240 because the game is inherently difficult. 336 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:48.440 It's the easiest game in the world to enjoy. 337 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:50.480 I'm not going to just do it that four four and. 338 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:55.200 A half hours out in a fantastic setting with your friends, 339 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:56.319 with your family. 340 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:58.480 So let's make it. 341 00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:02.400 More enjoyable playing like I've been saying about eighteen years now, 342 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:06.039 and my wife is now just starting to get interested 343 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:09.519 in playing. And so the rule that we have when 344 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:12.680 we play together is one I do not give instruction, 345 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:18.000 which helps our relationship. I think every person should take 346 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:20.559 that advice. Do not try to give instruction on a 347 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:23.960 golf course. Their mind gets flooded. But what we do is, 348 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:26.240 if we're playing a par three, she can tee off 349 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:28.400 at the tea box. If we're playing a par four, 350 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:31.640 wherever my ball lands or equal to where my ball 351 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:33.799 lands if it's out of bounds, she can tee it 352 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:36.519 up right there, right, And if it's a par five 353 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:40.160 on my second shot, correct, she gets So for her 354 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:44.079 right now is a nice long walk and she plays 355 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:46.599 one hundred and fifty to two hundred yard holes. And 356 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:50.440 also if she gets the seven shots, it's time to 357 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.119 pick it up and let's go putt right, and she's 358 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:53.680 fine with that. 359 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:56.960 We tell lots of folks double pars the max okay, 360 00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:02.240 and for certain events, we'll hater an event at our 361 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:04.920 golf course and also adjust the game. 362 00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:06.799 You know. 363 00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:09.400 So if we have a group that we've seen two 364 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:11.880 or three times and we know that they have a 365 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:14.880 difficult time getting around the golf course, will assist them 366 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:18.160 with a new game. We've got to find a way 367 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:18.960 to get the folks. 368 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:21.400 They're trying so many joyable apps, so. 369 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.559 It's got to be enjoyable, but at the same time, 370 00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:26.559 it has to feel like a game to them trying. 371 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:29.559 So one of the most interesting things that's being tried 372 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:32.279 right now just for the fun of the game, is 373 00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:33.599 fifteen inch holes. 374 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:34.400 Correct. 375 00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:35.079 Have you tried this? 376 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:38.039 No? We thought about it. The biggest challenge with the 377 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:38.799 fifteen inch cups. 378 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.160 I love the idea. I don't know that I would 379 00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:43.960 put it on every single hole just because of the 380 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:49.480 difficulty of changing that cup. It's very difficult to keep 381 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:52.680 a smooth surface on the greens. A four and a 382 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.720 half inch cup is tough enough. 383 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.960 To keep it. We've all putted over a cup. 384 00:19:56.759 --> 00:19:59.559 That's yesterday's littlber or is. 385 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:03.720 Hasn't been quite seated properly. You can imagine trying a 386 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:06.960 fifteen inch cup and trying to keep the surface. 387 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:08.119 Of it that a cup that's a plate. 388 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:09.960 Yeah, so I like the idea. 389 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:13.119 We have a couple of five inch cups at Rancho 390 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.319 on the chipping Green, Okay. 391 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:17.519 Which is great to encourage people to see that ball 392 00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:18.839 going in the hole more often. 393 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:23.559 And we have talked about doing special events where we 394 00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:26.000 might put an eight inch or a fifteen inch cup 395 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:28.079 in for a closest to the pin or a hole 396 00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:31.839 in one contest. I think that's spectacular. I don't know 397 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:34.200 if superintendents are ever going to be able to perfect 398 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:36.319 moving fifteen inch cups. 399 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:37.240 That's the big issues. 400 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:40.599 This is the course superintendent's correct. I know a golf 401 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:43.880