WEBVTT - Episode 73: Tour Development Program (Feat. Scott Sullivan) 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:02.320 The guys from Ping. They've kind of showed me how 0:00:02.400 --> 0:00:05.040 much the equipment matters. I just love that I can 0:00:05.120 --> 0:00:05.680 hit any. 0:00:05.480 --> 0:00:06.560 Shot I kind of want. 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:08.440 We're gonna be able to tell some fun stories about 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:10.600 what goes on here to help golfers play better golf. 0:00:11.400 --> 0:00:13.840 Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Ping prooven Grounds Podcast 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:17.680 Shane Bacon with Marty Jerts and Marty We've got a guest. 0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:19.080 I think a lot of people are gonna be interested 0:00:19.120 --> 0:00:22.479 in listening to Scott Sullivan, the senior manager amateur player 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:26.120 development here at Ping and Scott, your guy played college golf, 0:00:26.120 --> 0:00:28.320 played at ASU. Sorry about that by the way, as 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:32.320 an Arizona waldcap. But you have a really interesting job. 0:00:32.600 --> 0:00:34.960 And I would say, as somebody that obviously is a 0:00:35.000 --> 0:00:37.520 very good player, to make your way up through Ping 0:00:38.440 --> 0:00:41.560 and get to develop young talent has got to be 0:00:41.600 --> 0:00:44.159 something that's been very interesting and very thrilling. How do 0:00:44.240 --> 0:00:46.680 you come into this position, Like how does this come 0:00:46.680 --> 0:00:47.640 about in your life? 0:00:48.240 --> 0:00:51.760 Well, you know, when I finished school, I played professionally 0:00:51.760 --> 0:00:54.000 for three years. I got as far as the corn 0:00:54.080 --> 0:00:56.040 Ferry Tour now who was the Nike Tour back then? 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:58.960 But then I realized that I got myself in a 0:00:59.000 --> 0:01:02.480 situation where I was spending more money than I was making. 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:06.520 That didn't really prove to be a good formula, by 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:13.399 the way you understand, So I had to it was 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:16.360 time to make some decisions, and so I took about 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:18.400 six months to decide what I wanted to do. I 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:22.759 almost took a job in the financial world, but an 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:27.679 opportunity offered itself for me at Ping, and I took 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:30.000 advantage of it, and I've been with Ping ever since. 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.600 Uh after you got in the door of Ping, you 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:36.759 were rep on was it the Nike Tour? 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:41.640 Yeah, you know. When I started, I got in, did 0:01:41.840 --> 0:01:44.360 a little stint customer service, but I was fortunate enough 0:01:44.400 --> 0:01:48.200 to be on with the group that started our democrt 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:51.840 fitting system, and actually, prior to that, we would take 0:01:51.880 --> 0:01:55.040 that out on the road to uh PGA section meetings 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:58.320 and that kind of thing and do our presentations there. 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:03.680 But then we switched over to bring our top accounts 0:02:03.680 --> 0:02:08.359 to Ping at their at their request, because they wanted 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:12.240 to see they They always ask the question, is you know, 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:13.680 we want to see Ping. We want to see what 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:15.840 you guys do and how you do it. And so 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:18.360 then we'd bring them in and run them through a 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:21.120 three day program on our campus. That's quite a fun thing. 0:02:21.160 --> 0:02:22.600 You were at the very beginning of that. We just 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:26.000 started doing that again, and the accounts love it because 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:28.600 they love they love tour in the factory, everything at 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:31.519 the proving grounds, visiting all the great experience. 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:32.880 It's certainly great experience for me. 0:02:33.360 --> 0:02:35.560 But so you were, you were in early on of 0:02:35.639 --> 0:02:39.160 us kind of educating the accounts with in our fitting 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:40.880 cart and all the options there and things of that. 0:02:41.680 --> 0:02:45.079 Yeah. Then after that, I went over to the tour department, 0:02:45.720 --> 0:02:48.000 worked the Nike Tour and PJ Tour for two years 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:50.040 and took over the collegiate program. 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:52.280 I mean, I think people like listening to the podcast 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:54.519 probably don't even know this exists for the most part. 0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:57.160 I mean in terms of developing amateur players or funding 0:02:57.200 --> 0:02:59.760 junior golfers and the amateur players and collegiate players that 0:02:59.760 --> 0:03:02.720 couldut potentially be a ping professional if they turn pro 0:03:02.800 --> 0:03:05.040 and they become obviously a good player, I mean, how 0:03:05.080 --> 0:03:07.480 does that process work, Like, how do you introduce yourself 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:09.640 to young players? I mean, how do you guys evaluate 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:10.720 that level of talent? 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:13.600 Well, it is it's a very important part of what 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:16.160 we do for a number of reason. I'm sure we'll 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:20.480 get into all that, but what we do is is, 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:23.960 you know, it's just kind of we recruit kids just 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:27.240 like a college coach would, just from a slightly different angle. 0:03:28.480 --> 0:03:31.520 You know, first you're looking you're looking at golf swings. 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:34.519 Then you're looking at see how a kid handles themselves 0:03:34.560 --> 0:03:36.640 on the golf course. You want to see them play 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:41.000 poorly to see how they respond to that. It's easy 0:03:41.000 --> 0:03:43.000 to watch them play well, but you want to see 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:46.600 them struggle att bit and see how they respond. Then 0:03:46.680 --> 0:03:49.040 you look at the scoreboard. You see if what you 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.680 see golf swing wise, which you're hoping is fundamentally sound, 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:56.520 you hope the scores on the scoreboard reflect that. And 0:03:56.560 --> 0:04:00.240 then you put the pieces together. You you find out 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:02.640 who mom and dad is, and you see what the 0:04:02.720 --> 0:04:06.040 relationship with kid and mom and dad to see if 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:09.800 that's a healthy relationship if not. You know, all those 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:13.080 things go together to see if it's a right fit 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:17.600 for ping and what we do, and if we want 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:18.960 them to be part of our program. 0:04:19.320 --> 0:04:22.320 I can imagine your job has changed a lot in 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:24.839 terms of technology, and when I'm not talking about track 0:04:24.880 --> 0:04:27.800 me in technology I'm talking about Instagram, social media, being 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:30.640 able to evaluate a golf swing on your phone versus 0:04:30.640 --> 0:04:33.560 having to go and see that in person. How different 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:36.040 is your job in twenty twenty five than maybe what 0:04:36.080 --> 0:04:37.520 it looked like in two thousand. 0:04:37.720 --> 0:04:40.440 Well, I think the main thing now is is it 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:44.920 used years ago? You used to get product requests. People 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:48.200 just call you on the phone, okay, or they send 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:52.359 you an email. Now you get dms on Instagram or 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:55.560 those kind of things, Oh hey, you know my driverhead crack? 0:04:55.640 --> 0:04:58.159 Can I get another one? And then you got to respond, yes, 0:04:58.240 --> 0:04:59.840 send me this yerial number, I'll get you another one. 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:04.039 You do it through those avenues and then to touch 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:05.960 on what you said, And I think Marty can attest 0:05:06.000 --> 0:05:09.360 to this is in my experience over the last twenty 0:05:09.400 --> 0:05:13.880 five years, the technology that is going into the research 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:20.120 and the design of golf products is more than the 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:22.880 one hundred years up to that point. I think it's 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:28.400 just it's unbelievable the advancement and the technology in the research. 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:32.839 Scott, how what age range does you and your team 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:36.159 like start evaluating players? That's kind of one question, and 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:39.240 the other one is what forums or formats you know, 0:05:39.279 --> 0:05:43.520 what tours tournaments, is your team looking. 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:46.720 At the the age The ages of the kids we 0:05:46.760 --> 0:05:49.400 work with are generally between the age of fourteen and 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:53.080 twenty three, so you know, school wise, you say freshmen 0:05:53.120 --> 0:05:57.920 in high school up til they graduate college. That's one 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:00.920 of the tough parts about this is we always work 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:03.360 with kids between fourteen and twenty three, but I keep 0:06:03.360 --> 0:06:11.280 getting older and that really sucks. But anyway, and what 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:14.800 we look for, you know, where the top tournaments during 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:18.880 the summer, spring and summer months. A lot of it 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:25.080 too is is that at the state level, state junior championships, 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:29.320 those kind of things, just the top competitive tournaments that 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:31.080 kids will play in. We want to see how they 0:06:31.120 --> 0:06:34.280 play against each other. And then every once in a 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:36.919 while we'll go off the beaten paths and we're just 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:40.840 a different location, different kind of tournament, just to see 0:06:40.839 --> 0:06:45.359 what's out there because you never know. And I know 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:48.680 historically one tournament during the summer that we really like 0:06:48.880 --> 0:06:51.840 is the Western Junior because it's a big field, one 0:06:51.880 --> 0:06:54.360 hundred and fifty six kids and they come from all 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:57.520 over and there's always one or two that nobody's ever 0:06:57.560 --> 0:06:58.920 heard of that are pretty good. 0:06:59.040 --> 0:07:00.960 Yeah, I mean you mentioned and it's like college recruiting. 0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:02.839 I mean that sounds exactly the same as a college 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:04.279 recruiting where you might be going to look at a 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:06.160 tight end and all of a sudden, this right guard 0:07:06.240 --> 0:07:07.560 kind of catches your eye and you're like, oh, man, 0:07:07.600 --> 0:07:09.159 this is the guy that I might want to bring 0:07:09.200 --> 0:07:12.000 on for the team. Who is somebody in your career 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:15.360 doing this that you didn't know much about. You saw 0:07:15.400 --> 0:07:16.960 them in person for the first time, and you went, 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:19.400 this is the kid that we've got to be paying 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:19.920 attention to. 0:07:21.920 --> 0:07:25.200 You know. Recently, there's a kid by the name of 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:29.080 Alex Holder who he just committed to Auburn. Okay, he's 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:33.960 a twenty twenty six. I was at the Future Master's 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:37.600 number of years ago, and I went to watch one 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:40.280 kid in the group who's a Florida kid, And then 0:07:40.320 --> 0:07:43.480 I see, oh, you know, I'm thinking that Alex was 0:07:43.480 --> 0:07:48.600 the Florida kid. Well, Alex is from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Okay, 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:52.880 And so then trying to figure out, Okay, that's that's Alex, 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:55.920 that's the Indiana kid. Well, who's Okay, who's his parents? 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:59.440 So I, you know, try to a couple holes later, 0:07:59.520 --> 0:08:02.320 try to figure out who the parents are for each kid. 0:08:02.680 --> 0:08:05.520 Then finally a pinpoint, Okay, that's Alex's dad. I'm guessing 0:08:05.560 --> 0:08:08.320 that's his dad. So I went up and introduced myself 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:11.760 Alex's dad. Yes, I am okay, and then we got 0:08:11.760 --> 0:08:16.720 that relationship started. And you know, and I'm always one 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.400 we use the resources we have at PING to get 0:08:20.560 --> 0:08:24.840 the job done. So Alex and his family, they they 0:08:24.840 --> 0:08:27.680 spend a little bit time down in Florida and West Palm. Well, 0:08:27.800 --> 0:08:32.960 just last week Alex went down to West Palm. Hey, 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:36.160 is there anybody here that I could get together with 0:08:36.240 --> 0:08:38.360 to get you know, try the new G four forty? 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.640 So I call you on Lingmerth who's our salesman in 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:44.360 that area? Hey, you'ren are you around? Can Alex come 0:08:44.400 --> 0:08:47.880 see you? They spent a day last week together, had 0:08:47.880 --> 0:08:51.000 a great time oron, got them all fixed up and uh, 0:08:51.200 --> 0:08:51.760 we're in good. 0:08:51.679 --> 0:08:56.480 Shape, beautiful And Jon's got some experience, he's got help players. 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:59.000 Yep, yes he does as well. That's right. 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:01.160 We talked a little bit Scott about how things have 0:09:01.240 --> 0:09:04.120 changed in terms of communication with social media and what 0:09:04.240 --> 0:09:06.360 have you What have you seen in terms of in 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:10.680 the last say, ten and twenty years looking back on 0:09:10.840 --> 0:09:13.239 the skill talent level of. 0:09:13.360 --> 0:09:15.240 The junior golfers coming up. 0:09:15.520 --> 0:09:17.760 Are they closer together now than they were? 0:09:18.520 --> 0:09:20.439 Are they further apart. 0:09:20.200 --> 0:09:22.400 In terms of skill level? What trends are you seeing there? 0:09:23.640 --> 0:09:27.920 I think they're closer together now. Is the depth is greater. 0:09:28.040 --> 0:09:33.360 There's way way more good young players, and there's more 0:09:34.320 --> 0:09:40.040 good players that are fundamentally sound, and they're athletes now. 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:43.960 And I think I go back even further. I think 0:09:45.360 --> 0:09:49.720 Tiger Woods made golf cool, right. He made it more athletic. 0:09:51.320 --> 0:09:54.520 He made it to where a kid that you know, 0:09:54.559 --> 0:09:56.880 maybe was a football player or a basketball player or 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:00.560 baseball player or whatever. You know, I'm gonna go ahead 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:03.960 and play golf because it's cool now. It's okay. You know, 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:07.040 it's not a dorky sport, you know, plaid pants and 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:10.800 hard collar shirts like back in the day. But it's 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:14.079 a legitimate deal. I think Tiger Woods legitimized it as 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:18.840 an athletic sport. So you see more kids that are athletes, 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:22.360 you see more kids that are fundamentally sound, and as 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:26.440 a result, the quality of play is better. These kids 0:10:26.640 --> 0:10:32.679 are trained better, they're conditioned better, they're mentally stronger, all 0:10:32.720 --> 0:10:35.920 of that. So I think that's the answer to that question. 0:10:36.080 --> 0:10:38.880 And Scott, I mean, you know something I've been interested 0:10:38.880 --> 0:10:41.920 in terms of collegiate coaches is this idea of like, 0:10:42.000 --> 0:10:44.000 send me your track by numbers, right, I mean it's 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:46.439 a thirteen, fourteen, fifteen year old kid. You want to 0:10:46.480 --> 0:10:48.240 look at those numbers because speed is sexy. I mean 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:51.199 we talk about speed all the time in golf. How 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:55.120 much can speed, let's say, blind you to the player 0:10:55.160 --> 0:10:57.480 they are as a young player. And how much is 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.000 speed at a young age important to somebody like you 0:11:00.080 --> 0:11:02.840 who's looking at a talent five, ten, fifteen years down 0:11:02.880 --> 0:11:03.200 the road. 0:11:04.240 --> 0:11:07.000 Speed's important. You got to be able to smash it nowadays, 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:11.640 and you're at such a disadvantage if you don't. Comparatively, 0:11:13.480 --> 0:11:15.920 you know, we look at speed, you know, and you 0:11:15.920 --> 0:11:18.320 look at a kid's build too, you know, Okay, do 0:11:18.360 --> 0:11:19.920 they have the build where they can put on some 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:22.280 weight and get stronger to hit it further? You know 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:25.160 what a mom and dad look like? You know what what? 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:27.840 Because you always you're trying to project, for sure, you know, 0:11:27.920 --> 0:11:31.320 as a you know, fourteen year old, you're trying to project. Okay, 0:11:31.360 --> 0:11:33.400 what do they look like at twenty? At twenty years old? 0:11:33.440 --> 0:11:35.760 What do they project like to look like at twenty five? 0:11:36.000 --> 0:11:39.200 That kind of thing as a college coach, and I 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:41.199 know this for a fact. As college coaches, they look 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:44.440 at speed. It's an important deal because they figure that 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:47.200 they can if we get a kid that's got some speed, 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:50.960 we can figure the rest out. So it's an important deal. 0:11:51.000 --> 0:11:53.400 I mean, it's it's like if you have a fifteen 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:55.600 or sixteen year old that's six', eight, right and he's playing, 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:57.559 basketball and it's, like maybe he didn't have maybe he's 0:11:57.559 --> 0:11:59.360 not a great, shooter maybe you can't make free, throws 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:02.720 but that build is going to work well in. 0:12:02.760 --> 0:12:04.280 COLLEGE i can help him learn how. 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:06.320 To show yes exactly, Exactly. 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:13.360 Scott we support about seventy teams collegiate. Teams we're up 0:12:13.559 --> 0:12:15.080 eighty nine. 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:17.000 Nine, yeah what what does? 0:12:17.040 --> 0:12:20.040 That what does that look like day to day from 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:23.080 a tactical standpoint with you and your, team that's, Yeah 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:23.439 like you. 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:28.319 Say there's there's eighty nine, teams there's there's fifty five 0:12:28.679 --> 0:12:31.280 on the men's, side and to get to eighty, nine 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:37.520 what's that the thirty four? Four okay on the women's, 0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:40.800 side and we support them at varying. Degrees we have 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:44.440 twelve teams that are elite level and we outfit them 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:50.280 head to, toe, headwear bags and accessories, all you, know 0:12:50.320 --> 0:12:51.600 and then all the clubs that we can put in 0:12:51.600 --> 0:12:55.800 those golf. Bags then the second level we'll do golf, 0:12:55.840 --> 0:13:00.280 bags head, covers some travel, covers and a couple other 0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.480 accessories to outfit their. Team and again as many clubs 0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:08.000 as we can get into those. Bags you, know the 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:12.920 way college athletics is, going it's very much you hear 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:15.760 about the power for now with The Big ten and 0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:19.960 THE sec leading the, way really have tried to make 0:13:20.040 --> 0:13:24.920 inroads in those two. Conferences we're having pretty good. Success 0:13:25.400 --> 0:13:29.440 of the sixteen teams in THE, sec fourteen of them 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:32.080 Carry ping golf. Bags so we've got an in. There 0:13:33.400 --> 0:13:36.160 in The Big, ten which isn't as strong golf, wise 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:39.920 we're in with the biggest Brands Ohio, State, michigan And, 0:13:40.040 --> 0:13:44.840 illinois which historically is the best golf program in The Big. 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:48.480 Ten so really proud of that and we're going to you, 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:52.360 know try to keep, that keep that. Going and then the. 0:13:52.360 --> 0:13:58.199 Outliers our go to teams Are Arizona state And Oklahoma. 0:13:58.200 --> 0:14:03.240 State the Soul hi family And Ping company as a 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:08.560 historic relationship with both, schools and so we use them 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:17.480 specifically to test prototype, product different golf bag, designs any 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:20.960 specialty stuff that we're going to. Do we go to 0:14:21.000 --> 0:14:26.680 them first and use them as our test subjects to you, 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:28.880 know then we go out to the rest of the 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:30.840 rest of the group and take care of them that. 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:34.200 WAY i, mean it feels like a real personal, job you. 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:36.640 KNOW i, mean you're you're meeting a young person and 0:14:36.680 --> 0:14:39.160 then you're kind of guiding them and helping them through the, 0:14:39.200 --> 0:14:42.600 way hoping eventually they get to a professional level of this. 0:14:42.680 --> 0:14:44.360 Game AND i, mean not everybody is going to get. 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:46.840 There but somebody Like sahith, right who you meet at 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:50.480 a young, age junior, golfer collegiate, player and he's now 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:52.520 he feels like a part of The ping. Family he 0:14:52.640 --> 0:14:55.480 is a part of The ping. Family your relationship has 0:14:55.480 --> 0:14:57.360 got to be so much stronger than so many peoples 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:00.240 with somebody Like sawhith that works Within ping and does 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:01.360 it get very personal for? 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:05.360 You it. Does and we're in the relationship, business and 0:15:05.520 --> 0:15:07.240 what you're trying to do is you're trying to develop a, 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:11.400 relationship but you're also trying to develop. Trust you want 0:15:11.440 --> 0:15:14.880 them to trust, you AND i go back to my 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:17.880 experience at that. Age i'm sure you can. Too i'm 0:15:17.880 --> 0:15:22.600 sure you can. Too when you're an aspiring young golfer 0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:27.720 and to have somebody take an interest in, you somebody 0:15:27.800 --> 0:15:31.960 that wants to help, you and somebody that wants you to. 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:36.640 Succeed that's the attitude that we. Take and so you, 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:40.160 KNOW i draw back on personal feelings that way and, like, 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:42.200 yeah you know, WHAT i had people along the way help. 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:45.400 ME i want to give back and try to help these. 0:15:45.400 --> 0:15:47.920 People and then the thing about it is, is as 0:15:47.960 --> 0:15:51.360 you guys, know it's only the top one percent that 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:55.120 are going to make it. Right and this group that 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:58.240 we're talking, about, yes that's the group that we draw 0:15:58.320 --> 0:16:02.800 from for players that we sign endorsement contracts. With, okay 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:06.360 but there's the rest of. Them they're gonna be in 0:16:06.400 --> 0:16:10.480 the golf. Business they're gonna, be you, know a college, 0:16:10.520 --> 0:16:13.160 Coach they're gonna be a club, pro they're gonna be 0:16:13.360 --> 0:16:15.920 doing you, know, Media they're gonna be doing all kinds of. 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:19.520 Things so we want any experience they have with, ping 0:16:19.800 --> 0:16:22.680 we want it to be a positive. Experience and, then most, 0:16:22.680 --> 0:16:26.560 importantly once they get out and in the real world 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.720 and have the purchasing power we want them Buying Ping 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:31.840 ping golf clubs because of that positive. 0:16:31.880 --> 0:16:33.880 Experience, YEAH i, mean it's a it's a great message 0:16:33.880 --> 0:16:36.240 coming beyond this, too. RIGHT i, mean in, general it's 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:39.480 treating people with a level of respect that even if 0:16:39.480 --> 0:16:41.760 it doesn't work out per se in terms of what 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:43.800 you hope to be or the goal in your, life 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:46.080 maybe you work for paying or maybe you are a 0:16:46.160 --> 0:16:48.640 head pro that feels comfortable with this. Brand so, YEAH i, 0:16:48.640 --> 0:16:50.720 mean LIKE i, said it just feels it feels like 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:53.480 a very personal, Job like it feels like it's probably 0:16:53.480 --> 0:16:56.000 an emotional job as. Well And i'm assuming you've had 0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:58.280 to like weave throughout over the last you, know two 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:00.960 and a half decades how to best to approach you 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:02.840 Because i'm sure there's certain players that are family to, 0:17:02.880 --> 0:17:06.000 you and there's certain players that you would have hoped 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:08.760 to make it. RIGHT i hope they become pros because you, 0:17:08.800 --> 0:17:09.720 Know i'm such a big fan of. 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:12.639 Their, Sure and what the cool thing is, is like you, 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:15.240 know before we got together for, THIS i was out 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:17.639 on the range and the putting green out, there and you, 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:21.639 know guys that have had contact with through the years 0:17:21.960 --> 0:17:24.200 during THE pga. Tour, now whether they're a whether they're 0:17:24.200 --> 0:17:26.360 a ping guy or. Not, yeah you, know you get 0:17:26.400 --> 0:17:28.560 to catch up and chat with them a little. Bit 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:31.840 and that's that's the cool, part and that's the relationship, 0:17:31.880 --> 0:17:35.720 part and that's that's the benefit of the, job is 0:17:35.800 --> 0:17:39.000 seeing them have success and knowing that you had a 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:43.159 hand in helping them get there and have that. 0:17:43.200 --> 0:17:47.359 Success, SCOTT i want to transition a little bit to equipment. 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:50.680 SIDE i think in the last five years five years or, 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:53.600 so we've had maybe a little bit. More we introduced 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:57.040 THE pld line and ability to get customized, putters and 0:17:57.080 --> 0:17:59.439 a big part of that was for the collegiate younger 0:18:00.000 --> 0:18:03.880 players as well as The Blueprint. Irons talk a little 0:18:03.880 --> 0:18:08.159 bit about the importance of BOTH pld in Our Blueprint 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:09.600 irons in terms of this. 0:18:09.640 --> 0:18:13.760 Group, yes, first with THE, pod it certainly filled a 0:18:13.800 --> 0:18:18.520 hole that we had with the customization of. Things and 0:18:18.560 --> 0:18:22.400 it's not only you, know paint field colors and and 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:26.080 and stamp and engrave initials and names that kind of, 0:18:26.119 --> 0:18:31.720 thing but the design of putters and the weights and 0:18:31.720 --> 0:18:34.520 and the looks and where to put the site lines and. 0:18:34.560 --> 0:18:40.080 Everything it gave us the opportunity to compete with obviously our, 0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:43.160 competitors but it also enabled us to give the players 0:18:43.200 --> 0:18:49.840 something that they. Desired so that's been very. Good are you? 0:18:49.880 --> 0:18:52.720 Know in our iron categories we've always been, strong but 0:18:52.840 --> 0:18:56.240 the blueprint t and the blueprint s has raised it 0:18:56.240 --> 0:19:01.400 to another level and it's it's given us a leg 0:19:01.520 --> 0:19:04.919 up in that. Area so we've got a lot more 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:08.560 iron sets in, play and you, know with blueprints And 0:19:08.600 --> 0:19:10.840 blueprint t you know there's a lot of split sets, 0:19:10.880 --> 0:19:14.960 too so we've got something that can fit a work 0:19:15.040 --> 0:19:18.120 to perform for a wider range of. Players. 0:19:18.200 --> 0:19:19.160 Yeah, Nice. 0:19:19.880 --> 0:19:22.760 Scott there's a parent listen to this that has a 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:24.840 young player that's got a lot of talent or is 0:19:24.880 --> 0:19:26.840 won a lot of golf. Tournaments what are tips you 0:19:26.880 --> 0:19:29.320 give to parents that reach out to you that has 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:31.399 the twelve thirteen year old that has a dream of 0:19:31.440 --> 0:19:33.199 playing collegiate, golf that has a dream of being a. 0:19:33.240 --> 0:19:35.800 Pro what do you tell those people when they reach 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:39.000 out to you to give them advice to best kind 0:19:39.000 --> 0:19:41.240 of navigate that very very very tough. 0:19:41.280 --> 0:19:43.920 Situation the first THING i tell them is let them 0:19:43.920 --> 0:19:46.720 be a. Kid, okay, okay if they're, thirteen let them be. 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:49.040 Thirteen they don't need to be eighteen yet they'll. 0:19:48.880 --> 0:19:51.040 Get and when you say that is that don't spend 0:19:51.119 --> 0:19:52.800 eight hours a day on the golf, course, like don't 0:19:53.080 --> 0:19:56.040 don't be hitting balls to your hands. Bleed it's this 0:19:56.119 --> 0:19:57.399 can be a part of who you, are but not. 0:19:57.440 --> 0:20:00.240 Everything go ahead and play another. Sport please play other, 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:04.320 sport preferably a team, sport because you need the experience 0:20:04.640 --> 0:20:08.000 of working with others versus you, know golf's in a 0:20:08.080 --> 0:20:10.880 very individual, sport so you need. Both so let them 0:20:10.880 --> 0:20:15.760 be a, kid and if they have a passion for, 0:20:15.800 --> 0:20:19.920 it make sure they're fundamentals are sound sound at an 0:20:19.920 --> 0:20:22.760 early age because it's going to do nothing but help. 0:20:22.840 --> 0:20:28.480 Them so get, them get them good, instruction and then you, 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:31.959 know if you if you have the, means, great they 0:20:32.000 --> 0:20:35.879 have to. Compete and then, again if you have the 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:41.040 means and they have to, compete, well travel your game 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:43.520 has to. Travel you, know very rarely do you have 0:20:43.560 --> 0:20:45.840 a home game in. Golf you alwa's got to go somewhere. 0:20:45.840 --> 0:20:49.200 Else so you, know An arizona kid go up To 0:20:49.240 --> 0:20:55.480 ohio play on. That you know that Bent grass At Kentucky, 0:20:55.520 --> 0:20:59.600 bluegrass play in somewhere the wind really moves the, ball 0:20:59.720 --> 0:21:02.600 not a, yeah here where the wind? Does you? Know 0:21:02.640 --> 0:21:06.920 the wind's, blown but it doesn't affect. Anything go somewhere 0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:08.679 where it's, cold and you got to learn how to 0:21:09.240 --> 0:21:11.840 deal with. That so deal with the elements travel and 0:21:12.440 --> 0:21:16.119 those kinds of. Things it's gonna better prepare you down the. 0:21:16.200 --> 0:21:19.080 Road what ARE i always remember WHEN i was coming 0:21:19.160 --> 0:21:21.760 up AND i was trying to get get potentially play 0:21:21.800 --> 0:21:24.639 golf in. COLLEGE i remember a college coach telling my 0:21:24.720 --> 0:21:28.400 dad one, time if there if their legs on their 0:21:28.400 --> 0:21:30.960