1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Anyone who cared about the game of golf. I felt 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: like when you put on an Ashworth gvernment you were 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: connected to the soul of the sport. That is the 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: ultimate dream for anyone that's in the golf industry. If 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: you're able to exude that feeling that you actually are 6 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: somehow as relatable to the sport as anything, as much 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: as any golf course or any champion golfer, well you've 8 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: You've got yourself a great chance for success. And I 9 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: I truly can't think of many things in the history 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: of the golf industry that connected more with the soul 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: of the sport than the Ashworth Clothing Company. Put another log, 12 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: nobody here is welcome to the fire pit with Matt Chenella. 13 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: Welcome back to another trip to the pit. As many 14 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: of you know by now, I grew up in Santa Rosa, California, 15 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: played most of my junior golf at Oakmont Golf Club. 16 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: I ended up working and playing there through high school 17 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: and St. Mary's College in Moraga, California. Most of my 18 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: paychecks were spent on Ashworth golf shirts. I had the 19 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: pro shop trained to tip me off on delivery days. 20 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: They were definitely a comfortable fit, and as I addressed 21 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: the ball, I would lift a sleeve off my arms, 22 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: just like Fred Couples. And as I walked and carried 23 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: my bag, I tried to imitate the look of the 24 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: golf man the Ashworth logo. And then in two thousand two, 25 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: shortly after getting a job at Golf Digest, I was 26 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: invited to Brooklawn Country Club in Connecticut to play with 27 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: John Ashworth. The John Ashworth. I'm not wanting to get 28 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: star struck, but I was service that day. Fortunately for me, 29 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: the guy is in Arnold Palmer's league of gracious and charming. 30 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: I remember he asked about me, my career, my love 31 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: of the game. I remember his swing, his style, his tempo, 32 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 1: his soul full approach to life itself. Now he's like 33 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 1: a big brother to me, a friend and a mentor. 34 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: I've been an ambassador of his current brand, Link Soul 35 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: since two thousandt I'll wear anything he makes. I'll support 36 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: any cause he gets behind, which includes the rescue of 37 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: goad Hill Park, the many municipal that he grew up 38 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: playing in Oceanside, California. I say this often. John Ashworth 39 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: walks his talk. He isn't just the face of Godhill Park. 40 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: He's the first one to grab a shovel. As for 41 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: John Ashworth's American Dream, the story behind the building of 42 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: one of the great golf brands. As we've traveled the 43 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: world together to play in Ireland and Scotland and Pinehurst 44 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: and Bandoned, I've heard various versions of how Ashworth stormed 45 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: the gates of the golf fashion industry, but I've never 46 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: recorded it, and I've certainly never heard it from so 47 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: many of the other voices who were involved in such 48 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: a meteorc rise to the peak of apparel. Around this 49 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: fire pit, we hear from Jerry Monteo, John's business partner 50 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: in the making of Ashworth. When we started the company, 51 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: I had and John had of the company, and you know, 52 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: through the years, as we became a public company and 53 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: the stock crew and the company grew and what have you. Uh, 54 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: you know, I sold stock, uh you know, not all 55 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: at once, but you know, now and then I'd sell 56 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: some stock, you know, by a house or whatever I 57 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: was going to do with it. And so it was. 58 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: It was very successful for me. I made a good 59 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: amount of money in on Ashworth. We hear from Hank Cashworth, 60 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: his older brother, who eventually worked in sales for the company. 61 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: If you were a golf guy and you were gonna 62 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: have to get gas and you got out of your car, 63 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: you it was a red flag you're a golf guy. 64 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: John just made it like you're a normal guy. You 65 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: could just be normal if you like golf. I got 66 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: time with John Cook, an eleven time winner on the 67 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: pg Tour and one of the original Ashworth Ambassadors. He 68 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: was just John B and John ash ash has never 69 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: changed in the forty plus years that we've known him. 70 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: I mean, he's been that guy. And to be trendy 71 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: like that and have something new to come out and 72 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: something that might change the world the golf for a 73 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: little bit was I want to be part of that. 74 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: I interviewed John Cook and Fred Couples together, which made 75 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: sense because they started with Ashworth together back in the 76 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: late eighties. Couples won fifteen times on the PGA Tour, 77 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: which includes the Masters, And one of the funniest shots 78 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: I've ever seen is when Tiger makes that put on 79 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: the on the seventeen fold TPC when he wins the 80 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: US Amateur and he's got that Ashworth as surt and 81 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: it looks. It looks so big, and he even been 82 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: He and I and I know John knows him better 83 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: than I do, but we laugh about that. He was, dude, 84 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: can you believe I used to wear those shirts you 85 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: guys used to wear? And I just laughed because that's 86 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: the first thing, that straw hat and this humongous golf 87 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: shirt on tigger. My final interview was with Jim Nance, 88 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: who has anchored The Masters since, started as an Ashworth 89 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: ambassador and went on to serve on the board of 90 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: the company. John Ashworth is one of the kindest, sweetest, 91 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: um authentic, real people I've ever had the blessing of 92 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: knowing in my life. I treasure him, treasure his friendship, 93 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 1: I treasured his soul. It's so pure. Every decision in 94 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: the making of Ashworth came from a place of trying 95 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: to make sure it honored the game. It really was 96 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: if you could take Golf in the Kingdom, that great 97 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: book Golf in the Kingdom, and turned it into a company, 98 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: turned it into an individual, that that was Ashworth, and 99 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: that was John Ashworth. And of course I spoke to 100 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: John Ashworth, the fifth of six kids, who was born 101 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles in fifty nine to a school teacher 102 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: and a nurse. Soon after moving south to Escondido, in 103 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: Harry and Mary Lee Ashworth gave their eight year old 104 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: and ultimatum that would change his life and the fabric 105 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: of golf forever literally. And I think my mom and 106 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: dad colluded and said, Okay, look at he's he's either 107 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: got to go to Sunday school. He's gonna go caddy 108 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: for you because my dad played every Sunday with his buddies, 109 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: you know, Don Patrol. And and so they presented this 110 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: to me like, Okay, look at you either go to 111 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: Sunday school or you caddy for your dad. And I'm like, 112 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: I'm candying for dad? Are you kidding me? If golf 113 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: was john first love, fashion wasn't far behind. And I 114 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: was always really conscious of you know, I was. That's 115 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: the one thing I think the constant for me was 116 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: I was always really aware of what I was wearing 117 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: and was really conscious of you know, style even back then. 118 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: I mean I wore Hank Tin was really big back then. 119 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: Remember the Hank Tin shirts with a little Yeah, it 120 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: was a pretty big surf culture thing. Hey. Cash Worth 121 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: reflects on his brother's style. He always liked to dress nice. 122 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: You know, it always if you saw photos of him, 123 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: he was buttoned up. Where you know, guys maybe at 124 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: that age or when you're a junior golfer somebody in college, 125 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: you're just kind of a dorky did You're not that 126 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: interested in how you look. I think he always was that. 127 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: But back to John's golf. Yeah, I played golf in 128 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: high school, had a pretty good little high school career, 129 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: and then played one year at junior college. Had a 130 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: really good year at junior college, got recruited Arizona, went 131 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 1: to Arizona, you know, and uh, you know, had a 132 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: good time. But I my golf career became super mediocre. 133 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: You know. I was the middle of a pact guy, 134 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: and so he was good. I went to go went 135 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: to Arizona on a golf scholarship, and I think his 136 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: first sophomore year he was third in the Pac Tens 137 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: and the final in the tournament. I know one time 138 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: he played in the field of a hundred and forty 139 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: four players that are really good course up in the 140 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: l a called Valencia, and he beat the field by 141 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: by at least four. He shot sixty seven. The next 142 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: closest guy was seventy one, So so he had a 143 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: lot of game, you know, I don't it seemed like 144 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 1: he's junior year. He went sideways and went backwards and 145 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: then kind of lost the I don't know, the urge 146 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: or or maybe thought that he wasn't good enough. John 147 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: graduated from Arizona with a degree in agronomy, got out 148 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: and got a job, and of course, you know, uh 149 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: down the road in del Mar. You know. So I 150 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: was living in San Diego and having to get up 151 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: at like, you know, four thirty five am every morning 152 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: and to get to work. And I lasted about six 153 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: or seven months because you know, the party scene down 154 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: a Mission Beach was pretty good, so it was really 155 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: hard to h it was really hard to make that 156 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 1: wake up call. And then this little course called Fairbanks 157 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,199 Speaker 1: Ranch opened up. He's still living with me, still how 158 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: to commute up to del Mar, and he became an 159 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 1: assistant golf pro. That lasted about the same So he 160 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: didn't really I don't think he ever knew he was 161 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: getting into fashion business or clothing business. That's when he 162 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: that's that's about the time when he decided he was 163 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: going to go caddy from Mark and get out of 164 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 1: that whole world. You know, as we learned in episode 165 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: one of the fire Pit, John and Hank Ashworth grew 166 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: up with Mark Weeby Web had turned pro in and 167 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: both Ashworth brothers always had an open invite to Caddy 168 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: from Mark on tour. The story that we told that 169 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,959 Speaker 1: kicked off this podcast was about John carrying Marks back 170 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: for a little over a year and eventually the Masters, 171 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: he got his card and we went on the tour 172 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: and skipped around that and that was that was a blast. 173 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: But I never wanted to do that long term. So 174 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: but his sponsor was a guy by name of Jerry Montiel, 175 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: and Jerry and I became friends. He was probably fifteen 176 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: years older, very successful business guy, and he was starting 177 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 1: another company that was sporting good store, kind of high end, 178 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: and you know, he goes, hey, John, don't you come 179 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: work for me? You know, why don't you come? You know, 180 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 1: I was like the first employee of him and his 181 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: partner that started to sing. The sporting good store didn't 182 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: make it, but it left both Jerry and John thinking 183 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 1: about other business ventures. When I when I started the company, um, 184 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: it was really a case also of the fact that uh, 185 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: you know, I was interested in golf and everything, but 186 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: but none of the apperil fit very well. Here was 187 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 1: and nothing had changed fashion head. It was that, you know, 188 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: the big stiff collars and the bright, loud colors, and 189 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: you know, it was just stuff you would never be 190 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: caught dead off the course. And I don't know why 191 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 1: anybody would be caught dead on the course in it either. 192 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: As Montiel recalls, it was on the drive to Escondido 193 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: to look into buying driving ranges that the conversation shifted 194 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,719 Speaker 1: to shirts. I said, I don't know how to do it, 195 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: but I know there's a niche to do some some 196 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: cool golf clothing. That guy's my age here, I am 197 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: twenties six years old. I would want to wear, you know, 198 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: And and he was just like, bingo, that sounds good. 199 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: You know, let's let's do that. So um kind of 200 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 1: off we went. I mean, I probably was was was okay, 201 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: but in the back of mind guard what not. Hell, 202 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: you got no shot at this, you know. Um, I 203 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,599 Speaker 1: wouldn't think I'd ever just swear him or you know, 204 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: and just say, yeah, let's he should rock, let's go. 205 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: I don't think anybody would have thought this, you know. 206 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: As I continue to learn and telling these iconic narratives. 207 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: Going the opposite direction of the masses can often lead 208 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: to great success. Initially, we raised some seed money and 209 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: family and friends, kind of deal and kind of cool. 210 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: My dad was still alive, you know, he was kind 211 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: of fighting some health issues, and but you know, I 212 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: told him what I was doing, and I thought he 213 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: was gonna think I was crazy, but he was. He 214 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: was like, God, that's awesome, you know. And he scratched 215 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 1: out a check for seven grand. You know, he did 216 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: this little family. I know, it's so coabate framed, it's 217 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: so quit, didn't have much money, but man, he fucking 218 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: you know, he got behind. It was really cool. John's 219 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: first step was immersing himself in the fashion markets of 220 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. He'd make some appointments, getting an elevator and 221 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 1: start learning from anyone willing to share. It was sweaty 222 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: pump time because I thought, this guy's gonna say, you 223 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: don't know what the fun you're doing? Yeah, you know, 224 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,199 Speaker 1: and I would just go, I don't know what i'm doing. 225 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: You know, I don't know what i'm doing. I need help. 226 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: I know what I'm looking for. I just would be 227 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: honest and just I'd ask so many stupid questions, you know, 228 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: but I think that's the only way you kind of 229 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: get to it, you know. Dude, he didn't know a 230 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: sock from shirt. I mean technically, I mean he did, 231 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: but he didn't know how to make any of that. 232 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: But he he disappeared for four years. I didn't see 233 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: the guy. He was gone. John Ashworth was off getting 234 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: his masters in making clothes. It is a miracle that 235 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: we that company made it when I look back on it, miracle. 236 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 1: You know. It was before cell phones, it was before computers, 237 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: there was any We didn't even have a fact, you know. 238 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: And then you and then on top of that zero experience, 239 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,319 Speaker 1: didn't have a fucking clue what I was doing. Uh. 240 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: You know, the girls that I hired were super sweet, 241 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: but they didn't They didn't really know what they were 242 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: doing either. But somehow, some way, we cobbled together a 243 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: sample on and even when you know what it should 244 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: look like and feel like, you still have to have 245 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: someone making which is why they went to f Fashion, 246 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: a manufacturing company that just happened to be down the street. 247 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: We showed him the shirt and we said can you 248 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: make this? And he says, yeah, he's I can, and 249 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: he was kind of a Southern guy and he uh 250 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: will put the fun accent tremendous man. Uh and he 251 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: he says, but we're too busy. You know, we were 252 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: too busy. And we went there about three thirty in 253 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: the afternoon when they were closing up and they were 254 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: drinking Budweiser beer. And so the next day John I 255 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 1: went over with a case of beer. Uh and uh 256 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: we ended up drinking that beer with him and a 257 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: couple of his U guys that worked for him. And 258 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: you know, that night about I don't know, six seven 259 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: o'clock at night, you know, he was putting his arms 260 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: around me and said, we'll make that shirt for you. 261 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: And from there they they made all of our shirts, 262 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: everything made in San Diego County, and they had about 263 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: three employees that did all have cut and so for us. 264 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: And without them, we would have never been successful, or 265 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: at least not as successful as we were, because they 266 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: dedicated their whole business to us, and we were there 267 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: exclusive uh customer. They had made a lot of product 268 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: for Ocean Pacific before that, and they they ended up 269 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 1: only making product for us. So we had great success 270 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: with them. Going back to why Ashworth was unique. John 271 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: shares his vision for the line. I went completely, uh, 272 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: you know, against the grain in terms of you know, 273 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: cotton um like all the shirts did. I went, we 274 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: went with nit callers instead of like self calling. Now 275 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: we do a lot of self callers, you know. I mean, 276 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: it's just it's better looking, it's probably easier. But we 277 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: went with those nick callers with a little stripes in them, 278 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: and um, you know, it was actually a little bit oversized. 279 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: If you can remember. It's kind of payable to look 280 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: at now. And I see a video Ralph Lauren had 281 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: a had a U shirt called a big shirt at 282 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: that time, and it was an oversized shirt, etcetera. And 283 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: so we just you know, just kind of talk it 284 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: from him. Everyone was so tired of being so in 285 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: these tight polyesters that like a breathable cotton that's just 286 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: big and lucy. It felt good, you know what is 287 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: it feels so good? Through a mutual contact, This is 288 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: when John reaches out to Barry Grimes, who worked for 289 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: NBC Studios at the time but was also away photographer, artist, 290 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: designer and eventually a colleague and close friend. Unfortunately, Grimes, 291 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 1: who still lives in Carl's Bad is in his third 292 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: year of battling brain cancer and wasn't available to share 293 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 1: his side of this story. But as John reflects on 294 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: the late eighties, his first call to Grimes was about 295 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: the need for a logo. I called Barry and I'm 296 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: explained Abouchael Barry. You know, I'm trying to do this 297 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,479 Speaker 1: new clothing line and I wanted to be sort of like, 298 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: you know, old school meets new school. I'm really into 299 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: walking and you know, the traditions of the game, but 300 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: I wanted to be hip and modern. And you know, 301 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: I'm just telling all this stuff like, you know, I 302 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,719 Speaker 1: love Scotland. I've never been to Scotland. I've never been 303 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: to Scotland. I love Scotland goes. I've been to Scotland's 304 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: you know. It's like, you know, and and you know, 305 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: so we're just talking on the phone and unbeknownst to me, 306 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: he's actually, you know, as artists do, he's actually doodling 307 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: in sketch and he actually drew through the golf man. 308 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: From that conversation, Barry Grimes is enormously talented. Um, he's 309 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:12,479 Speaker 1: aid and he was a huge, huge part of our success. 310 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: Uh you know, I mean his photography and and the 311 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: looks and feel of what he could do was was 312 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 1: just tremendous. But that's how the logo started. The Ashworth 313 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: the Golf Man what we called it, and uh was 314 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: from Barry Grimes. As for the name of the company, 315 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: we tried, sticks, we tried, I don't know. We had 316 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: like a few different names, but everybody was. John and 317 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,719 Speaker 1: I were sitting and we were talking about it and 318 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: I and I said, John, we got to name this 319 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: company Ashworth. And he said, what don't you call it, 320 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: Marti l And I said no, I said, I think 321 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 1: Ashworth is you know, it's two syllables. It's it's got uh, 322 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: it's it's easy to pronounce, it's very English and uh, 323 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: I said, I think it's a perfect name for golf. 324 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: And of course it ended being that, but John was 325 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: John was a little humble about that and a little 326 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: embarrassed to me, uh call it by his name, but uh, 327 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,640 Speaker 1: you know, it was the best thing for the company, 328 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 1: and it was certatle good for John too. In John 329 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 1: Cook won the International, Fred Couples won the Byron Nelson 330 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: and they lived near each other at Mission Hills Country 331 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Ashworth needed ambassadors, if we 332 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 1: could have anybody on the tour, you know, and I knew. 333 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: I said, Fred's the guy. Uh you know, I played. 334 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: I didn't play with him or against him in college, 335 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: but I played in some similar tournaments. I saw him, 336 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: I'd see him. And then of course he was already 337 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: a couple of years into his career, you know, and 338 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: he was just he was just Fred. He was just cool, 339 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: you know, you just he was cool. And then I 340 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: knew John Cook a little bit, and I knew John 341 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 1: Cook was It was kind of like Butch Cassidy and 342 00:19:57,960 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: the Sun Dance Kid a little bit, you know, you 343 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: got It's kind of nice to have two guys that 344 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: are totally different and stand out and look different. John 345 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 1: Cook and then Fred couples on their first meetings with Ashworth. 346 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: When John showed up at our place, I'm gonna say 347 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 1: fall of nineteen seven, and he had called me up 348 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: and said, Hey, I've got a line of clothes i'd 349 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: love to, you know, have you take a look at. 350 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: And I just started wearing the kind of flowy, pleaty 351 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: pants and bigger shirts and I just wasn't into the 352 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: you know, the daffinies and all that stuff of the world. 353 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: So I was I said, sure, yeah, let's let's let's 354 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 1: go for this. I want to dress you know, a 355 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 1: little bit differently. And I'll never forget. He took the 356 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,120 Speaker 1: clothes out, put him on this rack, wheeled the rack 357 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: into our house and there were the clothes and it. 358 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: I went, okay, now we got something here. Yeah. I 359 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: think Matt right after he left John's house he came 360 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,679 Speaker 1: over to my house and had the same had the 361 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: same little steel thing. He wield it in there and um, 362 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: I you know, I used to represent back then landmarks. 363 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: So we would go in and I think Cookie did 364 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: two at Mission Hill. So we would go in and 365 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: we would just take any shirts, you know, with the 366 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: tree logo on him and leave. And then when when 367 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: this started with John, it was an eighty seven. John, 368 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: you are exactly correct. Um. I mean I put a 369 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: couple of shirts on and I'm like, you know, wow, 370 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: this is the biggest shirt I ever had. The design 371 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 1: of it was incredible, and we talked for a second. 372 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: But Jerry Montiel is also um a guy that that 373 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: really new clothing. Um. I don't know if he knew 374 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 1: what guys like John and myself and Mark Weby wanted. 375 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: But I know John Ashworth, did I remember we had 376 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 1: this our office space in l A was on the 377 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: seventh floor of this old downtown l A. Was so gross, 378 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: it was, you know, back then it was even worse 379 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: than it is today. And uh, you know, Barry and 380 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 1: the two girls and we had a little sample sewer 381 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: and and we had the line on the rack, you know, 382 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: ready to go, and we did. We did this whole 383 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:18,479 Speaker 1: you know seance and gave it a prayer and you know, 384 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 1: Barry did this whole thing. Boom, went down the elevator, 385 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 1: put in my car and just started trying to hit 386 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: places up and down the coast of California. I think 387 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 1: I went to Lahoya Country Club first because my buddy, 388 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: I had some buddies that was you know, Rick Riley 389 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: and Brad Wheeley were the assistant pros, and I knew 390 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: they'd have me. First of all, we said, we're only 391 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: going to sell to green grass accounts. We're only going 392 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,679 Speaker 1: to sell the places that have a golf course. You know, 393 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:46,919 Speaker 1: we weren't going to sell to a discount store or 394 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:51,680 Speaker 1: something like that. So so they the golf pros liked 395 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 1: us because they had it basically had an exclusive on it. Uh. 396 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: We also made it for golf. Uh. You know, we 397 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: had the shirts with a longer tail so it didn't 398 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: come out when he swung the club. Uh. We used 399 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: great fabric. Uh, you know, our fabric we chose h 400 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 1: was was top of the line and and so as 401 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: was the trim. We use every everything uh that we 402 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: made was we made with you know, with wonderful product. 403 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 1: So they had the ambassadors and John was hitting up 404 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: his friends along the coast of California. But now it 405 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: was time to go across country. He went to the 406 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 1: trade show in Orlando. He was by himself, a rookie 407 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: in the industry, and he found himself in a ten 408 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: by ten booth showcasing his line off the main show floor. 409 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: It went good, It went good. Arnold Palmer came by, 410 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: which was just a mind blower, you know. It came 411 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: sauntering by with his you know, pink cardigan and draped 412 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: over his shoulders or whatever it or his v Nex switter, 413 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: and you know, he had a couple of people, he 414 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: didn't have a big entourage, and he he stopped, Uh, 415 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: he looked at it and he's like, this looks pretty good. 416 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: You're gonna do good? All right, thanks Ernie. The brand 417 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: name and the logo both became iconic, but so was 418 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: the marketing. So the first shoot was amazing because Barry, 419 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: my buddy, Barry and I became great friends. I mean, 420 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: he was my He was kind of my art director, photographer, everything, 421 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 1: kind of like Jeff is with links. So Barry was 422 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: at for Ashworth. You know, we were we were thick 423 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: as thieves, and but he lived in a downtown loft complex, 424 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 1: right and you know where all the artists lived in stuff, 425 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: and and he had this buddy that was this like 426 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: super European high fashion photographer that did you know the 427 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: film has a blade you know, four by five, you know, 428 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: and you know, I mean he you know, totally non golfer, 429 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 1: just super artie FARTZI guy. Right, And so we got 430 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: Fred and John Cook in the studio and the photos 431 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: are amazing, but that was you know, the images we 432 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: did were always definitely avant garde, you know, because of 433 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,880 Speaker 1: the crew I was hanging around with. Barry was very 434 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: avant garde. Uh. And then we hired then we started 435 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,119 Speaker 1: using this kid, Michael Faye as a photographer because he 436 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 1: lived in that studio as well, but he was more 437 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: of a young artistic photographer that went to the Pasadena 438 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: Art School, so he was again he kind of took 439 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: it to a new level and we started doing these 440 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: black and white series that were just they just stood out. 441 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: You know, everybody else was doing the dumb dumb super 442 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,399 Speaker 1: high high high gloss color and we're doing black and 443 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: white stuff that was kind of blurry and stuff. You know. 444 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,360 Speaker 1: The Ashworth catalog was called the Yardage Book. The images 445 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 1: and inspiration was a John Ashworth and Berry Grimes production. 446 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: John Ashworth was really a lot like us um And 447 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: and Matt. You travel all over and some guys when 448 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 1: you go do things, they're like you and you have 449 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: a great time. Other times they go and they want 450 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,880 Speaker 1: you to wear a spoort code or a tuxedo. Ashley 451 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: Worth really took care of us. And I can tell 452 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: you right now I did a few photo shoots in 453 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: some areas that they got no clearance. You know, John 454 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 1: Ashworth and Berry would go find a spot. I'm sure 455 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: you've seen it where I'm hitting on the railroad tracks. 456 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: I can tell you two or three times we hopped 457 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: off the railroad tracks down underneath it. The train would 458 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 1: go buy in Dallas, and it's probably, you know, I 459 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,640 Speaker 1: I have the shot somewhere. We went through Palm Springs 460 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: with Cookie and I living there. We were in areas 461 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: that you know, like like, well, if the cops come, 462 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: we just pack up our stuff and leave. And I'm like, 463 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,120 Speaker 1: so are we you know, are we supposed to be here? Well, 464 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: we don't know, you know. So all of it was 465 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: was really kind of fun and it was not nerve 466 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 1: rat it was just it was just entertainment. It was 467 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: never boring. And trust me, as you get older, you 468 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: know some sometimes you don't want to do things. But 469 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: you know, I thought a little bit. I didn't want 470 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: to go to Cobbo one year. I wanted to do 471 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 1: everything around town. And we did stuff in in the 472 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,639 Speaker 1: greatest places. But it comes down to your leader and 473 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 1: John and I and and you know then Ernie Els 474 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: and Mark web we were the guys leading. But really 475 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: John Ashworth led us and Barry Grimes what a photographer, 476 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: and and he made us look like golfers but cool 477 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 1: guys too. And I, you know, I don't usually say that, 478 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 1: but I felt like kind of a cool guy. So 479 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:56,199 Speaker 1: our collateral material or catalogs and and uh, you know, 480 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: website and stuff like that was really really really well 481 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: done and looked very professional. I'm bragging about our company, 482 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: but I'm bragging about somebody else in the company, And 483 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: so John did that really well. Um, and that's where 484 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: I think he really excels is that he he knew 485 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 1: the history of golf and he was able to put 486 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: it into a visual format that really really gave us 487 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: some impetus in our growth. Jim Nance joined the Ashworth 488 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: family of ambassadors in the photo shoots were just an 489 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 1: amazing experience because it wouldn't be anything like you would 490 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: think of a photo shoot would be like. And let 491 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: me just take this opportunity to to add the Barry 492 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 1: Grimes was someone who really captured the look of Ashworth two. 493 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 1: He just his artistic flare and his ability to even 494 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 1: create the golf man logo. I mean, the golf Man 495 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: logo was basically scratched on the back of a paper napkin, 496 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: and that low go became a universal symbol for people 497 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: that cared about the game of golf. You know. It 498 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: was just sort of a period of time where you know, 499 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: everything lined up, you know, everything just clicked into place. 500 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: I mean without even thinking about it or knowing. It 501 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: was just sort of this timing of everything happening, and 502 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: you know there's a ton of hard work, but it 503 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,880 Speaker 1: was just all happening. You know, to say it was 504 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: all happening, that would be an understatement. Our first year 505 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 1: we did three thou dollars. Our second year we went 506 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 1: to two point two million. Our third year we went 507 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 1: to seven million, and then we went to seventeen million, 508 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: and then twenty nine million and forty eight million, and 509 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: then sixty three million and the ninety million. So we 510 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: had very very quick uh uh, grow very fast, grow. 511 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: And I would go to a lot of these shows, 512 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: these trade shows, like the Magic Show in Las Vegas, 513 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: and when when you walked down those those massive corridors 514 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,760 Speaker 1: where it's booth after booth after booth, and it's still 515 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: even true today. When people would see John Ashworth, they 516 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: would they almost would gasp. They would just stop and 517 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: it's like they they were seeing someone from out of 518 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: this world. It was like, I don't know, Michael Jordan's 519 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: babe Ruth, someone was walking in their sphere that it 520 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 1: was like I'm not worthy. There's John Ashworth. Of course, 521 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: John is kind of walking around with no idea that 522 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: anybody has given given a second thought that he's he's 523 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: in their universe. Ashworth and Grymes had their expertise. Montiel 524 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: handled the money, and again Jerry was the mastermind of 525 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 1: all the finance thing, you know. Uh, and he always 526 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: wanted to have a public company for some reason. You know, 527 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:02,240 Speaker 1: I was an agronomy major. I wasn't. I wasn't much 528 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: help on that, and they were focused on the weeds, 529 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: so to speak. Yeah, I took a lot of weed 530 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: back then too. Do you think that was partly the success? 531 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:18,240 Speaker 1: I would work. I would work pretty much most I 532 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 1: would work all day without you know, I'd be grinding, grinding, grind, 533 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: and get home, have a little dinner, smoke a little weed, 534 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: and then I'd stay most of the night. You know. 535 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 1: I was like this and kind of go out there 536 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 1: and get creative with things, and then you know, and 537 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: then the next day reel it back in and be 538 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 1: all business like them, boom, go out there again. And 539 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: so it was this constant ebb and flow of that 540 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: which I think was a driver in a lot of 541 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: respects creativity was coming in a lot of ways, especially 542 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: as it related to getting the big name ambassadors invested 543 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: in the brand and the growth. We were able to 544 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 1: give them stock and a public company, so it actually 545 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: had some some value that they could you know that 546 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: they are their managers could look at and say, Okay, 547 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: it's worth this or it's worth that. But they also 548 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: had the fact that, you know, if we were going 549 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,640 Speaker 1: to really grow and they were going to help us grow, 550 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 1: that this uh public stock could be worth a lot 551 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: more in the years ahead, and which ended up happening. 552 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: Uh you know, we I think we went public for 553 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: ninety cents to share, and you know, it ended up 554 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 1: going to eighteen dollars a share, so uh, you know, 555 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: not that they all held it on that long, but 556 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: they would hold it for a few years and and 557 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: did did very well with it. John Cook's father was 558 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: his agent at the time and had endorsed this deal, 559 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: and that stock and equity just started to grow and 560 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: grow and grow, and as the brand grew, and I know, 561 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: I'll remember Fred had a phenomenal year, leading money winner, 562 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: player of the year all that I was third on 563 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 1: the money list and one three times and had lots 564 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 1: of other chances. So what better branding opportunities and uh 565 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: publicity do you get to have the number one and 566 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: three players in the world whearing the stuff that you know, 567 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 1: anybody could go out and get. So, you know, that's 568 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 1: that's kind of how that started. With just a little 569 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: bit of cash, not much. I didn't really want it, 570 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: but I wanted to be part in, you know, an 571 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: equity partner in this, in this whole project. Fred Couple's 572 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: business manager was and still is Lynn Roach. You know, 573 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: for me, I'll never forget Ashworth. We're incredible, and Jerry 574 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 1: Montiel was incredible. John's sister worked at Ashworth. John's brother, Hank, 575 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: worked at Ashworth. So everywhere you went you knew the 576 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: people very very well. And I remember wearing Ashworth. Maybe 577 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 1: it happened to be after Augusta and I got a 578 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 1: call from Phil Knight I didn't but from Nike, and 579 00:33:55,720 --> 00:33:59,239 Speaker 1: I went up there and Ashworth got word of it 580 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: and they signed me to a lifetime contract. Just how 581 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 1: powerful was that Barry Grimes blessing on that first rack 582 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 1: of shirts. Apparently it was so good that from it 583 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,760 Speaker 1: seemed to be a series of perfect decisions and steps. 584 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: I suppose the biggest one would have been when Fred 585 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 1: won the Masters. You know, that was a big one. 586 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 1: We were already going pretty good by then, you know, 587 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: I mean that was full systems. God. One of the 588 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:30,360 Speaker 1: things I became was this laid back guy because of 589 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:36,399 Speaker 1: Ashworth clothing, and I then had a look that I 590 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 1: think most people can have. And so then leading up 591 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: you know to augusta, yeah, ninety two, I had an 592 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 1: argyle shirt on one day and as John said, had 593 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: the blue stripe on the collar and the blue and 594 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 1: the blue stripe on the bands. Those are my favorite shirts. 595 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: And then Sunday I wore that kind of like a 596 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 1: like an art painting shirt. Um and one and uh 597 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: no idea teeing off on Sunday, whether I was gonna 598 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 1: win or not like everyone. Um, but it became a 599 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: shirt that kind of was was seen around the world 600 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:12,319 Speaker 1: and they sold a lot of them. And uh, as 601 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: John will tell you, uh, we really were. It's bizarre. 602 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 1: If John and I played together, it was really more 603 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 1: fun because it's it's I'm changing it to Echo shoes. 604 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:26,839 Speaker 1: But when I started wearing Echo shoes, people thought I 605 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 1: was wearing tennis shoes and Ashworth clothing. They really thought 606 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: we were wearing kind of like a T shirt look 607 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 1: as a sales rep. Hey cash Worth offers his perspective 608 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:41,320 Speaker 1: from the trenches. I remember a couple of different hundred 609 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 1: thousand dollar orders that I got. One of them was 610 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,200 Speaker 1: at Monica, and I had known this gal. She'd worked 611 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 1: at a different course. She'd worked at Mondolon and moved 612 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: to Monica. I walked in at a meeting, got to 613 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 1: my car, started adding it up and I go, it's 614 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: a hundred grand. And I remember going to the airport. 615 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: On my way to the airport, stopping at a pay 616 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: phone because they were still pay phones then, and calling 617 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: and trying to get ahold of John. And I didn't 618 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:11,279 Speaker 1: get John, but I got Jerry, and I go, Jerry, 619 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: you're not gonna believe this man. I just got a 620 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: hundred grand. And then I also got one of the 621 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: Olympic Club one time for a hondo and um, I 622 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 1: told the guy was sort of turning was for the 623 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 1: tour championship. They're gonna have it back to back years. 624 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:30,280 Speaker 1: And he looked at all this stuff and he and 625 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: he ordered and while we were sitting there or that 626 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:37,800 Speaker 1: I could add it up. Jim O'Neill who's the value 627 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 1: O'Neil or ballet Neil, he's the Neil side of that 628 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: was the buyer for Olympic Club and uh hundred, I 629 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: can't do this too much. What if it's what if 630 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:51,799 Speaker 1: it's what if you don't sell it all? It's just 631 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 1: the ridiculous because no, I really want it did and 632 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:57,800 Speaker 1: I go okay, And on the way home, I remember 633 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:03,040 Speaker 1: I bought a new car. It was it was a workman, 634 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:08,279 Speaker 1: but it was a new car. The ripple effect of 635 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:11,760 Speaker 1: success was being felt and enjoyed by everyone at Ashworth. 636 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,279 Speaker 1: We gave stock options away like they were water h 637 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,239 Speaker 1: two people because you know, to get them to join 638 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: our company and not have to pay him as much 639 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: or what have you. So we not only gave stock 640 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 1: options to you know, to all the guys who had 641 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:29,320 Speaker 1: uh that endorsed our line, but also to our employees. 642 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,840 Speaker 1: Uh you know, they would give them ten thousand shares 643 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: of stock options. And you know, I remember something walking 644 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 1: into my office one day and say, we you know, 645 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you Gerry for the stock options 646 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:45,680 Speaker 1: because I just sold them, and uh, you know we 647 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 1: were able to buy our house with it. I remember distinctly, 648 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 1: Uh I don't remember the lady's name, but remember distinctly 649 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: when that happened. And so there was a lot of 650 00:37:54,640 --> 00:38:00,360 Speaker 1: good feeling about about our company, so good they added 651 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 1: Dave Stockton, and eventually, as John Cook explains, the Big 652 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:09,320 Speaker 1: Easy Open Championship was at Merefield. John Cook lost to 653 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 1: Nick Fabo by a shot. Els finished fifth. I'd play 654 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:16,640 Speaker 1: with Ernie in the final round of the Open in 655 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,200 Speaker 1: ninety two. He was my final round pairing and he 656 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 1: hadn't he had no status on any tour at all, 657 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:25,359 Speaker 1: and I remember getting done playing. It didn't work out 658 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:27,960 Speaker 1: the way I wanted it too, but he was more 659 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: emotional than I was going off that eighteenth green, knowing 660 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: what might have just happened or had just happened. And 661 00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 1: I remember John coming to me, Ashworth coming to me 662 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:39,560 Speaker 1: later on and say, what do you think about signing 663 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:42,520 Speaker 1: Ernie Els, and said, well, number one, he doesn't have 664 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:45,600 Speaker 1: status anywhere, but it won't be long until he's one 665 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:48,640 Speaker 1: of those guys and you better wrap him up right 666 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 1: now and get him because it was gonna happen. And 667 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: certainly it did just a couple of years later. So um, 668 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: he fit the mold. He fit, He fit the group, 669 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: There's no doubt about it. Jim Nance on a decade 670 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 1: of dominance. From in just a short span you go 671 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 1: from selling shirts out of the back of your trunk, 672 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:10,279 Speaker 1: so where now within ten years you're the number one 673 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:14,760 Speaker 1: golf apparel line in the world, in the world, and 674 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: of course number one in the United States by a mile. 675 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 1: If you go back and look at old footage of 676 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:26,120 Speaker 1: players like Phil Mickelson in Tiger Woods when they were kids, 677 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:28,920 Speaker 1: all the all of stock photos you see of them 678 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:31,879 Speaker 1: before they had endorsement deals, they were just kids. They 679 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:35,120 Speaker 1: were wearing Ashworth. They had to put on the shirt 680 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: that made it authentic that they were golfers, that they 681 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:41,800 Speaker 1: were into it, that they got the message, and that 682 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:45,600 Speaker 1: they were part of this group of people that really 683 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 1: loved the game. Meanwhile, John Ashworth was starting to feel 684 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:53,480 Speaker 1: the effects of a fast growing publicly traded company. It 685 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:55,479 Speaker 1: was a special time, you know. At the time, though, 686 00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 1: I mean, you're I was peddling so fast all the time, 687 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:01,480 Speaker 1: it seemed like that I'm not sure I really knew 688 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:04,759 Speaker 1: what was actually happening. It was just happening, and not 689 00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:08,720 Speaker 1: unlike most wildly successful small companies that get big quick 690 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:13,480 Speaker 1: other companies were interested in an acquisition. Quicksilver wanted to 691 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: buy us back in the I suppose it was or something, 692 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:22,920 Speaker 1: and and that, you know, at the time, it did 693 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:25,239 Speaker 1: start to get a little bit of a grind. And 694 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:27,560 Speaker 1: and maybe some of the fun was sucked out of 695 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: it because as a public company, you're trying to shareholders 696 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,239 Speaker 1: what you do, what you do last quarter, you know, 697 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:39,440 Speaker 1: what's the next quarter? You know, what are you do 698 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:41,360 Speaker 1: next to you? How are you gonna keep doubling? You know? 699 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:44,320 Speaker 1: And I was getting kind of exhausted, to be honest 700 00:40:44,360 --> 00:40:50,399 Speaker 1: with you, like so but that deal Quicksilver, But then 701 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 1: I thought, God, what a great company itself to Quicksilver. 702 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:57,719 Speaker 1: I loved him growing up surf company. Bob McKnight's a 703 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:02,680 Speaker 1: phenomenal guy. Perfect I was in. But then that felt 704 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: that deal fell through and I don't even know why. 705 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:12,360 Speaker 1: And then three months later we hired their CFO, Randy Harrold, 706 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: to be our president. And because Jerry was trying to 707 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 1: he was trying to step away, you know, And and 708 00:41:20,840 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: and I didn't have the sort of tool kit to 709 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:28,960 Speaker 1: be the president of a public company. And I get that. 710 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:32,279 Speaker 1: I was totally hip to that. Bob McKnight, who was 711 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:35,920 Speaker 1: a CEO of Quicksilver at the time and started Quicksilver 712 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:40,600 Speaker 1: of of the United States. UM, he was not able 713 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: to UH to put this through to his h his 714 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: board of directors to get them to accept it. But 715 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:51,080 Speaker 1: that's how I met Uh. The gentleman that Randy Harrold 716 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 1: that we hired to replace me. Montial told me he 717 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:57,720 Speaker 1: had to step away at that time for health issues. 718 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,719 Speaker 1: The hiring of Randy Harold, it's the beginning of the 719 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:08,799 Speaker 1: end for John at Ashworth. He didn't get it. He 720 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:12,760 Speaker 1: was trying to squeeze every last dollar out of everything 721 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:15,680 Speaker 1: and cheapen the product. And I was just you know, 722 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:19,080 Speaker 1: I was standing here and I had a big standoff, 723 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:23,200 Speaker 1: and the board for the most part, would side with him. 724 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,799 Speaker 1: That was a big argument that John had with UH, 725 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 1: with the person that that was running in the company 726 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:32,400 Speaker 1: at the time. John was a creative guy. You just 727 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:34,160 Speaker 1: had to let him, like, hey, if he wants to 728 00:42:34,160 --> 00:42:36,759 Speaker 1: show up for twelve thirty and sleep all morning, let 729 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:38,760 Speaker 1: him do it. You know, let him come in whenever 730 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:41,640 Speaker 1: he wants his free spirit, let it. And we don't 731 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:45,360 Speaker 1: we leave him like punch the clock. It's kind of 732 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:47,719 Speaker 1: a bad thing about being in Ashworth is when you 733 00:42:47,760 --> 00:42:50,000 Speaker 1: make up your mind, it's nothing's gonna change you. And 734 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:53,239 Speaker 1: it's not about the money, you know, it's about what 735 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:58,799 Speaker 1: you think is right. And sometimes that stubbornness. I mean, 736 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't look like John has that sometimes, so an 737 00:43:01,239 --> 00:43:05,480 Speaker 1: out started looking in. But he's super competitive and super 738 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:08,640 Speaker 1: wants to do it his way. And once he's decided that, 739 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:12,560 Speaker 1: I doubt you're gonna change his mind. I just remember 740 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:17,439 Speaker 1: John kind of parting ways quietly, and then Mary went 741 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:19,840 Speaker 1: and I think maybe Hank, who had a family, still 742 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:22,480 Speaker 1: was a rep. But that's about really all I know. 743 00:43:22,600 --> 00:43:24,920 Speaker 1: It just kind of slowed down, and then I just 744 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:28,600 Speaker 1: kept wearing stuff. We all took it personally that uh, 745 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,320 Speaker 1: you know, the Astra family was no longer part of 746 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:34,640 Speaker 1: that um. But John wanted to make it known to 747 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:37,920 Speaker 1: us that because they weren't part of it, not to 748 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:40,719 Speaker 1: you know, not to bail from it, that it was 749 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:42,479 Speaker 1: going to be such a great thing and a great 750 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,920 Speaker 1: thing for us. The company just um, you know, went 751 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:47,680 Speaker 1: in the direction where it went from trying to do 752 00:43:47,719 --> 00:43:49,440 Speaker 1: the right thing to try to make a lot of money. 753 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:54,440 Speaker 1: Couldn't sleep at night. I was just so unhappy you know, 754 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,719 Speaker 1: believe it or not, that we're just on top of 755 00:43:56,760 --> 00:44:00,520 Speaker 1: the world on one hand, but on so happy. On 756 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:05,080 Speaker 1: the other you're a nine million dollar company ten years 757 00:44:05,120 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 1: into it and you're you're you're miserable thirty seven years old. 758 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:13,680 Speaker 1: You know, it's like it's like stupid, isn't it when 759 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:15,880 Speaker 1: you think back? And I so I wish I you know, 760 00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:18,400 Speaker 1: I was probably impatient. I probably should have dug my 761 00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:22,080 Speaker 1: heels in more just stayed the course. And luckily for me, 762 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:24,719 Speaker 1: I basically got to the point where I just said, 763 00:44:24,760 --> 00:44:27,280 Speaker 1: you know, I'm just gonna I didn't see it getting 764 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:30,240 Speaker 1: any better. So, um, I ended up selling my stock 765 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:34,120 Speaker 1: at probably the highest value it ever was. So so 766 00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:37,200 Speaker 1: that was fine, that was good. Um. And then this 767 00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:42,279 Speaker 1: opportunity came up in Scotland. So this was middle of 768 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:49,759 Speaker 1: it was like June, and just like that, Elvis had 769 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 1: left the building. It was hard to accept because I 770 00:44:57,719 --> 00:45:01,560 Speaker 1: was just getting a little taste of being uh so 771 00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:04,480 Speaker 1: in the middle of it with him. But he really 772 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:08,320 Speaker 1: wanted to go do something again big for the game, 773 00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:12,120 Speaker 1: and he kind of cashed out and he went to Scotland. 774 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:18,200 Speaker 1: And you know, there's incredible property at Archer Fields and uh, 775 00:45:18,239 --> 00:45:20,120 Speaker 1: you know, the timing of it wasn't right. It ended 776 00:45:20,200 --> 00:45:23,080 Speaker 1: up being this remarkable property that today is called the 777 00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:26,719 Speaker 1: Renaissance Club. And but John had the vision and his 778 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:30,600 Speaker 1: vision was dead on. This is a property that abuts Mirfield. 779 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:33,800 Speaker 1: There were two courses that dated back into the eighteen 780 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:38,280 Speaker 1: hundreds and they had disappeared like after World War One. 781 00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:43,279 Speaker 1: I think I was and and uh and I just was. 782 00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:46,239 Speaker 1: I got caught by the bug, you know, the lynx bug. 783 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:48,560 Speaker 1: But that kind of went sideway that that's a whole 784 00:45:48,560 --> 00:45:51,960 Speaker 1: another story too. So one of the things that was 785 00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:54,640 Speaker 1: in my office one day and he and he walks 786 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:58,960 Speaker 1: in with the Duke of Scotland into my office, introduced 787 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:04,640 Speaker 1: me dude, because you can reade braveheart, right the dude 788 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:10,440 Speaker 1: on Braveheart. But but but two hundred years later and 789 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:15,439 Speaker 1: he's bought property with this guy adjacent to Merefield over 790 00:46:15,560 --> 00:46:20,200 Speaker 1: in Scotland, and he's become a member at going to 791 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:23,560 Speaker 1: I think, and he's they put steaks up. I mean, 792 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:26,960 Speaker 1: he's he's like he likes it over there, and he's 793 00:46:26,960 --> 00:46:29,080 Speaker 1: gonna build a couple of golf courses and I'm going, 794 00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:32,120 Speaker 1: what he mean, came this close to pulling it off. 795 00:46:32,160 --> 00:46:36,719 Speaker 1: I mean he those courses exist today, they've been you know, 796 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:38,800 Speaker 1: he just kind of cut he got. I think he 797 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:42,360 Speaker 1: got swindled. He's such a nice guy. I think he 798 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:46,919 Speaker 1: got swindled out of the money from the investment guys. 799 00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:49,840 Speaker 1: You think he went into business with a guy that 800 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:53,759 Speaker 1: that owned a bunch of restaurants in Edinburgh and he 801 00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:55,880 Speaker 1: didn't come out of it on the good side. My 802 00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:59,080 Speaker 1: brother didn't come out of the good side. John was 803 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:02,000 Speaker 1: brought back to Worth in two thousand seven, and it's 804 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:04,920 Speaker 1: old to Taylor made Adidas in two thousand nine, but 805 00:47:05,000 --> 00:47:07,640 Speaker 1: John continued to think about the development of the brand 806 00:47:08,000 --> 00:47:11,759 Speaker 1: links So, which he started with his nephew Jeff Cunningham 807 00:47:11,840 --> 00:47:14,960 Speaker 1: in two thousand So. I had to go back to 808 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:18,560 Speaker 1: Bob McKnight afterwards and said, hey, listen, you know, can 809 00:47:18,560 --> 00:47:20,319 Speaker 1: I get that name back because you guys aren't going 810 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:23,839 Speaker 1: to do anything with it, and I think someday I might, 811 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:26,160 Speaker 1: I might build that into the into a brand. So 812 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:31,799 Speaker 1: um so he was He was kind enough to say, yeah, sure, here, 813 00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:36,799 Speaker 1: So how good is that? Yeah? That was good. You 814 00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:38,960 Speaker 1: get one hell of a story and you get the 815 00:47:39,360 --> 00:47:43,480 Speaker 1: centerpiece of your life. You know, now, yeah. Yeah. You know, 816 00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:47,399 Speaker 1: when you look back, you think, well, had I've been very, 817 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:49,720 Speaker 1: very lucky. I've been around a lot of great people. 818 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:52,239 Speaker 1: And again the Ashford thing, I mean, there were so 819 00:47:52,280 --> 00:47:55,560 Speaker 1: many great people. I mean, any any time anything like 820 00:47:55,600 --> 00:48:00,000 Speaker 1: that happens, it's as much about the people as anything else. 821 00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:03,600 Speaker 1: And and I'm sure it would have been great if 822 00:48:03,640 --> 00:48:05,399 Speaker 1: I would have stayed. But but I look at all 823 00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 1: the things that I've been able to do and be 824 00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:11,399 Speaker 1: in touch with people and do with different projects, and 825 00:48:11,560 --> 00:48:13,080 Speaker 1: you know, and then you just go, I go. I 826 00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:15,319 Speaker 1: wouldn't you know, I wouldn't change that for the world either. 827 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:18,160 Speaker 1: We wouldn't be sitting here right now and Link Soul 828 00:48:18,239 --> 00:48:21,640 Speaker 1: Shop and having a chance to communicate, you know, and 829 00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:26,520 Speaker 1: promote golf and um goad Hill Park wouldn't be Hill 830 00:48:26,600 --> 00:48:29,600 Speaker 1: Park wouldn't be here at least I wouldn't be Poliment. 831 00:48:30,640 --> 00:48:33,200 Speaker 1: In addition to building the brand of Linksoul, in two 832 00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:36,880 Speaker 1: thousand thirteen, John Ashworth Rallied the City of Oceanside and 833 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:39,920 Speaker 1: saved Goat Hill Park from being developed by a billionaire. 834 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:43,240 Speaker 1: He and his team of tireless staff resurrected the golf 835 00:48:43,239 --> 00:48:46,440 Speaker 1: course and the community spirit by revamping the look the 836 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:50,680 Speaker 1: field and the hang. They've added the playground, the kids course, 837 00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:53,960 Speaker 1: and they host the annual Wishbone Brawl, a turn back 838 00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:57,319 Speaker 1: the clock competition with tour pros playing per Simmon Woods, 839 00:48:57,320 --> 00:49:02,000 Speaker 1: with all proceeds going to charity. Some final reflections from 840 00:49:02,080 --> 00:49:05,879 Speaker 1: the group. I think his vision was always different than 841 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:09,080 Speaker 1: people trying to make money. He wanted to do it all. 842 00:49:09,120 --> 00:49:11,560 Speaker 1: He wanted it all to come together and uh and 843 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:16,520 Speaker 1: work out for everybody. So, I mean, look, you can 844 00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:18,960 Speaker 1: the fashion part of it, the clothing part of it 845 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:21,960 Speaker 1: is just is probably the smallest part. What he did 846 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:24,040 Speaker 1: with that is what he's always done, is he brings 847 00:49:24,080 --> 00:49:26,200 Speaker 1: what's cool in the real world to the golf world, 848 00:49:26,239 --> 00:49:29,480 Speaker 1: which is always way behind. And then he markets and 849 00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:32,560 Speaker 1: talks about all the virtues and the greatest things about 850 00:49:32,640 --> 00:49:35,880 Speaker 1: the game of golf, and he brings those two components together. 851 00:49:36,000 --> 00:49:40,600 Speaker 1: Now with this golf course. Um, oh my my, My 852 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:42,640 Speaker 1: dad would be so proud of him for all that, 853 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:49,160 Speaker 1: you know, unbelievable. Are you proud of him? Oh? My god? 854 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:54,200 Speaker 1: Are you kidding? I probably don't tell him enough, but 855 00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:58,280 Speaker 1: but yeah, I mean, you know, he's a producer. He brings, 856 00:49:58,360 --> 00:50:02,320 Speaker 1: he brings everybody together. Everybody's involved, but he's the one 857 00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:06,040 Speaker 1: that is the lead dog. He's the one out front 858 00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:08,879 Speaker 1: for sure. He's not afraid to make decisions the hard 859 00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:15,960 Speaker 1: ones that and to keep moving. John changed the game 860 00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:19,799 Speaker 1: of life through clothing. Um, there's no doubt in my 861 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:24,840 Speaker 1: mind that after Ashworth came out and rolled for a 862 00:50:24,880 --> 00:50:29,160 Speaker 1: few years and kept going, every golf shirt looked like 863 00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:31,879 Speaker 1: an Ashworth shirt with just a different logo and so 864 00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:35,479 Speaker 1: one of the things but I I always look back 865 00:50:35,520 --> 00:50:40,440 Speaker 1: on is with John that that he could be a 866 00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:47,359 Speaker 1: moodie star and would remind me of people that are 867 00:50:47,440 --> 00:50:50,120 Speaker 1: kind of a shucks, you know, our clothing is doing great. 868 00:50:50,760 --> 00:50:53,719 Speaker 1: He never was around, I mean, he never pushed him, 869 00:50:53,760 --> 00:50:57,919 Speaker 1: so I don't even know if John Ashworth ever did 870 00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:02,480 Speaker 1: any media or anything. I mean, it was just you know, 871 00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:06,360 Speaker 1: his name and it started out a different name and 872 00:51:06,920 --> 00:51:11,279 Speaker 1: the logo became incredible. Everything just went wonderful. And it 873 00:51:11,440 --> 00:51:14,040 Speaker 1: still is. It's still talked about, and I have so 874 00:51:14,080 --> 00:51:17,799 Speaker 1: many friends that talked about John Ashworth. Where is he? 875 00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:20,560 Speaker 1: What's he doing? And some of my very good friends 876 00:51:20,600 --> 00:51:24,480 Speaker 1: know exactly what he's doing, and uh, it is amazing. 877 00:51:24,719 --> 00:51:28,400 Speaker 1: And John is a very very very good guy. And 878 00:51:28,400 --> 00:51:32,120 Speaker 1: and really had the interests of John Cook and I 879 00:51:32,280 --> 00:51:36,600 Speaker 1: when we started completely had our interests NIA exactly right, 880 00:51:36,640 --> 00:51:38,960 Speaker 1: and Matt you said it right to that. John he 881 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:41,319 Speaker 1: loves the game so much and wants to preserve the 882 00:51:41,360 --> 00:51:44,600 Speaker 1: game so much and has such an interest in where 883 00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:47,440 Speaker 1: the game is going with Goat Hill Park. And I 884 00:51:47,480 --> 00:51:50,920 Speaker 1: remember the last time I played golf with John actually 885 00:51:51,440 --> 00:51:54,040 Speaker 1: was at Madison Club and it had barely opened, and 886 00:51:54,080 --> 00:51:57,320 Speaker 1: I took John down there and he insisted on walking 887 00:51:57,400 --> 00:52:01,280 Speaker 1: and carrying his bag, a little a leather little Mackenzie 888 00:52:01,320 --> 00:52:05,440 Speaker 1: walker bag. He had a wooden driver. Um. He just 889 00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:08,160 Speaker 1: he was not gonna, you know, fall into that category 890 00:52:08,239 --> 00:52:10,360 Speaker 1: of you know, where the game. He just wanted to 891 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:13,640 Speaker 1: preserve it as long as he possibly could. He did 892 00:52:13,640 --> 00:52:16,279 Speaker 1: that with our clothing, and like Fred said, he he 893 00:52:16,400 --> 00:52:18,799 Speaker 1: wanted the best for Fred Couples and John Cook because 894 00:52:18,840 --> 00:52:21,000 Speaker 1: we were early parts and we were a long time 895 00:52:21,600 --> 00:52:25,000 Speaker 1: part of that that family. And that's what John Ashroth is. 896 00:52:25,040 --> 00:52:27,360 Speaker 1: He's he's just a family guy and he loves the 897 00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:30,360 Speaker 1: game of golf. Do you take the Goat Hills project. 898 00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:33,480 Speaker 1: There's no one else on the planet that would take 899 00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:36,600 Speaker 1: that on, No one, no one. And again This is 900 00:52:36,640 --> 00:52:40,880 Speaker 1: not driven in any way by trying to cash in 901 00:52:41,120 --> 00:52:44,799 Speaker 1: on a huge financial opportunity. This is about John trying 902 00:52:44,800 --> 00:52:47,799 Speaker 1: to spread a great message to get people involved in 903 00:52:47,840 --> 00:52:50,600 Speaker 1: the sport to be inclusive. I mean, it's all He's 904 00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:54,440 Speaker 1: just it's all the right things. It's just it's amazing. 905 00:52:55,239 --> 00:52:57,560 Speaker 1: You know, we have the playground we can have you know, kid, 906 00:52:57,680 --> 00:52:59,960 Speaker 1: you know, three year old four year old kids running 907 00:53:00,040 --> 00:53:03,480 Speaker 1: around there playing for free, you know, with their parents, 908 00:53:03,480 --> 00:53:07,080 Speaker 1: and their parents are playing for free. Driving range where 909 00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:12,799 Speaker 1: you see all all kinds everybody, you know, chicks with 910 00:53:12,880 --> 00:53:17,480 Speaker 1: leggings and tank tops to you know, construction workers, you know, 911 00:53:17,560 --> 00:53:23,239 Speaker 1: with boots on too, you know, yeah, Dean Wilson, Yeah, 912 00:53:23,280 --> 00:53:25,239 Speaker 1: and you know with his dog. You know we we 913 00:53:25,280 --> 00:53:28,560 Speaker 1: allow dogs. People love bringing their dogs up there. So 914 00:53:29,360 --> 00:53:32,360 Speaker 1: I guess my that's my point is that golf needs 915 00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:38,480 Speaker 1: to be this holistic melting pot of people enjoying the 916 00:53:38,600 --> 00:53:45,240 Speaker 1: outdoors with their friends, but still treating everyone with equal 917 00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:50,239 Speaker 1: amounts of respect and playing the game with this reverence 918 00:53:50,320 --> 00:53:53,799 Speaker 1: to the rules and you know, not not you know, 919 00:53:53,920 --> 00:53:57,520 Speaker 1: not to like stiff rules, but just you know, pace 920 00:53:57,560 --> 00:54:04,319 Speaker 1: of play and you know, be kind, be considerate, you know, 921 00:54:04,560 --> 00:54:08,719 Speaker 1: fix your ball marks, you know, repair your dibots, you know, 922 00:54:08,920 --> 00:54:11,839 Speaker 1: things like that. And if I think, you know, there's 923 00:54:11,880 --> 00:54:16,160 Speaker 1: not that many difficult things to figure out, you know. 924 00:54:16,239 --> 00:54:20,640 Speaker 1: And and so if only, if only life was more 925 00:54:20,760 --> 00:54:24,560 Speaker 1: like that, if you took the golf the golf guidelines 926 00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:27,759 Speaker 1: of goat Hill Park and and and put them how 927 00:54:27,840 --> 00:54:31,239 Speaker 1: timely is that conversation? How timely is that? Just in 928 00:54:31,320 --> 00:54:37,320 Speaker 1: life in general? Just accept played by the the general guidelines, 929 00:54:37,760 --> 00:54:42,319 Speaker 1: be kind, make par not war. Isn't that? Isn't that 930 00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:46,160 Speaker 1: where it's all going? Yes, yes, I hope, So I hope, 931 00:54:46,200 --> 00:54:52,800 Speaker 1: So I really do hope. So I can't believe I 932 00:54:52,800 --> 00:54:55,360 Speaker 1: almost forgot. But one thing we get from everybody is 933 00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:58,200 Speaker 1: what is your favorite firepap? Well, I don't know if 934 00:54:58,239 --> 00:55:00,439 Speaker 1: I really have one. I mean, I've been to your now, 935 00:55:00,480 --> 00:55:03,120 Speaker 1: thank you for that. I appreciate that. And that was 936 00:55:03,160 --> 00:55:05,880 Speaker 1: a great nat I remember, that was funny and and 937 00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:09,879 Speaker 1: pretty cool. Um I you've inspired me to build one. 938 00:55:11,040 --> 00:55:13,640 Speaker 1: Um that's right after this bathroom. Instead, we're gonna put 939 00:55:13,640 --> 00:55:16,160 Speaker 1: a little gas one back here with a different patio. 940 00:55:16,760 --> 00:55:20,239 Speaker 1: So we're gonna have one. But I would say my 941 00:55:20,360 --> 00:55:24,000 Speaker 1: kitchen table, we don't use it all the time. But 942 00:55:24,040 --> 00:55:25,919 Speaker 1: I mean if the story, when the stories get wrong, 943 00:55:26,040 --> 00:55:29,040 Speaker 1: that's where they roll. Whether it's just my little immediate family, 944 00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:32,040 Speaker 1: or if it's neighbors or friends or whatnot. I would 945 00:55:32,080 --> 00:55:34,800 Speaker 1: say our little dining room table, which is a cool spot. 946 00:55:35,239 --> 00:55:39,640 Speaker 1: You know, I don't drink, so it's usually sitting around. 947 00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:45,480 Speaker 1: We do have a fire bit right outside where I'm pointing. Um, 948 00:55:46,280 --> 00:55:49,040 Speaker 1: it probably is there because it's supposed to be there. 949 00:55:49,080 --> 00:55:51,800 Speaker 1: It's just kind of a fixture in the in the yard. 950 00:55:52,680 --> 00:55:55,040 Speaker 1: But most of the time, you know, when I get 951 00:55:55,160 --> 00:55:59,040 Speaker 1: rolling like this, I really enjoy anywhere and it would 952 00:55:59,040 --> 00:56:01,799 Speaker 1: be fun, you know, some marshmallows and hot dogs and 953 00:56:01,840 --> 00:56:04,719 Speaker 1: talking with Cookie. And when he called me yesterday, I 954 00:56:04,800 --> 00:56:07,680 Speaker 1: was really embarrassed that my phone was screwing up and 955 00:56:07,719 --> 00:56:09,799 Speaker 1: we had to do it today. But I would talk 956 00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:13,640 Speaker 1: about Ashworth all day long. And I I've really I've 957 00:56:13,719 --> 00:56:18,719 Speaker 1: enjoyed this. It's made you know, made my day. Uh. 958 00:56:18,760 --> 00:56:22,440 Speaker 1: And like I say, I have jeans that are thirty 959 00:56:22,480 --> 00:56:26,360 Speaker 1: three jeans in my closet. They must be cookie twenty 960 00:56:26,480 --> 00:56:28,880 Speaker 1: five years old, so I can wear those to the 961 00:56:28,920 --> 00:56:31,719 Speaker 1: fire fit and stay warm. I have a jacket, an 962 00:56:31,760 --> 00:56:36,120 Speaker 1: Ashworth jacket that's twenty five years old. I I have 963 00:56:36,840 --> 00:56:41,640 Speaker 1: stuff in my closet that I absolutely love, uh and 964 00:56:41,719 --> 00:56:43,920 Speaker 1: it's just it's just I can't let go of it. 965 00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:47,239 Speaker 1: I always go back to Spanish Bay, Matt. I mean 966 00:56:47,280 --> 00:56:50,720 Speaker 1: that's you know, that's where you know, you finish around 967 00:56:50,719 --> 00:56:53,399 Speaker 1: of golf and you know, playing in the tailor made 968 00:56:53,480 --> 00:56:57,399 Speaker 1: or the Callaway or the Spalding or whatever it's called. Um, 969 00:56:57,719 --> 00:56:59,919 Speaker 1: go back to Spanish Bay and when it's the first 970 00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:01,960 Speaker 1: thing we knew, we go to the bar, you grab 971 00:57:01,960 --> 00:57:03,520 Speaker 1: a glass of red wine, you go out to the 972 00:57:03,520 --> 00:57:06,319 Speaker 1: fire pit. That's it, and then you watch the you know, 973 00:57:06,360 --> 00:57:10,040 Speaker 1: watch the bag piper come down to the path. And 974 00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:12,120 Speaker 1: next thing you know, it's five o'clock. It's time for 975 00:57:12,160 --> 00:57:14,480 Speaker 1: dinner and another glass of wine. So if that's what 976 00:57:14,560 --> 00:57:19,560 Speaker 1: we do. The fire pits are synonymous with Carmel and 977 00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:24,880 Speaker 1: Double Beach, and in Spanish Bay you go on sensory overload. 978 00:57:24,960 --> 00:57:27,080 Speaker 1: I believe when you're on the moner Ray Peninsula. I 979 00:57:27,160 --> 00:57:29,160 Speaker 1: always felt that, and now I'm a resident, I still 980 00:57:29,200 --> 00:57:32,760 Speaker 1: feel it. Everything feels a little better, you know, smells 981 00:57:32,760 --> 00:57:35,600 Speaker 1: a little better. The view is the best in the world. 982 00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:39,280 Speaker 1: Everything feels a little bit better. You're on sensory overload 983 00:57:39,880 --> 00:57:42,600 Speaker 1: and it's a good feeling. And you know, every every 984 00:57:42,640 --> 00:57:44,280 Speaker 1: week I gotta go out on the road and do 985 00:57:44,360 --> 00:57:45,960 Speaker 1: what I love to do, what I'm trained to do, 986 00:57:46,400 --> 00:57:51,520 Speaker 1: and broadcast. But my fire pit is uh is my home. 987 00:57:52,280 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 1: And I count my blessings for that, and I count 988 00:57:54,600 --> 00:57:57,600 Speaker 1: my blessings that I've had people like John and like 989 00:57:57,680 --> 00:58:01,840 Speaker 1: Freddie who have helped me kind of find my fire 990 00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:05,120 Speaker 1: pit in my life. You've set it before, but I'm 991 00:58:05,120 --> 00:58:12,600 Speaker 1: gonna ask you again your favorite fire pit is see now, um, 992 00:58:12,760 --> 00:58:15,800 Speaker 1: goat Hill is great, But I was thinking about it too, 993 00:58:15,840 --> 00:58:18,360 Speaker 1: and I'm We've been using our fire pit at home 994 00:58:18,400 --> 00:58:21,640 Speaker 1: a lot, and it's it's kind of grown on me. 995 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:25,360 Speaker 1: So I'm torn. We got the hatand in one, we 996 00:58:25,480 --> 00:58:27,520 Speaker 1: got the Goat Hill Park one, and now we have 997 00:58:27,720 --> 00:58:32,840 Speaker 1: the home one. So I got three. Good to have 998 00:58:32,840 --> 00:58:35,200 Speaker 1: a good roster of fire pits. You don't want to 999 00:58:35,240 --> 00:58:38,960 Speaker 1: just don't, you know, diversify the fire pit portfolio. You 1000 00:58:39,040 --> 00:58:41,000 Speaker 1: fy the way, what a great name, by the way, 1001 00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:43,800 Speaker 1: because remember I forget the other name you remember. Remember 1002 00:58:43,840 --> 00:58:46,040 Speaker 1: you throw another name by me and I go, no, 1003 00:58:46,680 --> 00:58:50,200 Speaker 1: that's not it. The fence. I can't even remember what 1004 00:58:50,280 --> 00:58:52,320 Speaker 1: it was. I'll tell you. I'll tell you right now. 1005 00:58:52,360 --> 00:58:59,240 Speaker 1: It was so good I don't even remember it. It's 1006 00:58:59,240 --> 00:59:03,720 Speaker 1: a flush that went down like a dead goldfish, just 1007 00:59:03,880 --> 00:59:11,800 Speaker 1: down into the ocean. She gone awesome, Mashie, thank you, buddy. Yeah, 1008 00:59:12,160 --> 00:59:14,600 Speaker 1: this is uh we I you know. Part of the 1009 00:59:14,680 --> 00:59:18,360 Speaker 1: vision was to have you as a regular uh you know, correspondent, 1010 00:59:18,520 --> 00:59:20,600 Speaker 1: you know, like in the in the field for the 1011 00:59:20,640 --> 00:59:22,800 Speaker 1: fire Pit. So this is the way it's working out. 1012 00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:25,240 Speaker 1: You know. You can pull me in when you're when 1013 00:59:25,280 --> 00:59:31,000 Speaker 1: you're in trouble. You can pull me in like a 1014 00:59:31,040 --> 00:59:33,439 Speaker 1: good big brother, like a good big brother. You know. Yeah, 1015 00:59:33,440 --> 00:59:38,440 Speaker 1: there we need absolutely. I'm here for you, buddy. Hi, 1016 00:59:38,520 --> 00:59:42,400 Speaker 1: I'm at Janella, your host of the fire Pit. As 1017 00:59:42,440 --> 00:59:45,360 Speaker 1: a listener to this podcast, my friends John Ashworth and 1018 00:59:45,400 --> 00:59:49,240 Speaker 1: Jeff Cunningham at Link Soul in Oceanside, California are offering 1019 00:59:49,320 --> 00:59:53,160 Speaker 1: you a discount on all future orders of what I 1020 00:59:53,200 --> 00:59:57,680 Speaker 1: consider the best golf and lifestyle of pairl Whenever you 1021 00:59:57,680 --> 01:00:00,520 Speaker 1: go to link soul dot com, use promo code Matty. 1022 01:00:02,400 --> 01:00:07,280 Speaker 1: In the meantime, make park not war put another logo. 1023 01:00:08,040 --> 01:00:19,120 Speaker 1: Fine nobody here is getting time. This is the fire 1024 01:00:19,160 --> 01:00:23,960 Speaker 1: Pit hosted by Matt Janella. Thank you for listening to 1025 01:00:24,040 --> 01:00:27,240 Speaker 1: The fire Pit. It's produced by Alex Upeggy. It's edited 1026 01:00:27,280 --> 01:00:30,600 Speaker 1: by Rex Lint. The theme song is by Joe Horowitz. 1027 01:00:31,240 --> 01:00:34,400 Speaker 1: Please rate and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts and 1028 01:00:34,440 --> 01:00:36,560 Speaker 1: we might track you down and send you one of 1029 01:00:36,560 --> 01:00:40,720 Speaker 1: our new Imperial Road Pats. Got a question, comment, or 1030 01:00:40,760 --> 01:00:42,800 Speaker 1: a story for us to track down, You can find 1031 01:00:42,800 --> 01:00:46,040 Speaker 1: me on Twitter at Matt Janella or on Instagram at 1032 01:00:46,080 --> 01:00:49,080 Speaker 1: Matt Underscore Janella. And if you haven't already done so, 1033 01:00:49,440 --> 01:00:53,080 Speaker 1: please subscribe to The fire Pit on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, 1034 01:00:53,320 --> 01:00:55,439 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to a story like this one. 1035 01:00:56,200 --> 01:00:58,880 Speaker 1: You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel, which is 1036 01:00:58,880 --> 01:01:01,760 Speaker 1: where we post portion of our podcast and add some 1037 01:01:01,960 --> 01:01:08,120 Speaker 1: visual surprises. M