Latest / The Scrambling Dads Podcast / Episode 50: Trauma Golf

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Episode 50: Trauma Golf · The Scrambling Dads Podcast

• Alex: Alright, gents, welcome back. got another episode here, episode 50. we're getting up there. Marcus, you've been on for what, four months now? It's kind of seems like it's flown by, if I remember Marcus: Yeah. Alex: correctly. so today we're gonna keep it short, simple. Really have one topic to talk through. and it's all about golf. all about the mental side of Golf, all about the not mental like the swing. We've we've talked through all that mental as in like the com camaraderie building. I like to call it the trauma bond, the sport that we all get so pissed off at because we can't hit a ball. but for some reason decide to go back week after week. The how it is with the ability for us to Just make friends. Jason and I kind of joked about that. Like I think two podcasts ago, or last one, how it's like you go and you play with a random, you become friends with them and you talk because you're in a cart. just talking through why golf is like that mental cleanse sometimes, even though we hate the game because we shank it Marcus: Mm. Alex: ev over and over and over. Jason: Yeah. Alex: You know, Colin, just to start us off, you know, Colin and I we joke. You know, we we do this workout two days a week and we play golf and we have a shank counter in our heads now because one of us has shanked the ball every round. Jason: It's the game. It is the game. Alex: We are I think I think we're seven days without a shank, and that's because we didn't work out on Thursday. Jason: okay. So the counters Marcus: Record's a record. Jason: counters reset. Alex: The counter the counter reset on Wednesday after our Tuesday session. And yeah, we're coming up on day seventh, so But no, that's so that's all we're gonna talk about today. Just the mental side, why it is just a camaraderie thing, why us guys like to go do it. Marcus: Yeah. I think you you got something there with the trauma bond, especially when you're playing with well first start off with like the random person, right? 'Cause there's usually I mean, if you go out there and you just like just want to go out there and play, you usually get paired up with a random and you're playing, you hit a bad shot and you kind of trauma bond over it just because the other guy's like mm, been there before still working through the shanks and It's nice when when they just kind of let you be and and just kind of talking talking through it instead of trying to help you with the swing because that kind of gets annoying. But when you find that good Alex: Mm-hmm. Marcus: random partner of just like it's like, you know, you'll you'll get the next one, or you know, not not giving I guess tips or unsolicited advice, but more of just being a buddy there while you're going through your struggles. Alex: Yeah, and it's it's funny because I I feel like it's the evolution of a friendship as it relates to golf is a weird like it's just a journey, right? Like you become you play and maybe you know the person before you play, maybe you don't, but you play and you have a bad shot and the other person really doesn't say anything because they don't know you well enough, or maybe they do know you, but they've never they don't know you in golf. So they just don't say anything. And then you evolve into this like, well, I think you're doing this, where it's like the advice stage. But then like the pinnacle of golf friendship is when you get to a spot that it's unspoken. Like you hit a bad shot. I don't have to think. Does he want me does he want me to offer advice? Does he not want me to offer advice? Do I just need to let him ride this out? It's just one of those like it's funny, you get in this phase, like Colin and I will now we've played with each other so many times. There are times that we'll play an entire hole without saying a single word because one of us is not hitting it well. And we just know like the other one doesn't want to hear it right now. And even if it like Colin being a coach, like he knows me well enough that if he says something at that moment, I'm not gonna receive it anyways. So he's just like, we're just gonna ride in silence and he's gonna tell me when he's ready to talk. Marcus: Yeah, that's the when you know you have a good friendship is when you can be quiet with the other person. I think that's when you you figured it out a little bit. Alex: Yeah, it's I don't know. And it it's just weird. because you start to like decide, I think we've talked about this a little bit on this podcast. I can't remember if it was with you, Marcus. I know you and I have talked about it though. Like, there's some people that like you play well with, and some people that like you know mentally, you're like, I really don't want to go play that round. Like you get that invite from a guy and you're like I'm gonna say yes 'cause I have to, 'cause we're friends, but I really don't want to go play because it's just a negative, like it's just a negative environment toxic, like whether they're trying to put you down constantly or it's just that constant trash talk kind of guy. Like it's just like it's not a fun round. And you then you Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: start to pick and choose like, yeah, I wanna go here, I don't want to go there, or you have the whole like we just play and then I'm immediately getting in my truck and leaving. There's no post round drink after this. Marcus: Yeah. Jason: I don't know you saw my chat box. I'm just Miles is screaming his head off, so Marcus: Yeah. Jason: I'm waiting until it calms down. he's he's definitely getting something in. He's he's like if I can say he's cursing, he's cursing. Marcus: Yeah. Well Miles is just trying to get his words in 'cause if I were to guess Yeah. Alex: Mm. That's funny. Marcus: Yeah, he's speaking in cursive over there. Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: Gosh, he's he hates getting his hair washed, so he's just like going ballistic, but I think they're done. man. so yeah, the rando guy. I mean, I know Alex and I have talked about it for a few episodes ago. I've I've played so many years by myself, so I've always been used to the random guy, but I always appreciate the one that's just let's have small talk. I don't like dead silence. But the small talk, because you do build a little bit of rapport, meaning you guys are all in the grind, you're four hours, five hours, whatever it is on the course, but you get to l know them a little bit more. And I've we've all been through this. We've all started at golf at some level. We're all at a particular level. So they can empathize with everything that we're going through. But Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: yeah, when you get those chippers that just like, you're backswing or maybe you should try doing this. Yeah, that's when I don't appreciate it. Like, let's just have a good time. Like unless you're Tiger Woods or Rory or someone giving me advice, don't talk. Alex: So why is it such a good time though? I guess that's the the bread and potatoes or meat and potatoes of this conversation. like we're all terrible at this to some extent. Like we're all gonna shank balls, we're all gonna play poorly, we're gonna lose balls. Like we played that PGA, right? And like I was losing balls because I was taking lines that I shouldn't take and this and that. It is a financial and a mental burn every single time. Marcus: It I would I would Now that I've done hunting here for a little while, I could say you know, a year, year and a half, it's kind of the same, a little bit of the same concept, just because you you're out and you're kind of getting away from it a little bit. You know, you got some peace and quiet, so you're kind of thinking, you're in your head a little bit, you're you're enjoying kind of that nature view. But then at the same time, you're also, I mean, I guess it If you're in a deer blinder, maybe even a dove hunt, you can probably be a little bit louder. So I guess this golfing is kinda a little bit closer to a dove hunt, at least for me, because I like music and you know, just having a good time and cutting up and this and that. and it really doesn't matter as long as the other person is is good company to me. I may go through all my shells and not hit a bird. And similar to losing balls left and right, but I kind of just enjoy being out there and and I don't know I I won't say get away for a little bit, but you kind of get into like a different mindset as opposed to doing kind of other hobbies, but it it is a interesting conundrum of just like, I'm so bad at this, but I really want to go back. Alex: Yeah. It is an I think you you find the people that you like make you want to go play, right? Like, yeah, I think it's very safe to say, I play some of my best golf with you too. And I don't understand it. Marcus, I've said that with you for a long time. And even this last round at PGA, like the first I had to shake off some rust, but I think from holes like seven through eighteen, like I played Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: My typical style golf. And I I've always played well with with Jason for the most part. And I just I think it's one of those too. Like when you get those friendships that like you're so extremely vulnerable with, like the fact that we come on here and talk weekly about everything going on, or just like the but you start to realize how it emulates life to some extent. Like the guys that you know support you through your life adventures, not just golf. are generally the ones that you play some of your best golf with. Because I think those walls just come down and you're just swinging kind of freely because it's a no judgment zone. Jason: Yeah, I mean both of you guys kind of hit two great points. for me, most of I guess I would say most of my golf journey was after my divorce. So I was just by myself, went out, played, and it was just my escape to get away. to kind of just I I don't wanna say meditate 'cause you're not really meditating, but you're just in a different place. You're kind of blocking out everything else and just kind of focusing on just being out there and enjoying it and hopefully it's always good company. You never know. but again, just having that escape is always I think a good especially now they always talk about a good health habit to try to just release, let yourself go. Doesn't matter how you shoot, you know, just go out there and just kind of put yourself back together in some respect. But then yeah, you're right about just being with your buddies. You're not really tracking for score. You're more relaxed and you swing more free. I mean, I definitely feel it. Like I mean, there's always gonna be caveats to what happens performance wise, but overall mentally, you feel more relaxed. You're not pressured for anything and you just you're just happy to be there and being there with the guys that you wanna play with, like you've already stated, instead of just I I just wanna go out just to go out versus yeah, I wanna go out because I'm gonna play with some of my friends and have a good time. Alex: Yeah, and I think some of that the guys you want to play with just comes down to that like that trust level. I think when you when you all suffer to play around and you suffer around a course, it it that's where that trauma bond comes in of you kind of know, okay, we've been through it, we can trust each other. And it sounds stupid, but I think there's something to that. Like you just start to trust certain people more than others when you're playing. Jason: Yeah, I I don't offer any advice when I play. Even the tips and stuff that I've learned over the within the last year or two, I don't give tips unless someone asks because I'm not there to receive tips if you're frustrated and you know, so you wanna keep quiet and just enjoy it. But that's kinda how I am. Alex: Yeah, and I I think it's safe to say that's exactly how I am. I'm a I I don't ever tell anyone anything unless they specifically ask me a question. And we've talked about it like even when people I played so I played the Sunday after and we really didn't recap this, other than I just played well. But I trust that's the round that I sent you all a Jason: Yeah. Alex: picture of my back nine. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: And you know, I I sent y'all that that picture, but I was One guy, I think it was a part three, might have s said, Hey, like, what club or what'd you hit there? And I just said, I played like a little punchy blah blah blah shot. Just soft, nice, soft controlled. And the guy was like, Well, what club is that for you? And I was like, It it doesn't it this just it's not really that because it wasn't a full club, it was like a punch, and he was like, Well, what club is it? I was like, Six iron. And he was like, Okay. So then he goes and uses a six iron and it comes up. I can't remember. Yeah, I think he came up short. And one of the other guys was like, dude, like, just because his clubs go certain aren't the same, like, I bet if I bet if and this was the funny part though, he goes, I bet if he swung your club, like it would be different. So, anyways, he was like, Well, here, swing my club. So I swung his club and put it like right next to the pin. Mine, but mine actually Mine actually flew the green on the back side of the pin. see he was like, see, like he hit the Marcus: Yeah. Alex: exact same line, one was shorter than the other. So clubs are different. Clubs but it's it's just it was just one of those like I I just don't I don't tell people, I don't and I think it's I think part of for me, like it's been tough to find like a group that I'm really comfortable with because I have my friends that I've gotten better than, like we all used to be roughly the same. And then I really committed time to golf and got better. So they're like, they just dog me constantly for being whatever handicap. And if I don't shoot that handicap on that day, they're like, yeah, vanity cap, blah blah blah. I'm like, Okay. I mean, you're not wrong. I I shot terribly. But then I have like my other buddies, like y'all that You're happy if I shoot well and you're not making fun of me. Or have guys I call in who we're just competitive because we're the same caliber player. So it's like it's hard to like pick who I want to play with because I had to be in the right mindset for two out of three of those. Like I for y'all, like I don't I don't have to be the right mindset. Good. I'm glad. Jason: Yeah. Marcus: I'll be honest, I've I forget where your handicap is, I'll be honest with you. It's like yeah Alex: Well it just well it's funny, so so the guy that I Jason: I know he's better than me, I just accept it. Marcus: Yeah, that's like I don't care. Alex: Well, and that's funny because it like there's some people that your guard is immediately down with. So like the we played two Sundays ago for my buddy's birthday, and one of his friends I don't know other than the fact that we've played golf two times. We went to Florida and played at our buddy's wedding last year, and his birthday was during that weekend, so we ended up playing. And then we played together this past week or two weeks ago. And both times I've shot, I think, sub seventy-five. So he doesn't know any different than that. And he is just such like the most encouraging, low key, like down to earth guy. Like it he's just a hang. And it puts you in a mindset like you just don't care. Like there was one. And this was on the back nine. I think at this point I was this was before I had the back to back birdies, the drivable power four. So I think I was one over at the time. And we get to a drivable par four and it's a 290 carry on the creek. And I'm like, if this goes in the creek, like I'm really gonna tank a bad like a round that I could potentially score really well in. But he's like, dude, like I trusted. I saw you drive on the range, like just trust your driver, do it. Like it's gonna be great. And I bombed my driver, probably carried it, if I had to guess 305, because I carried on to the green, and the green's like another four. 15 yards past where the creek was. So it was probably a 305 to 310 carry ball sap, but it just a penetrating, nice little cut. And he's just yelling and hooting and hollering and like screaming, like cheering. And I was like, and then the next hole, kind of the same thing, another drivable par four. And I hit a nice baby draw, hits the green, rolls 20 feet. I birded both those holes. And that's what really kind of started that. trained for me that I sent y'all a picture of because I think I sent you a picture right after that second birdie in a Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: row. And but it's like it's funny how that's someone that I only built a relationship of trust with on a golf course. And I would play with him any day of the week. Like he is just Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: a fun hang guy. Like I know we're we're just gonna have a good time. It doesn't matter how good we play. Jason: Yeah, that's Marcus: Mm-hmm. Jason: that's kinda like Dawn. Like he just he's just out there to have a good time. So we go out, we've only been out a couple of times for the scrambles and again mindset's a little different with the scramble, but you know, I don't care. Like he's just fun to be around and we just go out and have a blast. Music's going and just just playing golf. Just buddies just driving around, you know, having their beers and then just enjoying the time together. Marcus: Yeah, I will say that when you get real comfortable, I know we're talking about no advice, but when you get comfortable with a certain group, it's like they know when to give advice. Like the one advice that I've taken with me was when I think we were doing that Texas Rangers golf course, Alex: Mm-hmm. Marcus: and you had told me, you're like, if you see the bottom of the cup, just hit it right Alex: Mm-hmm. Marcus: at it. And every time I see the bottom of the cup, I aim right at it. And I'll be honest, I'm like maybe like 99% on all those putts that I see, which is like has been a game changer for me. Which yeah, now like if I'm playing in a scramble or just out and about and some dude's just kind of hanging over and just kind of looking, I was like, You see the bottom of the cup, just hit it, and I just walk off. And then they hit it and they go see it. Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: Yeah. Marcus: That's like the only thing I'll say. Like you see it, just hit it. Like don't think about it, just do it. And yeah, it's that's been that's been a real fun takeaway right there. Jason: I mean, honestly, you're cl if you could see it, you're close enough that you hit it hard Marcus: Yeah. Jason: enough, you're gonna take Alex: No. Jason: pretty much all that breakout unless you're playing something stupid. Marcus: Yep. Yeah. Alex: Yeah, you gotta be playing some really weird curve. But Marcus: Yeah. And s yeah. And that's why like I see those guys just kind of like looking over like a five footer, which about five feet you can see the bottom. Like you can see just the the kind of the just the barely the bottom of it. I was like, man, just hit it. Don't don't even worry about it. Jason: unless it's got poanna or something else in the way, Alex: Yeah. Jason: then you might want to consider like Marcus: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Alex: Gotta gotta cut the cup that's cut all weird. No, no, Marcus: Yeah. Alex: you're you're not wrong. It's it's I think golf is the best when you're just playing and supporting each other and not dealing with that I don't know, that fight. And it's like some of my favorite rounds are the hardest rounds that we've played too, like either weather wise, like it just heat, exhaustion, or like I remember Marcus: Freezing. Alex: p fre Jason: Yeah. Alex: I played I played around right before this was what I guess twenty twenty-one, February of twenty-one, right before that freeze came through and like shut down half the Metroplex for five or six days. And my in-laws ended up staying at our house for a few of those days because their power was off and ours wasn't. And I remember my buddy and I played literally the day before, and like a mid-round that front started coming in. Like the weather dropped twenty, thirty degrees on us. And but I can remember vividly what hole we were on. It's like it it just like becomes that like that bond of you know who you were with, like where were you on 9-11 type thing. Like you know who you're with, you know what you're doing. Jason: Mm-hmm. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: You just kind of remember everything from those rounds. But then I'll play work rounds where I fucking hated it. And Marcus: Uh-huh. Alex: it was like I have to talk to people I don't really care to talk to. And I couldn't tell you what I shot. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: I couldn't even tell you what but someone will walk up to me remember what time we played that course? I'm like, Nope. Don't remember. And it's not because I was drinking. Jason: No. Marcus: Yeah. Jason: Yeah. No, you're right. Like some of those things that happen. Like I've I've been outside where the temperatures dropped, but we've also been at practice where it looks great. It's okay, it's fine. And then by like whole four, a storm comes in and just blasts us and we're racing. to get cover because it is just insane. And that was a couple years ago and we still talk about it today. Just, my gosh, we're all hunkered by the tree. They're like, Do you remember when Coach was in the cart racing back and forth to the clubhouse, getting Alex: Yeah. Jason: everybody in? And we just like literally it looks like everybody's jumped in a pool and got out. And there is nothing we can do. Like it was that bad. It and it came in an instant. But we know it was El Dorado at hole six. Like that Alex: Yeah. Jason: is We know that is like something that it's ingrained in our brains forever. Alex: Yeah, it's again just goes back to that that trauma bond. And then like when you get old enough that you can have a drink afterwards, like we talked about this when we were all sitting there, Marcus and I kind of did, and we y you and Andrew kind of rolled in. Jason: I didn't know what you were talking about. Alex: Like there's very few beers that are not like if you rank a beer, a post-golf round beer to me is at the top. Like you kick back, you just got done playing, especially on a hot warm day. Like you kick back, you're done sweating, now you're just having a beer, y'all are talking about the round, doing whatever. Like there's very few that beat that. Marcus brought up a good one. A pre vacation airport beer or drink is is a great Marcus: Uh-huh. Alex: one too. I'll give him that. Like a little a little mimosa in the Admiral's lounge while you're waiting for your plane to go off. I'm I'm for that. Marcus: Sets the tone. Yeah. Yeah. Or, you know, Tito's clips out of the lime in first class, you know, whatever your your your vice is, you know. Jason: So what's that like in Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: Admiral Zion for first class? Marcus: It's I mean, I haven't gotten kicked out yet, so I feel like we're pretty tame. Jason: I can only peek Alex: No, but Jason: in there and be like, there it is. there it is. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: It's Yeah, no but it it's i there's something to it. Like there's nothing better than that post round. And we the funny thing is we may or may not talk about anything. My wife will get on to me so much 'cause if she knows I'm riding with someone that I haven't seen for a while, like how's the kids? How's wife? How's I don't know. Marcus: Yeah yeah. What I don't even remember what we talked about after the round. I think we talked about beers. Alex: We we talked about nothing of nothing of value. No, we talked about nothing of value. Marcus: We talked about beers, like what's the Jason: It Marcus: best beer? Alex: Yeah, that's Yeah. Did y'all did y'all have any conversation about it beer? You know Marcus: Yeah. Alex: I'll I'll recap you on what we think is the best lineup of post event beers. Post lawn beer, garage beer, po post lawn beer, pre golf. Marcus: Yeah. There's garage beers, yeah, post lawn beer. Yeah. Yeah. Jason: Yeah. Alex: No, it's it's funny because you don't talk about anything of value ninety nine percent of the time. Jason: No. Marcus: Yeah. Jason: I mean yeah, you just go out and just shoot the shit literally. You just you you blank on everything. Marcus: Yeah. I think I was gonna go on vacation. Or I I was going on vacation the next couple of days too. So yeah, I was really not thinking about anything. Jason: Yeah, you were. Yeah, you were heading out. Yeah. Alex: Yeah, you really weren't. Jason: You're just like, did I pack enough? Sure. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: So so I gotta ask this and not to get anyone in trouble. So don't answer if it's gonna get you in trouble. But like I think guys when when you move it to like golf is about the mental side. Like I think there was a long time for me that golf was more than just mental, like it was something I was trying to get better at Casey kind of understood that. But I was out practicing a lot. So like I'd play and I'd come right home. I never really stayed for a posting on drink. And I was never really that guy like to say we have Three holes left when really we're done, just so I could buy thirty minutes of a post round drink. Like I've always been, but I'm pretty honest with her. But like now, like we'll go play and I'll text her, be like, Hey, like we're gonna stay for a drink. You're okay with that? And she'll say yes or no and we'll go on. So like do y'all text and say, Hey, we're gonna stay or ask or anything like that. Marcus: I I do it's not really an ask. It's more of like, hey, me and Alex are having a good time. Just gonna hang out here a little bit and then I'll head home. but it's kind of I'm I'm pretty good about having her like hang out with her friends because I know it is good for like that whole community aspect to be able to talk to people that you like and And she knows that, you know, we're now getting, you know, really busy with work that, you know, it it is needed, just to have some guy time and just kind of being out and about. So I I like to say we're pretty understanding of just, hey, you know, don't do this all the time and you know, once once in a while it doesn't hurt. If it was every day though, or every weekend, then that might be a different story. Jason: Like for me it's like I don't doesn't happen very often. I mean, I'll go out, like O'Colo, just like play quick nine or whatever, you know, stuff like that. It's obviously okay, I'm gonna go play, be home, projected about this time, it's never a big deal. but I've also played years with not needing or ever having a habit of doing post round drinks because I've always been solo for primarily most of it, so kinda like that's Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: kinda lame. but Need to check in or ask permission. It's more like just a heads up, like you said, Mark's like, Hey, by the way, I'm gonna grab some food, I'll be home a little bit. Or she's actually just super encouraged, she's like, since we don't do it that often, she's like, Stay for dinner, go hang out. Like she Shelby's really good about just like, Hey, you're out, I got miles, just take your time. Just let me know when you're gonna be home. Alex: Yeah, I like to call it a courtesy notification. Like, yeah, you're not asking permission. You're just like give them the courtesy. Hey, this is what I'd like to do unless you have any big objections. And but yeah, I I think it's the same. Like it's just that comes down to the trusting on all sides of it. Like they trust that you're telling them, Hey, I want to do this because it's part of the mental health routine of what golf is. Like that's that's the the final chapter. Yeah, we get there, we warm up. We complain that we're gonna go play golf in a hundred and four degree heat. We play golf in a hundred four degree heat and then we recap the round with some beverages afterwards and and then we and Marcus: Nonsense. Alex: then we leave. Jason: say it's like probably like 110 115 total when we were out there it was brutal but Alex: Yeah. Yeah. It was warm. Jason: yeah it's a kind of like a i i'm like to be fair equal exchange like mark said it's just like all right go like go have girls time go get a pedicure manicure go like somewhere go do something treat yourself relax just escape so i'm not opposed to giving her that freedom at all. I'm just more of a kind of O C D type age. It's like, hey, just make sure it's on the calendar so I could see it or we have it marked so I can make plans Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: and we can adjust around it. But yeah, I'm like I'm all for that equal escape, get a break type thing. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: Yeah, you definitely have to be encouraging both ways, I guess. And speaking of the encouraging side of it, like when I I think the biggest problem going back to like who you're playing with is I gravitate to people that cheer louder for someone else than themselves. Like I think I like to think that I'm one of those people. Like I'm gonna cheer for your great shot more than I'm gonna cheer for my great shot. I like to see your great shot. So I don't it it's for me, I guess, because I am typically on the better side of a golf group, that can almost come off as like disingenuous. Like, well, you're just telling me good shot because you think you know it's really not a good shot, and you're just trying nice. And it's it's hard. Like you you have to like you have to like learn when to like Jason: You know, I feel like that happens to me a lot. Nice shot. Dude, I'm forty feet from the pin. He's six feet. Alex: No, I just I just keep my mouth shut when y'all had a good shot. Marcus: Jason, you're pin high. All right, buddy. Alex: No. Okay. I g guys, I was pin high. On every single Jason: Okay. I'm pin high. I'm pin high. On the T I'm pin high. Alex: one of those, I was pin high. It it's a fact. You just Marcus: Yeah. Alex: gotta turn your perspective. Marcus: Exactly. It's positivity right there. Alex: Hey, Jason: Huh. Alex: And Andrew said it. He goes, You know what? It's a positive outlook. I'm I'm all for it. If a PGA pro can be all for it, then you know, I think it's worth some. Marcus: Yeah. I was gonna ask y'all before I went on vacation. So like there I think there was like maybe one or two golf courses out where where I went and I mean I wasn't prepared to play golf or anything, but if you see somewhere, do you just kind of spontaneously try to go play like if it's you and your you know, your your significant other, your wife, do you have that Jason: Mm. Marcus: gut feeling to hey, let's go play real quick 'cause I wanna spend some time with you or other things I guess are more appealing, I guess. Alex: It's a great question. I'm 50-50 probably. Like it really Jason: Yeah. Alex: just like when we went to Seattle, I played Chambers Bay and Casey came and walked with me. but like when we went to Spain, she asked me, she was like, Do you want to play while we're over there? Like it's another country. Like, I'm sure that's something you would really like to do. And I appreciated her thinking about that. And I was Yeah, you know what? I think I'm going to. but the more I thought about it, I was like, Nah, like I I didn't want to take my clubs for one round. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: And I'm just also the kind of person like, if I'm gonna play, I want to play it the right way. So I'm not gonna rent clubs. I Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: was like, if I'm not gonna bring my clubs and I'm not really gonna enjoy it, like I'd rather just do something else that both of us will enjoy, not just me. So Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: I think for me, like it truly just depends. Like, one, do I wanna bring my clubs? Two, is me is it is the course so enticing that it's worth me taking time. away from our vacation, Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: either even if she comes with me, 'cause she's coming just to be with me. That doesn't Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: mean she wants to come. Jason: Yeah, it's it varies like Shelby's asked, she's like, Do you wanna play when we go out? And I was like, No. Because I'm kinda like Alex on the same mindset of just really don't want to mess renting the clubs because it's gonna cost the same, if not more, than to bring And you wanna play it right, you wanna play it well, and you wanna play it with your stuff. So Marcus: Mm-hmm. Jason: it's kind of like kind of like nah I really don't want to. Like I'd rather spend time like especially if we're there only for a short time. Like if we were there Marcus: Mm-hmm. Jason: longer then that'd definitely be a discussion before we go. But it would be nothing of hey we're here. by the way, my gosh, there's a course there type thing. Like I would never do that. Alex: Well, yeah. Well on that that's a good point 'cause we went to Mexico, I think, two years ago with our family. And I considered going and playing. Like, hey, y'all can just hang by the pool, do whatever, I'm gonna go play and I'll meet up because I can't just do the pool resort thing five straight days. Like I get tired of it. Marcus: Yeah. Jason: I can't. I get tired of World S I got tired of World Springs. I'm like, okay, I'm good after like four soaks. I'm like Alex: Yeah, so I was like so I I thought about playing and then I was like no, it's not like it's it's not worth it. It's not worth the three, four hundred dollars to go do it. It's not like I it's we're here with family, let's just spend family time. Marcus: Yeah. Yeah, that's kinda I was so I briefly thought about it, but just partly because she had brought it up, which was good, you know, thinking about me, but yeah, we're only gonna be there a couple days, so we decided to do a mud bath and other memorable things. Yeah. Yeah. Jason: Yeah. I've done that before. Feels weird. Alex: Yeah. Marcus: I I do have to say if I ever do go to Japan, I I do want to Alex: hundred percent playing. Hundred percent playing Japan. There there are certainly places that like Marcus: Plate, yes. I I want that whole experience. Jason: You guys never responded to that TikTok I sent you. Marcus: Yeah, because I was waiting to talk about it here, Jason. Yeah. That's why I brought it up. Yeah. Jason: okay. I just wanted to make sure. If we're going that far, we're definitely playing. Alex: I I just didn't even watch it, so Marcus: It's honesty in the friend group. Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: You need to you need to watch it because they do it so different over there. Marcus: Dude, it is so nice in Japan. Alex: Yeah, you stop and have like lunch, like post round. I don't I d I want Marcus: Yeah. Alex: to do it. but no, you're you're hundred percent correct. Like there's places like that that like if I'm going, I'm like, I'm sorry, but if I'm going to England or Scotland, I'm playing golf. Jason: yeah. Marcus: yeah. yeah. Alex: Like I don't care if we're there for three days or one. I I'm going to find a golf course and I'm gonna play in England or Scotland or or Ireland. Like there are certain places Jason: Well Alex: that if we're going to, I'm going to play. Jason: Shoot, we were in Italy, I was thinking about dude, we need to do a guy's trip over here with golf. Either like one country or we tour a bunch of places. Alex: No. Dare. Do I see I've thought about the touring thing. So for my 40th, and I I've always said this, I want to go do like Ireland or Scotland golf for my 40th. Like get a group of guys, let's all go. Cause there's a bunch of us that are turning. I mean, Marcus is in that group. There's a bunch of us that all turn 40 within a one year span. So it's like we could all go for a 40th. And some of us might be 40, some of us might still be 39, whatever. It doesn't really matter. Let's just all go. And I've thought about like doing the backpacking Europe style golf too. Like go find a course in four or five countries, go play, catch the train. But the logistics of that would be a freaking nightmare. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: Like that would be a pain Jason: Yeah. Alex: in the butt with all of us having a carry-on plus a golf bag. Marcus: Let's just let's just stay in Scotland. Yeah. Jason: Just pick just pick one place. Marcus: Yeah, let's stay in Scotland. I'm I'm good with that. Alex: There's there's a place in Portugal too that has like a ton of golf courses around it that I've like, okay, that'd be kind of fun. But yeah, no, I Marcus: Yeah. Yeah. Jason: Mm. Yeah. Alex: it's like when you talk about when you start getting into the guys' trips too, like that's so much more of the mental than it is the golf. Like those are fun to do. But I'll tell you, like, my mindset, I guess, is because I've done the guy's trips and I've done like I've played a lot of nice courses. It's at this state life stage, like I struggle to justify the money. Like Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: I'm supposed to go on that trip in September. Granted, I might have an easy out because I have a contract with the Premier Lacrosse League, anyways. That's supposed to happen on that same weekend. So if they sign that contract, like no way I'm going because like it's the difference of making money or spending money for me. but it's one of those like it's like, yeah, I kind of want to go. Like it's good friend bonding and golf, but at the same time like, do I really want to dump fifteen hundred, two grand on something just for myself? Like, not really. Jason: Mm-hmm. Yeah, Marcus: we're growing up. Jason: grown up just a little bit. Just just a little bit. But yeah, I I agree. I think like when I was searching up places just to do like a guy's trip at locations and it actually brought up what you said. It's like, well, it do you want to do the trek across multiple places and hit iconic horses, or do you want to just relax some and then especially if like the wives came, it's like, okay, you can have a base at a resort. And then there's look like you said Portugal, there's like three to five or wherever courses all within like an hour of the resort. Alex: Uh-huh. Jason: So the girls can stay, enjoy, relax, and we go out for the day and come back and all that kind of stuff. So yeah, something to look into. Alex: Yeah. And Casey and I have talked about that too, is like Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: we all just go and like it's a hop, skip and a jump, right? Like you could go to Italy while we're in Ireland or England playing golf and then Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: we could just meet somewhere for two or three days after and make it a couples trip on the back end of the whatever the trip is, right? so there's ways to do that too. But again, it it just comes down to like that mental side of what do you want? Like it's just your I think your priorities start to change as you get older. Like Jason: definitely. And speaking of which real quick it just it reminded me when you said, you know, Italy, France, whatever, hop, skip, and a jump. Maddie's roommate from college who joined us in Italy. It only cost her like forty pounds to fly from Scotland to Italy. Alex: Yeah, once you g and Jason: And then maybe like s similar I think she she had a different flight on the way back, but it was like total like a hundred something pounds for her to go from Italy to Scotland. I'm like, golly Alex: Ca Casey and I went Madrid to Barcelona, Barcelona to Porto, Porto to Madrid. So six flights total for like four hundred bucks once we were over there. It it it cost Jason: Yeah, it's insane h how cheap Marcus: Wild. Alex: us what, two times that per person to get to Europe in general. Jason: Dude, it costs that much for us just to get to California from here. Alex: It's insane. So, no, I d I don't know. but yeah, that's a long way of answering your question, Marcus, on do we try to play golf on vacations? But I don't. Not not anymore. Marcus: Yeah. Jason: No. Not unless it's a pre planned, hey, I'm gonna Alex: Uh-huh. Jason: go play. Alex: Yeah, that's exactly what it does. Jason: I mean, courses are beautiful down there for sure, but yeah. Maybe one day. Alex: Ca ticosta golf is the bigger problem too. Like it's we've talked about Marcus: Yeah. Alex: that to nauseum here. Like it it's just it's hard to justify that spend for Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: not a premium course. Like I'll pay five hundred dollars to go play Saint Andrews, which I don't think it is that much. I don't even know how much it is. But I would pay that. I'd pay a thousand Jason: I don't even I don't even think it is that much. Alex: dollars to play it. Like it's the home of golf. Like you you have to do that. Jason: But would you pay the amount to play Pebble Beach? Alex: Hmm. No. Jason: 'cause I've looked Shelby and I looked into Pebble for my fiftieth and it's better to stay at a r like at one of the resorts or the hotel to get a tea time and it was gonna be like thousands. Well 'cause that includes a Alex: Yeah. Yeah, I Jason: room, but I'm like, no. Alex: I I can't say I would do that to play Pebble. I don't like it a Pebble is a an is an amazing course but doesn't have the history that Saint Andrews Jason: Yeah. Alex: has. So like Marcus: Peak season Saint Andrews, four hundred fifty five US dollars. Alex: There you go. There you go. Five hundred bucks. That was close. Marcus: Or you could play in the winner for a hundred and sixty. Jason: W w what do they define as their winter? Alex: Doesn't it doesn't it Marcus: November Alex: snow there? Marcus: first, yeah, through March thirty first. Alex: How do you find your ball if it snows? Marcus: I don't know. It just has low season november first to march thirty first. Jason: How much snow do they actually get being on the coast? Alex: So you need to you need to go on no you need to go on November first. Like the date that it switches, that's when you need to go. Marcus: Yeah. Yeah. Jason: Yeah. Sorry kids. I'm taking about a week off from going to Scotland. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: Hey, I that's Marcus: they would suck though. Alex: the one trip that I like I'm okay with doing and like spending time away from the family and spending the money to do it. Like fortieth birthday to the UK, like I would do Jason: Okay. So if you do a s Alex: that. Jason: if you do a Scotland trip and you obviously your intent is to play golf because that's part of your whole birthday celebration, but when you're out there, would you make sure you made time to actually see some of the major historical components or is it all about just golf? Alex: That's a great question too. Marcus: Going I'm going to the golf sorry, I'm my answer this for you, Alex. I'm going to the golf course and I'm going to the pub and then someone's gonna have to drag me out of there and then we're gonna go to Alex: Well Marcus: bed and then we're gonna go to the next golf course. Alex: I think I I think the problem is like when I think about this and why I say it's a good question, is like I think my my heart is where Marcus just said, like thirty-six holes, drink, sleep, rinse and repeat. But my brain is a lot smarter than my heart, and my brain knows that my body can't do that. So my brain's like, no, it probably makes sense to play like one round a day, have a drink, maybe go do some sightseeing, touring type stuff that evening, and then rinse and repeat. Just for like or play thirty-six, take a day off, play thirty-six, take a day off, for the longevity of making it the full, you know, week or ten days that we're there. Marcus: Yeah. I would rather do eighteen pub eighteen the next day, pub, eighteen the next day, pub, and then somehow get home. Jason: Yeah. Marcus: Yeah. I can't do thirty six in one day. That's that's where I draw the line. Well I mean I can, but not consecutively. Alex: Yeah, so w so what are you gonna do? You're just so you're just gonna play eighteen holes and drink the entire rest of the day? Marcus: I'm gonna make some friends. I don't know. Yeah. Jason: You'll definitely make friends. Marcus: Probably make some friends. Alex: Yeah, I know. Jason: No, I definitely can only do eighteen. Drink some, but again, brain, how often am I gonna make a trek over there to do something like this? So I wanna take full advantage and make the most of it and not just make it strictly golf. That's where my brain would go. Alex: I mean, is there that much hi is there that much history Jason: Definitely get enough rounds. Well Alex: in Scotland? Like it's Braveheart. We've all seen the movie. Jason: I mean there is Marcus: And I'll probably go to the oldest pub in Scotland too, so there's my history. Alex: No, there there there is. No, I would there's a lot that I would like to do in Scotland. I I I just right. th there's a lot. like I would love to do the distillery tours and go to which one is the big one there? Marcus: I don't know. Jason: Lugavalin. Marcus: Like a woolen? Alex: No. Jason: Like a Vulin or whatever it's called. Yeah. I only know that 'cause I d I just watched Parks and Rec. McC McAllen's? McAllen's? Or what's the it begins with a G. Alex: Glen it's one of the Glens. yeah, that's one of is Glenn Livitt and Glenn something? Jason: Then yeah. Alex: But I mean, yeah, I would love to do the distillery tours. Like and I'm not really even a bourbon or scotch drinker anymore. I I'm tequila and vodka. But like I would still like to go do those things. So yeah, I'm I'm with you. Jason: Yeah. We did a Alex: Like I would like to I would like to do stuff while I'm over there, not just golf. Jason: Yeah. I mean I would definitely do a distillery tour. We did ours in our in Barbados where Rome was kind of founded in a sense and damn that was good. Alex: See and when you talk about when you talk about doing stuff like that, like I would specifically key things that I know Casey wouldn't want to do. Like, she doesn't drink whiskey. Like spending money for a dude distillery tour is a waste of money because she's not gonna drink any of it. She doesn't care about any of it. But if I told her, hey, we're gonna go do a wine tour because we're playing golf in Italy, I'd probably get I'd probably Jason: big time. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: get the locks changed on me. Like So no, I'd I'd I yeah, I'd I'd absolutely wanna do things. I would wanna structure it like you're there, you get enough golf. If you're there for ten days, we play at least five, maybe six rounds. And that's like one a day essentially, maybe one day or two rounds, and then the Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: other parts of the day you go drink or you go to a stillery tour or you know, stuff like that. Marcus: Especially if it's like a travel day, maybe travel to the distillery, do the tour, and then end up where you're supposed to end up. That might be worth it. Yeah. Alex: Well that'd be the perfect thing. Like play that morning, travel, tour, dinner, Marcus: Yeah. Yeah. Alex: then play the next morning. I mean, Scotland's not a big country. I can't imagine it's more than a couple hour drive if that Jason: No idea. Like it's not it can't be big, but you know they don't have the same s road system, so it may take a little longer depending on your locations. Alex: I don't know, isn't there like a a organization that can plan this for us? Jason: Yeah, they visit Marcus: Should be. Jason: like either was it Peter Finch or Rick Shields. I saw it recently. They've got a sponsorship or something or an agreement. Someone's doing it. Yeah, it's like a golf trip thing and but I think it's strictly golf. So if you wanted to set up other things, I don't know if they do that. Alex: Yeah, I don't know. So but no, you're you're right. but that's like the one golf trip that like I'd be willing to spend the money on and it would be fun for the mental health and It it's those Jason: for sure. But Alex: those trips are always a good time. Jason: I would definitely contact a broker or an agent to do that, especially if there's like weird regulations or something or processes to playing on some of those courses. Alex: Yeah, I know some of it's Marcus: Yeah, there's like Alex: really hard to get on to. Marcus: It's like three or four courses around Saint Andrews. Alex: Well, Saint Andrews alone has three courses, right? 'Cause they have the old course, a Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: new course, and one other. Jason: Like there's literally like a couple yeah that I've seen on the map, like when they do majors, it's like something more like let's just say like Royal Lithum or whatever it is, is like just down the road. So yeah, there are courses grouped together, but I think is that on the east coast of Scotland? Eastern side? And then you got the Alex: I have Marcus: Yes. Alex: no clue. Jason: And then you have like the handful on the western side too. Alex: I so I'm looking it up here on this one website and I'm not giving them any free advertising. the the agenda day one, you play Burrora, day two, you play Dornick, day three, you play Dornick again, day four you play the new course or Jubilee course. Day five, you play Carnusti, day six you play the old course, day seven, you play Kings Barn. So that's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven rounds in essentially nine days. Eight days. Marcus: Sign Jason: Whew. Marcus: me up. Alex: But it's all like Jub New Course Jubilee, Carnousti, St. Andrews, they're all right on top of each other, I think. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: So there's only two of those. Jason: Probably just start at like one end and then just kinda work your way up or work your way down. Alex: Well yeah, I think Royal Dornik is the Jason: Mm. Alex: one that's in the far north. So anyways, it yeah I don't know. But that's Marcus: I'm in, let me know. Alex: One that we we have to start travelling and planning for. Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: Gotta get a head count. All of us all Jason: Yeah. Alex: of us guys turning forty. Then you got Jason. Marcus: What would be the ideal head count? Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: Yeah, 'cause you don't want it super big and you and you also don't want Marcus: Yeah. 'Cause then you gotta Jason: it like so small, then it's like why do it? Alex: It I have found that eight is the perfect number. Twelve, twelve gets tough because Marcus: I was thinking the same thing. Yeah. Alex: it's just a lot of courses, once you hit twelve, you're considered a tournament. And I don't know how England works. I I'm just saying the US. Like once you hit 12, once you gotta get three T times, they consider you a special event. So it's it costs more to move around with that many people. So and and then once you get like I've done twelve before, or once you get to like sixteen, it's just too many chefs in the kitchen. Like too many people want to do that's why, like on when you're going with that many people, like you're strictly saying like we're playing golf this time, whatever you do afterwards is on you. Like we're not planning anything as a group, Marcus: Yeah. Yeah. Alex: but like when you go with eight or twelve, like you can plan dinners and you can still plan to do a lot of stuff together. Marcus: Yeah. I think eight's a good number. Eight's a really good number. Even even like when Alex: Yeah, I wasn't. Marcus: you're like 'cause if you think about it, like even when you get w together with family and once you get past like the ten people threshold, it kind of gets a little well, I wanna do this and I wanna do that and and I don't know. Feels like we're not all on the same page. Eight Yeah. Jason: well I can tell you that is definitely the case. Alex: Yeah, it gets really hard when you have that many people. Jason: It's like somebody please step up and take the reins and just this is what we're doing. And then everyone's like It's kinda like Marcus: Yeah. And then three people take the reins. Jason: no this is what we're no this is what we're doing. No, your way's stupid. No, yours is not logistically Alex: Mm. Jason: smart. Yours doesn't like my And then there's like, Well fine, you just do it then or then everybody's got a bad attitude. And then you don't do anything. Alex: Well, and here's the thing, like Jason hit on it earlier. If if we're going Scotland, like yeah, I want to do the castle tours. Like, that's just gonna happen. I wanna see a castle. it's three hours Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: and forty minutes from Dornick to St. Andrews, which looks like to be the most north you can go play golf to pretty much the most south, 'cause it's not that Jason: Wow. Alex: much north of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, what however they say it, Edinburgh. Marcus: Uh-huh. Edinburgh. Jason: Enbruh. Edinburgh. Bruh. So you kinda put the bruh bruh on the end. Marcus: Edinburgh. huh. Alex: Yeah. so no, eight people. So there's three of us right here. But so we only have room for like five more. And I already have like two other buddies that turn forty in that same time span. So really we're down to like three other people. Jason: Do I get the senior rate? Marcus: Yeah, that's how we're gonna get into St Alex: You know, you actually pay more. Marcus: Andrews. Alex: You actually pay more because it's all of our fortieth, so you gotta cover a birthday round for each of us. Jason: Ha ha ha. Alex: It's kinda like when you make a hole in one and you're the one that has to buy drinks for everyone, it's that concept. Jason: See, okay, I never understood that. Like, how is that fair? Marcus: Don't hit a hole in Alex: I don't know. Marcus: one. I don't know what to tell you. Jason: I just I don't know how's Alex: And just Jason: that fair? I gotta buy drinks for everybody. Marcus: Yeah, that's why I don't hit one. Alex: I just can't wait to hit my hole in one. When yeah, Jason: That's why purposely avoid it. Yeah. Marcus: Yeah, yeah. Alex: I purposely avoid the pin on part threes. When Jason: Mm. Yes. Marcus: Yeah, yeah. Alex: when there's groups, yeah. The sad thing is if we were purposely avoiding it is when it would happen. Jason: Alright, I'm gonna shank it. Hole in one dang I hostled the crap out of that. Marcus: Yeah. Yeah. Alex: yeah, so we we'll we'll need to start planning this. so yeah, that was a a long detour from why we play golf together and just went straight into also why we take trips together. Marcus: Which is why we play golf together. Yeah, Alex: is why we play golf together full circle. Marcus: full circle. Alex: what else do y'all have tonight, boys? Any golf news we need to talk about? There really hasn't been anything. It's been kind of mum on on the course. I know some rookies won Jackson Coivan. no now there's a big Jason: And then Alex: conversation about him potentially being on the President's Cup team now because he's just on a heater. Jason: Bjornsen is he he's not a rookie, but is this his first win? Who won this week? No, I didn't think so. But he's young, right? Alex: No. Mm no, I think he's I think he's won one time. Jason: Okay. Alex: I could be wrong. But I think he won bef Jason: You know, we're Alex: because he got on TGL because he was I think he had won and they brought him in for one of those guest appearances. Jason: It's funny, we were talking about constraints and there was another one that I thought of like w last few days while the pros were playing and I'm just sitting there going like you know, we talked about, hey, pros probably should not get a ball rollback but be structured limited to X equipment to prove their worth. And I was thinking, like, man, there was something else I just I was watching and it popped up and I can't think of it, but it was a good constraint because I think it kinda stemmed from When these guys play router tournaments that are at the T P C courses, except for sawgrass, it seems like they shoot super low. Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: And I'm thinking like there's gotta be some other constraints or something. And it just popped in my head, I'm that'd be a good one. And I just could drop the ball on what it was. But yeah, I think pros need to have a constraint more, like I said, equipment wise, or a course is gonna be difficult because you know they're trying to do what they can, lengthen it and stuff, but it's exciting but also kind of boring when these guys are going eighteen, twenty like I don't know. It just to me it seems kinda boring. Alex: Yeah, I mean we talked about this during the the open championship recap. Like it's it's certainly fun to see a pro go out and shoot a sixty two, but it's not as fun to see them do that four straight days in a row. Like when you're shooting eight to ten under almost every time, I mean, the TPC, Craig Ranch, the CJ Cup, Byron, right? Like Whoever won that was thirty one under like Jason: Mm. Alex: through through four rounds, that's seven, eight under a round. Like that's not that much fun to watch. Like it's it's cool from like a technical perspective. You're like, wow, like these guys are really good. But so I'm with you. Like it it's gotta be it's gotta be a challenge. They gotta have some level of constraints. Jason: Was it like three fifty nines in the last eight days also or something and like within two weeks span? Alex: Yeah. Yeah. Marcus: Aang. Alex: To to me, like the happy medium is if s if your winning scores anywhere from like eight to fifteen, because that means they're putting up two to five under rounds, two to three under rounds essentially, two to four Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: under rounds. Like like that's fun to watch. You're getting some birdies, Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: you're probably also getting some bogeys. It's not just a birdie birdie fest out there. speaking of birdie fest. We didn't recap my round at Stone Bridge, so I'm gonna do that real quick. So have either of you played Stone Bridge? I don't think y'all have. Jason: You you and I went out, but that was like Alex: Well God forever ago. Jason: Forever ago and I don't I I forget which two we played, but it's kinda like Cinnambar or what's it in in Alex: So well, they changed them. Now it's just course one, two, and three, 'cause twenty seven holes. Jason: okay. Alex: So we played courses two and three. and like every time I've gone back out there since we left the club, it's like we've talked about that scar tissue. Like you still have that. So I haven't played well and anytime I've gone out there, like I don't think I've broken eighty. So we played and I was kind of similar to what I was doing at Fields Ranch, I was pulling everything. So my alignment was a little off. Made the turn at I think two over. I was like, okay, like that's a respectable. Like the wheels aren't off the cart. I I still have a chance to break eighty. we're fine. But then I don't know what switch. Like I said, maybe it was just the guys I was playing with. Like it was just a good time. Like we were having fun. We weren't even drinking. I just really stopped caring and it I almost drove the or got on the green and two on hole nineteen because at the bar five. That's semi-reachable now that they removed a tree. I just I got to playing my golf and I was f I got to where I was four under on the back. And 'cause I texted y'all, I birdied two Do drival par fours, buried both of those. So I was three under there. Then it was a par three that I got up and down on. So there's and then we got to a par five that I just hammered a draw around. Like I had one, I want to say I had like 160 in on a par five. And it we were playing from the backs. Like it wasn't like it. I just absolutely Marcus: Damn. Alex: pummeled a driver and it just it hit the downslope. There's a fairway bunker and hit the backside of that and just shot forward. It probably rolled another hundred yards. And so I was on the green into there. So I ended up birding that hole. So I was four under and I had been hitting the driver well. So I was like, hole 18. It's not a birdie hole, but it's like all I need's a par here. I can shoot a great round. I mean, I I'll I would have shot a 70, which would have tied my my lowest round ever. So I was like, you what, Alex, you're hitting the driver well. Let's just swing it freely. And man, I I knew it in my gut. I was like, this is a mini driver hole all day. It's not a birdie. Getting closer to the hole really isn't gonna do anything for me here. Like it's gonna be a difference between a hundred yard shot and a hundred and thirty-yard shot. And like it's not a big difference. And I absolutely smother hooked it into the houses. Like just Jason: Yeah. Alex: And you know, I had these guys like with me and they're like, dude, like why are you not hitting your driver? Like you have pummel three drives now on the back. You've driven two greens and you pummeled a driver on five. Like, why would you not do it? Like, just hit your driver. So I let them talk me into it and ended up double bugging that whole Jason: Ha ha. Alex: finish two over on the back, one over overall. So I was three over when Marcus: On Alex: I made the turn. Marcus: honestly, I don't even blame you for taking taking out the driver on eighteen. Cause you were feeling it. Alex: I was feeling it. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: but it would have been nice to like break par. You know, in a year that I have barely put any golf it like practice into. And even like playing, like I just really haven't done a lot. Like, to me, that would like me I've made it where I've I've achieved the goals I Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: want to engolf. Like I'm good even when I don't practice. Like that was like when I picked this up, that was like my goal. I wanted to just be able to go out and shoot sub eighty. every round. And I'm kind of there now. So to be able to go out and throw up a 70 with very little practice would have been frickin' amazing. Cause the only other time I've shot 70 was I was literally practicing every day. Because it was when I was in between jobs. So I would wake up, I'd go Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: to the range, play nine holes, go home. Like I was probably putting five, six hours a day in on golf during that period. So like to me it's like of course you've shot a seventy. Like you were literally playing every day. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: Yeah. Jason: So what you're saying is I need to take a semester off from working so the weather is ideal and just go play golf five or six hours a day. Marcus: No, opposite. Alex: w weather was not ideal. this was December, January, February for me. Jason: Ha ha ha. Alex: Weather was not ideal. It was cold. I just did it anyways. Jason: Yeah. Alex: So no Jason: Yeah, I mean, that's cool. I mean, yeah, that's you've got I know Ben doesn't like the term muscle memory, but it's I don't know what he calls it, but y you've developed it, you've practiced it enough, so it it starts becoming second nature like the pros. Like it just comes more fluidly, you don't have to overthink or process it just you just kinda click. Like they say, it's just like riding a bike. You've got the motor skills dialed in enough and you know your feels dialed in enough that you can Definitely put around in without having to struggle to kinda find it again. Yeah. Alex: and you can fix it. Yeah, you can fix it too. Cause like kind of like when we played Fields Ranch, the first seven holes were not like I wasn't bad, but I also wasn't good. So it's like, but then you slowly start to dial it in. You're like, okay, it's just a micro, micro adjustment here. And that's exactly how it was there. Like I just Jason: Mm-hmm. Alex: I was pulling the ball. I made a small micro adjustment, then I Jason: Hmm. Alex: just started hitting just perfect little draws. Which is a whole new ballgame for me too, 'cause I've been hitting fades for the past year. So now I'm hitting draws with everything and I'm it's like, okay, whatever, move on. But Jason: Mm-hmm. Well, I don't know if it's been the lessons or the final lessons kicked in, but I know Ben and I talked, he's like, once if you got feel it, got out dialed in for what they've been teaching me, you'll hit draws. And aside from a few weird shots in the last round or two, most of my shots have all been draws. Alex: Yeah. Jason: Like nice draws, not like the heavy draw. So I that's when I'm feeling good. Like when I'm feeling free and swinging, it is a nice baby draw in almost all my shots. Woods all the way down. So Alex: Yeah. See, mine when I've been when I know that I'm playing good, and I did this with you on I think it was hole twelve, maybe hole eleven at PGA. or at Fields Ranch, when I can hit I'm hitting draws as my stock, but when I can hit the cuts on demand is when my game is the best. And I Jason: yeah. Alex: I did that on that one hole with you. I was like, Hey, I'm I just want to hit a nice soft Cut, high cut little eight iron here. I think it was like a 150 pin. So I was taking like 20 yards off the club and put it on the green. And that's the kind of win, like, like I said, I think hole seven, I kind of turned it around. But then when we came up to like hole 11, I was like, okay, now I'm dialed in. Like I'm calling my shots and we're good to go. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Jason: Yeah. It's a good feeling when you step up, you've got your feel shot, like just you just go, but then I'm not there yet, but I there's times where I definitely can control sometimes of what I wanna do and seeing that outcome happen is it's great. Alex: Yeah, and it all comes back to are you in the right mental mindset? Like you just once you get there, it's all good. Jason: Yeah. Well the biggest thing is whatever your setup is, still commit. Just commit fully Alex: Mm-hmm. Jason: and don't think it think as you're swinging because that's where I get in trouble. As soon as I Alex: Yeah. Jason: start kinda doubt what I'm doing, even in my backswing, my brain starts doubting something, stuff happens. Alex: Yeah. I get it. It's tough. All right, gents. Well, if y'all got nothing else, I got nothing else, I gotta get ready tomorrow's baby girl's birthday. Jason: yes. Happy birthday Bella. Marcus: Yeah, happy birthday. Alex: So we had breakfast for dinner tonight. We'll have breakfast for Jason: yeah. Alex: breakfast tomorrow. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: then I gotta take her to ride her horse. So Jason: Fun. you real quick, I know we've signing off, Alex: That'll be that'll be a good day. Mm-hmm. Jason: but how much have you played with your metas? You only showed us the one clip. Alex: I that's all I've done. Jason: okay. Alex: that's all I've done so far. I'll wear them tomorrow when we're out there again. I just haven't done anything. I mean, that's not true. I put them on. I was just just like test them out because they'll translate text. So like I was on my phone and someone's story was in Spanish, so just had a shitza giggle. So I like, hey, meta, you know, translate this for me. And it they translated it. I was like, that's kind of cool. It's It's interesting. It's funny. So I had them on my head that same day that we because I was wearing them as my sunglasses. So that same day that we rode, we went to the grocery store. And Casey and I kind of split up. So she called me and I answered it. And I'm like, hold my phone up. I'm like, I can't hear anything. What's going on? And I looked Jason: It went to the glasses. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: down at my phone and it was connected to Bluetooth. And I'm like, I don't have my AirPods in. Like, what's going on here? Marcus: Yeah. Alex: And then I was like, shoot. So I put my glasses on and I could hear her. I was like, there you are. Jason: man, alright. Alex: So Marcus: She was hearing the whole thing. Alex: Yeah, I was like so it it's they're interesting. I like I think they're cool. Like we'll Jason: See, I could have used them in Italy. I could have put on, looked at the grocery store's menu and just been like Alex: Well Jason: translating Alex: it it translates speak like speech too. Like if you say, Jason: Yeah. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: Hey, meta translate for me and someone's talking in Spanish they'll translate for you. Jason: Yeah you see? Should have done it. Marcus: Mm. Now you gotta find a time machine. Alex: Yeah. I've like I said, I Jason: Yeah. Alex: well what's nice now too is like I wear blue light filter glasses at work. The metas have a blue light filter in them. So now like I'll put those on and I have to wear two sets of earbuds because I travel like between job sites. So I'll have a set that's connected to my laptop. And so like I'm constantly switching out. Like if I get a phone call, I'm like, I gotta put these airbuds in, blah blah blah. But now with those glasses, I'll just have the glasses on and put one ear pod or my other earbuds Marcus: So Alex: in for my laptop. And if someone calls me, it just goes to my glasses. I can just answer it without taking anything off or on. I was like, it's kind of a neat little byproduct that I didn't even think about. Marcus: Mm-hmm. Jason: That is cool. I mean definitely my prescription doesn't change so much. It'd definitely be worth looking into. Alex: That's why I thought about getting the prescription ones. but that's why I just didn't do it. It just didn't make sense with with how much I one, I don't wear my glasses that much. I hate glasses. but two, like just the versatility of getting I can wear them with my lenses, I can wear them outside, I can wear them inside, doesn't really matter. So Bible test Jason: Well, there you go. Alex: out tomorrow. learning curve with the hat. So maybe Marcus: Mm-hmm. Alex: flip my hat backwards tomorrow. Jason: Or just have them down like this and look like then you look awkward. Yeah. Alex: So yeah, lower the maybe maybe look look up a little bit. Marcus: Yeah. Alex: Don't wear your hat so low on your eyes. No, I'm gonna wear them. because we also have baseball practice on Wednesday. So I was like, I might wear my baseball practice. The only problem is you have to continually like record because it only does 3k for three minutes. I think if you go to 1080, it'll stretch out to like 10 or 15 minutes, but Jason: Is that all the storage space it has or it only cycles through? Alex: No, that's just all it does at one time. Jason: okay. So you have to like it records, then you have to re-record. Alex: Bascious. Yeah, I don't know what the buffer time is. I didn't test that, but like it only catches in three minute intervals if you wanna catch in three K. Jason: okay. Alex: So worth knowing. Marcus: Interesting. Alex: All right, gents. Marcus: Yeah. Jason: Sweet. Alex: Well, good talking. as always, everyone, give us a like and a listen every Wednesday at 7 a.m. Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon. everything will be linked in the show notes. All right, boys, talk to you later. Jason: I'm gonna Marcus: See ya.