Latest / Johnny's World / Episode 29-DJ Gregory

Transcript

Episode 29-DJ Gregory · Johnny's World

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Coming to you live from the Johnny Packer Eyewear Studio in fabulous Dark Vegas, Mrs.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_01: Tippy, please welcome our co-host, the best iDoc this side of the Mississippi, BW.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_01: And now, welcome a true hero, a CF Warrior whose favorite motto in life is just keep living.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: All right, welcome to a new episode of the Johnny's World Podcast.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Johnny, here with my co-host, BW.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: What's going on today, BW?
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_03: Man, doing great.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_03: Doing great.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_03: Um, pretty excited about today's episode.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: We've got a a great guest here, and um reminds me, uh, before we we get going here, I need to I need to tell a story about you, Johnny, before uh before it goes.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um but uh but first thing I'll update everybody on the glasses and then um tell this quick story and then we'll introduce our guests.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_03: But uh but yeah, everything's going great with the glasses.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_03: We've got them uh in my shop here in Carrieville, Carrieville Vision Center in Carrieville, Tennessee.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_03: And then we've got um Mississippi I were in Starkville.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_03: I just saw Coach Leach was in there the other day.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_03: Maybe he got himself a pair of the Johnny Packers, but um it's getting close to Christmas time now, you know, so we may have something running for Black Friday or something like that to see see if we can uh promote a sale or something.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_03: So we'll keep you on the loop about that.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_03: But um, but anyway, so you know today's show is is golf themed, and um so I wanted to tell a little story.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_03: I I was at home last weekend and uh we're from from Madison, and uh our guests probably never heard never heard of this course.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_03: It's called North Bay Country Club, uh little nine-hole golf course.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_03: And uh we grew I used to live on it, and we used to go out there and play in the afternoons and everything, and uh and Johnny used to come play with us sometimes.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_03: And uh Johnny, Johnny's good at a lot of things, but golf is probably not one of those things that he's good at.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_03: And and I think it was a a tournament maybe that this happened in.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_03: We're on number two, it's a little par three, 115 yards.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, but the T is right there on a lake, and the lake is like right in front of this T.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_03: And um, you know, Johnny pulls up, I think he gets the six iron out of the bag and uh rares back to take his shot.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_03: And uh the the ball, the ball I hear a contact with the ball, but the ball doesn't go anywhere.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_03: But then you see this really loud splash, and Johnny's six iron is in the lake.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_03: And um, so after that, I think I think Johnny withdrew from the tournament and uh was pretty upset.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_03: I think that was one of the last times we ever played golf together.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_03: And uh, and you were telling me the other day y'all went and looked for it, but did you ever find it?
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, oh my gosh.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: So this was in the uh I think it was called the Jigga Golf Tournament, Junior Jackson Junior Golf Association.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it was that, and they held it at North Bay.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: I think that was my first and probably only tournament to ever play in.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: I I mean, I wasn't that great, I was just starting to uh pick it up.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: And uh and I played with you and some of our friends out there, and I was like, well, since this is the course that I've been playing at and they're having a tournament here, I might as well give it a shot.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I can vividly remember that.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh on that second T box, teeing off, and my hands were slippery.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: My hands were slippery that day for some reason.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: I it was hot in summertime, must have sweat on my hands.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: And you're right, I had made contact with the ball.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: I remember making contact, but when I did, that golf club just flew out of my hands and splashed right in the water.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, it's kind of embarrassing.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody laughed, you know, and I was like, oh my gosh.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, we drew, we drew.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: I think I finished last.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna finish last anyway.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, my thing about golf, I like golf.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: I love golf, love just really going out, hanging out with friends, playing golf.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: If it's competitive golf, keep me out because I'm gonna bring you down.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: But if we're out there just getting the ball around, I'm gonna have a blast, we're gonna tell stories and have a good time.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: But that was competitive golf that day, and my one and only time in competitive golf, it was not a good thing.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe if I stuck with it and practiced and kept up with it, I could have could have hung with you guys on the on the on the golf team or something, but I just uh just didn't do it competitively.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, we went out there, it was a six iron, and uh I was telling my my granddad's the one that bought me those golf clubs, and my granddad and my dad played a lot, and and I would go play with them at Live Oaks, and that's where they played.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: And and uh so my granddad was like, Well, I bought you those those clubs.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Let's go.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna go try to find it.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, Can you think you can get it out of the lake?
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: He was like, I'll get it out, I'll get out.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, You sure about that?
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: So one Sunday afternoon, me, my granddad, and my dad went up to uh North Bay Country Club.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: We walked in the clubhouse, and the guy behind there was like, Are y'all here to play?
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, he was like, Nope, I'm here to uh retrieve my grandson's club in the lake in the second T box.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, What?
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I hit it.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: My club is in the bottom of that lake.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: So so we go down there and uh and you know, my dad he has uh he had Parkinson's disease, so he he couldn't get in the lake.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: But at that time, I mean he was still getting around and stuff.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: So we I was standing with my dad on the tea box there, watching my granddad go in, and we we both looked down and took a deep breath, went underwater.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like we both looked at my dad, we looked at each other like, is he gonna come up?
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: What's going on?
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: He went under.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: It went under for like a few seconds.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, oh my god, am I gonna have to go in after him?
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: And then here he comes up.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, Did you get it?
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: You get it?
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: He was like, No, it was too dark down there, too dark.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know what's down there.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'm getting the hell out of here.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, okay, so uh so the next day we went to Edwin Watts and got he got me a new six tires, and uh I actually still have those same golf clubs today.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Can you believe that?
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: Over 20 years, 25 years probably, still have those same golf clubs, but that golf club is probably still in the bottom of the lake at North Bay Country Club, I would think.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Nice, nice.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: If they ever drain that lake out, you let me know if they ever drained that lake out.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: I will.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's hilarious.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_03: Well, Johnny, you want to introduce our guest?
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Today we have a great show lined up.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, like I said, his golf team that a great friend of mine um that is just an inspiration to many, many people.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so excited to have him on.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we tried to get him on a couple weeks ago, but he was in a different time zone.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: He was in Las Vegas, he follows the PGA tour uh around um at every week.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: So he's he's a part of the PJ Tour and just all around great guy, got a great story to tell, and so excited to have him on.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: So, DJ Gregory, welcome to Johnny's World.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for being a part of the show today.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for having me on.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate it.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, DJ, uh, I guess just give us an update on on you uh as far as your background and what where what got you into following golf, all that stuff.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: People that you know, I know you've done this before all the time uh speaking.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: So just give our listeners a little bit of background or your story.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, um, you know, I I I'm a sports lover, I love all sports.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but uh golf's my favorite because I can play it, although I don't play it very well.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um I've played golf since I was nine years old.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_02: I have a self-taught golf swing, I play one-handed, um, although I'm not very good.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: Although, even though I'm not very good, I probably could still beat you.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, probably so so I'm okay with that.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um but um yeah, and I went I went to my first PGA tour event when I was 12 years old, and you know, just fell in love with it from the start, and you know, and now um, you know, in 2008, I um I wanted to accomplish a personal challenge uh of going to every PGA tour event and um walking every hole of every round and also uh kind of getting to know the players on a more personal level, other than their scorecards and their stats.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um so in 2008, um I went to every tournament and the PGA tour assigned a different player for me to follow each week.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I would do a personal interview with each player um before the tournament started.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and usually the the interview questions were um not much to do about golf, but more about um, you know, getting to know the players on a more personal level and you know, kind of what their you know superstitions are, what they like to do off the golf course, um, all kinds of stuff like that.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: And um, and then I'd walk the course with them for the four days.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um and then um at the end of 2008, my goal was to write a book uh about my experience, my experience with the players, um, what I had to do to accomplish the challenge of walking every hole of every event, and also um hopefully people that read my book would be able to see some sort of inspiration and motivation in their own life.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um so um along with a ghostwriter Steve Eubanks, um uh we wrote a book.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's called Walking with Friends and Inspiration Right on the PGA tour.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um the book came out in May of 2009, and because I had such positive reaction from players and fans and uh different media opportunities I had, including uh being featured on ESPN E60, um uh I decided um to start the Walking for Kids Foundation.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so in 2010, the Walking for Kids Foundation started, and um each week I follow a different player and I walk the course and support them and they make a donation to the foundation.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: And the Walking for Kids Foundation uh gives the money to different organizations that help kids with special needs.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_03: That's really cool.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I saw your special on ESPN and um with uh cerebral palsy, no, you were saying that uh that your toes would get so many um was blisters on them, you know, at the end of the day, you're having to wear these band-aids and and all that kind of stuff, and and you know, it mostly kind of centered on that that one full year that you did it, and so but you're still doing it.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_03: So um how have you kind of like modified that?
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_03: Are you still kind of dealing with the struggles with with getting the blisters every day?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_03: And you know, have you figured out a way to be more comfortable out there?
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_02: No, um, actually, I I haven't worn any band-aids um on my toes ever since that first year.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I I mean and it's just um I guess you know, you when you obviously when you wear a pair of shoes, you kind of break them in and um they're really comfortable.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: And and so I've been really good about that.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_02: The shoes I wear um are great, super comfortable.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_02: Uh they're Puma shoes.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: Uh yes, that might be a selfless plug, but I'm okay with that.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but um yeah, so I haven't actually had to wear um band-aids um since that first year, but yeah.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_03: And then you also mentioned um that the the course there in in Hawaii was one of the toughest ones to walk on.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I've I've never been to Augusta, but I've always heard it's real hilly and everything.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_03: Is is that one of tricky one to walk on too?
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: Well, you know, that's interesting you say that because a lot of times they don't you won't see um outside the ropes of Augusta because they don't tend to show outside the ropes very much at the masters.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_02: But yes, uh Augusta National is a surprisingly hilly golf course, um, or more hilly golf course to walk than people would think.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, probably in my in my opinion, the four the four toughest holes at Augusta to walk are one, nine, ten, and eighteen.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because one is uphill, nine is a little uphill, ten is straight downhill, and eighteen is right back uphill.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, it's it is a sneaky hilly golf course to walk for sure.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_02: But nothing compares to the plantation course at Capolua.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_02: That is by far the hardest course on tour to walk, and there's nothing even remotely close to it.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: But good news is you get it, you get it out of the way the first week of the year, so it's not it's not bad.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_03: Do you have a favorite course that you go to every year that you'd really look forward to going to?
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um my favorite walk is probably Pebble Beach.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it's not necessarily for the golf course.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, the other golf course is good, um, but it's the views around the golf course, even on a cloudy, rainy day.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, the views of the Pacific Ocean, the views of the rocks, you know, just the vistas around my golf course are pretty amazing.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: So I that's probably my favorite walk of the year is walking at Toble Beach.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that's definitely one of my bucket lists.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_03: And and I saw that you know Jim Nance as well.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_03: So I think doesn't he have a place out there?
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_03: Has he let you hid in his backyard?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I I know Jim very well.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I've known Jim for um let's see, I met Jim when I was 12 years old.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I'm 43 now, so I've I've known Jim for 29 years.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Jim actually wrote the foreword to my book.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but uh I've actually never been to his house, but I know where it is.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: It's just off the 14th fairway on the right side.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_02: Uh um, it's it's a very nice house.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but um yeah, it's it's a pretty special place.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: Well, DJ, uh the way I got to know you is through our dear friend Tom Sykes.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: Tell us a little bit about y'all's friendship.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know if I know that story, how y'all y'all became friends?
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_02: And all that it's actually one of the funniest stories.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I met Tom through Sean Kovich, uh, who is now the head golf coach at uh West Virginia University.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_02: Uh when Sean was the golf coach at uh Meridian Community College, um he asked me to come speak at their home event um in Meridian.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I did.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: And he um and I flew into Jackson and and Sean sent uh Tom to come pick me up at the airport in Jackson.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_02: And that's uh that's ironically how we met.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_02: We've never met before then, we just met randomly at the airport.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_02: And the funny thing is, is I'm walking through to go to um to go to baggage claim, and you know, uh Tom's sitting right there just waiting right outside the security.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_02: And the guy that was doing the security was he asked Tom and I goes, Um, how long have y'all known each other?
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_02: And literally we both looked at each other and said, about 30 seconds.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it was great.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's how we met, and it was just you know, we just kind of had an instant connection, and you know, we've been friends ever since.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_02: Tom's Tom's very heavily involved with the Walking for Kids Foundation.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: He's on the board.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so he's he's been a great friend and a uh great source of support.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, through um through Tom and and through meeting you, uh, that's how you know we decided to support uh the Badson Children's Hospital in Jackson, also.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, tell us a little bit about that.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: I remember matter of fact, I remember the day me and you and uh Tom and I think Sean, we were eating at at muckshots in Jackson.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: You might remember that day.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: That was the period of time when Sanderson Farm has not did not come about yet.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: It was Viking, I believe.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: And at that time we didn't have a sponsorship.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: And and I remember that day vividly, Johnny Lane coming in there saying I just met with someone and we're thinking it might might happen.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: And sure enough, it ends up becoming Sanderson Farms Championship.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: And wow, has that tournament really blossomed?
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: And it's it's it's awesome.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Just tell us a little bit about being part of the Sanderson's Classic, because I know uh I know Tom looks forward to that every year, getting to see you at that.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: And we've had some great times being in town for that and and the money that you helped raise for bats, and we can't ever thank you enough for that.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's just so awesome doing that.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: So uh did y'all have fun this year?
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't able to go this year.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: What what what uh tell us a little bit about it?
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: It was uh uh it was great.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_02: I I enjoy going to Sanderson.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it is I mean, I the tournament is great now that Sanderson Farms is the title sponsor.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_02: It's they've done a great great job with the tournament.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_02: They've made the tournament a lot better.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's a stronger field now.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_02: They have their own, they have their own week.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um so it's not an opposite field event anymore.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um and Joe Sanderson, he he's very hands-on.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_02: He's you'll see him out everywhere.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_02: He's very approachable.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_02: He's just a normal guy, he's easy to talk to.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I went up and talked to him this past year or this year.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_02: And first thing he said was, uh, you know, thanks for coming back to Jackson.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for coming back to the tournament.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_02: We really appreciate you having you here.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: And and um, that was really cool.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: And um, but uh yeah, this year I followed Peter Monty again.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um Peter and I have um uh I have a lot of players that like to keep the same tournaments every year.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so and Peter's one of them.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: Peter wants the Sanderson Farms Championship every year.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, Peter has very good success um playing at the tournament.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: He won there, and that was that's his been his only win.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um and last year we finished second, uh, one shot out of a playoff.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um and then this year we made the cut, didn't quite play as well as he wanted to, but um, you know, he has great, he has great feelings back there in Jackson and has great friends that live in the area.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_02: So he's very he feels very comfortable coming back to town.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: And and um so and then he's like I said, he's decided that as long as I do this, he wants the Sanderson Farms Championship to be his tournament that I walk with him at every year.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: So it's we had a good good um, it was a good tournament this year, and um the weather was surprisingly good.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, Sanderson Farms usually has the kind of the uh history of can have some questionable weather at times.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but this year the weather was pretty good.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: Well, well, DJ, for our our golf listeners out there who might be uh listening to this podcast, tell us a little bit about some of the players that you have followed in the past, different tournaments or and the relationships that you found you formed with those players.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, like you said, do they do they continue?
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: Do most of them say, hey, uh you follow me in this particular tournament.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to follow me always on this tournament, or is it very?
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: Or tell us a little bit about that.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_02: I've I've um, you know, I'm very lucky uh with what I do.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I tell people all the time that the one thing I take away most from what I do is uh the relationships uh that I have with players, their families, their caddies.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, those are lifelong relationships.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um and uh these guys look out for me every week of the year, not just the weeks that I follow them.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_02: And I really appreciate that.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_02: I really I I mean, I don't take that for granted at all.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_02: It's something that I that I cherish.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um and yeah, to answer your question about, you know, a lot of players um they do like to keep the same tournaments, um, which is good for me.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_02: That makes that makes me um, you know, having to fill certain weeks a lot easier um than others.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but uh yeah, like John Zach Johnson um likes to do the masters and he also does the John Deere Classic every year.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_02: Uh John Rahm um likes to do uh the waste management phoenix open every year.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um and this year, um starting this year, we actually did the US Open.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um so and we won.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_02: So John will now do two tournaments each year, and and those two tournaments are set in stone, uh the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the US Open.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I have also a lot of guys that will say, um, you just let me know what weeks you have open, and I'll and you know, you can follow me any week you have open, just let me know.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but like I said, there's a lot of players that like to keep the same tournaments.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_02: So that makes that kind of makes my life a little easier as far as like you know, making sure each week is covered.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 21:31
  unknown: Yeah.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_03: Do you have a a team that kind of helps you?
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_03: Because I know logistically getting around all these courses and setting all these things up and getting tickets and all that stuff.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, do you have anybody that helps or do you do everything?
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I pretty much do everything.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I book all my own travel.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um I do have a credential for I have a PGA tour year long credential uh that obviously allows me to get into every PJ Tour event and then um Players will take care of my tickets for the major championships.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as the the as the majors aren't aren't sanctioned by the PGA tour.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um so um and then I've only uh I've only showed up at the airport one time on the wrong day.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um and luckily I've never showed up at the wrong hotel.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I guess that's pretty good.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_02: Uh only showing up at the airport uh on the wrong day one time in 14 years.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's probably a pretty good record.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_03: And somebody misses the cut.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_03: Do you um stay for the rest of the tournament or how does that work?
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it depends.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um because they're supporting my foundation and making a donation.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um I feel like each player should see me each day that they're playing golf.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and so if the player that I'm following that week misses the cut, um, I don't typically ask another player that I if I can follow them on the weekend, because I don't think that's fair.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because as I said, I feel like they should see me every day they're playing golf.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but if they do, if a player comes to me and says, Hey, I know you followed so-and-so this weekend and you missed the cut, would you like to follow me for the weekend?
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: If a player asks me to do that, do that, then yes, I will.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_02: But I won't actively ask a player because I just don't think that's fair.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_02: So you have any any if we miss the cut, I get the weekend off.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: I see good and bad, I guess.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we don't we don't like we don't like weekends off.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_03: Do you have any plans um to to ever you know add somebody with you, a a partner or somebody to kind of um you know make make things bigger or anything like that, or you just plan it to be you for a while?
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we thought about making it bigger, um, but at the same time, um we like the way it is, because uh I I've carved out a pretty amazing niche.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um and what for me is real special about it, and the reason why I only follow one player per week is because um I want it to be more um grassroots and more about the friendships and relationships and not just about the money.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um so that's why I only follow one player per week, because I want to give all my all of my energy to that one player, uh make or miss the cut.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm with that one player no matter what.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um and you know, if we if we make it all about the money, then you know, once we make it all about the money, then what I do is is over.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I'm I'm very lucky that even when player misses, even when a player misses the cut, they will still make a donation because they know, you know, that I'm still there, I'm still giving it everything I have, you know.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_02: And it to me it doesn't really matter how obviously I want them to play good and you know, whatever, but it in all reality, it doesn't matter to me how how they play.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_02: It's more about the relationships and the you know, you know, support I give them and the support they give me back.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: So well did you're you're you're quite an inspiration.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: I I encourage you uh the people who are are uh listening to this podcast to to uh read read up on your story and check out Google on or look on YouTube that was on uh ESBN, was it thro uh six E60?
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: E60 in the Tom Ronaldi.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah Tom Ronaldi made me look really good.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I still I still give him uh I still give him a lot of uh credit for that.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_02: I tell him all the time he made me look really good and I appreciate it.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, and the title of the of the show was uh walk on.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I ironically, it was kind of funny, you know, when they when they approached us about doing it in 2008, they really only wanted to do it as like one of those um kind of small features that that they only show like going to a commercial break, so like 30 seconds here or whatever.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: And um, so they sent a camera crew out.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um for they came to three tournaments, and uh the executive producer called us back.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_02: It was like, hey, um we we really like your story and really like what you're doing.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_02: And instead of being it like a a small feature that we we show on the way to a commercial break, we want to make it into a full feature.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so it was a full full uh full segment on E60.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_02: I think the video's just short of 13 minutes long, 12 minutes and 44 seconds.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um so um, and it was the most, I don't know if it is now, but it was at one time the most watched video on ESPN.com and also the most requested video from ESPN.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, it's so inspirational.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: And man, I can remember uh you probably remember this.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: Uh when you came to present the check to the hospital, we went up to the uh children's uh rehab floor, and there were some uh cerebral palsy patients in there.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: And man, that really that really hit home, like uh just showing what inspiration you were for them to see you what you're out there doing, you know.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it's just uh it means a lot.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that that was very touching for their families, especially because I I deal with that type of stuff.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_00: People I've been calling into the hospital with people who are newly diagnosed with TF and say, look, it's gonna be all right, it's gonna be all right.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I felt like that's what you did to those that day when those people were in the rehab uh working and they saw you out there that you're you're struggling with, but you're living life, man.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: You're that's what that's what it's all about.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_00: And uh that really made a big impression on me that day seeing that because I see that I don't really see it, but people tell me that that I do that for people.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: But for me to actually see it happen, that was really amazing and to see that.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: And uh man, your whole story is just uh it's so awesome.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_00: So happy to uh met you through Tom, and you're just a great guy all around, and just uh how I'm blessed to know you, man.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: You got a great story to tell.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I'm I'm very lucky, and you know, there's and I tell people all the time, you know, it's there are um there are different um levels of cerebral palsy where you know you could be confined to a wheelchair or you can need help with your daily activities, or you need help with communication or anything like that.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_02: I'm very lucky that uh my cerebral palsy only affects my balance.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, some people probably wish I didn't talk as much as I do, but you know, whatever.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I'm very lucky that you know I can get around.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_02: I'm very um self-sufficient.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um and like I said, it only affects my balance.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, the the mission of the Walking for Kids Foundation is pretty simple.
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's you know helping kids achieve their goals and dreams one step at a time.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_02: Because even if you have a disability, and it's not just we don't give money to just organizations that help kids with cerebral palsy, we give to all organizations that help kids with special needs.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_02: Because I'm a big believer that even if you need help with your daily activities, or you're confined to a wheelchair, or you're confined to anything, everybody everybody has a goal and a dream, and everybody should be given that rightful chance to achieve their goals and dreams.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_02: And that's that's you know really how how the Walking for Kids Foundation started, because you know, I've been given a pretty unique platform and pretty awesome platform to to help others, and to me, that's what it's all about.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_02: And if if I could be walking a golf course or be seen out there supporting players, or if somebody can read about my story or come up to me at a tournament or come up to me in the airport or whatever, and and tell me, you know, you know, what you do is an inspiration, and thanks for inspiring me in my own life.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_02: And and um, you know, it's pretty awesome.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_02: I never thought I I never thought I would do this.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_02: I never thought I'd be in this, have this opportunity, but now I just want to make the most of it and be able to help others achieve their goals and dreams, you know, that's what it's all about.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_03: Well, DJ, this is great to hear your story and everything.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_03: Um, what is what's the best way for us to kind of keep up with what you're doing?
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_03: Are you on Twitter, Instagram?
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_03: Like what do you keep updated mostly?
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I mostly update my Twitter uh feed and my Instagram feed um all the time.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um and both of those, the handles walking for kids.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um we do have a website, it's walkingforkids.org, which actually is currently in the process of uh being revamped to some to make it look a little better and and stuff like that.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um we're in the process of doing that.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, fans and anybody can donate on the website.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, there's a link right on the website for them to donate.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, I'm pretty excited we're gonna accomplish a monumental uh feat this year.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um and we're going to eclipse one million dollars in donated funds to different organizations across the country uh this year, and that's pretty awesome.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_02: Pretty excited about that.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_02: It is awesome.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, pretty excited about that.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I guess you know, the race to two million starts soon.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_03: Hopefully, johnnypacker.com can reach that goal one of these days for CF.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_02: So that'd be absolutely that'd be awesome.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_03: So well, all right, DJ.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_03: Well, we sure appreciate your time.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_03: And uh be sure to follow, uh, you know, put all of your your links down in the podcast notes so people can find you.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_03: And uh hopefully next time you're in Memphis, I'll I'll come out there and maybe see you around.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it'll be uh it's the first playoff event, right?
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um starting next year.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_02: So it'll be it'll be a lot of fun, absolutely.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_02: Except it's it'll be hot.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_02: It'll be it's hot in August in Memphis, I'll tell you that.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_00: So where are you uh where are you off to next week or this coming weekend, I guess?
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_02: Uh actually I have the next two weeks off because uh the tournament, the tours in uh Japan um this weekend for the Zozo Championship.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and because of COVID protocols and right stuff like that, um, it was logistically not smart for me to go to Japan.
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I did not go.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and then so this weekend I'm actually going to Charlotte, North Carolina to uh visit a uh friend of mine who a family uh two of my best friends and their family uh have a birthday this weekend.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna go gonna go hang out with them for the weekend.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_02: Awesome.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_03: Well enjoy your time off from the course.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate it.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I definitely will, I definitely will enjoy it.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I mean, I love I love walking golf courses.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_02: I love what I do.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_02: I don't work for a living, I play for a living, um, and I get to give a lot of money, but sometimes it is also nice to have some you know downtime a little bit.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_02: So looking forward to it.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_03: All right, DJ, we sure appreciate it.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_03: And um, everybody have a have a good day.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you all for listening.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thanks so much, DJ.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for listening to the Johnny's World Podcast.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_01: Please help us spread the message about DF and support our cause by going to JohnnyPacker.com.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_01: You can also reach us at Johnny PackerIwear at gmail.com.