1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: Little history on this place. William Durant, the founder General Motors. 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: This was his ranch. They called it the South Prince 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: Ranch Okay. And then in the early thirties gm got 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,479 Speaker 1: in financial trouble and he sold his ranch to the 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: Purple Game mob de trump Mom Sometime in the late 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: thirties and forties where the lodge is, they had a 7 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: big stable, big barn with indoor arenas, had swimming pools, 8 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: and they guarded this with machine guns. This is where 9 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: the mobsters brought all their family to vacation, ride their 10 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 1: horses and and hang out. We have pictures at the 11 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: clubhouse where the FBI come in and dug around and 12 00:00:49,000 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: looking for half of put another log. Nobody here is 13 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: in time. Welcome to the fire Pit with Matt Jonella. 14 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the fire Pit. Today is special because 15 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: it's the first time we're recording the fire Pit podcast 16 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: sitting around an actual fire pit, which is at four St. 17 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: Dunes in ross Common, Michigan. That first voice you heard, 18 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: given a brief history of the land is Lou Thompson, 19 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,320 Speaker 1: the current owner of for Students, which is of course 20 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: about three hours north of Detroit and a little over 21 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: an hour east of Traverse City. The story we tell 22 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: today is how and why Lou Thompson bought Forest Students, 23 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: and then how he has made this remote location a 24 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: legitimate destination. Heck, even his wife has been known to 25 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: ask him, what does a trucker from Arkansas know about 26 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: managing golf? Well, he knows enough to have a record 27 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: breaking three thirty seven golfers. On the day we taped 28 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: this podcast, we sat around the pit with Thompson, who's 29 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: sixty two, Josh Tom and Blue Sun and business partner, 30 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: and there was an extended group of family and friends 31 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: who listened in it. We start in shortly after parting 32 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 1: ways with Jay Morrish, Tom Weiscoff built the original nineteen 33 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: holes at four Students, which sits in the northern middle 34 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: of the Michigan Mitten and neighbors the her On National Forest. 35 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: I spoke to Weiscoff to get his reflections on this project. 36 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: It was initially a private, exclusive experience and maybe that's 37 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: what the downfall was. You know, there wasn't enough transition 38 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: into that area from the standpoint of need to play golf. Um, 39 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: but it had a tremendous piece of property. Man, You're 40 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: I've said this forever. You're only as good as your 41 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: piece of property, and the ownership commitment behind that. Shortly 42 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: after the course was completed, the original owners defaulted on 43 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: the loans and the course was dormant. Now long after that. 44 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: Then Detroit Carpenter's pension fund took ownership of the course 45 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: and they reopened it in two thousand two. They added 46 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: a clubhouse in two thousand four, but there was no lodging. 47 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: Some came to play, no one ever stayed. The maintenance 48 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: crew told me that back in the mid two thousand's, 49 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: on a busy day, they had twenty on the t sheet. 50 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: I found the course in while writing a story for 51 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: Golf Digest on the Best of Michigan Golf, Forest Dunes 52 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 1: was impossible to find. I ended up on dirt roads, 53 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: and I'm not sure I took a wrong turn, But 54 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: by the time we reached the fourteenth green, my friends 55 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: and I had our phones out and we were trying 56 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: to see if we could play it again. Forest Dunes 57 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: defined hidden gem. Here's more from Weisskoff. They had all 58 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: the things that I wanted to absolutely have done if 59 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: I could do it and was allowed to do it, 60 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: And consequently, you know, people, UH really enjoy it. I 61 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: get a lot of common comments uh and compliments from 62 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: that particular golf course. So that makes me happy. That's 63 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: all I'm looking for. I had enough controversy as a player, Matt, 64 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: so I don't need any more. So just to recap, 65 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: Forest Tunes is one thousand acres neighboring her On National Forest, 66 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: only minutes from what they call the Holy Waters of 67 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: the Ossable River, which offers world class fishing. And as 68 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: for the golf, Wi Scoff told me it's one of 69 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: the best public courses in his seventy three course portfolio. 70 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: And yet as it related to the original business model, 71 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: its struggled. I guess I wouldn't be doing this podcast 72 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 1: if it was still struggling. But before we get to 73 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: the success that's having now, you need to hear about 74 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: the beginning of Lou Thompson and Sun Trucking from Lou Thompson, 75 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: who in three started hauling turkeys for butter Ball out 76 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: of an office in Huntsville, Arkansas that Thompson described as 77 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: a phone booth years ago, about one truck who had 78 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: a small turkey company in Huntsville, Arkansas, and what to 79 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: hauland U product form. They kind of tucked me under 80 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: their wing, like me, and it just kind of grew 81 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: from there. And now, how many trucks do you have? 82 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: But we've got a little two hundred. We run oh 83 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: fourteen million miles and that's fourteen million miles on two 84 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: lane roads. Because we all water short stuff. We move 85 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: somewhere between two thousand and twenty loads of week. Thompson 86 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: will tell you he worked seven days a week, almost 87 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 1: every day of the year. He's a smoker, and a 88 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: life on the road means you're ordering from the menus 89 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: with a lot of pages and even more calories. When 90 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: obviously my mid forties, had a real bad heart attack 91 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: and the doctor told me I was going to quite 92 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: working as much as I was, and I needed to 93 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: start exercising and doing other things, um, besides working, and 94 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: go on a whole lot of options where I lived 95 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: and I never played, Like I said, I never even 96 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: had a golf club. And every time I turned around, 97 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: I was a little embarrassed because some people I did 98 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: business with what always calling to, how would you go 99 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: on a golf trip with this? How about let's go 100 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: play golf? Well I can't, you know, I don't know 101 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: how for one, I've never played, so um, after I 102 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: had the heart attack, I thought, well, this is the 103 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: time for me to take up golf. And so I'm 104 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: like everyone else, I got the golf bug. So uh 105 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: every evening after work. Um, after about a month, we 106 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 1: didn't have to over the yard because there was no grass, 107 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: you know, how to wore all the graps up in 108 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: the yard chipping. In two thousand ten, Thompson was offered 109 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: an opportunity to buy into the Bridges struggling golf development 110 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: in Montrose, Colorado. You know, I really thought it was 111 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 1: a great deal at them because you bought it for 112 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: ten cents on the dollar. H it was a good deal. 113 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 1: But it was a great deal. It's really tough to 114 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: make a golf course work, especially a standalone golf course. Uh. 115 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: I didn't know that when I bought it. Ah. But 116 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: the good thing about it had a lot of real 117 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: estate with it, a lot of lots, and that's a 118 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: good play. The golf wasn't, but the real estate was. 119 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: The phone year, Thompson gets another opportunity to buy more golf. 120 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: How I got to find out about this place. The 121 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: guy that was running Bridges was a guy they named 122 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: of Rocky Papa Check. And when I bought it, he 123 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: left and he worked for Trim Golf and they transferred 124 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,679 Speaker 1: him here to Force Tins and he became the gym 125 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: and Force Tins and uh then Inleven he calls me 126 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: one day and asked me how things are going to 127 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: callad and said, you know, and said, would you be 128 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: interested in another golf course? And uh, soil, how good 129 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: is it? Is? It? Really good? And he's soil in 130 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: my opinion, you know, trend managers too. In your golf course, 131 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: it's probably you know, if it's not the best, it's 132 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: in the top five if anything that trends. God wis 133 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: Cuff again on the canvas he had to work with. 134 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: You know, it's an exceptional piece of property. It's a 135 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: combination of Rowley Sandy Dunes, which is entirely mostly on 136 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: the back nine itself, and then the front nine has 137 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: some water, natural water ponds, wetlands and reenters through the 138 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: pines and the deciduous maples, oaks, that kind of thing. 139 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: So it's a striking contrast, especially in the fall back 140 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: to Thompson's call with Papa Check, he said, I think 141 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: it's something if you're interested, you need to kind of 142 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: look at it. Uh, and that's well what I want 143 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 1: for It's why I don't know. But Uh, there's federal 144 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 1: agents here. You know, they're claiming out foul cabinets. You know, 145 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 1: there's a lot of problems here. And uh, its own 146 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: pension fund. Uh, they're not happy with it. They went out. 147 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: Uh it says it's not doing any good at all. 148 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: It's you know, just no play. Ah. He didn't tell 149 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: me how much he was lazing. He just said it 150 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 1: was good good. As of late last year, the Detroit 151 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: Carpenter's pension fund has been investigated for what the Detroit 152 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: Free Press referred to as a hundred million dollars of 153 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 1: quote risky investments and real estate deals across Michigan and 154 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: as far away as Hawaii. Now back to lou Thompson 155 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: in two thousand eleven, was still on the phone with 156 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: Papa check. He said, that's that manager told me the 157 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: sweet they're going to sell it sweet. And so he said, 158 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: you knew, really, if you've got any interest, you need 159 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: to come now, because he said, I think they're serious 160 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: about selling it. Thompson was interested, but definitely skeptical. I've 161 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: never heard of four students. I've never been in Michigan. 162 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: I tried to find some stuff on it. You couldn't 163 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: find anything on it. Um, I was kind of bored 164 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: regular of the house. I thought, well, this catch me 165 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: a fly and go look at it. Forest Dunes is 166 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: on the scale of sand Hills, Nebraska in terms of remote. 167 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: Probably best to arrive and depart by day. Stop three 168 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: times between Traverse City and four St. Dunes and called 169 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: in and said, you know, Rocky, yeah, I'm lost or something, 170 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: because you know, you're telling me this is some high 171 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: party the lake golf course. You know, I said, I 172 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: ain't seen ship out here that I called about a 173 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: mall before I got to the draw and said, you 174 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: know I'm not in the rob Oh yeah, you keep coming, 175 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: keep coming, you'll see a sign that says turned left. 176 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: And so anyway, when I pulled through the guard check, 177 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 1: you know, the guard chack kind of impressed me. You know, 178 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: I thought, well, you know, this pretty nice entrance here, 179 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: so maybe there's something in here. Then I drove around 180 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,079 Speaker 1: and got to the clubhouse. You understand, this is in 181 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: eleven and everything is pretty much new. And I mean 182 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: that was about probably twenty cars in the parking lot. 183 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: Nineteen I was employees cars, you know, because there was 184 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: two people here that day playing golf. This was shortly 185 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: after I'd been on property. The course had a reputation 186 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: for being an immaculate condition, which isn't hard to do 187 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: when there's no play. Parked and walked in and Rocky 188 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: met me, and you know, and I was kind of 189 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: overwhelmed at the clubhouse, and especially when I come to 190 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: the back windows and looked out and seeing the sand. 191 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: I wasn't expecting. That was the biggest surprise to me, 192 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: to see all the natural sand. You know, I didn't 193 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 1: even know Michigan had sing you know in natural sand 194 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: at that uh. And I told Rocky, you know, taking 195 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: me a cheer of the golf course. He's, well, I'm 196 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: gonna cheer you the whole thing. That's why I made 197 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: the whole thing. He said, well, we got three D 198 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: and fifty lots here. There's five houses, there's they're not 199 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: whoa whoa, you know, Rocky, I've actually just had a 200 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 1: golf course up here. Oh no, they want to sell everything. 201 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,719 Speaker 1: Thompson knew right away he didn't truck enough turkeys to 202 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 1: buy four students didn't play golf. This road around. It's 203 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 1: been about three hours, had lunch, took a few pictures, 204 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: drawback Traverse City. We caught a plane home and you know, 205 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: I knew when I got here, and he want to 206 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 1: tell me whether they want to sell all the five houses. 207 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: I want to sell everything. Uh that I didn't have 208 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: enough you know, powder for this deal. So you know, 209 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: I just kind of walked the White Bank and it's old. 210 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: The company is lou Thompson and Son Trucking. Son is 211 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: Josh Thompson. Next morning, Uh, I went to work. I know, 212 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: I went in my son's office and he said, how 213 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: did the deal going? I said, well, you know, pretty 214 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: fascinating place, but that's you know, I thought I was 215 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: going to get something like I got at the Bridges. 216 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: You know what, you're three million dollar deal and I 217 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: want to tell you there's five homes up here, there's 218 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: three hundred fifty lots, there's you know, world class golf 219 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 1: course and this phenomenal clubhouse and start I said, this 220 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: is out of my powder range. So you know, it's 221 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: pretty much older. Josh Thompson, who is now the president, 222 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: started with the company in his early twenties starts telling me, 223 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: you know that there's there's five homes and three hundred 224 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: lots and acres. And I said, you know, there's just 225 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: no way you can. I mean, you're not even gonna 226 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: come close. You're wasting your time, you know. And he said, well, 227 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: you never know what what's under rock and you turned 228 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: over about ten thirty year eleven. That morning, Uh, that 229 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: I got home, I got a call from an asset 230 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: manager for the pension fund and uh, he told me 231 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: who he was and said, Hi, I just got off 232 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: the phone with Rocky. Rocky told me, you know you 233 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: who he was there. Come looked at it yesterday and 234 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: he was very impressed with the place. And he said, 235 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: you know, we're not in the golf course business, and 236 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: we've tried to run it for a few years. We 237 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: don't know what we're doing. It's not working for us. 238 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: We want out. And uh, you know, he said, I 239 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: do you really like the property? And so yeah, it's 240 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: it's awesome. But as I can tell you right now, 241 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: I had no idea what it was when I went 242 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: up there, or I wouldn't went up there because it's 243 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: not something that I'm gonna be able to buy and 244 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: he said, here's what I'd like to know. He said, 245 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: you know, that's what's that? And he said, what would 246 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: you pay me today for their property and take over 247 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: to more? And I said, pay you today and take 248 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: over to more. He said yeah, and that's well, I 249 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: don't know. I'd have to give that some thought and uh. 250 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: He said, well think about that and I'll call you back. 251 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: And so I hung up, and that's when I walked 252 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: back into Josh said, hey, you're gonna blae this, but 253 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: that pension fund manager called and you know, I'm gonna 254 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: make you me damn offer, you know. But before he 255 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: could make that offer, we went looking for a little backup. 256 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: And I had a friend who's in the banking business, 257 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: and I had at the time a couple of million 258 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: dollars and so I called Sam and asked him and 259 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: I said, hey, I went looking a piece of property. 260 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: You know, no way're not gonna get it bought. But 261 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: I was going to throw with them lowball offer and 262 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: see he said, is it goodness? Oh yeah, I said, 263 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: you gotta couple extra me and he said yeah, And 264 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: just to make him an offer. About twelve thirty, Anthony 265 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: calls me back and says, how Mr Thompson, He said, 266 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: you know, have you thought about it? You know? I said, yeah, 267 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: I said, I'll give you four million dollars cash today 268 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: and take ordmor boy pisted him off, you know, and 269 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: I mean he started kind of chining my ass out, 270 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: you know, link fucking taking you know, four million dollars. 271 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: I mean, we got fifty five million dollars invested. You know. 272 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: Did you not look me? Yeah? I mean hey, I said, 273 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: wait a minute, you know, don't be checking my ass out. 274 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: You know. You called me and asked me what i'd 275 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: give you for the property, and I told you then 276 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: I didn't have the powder. And I said, I got 277 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: four million dollars today. That's all I got. If that 278 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: ain't good enough, you don't forget it. I don't care. 279 00:16:57,800 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: I go back in Josh's office. I said, well, i'll 280 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: it's had a boy off, you know. But in Josh 281 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,959 Speaker 1: that's funny, said, but Dad, I keep telling you you're 282 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: wasting your time, you know, going thinking you're going to 283 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: steal this stuff for nothing. You know, if it's from 284 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: the pictures, I know you wouldn't gonna buy it anyway, 285 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: So you know, go back to work and leave it alone. 286 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: Let's get back now. Well, we know it can make 287 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 1: some money. About thirty mat Slider, he calls me back 288 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: from the pitching front and he said, you know, miss Thompson, 289 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: He said, you know, we really need to sell that property, 290 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 1: and you like the property and you're a candidate to 291 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: buy the property. And he said, you know, we would 292 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 1: like to have a conference call with some of the 293 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: asset managers and other people and see if there's some 294 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: way we can work something out. And he said, you know, 295 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: would you be open to a conference call with some 296 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 1: different people? You know? It's okay? So I give me emailing. 297 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: About thirty minutes later, he sends me this link, you know, 298 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: along with what were the nine or ten other names 299 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: on it than the name on there I could pronounce 300 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 1: her say you know, so no, no, and uh yeah, 301 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 1: because you know we're a little country. And so then 302 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: I go back in Josh's office. I, hey, son, guess 303 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: what on a conference call in thirty minutes to an hour? 304 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: You know, you know you gotta come in my office. 305 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: It at two thirty I got this call, you know 306 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: with the with the masset managers and he's back to 307 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: do it. Ain't I ain't got time, you know, I'm working, 308 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: you know whatever. And then about five minutes for the call, 309 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 1: Josh comes in my office. She knows we've got to 310 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: speak her phone on and we doll in, you know, 311 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: of course, ding. We introduced ourselves. And then there's all 312 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: this dinging, you know, everyone's introducing theirselfs just ding ding 313 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: ding ding, you know. And we're sitting there and and 314 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: this Anthony keeps asking, hey, Tony's at you. And finally 315 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: after this is so and so, and after about the 316 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: seventh or eighth guy comes on the phone. He said, 317 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: Tony's at you. And he said no, no, he said, 318 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: Tony said to start without him. He'll he'll join you 319 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: here in a few minutes. Anyway, everyone's on the call. 320 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: We're sitting there, and the asset manager he's telling everyone 321 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,639 Speaker 1: how Mr Thompson has been to the property, he's looked 322 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: at it. He really likes it, you know. Uh, we 323 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: want to sell it. We went out of it. Uh. 324 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 1: He's there some low ass offer at us at four 325 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: million dollars that we can't consider. But since he locks it, 326 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: I felt, we felt I'll get together. We might come 327 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: up with some way we could work out something and 328 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: he said, you know how you what about would you 329 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: give us four million dollars for half interstanding and we'd 330 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: be silent partners and uh, you just go run and 331 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: take care of it and we'd be you know, silent 332 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: partners and give us four million dollars. That's well, they 333 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: ain't gonna work. Uh, you know, first of all, I 334 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: don't want to pay me into our fourth second, already 335 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: got one partner to buy it anyway, and don't want 336 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 1: you know, another bunch of partners. So that's not gonna happen, 337 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: you know. And he said, well, what about you know, 338 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: you give us eight million dollars and place four million 339 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,400 Speaker 1: down and we'll find it stuff for me work at 340 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: any kind of times you want. You know, now that's 341 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: not gonna work either, because you know it. You know, 342 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: that's just not gonna work. And about that time, Dean, 343 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: you know, the phone goes ding again. He said, tis 344 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 1: like yeah, he said, where the hell you have that 345 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: golf course? You know? And he swelled, you know, Mr Thompson, 346 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:02,159 Speaker 1: you know he's tell just Tony, Well, Mr Thompson come 347 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: in yesterday, looked at it, loved it, you know. But 348 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: he threw something a little four million dollar offer on us. 349 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,679 Speaker 1: You know that we can't even look at you know, 350 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: and uh and he said, hey, Anthon, what the fox today? 351 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 1: He saw? What's thursdy? Do you remember what I told 352 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: you Monday. I don't give a funk who you sell 353 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,360 Speaker 1: it to or what you sell it for. I want 354 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: to subits fucking sold by Friday. And click in my 355 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: mouth at the floor. I'm just sitting there, going I 356 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,640 Speaker 1: didn't just has them. I mean it's quiet. I mean, 357 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: no one's saying a word, you know, you know, we're 358 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: just sitting there. I'm kind of stunned. And then Anthony said, 359 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: you know, Lou, would you consider seven million today? I said, 360 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: I think I'm good where I'm at that And he said, well, 361 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 1: I don't think we can work out anything, but um, 362 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: we'll get off here and we'll talk and we'll get 363 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,239 Speaker 1: back ways. You lighter today. You called me back at 364 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: four o'clock and tell me to wire the money in 365 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 1: the morning at nine o'clock and put it in an 366 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: escrow and takes over the next tag. And that's what 367 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 1: we did. Just how good was this deal? He said? 368 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 1: They had fifty five million dollars in the project. You know, 369 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,120 Speaker 1: getty or do you not? I don't know, don't care. 370 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: What exactly did Thompson get for his four million dollars? Well, 371 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: I got dart acres at that was the five homes 372 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: that they built out here. I got the homes, I 373 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 1: got the clubhouse, I got the moments, I got old equipment, 374 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: you know, and uh, you know, and really, you know, 375 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: I knew it was a goodbye on the property. What 376 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 1: I did know that I had to come back and 377 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: tell my wife a couple of days later, is just 378 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: how's it doing? As well? You know, it's uh October 379 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: and it's lost one point two million dollars this year. 380 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: That was a little tough for her, you know. And 381 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: you know one of the things you told me as well, 382 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: I know the lands of worth that. But you know 383 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: what makes you think you're a trucker? You go to 384 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: Michigan who've never been and take over a golf operation 385 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: and make it work when you've got professionals up there 386 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: that's losing one point two million dollars running it, and 387 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: I sway, yeah, but they don't realize what they got, 388 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: and they're trying to run it as a private club. 389 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: And I think if it's opened up to the public 390 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 1: and I offer more things. You know that I'm gonna 391 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: get more than twenty rounds a day because people does 392 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 1: not realize it's a hidden gym. How good it is. 393 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 1: Under new ownership, lou Thompson dove in and started trying 394 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: to figure out how to fix the issues. People started 395 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:05,199 Speaker 1: coming to four Stints to play golf. Everybody loved the golf, 396 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: but they'd pull up in the parking lot, get their 397 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: clubs through it on a cart, go play around to golf, 398 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: and then they'd grabbed their bag and they'd run to 399 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,120 Speaker 1: their car. Uh. Never come into the pro shop, never 400 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: come into the lodge, you know. So you know I'm 401 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 1: going and ask him what's going on here? You know. 402 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: So I'm asked himbody, well, we're going on to Treetops 403 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: or we're going on to Bourne, you know. Uh, we're 404 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 1: playing you on her way up, you know, and we're 405 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 1: getting out of here before it gets dark. So the 406 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: first thing he did was build some lodging. That was 407 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,880 Speaker 1: my first big mistake because I built a twenty two 408 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:49,159 Speaker 1: room lodge and uh, we got it all architect and 409 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 1: got it built to open the following year. But whenever 410 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:59,119 Speaker 1: we open he's booked up. You know, we come up 411 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: here a waff, not come up here. One time we 412 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,119 Speaker 1: had to go start tree tops and no place to side, 413 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: which starts a run of adding lodging. Each year he 414 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: had more villas, and each year he did more rounds 415 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: and more business in both the restaurant and the pro shop, 416 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: which brings us to two fifteen. That's when I went 417 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 1: and decided, well, made bill another golf course and called 418 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: around several architects, and ah, Tom Doe, because he lived 419 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: at Traverse City, he was my first candidate for the job. 420 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: And in fifteen nobody was doing nothing, you know, so 421 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 1: it wasn't like, you know, well, i'll come see in 422 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: six months and you know we can start one in 423 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: three years. You know, you call them, you know, forty 424 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:50,719 Speaker 1: five minutes later they're setting in your parking lot, you know, 425 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: wanting to give you a quote. Tom Doe gave Lou 426 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,160 Speaker 1: Thompson a lot more than a quote. He gave him 427 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 1: a concept he had been thinking about for twenty years, 428 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: a reversible routing eighteen greens that could be played in 429 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: multiple directions. He needed the right land, the right owner, 430 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,120 Speaker 1: and the right timing. At four students. He had all 431 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:14,880 Speaker 1: of the above, and they called it the loop. So 432 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: you know, once he presented that deal to me, you know, 433 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 1: I'm thinking, I instead of getting to stay one night, 434 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: I'm thinking three nights. Now you know that I've got 435 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,639 Speaker 1: three golf courses and I'm getting two for the prices 436 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 1: of one. And maybe that's an extraor not here and 437 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: uh and and that's what it ended up being. And 438 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: uh so we started building in fifteen and finished it 439 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:46,120 Speaker 1: into sixteen. Uh opened it in seventeen and that was good. Um, 440 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: people started coming stay in to him three days. But 441 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: then I realized, you got to have them just a 442 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 1: little more for people. And uh in eighteen I built 443 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 1: the putting course. I went to Pinhurst and I'd been 444 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: to ben and Dunes and I loved their Part three. 445 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: But when I went to Pinhurst and played their Part three, 446 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 1: I realized with my grandkids, h and how many older 447 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:23,439 Speaker 1: people is playing it and how they enjoyed it. You know, 448 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: I got to have a short course in addition to 449 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: playing the Preserve and Cradle. Lou Thompson has been following 450 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 1: the success of Winter Park nine in Florida, a renovation 451 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: project that launched the budding partnership of Keith Reb and 452 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,439 Speaker 1: Riley Johns. Rebb spent most of his time working for 453 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: Bill Core and Ben Crenshaw. Johns has worked for Corn Crenshaw, 454 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: Jim Robina, Rod Whitman, and Tom Doak, which included scouting 455 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: the land that eventually became the Loop. Now we're going 456 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: back to late April of two thousand nineteen, meet Riley Johns. 457 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: It was a cold call out of the blue. Basically, 458 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: Keith and I just happened to be together. We were 459 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,679 Speaker 1: looking at a project in San Francisco and we're on 460 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: the road ten fifteen minutes away from the airport and 461 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,159 Speaker 1: we get this call from from Lou out of the 462 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: balloon and he says, boys, I want to build a 463 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: short course, and I think you're the ones to do it. 464 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,479 Speaker 1: And we both look at each other like, is this 465 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: for real? I asked Keith Rad. If Lou provided some direction, 466 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: his first thing on his list was I want to 467 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: place that I can play with my grandkids. And we're 468 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: just like, well, that's all you that's all you needed 469 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,640 Speaker 1: to say. You know, well, a lot of people, it's 470 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: not fortunate enough that spent a lot of times with 471 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: their grandkids, and uh, I get spent a lot of 472 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: time with mine and I'm fortunate enough that they tuck 473 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: up golf, but we get spent a lot of time 474 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: together just because they're getting do what they want to do. 475 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna do what I want to do, spend 476 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 1: time with them, and it's something I enjoy h So 477 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: you know it's a big deal for me. I mean 478 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: it might I know, jayces start team now. You know, 479 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: I'm hoping that this will last another tree or four years, 480 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: but once the girls come in play, you know, Papa 481 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: probably gonna be history. Rebend. John's knew this course needed 482 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: to be special, and it was pretty clear from the 483 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: start as to why we both got out on site. 484 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,239 Speaker 1: I forget exactly when. It was sometime in May and 485 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: we're having to sit down with Lou and he and 486 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: he looks at both of us and he goes, here's 487 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 1: how this deal is gonna work. If it's good, I'm 488 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: got to call the damn credit. If it's bad, I'm 489 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: gonna tell your ass under the bus. He says, deal 490 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: or like a deal. Rev was well aware of the 491 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 1: situation they were getting themselves into. You got Tom's Tom 492 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: wise cops of course, got Tom Dope Sports and then 493 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 1: you got our little course stuck in the middle of that. 494 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: And you know, I mean there's there's there's there's pressure 495 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: to to do something something great there because there's been 496 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 1: great courses built right there and you can't can't mess up, 497 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 1: and you know, so yeah, he did put pressure on us, 498 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: you know, but but he gave us everything that we 499 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 1: needed and and and let us do our thing, and 500 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: and it was it was a fun and refreshing project 501 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 1: to be on and be part of. On June, there 502 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: was a soft opening for Reben John's ten whole Part 503 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: three course, none longer than a hundred and fifty yards, 504 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 1: takes less than an hour to play, starts and finishes 505 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 1: in front of the pavilion, the best hang zone on property. 506 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 1: This was a one day sneak peek for members, staff 507 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: and some media. I played a match against Thompson's two grandsons, 508 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 1: Jason's thirteen and Jagger, who's nine. How about fifty bucks? 509 00:30:53,800 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: A hold? Are you nervous? How a little bit? I 510 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: am too? A little bit? I better get another drink. 511 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: We can have everyone's attention, please, We're about to get 512 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: started on behalf of Forest Dunes. We'd like to welcome 513 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: you all here to our sneak peak opening of the 514 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 1: to be named short course here at Forest Dunes. H 515 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: Keith reb and Riley John's were the architects and visionaries 516 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: behind this project. We are going to kick it off 517 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: with a match featuring the grandsons of Lou Thompson, our owner, 518 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: Jason and Jagger Thompson versus Matt Janella. The top boy 519 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: will be scrambling what's this? What's what's some of that? Mat? 520 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: I was nervous for them. I mean they both get 521 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: on a t box in front of a big crowd 522 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: with cameras and both them stiff the green You know, 523 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 1: how good was that of it? I couldn't feel better 524 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 1: as a papa. This is the first taping of the 525 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,719 Speaker 1: fire Pit at an actual fire pit. At the end 526 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 1: of every podcast we ask every guest to tell what 527 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: is their favorite fire pit and why, Josh, do you 528 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: have a favorite fire pit? I love this one. Sometimes 529 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: you just gotta sayah, Lou, well, you know I was 530 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: up here, you know, sitting around here with the family, 531 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: and you know, around the fire pit. I mean people 532 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:53,240 Speaker 1: back home in July and August when I'm up here 533 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: and I'm sitting around a fire pit, and they feel 534 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: like they're biking in an oven. I think I've lost 535 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: my mind, you know, But I don't know as he 536 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: had last year or the year before. We up here 537 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: on the fourth of g Law weekend and got up 538 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: and it was starting four or five degrees in the morning. Uh. So, 539 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: there's just nothing more special. I mean to being in 540 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: northern Michigan in the summertime. I mean, we're all enjoined 541 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:23,520 Speaker 1: the far. You know, it feels good, and uh you 542 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 1: know we're in the June. Uh, It's just it's pretty special. 543 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: Are you looking for good value on great golf apparel? 544 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: As a listener to this podcast, my friends John Ashworth 545 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: and Jeff Cunningham at Link Soul in Oceanside, California are 546 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 1: offering you a discount on all future orders of what 547 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,960 Speaker 1: I Wear all day, every day, on and off the course. 548 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: Whenever you go to link soul dot com, just use 549 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: promo code matty G M A T T Y G. 550 00:33:57,800 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to the fire Pit. Let's produce 551 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 1: by Alex Upeggy. It's edited by Rex Lint. The theme 552 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: song is by Joe Horowitz. Please rate and review this 553 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: podcast on Apple Podcasts, and we might track you down 554 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 1: and send you one of our new Imperial Road Pads. 555 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: Got a question, comment, or a story for us to 556 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 1: track down. You can find me on Twitter at Matt 557 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 1: Janella or on Instagram at Matt Underscore Janella. And if 558 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,479 Speaker 1: you haven't already done so, please subscribe to the fire 559 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: Pit on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to 560 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: a story like this one. You can also subscribe to 561 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:34,880 Speaker 1: our YouTube channel, which is where we post portions of 562 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:37,640 Speaker 1: our podcast and add some visual surprises.