WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:07.200 In a world where fairways meet the airwaves, where Birdie's 2 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.119 and banker collide. Welcome to the show that takes you 3 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:14.560 beyond the clubhouse and onto the green. This is Balls 4 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:18.160 and Teas, your passport to the golfing universe, where every 5 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:22.039 swing tells the story and every part has its punchline. 6 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.399 Get ready to step onto the large screens and dive 7 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:29.600 into the world of divets, drives and delightful better. 8 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:44.399 All right, ladies and gentlemen, It is the one and 9 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:47.240 only Tony Tone, the Magician the world with a lot 10 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:50.320 of play and as you know, I am a classic man. 11 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:54.119 Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to yet another episode of the 12 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:57.399 one and only podcast that's worth listening to when it 13 00:00:57.399 --> 00:00:58.320 comes to golf talking. 14 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:00.399 That's Balls and Teas. Man. 15 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:03.280 Am I so excited to be here on a Wednesday evening. 16 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:07.120 Halting Weather Victoria weather as a whole has been quite 17 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:10.400 fantastic lately. A bit of clouds here and there, but 18 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:12.519 overall it has been sunny. 19 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:14.359 And we are now in. 20 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:17.959 April, so this is the first episode of April, and 21 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.519 I can tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that we've got 22 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:26.159 beautiful things coming. Apart from us having launched our video podcast. 23 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.920 We are joined by someone who is involved in the 24 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:33.480 revolution of golf, and I will be introducing him in 25 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:37.079 a few minutes. But as you already know the drill, 26 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:39.799 before we even get to the cracks of the metal, 27 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:43.799 you need to get yourself and ice cold glass of 28 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:47.040 water because it's gonna get hot here tonight. We're gonna 29 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.359 have a lot of fun with our guests, and he 30 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.280 will be telling us what they are busy with on 31 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:57.400 his site. And yeah, as you know, it goes on. 32 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.680 So ladies and gentlemen, give me a two minute break, 33 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:03.239 and then let's quickly make sure that we bring our 34 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.719 guests in because he's been waiting for us with anticipation. 35 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:10.599 He's as excited as I am, and I'm sure there's 36 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:12.039 a lot that he wants to share. 37 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:13.840 So let's go for that two minute break and then 38 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:14.560 we will be back. 39 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:43.120 All right, ladies and gentlemen, As I said, today's show 40 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:46.080 is going to be heated. I already had one full 41 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:49.159 glass of ice cold water and I'm on my second one. 42 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:52.520 But let me not delay anymore because our guest has 43 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.639 been waiting for us, and I can see the man 44 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.000 is ready to speak and tell us what has been 45 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:05.159 happening in space? Please help me. Welcome mister Mike Johnston, Mike. 46 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:10.639 Tony, thanks so much for having me. I've got my 47 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:15.479 is called water by my side and there's. 48 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:18.759 Discussion awesome stuff. 49 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:21.439 I'm sure that I was called water is just to 50 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:23.680 cool yourself down because there's so much that you want 51 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.639 to discuss with us of. 52 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:29.759 Courndre Listen, Michael. 53 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.680 So, I tried introducing you, but I don't think that 54 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:36.719 I've really done justice to your name. So would you 55 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:39.800 mind reintroducing yourself to our audience and then I just 56 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:42.840 tell them exactly who you are, what you do, what's 57 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:45.120 happening in your space, and then we can get into 58 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:47.599 our discussion afterwards. 59 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:48.719 Sure. 60 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:54.960 So my name is Michael Johnston. I have been in 61 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:59.560 the golf industry now for three years and I work 62 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:03.800 with Gofer Essay. So where it all started for me? 63 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:07.400 And I think it's always nice to just give a 64 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:11.599 bit of background. So I studied at the University of 65 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:15.520 Pretoria and I was doing a becom business management. 66 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:19.319 I wasn't quite sure exactly what I was going to 67 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:20.240 go into. 68 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:25.800 And I ended up doing my honors in marketing, which 69 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.800 was you know, a lot based on social media and 70 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:33.920 stuff like that. So straight out of my honors here, 71 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:38.759 I went to a social media company and I. 72 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:43.680 Found that I enjoyed what I did. I liked social media, 73 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:48.879 but I didn't enjoy it as much as the people 74 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.800 I was working with. They loved it and I liked it. 75 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.560 So I found that after work, I was just so 76 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:00.600 keen to get home and you know, I have a 77 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:04.079 little bit of free time, Whereas the people that I 78 00:05:04.120 --> 00:05:07.120 was working with. It was three girls who were super 79 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:12.560 hard working, and after work they were searching Facebook strategies 80 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:17.319 and Instagram tips and coming up with suggestions late at night. 81 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:21.759 And I just found that I didn't have that spark. 82 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:26.480 I didn't have that passion towards social media. So after 83 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:30.560 that I went, I took a few months off and 84 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.439 I went into sales. I was promised the world for 85 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:40.639 this job, and it was so different to what I 86 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:41.480 had been told. 87 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:46.399 Yeah, was basically cold calling and I would be dropped 88 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:52.439 off in let's say, wit Bank or Sekunda or wherever 89 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:56.199 it is for the day. Sometimes it would be two 90 00:05:56.279 --> 00:05:59.600 to three hour drive and I would knock on doors 91 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:05.319 selling PABX systems, telephones and internet. 92 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:09.600 Yeah, So I did that for about four four months. 93 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:15.800 That were probably the four hardest months that I've experienced, 94 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.879 and one day I just had enough. I was getting 95 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:25.800 screamed at every morning. It was basically like the Wolf 96 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:31.879 of Wall Street, if I'm honest. And then I took 97 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:35.279 a few months off after that, and while I was 98 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:40.079 unemployed or in between jobs. However, you want to say, 99 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:43.639 one of my friends in the golf industry Michael Farson. 100 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:45.879 So he's the. 101 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:52.120 At Central Cartoon Golf Union, and for his events, I 102 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:57.920 hopped out with the scoring for a while. And I 103 00:06:57.959 --> 00:07:01.319 mean the scoring was all right, but you know, I 104 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.759 wanted to really get involved in the golf industry. I've 105 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:10.279 been a golfer myself since I was fourteen. I took 106 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:13.480 up the game quite late, but I mean I've always like, 107 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:17.319 since I started getting into golf, I've like, I get 108 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:22.519 obsessed with it, you know. And I was doing the scoring, 109 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:28.879 and after that I got into Mike needed me to 110 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:32.639 manage under thirteen team at the IP team, and I 111 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:36.800 remember I had little background knowledge when it came to 112 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:42.079 rules and tournaments and stuff like that. And all the 113 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:45.639 managers sat in this meeting and Dave Young, who I 114 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:49.319 work with now. Golfer Essay was the tournament director at 115 00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:53.000 the time, and I remember them talking us through the 116 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:57.360 rules and how the tournament's going to work. I really 117 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.279 had such little knowledge that all I was doing is 118 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:04.839 nodding my head in that eating And I remember there 119 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:06.680 was a time, I think it was a Day two 120 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:10.480 or day three, we were in between holes and Dave 121 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:12.160 came up to me on the cart and we had 122 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:14.800 a little chat, and I just said, Dave, like, I 123 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:18.079 can see how inspired you are about what you do, 124 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:22.759 and I would love that, coming from jobs that I 125 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:27.040 just didn't quite enjoy it before, I'd like to get 126 00:08:27.079 --> 00:08:31.680 involved in the golf industry. And Dave said, listen, we 127 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:35.879 don't have any openings at golfer Essay at the moment, 128 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:40.360 but I will let you know. So I carried on 129 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:44.039 with the scoring for a few months, and I remember 130 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:48.600 it was but mid December, just before my I got 131 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.600 an email saying that there was an opening in the 132 00:08:51.639 --> 00:08:57.960 handicaps department at golf Essay. So from that day on, 133 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:00.519 I mean, I went to the interview feel like it 134 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:04.519 was probably my best interview that I've done so far, 135 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.440 just because it came so naturally. 136 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:12.279 You know I. 137 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:13.360 Sometimes in a job interview you can try to be 138 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:17.919 someone that you're not or you're trying to impress people. 139 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:21.120 But golf was something that I actually did care about 140 00:09:21.159 --> 00:09:24.000 and that I was passionate about. So the interview went 141 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:29.600 really well. Fast forward three years were here today and 142 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:35.440 essentially Golfer, I say, is the you know, the national 143 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:39.840 governing body for golf in South Africa, like you have 144 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.200 the USGA and the RNA, or you have Golf Australia 145 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:49.159 with the governing body for South Africa. So I got 146 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:52.840 involved first of all with the handicap side of things 147 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:56.039 and the course ratings and the slope ratings. 148 00:09:56.480 --> 00:09:59.039 So that was very cool as a golf for myself. 149 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:04.200 I was travel the country playing different courses because one 150 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:08.440 of the awesome perps about working in the course rating 151 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:13.799 side of things is once you've rated the course, which 152 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:17.679 a lot of people confuse with the ranking. We didn't 153 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:20.840 rank the golf courses like the top one hundred, but 154 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:27.399 we rate the difficulty of the course. And so once 155 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:31.080 I got into the course ratings, what's really caused after 156 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.399 you do the actual rating, you play the course so 157 00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:39.279 that you can obviously compare notes with the other rats, 158 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:42.600 so if we rated the one nine, they rated the 159 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:45.000 other nine, we could kind of compare notes and make 160 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:48.200 sure that we've got accurate colors. 161 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:49.720 Okay. 162 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:53.000 So I really really enjoyed that. 163 00:10:53.480 --> 00:11:00.320 And as I've progressed, we've introduced a new project that 164 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:07.799 came through from the RNA, and it's called Golf Sixers League, 165 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:15.000 And essentially we realized that golf are essay that we 166 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.039 do a lot for the elite player. So you know, 167 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:25.799 we're definitely trying to get young golfers into the game 168 00:11:25.879 --> 00:11:28.879 from a younger age so that they can play at 169 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:30.039 that elite level. 170 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:35.360 And we want our tournaments to be a level where they. 171 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:38.759 Can progress and play, you know, one day on the 172 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:44.320 European Tour or the PGA Tour, the world to live, 173 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:49.480 whatever it is. But we felt like we weren't quite 174 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:55.240 doing enough for the beginner golfer, you know, the player 175 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:59.600 that hadn't ever stepped foot on a golf course. 176 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:02.279 Yeah, and the. 177 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:08.919 Golf Sixers has been really instrumental in getting beginner players 178 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:15.519 from grassroots level who have that intimidation factor and have 179 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:18.080 never played golf in their life. It gives them the 180 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:20.559 chance to get onto the golf. 181 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:26.879 Course that's interesting. Just a quick one there, Mike saw 182 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:29.919 Golf Sixes. From my understanding is that you guys are 183 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:35.320 trying to involve people who haven't played golf just to 184 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:38.159 make sure that they get the right basics and get 185 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:40.480 into the sport and enjoy it as much as people 186 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:43.080 who have been playing golf. Please correct me if I'm 187 00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:46.240 wrong there, or perhaps there's something that I'm missing there. 188 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:56.320 Yeah, I think golf has always been seen as this exclusive, 189 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:00.440 expensive sports. Yeah, and. 190 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:07.159 It makes it difficult for new beginner players to get 191 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:11.240 into the game because it's got that intimidation factor. 192 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:12.320 Yeah. 193 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:17.519 So what we really wanted to achieve through the Golf 194 00:13:17.559 --> 00:13:21.480 Sixers League is just to make golf fun again. You 195 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:27.000 see in other sports, for example, with crickets, we've been 196 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:30.960 now in South Africa, we got the bed Way SA 197 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:37.120 twenty and for example, I'm just gonna do cricket as 198 00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:40.120 an example, but I mean they had they were doing 199 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:45.679 test cricket for years and a lot of people, traditional 200 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:49.399 cricket fans or traditional cricket players were hesitant to go 201 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:53.240 to different formats because that had been the way that 202 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:54.720 it had been done. 203 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:56.799 For years since the Ashes. 204 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:03.399 And as soon as TEA twenty started, you see a 205 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.000 lot more people getting involved in the game of cricket. 206 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.919 The sports started to grow, and a lot more people 207 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:15.440 started playing, a lot more people started watching. And now 208 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:19.039 you'll see that the IPL for example, which is a 209 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:24.120 T twenty tournament, that's where all the money's at. So 210 00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:28.519 we wanted to do something similar with golf sixers and 211 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:33.039 just to make the traditional game of golf fun again. 212 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:37.960 So we wanted to make it accessible. You know, golf 213 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:43.759 is a very very expensive game, Tony. Yeah, and I 214 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:48.000 mean now you know, a lot of clubs are charging 215 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:51.679 within one thousand and ran to go play around a 216 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:56.399 golf which the average person can't afford or doesn't want 217 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:59.080 to pay. You know, it's only a select few that 218 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:03.600 have that kind of money. So golf is a very 219 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:08.399 expensive sport, and we wanted to make it accessible. We 220 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:10.279 wanted to make it affordable. 221 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:12.039 Yeah, and. 222 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.600 Team based as well, you know. So what we do 223 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:20.200 with the Golf sixers is it works on a Texas 224 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:21.919 scramble format. 225 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:27.159 So let's say, Tony, you and I are. 226 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:32.960 Two junior beginner players, which obviously we're not, but let's 227 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:34.120 just pretend. 228 00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:37.360 And if we were on a team. 229 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:42.360 So we would both hit our drives and then we 230 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:46.759 would choose the best shot out of our two. Then 231 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.919 we would both play our second shots from that chosen ball. 232 00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:55.039 Yeah, then we would choose the. 233 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.600 Best second shot and play from there, and that would 234 00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:00.759 go on. Even on the putting green. We were choose, 235 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.799 you know, the best part until the ball goes and 236 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:07.720 goes in the hole. So that's kind of the format. 237 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:10.080 And we wanted to make golf because it's such an 238 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:14.440 individualistic sport, we wanted to make a team based and 239 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:20.320 I think that's that's really what the Golf Sixers League 240 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.360 is is all about. 241 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:23.320 Mm hmm. 242 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:27.480 And then and then, so far since the inception of golf, 243 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:30.600 sexes has been the intake from the general public. 244 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:38.960 So I think with with any project, you know, getting 245 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:43.799 it off the ground can be difficult, and people are 246 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:50.159 so used to a certain way of doing things. Found 247 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:55.159 with so obviously working in the with the World Handicap system. 248 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:59.519 When we first brought the World Handicap System into play, 249 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.559 and so that twenty twenty, we had a lot of 250 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:08.119 hesitation because people were so used to the old handicap system. 251 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:14.039 And I think once once you start getting a little 252 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:19.240 bit of momentum and a few people start relaxing to 253 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:24.920 the idea. That's when exciting things happened. So with Golf Sixers, 254 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:29.200 initially it was it was difficult. We had a lot 255 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:34.519 of clubs that were very hesitant to host events because 256 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.839 you know, they had no proof of concept, they hadn't 257 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:44.039 seen it work before. And you know, since I think 258 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:49.799 we started our first Golf sixers event was it was 259 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:57.599 the beginning of July in twenty twenty three, and so 260 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:00.359 it's been going on for just over a year half 261 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.880 and so far we've we've introduced about eight hundred golfers 262 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:10.039 to the game of golf. So our main goal with 263 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:15.039 that is getting those beginners into the game so that 264 00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:17.920 they don't have that intimidation factor, so that they can 265 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:23.720 play with other beginner golfers and eventually, you know, those 266 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:28.519 players can become a member of a club and get 267 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:33.839 a handicap index and start to love the game that. 268 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:33.839 We all love. 269 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:39.440 And I think what you guys are doing is actually 270 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:44.799 very key because I mean, if Golf six's main objective 271 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:48.160 is to attract new players into the spot, which is 272 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:51.359 what everybody wants to see the spot growing, Getting new 273 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:53.720 players in the market. I really really think it's that 274 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:56.440 it's a nice deal and like you're saying, once somebody 275 00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:59.960 gets the whold of things, they can then start being 276 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.720 affiliated with certain clubs, which is I think the most 277 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:06.599 intimidating thing for people to say, I want to start 278 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:09.039 playing golf, but do I necessarily have to have a 279 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:11.880 membership from the get go. So what golf SEXSS is 280 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:16.599 doing from what I'm gathering, is that you guys want 281 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.240 to bring people into the game, let them enjoy and 282 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:23.920 make sure that it's fun. It becomes a team spot 283 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:27.839 instead of an individually based sport. So big ups to 284 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:30.799 you guys for doing that. But now I would like 285 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:34.359 to find out right you mentioned that you are with 286 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:38.839 Golf RSA and golf Our say you've been part of it. 287 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:41.839 You guys came up with the concept of golf secses. 288 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:47.920 But from obviously golf ours and being well established and 289 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:51.119 golf sex is being a product there of how have 290 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:55.480 they been is how have golf been instrumental in making 291 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:59.359 sure that golf clubs participate in what the golf sixes 292 00:19:59.400 --> 00:19:59.839 are doing? 293 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:07.440 So I think also the golfes say name has quite 294 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:12.279 a lot of credibility behind it, so you know, we 295 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:17.279 do a lot for the golf clubs and we're always 296 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:21.240 trying to improve and we're always trying to do more 297 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:24.240 and to make the sport enjoyable, to grow the sport, 298 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:26.200 and we really you know. 299 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.079 Essentially it's like a rules official. 300 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:31.759 Like rules officials, a lot of people get the wrong 301 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:35.359 idea and they think that they are to get you, and. 302 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:39.319 You know, their job is really to help the player. 303 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:42.799 And our job, as golf say, is to help the 304 00:20:42.839 --> 00:20:46.160 golf clubs and to make their life easier. 305 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:49.240 So I think. 306 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:52.440 What we try to do with the Golf Sixers League 307 00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:56.400 is work with the golf clubs. So you know, you 308 00:20:56.440 --> 00:21:00.319 don't want to sell this idea of golf sixers lead 309 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:04.799 to the club and there's nothing in it for the club. 310 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:07.920 So we do make sure that the club is at 311 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:12.920 least remunerated for some of their green fees that they 312 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:19.759 might have lost. Because golf sixers works with six holes, 313 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:26.160 so it's a six hole routing. And obviously most courses, 314 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:30.359 especially you know, I'm from joe Burg, so most courses 315 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:35.279 in joe Burg got eighteen old courses. So to find 316 00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:39.839 a routing, it can be difficult sometimes to find an 317 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:43.400 exact routing that starts and ends at the club house, 318 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:47.799 that is six holes, and we found that when we 319 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:52.799 first started it, we would let's say, we would go 320 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:57.079 from the frontis, which is usually the red teas, but 321 00:21:57.640 --> 00:22:02.279 because it was beginner players, even that was far too 322 00:22:02.359 --> 00:22:07.559 long and we were promoting Golf Sixer's League has been 323 00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:13.160 something that's that's fast paced and exciting. But you know, 324 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:17.720 players were taking over three hours to play six holes. 325 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.599 So what we needed to do is we. 326 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:24.160 Went back to the drawing board and we said, okay, 327 00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:27.440 we need to make this course so that it's not 328 00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:30.519 a drag for the players, it's not too long for them, 329 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:35.599 and they still get excited. You know, you don't want 330 00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:40.440 a player making a ten on every hole, so we 331 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:42.680 do have a maxi limit of ten shots. But what 332 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:45.799 we did is we made the holes let's say for 333 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:48.319 a path three, it would be on average about one 334 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:54.160 hundred meters. Our powers would start from close to one 335 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:57.359 hundred and fifty marker and our part fives close to 336 00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:58.000 two hundred. 337 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:01.519 So we would set our own mind beckers closer to 338 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:02.039 the green. 339 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:06.440 And then that made sure that you know, our Golf 340 00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:10.480 Sixers events were a lot quicker and the kids were 341 00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:13.920 staying engaged because as a kid, if you do something 342 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:17.240 for a long time, you know, you can get distracted 343 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.079 so easily. 344 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:21.279 So we wanted to make it as quick as possible. 345 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:26.640 And I think what's been really really key is getting 346 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:33.559 the parents involved. Yeah, so the parents often come with 347 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:37.000 and they'll come on a golf cart, and we encourage 348 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:40.039 parents to come to our Golf Sixers League events because 349 00:23:40.599 --> 00:23:42.440 you know, they get to spend a bit of time 350 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:46.279 with their kid and their kids are having fun playing 351 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:49.599 with their friends or playing with new players. And the 352 00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:53.279 parents often help with the scoring and you know, coaching 353 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:55.160 their kid when they get a little bit down or 354 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:58.400 a bit frustrated, and that really, you know, it makes 355 00:23:58.440 --> 00:24:01.759 it fun for the players and the parents. 356 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:06.920 M I know, And just another question there, Mike, I 357 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:09.119 just want to find out when it comes to intake, 358 00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:15.079 what would you say is the crucial age for someone 359 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:18.160 who would like to join go sixts league? 360 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:21.400 What from what year do you take them in and 361 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:22.359 up to what year? 362 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:31.720 So in terms of age, we are targeting so because 363 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:36.319 it's an RNA initiative and the RNA seemed Juniors is 364 00:24:36.359 --> 00:24:42.000 the best way of getting people into the sport. 365 00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:44.400 We target. 366 00:24:44.920 --> 00:24:47.839 You know, I guess your junior players would be anyone 367 00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:54.319 under the age of eighteen years okay, and obviously you're 368 00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:58.480 you're you're really young players. It's it's awesome to see 369 00:24:58.599 --> 00:25:02.039 your five and six year old, those tiny kids just 370 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:03.799 swinging a golf. 371 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:08.920 Club with their little tiger clubs. You know, it's awesome 372 00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:13.920 seeing that and how excited they get when because we 373 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:15.519 don't do prizes. 374 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:15.720 So. 375 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:21.680 Because it's not the focus is not to worry so 376 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:25.400 much about your sports, to start enjoying the game of golf. 377 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:29.319 So we just give everyone a medal at the end 378 00:25:29.400 --> 00:25:33.759 of each event and just to see, like a you know, 379 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:36.839 a five to eight year olds, the smile on their 380 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:40.440 face when they get that medal at the end is 381 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:42.279 so fulfilling. 382 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.200 But having said. 383 00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:47.759 That, you know, we've had we've had sixteen seventeen year 384 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:51.799 olds at our event who have absolutely loved it. And 385 00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:56.319 I think, you know, perhaps before before they were just 386 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:59.559 a little bit scared to get involved in the game 387 00:25:59.559 --> 00:26:02.000 of golf because they didn't want to look. 388 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:05.839 Like a beginner. They didn't want. 389 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:10.720 To be the one that's holding up the field. So yeah, 390 00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:14.079 we encourage anyone, I guess under the age of eighteen, 391 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:18.480 any junior who is a beginner or has a handicap 392 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:19.920 of over. 393 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:23.400 Thirty six to get involved in the Golf Sixers. 394 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:27.440 Okay, that's beautiful, And I just want to find out 395 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:33.680 from you, as part of the team that actually organizes 396 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:38.200 our plans Golf Secers League, what has been the most 397 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:42.599 memorable moment for you since you started working on this project. 398 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:45.799 We do a. 399 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:50.319 Lot of work with the South African Golf Development Board 400 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:54.559 and Golfer I say, do a lot of work with 401 00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:58.599