WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.679 For members only. Golf Smarter number three hundred and fifty two, 2 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:07.480 published on October ninth, twenty twelve. 3 00:00:07.639 --> 00:00:12.679 Welcome to Golf Smarter Mulligans, your second chance to gain 4 00:00:12.759 --> 00:00:16.320 insight and advice from the best instructors featured on the 5 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:22.359 Golf Smarter podcast. Great Golf Instruction Never gets Old. Our 6 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:27.239 interview library features hundreds of hours of game improvement conversations 7 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:31.120 like this that are no longer available in any podcast app. 8 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:33.119 Back when Calloway was Callaway and Eely was run on 9 00:00:33.159 --> 00:00:36.240 the company, they were so successful. It was basically tailor 10 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:41.640 made that initiated the strategy of changing product designs, and 11 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.000 they tried to do it so fast that Calloway couldn't 12 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:46.920 catch up. And they did it as a marketing strategy 13 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:49.240 because they couldn't figure out how to be Calloway any 14 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:52.600 other way. And it has now become the norm in 15 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:56.200 the industry. And that's where it came from. Okay, yes, 16 00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:59.560 we are a regulated business, but that does not mean 17 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:04.000 we are at the end of the innovative rope, so 18 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:06.400 to speak, not at all. And if you want a 19 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:10.000 classic case, take hybrids. I argue that you take an 20 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.159 average three hybrid and I'll have you hit it against 21 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:15.680 the five greatest three irons ever made in the history 22 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:19.480 of time. Guess who wins Hybrids. Absolutely, so it's been 23 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.560 a great product, especially for the average golfer. And understand 24 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:26.599 one thing about golf club design. It has one objective, 25 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:30.439 anf airborne and forward. If you can't get the ball 26 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:32.680 up in the air and if it's not moving towards 27 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:36.159 the target, then you haven't done anything for anybody. 28 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:45.680 Part two with the founder of Adams Golf, Barney Adams. 29 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:51.439 This is Golf Smarter, sharing tips and insights from golfers 30 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:54.959 and golf professionals to help lower your score. It's worked 31 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:56.719 for your host, Fred Green. 32 00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.040 Welcome back to Golf Smarter for members only. 33 00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:02.640 Barney, thank you very much. Thank you for extending me. 34 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:07.400 Oh thank you for agreeing to be extended, knowing that 35 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:08.800 you have time. You don't have a tea time today 36 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:09.520 that I have to worry about. 37 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:11.479 What what a brilliant entry that was. 38 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.599 Again, you're you're learning quickly about the world of podcasting. 39 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:17.360 We make our own rules as we go along. 40 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:19.400 Here, gotcha why I've been doing that for a year, 41 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:20.080 So that's okay. 42 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:23.159 Well, that's why I'm so fascinated by you, because I'm 43 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:24.840 one of those guys too. It kind of like makes 44 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:28.800 it up as I go along, and you know the 45 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:30.599 way I always did things in my business. I've been 46 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:32.439 self employed for over twenty five years now, and it's 47 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:34.479 to me, it's I'm going to go out there and 48 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:36.960 start making it happen and adjust as I move along. 49 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:38.879 And people are, well, you need a business plan. You 50 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:41.599 got to write up a business plan. I'm like, nay, no, 51 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.159 you know what. Those are all just made up numbers. 52 00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:46.360 Let me go out and get my fingers dirty and 53 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:49.360 see what works, and then if it works, we'll get 54 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:50.919 someone to pay for it. 55 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:54.800 On kindall. Yeah, As a matter of fact, there is 56 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:59.919 a book called The Wow Factor Wow, written by your 57 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:04.039 truly okay, And I will say that I wrote every 58 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:06.800 word of it, so it wasn't as dictated to or 59 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:11.879 as interpreted by or so on. And it's about Adam's golf. 60 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:17.159 But more than that, it's really aimed at entrepreneurs. And 61 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:18.800 I bring that up only in light of what you 62 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:19.439 were just saying. 63 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:24.280 I'm listening very closely talk to me about the Wow Factor, 64 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.080 and I'm sorry we weren't promoting audible day. Do you 65 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:28.479 have the audiobook version of. 66 00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:31.280 That, are you kid? I don't know. No, I don't know. 67 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:32.520 I don't even know if there I don't think there 68 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.439 is one. I mean, well, we should do that. We 69 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:37.800 missed the best We just barely missed the bestseller list. 70 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:39.879 But be that as it me. I just bring that 71 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:42.520 up because I get asked a lot about how did 72 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:44.919 you get started? And it's really kind of a long, 73 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:49.639 involved story. And for those people that are really interested 74 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:51.120 in if they want to read the book, fine, if 75 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:53.199 they don't find not a big deal, tell us. 76 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:53.719 About the book. 77 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:59.240 Well, the book is is? It stems from how did 78 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:01.599 you get started? Mm hmm. And then when I told 79 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:03.680 them the story, the response would be, gosh, that's a 80 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:04.240 heck of a story. 81 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:08.479 You got to do a book, And that was where 82 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:09.240 you came up with the title. 83 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.840 Wow did not come from there. Wow actually came really 84 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:18.399 from wow? Is my basic concept for running a business? 85 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:18.959 How was that one? 86 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:26.000 I'm now I'm taking notes. Okay, Well stands for there's. 87 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:27.560 What I believe? And I bet you you practiced this 88 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:28.399 and you don't even know it. 89 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:29.199 Probably do. 90 00:04:31.720 --> 00:04:36.079 What. I introduced my first successful golf club. It was 91 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.439 a club called the Tight Lies a fairway would. And 92 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:42.120 when I I was I was working at a driving range, 93 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:47.360 custom fitting people, and I had this idea for a 94 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.920 golf club. And when I got my first samples and 95 00:04:49.959 --> 00:04:53.040 people hit it, I could hear them say to themselves, Wow, 96 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:57.800 this is really good. And then in my mind that 97 00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:03.319 became the wow factor. Because I believe that every I 98 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:07.000 believe two main things. Number one, I believe that no 99 00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:11.480 business sells a product. I believe that every business sells 100 00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:18.040 a service. And once you define your service and brand 101 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:21.439 your service as it will, as you will, you see, 102 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:23.720 if you're selling a product, then your competition is everybody 103 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.639 else with the same product or knockoff or similar product 104 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:30.360 or whatever. But if it's a service, then your competition 105 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:33.040 is only those people who can perform as well as 106 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:36.680 you can. And I'd rather be in that ballgame. So 107 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:38.759 so I define that as the wow factor. I want 108 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.879 people when they do business with us to say, Wow, 109 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.920 those guys really have their act together. Wow, those guys 110 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.720 really ship on time. While those guys' quality is great, 111 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:48.959 there are innovative et cetera, et cetera. It was an 112 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:51.759 attitude we had throughout the company. We used to ask 113 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:54.160 ourselves all the time when we're making a decision, is 114 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:57.480 this a wow decision? And that was part of the 115 00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:58.600 culture of Adam's Golf. 116 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:04.120 You think that would put Apple over the top was 117 00:06:04.120 --> 00:06:07.079 when they went retail and really became a service business. 118 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:11.759 I don't know. I'm not I'm not. I'm not smart 119 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:16.000 enough to really understand that and depth, I mean, I 120 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:20.160 think and frankly speaking, I don't know if it was 121 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:22.600 a conscious decision on their part or if it just 122 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.079 sort of happened, you know, because they felt they they 123 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:27.759 could retail their products better than other people could. I 124 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:28.959 don't know the answer. 125 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:32.319 You know, read the Steve Jobs books. 126 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.399 Yeah, you know, it's it's just that that wow is 127 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:38.639 not a casual thing with me, while was a culture. 128 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:43.959 And you believe, everybody's in a service business. 129 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:48.680 Absolutely, I don't care if you're selling hammers hmm. 130 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:54.079 And it's all about delivering to your customer. Absolutely, the 131 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:55.600 customer is the product. 132 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:59.279 Not necessarily. As a matter of fact, I don't even 133 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:02.399 believe in customer surveys. And everybody in the world does that, 134 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:07.639 including Coca Cola. Remember New Coke. Yeah, co Cola did 135 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:09.720 two years of customer surveys then come out with it 136 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:11.519 came out with a product it almost broke the company. 137 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:15.160 Yeah, well, what was Henry Ford's line about, you know, 138 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:17.920 like focus groups? I think customer surveys focus groups, right, 139 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:20.319 Henry Ford said, yeah, if you ask people what are 140 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:22.720 they gonna want a fast. 141 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:26.439 Exactly right, it'll drive you to mediocrity, right right. I'm 142 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.959 this is arrogant, but I said, look, I know golf equipment. 143 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.839 I mean, I've got years on range, you know, you 144 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:40.360 name it, the background. I know what makes for a 145 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:44.680 good golf club, and it's my job to deliver that message. Now, 146 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:50.480 having said that, you can get good consumer reaction as 147 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:55.680 to presentation, colors, et cetera. Because quite frankly, for me personally, 148 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:57.560 once I know the club works, well, I don't care 149 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.480 what color it is. It's all about ball light to me. 150 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:03.439 But and by the way, that was our service was 151 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:08.000 improving ball flight, not selling golf clubs improving ball flight. 152 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:12.680 So you can there is some value you can get 153 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:17.160 from presentation and so on. But I mean, even Ping 154 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:21.519 over the years has dressed up their clubs. But it's 155 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:25.040 my job to figure out what's the what's the best, 156 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:26.800 what helps get the ball up in the air, what 157 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.519 helps people play better, et cetera. 158 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:35.279 In regards to clubmakers and the products that they put 159 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:40.679 out these days, they have to it seems as if 160 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:42.279 to stay in business they have to come up a 161 00:08:42.279 --> 00:08:46.320 new product product every six months and convince the consumer 162 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:50.080 that this product is actually better than the last product 163 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:53.399 we did. And yet there are so many restrictions put 164 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:56.159 on them on what they can do. To golf clubs. 165 00:08:56.519 --> 00:09:00.679 They've probably reached the limits of what they can do 166 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.559 and making changes a couple of years ago, and yet 167 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:05.720 they're still coming out with new clubs every six months. 168 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:09.519 So you see things like a white golf club, and 169 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:11.919 has everyone convinced that this is now the greatest golf 170 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:12.799 club they've ever hit. 171 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:17.600 Well, I don't know. I don't know if I have 172 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:20.240 enough time to go over all the places where you're wrong. 173 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:25.440 So I'll try and oh, please shoot me now I 174 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:28.200 know I am right. At the same time, to start 175 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:30.799 off with, it isn't six months. I think it's fifteen 176 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:37.000 minutes now. But that was the ele Calloway effect. What 177 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:42.720 happened was back when Calloway was Callaway and there are 178 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.120 nowhere near that now. But back when Calloway was Callaway 179 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:47.720 and Eli was running the company. They were so successful 180 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:53.200 that it was basically tailor made that initiated the strategy 181 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:58.480 of changing product designs, and they tried to do it 182 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:01.799 so fast that Calloway couldn't care. And they did it 183 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.519 as as a marketing strategy because they couldn't figure out 184 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:07.879 how to be Callaway any other way. And it has 185 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:13.600 now become the norm in the industry. And that's that's 186 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:19.039 where it came from. Okay, yesdr we are a regulated business, 187 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:23.919 but that does not mean that we are at the 188 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:27.840 end of the innovative rope, so to speak, not at all. 189 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:32.039 And if you want a classic case, take hybrids. I 190 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:37.200 argue that you take an average three hybrid and I'll 191 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:40.200 have you hit it against the five greatest three irons 192 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:43.399 ever made in the history of time. Guess who wins. 193 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:44.279 Hybrids. 194 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:48.679 Absolutely, So it's been a great product, especially for the 195 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:52.080 average golfer. And understand one thing about golf club design. 196 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:59.440 It has one objective, an f airborne and forward. If 197 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:01.679 you can't get a ball up in the air and 198 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:04.639 if it's not moving towards the target, then you haven't 199 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:07.879 done anything for anybody. So you start with a n 200 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:10.039 F and you go there hybrids are a great example 201 00:11:10.039 --> 00:11:16.480 of a n F. Yeah, and now we have adjustable drivers. 202 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:22.080 I think maybe for the very serious they're probably something. 203 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:24.120 I don't think for the average guy they're that big 204 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:26.679 a deal. But you know, give them credit. That's you know, 205 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:28.279 the technical innovation is terrific. 206 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:30.600 Back to then we come back to the ego on 207 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:32.960 that is like, oh, I've got a driver that I 208 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:34.919 can adjust like the head. Have you ever adjusted it? 209 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:38.360 Sure? Yes, Actually I have idsted the other day after 210 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:39.559 I got it out of the water because I was 211 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:43.240 mad at it. But I'll tell you Another one is 212 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:45.799 the slots in the fairwy woods. If you've seen those, 213 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:50.840 that makes the fairy woods better, period better. Really, fairywoods 214 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:51.559 with slots. 215 00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:55.360 Are better on the back part of the top and 216 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:55.799 the bottom. 217 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:58.440 Yeah, and the and the reason why is because they 218 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:00.480 create an environment and I won't go into all the 219 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:02.879 technical stuff, but they create an environment where the MOI 220 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:04.679 of the fairway wood is now about as great as 221 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:07.480 the driver. Then that means more distance and that's a 222 00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:08.600 significant improvement. 223 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:17.919 Are you still involved in club design and club making? 224 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:22.399 No, I am not involved at all. Taylor made very politely, 225 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:24.360 and I don't mean this in a facetious way said look, 226 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.399 we're a big, strong company. We get a lot of assets, 227 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.639 and we just don't need you anymore. 228 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.080 They had purchased your company. 229 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:34.080 Yes, they purchased Adam's Golf in June. 230 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:38.840 June of this year. Yes, Oh congratulations. So now you 231 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:41.200 are very nicely retired. Huh. 232 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:45.320 Well, I'm I'm going fishing wherever I can because my 233 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:46.200 golf game stinks. 234 00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:48.399 Now you've gotten into fishing. 235 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:50.480 Oh, I've been in fishing for years. 236 00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:53.360 And have you ever invented a product for fishing for 237 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:54.600 fishermen and out? 238 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:56.279 The funny thing is, in my head. I always invent 239 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:58.200 stuff in my head. It just never goes any further. 240 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:02.360 But I actually invented a carry bag that would carry 241 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:06.759 fishing rods and gear at the same time. And I 242 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:08.799 might still do something with it, because it's it's not 243 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:09.720 a terrible idea. 244 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.639 Yeah, I can't imagine you're going to be sitting still 245 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.080 very much. You probably don't know it. 246 00:13:14.679 --> 00:13:17.519 It's I am. And again, this is a question I've 247 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:20.120 been asked a lot. You know, you look back upon 248 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:22.799 the success that Adam's head and you know, doesn't that 249 00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:25.360 make it feel good? Et cetera, et cetera. And sure, 250 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:29.279 you know you don't want to be uh whatever, it 251 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:34.480 is just unappreciative. But by nature, I tend to look forward. 252 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.720 By nature, I'm still the guy that wakes up in 253 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:39.240 the middle of the night with ideas. 254 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:43.440 I it sounds like that you're you're your own personal 255 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:44.600 mantras an f. 256 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:47.559 Yeah, pretty, that's a good line. That's I think I'll 257 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.000 steal that. 258 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:51.240 Yes, it's my pleasure. Airborne and forward huh. 259 00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:53.159 Yeah, yeah, Well I don't know about airport. If I 260 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:55.679 get airport, I got a land. And if my land 261 00:13:55.799 --> 00:13:57.279 is going to be a real problem. 262 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:00.879 Well that's the a part thinking of albatra hitting hitting 263 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:01.919 the water, right, it would be. 264 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:04.039 Worse than that. It would be worse than that, Yeah, 265 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:06.559 it would be. It would be a catastrophe. 266 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:11.120 But you've been in not just golf. You've been a 267 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:13.960 lot of you, let's say, taste in a lot of 268 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:15.279 different industries, haven't you. 269 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:23.279 Yes, Yes, I started out out a cop. Well, let's see, 270 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:25.039 I can go back to when I used to clean 271 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:27.159 out stalls on the farm. 272 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.159 Where'd you grow up? 273 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:33.159 Upstate New York and the dairy country? And uh, my 274 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.559 job was a two words both began with s And 275 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:38.120 the first word for word. 276 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:42.200 Was shovel And do you have business cards printed up? 277 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:45.159 I was, I was going to do that, yes, And 278 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:48.240 it was on a farm that was about five miles 279 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:51.320 from our house, and I used to hitchhike back and forth, 280 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:53.080 but I never got the same ride twice when I 281 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:53.759 was coming home. 282 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:56.519 Oh that's the kid who's shovels. 283 00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:59.120 Yes. And when I got home, my mother made me 284 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:01.360 stand in the driveway. She hosed me off before she 285 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:02.159 let me in the house. 286 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.120 Upstate New York in the winter. Huh. 287 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:06.240 Yeah, Well this was in the spring because the cows 288 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:10.080 they bordered up all spring all winter, excuse me, and 289 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:12.559 the stalls would fill up and then somebody had to 290 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:14.879 go in and clean them out. And what you do 291 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:18.600 is you pitched the product out the window onto a 292 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:20.679 wagon and then we got in the wagon. This was 293 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:23.039 horse drawn in those days, and we'd drive the wagon 294 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:24.559 out in the field and then spread it out in 295 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:27.519 the field for fertilizer, and then repeat the process all 296 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:27.960 day long. 297 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:29.639 I can see where you became an entrepreneur. 298 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:32.600 Yes, it was. Well, it got me out of farming. 299 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:36.720 That's archer. Yeah, that and bailing. Hey, it made me 300 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:38.559 decide that farming was not in my future. 301 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:40.360 Okay, so then what was the next Where'd you go 302 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:40.759 from there? 303 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:43.639 Well? I went to Clarkson University up in far Upstate, 304 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:49.000 New York. They thought I want to be a student. 305 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:50.679 I thought I was up there to play sports. But 306 00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:54.960 you know, I managed to get through and with sport, 307 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.120 I played basketball, soccer, and golf. 308 00:15:58.919 --> 00:15:59.879 Interesting, and. 309 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:04.360 I want to work for Corning Glass, very good company. 310 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:10.039 I was a terrible employee. My idea was that whatever 311 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:12.320 my job was, that my real job was to tell 312 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:15.440 the people according how to run the company. And somehow 313 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:16.639 that didn't go over very. 314 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:18.639 Well, you're just shoveling more. Huh. 315 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:20.559 Yeah, I just couldn't help. But I just saw all 316 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:22.960 the advantages they were missing, and I thought I pointed 317 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.240 out to them and so on. So I left there 318 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.120 after nine years. 319 00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:29.159 Isn't it amazing how smart we are when we come 320 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.480 out of college, how much we know about everything in 321 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:31.919 the world. 322 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:34.279 Well, I'm lucky because I've always been brilliant. It just 323 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:39.799 other people haven't recognized that. But I ended up on 324 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:42.679 the West Coast. I worked in the Silicon Valley in 325 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:44.759 the semiconductor industry, and I can tell you all you 326 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:48.879 need to know about that in one little vignette. Well, 327 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:55.279 I started with Dave Pell's running his company in nineteen eighty. 328 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:58.320 This was my big chance to be in the golf industry, 329 00:16:59.120 --> 00:16:59.320 was that? 330 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.799 And that was an ex for you. 331 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:03.159 It is like, oh that I was. I was, Yeah, 332 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:06.720 absolutely right. I could use all my skills I accumulated 333 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:09.599 over the years, et cetera. And it took me about 334 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.599 two and a half years and I had them in bankruptcy. 335 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:17.519 And you you could argue that, you know, it wasn't 336 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:20.160 all my fault, et cetera. But one of the mantras 337 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:22.599 is that when you're the top guy, you get all 338 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:24.799 the praise and you get all the garbage, and that's 339 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.839 just life in the big city. So it was my fault. 340 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:32.079 One might into it from that that maybe the golf 341 00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:34.839 industry wasn't the place for me, but I didn't see 342 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:40.599 it that way. I bought the remaining after the bank 343 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:42.319 sold off all the assets, so we just had a 344 00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:44.240 bunch of tables and stuff. I bought them and started 345 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:46.759 up on my own, Like you said, no business plan, 346 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:51.640 no plan of any kind. And I got a job 347 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:55.559 in the Silicon Valley, a real job that provided income. Well, 348 00:17:55.599 --> 00:18:01.480 I kind of was nurturing my little company. And one 349 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:04.000 year I went to the PGA Show with my little company, 350 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:07.119 which means that I flew to Ablinge, Texas, loaded up 351 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:12.720 my products, rented a van a little ten foot booth, 352 00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:16.359 drove it to Orlando, Florida, set it up, worked it 353 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:19.759 for four full days, tore it down, drove it back 354 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:23.160 to Abline, Texas, and loved every minute of it. When 355 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:25.559 I got back to California a couple of months later, 356 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:27.880 I went to the Semicon Show, the semiconductor show in 357 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:32.000 San Mateo, with our little testing company. What was that, 358 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:35.759 I mean, I don't Yeah, it was the early early eighties, 359 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:37.319 I forget exactly. 360 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.920 Helped beginning of the personal computer era. 361 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.880 Yeah, he helped started it. Yeah, helped them set up 362 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:46.480 the booth at the show. Yeah. I was gonna work 363 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:47.960 the booth with them, because you know, that's the right 364 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:50.559 thing to do, and so on. And I can remember thinking, 365 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:52.599 as you know, it's gosh, I've been here all day. 366 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:55.119 It's time for lunch. And I looked at my watch 367 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.960 and it was quarter nine in the morning. 368 00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:57.799 Oh my god. 369 00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:00.880 And I went to the Bitch Capital group that I 370 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:04.359 worked for and I said, I'm out of here. I mean, 371 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.000 I don't need any more, you know, I mean, what 372 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:06.359 the heck. 373 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:08.599 Yeah, I was at a golf show all day long 374 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:10.039 and didn't even realize it was. 375 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.119 Killed myself, killed by I could hardly walk when I 376 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:15.000 got home. Yeah, absolutely, at nine, at eight forty five, 377 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:18.680 I'm ready to leave. So I left the Silicon Valley 378 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:24.359 started up on my own. Should have gone broke, Well, 379 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:25.920 I was broke. I mean, what the heck I would 380 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:29.440 to me, I should have. But I basically ran a 381 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:32.559 Ponzi scheme where I ended up with forty two credit 382 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:35.839 cards and borrowed money from one and paid off a 383 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:37.759 little on the next one. And that's how I financed 384 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:42.839 myself for several years. And I'm giving you the cliff notes. 385 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:44.920 Version came up with a club called the tight Lies. 386 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:51.319 It got it became popular on its own. 387 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:53.519 It really it kind of exploded. 388 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:58.240 Huh oh yeah. We it became the largest selling Fairway 389 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:01.839 would in the industry. We did a TV infomercial. It 390 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:06.279 became the largest TV golf infommercial in history. We want sales. 391 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:08.640 Our sales went from minuscule, you know, a couple hundred 392 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:10.640 thousand bucks to eighty million in three years. 393 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:11.400 Wow. 394 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:15.599 Yeah, Wall Street came in ninety eight, we went public. Oops, 395 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:20.240 the industry kind of slowed down. We fought our way. 396 00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:24.000 Through, you know, in retrospect, was the going public? Was 397 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:26.000 that a valuable thing? 398 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:29.240 It was valuable because it gave us money to stay alive. 399 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:29.759 I see. 400 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:35.759 And then uh, there was a kind of a dust 401 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:37.599