WEBVTT - Fire Drill 069: Scheffler Shines 0:00:03.320 --> 0:00:07.040 If you dig into the numbers, I just don't see 0:00:08.160 --> 0:00:12.680 how twenty and twenty five million dollars purses and five 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:14.880 million dollars paid days. I just don't see how that 0:00:15.080 --> 0:00:17.880 is sustainable when the tournament is just not the compelling. 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:23.360 Who's going to be watching? I got thoughts in my head. 0:00:24.040 --> 0:00:30.960 Can't get John not think what I'm thinking about my head, 0:00:31.640 --> 0:00:44.600 can't get them out, Jo think what I'm thinking about. Hello, 0:00:44.720 --> 0:00:48.400 this is Alan Chip Knock back for another fire Drill podcast. 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:52.040 We have Michael Bamberger coming in hot from pontavidra beats 0:00:52.159 --> 0:00:55.760 the final round of the players. I just read your story, Michael, 0:00:55.760 --> 0:00:58.640 which is going to populate on Firepit Collective dot com 0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:02.800 any second now. I love the way you talked about Scottie. 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:05.280 Scheffler is a throwback, the way he moves, the way 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:09.240 he plays, the way he carries himself. You know, we've 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:11.399 been it's been almost a year now since his Master's win, 0:01:11.480 --> 0:01:14.479 and we're still getting to know Scheffler. But what what 0:01:14.600 --> 0:01:16.560 is You seem to have some affection for the guy. 0:01:16.600 --> 0:01:18.399 What do you think about his performance today and his 0:01:18.480 --> 0:01:21.679 place in the game right now? I like your use 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:25.160 of the phrase we seem to be getting to know Scheffler, 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:28.800 as if there is a Scheffler that one can get 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:34.199 to know. In other words, I don't have the sense 0:01:34.200 --> 0:01:36.880 that he's very complicated person. I do have this sense 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:39.520 that he's a very intelligent person, but not someone who 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:42.320 makes things more complicated than they are. But like early 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:44.920 on before we even like heard him press conferences, who thought, 0:01:44.920 --> 0:01:47.160 oh this guy's a dullart. He's not a dullart at all. 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:50.560 He's a thoughtful He just seems like a thoughtful, kind 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:53.880 considerate person who's outstanding at golf and doesn't care that 0:01:53.960 --> 0:02:00.400 a swing is you know, not textbook forever reason he 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:05.480 doesn't inspire you with awe like a Rory or Dustin 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:10.720 Johnson or John ram Like definitely a level below that 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:14.480 just in terms of how he goes about his business 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:17.120 and the shots that he plays. But how can you 0:02:17.320 --> 0:02:20.519 argue with the masters contending all the time now a 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:26.840 players and six wins in thirteen months. Yeah, incredible end, 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:29.600 if you know. To me, it was really the Ryder 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:32.480 Cup was when that was the breakthrough watching him. You know, 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:35.840 John rom was was playing some of the best golf 0:02:35.880 --> 0:02:37.760 in the in the history of mankind that week and 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:41.760 Scheffler took him down and singles, and that was to 0:02:41.760 --> 0:02:43.680 me the beginning of the ascent. So yeah, I mean 0:02:43.680 --> 0:02:44.959 he's been doing it now for a year and a 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:49.000 half straight. And five birdies with the with the players, 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:51.440 five birdies in a row with the players championship hanging 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:54.639 in the balance, I mean, that's pretty spectacular. And um, 0:02:54.880 --> 0:02:56.840 what was what was the feeling like there at at 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:01.520 the stadium courts? For just my personal feeling is if 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:04.320 you see him over a six footer and we're playing maker, miss, 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:09.480 I find myself saying miss, more than make, they go 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:10.919 in one hundred percent when he wins, they go in 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:12.760 one hundred percent of the time they don't go in. 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:16.080 You know, as you have observed alan of Tiger, like 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:17.840 Tiger would be annoyed if they didn't go in the 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:20.000 right part of the hole. This guy seems to be 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:21.399 happy if it goes in any part of the whole. 0:03:22.200 --> 0:03:26.840 It's not it's not it's just not beautiful, but it's uh, 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:30.799 it's great. And I am definitely I'm just trying to 0:03:30.840 --> 0:03:34.000 speak honestly about him, but I'm definitely in the fan camp. 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:39.240 I root for this guy. I love the fact that he, uh, 0:03:39.360 --> 0:03:42.280 he doesn't talk about money. He doesn't. You know, Rory's 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:46.720 got a role in this game right now, and the 0:03:46.760 --> 0:03:51.360 subtext of that role is hard for a lot of 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:53.080 people to swallow when you get right down to it, 0:03:53.200 --> 0:03:58.200 which is the elite golfers have to get paid more money. Now. 0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:01.480 I don't know how Scottish Scheffer is player, couldn't think that, 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:07.840 but he's not. He's the beneficiary of Rory's conversation and 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:12.320 fills outbursts and sawty billions and all the rest. But 0:04:13.200 --> 0:04:16.360 he's sort of either risen above it or is floating 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:19.800 aside it. I'm not sure how you would describe it, 0:04:20.600 --> 0:04:23.040 but it's just not a central part of his character, 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:27.880 and it's it's very winning. What do you think on yeah, 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:31.039 or he just won four point six million dollars and 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:33.280 any normal human being would be like, this is a 0:04:33.360 --> 0:04:35.840 new crum about of money. I am so stoked, Like 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:38.240 I don't need to ask for more, I don't need 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:40.680 to throw a fit, like I'm so happy. I think, 0:04:41.240 --> 0:04:42.800 I think to your point, and he's kind of a 0:04:42.839 --> 0:04:46.280 normal guy. It's like he must be in disbelief the 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:49.480 amount of money he's won in thirteen months, tens of 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:52.240 millions of dollars. I think what you just said, Alan 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:58.080 just speaks to a relatively not relatively a normal value system. 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:01.360 You know, how much does any person need? And uh, 0:05:02.279 --> 0:05:05.160 you know, of course part of his thing for us. 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:10.599 You know, he's twenty six and he has him been 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:12.800 around very long, so it's not like, well, we've been 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.039 seeing this scar for years, like Rory's young, but he 0:05:15.080 --> 0:05:17.480 has been around for a long time. But he really 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:23.120 truly seems like he's well into his mid mid thirties. Hum, 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.240 did did you uh? Did happen to notice the comparison 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:31.760 to Steve Jones? I loved that. Yeah. In Michael's story 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:34.800 he talked about how how Shuffler moves and looks like 0:05:34.839 --> 0:05:37.599 Steve Jones and has the same no nonsense, Because the 0:05:37.760 --> 0:05:41.159 ninety six US Open Oakland Hills was my second ever 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:46.560 US Open And oh wow was that ninety six? Yeah? Yeah, 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.599 it's burned into my brain. And I had honestly never 0:05:49.680 --> 0:05:51.719 even heard of Steve Jones going into that week. You know, 0:05:51.720 --> 0:05:54.480 he'd had that finger injury and he'd kind of fallen off. 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:57.440 And I was so impressed by the guy. He just seemed, 0:05:57.960 --> 0:05:59.960 as you're saying, he just seemed like a regular dude 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:03.400 who was really really good at golf. And that was 0:06:03.440 --> 0:06:06.240 the the US Opener. Everyone came apart. You know, Davis 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:08.360 loved three putt of the same second hole and Tom 0:06:08.440 --> 0:06:11.320 Layman messed up the last hole and Jones just was 0:06:11.360 --> 0:06:13.440 just played golf and got it done. And I think 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:17.200 it's a fabulous comparison. They there is a similarity there. 0:06:17.920 --> 0:06:22.240 I mean Steve Jones broad shoulder, lankiness and uh yeah, 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:25.240 you know Steve. What was Steve's thing? Later? Did he 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:28.320 fall off of a motorbiker or something? And everyone was 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:30.279 really quite the same after that, but that he was 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:35.360 he was the super talent. Well, no, that predated, that predated, 0:06:35.520 --> 0:06:38.240 and he had to learn to play golf again. Yeah, 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:40.760 and but that was for a guy like Steve Jones, 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:43.320 winning the US Open was the pinnacle. And I think 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:45.480 at that point he was content. But I think Scottie 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:48.840 Scheffler it you can't get the number one in the 0:06:48.839 --> 0:06:51.800 world that having like a deep reservoir of ambition. But 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:55.360 you know, John John Ram obsesses about being number one, 0:06:55.520 --> 0:06:58.760 and it meant a lot to Dustin. You know, he 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:02.280 was very prideful about it, and you know, Tiger and 0:07:02.320 --> 0:07:05.200 those guys Like I don't think Scottischeff like cares about 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:07.000 that stuff so much. He just wants to hit golf 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:08.800 shots and get the ball in the hole as fast 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:10.960 as possible. And if you do that at the level 0:07:11.040 --> 0:07:13.560 he's doing it, everything comes your way, the money, the 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:16.560 world ranking points, the fame, the glory. But if you 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:18.560 focus on those things, it's easy to lose your way. 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:21.080 So he seems to have just the absolute perfect disposition, 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:23.400 like I'm just going to play golf and whatever comes 0:07:23.440 --> 0:07:27.320 my way, I'm going to enjoy. So it's impressive. Yeah, 0:07:27.440 --> 0:07:32.200 that that obsessive interests with becoming number one. It's insane 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:35.760 because see, it means that you're putting so much faith 0:07:36.200 --> 0:07:39.360 in the architects of the system in the first place, 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.920 putting more faith in them than you are what you've achieved. 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:46.000 I mean to me, what's fun right now is you 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:48.720 can argue John Ram, you can arguist Scottish Shopper if 0:07:48.720 --> 0:07:52.080 you cared do you can argue Roarriors or somebody else. 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:55.000 But that's part of the fun of being a sports fan. 0:07:55.480 --> 0:08:02.720 I don't need a computer driven log log rhythmic explanation 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:08.160 of who number one is decided. Yeah, it's it's it's 0:08:08.160 --> 0:08:10.760 all about math, and they change it every couple of years, 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:12.640 so it is. It is funny when people obsessed about 0:08:12.640 --> 0:08:14.840 like you're literally these guys couldn't even pass algebra in 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:16.440 high school and now all they care about is a 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:18.640 math equasy and it makes no sense at all. But 0:08:18.960 --> 0:08:22.440 have you ever have you ever heard a real number 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:25.400 about what a guy gets contractually, what it might mean 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:28.440 to him to become the number one player for a week, 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:31.360 and then you know, I'm sure beyond that. The more 0:08:31.360 --> 0:08:33.559 weeks you have that, the more money you're gonna make. 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:36.440 It's a real bonus and a lot of contracts, and 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:38.400 it can be half a million, it can be a million. 0:08:38.440 --> 0:08:42.120 I mean, it's not inconsequential. But again, if you're getting 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:44.120 to world number one, you're winning so many tournaments and 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:45.760 making so much money, I don't think that bonus is 0:08:45.800 --> 0:08:49.280 going to change your life. But to the point about 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:52.400 number one, it's quite an interesting debate because you know, 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:55.440 Rory has been playing at an incredibly high level, John 0:08:55.520 --> 0:08:58.960 Ram has been on a tear. But if you're going 0:08:59.040 --> 0:09:01.439 to really debate who's number one to me, it comes 0:09:01.440 --> 0:09:06.600 down to cam Smith and Scottie Seffler, because they've each 0:09:06.640 --> 0:09:09.079 have won the crown jewel of the sport in the 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:11.840 last twelve months, a green jacket and an old course 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:14.360 at the Open. They've also each is one of players, 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:17.360 and obviously we haven't seen a lot of Smith, but 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:19.720 he went down to Australia in December. He won down there, 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.480 like so it's funny that there's been so much focus 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:25.600 on Rom and Rory, but I think they're looking at 0:09:25.600 --> 0:09:28.520 the wrong guys. I mean, if if I had to 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:31.280 pick one dude to go out and win a tournament 0:09:31.360 --> 0:09:33.040 right now to save my life, it's gonna be It's 0:09:33.080 --> 0:09:35.160 probably gonna be Scottie Seffler, and number two is probably 0:09:35.200 --> 0:09:37.760 cam Smith depending on the setup. Even though I love 0:09:37.880 --> 0:09:40.880 Rory and I love Rom's game, but they're get The 0:09:40.920 --> 0:09:42.840 other two guys are just getting it done when it matters, 0:09:42.840 --> 0:09:46.440 most more recently so. But it's quite a conversation because 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:50.280 you have you have four Strawn candidates. Snape, I'm right 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:52.439 there with you, and I would probably as you say, 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:55.640 it would really depend on the course, but I would 0:09:55.640 --> 0:09:59.280 say this, the tricker and shorter the course, the more 0:09:59.400 --> 0:10:02.760 I'm going down the cam Smith road and for really 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:06.160 for real lung for for a master's pick. If you 0:10:06.160 --> 0:10:09.440 could only choose between those two, this is whacking for 0:10:09.520 --> 0:10:12.360 me to say, Uh, I would go with cam Smith. 0:10:12.440 --> 0:10:14.199 I mean when you can ship and pitch and put 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:21.520 like he can, hits it plenty far enough, it would 0:10:21.520 --> 0:10:24.320 be amazing for those who are for anybody who's writing 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:26.200 a book about live golf. If Cam Smith shall win 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:29.680 the Masters. I can't say I'm rooting for it because 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:32.439 you know, as you know Alan, that we've discussed many times. 0:10:32.800 --> 0:10:35.679 Really a traditionalist at our heart, But I don't know 0:10:35.720 --> 0:10:38.680 that Cam Smith and full you know. And I saw 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:42.080 it up close at the Old Course, uh in last 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:44.360 year at the Players. It's one of the It's one 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:46.600 of the best you'll ever see. It's a little wild 0:10:46.920 --> 0:10:49.959 driving at times, but for getting in the hole, it's 0:10:50.040 --> 0:10:53.679 it's at the aloptable Sevy level. Yeah, so a fe 0:10:53.679 --> 0:10:55.560 people have meet the Tom Watson comparison, which I like 0:10:55.640 --> 0:10:58.040 as well. Yeah, but how about for you, Alan, if 0:10:58.080 --> 0:11:01.600 you could, leaving aside your book interests, if you could, 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:03.960 if you as a as a gambler, if you could 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:07.679 only if your only choice was Scheffler or Smith Um, 0:11:08.360 --> 0:11:11.480 which are those two golfers would you pick to win 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:17.800 the Masters, Well, if if the course is really firm 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:21.760 and fast, it's Smith every time. Um, if they get 0:11:21.760 --> 0:11:23.920 the you know the early week showers, which seems to 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:26.600 factor in a lot of Masters, and it just takes 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:29.920 a little fire out, I would go Scheffler. But Scheffler 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:33.440 still has a genius for scoring. I mean, he just 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:36.360 he just has a knack for pulling off the shot 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:38.920 when you need to. And I mean you could see 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:43.440 it today during the final round. It's I mean there's there, 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:46.920 there's sluggers and you watch them hit the ball and 0:11:47.000 --> 0:11:50.079 it's all inspiring and they shoot seventy one. And then 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:52.800 there's a guy like Scottie Scheffler who's whose foot works 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:56.079 all over the plays who the club's flying and weird. 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.000 But he just he plays shots and he gets the 0:11:58.000 --> 0:12:00.680 ball in the hole really fast. And I don't think 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:02.640 you know, if you if you put Scotti Sheffler on 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:05.160 the range at a corn Ferry event, people would think 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:06.920 he's probably a hundredth on the money list. You know, 0:12:07.160 --> 0:12:09.360 is not as you said, it's not beautiful, but he 0:12:09.559 --> 0:12:11.800 just he just knows how to score and he knows 0:12:11.880 --> 0:12:13.920 how to do it. When it matters, and it's camp 0:12:13.920 --> 0:12:15.520 Smith's the same way. I mean that that's a certain 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:18.240 level of genius and I'm not sure even Rory has that. 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.480 You know, he can overpower a golf course. But you 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.480 know I walked every every hole with him at the 0:12:24.480 --> 0:12:28.920 Old Course on Sunday, and that was all about scoring. 0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:31.600 You know, you're gonna drive it near the green on 0:12:31.679 --> 0:12:34.640 half the par fours at least, and he couldn't get 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:36.600 it up and down and camp Smith could and that 0:12:36.640 --> 0:12:39.400 was really the difference. I mean, there's just you know, 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:41.680 Jordan Spieth when he's playing well, he's got that. There's 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.959 there's a magic to the scoring that it's hard to 0:12:45.040 --> 0:12:47.840 quantify even with shot link and Scottie Sheffler has it. 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.800 It's just really fun to watch. Alan might post your 0:12:50.920 --> 0:12:57.800 question too apropos of the evening. Yes, why are there 0:12:57.960 --> 0:13:01.559 so few good golf moves? And one might say there 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:07.200 are none? Yeah, it is Academy Awards night. You may 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:10.040 hear some shouting in the background. That's my daughter's watching 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:12.280 and they're very invested in who wins and loses some 0:13:12.320 --> 0:13:17.760 of these categories, which is cute. Um, It's just part 0:13:17.760 --> 0:13:20.440 of it is because it's such a highly specific skill 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:27.480 and no actor can can master it right, Like, I 0:13:27.520 --> 0:13:31.480 don't know, it just it lacks that that versimilitude, right, 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:38.520 And what's compelling about golf is the inner game, which 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:41.720 is hard to capture, and it's that that sense of 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:44.080 when a big moment and it's dead quiet and the 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:46.840 whole world's watching, and it's just it's so the battle 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:51.120 is so internal. And you know, the sports movies that work, 0:13:51.800 --> 0:13:55.680 they're funny, like Bull Durham or there there's a lot 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:59.880 of they're heavy, like Raging Bull or I don't know. 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.280 I don't think golf has those notes that well. I 0:14:03.280 --> 0:14:05.959 mean Tin Cup kind of Tin Cup worked as almost 0:14:05.960 --> 0:14:08.000 as like you know, it's sort of like comedy that 0:14:08.240 --> 0:14:10.959 the golf was a vehicle for it. I guess it's 0:14:10.960 --> 0:14:14.080 a golf movie, but I don't take the golf seriously. 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:16.439 I mean, because no one's gonna do that in the 0:14:16.520 --> 0:14:18.040 last hole of the US Open. You're gonna lay it 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:21.280 up and you're gonna try and win the tournament. But anyway, 0:14:21.480 --> 0:14:23.520 I don't know the answer. What's what's your what's your 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.760 thinking on that? Michael? I mean, I like, even though 0:14:26.800 --> 0:14:29.760 I cite Caddysheck all the time. And I know the movie, well, 0:14:30.160 --> 0:14:33.640 I really think it's a it's of course it's so 0:14:33.720 --> 0:14:36.520 bad it's good. It's in that category. As our friend 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:39.080 and colleague Gary Vinciglers would say, it's so bad it's good. 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:41.880 It really is so bad that it's good, but so 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:45.320 but short of Caddyshack. And there are some clever moments 0:14:45.320 --> 0:14:48.720 in Caddysheck, you know, it's just it is the thing 0:14:48.760 --> 0:14:51.560 onto itself. A sorry from caddy check. There's really not 0:14:51.720 --> 0:14:56.400 one golf movie that I would that I've even bothered 0:14:56.440 --> 0:14:59.000 to watch more than more than a second time. You know, 0:14:59.160 --> 0:15:03.080 Tommy's Honor tried so hard but was so earnest Uh 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:06.400 tin cup with or all over the lot. Let's not 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:08.680 even talk about that. If we may say the name 0:15:08.760 --> 0:15:12.080 that Will Smith dripping molasses thing, what was that called 0:15:12.080 --> 0:15:15.680 the legend of back of Vance, You know, I don't 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:19.720 say the name from the fiftiesus heinous with john Ford 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:24.320 takes his name. Uh. Did you ever see Alan? Uh? 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:27.440 And I know this hits close to home for us. 0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:31.360 I've never saw it. There is a there is a 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:33.640 movie version of Golf in the Kingdom. Are you from 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:36.400 the everything. Have you seen it? Oh yeah, yeah, it 0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:38.360 was filmed. It was filmed at Bandon Dunes, and the 0:15:38.400 --> 0:15:42.480 early Bandon had just was like just raw basically, And 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:45.880 I have watched it. It's kind of a mess in 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:48.080 not in a terrible way, because the book is like 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:49.560 that as well. I mean the second half of the 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:56.240 book especially, Um it's it's it's worth watching and you 0:15:56.240 --> 0:15:58.720 should probably microdose mushroom as while you do it. It's 0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:04.360 just it's metaphysical and kind of trippy, but it's worthwhile. 0:16:05.040 --> 0:16:08.640 I don't know. I think the actual drama of golf 0:16:08.720 --> 0:16:11.160 is so compelling, Like if you watched our five episodes 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:12.840 of the Grind, which you can find on the Firepit 0:16:12.920 --> 0:16:16.720 YouTube or on our homepage, Like that human drama is 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:20.960 so compelling if you if you follow you know some 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:23.440 of these stories of these guys are they're playing for 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:28.600 their livelihood. Um it's it's such raw human emotion and 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.960 so it just it doesn't quite translate to the screen. 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:36.120 I don't because that those those stakes are stripped away. 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:38.680 I don't know, because it is a mystery in that 0:16:38.800 --> 0:16:42.680 movies can reproduce all walks of life, I mean, and 0:16:42.720 --> 0:16:46.240 they can they can make you care about professions that 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:48.880 you've you're never going to experience or interact with, and 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:50.960 so they should be able to do it with golf. 0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:52.360 Maybe I don't know, maybe we're too close to it. 0:16:52.400 --> 0:16:56.040 Maybe the average viewer enjoy in the movies that drive 0:16:56.160 --> 0:17:00.480 us crazy. Well, I love a good movie, just dis quesion, 0:17:00.560 --> 0:17:03.920 But let's let's just talk about the early week drama. 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:09.000 The Academy Award for Best Actor in a Press Conference 0:17:09.000 --> 0:17:12.720 goes to Jay Monahan, who did his annual State of 0:17:12.760 --> 0:17:16.480 the Union press conference on Wednesday and said, everything's hunky dorry, 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:19.960 We're doing great. Nothing nothing to see here. It's been 0:17:20.000 --> 0:17:24.720 funny to chart his um. You know two last year 0:17:24.960 --> 0:17:27.159 at the at the at the Players, it was like, 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:30.800 we're about legacy, not leverage. We're moving on. Well that 0:17:30.840 --> 0:17:34.640 didn't quite work out, and now there's been a whole 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:36.760 year of live golf for half a year anyway, and 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:39.280 Monahan came in and talked about the state of things. 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.680 You were there, Michael, what was your take on Monahan's performance? 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:47.240 And and then the related news about you know, how 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:50.439 the tours were shaping stuff. We talked already about, um, 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:53.679 you know, the cuts or the no cuts, but in 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:56.240 a previous podcast, but just the feeling on the ground 0:17:56.240 --> 0:17:59.280 at Sawgrass as as this is. You know, players championships 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.760 become an important for charting the course of the PGA tour. 0:18:02.880 --> 0:18:07.080 What are your thoughts on that? You know, as we 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:09.600 have seen at the at the Masters and in the 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:14.600 US Open especialized to somebody read the British Open. Uh. 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:19.320 These pre tournament press car conferences, uh, from the from 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:23.359 the men and one woman who are have such important 0:18:23.400 --> 0:18:26.439 positions in the game are really important for setting the 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:28.200 tone for the game. I don't know if they should 0:18:28.240 --> 0:18:30.919 be or not, but they're they're very much directed to 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:34.240 people like us. Uh, you know, and can you win 0:18:34.320 --> 0:18:39.439 over the constituency. Uh. And if you think about where 0:18:39.760 --> 0:18:43.000 where Jay was in twenty twenty versus twenty two and 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:46.520 twenty three, you know, twenties dealing with the uh, the 0:18:46.640 --> 0:18:51.440 uncertainty of the pandemic Washington Shore and twenty two it 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:55.480 was you know, fisticuffs and will show you and uh 0:18:55.640 --> 0:18:59.879 in twenty three he was really very confident, very informed, 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:04.600 and uh he gave you the feeling that this PGA 0:19:04.680 --> 0:19:08.280 tour is going to is going to carry on. UM, 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:11.000 So you know, to use the word you used, Alan, 0:19:11.040 --> 0:19:13.119 I think it's an appropriate one. As a performance. It 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:17.360 was very effective if you dig into the numbers. I 0:19:17.440 --> 0:19:21.960 just don't see how twenty and twenty five million dollars 0:19:22.000 --> 0:19:25.640 purses and five million dollars pay days. I just don't 0:19:25.680 --> 0:19:30.760 see how that is sustainable when you have weeks like 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:34.200 this week's, when when the tournament is just not the compelling, 0:19:34.800 --> 0:19:42.080 Who's who's going to be watching? Uh? I don't know, 0:19:42.160 --> 0:19:45.760 I don't know where? You know? There there there he 0:19:45.920 --> 0:19:49.960 bought a year very cleverly, he took up he really did, 0:19:50.240 --> 0:19:53.879 uh take part of Phil Michelson's playbook and made it 0:19:54.000 --> 0:19:59.080 the tours when it's all said and done. Uh, But 0:19:59.440 --> 0:20:03.600 there's so focused on these elite players at the expense 0:20:03.640 --> 0:20:05.919 of the journeyman, and I think at the expense of 0:20:05.920 --> 0:20:09.400 the fan. I really I'm not I'm not at all 0:20:09.440 --> 0:20:12.520 a financial analyst type person. I'm not good at that 0:20:12.600 --> 0:20:15.639 at all. But I just don't see how this is sustainable. 0:20:16.680 --> 0:20:18.880 How about you, Alan, You've you've delved much deeper into 0:20:18.960 --> 0:20:23.160 the to the numbers where golf is right now? What's 0:20:23.200 --> 0:20:28.040 your sense of just as a numbers game is what 0:20:28.240 --> 0:20:34.160 Jay Monahan is preaching is it sustainable. Well, and I'll 0:20:34.200 --> 0:20:38.040 add to that. Today um A Ramco released its earnings 0:20:38.040 --> 0:20:40.399 and it had made a record amount of money. I 0:20:40.400 --> 0:20:42.199 think it's one hundred and forty one billion in the 0:20:42.280 --> 0:20:44.680 last the last quarter. I can't remember the number. It 0:20:44.760 --> 0:20:47.679 was an astronomical number. And of course that's what feeds 0:20:47.680 --> 0:20:50.440 into the Saudi Public Investment Fund, and that's what's that's 0:20:50.480 --> 0:20:55.040 what's floating live golf. So when people talk about, you know, 0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:59.080 live having unlimited resources, it's basically true. In the PGA tour, 0:20:59.160 --> 0:21:01.720 it's much more fine. And you know, I did a 0:21:01.760 --> 0:21:04.160 story a few days ago. I got a tournament director 0:21:04.200 --> 0:21:07.040 on the phone of a non elevated event and he 0:21:07.119 --> 0:21:10.000 opened a vein and was speaking for a lot of 0:21:10.000 --> 0:21:14.320 his colleagues. It's a real challenge to get corporations to 0:21:14.400 --> 0:21:17.440 sign up for these these non elevated events because they're 0:21:17.480 --> 0:21:20.159 not getting the eyeballs, they're not getting the players. The 0:21:20.200 --> 0:21:25.120 price is only going up. And you know, as as 0:21:25.119 --> 0:21:28.400 another as a Silicon Valley bank collapses, and that throws 0:21:28.400 --> 0:21:31.120 a whole tech world into question, Like they just lost 0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:35.000 Dell computers, how are you going to keep finding a company? 0:21:35.119 --> 0:21:37.879 Put in fifteen eighteen and then million dollars for a 0:21:37.880 --> 0:21:40.000 regular event and twenty five to twenty eight for an 0:21:40.040 --> 0:21:44.200 elevated it's a tough sell. I think there's going to 0:21:44.280 --> 0:21:48.560 have to be some contraction of the schedule, and then 0:21:48.640 --> 0:21:52.359 that reduces playing opportunities for the journeyman. There's gonna be 0:21:52.400 --> 0:21:55.919 some tough decisions ahead for for the PGA Tours organization. 0:21:57.000 --> 0:21:59.400 You know, whether that means the Senior Tour, that means 0:21:59.480 --> 0:22:05.440 Latino America or China or Canada. But if they're gonna 0:22:05.520 --> 0:22:08.960 if the entire institutional focus is on the top players 0:22:08.960 --> 0:22:11.240 and everyone else is going to feel some pain. And 0:22:13.480 --> 0:22:17.160 so I think, you know, it's been a fun first 0:22:17.200 --> 0:22:19.119 three months of the season. I mean, elevated events have 0:22:19.200 --> 0:22:21.320 definitely added some energy to the whole thing, and it's 0:22:21.359 --> 0:22:23.080 not only been a talking point, but it's been some 0:22:23.119 --> 0:22:26.160 great golf and we are all enjoying seeing the top 0:22:26.200 --> 0:22:30.120 players together. But the long term is very much in question. 0:22:30.320 --> 0:22:34.000