Off the Deck
Golf is so much more than the scorecard and those birdies that are rarely made. It's about the people you meet along the way. From lifelong bonds to unexpected fast friends, Off the Deck highlights the lives and stories built through the game of golf.
Off the Deck
Wisconsin Golf, Dad Life, & Smoked Meats with Keith Lally
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Off the Deck, Josh Decker sits down with Keith Lally for a wide-ranging conversation about golf, family life, photography, smoked meat, and what makes Wisconsin golf so special.
⛳️ Join the BestBall Golf Club - https://patreon.com/bestballgolfclub
Friends of Off the Deck
- IDAKA - Save 25% with promo code "OTD25" - https://idaka.golf/
- TRUE Linkswear - Save 15% with promo code "OfftheDeck" - https://truelinkswear.com/
Interested in sponsoring Off the Deck? Email info@bestball.com.
Off the Deck is a member of the BestBall podcast family.
Driver off the deck for Corey Connor. Here's driver off the deck. Victor Hoblin. So the driver off the deck. I think you would try this, right? Oh my gosh. You have to put your foot on the gas. You pull out the driver off the deck and you put it on the green all the way up the hill.
SPEAKER_01Welcome back to another episode of Off the Deck. My name is Josh Decker. I'm the host of this wonderfully crazy show. And I'm so excited to have Mr. Keith Lally, uh, the Sweet Spot Golf, joining us today. Um, it has been a we've been trying to get this on the calendar for a while. Uh, so I'm glad we're finally getting to have this conversation and chat about dad life, smoking meats, golf, you name it. Um, off the deck is brought to you by Idaca Golf. Uh the Capri Polo has become a mainstay of my weekly wardrobe. Uh, make sure you use promo code OTD25 at ideca.gov. That's Id a K A.gov. Check out their golf glove too. You've heard me rave about it. Uh, it is a spectacular piece of equipment to add to your golf bag. So OTD25 at checkout save you 25%. Keith, what's happening, man? What's going on, Josh? How are you, brother? I'm doing great. I'm doing great. We've, like I said, we've been trying to get this on the books for quite some time. Um, so excited to to just chat with you about life. Um, golf in Wisconsin. Uh, I was browsing your social medias. I want to hear how you ended up playing Pebble uh Pebble Beach with Roger Steele. Um yeah. Um, but uh but how are things in your world?
SPEAKER_02Man, uh life's crazy right now. Um, you know, took a new job, you know, maybe nine months ago. So I work in the cybersecurity world. Um, that's been really fun and exciting. At the same time, uh, you know, my kids are getting older. So like this summer, uh, we're preparing to move one of our kids out into college. So I've got Ella who's gonna be turning, uh, not turning, she's 18, but she's gonna be a freshman at Oshkosh next year. Meanwhile, I got the nine-year-old who's still like, let's go do all of the fun stuff and get into everything. Uh got a new puppy like a year ago. It just like life is never ending. Uh you know, I just I look forward to every weekend basically at this point, you know. Um, but yeah, no, life, life's good. I can't complain. Um, how about you? How's how's things been in the the Decker household?
SPEAKER_01Things are good. You know, we're uh so we've just got a 10-year-old and like we had um Meet the Teacher today for fifth grade. And so that was kind of because I was actually when we were headed there, I was like, you know what, this is probably our last Meet the Teacher because I suspect that when she goes to sixth grade, that's kind of like she just shows up on the first day of school and we don't go in and like sign up for PTO and all the stuff that you know you get with those earlier grades. Um, but I'm actually kind of thankful that school is starting back. Um, I don't have probably the emotion that you have of sending a daughter off to college. Um, but I'm also ready for her to like have structure and like get back to like you have to be on the bus at a certain time. And like I love being home and spending time with my daughter, but it's also it can wear on you when she's just like, I'm bored. And I'm like, yeah, sorry. Like you need to take a break from screens. We've watched 14 million YouTube shorts today, so let's let's turn off the YouTube. Um, so I'm excited for her to get back to that. And I mean, she was losing her mind on the way to meet the teacher this morning, just so excited. I mean, she was talking about all of her friends, and we just threw a back to school bash for her and like seven of her friends. Um, so yeah, it's uh I'm I'm also ready for hoodie season. Like I've I've had my fill of summer and I'm ready for cooler temps, especially in Alabama. They might already you already are you already getting them in Wisconsin or no?
SPEAKER_02No, no. So I was gonna say I I happen to live in the other camp on that, you know, being that our golf season essentially is like end of May is when you finally start to get warm weather, meaning something above something that starts with a six at least, you know, like 60 even. But even then, like in June, you'll get 50 and it's raining sideways, and the boys are still like, we're gonna go play. So for me, like we were just talking about this the other day. It's been extraordinarily hot, like 90s. We even had a stretch for like a week and a half where it was like 99 to 100 every other day. Um, you know, this is how I also know I'm a dad. I was out there like checking the lawn every day, making sure that we get, you know, take care of the spots that are a little dead. Right. Uh we failed that mission, by the way. But no, I I am like the reason I say I'm in that other camp is it's always cold, it feels like when I'm playing, you know. And aside from like really the last two years for me, I would actually spend a lot of like my summer golf on the road, right? I'd either be traveling, I'd be at Sweetens, or I'd be in Florida, or I'd be, you know, in name the place with my camera going to do something. So I actually didn't really get to spend that much time playing a lot of Wisconsin golf the last couple years. Um well until like the last couple years, but you know, I I like, don't get me wrong, I like a good quarter zip. You know, there's definitely the time and the place for it. Um, and I love that season, but I'm just like hold it off because I know that once like the quarter zip comes out, you have like a month, you know, here. So yeah, when does the season end? I would say so. There's kind of like two ends to the season. So like when you can play the nice courses, you know, the the ex you know, the the higher tier courses, that's probably October, like early October. And then there's always the few like Muni courses, county courses that are open until November, you know. There used to be this course by me when I very first started playing golf. I don't know if they do it anymore, but they had this crazy thing in winter. People don't believe me. It could be the middle of winter, like negative 15 out, and they would let you throw your clubs in your trunk and you could take your car out, and you could drive the course with your car because the greens were rock hard. You could and they and it was cart path for all 18. So as long as like you're not you know being disrespectful, you used to be able to take your car around, I want to say it was Mosquego Lakes for a number of years, and then it's been bought, and you know, ownership realized that probably is not the best idea. But uh, I wasn't into golf when that happened, otherwise I would have taken the car, but yeah, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so so put the whole front-wheel drive sleigh out on the course and just go.
SPEAKER_02Correct, correct, yeah. But yeah, I mean, I'd say most of the time it it ends like early November is kind of you get your last round in, you know, and then of course if it's nice before Thanksgiving, I hit my wife with the it's the last round of the year. Like I promise, this is the last one. So, you know, it just depends on what the weather does. But the other thing I was gonna say to your point about the kids, you know, uh it's bittersweet with the the eldest leaving, right? Uh, but I'm excited for her, right? She's gonna get an opportunity to really experience, you know, independence and be, you know, like you know, be a young lady in her life. And then on the flip side, like I love having my little one here, you know, um, you know, Sutton, I think, is almost the same age. Your daughter's name's Whitaker, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I believe, yeah, I've got I've got to meet the family before when I was down there. Um and you know, she, I think because of also the way that like just neighborhoods are, kids are in general. Like when I was a kid, you played with all the neighborhood kids. That's not really like a thing where we live. Um, our neighborhood's a little bit older too. So like I'm ready for her to go back to get the social interaction, to be with her friends again, you know, have those groups get off of the tablet a little bit too. Right, you know. Um, but I'll I'll admit, she and I have had a really fun summer. Um, she's gone out and played golf with me and you know, some of my friends. I take her to like work golf meetings all the time. So, like, you know, it's a way for me to cover my range sessions with the company card, but I bring something with me, you know, and you know, a few of my customers know her, they even know her nickname. So she shows up and you know, she's like, Hey, how's it going? And then she just does her thing, and I'm there basically like dad moding and working at the same time, so it works out.
SPEAKER_01I love that. How how is she doing knowing her older sister's about to move off?
SPEAKER_02Oh, I mean, I I think like every nine-year-old would like she's already tried laying claim to the bigger room, you know, like she wants to take over like Ella's room. Like back when we told her that she would have that ability, because you know, if the kids were only two years apart, I'd say, like, no, stay in your room, you know. But there's a nine-year gap for my girls. But uh immediately, like middle of the of the summer already, she was just like, Hey, so we could probably start moving Ella's stuff into my room. And I'm like, time out, time out, time out. Like, let's let's show that we can keep your room clean first, and then we'll upgrade you to the bigger room.
SPEAKER_01So, no sadness that big sister's moving off to college.
SPEAKER_02I think there is a little bit, right? Like that it's such an interesting dynamic with those kids. So, like, for reference, my girls are nine years and three days apart, like their birthdays. So they're both January birthdays, you know, same week, just you know, one's 18 and one's nine. So I think she's gonna miss she's gonna miss having somebody to talk to when like dad's in a meeting or you know, mom's working or or whatever. Um, I think she's going to like the independence of kind of not being told what to do by big sister every now and then. So I'm sure it's like for her, it's just bittersweet in different ways than it is for me. Um and you know, overall, I think once her sister's gone and it sets in, she'll she'll probably realize it a little bit more. I know the one thing she's looking forward to is so we got that miniature wiener dog last year. Uh they're on like a two-night rotation on who gets the dog. So like Sutton is pumped because she's like, I get Winnie full time now. Like, you know. So yeah, that that's probably what she's looking forward to most.
SPEAKER_01So I I love browsing your Instagram feed and all of the pictures, uh, the photography and the work that you do. And you said you it's been a while since you've done anything. Where what came first, golf or photography?
SPEAKER_02Uh golf came first um by about six years. So I started playing in 2010, maybe tw yeah, 2010. I had just uh my wife and I had started or no, we had just gotten married, and like her family all played golf. So I was never into golf, you know. Um, and I just kind of started playing as a means to like get along, and then naturally like the golf bug took over. So I I started actually before I kind of got into the photography business, you know, I had created an Instagram page, and and a lot of people don't know this, but the sweet spot golf actually comes from my boss at the time catching me on Facebook because it had that stupid like, oh, this person's active. And literally all I was doing was just like cruising golf content the whole time. And in my brain, I'm like, you know, I don't know, mid-20s, and I'm like, I bet you he doesn't have Instagram. So I created an Instagram just to consume golf content, you know. Like I was hooked. Uh, I think even if you look at some of my early, early posts, like I tried doing like chipping lessons that I was giving. Like I was it was pathetic. But uh, you know, from there, like that was like kind of the first six years. I was just like, every opportunity to go play golf that I could, uh I would do it. I started to go on like golf Instagram trips. So that was kind of my introduction to like the golf Instagram world in terms of like building my own network out. So those tournaments were down in Florida called like Battle at the Beach. Um, and it was through just like another golf influencer, right? And then turned into like a President's Cup style tournament, did that, and then you know, started Cam's tournaments, you know, like his events. That's kind of how I got introduced to the Cove. Um I was curious about that. Yeah, the photography the photography stuff, excuse me, that kind of started, I would say like 2016-2017. And it was shortly after I had created like the page as just a means to like consume the content. Um, I started seeing a couple of pages out there where it was like really high quality like golf photography, you know, and the captions were cool. And I'm like, well, this golf thing's super expensive. I had had some you know background with a camera before. Uh like back when I was like 15 and 16, uh, I used to shoot like BMX content. So I used to photograph and like video, you know, record guys doing, you know, bike tricks back in the day. So I, you know, I was like, all right, maybe there's something here. So I bought a cheap camera for like 500 bucks. Like this Canon M50 came with a prime lens, and I was just like, I'm gonna like learn how to do this, use it as a means to kind of like get further into the golf, you know, kind of make my page something too. And the the the intent was never to like turn it into something that's that like made me money or anything like that. It was just uh a cool opportunity to network, wanted to grow my page a little bit too. Um and so yeah, like the golf came first in terms of like getting introduced to it, but then the golf photography like part came after. Um so yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01What's the coolest thing you've ever shot on a golf course?
SPEAKER_02The coolest thing I've ever shot on a golf course. Ooh. Man. I'd probably have to say so I'll break it up into two. There's one that was just like the coolest event I've ever shot. Uh I got to shoot the Ryder Cup when it was up here at Whistling Straits. Yeah. Um, and like some of the photos I have from there are like some of my favorite. Like, I have them saved to multiple, you know, hard drives just so that they never go anywhere. Um, but then there's a couple of rounds, like like one that I just think about in particular that was just uh an incredible content round. It's probably like three years ago. I was out at Aaron Hills with Jeff Marsh. Um, if you're familiar with that guy's work, I mean it's incredible. And the reason that that one stuck out so much was the whole front nine, it was overcast and kind of gloomy and just like terrible, really, for shooting. And I swear by the time we made it to like you know, the famous ninth hole, which is that cool par three, like all the clouds moved, and we had three hours of like the best golden hour I've ever shot. And I just remember like you could just it was like shooting fish in a barrel. You just throw your drone up, take a picture, and it was no editing needed, same thing on the camera. So like Jeff and I were literally out there using our cell phones because we had used up all the daylight just to finish playing, you know, 18 in. So like that round sticks out in terms of like content. Um, and particularly we were shooting that par three on the back nine, like right before the par five. I want to say it's maybe like 13 or something like that, but like, yeah, that's kind of how I'd break it out.
SPEAKER_01That's that's pretty cool. Yeah, Jeff's one that uh I wanted to get this show a little more established before I I have him on, um, just because uh you're not the first person that's mentioned him on here. Um and he's also just an incredible human being. Uh I've interacted with him some. He he parked a vehicle at my house when he was meeting his family go to the beach, and yeah, and Golf is art is also just an awesome, awesome publication. Uh that's really, really cool. So I was looking at your page just to kind of do some prep, and and I saw where in 2021 you ended up at Pebble Beach in Spyglass with Roger Steele. Um and that was cool, but then the conditions that you guys played in seemed uh relatively biblical. How did you end up at Pebble with Roger Steele and what was it like playing in best is described as like a gale force tornado? Tsunami, yeah, a tsunami coming through there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so how that started was uh right before then in 2020, actually. Um that was my first time, like where we had gotten introduced playing like Whistle. And I was like, Hey, do you want to come up and shoot some content? So Roger and I got introduced there. He was kind of telling me about what he wanted to do with social media, right? Like how he wanted to like utilize his page. And I want to say, like, like no shade, because I love the guy. Uh, I think back then he had like 5,000, maybe 6,000 followers. I don't think he was quite to like 10k yet, but he he had like this vision, you know, and so he started kind of getting connected with these programs, and then you know, obviously, like he has incredible content, but one of those programs was youth on course. So we did the 100 hole hike that was at uh the Dunes Club over in Michigan, in New Buffalo, Michigan. So we did a hundred holes, you know, and then the next year we did the one at Sweeten's Co.
SPEAKER_01I think you did that one as well, correct? I did not know that was when I was just becoming familiar with Sweetens and and kind of understanding the lay of the land there. Um, and that looked brutal. I mean, if you're gonna do one, that's a great place to do one because it's an easy walk. But the heat and just the I mean, because there's no air moving in around Sweetens because it's down in that valley. Um it looked excruciating.
SPEAKER_02That that was the most difficult one of the three that that we did. But um, how we got to Pebble was the first year um we, you know, I think part of it was like we were the flagship group, you know, with Roger, but also we had raised a good amount of money in terms of donations for youth on course. So part of it was we got, you know, we won a trip to Pebble. So myself and uh Aaron Ross, who was on our team, we actually turned it into a trip and went out there a couple days early, got to play um like Poppy Hills and a couple of other like really big, you know, really cool courses in the area. Uh, but that that round at Pebble and Spyglass was it was awesome, but it was also like the craziest experience I've had on a golf course. Like Pebble wasn't that bad. Uh, I'll admit the group is kind of dumb for listening to me. I was like, hey, let's play from the US Open Tees. So we played Pebble from the US Open Tees, which that was really difficult. Would not recommend to a friend. Um, but we got lucky, like the weather wasn't terrible for that, you know, a little bit of rain, but overall it was okay. The next day, though, was spyglass. Uh, and I have a funny story about this round. So we wake up and we know that we're traveling back home that day, and we know that like there's a good chance I'm probably not gonna be out here again. So it's like if the course is gonna let us, we're gonna go out and play. Before we got to the, you know, the first T-Box, people are in there buying rain gear, everything that you could think of, because it is literally raining sideways. And we decided to play all 18. I mean, I remember like the third hole, whatever that like famous par three is that faces directly towards the ocean. I want to say it was like 135, 140 yards, and I hit a five-iron and I was short by like 20 yards. Wow. Um, and what was brutal about that was you know, it was still fun to play. Uh, but after the round, you know, we get to the airport, and I had wrung everything out of my bag that I could. And it didn't matter how many bags I played, like move things around, one of them was always overweight. So I had to pay like an extra 75 bucks to get my golf bag home because everything was so saturated from the round at spyglass. And you know, that that was just kind of like the funny story. Only time I've ever had to pay more for like overweight luggage, but it, you know, worth the experience.
SPEAKER_01Because it was drenched from the that is wild.
SPEAKER_02Complete. And I like took it out of the bag and like showed the lady. I was like, I've already wrung this out. Like, and the bag was like a leather bag too, so like that's not getting any lighter no matter what you do. It was just like this is the situation, you know, we're here, uh, whatever. But yeah, spyglass, it was cool, but I would have liked to not play it in, you know, where it was raining sideways.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've had one experience like that, and it was Pacific Dunes, um, and I walked off the golf course. Um and the guys I was finished. Yeah, I I yeah, yeah, no worries.
SPEAKER_02I was wondering if it was me. I made sure I went into a a hard line on this one.
SPEAKER_01I can hear y'all.
SPEAKER_02I can okay now I got ya.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've I had one round like that. Uh it was at Pacific Dunes, and I walked off the golf course. Um and now Pacific Dunes is not spyglass, so a little bit different there. Um, but the guys that I was playing with, they finished out. I mean, and that they had gotten to the point that they had taken off shoes. Like it was just, and I was like, man, I was like, it's sleeting in my face. Like this is I I understand like just grinding through it, but it was past the point of enjoyment and like not even going to be a fun story story to talk about if we finished. Like we were basically having to like squeegee out the greens so you could have somewhere to putt, because the ice pellets were falling and just staying on the gro on the putting surface. Um, but yeah, it's that's yeah, yeah. And I I hit a uh three wood that I think is still not landed in the Pacific because it just caught the jet stream and and went.
SPEAKER_02Um just a donation.
SPEAKER_01Yes, exactly, exactly. So you mentioned uh Cam Kelly's events. We've had Cam on the show. Uh he's a he's a great friend. So was your first experience at Sweeton's Cove one of his events? I believe so.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I believe it would have been breakfast at Tiffany's. Okay. That was my first time ever going to the Cove. I had heard about the Cove, but I had never I never made a trip. So I'm pretty sure that was the first trip. And then I did make like a second trip that wasn't event related. Uh, and that's where I kind of like uh you know even further got hooked on the place. You know, we went in like February, and as you know, in you know, in Sweetens, like you could have one day where it's 40 degrees and miserable, and then the next day it's 60 and gorgeous. And we had that that second weekend. I went down and I just kind of fell in love with the place. But yeah, yeah, breakfast at Tiffany's.
SPEAKER_01It's a special place for sure. Um, it's near and dear to my heart also. Um I'm excited about all the things that are going on there. Um, what's your favorite hole at Sweetens? Favorite hole at Sweetens probably
SPEAKER_02Probably five five? Okay. That's mine too. Yeah, just because I, you know, my favorite club in my bag is is my five wood. And even from the the back tees, I feel like I can actually still get there. Like I it's my favorite because it's the one that gives you like I feel like the best like risk reward. Like you get the chance to either you're like, you can make an ace, you can make an eagle, you can make a quad. You know? Yep. Um I you know, that whole is probably my favorite, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's my yeah, that's mine too, for all the exact same reasons you just mentioned. Um, so uh yeah, I think you're the first person I've had on this show. Uh this is episode like 52, I think, um, who is from Wisconsin. And so I want to talk about Wisconsin golf. Um I've played a couple places up there um and loved it. Uh obviously more in the Leto hat uh because San Valley's just spectacular. Got to play the Leto and play the sandbox. Um and I've played, where else have I played? Um, but I I want to hear your take on Wisconsin golf, places that if someone is making a trip to Wisconsin, where they should go, your favorite places, places to avoid. I know you hit up uh Loch LaBelle with some of the boys from our 7-Eleven trip uh a few weeks ago. But sell me on Wisconsin golf. Not that I need to be sold, but I want to hear all the the ins and outs of it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I mean, the one thing with Wisconsin golf is you know, when you're up here to play it in the summer, it's tough to beat just from like a weather perspective, you know, like 70 degrees, you know, perfect sunsets, you know, it's just like it's ideal from like a weather perspective. But uh in terms of like how the quality of golf, I mean, with where I live, so I'm in New Berlin, which is about 10 minutes you know west of Milwaukee, if you're kind of familiar with Wisconsin. Um, and then I'm about an hour east of Madison, which is kind of like the other main central hub in the state. But like from where I live, within two hours, I can drive to probably 10 like top 100 courses, you know. And you know, the thing that's kind of crazy is like, yes, you can go play the whistling straits, right? So like we what's really cool is we have a lot of like the the major, you know, key courses that have either hosted like tournaments or are just like well-known golf resorts. So like whistling straits is fantastic. Um no shade towards them, but like the way I look at golf courses too, and like the experience and where I want to go play regularly, I think it's uh gets looked at the wrong way. It's not that I have any shade against whistling, it's just like I think that there are better places to take a group. So like Sand Valley for sure, you kind of hit on it. Did you freeze? Oh, there you go. I it looked like you froze again on my side. Uh I'm good. Okay, so I'll start. What what was the it was uh kind of just go through the sounds and golf again? Yeah, yeah. So like whi whistling's great, you know. If if you're adding, like if you're a bucket list guy, you have to go do it, right? It's a fun course. Um, it's just at the price point I've done it, it it's cool. Uh Sand Valley is by far to me like my favorite place to go in terms of like if I have to go with a big group of people and we're gonna spend time at a resort, like I I would choose that over a lot of you know, the the big names that you'd go play, not because like the golf is necessarily better, but the vibe, the way that you're like some for example, if you go play Bandon, it sometimes feels like you're rushing between that first round and that second round, and like you're on a mission, it's almost like a work trip. You know, it's still a blast. San Valley, I feel like it's a little bit more laid back, it's a little bit more leisure. Um, and then you know, outside of even those, you have courses like LaBelle, which you know historically has, you know, probably the most amount of history in the state of Wisconsin. You know, it held the third ever major before like the masters was even a concept. It had a complete renovation. Yeah. So like I like to tell people I'm a big, big fan of LaBelle for multiple reasons. One, you know, like the ownership group, the new ownership group, they're just fantastic human beings. Like they're great people, they're super welcoming. Um, I think they approach the golf industry the right way. Like they're not there to make a penny. They're there to, you know, create a really good golf experience and then preserve the golf history, which is why I think too, like they've made the decision to not go full private. Because if they do, like the general public's gonna get to miss out on playing a piece of like golf history and uh and seeing you know the trophies and the wall, like their clubhouse is equal parts like a clubhouse, but like a history museum. You know, they've got old clubs from you know 1800s on the wall, and like the history about you know label like super high level is it was you know, caddies that came over from Carnoustie and wanted to you know start their own golf club. And and so if you're a member at Labelle, you have reciprocal membership to Carnoustie. So that's like a really cool you know thing about the club. But um, you know, Labelle is fantastic. They just built the par three course that is a ton of fun. Then if you look at just the municipal golf, you know, we're talking like golf courses you can play for under $100. That if you were to go play it at a resort, it would be like $225. You have like Washington County, which always ranks in the top 100 for Muni courses. You have Brown Deer golf course, which is where Tiger had his first professional start. And like, although it's a county course, like I can go play that for 60 bucks with a card on the weekend. And I mean, the greens are perfect, the layout's great. Uh, and it's just across the state, like there's just a ton of really, really good golf. And you can play it for, I think the other thing too is like affordability, right? You're not having to spend 150 bucks to play like a really good round of golf. You can spend 80, 80 and have a great time with the boys. So um, I think that's what makes it so accessible too, is one, like the number of golf courses, but two, like proximity. You know, there's 50 golf courses within 20 minutes of my house.
SPEAKER_01So you obviously you love La Belle. What's your favorite? If you could only play one golf course in Wisconsin the rest of your life, which course would it be? Mammoth Dunes, without a doubt.
SPEAKER_02Mammoth Dunes, yeah. Um, and the reason is because Mammoth is a course that you can go out and try to post a number. Like, I'm you know, that's where I have my career best score. But you can also go out and just have like the most fun. Um, because all the greens are are like big punch bowls. And so like you can go out there and decide, like, I'm gonna play with a half set today and I'm gonna try to make this four-air work like 230 because I'm gonna use the hill. Like, you kind of get to bring in like the Sweetens mentality of using the slopes and using the land. Um, so I think mammoth is just so much fun to play.
SPEAKER_01And the fairways are 100 plus yards wide, so you can't really when I played Leto, my caddy said that was his favorite course to work because everybody has the best time at Mammoth Dunes. Like he said, like hands down, it's the most fun to caddy to loot for people because a lot of what you just said of massive fairways. I did not know that all the greens are basically punch bowls. Like that sounds incredible. And I've been itching to try and get back up there, just trying to find the right time. And I know you guess what? They're booked out what, two years? Or is it similar to Bandon that if you get there, you can potentially get on?
SPEAKER_02It it's not quite to Bandon level, I would say, but it's pretty close. Like uh, you know, at least for me, maybe I think about this differently because I'm a two-hour drive. So like I'm on the app where you know, if I've got a couple days in mind, I just kind of try to hit those up and then I'll get text message alerts. But in terms of wanting to, you know, if we wanted to take a group out there, yeah, we're two years out, you know. Yeah, um, which I think is also a testament to how much that place has grown, you know.
SPEAKER_01Well, and and there's something also to be said, and I was having a conversation with some guys about this recently of the accessibility to Madison, Wisconsin, which is where I is I guess that's the best place to fly into, right? To go to St. Valley. That's where I flew in when I went. Um, getting there compared to getting to Bandon Dunes, not comparable. Like Bandon is that is a trek. And you're flying all day, and then even after you fly all day, you might have a a two or maybe even a four-hour drive if you're leaving from Eugene, Oregon. And you can fly into Madison and first thing in the morning and be at San Valley by mid-afternoon and and make a loop somewhere or go play sandbox or whatever, which is sandbox is fantastic. Sandbox is so much fun. Um I I wonder if that's gonna be something that continues to make San Valley a more popular destination because of how much easier it is to get to um compared to to trying to get to Bandon.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I definitely think that plays uh a part into it. Um, I mean, the other thing too is even if you fly into Milwaukee, right? Which like flights into Milwaukee are less expensive than Madison, you say it's still only a two-hour drive. And then one of the things that I think I think the state of Wisconsin is kind of recognized is that uh a lot of people are going to be flying into Wisconsin specifically to go to San Valley, right? And so what you're starting to see is you're seeing more golf courses that are actually either spending money in terms of like upgrading and renovating, or they're building new courses kind of along that pathway there. Like example, uh, I don't know that this was necessarily the intent for LaBelle, but most golf trips now, like when people are coming to Wisconsin to go to San Valley, I hear about them stopping at Labelle because it's on the way. Then there's a new course that's supposed to be opening. Um, uh a really good buddy of mine, you know, good photographer too in the industry up here, Dylan Block, has been covering it, but there's a new private course opening that's literally on the way again called Kettle Forge. So I think like San Valley, for as being as incredible of a golf resort as it as it is, it's also doing a lot for just like the golf world in the state of Wisconsin. Like golf is booming here.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Robbie, our producer, likes to say rising tide lifts all ships, and it sounds like that's what San Valley's doing for golf in the rest of the state. Um, so you mentioned Loch Labelle did not go totally private. So are they semi-private and have some public tea times available? What's it like trying to get a tea time there?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so they have like their main core of like private membership, which I think I think is somewhere between like 50 and 100 members. And they try to reserve some of like the morning spots for the members, um, and then you know, a couple of like the middle of the day spots. It's gotten more difficult over the years to book tea times and stuff, but you know, for the most part, like if I make it a tea time out there, a lot of it I'm taking customers out too, because it's just nice to be able to have that covered. But um, yeah, it's it's not as easy as it once was, but to be fair, that could be said for a lot of the golf in the state. Um, it's something that like me and the group chat are are actually like constantly kind of complaining about is you know, since COVID, obviously golf has just boomed like crazy. And then you have you know, a course like Sand Valley, which now you're getting a lot of you know out of state tourism that's coming here, which is fantastic. But they're also playing courses, you know, like Loch Lobelle and Washington County and Lasonia, and like keep on naming the good ones, right? Like right now, if you're not on the website two weeks early at midnight, you're not getting a tea time, you like a primetime tea time. So like the good and the bad, you know, I know I'm kind of complaining about a first world problem here, not being able to get a tea time when I want. Uh but you know, that's kind of how I feel about it.
SPEAKER_01Right. Yeah, that's just the nature of it. And I'm yeah, and yeah, there's there's not gonna be more land created. And I feel like if anything, we're we're losing more golf courses than we're gaining, and then all the ones that we're gaining are the rodeo dunes of the world that are destination type places. And and that then becomes a completely different discussion of okay, that's thousands of dollars versus spending a hundred or so to go play somewhere that's local, um, because that's that turn then turns into an entire trip versus just a day outing. Um I I some of it I like and some of it I don't, um, just because of the the challenge that comes with that of trying to make that trip happen. Um and like like just we went to Landman. Uh hate you couldn't join us on that trip, but that's that's not an easy place to get to. Um it's incredible once you get there, but it's you got to fly into Omaha or Sioux Falls, and then it's two hours from there, and you've only got AT time. It's not a place, it's kind of a play all day place like Sweeton's Cove is. Um, so that's uh that's a big sacrifice, but totally worth it. I'm again not complaining at all about getting to these places, but it's just it's a heavy lift. Um, so you and I chat often about smoked meat. Go ahead.
SPEAKER_02Did you lose me again? Oh, yeah. No, I just it it froze and I was gonna add now. I got you back.
SPEAKER_01Go for it. What were you gonna add?
SPEAKER_02I forgot now. Never mind. Okay. We're talking smoked meats. Yeah, I don't remember.
SPEAKER_01Uh what's your setup with your smoker right now?
SPEAKER_02So uh in all in full transparency, I would still say I'm in like the late novice phase, you know, um kind of moving into we'll call it the enthusiast phase. So right now my setup is a pretty simple one. I've got a Z grill, like pellet, you know, pellet grill, uh, pellet smoker. Got it as a Father's Day gift, I think, two years ago. And I've just I'm in like the experimentation phase where I have uh you know five or six things that I really like to make. And so now what I've kind of done is I I don't I'm I've learned that I'm not a big fan of the the long like nine to twelve hour smokes and longer, uh, mainly because I just don't have the patience for it. Um also I just I like doing some of these other smokes because one, it keeps my attention a little bit better, and two, it's more repeatable. So, like for me, uh I'm I think I might have sent you my recipe for uh burnt ends, like pork belly burnt ends. So right now I'm just in like the refinement phase of that. So I've made it probably you know half a dozen different times, but I've just kind of changed up a little bit about what I do in it. Uh and so that's what I'm doing. I'm doing that with that, with meatballs, with um, you know, smoking chicken, smoking wings, turkey, things like that. Like I did our our Thanksgiving turkey last year. It was all right, like wasn't my favorite thing in the world, but um it's honestly just an excuse for me to be able to hang out in the garage and drink beer all day, uh, if I'm being brutally honest, you know. Um, but I I do like it, you know, and like smoking, smoking meats for four to six hours and just having beer is is a pretty good way to spend the weekend.
SPEAKER_01So meatballs, huh? Just like, yeah, are they going directly on the rack? Are they going in a pan? How are you doing the meatballs?
SPEAKER_02I do them directly on the rack. So uh normally what I'll do is I got the black stone next to that, you know, next to the smoker. So I'll get like some really good bacon and I'll cook the bacon up first. And then what I'll do is I'll break the bacon up into a bunch of little pieces and I'll mix that in with the meat that I'm gonna make the meatball with. And then if I'm feeling crazy, I'll take, you know, like string cheese, cut a little cube of string cheese, shove that in the middle, or just mix straight up cheese within it. And then yeah, I put that on the rack 90 minutes. I think I do it at like 225. And, you know, depending on kind of what flavor I'm looking for, like if I want it to, you know, break apart a little bit more, I maybe don't baste it as much when it's sitting in there. Um, but meatballs is just another one that's like it's easy because it's you know 90 minutes, you know, start to finish, and then you throw it in the crock pot for like football games and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_01It's crowd pleaser. Yeah. So do you ever finish, do you finish them at all, or do you just let the smoke handle the finishing? You don't see them at all, do you?
SPEAKER_02No, I don't no, I don't sear them. I won't throw them into a pan or anything like that. If anything, what I'll do is like the last 10 minutes, I'll maybe throw like whatever barbecue sauce they're gonna be sitting in. I'll glaze them and then I'll crank the smoker up to like 300 or 325 just to like really kind of get that little caramelization and crisp on the outside, and then I pull them, but I don't put them in a pan or anything like that, no.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I need to try that because my wife would tear that up, and and I think I would enjoy them too. Like, because that could go with just about anything. Uh I've been on a brisket kick lately. I have loved, and I know this is kind of outside the window of the time frame you were talking about, but uh when I first did brisket, I was terrified of it. And and and justifiably so, my father, I the first time I ever cooked a brisket was for our Christmas dinner. And my dad told me he was like, hey, he was like, yeah, he was like, if you screw it up, don't worry, I have steaks in the f in the fridge. So he had no faith in my ability to cook this brisket. Um, but I was so over the top and and just obsessed over every little detail and and temping it like crazy that it turned out great. And I've since the the stress level in cooking a brisket now has diminished in incredibly. Like I now I'm like, okay, let's do a brisket. Umce you hit a certain temp, wrap that thing and throw it back on there, and god, like it is so good. Um, have you thrown bacon straight on your smoker yet? No, surprisingly, I haven't.
SPEAKER_02Is that it should be?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Okay. So I will I'll throw it straight on the rack on the my Traeger and won't even think about it. Like I just and the beauty of that is, you know, we all know bacon is a giant pain typically to clean up just because of the grease and the splatter and everything that happens if you're trying to fry it inside. So throw it right on the rack and turn the smoker to 300 and it's outstanding. And easy cleanup. I mean, it takes a little longer than frying it, but like I'll if I'm the first person to wake up on a Saturday morning, I'll throw it on the rack. And then by the time my girls get up, I can cook some eggs and I'm pulling the bacon off. So highly recommend throwing the bacon right on the rack.
SPEAKER_02I'm down. I'm gonna I'm gonna give that a try. Yeah. Like, are you grabbing uh like thicker cut bacon though? Right? Like you're grabbing the nice stuff. Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, get like the hormel thick cut or whatever, or the center cut. Um and yeah, again, just straight on the rack. Um, and because of that deflector, I'm not worried about a fire, but yeah, it's been I don't know that I will cook bacon another way.
SPEAKER_02Huh. I'll have to give that a try. I, you know, we as soon as we got the blackstone a couple years ago, we decided like we're not cooking bacon in the house anymore. This you know stinks up the house. Um, but we just make everything. So even if like the wife's just making something where she just needs bacon, it's like, hey, go make this for me on the blackstone. Because also, too, she's like uh I like it real crispy kind of a girl. So like I you can kind of burn the crap out of it if you want on a black stone, right? And then pull it off and she's happy. So yeah, I mean, I for the most part, we're either cooking on the blackstone or on the smoker, you know.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So that's that's what I thought I was getting for my birthday. Um, but my wife listens to this podcast uh religiously and she totally threw me off. She she got me a mini driver, um, which that's something I yeah, yeah. Um, so she got me the titles GTS, uh, along with a fitting. So I'm uh at some point in the next week or so, I gotta go to Pebblehurst here in Birmingham and go get fit uh for the mini driver because I I was convinced she had been dropping hints that like a blackstone this, blackstone that. I was like, okay, well, I know what I'm getting for my birthday, and I could not have been more surprised. Um, so I'm pumped about the mini driver. Do you keep one in your bag? Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I do well, I don't have an official mini driver in the bag, but I joke that like my five wood is my mini driver. Yeah. Um no, I I've I've actually hit a couple mini drivers in the past, but just not, you know, kind of not for me. Is this something that you've wanted for a while? Like, have you had a mini driver before?
SPEAKER_01Or is this like not had one? No, and what it the reason it kind of came to be was I will ask, and I might even ask you this question, like, what's your favorite club in the bag? And I know you've already said the five wood, but like there was a string of about probably 12 episodes where every single answer was mini driver. What's your favorite club in the bag? Mini driver. What's your favorite club in the bag? And so it kind of became a running joke in my house, and yeah, now I've got one. It's actually sitting right here beside me, and it's beautiful. Like it's it's really, really pretty.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. My so like my I'd say this my favorite club in the bag is actually the putter. But the club that I've like kind of fallen in love with that's become like baby number two, you know, has been the Five Wood. Um and it was it was the first club that I've ever built. So that's kind of why I think I really like it too, is I'm a little you know biased towards it. Uh I didn't do anything crazy with it. So it's a it's a ping 425 max. Uh I've got it turned down a degree uh flat, and it used to just have that ping tour shaft in it, you know, X, I think it was 65, 70 grams. And I had this Ventus Blue 7X that I used to have in, I don't even remember, some other head. And it'd just been sitting in the garage forever. And I was like, I bet I could build a club or whatnot, you know. So I, you know, looked up what do you need to build a club and I ordered it, and it was all, you know, I knew the shaft was already pured. So I was like, okay, we just want to make sure that we put the pured side down on where we're gonna have the fitment because it's not like the Callaway adapters where you can kind of you know move the bottom, you know, you gotta have it set up. So I built that, put it in the bag, and it was just like the club that I had already, you know, kind of come to love. And you know, you know, this as a golf guy. I feel like finding a good wood that like sticks around for a while is really hard to find, you know. Like I've never had a three-wood or five wood that I was ever like, yep, that stays in the bag. But this and the putter will take years, I think, to like work their way out of the bag for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So have you built anything else, or is that the only club you've built?
SPEAKER_02No, I've since I've built some other things. Um, I've built uh all three of my wedges. Uh built a couple different putters, built a couple different drivers. Yeah. I mean, uh most of the time though, now if I'm building, it's because like the anger monkey got the best of me and we maybe like broke something, you know, like that was the most recent one. Uh yeah, yeah. But it it's fun, you know. Um, although I did learn something when I built the clubs. So I used BBNF Coferos this last time, but I ordered the shorties. Okay. And when you take like the custom ferrels off of like normal wedges, they're longer. So I basically made the line on where I needed to sand, and I'm trying to get this like mini ferrule all the way up, and I cannot get this thing up. So I'm like grinding down the end of these ferrels, right? Put the head on, finally get it on. I realize that there's kind of this little like lip around the outside of the shaft. And I'm like, you ordered the short ferrels so that I had to order another set and redo it again. But you know, part of the joy of learning.
SPEAKER_01Um, so uh you play left-handed, and you said earlier that you learned or picked up golf or started playing golf because of your wife's family. Are you naturally left-handed or was that something just how did how did that come to be?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, oh, that's another funny story. So I I only play sports left-handed. So I even like I write right-handed, eat right-handed. Um, this is gonna be kind of dumb, but you know how you can like juggle a golf ball or pick your golf ball up with your putter or a wedge? Yeah. That that left-handed club is still in my right hand. So it's super like messed up. Um, it's just it's a weird, I can't explain it. Um, but yeah, when I got into golf, uh, the first couple times I played, I actually played with right-handed clubs because I didn't know that my father-in-law was like into it. So I played with righty clubs, and then my father-in-law was like, Well, I'm a lefty, you can borrow mine. And he still tells this story, he just told it on the 4th of July, you know, 16 years later. So he lets me take out his clubs to the driving range. And he bought this brand new at the time. It was like the new King Cobra driver. And I like, I know nothing. Take it to the range, boom, head flies off. Like, but the range was like a hill, too. So I just put the shaft back in the bag and figure, like, chalk one up, you know. That's what it is. So grab next club in the bag. I think it was like a three-wood or a five-wood. That head a couple hits later goes off in the bag, right? Uh, or goes down the hill. So I just put the shaft back in the bag. And I when I'm telling you, like, I'm like two months into golf Josh, right? So I just thought like those are done, right? Like he's got the other ones at home. He'll just pop those bad boys on and we'll be good. So I just left the bag in the garage, didn't say anything to my father-in-law. And then I don't know, like two days later after this, I just get like the angriest phone call in the world from him. And so he still tells a story about how I broke his new driver and you know, broke his three wood or his five wood, and then just didn't say anything. Just put it back in his garage. And I was like, Oh, I I didn't know.
SPEAKER_01What happened for that to happen, though? For both those clubheads to come off.
SPEAKER_02Oh, just probably hitting a good six inches behind the ball, maybe. I don't know. Like, I just was bad, dude. I was bad. Like back then, I was like a 30 plus handicap at least. Like, like I like I had just played golf right-handed the week before, and then this guy's like, I've got left-handed clubs. So this is like literally my first time swinging left-handed golf clubs at the driving range, unsupervised, which might have been the problem, you know. Uh, meanwhile, like I'm not engaged to his daughter yet. Like, I'm still trying to date his daughter. So the fact that like he let me stick around after I broke his brand new driver, you know, a testament to how good of a guy he is, you know.
SPEAKER_01That's amazing that you the clubhead went flying and you're just like, eh.
SPEAKER_02You chalk it up, it's gone. Oh boy. Right. Then it's like a flower, it'll just grow back. You just get another one, you know. Uh yeah. But I did I did do good by him though. Years later, I ended up like getting another driver that I won in like a scramble. So it was like a brand new, like a tailor-made burner, and I didn't need it. So like I gifted him a brand new driver and like made right on it. So it's not like I just hosed them and left them short, you know, two clubs.
SPEAKER_01I was about to ask what the what what the resolution was of you leaving two of his club heads just on the driving range. Yeah, he wasn't happy. Y'all y'all play together often or no?
SPEAKER_02No, not anymore, unfortunately. He's uh uh back in the day he used to play a ton. Um, I think just you know, age, like he's you know, early 70s now. Um, you know, he was a firefighter for 32 years, too. So like that takes a toll on your body. Yeah. Um, he'd like to play, but I, you know, it's just like you get to that age if your back is doing, you know, bad back stuff. It just does. So we'd love to get him out, but he just he can't anymore. Uh, I do still get to play with my wife's uh, you know, uncle, we call you know, uncle Jeff to me, but he's the guy that got me into golf, um, you know, I don't know, 16 years ago. And I'm actually gonna surprise him. I'm taking him to Loch Labelle, so he doesn't even know this yet, but I'm gonna take him to Loch Labelle for like a whole day on me. Like he doesn't have to, you know, worry about anything because when we used to play LaBelle, so not a lot of people know this too, but that course had a complete facelift maybe three or four years ago, five years ago. And back in the day, you used to be able to play LaBelle for $25 on the weekend. Whoa, right? And I used to turn those rounds down back then, and it wasn't because you know we could afford to, it was just like the course was not very good back then. You know, since the new ownership group came in and like completely renovated it, only two holes from the original layout still remain. You know, the whole like starting first four holes that didn't even exist before. So it'll just be cool to get him out there to get to see it. And like I kind of want to do it as like uh, hey, thanks for getting me into like this really cool game. Like, yeah, you know, I hope you enjoy this, you know, because he's a history guy too when it comes to golf.
SPEAKER_01So um, we're gonna be doing that towards the end of this month, actually. I think it's really cool that you were introduced to the game because of your girlfriend at the time and how much your love has evolved over time. Like, it's that's so interesting to me. Like you didn't grow up playing golf, you had the girlfriend and got into it because of Uncle Jeff. Um it is Uncle Jeff, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got into it because of Uncle Jeff, and now it's a huge part of your life.
SPEAKER_02It it really is. And it's like the the things that I owe golf, you know, are are pretty countless. I mean, you know, one, like my my job, for example, you know, like I I got my job through a relationship I made, you know, through golf when I was in like a different industry, right? Like, you know, I was able to take golf in a camera and get to go play courses that like if you'd have told me, you know, when I first started, like you're gonna get to go play these, I would have told you there's like never a chance in my life, you know. Um, but it all kind of just started from like, you know, I'm 21 years old and I'm hanging a while out with my wife and like all of her cousins and uncles, and you know, maybe a little bit of that masculine ego where they're talking about going to play golf. And they make, I think my uncle Jeff made the one comment where he says, you know, you're pretty athletic. I'm sure you could pick it up, you know. And I went out and played with the right-handed clubs, and I was like, This is so hard. Like, and then it kind of I became fixated on that too, like the competitive side of it, like just let me grind, let me get better. And you know, I think like a lot of people, I've I've gone through like the different waves in golf of like, I really care about getting better, I want to get my handicap really low. And then I kind of turned into the I really want to enjoy being present and like playing with my buddies, and then I then the content phase came into my life, and then I think you know, now where I'm at in at least like the last two years, right? Like I've had the career change, I've had you know kids that are getting older. Um, I think my relationship with golf has changed a little bit too. Cause like one of the things that not a lot of people talk about is like when you're the content guy with a camera, even if you're going out with your buddies, you're still like looking for a photo or you're you know, try to capture something. And at sometimes it's at the expense of actually like being present, right? And just enjoying the time with your friends. And so, like my friends had vocalized that to me. And so for me, I was like, all right, well, when I'm playing with you guys, like let's just play golf, you know? Yeah. And I think I like maybe the last two years, it you know, throw maybe a little bit of laziness in there too. Like it's a lot of work to edit videos and photos and stuff like that, right? But I've just found the love and like getting together with your good friends, and you know, you have a good match going, you know, maybe it's for five, ten bucks, but like just something to look forward to is now kind of the way I look at golf is like that's my decompression, that's my you know, therapy time with the boys to go play a little bit of golf and kind of get away from the world. And I'm sure the camera's gonna come back into like my life at some point. Like, I know it will this Sunday. I'm gonna go shoot some stuff down at a place that actually just used to be a private course and they just announced public tea time. So I'm like, let's go give it a try. But yeah, like my relationship with golf is kind of crazy. You know, it's like been 16 years of I never thought that this would be where we're at. I mean, I'm on a podcast with you and we're you know 1200 miles apart talking about something that brought us together in golf. So I mean, right, yeah, it's uh golf for me has been like the second life, you know, it's it's the second identity.
SPEAKER_01So I love that you said that you owe so much to golf. And and I I feel the same way. Um, like if not for golf, like you just said, I wouldn't be here talking to you, I wouldn't even know you, right? Like that's yeah, that's sounded wild to think about. Um, I was actually looking at a picture of Derek Langson. Uh he took his camera to Landman and snapped a ton of pictures, and he got a picture of about 15 of us, 14 of us, and I was telling Mattadamp's get sweet and so I was like, man, I was like, I know all these people because of you in this place. Um, and that's pretty cool. Like, I have relationships with people that otherwise wouldn't exist if not for golf. And yeah, I don't know how to repay golf. I don't know how you repay a sport for relationships and memories um and experiences, but I wish I could. Like it's it's so special. Um, and I try and cherish it as much as I can. And I can attest to kind of what you were talking about about putting the camera down and trying to be present because it's it can be overwhelming of trying to capture shots or trying to get video of things or throwing the drone up. Um it it can definitely take away from just the golf itself. So I'm I'm glad you touched on that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it and it, you know, it kind of came from I would go play all these, you know, really, really cool courses with people. And, you know, afterwards, like not that it's important, but like, you know, my number that was on like my scorecard and like how I played the course wouldn't be wouldn't be there. I wouldn't have that memory, right? And so it would kind of suck because it would be like, all right, I I kind of wish I put the camera down and just like enjoyed playing it. But at the same time, too, like some of my best memories come from the camera. So, you know, that's the cool thing is like I can make the decision on when it comes out and you know, when it stays in the cart. And, you know, at least for the last you know, 18 months, 24 months, I've kind of been really content with just like putting in a cart. Like, I'm gonna enjoy just let's listen to music, have a beer, and play some good golf. Like that's kind of where I'm at. Um, but then I see other people's content and I'm like, that's pretty cool. I could do that again. Like, that would be sweet to do, you know. Um, but you know, time versus effort, you know, kind of a thing too.
SPEAKER_01Um I got a couple quick questions for you, and then we'll get you out of here. I very much appreciate you taking time and glad we were finally able to have this discussion. Um if you could put together a dream foresome, who would be in your dream foresome? Dead or alive.
SPEAKER_02My dream, dream foresome, dead or alive. Okay. Um first one would be Kobe Bryant. I'm a huge Kobe Bryant fan. Always have been. Like our family dog was named Kobe. Um you know, just yeah, Kobe Bryant for sure. Um did he play golf? No, no, but I just think he'd be cool when I'd be around. Yeah, yeah, there were no rules, you know. Uh Kobe Bryant, bring him in there. Um I think I'd really like to play with Scotty Scheffler. Um as much as, but also I'd love to just like talk to that guy. He just seems like such an incredible human being. Um then I would say probably my my buddy Brian is a buddy that I've been playing with, you know, kind of since I started getting into golf. He's a fellow lefty too. You got to meet him last year when I brought him down for member guests. Um he's just like a great salt of the earth guy. It doesn't matter if he's played well or he's played terrible. Like he's just a good guy to be around. So like it's just I love Brian, he's a good dude. Uh and then the last one, I I don't know, like that's a kind of a weird one. I guess I've not really thought of this. I get throw tiger in there, I guess, because it's like who wouldn't want to see Tiger? Um, I'm also like not one of those people that's like the biggest like tiger lover of all time, but I think it's because like when I came into golf, he was kind of going through all his stuff and like he wasn't on the I wasn't into golf during like the dominance of Tiger. So like I never I see all the clips, but I never like resonate. Um so yeah, I yeah, I'd say like Kobe, Scotty, Brian, and then myself, right? Yeah, so that would be four actually. Yeah, we don't have to throw Tiger in there.
SPEAKER_01Well yeah, if you if you started if you started playing 16 years ago, that would have been 2010, and that's when it started going off the rails for him.
SPEAKER_02Correct, yeah. Like tw 2009, I think, is when he had his like car accident thing. Yeah. Um yeah, but you know, like the the reason I'd want those guys from the group is like, you know, Brian is a great dude. Kobe, yeah, he was like in my childhood idol as like an athlete, just like his uh his mentality, the way that he went and approached work. Uh and then like Scotty, I just I resonate with him. I think he's a fantastic human being, you know. Um like I I'm a fellow Christian, so to hear him like kind of talk openly and use his platform to do so. Uh like I love that we finally have you know people that aren't afraid to do that. Um so like that's why I love that guy too, right? Also, he's you what is he like a plus 11 or something like that? Like that'd be fun to watch, you know. Right. So what about you? Who's your dream for some?
SPEAKER_01Oh, uh so I would love to I would love to have Tiger. Um Tiger would be a lot of fun just to, and I don't even know if I've I've gone back and forth on this. If I would want to play with Tiger or just walk with him while he played, um, I think that would be fascinating. Um I think I would like to play with Eric Church. I feel like he would be a fun hang. Um and just kind of a cool guy to be. He would be the vibes guy. Like he'd be the one to kind of he'd pick the playlist, he'd kind of kind of go from there. Um, I don't who would be my other one? God, that's tough.
SPEAKER_02When you're on the spot like that, you your mind starts to race. You're like, I don't want to use up a good spot.
SPEAKER_01Well, so and that's one that just kind of like like Mike Kaiser, maybe? Like, would he be a fun guy to have? Just and I know we've talked a lot about Sand Valley and Bain of Dunes on this this episode, but like I don't know if he'd be fun or not, but I'm sure he could tell stories for days. I mean, then you got guys like you could throw John Daly in there because who knows what he's gonna bring to the table. Um, but I was just trying to think through like what what is the ultimate like golf guy and then a good hang and then also the the goat in my mind of golf and tiger. Um it could be fun.
SPEAKER_02Um yeah, it's tough to think about. Yeah. Maybe maybe maybe I'd throw maybe I'd swap one of mine out, actually. I'm uh I'm gonna swap Kobe out just so that I can keep it like with golfers. I'll put Freddie couples in my group. I think Freddie Couples might have some good stories. He definitely's so smooth too. Yeah, right, right. So that made a little change, a little revision.
SPEAKER_01I I'm curious to hear your answer to this question. I've never asked this question before on this show. Uh, do you think you should get relief from a divot in the fairway? 100%. 100%.
SPEAKER_02Uh and I have a super easy reason why. Is you golf is the one sport where you're not really like you're playing the same conditions as everybody, right? But like the wind changes and all that. At the very least, if I hit it in the fair way, right, I should be given the same opportunity to play my ball from the fair way as everybody else, right? Like you're not uh like I don't think it's a it's you're you're not creating an advantage for anybody, right? You're taking somebody that's being penalized and being put in a disadvantage, and you're just making that particular scenario even. Uh and the other reason why I think that that should be allowed now too more than ever is you can fix like spike marks and ball marks on the green if they're in your line. So why can't you do it with what you would do on your second shot? Um yeah, I agree 100%. Yeah, yeah. Um I do have a hot take though on uh a golf thing. Um I think that most people when you're playing competitive matches, they they don't do the handicap properly. My example is uh let's say that I'm a six and you are a seven, right? Okay. I think instead of me just having to give you one stroke, right? I think what you do is you apply the pops equally because why should I be at a disadvantage on the hardest of the holes versus having the disadvantage be on one that I should typically play well to begin with, right? That's just my opinion, right? I feel like a lot of guys, when you play in your groups, this is more like when you play among buddies, right? They'll play off of whoever the low guy is, whether he's four, five, six, they'll make him scratch, and then they do the math the other way. I think that's the wrong way to do it, especially if you're playing money games, because now you've made the course that I have to play harder against you. Could be a wrong take, but I'm uh yeah.
SPEAKER_01So instead of me getting the pop on the hardest hole, I would get the pop on the seventh hardest hole. Yes. If I'm a six and you're a seven, okay.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, that makes complete sense. Because the the seventh hardest, you know, or excuse me, the first hardest hole for you is still the first hardest hole for me. Right. And so like the difference should be that, okay, on one of the easier holes, in my opinion, that should be where the the difference or the stroke is given. You know? Yeah. Um that's just my take, right? Like could be right, could be wrong.
SPEAKER_01I love that. I don't uh I don't know why we don't do that more often. It it makes complete sense to me. Right.
SPEAKER_02Because the the the tendency is like if you play with a decent group of guys that are singles, right? You'll go off of low man and he's scratch, and then you just do deductions off of everybody else. Right. Well, what what you're really doing is you're making it harder for the low man to actually like play well, and you're kind of giving the advantage to the to the other folks who you know aren't quite as good. That's just kind of my opinion, you know. We we do that in my group, like I've started doing that the last couple of years, and I feel like the matches are a bit more competitive.
SPEAKER_01Okay. I'm gonna adopt that moving forward. I'm sure uh Cigardon, Ryan Hardenbrook, will have something to say about that. Um I'm sure he will he will definitely have an opinion. Um Keith, man, this has been this has been fun to chat. I'm glad we finally got this on the calendar, and uh, I love keeping up with you from afar. Um, you're on my mind a lot. Um, and so thanks for coming on the show. Uh and I love that hot take about the handicap. That is, yeah, we're putting that moving forward. That's what we're doing. We're we're not gonna play, yeah. It makes complete sense. Um applies relief properly. Yes, and relief out of a divot in a fair way.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. No, I appreciate you having me, man. Uh sorry it took a little bit for us to get together, but I'm glad we were able to do it. I get to see you now. I'll get to see you for sure in October. I'm coming down, so I'll be there. Um no, this this has been great. Thanks for asking me questions, spending time with me today. I hopefully I did not disappoint.
SPEAKER_01It was fantastic. It was fantastic. Uh well for Keith Lally, I'm Josh Decker, and this has been another episode of Off the Deck.
