Golfweek Amateur Tour - The Podcast
Welcome to the Golfweek Amateur Tour Podcast!
If you love amateur golf, the thrill of competitive golf events, and the camaraderie of the golf community, this is the podcast for you!
Join hosts Tim Newman and Chris Rocha as they bring you the latest from the Golfweek Amateur Tour, covering everything from all of the local golf tours through the road to the National Championship. We’ll break down recent golf tournaments, highlight standout players, and dive into what makes amateur golf competitions so much fun.
But that’s not all, we sit down with tour directors, course pros, and players from across the country to hear their stories, get insider perspectives, and maybe even pick up a few tips along the way. And, of course, we’ve got Roger’s Rules, where we tackle the quirkiest, most debated rules in golf (because let’s be honest, we all need a refresher sometimes).
This isn’t just another amateur golf podcast, it’s a golf podcast for everyday golfers who love the game, the grind, and the great people that make up the Golfweek Amateur Tour. So hit subscribe, grab a drink (or a range bucket), and let’s talk golf!
Golfweek Amateur Tour - The Podcast
East Coast Dominates at TPC Scottsdale + National Championship Countdown
The stage at TPC Scottsdale was set, and the East Coast came to play. In this episode, Tim Newman and Chris Rocha break down the thrilling action where East Coast players captured four of the five flight titles, including a pair of playoff finishes that kept fans on edge.
Chris shares first-hand stories from Arizona, including Championship Flight winner Wally Nelson’s back-to-back 69s and Marcus Worth’s runaway A-Flight victory. We also hear about Jermaine Luke’s dramatic two-hole playoff win in D-Flight and the Atlanta sweep in C and D Flights, which is fueling talk of new regional rivalries.
But it wasn’t just about golf swings and scorecards; this event was about community. Longtime sponsor Xerxes “Zeus” reflects on his 20-year journey with the Golfweek Amateur Tour, proving once again that this tour is more than competition; it’s about friendships, family, and life-changing connections.
Plus, with the Golfweek Amateur Tour National Championship just weeks away, we update you on registration (A-Flight and C-Flight are already sold out!) and preview what promises to be one of the most competitive and memorable finales yet.
Whether you’re a first-time player or a seasoned competitor eyeing Hilton Head, this episode captures the fun, passion, and camaraderie that make the Golfweek Amateur Tour Where Amateurs Play Like Pros!
Listen in to hear:
- Chris’s behind-the-scenes look at the Scottsdale event
- Key highlights from each flight’s winners and playoff drama
- An inspiring sponsor story from Xerxes “Zeus”
- National Championship registration updates and rivalries to watch
- Why this tour is more than golf—it’s about community and connection
Register today at amateurgolftour.net before the remaining flights sell out!
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Chris, welcome back. You know, one of these days we really do have to do a bloopers reel, because so we're starting today and just so everybody knows that. You know, when I start the actual recording it's obviously way before the episode comes on, and so we had a full minute of stuff that really, yeah, just nonsense. So when we come on and we're laughing it's you should see some of the stuff that we do. Anyway, chris, it's good to see you. We're rolling right through, you know we're.
Speaker 2:We've got three weeks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we've got three weeks left. So, guys, if you haven't registered for a national championship yet, get on it. It will sell out. I'm sure your tour directors have filled you in on some of the changes. So get on it now and let's get this thing sold out so we can start some of the trash talk.
Speaker 2:I mean I believe you know, before this recording I looked and A flight's already on wait list, C flight's almost there, D flight's almost there. So yeah, get your registrations or get on those wait lists, because it's going to sell out quick.
Speaker 1:You're on top of me. I hadn't even gotten that for you. Come on now, I'm busy. I'm busy. Well, you're going to see why. Here, throughout this episode, here, yet, come on now, I'm busy, I am too. You're going to see why here, throughout this episode, we've got stuff. We've got to talk about All kinds of stuff.
Speaker 2:Uh-oh.
Speaker 1:I know everybody's going to say it again We've got a good episode. Today we're primarily going to talk about the event TPC Scottsdale. Chris, don't tell me now, but I want to know how much money you guys raised out there. I know you all were shooting for a big number to really wrap things up. We're going to talk about the regional, the winners and a couple other things that Chris isn't aware of yet. Let's do it, let's do it.
Speaker 4:Ladies and gentlemen, golf Week Amateur Tour proudly presents Golf Week Amateur Tour, the podcast Talking about all things Golf Week Amateur Tour, including interviews with tour directors, players and course professionals. Now here are your hosts, tim Newman and El Paso Las Cruces. Tour Director, chris Rocha.
Speaker 2:All right, tim, another solo trip for me, but we made it happen and you know what? It was a fun time. It was a great time to see everybody. You know we had a bunch of people come from around the country to play this event and I'm going to tell you this because you know the rider cup stories we have. These people drove around both courses with the belt hanging from the cart like it, like if they won the world series, and, um, it hurt a little bit because everyone kept asking why they have it and we don't.
Speaker 1:So well, well, okay, so let me, let me just ask you then. I mean, let's get right into it here, because you know we had a bunch of Atlanta guys out there, had a bunch of East Coast guys, and it looks like you know all this talk about how good golf is and how good the golfers are out there out west, you guys didn't show up, man.
Speaker 3:Hey.
Speaker 1:Four of the five winners were from the East Coast. We got two Atlanta winners. You know you were there complaining about the Ryder Cup belt and well, maybe Atlanta should have just taken that home.
Speaker 2:Maybe they should have just swiped it and brought it home hey, you know what the last couple of years we used to do the US versus Arizona, because it used to be pretty evenly matched. So we didn't do it this year. But I'm going to say we did and we took that championship because, yeah, I mean you look at the leaderboards. Yeah, let's look at it, let's look at it. I mean we're going to get right into it. I mean champ play.
Speaker 1:You know Arizona, Hold on a second, I was on. There we go. I was on the French Lake, one Hold on a second. But that doesn't negate that East Coast won four or five.
Speaker 2:No, it doesn't.
Speaker 1:Oh, so that was the 31st.
Speaker 2:There we go. So look at it this way Arizona, El Paso and Champ Flight had seven of the 11 competitors, so if they didn't come out with that win somehow, that would have been sad. Okay, let's go to A-Flight, let's stick with Champ man. The winner shot a 69-69.
Speaker 1:That's a great score, and then 69-70. I'm not taking anything away from those two. Those two are great.
Speaker 2:You said it came down to the final putt. Really yes. I mean you'll hear the interview as we talk about it, but it came down to the final putt before a playoff. Well, and that's it for the tournament. All right guys, let's move on. That's it for the tournament alright, guys, let's move on.
Speaker 1:That's it. So you got A-Flight. Let's see the top 1, 2, 3, 4. I mean you don't get a West Coast guy tied, 6, tied, 6 they came out to play.
Speaker 2:It was impressive to see it really was North Central Florida representing.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:All the way over there in Arizona Three stroke lead. I mean there's really not much you can say about that. The guy was ecstatic to win. Apparently he's been playing some great golf and Trying to get into the champ flight when I was talking to him. So good guy.
Speaker 1:Good for him. And you played with a bunch of Atlanta guys in the B flight. You guys were riding around playing on FaceTime instead of playing golf. I love the pictures. I did, don't get me wrong, I love the pictures. And then when I tried to call you back, I got ghosted. I didn't get a return call or nothing.
Speaker 2:Honestly, I don't even remember FaceTiming you. I did see your FaceTime voicemail like three days later. I was like, oh, that's where that was Okay. You know, when you're on beta a lot of things don't work the way they should, but that's why you do betas. But no, it was a great time. Anytime I can play with an Atlanta guy, you can't have a bad round. It's just so much fun. And Jamil, every time I see that guy he had his sleeves with Scottsdale on there.
Speaker 2:It was a good time, man. It was a good time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I liked the appearance he made in the video with Jermaine.
Speaker 2:Goodness I mean. So what was cool is Arizona assistant director's wig that yeah, we talked to.
Speaker 2:He went around both courses and did on-course interviews okay for their social media and just he would ask random, like it wouldn't be like, how's your round doing? Uh, his question to me was he goes hey, uh, you know, I know you're playing very well and you're having a good time out here, but I want to know how much body mass have you lost not having to carry the belt around all your life? Man, and I'm just laughing and, uh, jamil, in that uh jumped in and said something too, because I I proceeded to hit that shot into the bunker on hole 16 of stadium and he proceeded to say, yeah, he must have lost a lot, because he can't even get to the hole, he hits it right in the bunker. So I mean, it was just good times, you know, yeah, uh, he, he birdied the last hole, uh, to get a skin did he go?
Speaker 2:good for him, yeah we were the last group to go through and and it was open um, drained like a 30 footer uphill right in the back of the cup, and it was a good moment for him.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. That's awesome. Jamil's always fun, but I mean he brought a good crew out there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he did.
Speaker 1:I think about 10 or 15 guys from Atlanta out there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe 20. I took a picture with them. It was nice to see them all, and even to meet the guys that I haven't met was great. I mean the guy who won B-Flight JT from Charlotte, north Carolina. Tj, tj, tj.
Speaker 3:Sorry.
Speaker 2:I've known him seven, eight years, that I met him in nationals one year and every time I see the guys like we haven't skipped the beat and yeah, uh, another. It was funny because during the round Daniel caught up with him and said hey, uh, we know that you can win tournaments in the east coast with the, the three Myrtle Beach regionals that you've won in a row, but every time you come to arizona you can't seem to win, and tj was telling me that fired him up because he wins and at the end of the tournament daniel has to go back to him and say hey, this is an embarrassing interview we have to do.
Speaker 1:I guess it is.
Speaker 2:I guess it is so so if you're not following the arizona, uh, social medias, just follow them. They got some fun stories on there and, uh, they're doing some good things with that social media out there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's awesome, you know one of the things that really struck me as well and I keep bringing Jordan Morrow up a lot because, for whatever reason, his stuff pops up on my Facebook feed he was playing a hole where his right outside of where his family was staying, and that was really nice of them to be there at Cherrymore and, you know, to record it, even though he didn't have a good shot, but at least you know, at least that was there and share that with the family. I love that. So so keep it up, bud.
Speaker 2:He said and he listens all the time. But he told me he could hear the kids screaming From that far. Where he was hitting the ball and they weren't on the balcony or anything. They were in there Inside.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they were inside. I mean, at least from the video that I saw, they were inside and it wasn't like it was close. Right, it looked like it was obviously close enough to see, but it's not like it was, like you know, right there on top of it.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, it had a little while.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's awesome, though. That's awesome. It's good to see that and to bring families like that and let them have a good time and to share that for everybody else as well. Like that and let them have a good time and to share that for everybody else as well, for sure.
Speaker 2:But talking about your Atlanta guys, they swept C and D flight. Yeah, d flight had a two-hole playoff, by the way.
Speaker 1:And that's all. Obviously, I love playoffs because it's what I'm looking for Raises the stakes up a little bit, provides a little drama and that, and then gives you a little bit more to talk about besides winning. Running away with it is fine too. I'll take that any day, but when you have some of that drama and you have some of that suspense in a playoff, it's a little bit sweeter.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, definitely it can get nerve-wracking too, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 1:And Jermaine's been due. He's been due, so it was good to see that. Jeff Stewart in the C-flight. He couldn't play last year because of some travel and some injuries, so it was good to see him back out this year. What we've got to do is we've got to get some of those other guys to the top of the leaderboard too. From Atlanta.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I mean Jeff was ecstatic to win. Yeah, I mean you're hearing the interview, but I asked him if he lived at the leaderboard at all. He said no. I mean you're hearing the interview, but I asked him if he looked at the leaderboard at all. He said no, I didn't know until the ball was in the hole. So I mean it's just like we've said before. You know, the Atlanta guys have so much excitement when they go to tournaments and they're always happy and no matter how they're playing, they're there to give you that family atmosphere, what the tour provides.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's good to see, so let's just go ahead and get into it and listen to the winners.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hopefully I did good.
Speaker 1:We'll talk about it. No, you did great, you really did. Thank you for doing that, and I know the guys are going to thank you. They get their time to shine too. They deserve it.
Speaker 2:For sure. That's who we're here with. The Champ Flight champ. He does it once again. I mean this guy has been nonstop all year.
Speaker 2:Wally they call him Wally Wally Nelson from Arizona 69-69, minus four for the tournament. Yeah, congratulations, arishia. Yeah, thanks. Yeah, played good, played hard. So you were saying it was a crazy tournament. We're recording. So you were saying it was a crazy tournament and at one point I saw you both minus five. Yeah, yeah, we were going back and forth all day.
Speaker 2:Um, laurie's a great competitor. Um, he's one of the top senior players in arizona. I mean, he's, he's. Yeah, he never lets up. He never lets up. I went down to the last putt. Yeah, I mean you beat him 69-70. You guys did a stadium course first. Yeah, how was that for you? All Conditions were great. I mean the golf week tour. They play all the best courses around. That's right. Yeah, I mean, if you haven't played in any of their events, I suggest you try. They always pick the best courses. They're always in great shape, the greens are always rolling good and the guys are great. Competition's fun. It's a good day, man, yeah, it's a good day, and you come out here to 69. In my opinion, the greens here. I hated Really, you know they were a little slower than the same time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but they're still really good. Yeah, I mean both courses. It's just still my favorite course of the two. I'm with you, I agree. So, going to nationals I am going to nationals. All right, I'm really excited.
Speaker 2:Last year I played, I took 11th. I'm looking to do a lot better than that. I had some back pains last year, but I've been trying to get myself healthy and really wanting to do real good out there this year, represent the state real well and we'll see what happens. Right? I mean, as you know, if it's not a little paso guy I'm cheering for, it's an arizona guy. Yeah, um, but come rider cup, I'm gonna bring somebody that, oh, that's gonna give you some competition. All right, oh, you better be out there. I love it. Congratulations again very much and, um, we'll see you at nationals. All right, sounds great. All right, we're here with the a flight champion, mr marcus worth from north central. Congratulations, thank you. I appreciate it. So we did 78-73. Won by 12 strokes. Tell us what actually worked this weekend for you between both courses Keeping the ball in.
Speaker 2:Play off the tee Out here. If you play out of the fairway, you should be able to make some birdies. Do you know, by chance how many birdies you made In the two rounds. I think I had seven or eight. That's not bad. Four or five today, so driving the ball, good big reason for it. Yeah, which one did you prefer the stadium, course or champions? You always prefer stadium, for sure I don't know.
Speaker 2:You got to say you do it. I probably played better over here, but definitely it's always a thrill to play there. Nice, well, have you won a regional at all this year? Not on this tour, no, on other I have. Yes, okay. Well, that's not bad. So now you're going to go nationals, yes, and then hopefully I'll be going. Now, okay, anything that you want to say? You know about how your round went, the competition. You know the competition in golf week. A flight is awesome. There are a lot of really good players out there. I was in a super strong group. We did first, second and fourth in the group. That's not bad, yeah. So there's some good competition on our camp. Guys have gotten awesome big fields at the regionals this year and done a nice job. It's been awesome. Yeah, I mean I was an a-fly at the beginning of the year. Nice struggle. Uh, you all. You need to hit the ball far.
Speaker 4:Yeah, in aFlight You've got to get it out there nowadays.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, congratulations, enjoy the win and we'll see you at Nationals. Yes, sir, thank you. All right, we got our B-Flight winner. He gave it a run, or I gave it a run. He played his lights out. I've known this man for what? Seven or eight years, seven or eight, seven and eight year. We met at Nationals, that's right. Mr T TJ, what tour are you on? Charlotte, charlotte, yeah, north Carolina. So we went. What'd you say? 81-79? I think 81-76, birdie, birdie, finish. I would look on my iPad but it's so hot out here that it won't even turn on. Hot like the finish I have. There you go, yeah, there you go. Yeah, there you go. So tell us about your round. I know yesterday might not have been as great, yesterday just kind of ho-hum, just kind of stayed around Shot 81.
Speaker 3:Today front nine average right, just bogeys everywhere.
Speaker 2:I had all fives except for the par threes. I had three threes right Make the turn and everybody just started clicking. I hit it at six foot on 16 on the stadium course. Uh, made the birdie, looked at my phone, saw his one back and so I gotta make a birdie on 17 there you go made birdie, uh, and won, so that's it.
Speaker 2:So, so you want a, a regional, a while back? Yeah, I've won kio with three times. You need to move up, probably, so probably, by that time, I guess, hey, man, but now you got Nationals. Yeah, you got Nationals. I'm not going to Nationals, it's my member-member weekend so I can't play, but I've been to Nationals like 10 years. It's the best. Love Nationals, love the regionals, love coming out here to Arizona. It's a great time to come out. Think that might have helped. That's true. The breakfast really got us and got us in the round today. Yeah, well, congratulations, thanks, chris, enjoy it. Thank you, and, uh, we'll see you in a flight next year. Yeah, and a flight next next tournament, probably. There you go, yeah, thanks, all right, we got a sea flight winner, jess stewart, from atlanta, that's true, from atlanta. Congratulations, thank you, sir. So, um, what do we do? We won by three strokes 82, 83. Just some solid rounds for sea flight, especially starting over there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was uh, my friend, buddy, told me, if I left Georgia to swing easy, not over swing, and just just be automatic, and I hit almost every farewell, it was a crazy. That's what you need, and so there was just so much fun. I never thought I'd play this well, but I'm just excited for what y'all do and being here and it was great so much fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, you're a regional champion. Now you're going to nationals.
Speaker 3:I've never, never gone. I may, who knows.
Speaker 2:It's right down the road from you. Yeah, I'm about Austin.
Speaker 3:So I might go, but I appreciate what you do and everybody does to make this happen. I joined five years ago to play different courses, compete and meet nice people and all that's happened is different courses, competed and met nice people, but I never dreamed I would win with 40 people in my flight.
Speaker 2:Hey, you stuck it out. When did you know you won? I mean, you only won by three. Well, yeah, I set the scoreboard to come up.
Speaker 3:I didn't know. I was in first, so I finished Today. I said why look at the scoreboard again? Then I'd look at 17 tee box. I said why look at the scoreboard again? Thought I'd look at 17 tee box. I said nah, I thought I'd look at 18 tee box. I said nah. Then I hit into the bunker on the 18th hole and took two to get out and made the three-footer for bogey and I said how did I do? And everybody said you did all right. And then I was just blown away. Just blown away Because I've played probably nine rounds this year and my average has been like 89.2, probably Okay, so to go. This is just tremendous, but I'm excited about it.
Speaker 2:Well, I know the Atlanta directors are going to be happy to have you. You all come back with trophies, yes. So congratulations again. Thank you, sir, and hopefully we do see you at Nationals.
Speaker 3:And we're celebrating by going to Sedona for the next three nights. Never been there, but it's supposed to be beautiful. You're going to love it. Thanks for all y'all doing.
Speaker 2:Alright, we're here with D-Flight winner after the playoff Jermaine Luke from the Atlanta Tour. Congratulations, jermaine, thank you. So went into the playoff, right? Yes, when did you know you were going into a playoff or did you not know till the very end? I didn't know until the end. Uh, we were playing our 18th hole and I actually thought I had lost by a stroke. Uh, I had a putt for par to win it and uh, and the putt stayed on the edge and uh, so I thought I thought I had uh lost it by a stroke. When we went to the scorecards, um, I actually was tied for first place and so we went to a playoff and uh, first hole we tied, we both bogeyed 18 and went back and played it and I came out on top on the second. So two hole playoff, two hole playoff. I mean, 18 is not a not an easy hole out here either. It ate me up earlier today. It got me for a triple bogey today, which uh had. I just one stroke better on 18 and we wouldn't have had a playoff today.
Speaker 2:So you guys over here, guys chatting on you, welcome to C-Flight. Yeah, looking forward to it. But we did 89, no, 88, 89. Yeah, and I played with a couple of your Atlanta guys today, yeah, and they were rooting for you all day. Yeah, they're some good guys. I always have them on my back.
Speaker 2:So you did mention earlier that you're going to be going to Nationals. Yes, are you hoping in going in D-Flight or C-Flight? I actually look forward to playing in the C-Flight next time around. I've been waiting on that. I love having a lower handicap than what it calls for, so I'm looking forward to going to the C-Flight. These guys are something else. I play with them all day. Look at them. They're super excited for you coming down all the way from Atlanta. Yeah, tim's going to have a hoot when he sees us, I know right. So, besides Nationals, what else? You got any more tournaments left? Yeah, we got our finals this year at Mirror Lake in a couple weeks, so we're looking forward to playing the wrap-up for our tour and then heading down the hill. Are you leading your your flight right now? Yes, I am my first. Place should be just a wall, should be all right. You know how that goes. Yeah, well, congratulations again. Enjoy partying with you, with your fellas, and, uh, we'll see you at national. We'll do. Thank you, yep.
Speaker 1:Let's take a break from the show to hear about Strixon's ZX Mark II irons.
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Speaker 2:All right, tim. I hope everybody liked those interviews. I'm going to tell you it was so hot there in Arizona. My iPad kept shutting down. It wanted a break. That's how hot it was getting.
Speaker 1:It's Arizona. What do you expect? I mean? So you, being from El Paso, you should be expecting that you should have the thing on ice, an ice cooler or something around it.
Speaker 2:I don't even think the ice would survive. Honestly.
Speaker 1:See.
Speaker 2:It was crazy, but I mean it was a good time and, like you said earlier, the guys enjoyed having interviews, they enjoy talking about their rounds and being out there with everybody for awards is top notch, like Louisiana's regional with their games beforehand and you know Michigan's just sitting out there on their patio and watching guys come in and the flag and all of that. So it's a good time regardless of what regional we're at, but I mean this one, everybody out there partying. I felt bad for those bartenders because they were working. They were working hard. Hey, how hot was it? Uh, I think it almost hit 103, 104.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:It was toasty.
Speaker 1:Well, that's all. That's almost cool for out there. I mean, I mean it'll get to 110 without a not even thinking about it.
Speaker 2:Oh yes it will, you're cool for out there. I mean, he'll get to 110 without even thinking about it. Oh yes it will, You're right there, real quick.
Speaker 1:How was Sizer out there this week?
Speaker 2:He was there.
Speaker 1:That's it. That's all we get that. He was there.
Speaker 2:He was there. Wow, man, that's it. That's all we get that he was there, he was there, uh well I know he man he uh yeah I know a little harsh he, uh, he played very on on on sunday. It's just you know, I'm trying to get that guy to understand to take it shot by shot and you can't try to catch up after the first hole, right, right, um, I mean he shoots85. He's there for second place.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's golf for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but he enjoyed the course. I mean on Saturday. It's one of those courses where the pros walk the same fairways you're hitting off of yeah, so that's true. When you watch it the next year you're like, hey, I was on that spot, let's see how this person plays it. I hit that tree, I hit that practice, let's see how they do it that's fun.
Speaker 1:That's fun. And your brother struggled a little bit. I see that. Yep, yeah, but he was there, which is you. You know he was.
Speaker 2:It's always a good time when they're out there, man.
Speaker 1:It is. It is. I miss not traveling with those guys this year. So let him know that when you talk to him, oh, I will you know.
Speaker 2:So, as a podcast doesn't know us three, we're called. Our names are Chris, chris, chris, Chris, and when we went to a restaurant, our waiter's name was also Chris. So we were Chris cubed and just having a great time with him, I think we were the best table he had all night Got to be Got to be, but you know, just having those stories like that that you're able to talk about years to come. So what do we got next? Just having those stories like that that you're able to talk.
Speaker 1:Talk about years, years to come.
Speaker 2:So, uh, what we got next, so, yeah, so, um, as as this tournament, um, as we played, they did, they call what what's called the elevated event here in Arizona and, uh, they had a title sponsor for the tournament. Um, in Arizona, and they had a title sponsor for the tournament and you know it's always great for any tour when they have sponsors for events. It just brings that little extra pizzazz yeah, I use pizzazz and and it was just great to have. Now, it didn't work, but we had a wealth manager who was on there. His name is Xerxes, but he goes by Zeus and apparently he's been part of Golf Week for a long time now. He used to be on the Tidewater Tour, so he knows all the guys from the East Coast, and then he was getting clients in in arizona area and he just said I'm just gonna move and probably the best thing for him. I think he's been here about six, seven years and, uh, you know, has married now, has two kids and and just enjoying life man getting to golf in arizona golf golf courses. It was great to meet him. We're going to talk to him next, just to hear these guys' stories that have been with the tour for a long time. It's just awesome just to catch up. Let's hear it. Alright, everybody, we're here.
Speaker 2:The next regional, actually almost the last regional of the season, in Scottsdale, arizona. In scottsdale, arizona, tpc scottsdale, at both stadium and champions course. Uh, what? What gabe and and jordan and daniel do here is they have a welcome party, I guess you could say, here at putting world. Um, as you can see behind us, hopefully the glare is not too much, but it it's basically two 18-hole putting, like putt-putt kind of, but not the gimmick, it's actually pretty legit. And then they have a 50-foot putting wall. They have some learning bays, hitting bays. It's a pretty cool area.
Speaker 2:So we come, we hang out early check-in and they asked to be on the podcast. We're going to have them on. So we got Jordan. You guys remember Jordan, he's been on. And then the gentleman to my left, xerxes, is that correct? That's correct. He is the I guess you could say the title sponsor of this regional. So just what is the business that you're bringing to? You know that you want to bring to light. Oh, before we get started on that, just as an FYI, if folks out there in the Golf Week world know me, they know me as Zeus. Okay, so that's kind of my golf name. Xerxes is my government official name. I, gabe, reached out to me earlier this year and said hey, we have the regional week coming up and we want to get you involved.
Speaker 3:And.
Speaker 2:I've been helping out Gabe with sponsorship over the last four or five years since I've moved to Arizona, for sure and Golf Week has been really good for my business. And speaking of my business, I have been a wealth advisor for almost actually 20 years now and working with Golf Week, or in some world or fashion.
Speaker 2:It was e-golf in the past. I've been sponsoring Golf Week for almost 20 years and it's been wonderful for my business, so I'm very happy, yeah, so when he called and said he wanted to be a part of it, it was kind of an easy yes because it's just been so great to be a part of it and the clients I've been able to meet and grab over the years and, of course, just the friendships I've made from Golf Week. Yeah for sure. Sure, I mean, you know, coming from a director, I'm also the director on the apostate tour. You know sponsors or people that want to become sponsors, are huge uh addition to to the tour in itself. Um, I know as a player standpoint as well. You know, when they are seeing an elevated event or more prize pool things like that, like it, it brings that excitement.
Speaker 2:Um, so, having being able to uh sponsor one of the bigger events of the year you know there's a regional is, is is nationwide, everybody knows about them. I mean we've got guys from all over the country kansas, um, I think that, lana, georgia, florida, yeah, taxes, everywhere. These guys come and they get to see you. How does that make you feel to know that guys from around the country are going to get to know your business. That's a wonderful thing to be a part of.
Speaker 2:Actually, as I'm looking behind you, I can see my mugshot over there. So it's actually really cool to be a part of Golf Week and, like I said, because of Golf Week and the relationships I've been able to build over the years have been wonderful for my business and just even me personally Just to be a part of it is just great. And to know that my name my company, wealth Avenue, by the way, is the company that I own and I've had for 15 years it's really good press and publicity and just to have my name out there and just let people know that this is the kind of work that I do, which is financial planning and investment management and wealth management.
Speaker 2:It's just good to be involved and part of it.
Speaker 3:For sure.
Speaker 2:Let's get away from that. You said you've been with Golf Week for a while now. Yeah, from what I've heard, you were on the Tidewater Tour a while back. Yeah, so my early days. I started working at Ameriprise Financial back in 2005. And we attended a seminar workshop where they're like here you do the things that you love and you're going to get clients that way, and someone kind of put a bug in my ear and says, hey, you should do something golf related. So I called this guy that I knew back in Virginia this is while I was living in Virginia Beach, norfolk, virginia. He said, hey, there's a Tidewater Amateur Golf Tour. You should reach out to the person. And so I contacted Lyle Joyner, who is the director of the Thai Bar Tour. We go to lunch one day at the Cheesecake Factory and before we sit down, lyle's like I know you and I'm like where does he know me from? He's like we played high school golf against each other. I went to Granby High School, he went to Booker T Washington High School and he, you know, before there was live scoring. He had this vision. He goes hey, we're gonna uh, for x number of dollars, we're gonna get this big billboard on the back of the cocoon plantation in chesapeake, virginia, behind the 18th green, and we're gonna have players input their scores on phones and then it's gonna go to this billboard behind the green and that's going to be your sponsorship. So that was just kind of a really cool thing and the first tournament that I actually participated in. I actually wasn't known to play much golf, so I graduated from college in 05, started getting the itch to play golf again in 06, and then never really thought I was going to play competitor golf to the nature that Golf Week has had. And so the first tournament I did in Suffolk, virginia, I just stood on the first tee and had my banner out there and I just kind of shook everyone's hand and one day one of these guys was like hey, you should play. This is actually a lot of fun, you'll make a lot of friends and before you knew it, I was hooked. I actually missed a couple of weddings that I'd been invited to. I missed a because of golf. I kind of look back and go. I wish I actually went to those things, but it's just been fun.
Speaker 2:And there's a gentleman that lives here now, conrad Vargas. This was back in 2008, maybe 2009. He had hit me up on Facebook and goes hey, I recognize your name from the Tidewater Corps. Just if you ever want to play, we'll just hang out and play. So we struck up a friendship and before you know it, you're going to go out to eat playing a lot of golf together. We all played in the same flight, so I've been in the A flight for almost 20 years and eventually he moved out to San Diego and then found his way to Phoenix. And then I had gone independent and started my own company and him living in Phoenix.
Speaker 2:The conferences I would attend were in Scottsdale. So I'd hit him up. This is 2017, 18. I said, hey, I'm coming to Scottsdale for a couple of days. I'm going to add some days before and after my conference, I'm going to hang out with you. And that's what I did. We played golf. He picked me up in my hotel. We go play golf, go bowl, eat, whatever. And then in 2018, he introduced me to Romain Laura.
Speaker 2:He played on Golf Week, to some extent, I believe, and a French guy played all over the world and he shows me all around Scottsdale and says this is why you should live here in Scottsdale. And this was June 2018. And I think July 25th I closed on the condo and then eventually I started coming out here every six weeks play some golf, work a little bit, and then I get on the plane, headed back to Virginia and it's like I got to live in Arizona. I really like it out here and just kind of neat to look back at where I'm at today. Right, I met my fiancee, my wife, I have two kids now, all here in Arizona, and it's all because of playing golf with Golf Week 20 years ago. Yeah, I mean me and Tim say it all the time on our podcast, golf Week, you meet friends, you meet people that become family, regardless of whether you like.
Speaker 2:I know a lot of guys that I've met at nationals that I don't see again until the next national. But when you see them it's like, hey, you know how you been, how's life, how's everything going. And that's what I think brings golf week. You know, brings more players into golf week Because once they get that, getting the bug of golf, getting bit by the golf bug, is something different as getting bit by the golf week golf bug.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because at that point you're seeing these guys every other week, you're traveling the tournaments every other week, you're doing different things. So just to see people that come from one tour to another, I mean you came across the whole country. I'll say this I'm going to Virginia in a couple of weeks and I plan my work trip so I can play in the finals for the Tidewater Tour. I make it a point to make sure that my work travels to Virginia coincide with when golf week events happen, because he's in my friends. And then when I'm not there, when I'm there and I'm not playing in tournaments, there's a number of people on my phone that I call we play golf together and that's a lot of fun, it's great, yeah.
Speaker 3:And speaking of kind of growing relationships, building all these friendships out there. So heard that your family just exploded and grew over the past couple of years and tell us a little about your family.
Speaker 2:So my fiance or, for lack of a better term, I'll just say refer her as my wife, because it's easier to say my wife Allison we met. It's interesting because we're talking about golf. So I met this young lady, jackie, at a networking event and she was just really nice to me and I was just a nice person and she wanted me to sit down with her and her husband, dane. Dane used to be a golf tech coach, coach, instructor. So right away we just kind of struck this friendship on golf. And then a couple of years passed by and they're like hey, we have some single friends, do you want to meet him? And I was like, oh yeah, let's go.
Speaker 2:That's how I met Allison and it's interesting, I met her on a Sunday, we had dinner on a Tuesday. On a Wednesday we're at a Snoop Dogg concert with Jackie and Dave, and that was it. And now we have our daughter, ava. She was born in December 2023. So she's almost two. And then our son, luca, who was born on April 4th, and so he's pushing five months.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we don't let them watch much TV, but when we do let them watch TV, it's a little bit of Mickey Mouse, but it's like 95% golf, an occasional WWE, but it's mostly golf that I let them watch. That's fine, man, that's fine. I have two boys and when they grew up it was a little bit of Mickey Mouse and then I watched a lot of golf. I mean, if I didn't, I wouldn't be a director, right. And now my young is like dad, I want to start golfing, great, but he's lefty. I'm not a lefty, so it's fun. But you know, you didn't mention you you played golf in high school. I did, um. Did you play golf in college? Like how, how is your golf career gone? Oh gosh, uh, disappointing to say the least. I don't know. Well, let's, I mean.
Speaker 2:So I started playing golf when I was 13. I was dropped off every day at the Anoshapi Golf Course in Norfolk, virginia. My dad served in the US military and, if you know Norfolk, norfolk's the biggest naval base in the world and he dropped me off at the golf course and I was playing golf with guys that were like 30, 40, 50 years older than me. Within my first year I got to about an eight handicap. So I was a high school freshman. I think I shot 74, 78. I was kind of shooting around that. I think I was probably around 80. My sophomore and junior year I got a little better. I was playing to about a four handicap and that's kind of where I plateaued at.
Speaker 2:I moved out here in 2020 and got down to I was playing around a five, six handicap and then I moved out here, got down to a 1.8. It was during COVID, so there was like 60 days in a row where I did something golf-related. It didn't hinder my work schedule but because of the time difference of East Coast to Arizona and being in the world of investing, the market closes at 4. It was routine around 1.30 or 2 o'clock every day I was doing something golf-related one. Because we were able to do so. I was doing so awfully. One because we were able to do so and two, I didn't really know many people out here outside of Conrad and the gang those guys they played on the weekends. I played a lot of golf throughout. So right now I think my index is around a five.
Speaker 2:Could I have played college golf? I think. If I look back, I think realistically, I could have played for a Division III school. And I look back and I wish I would have done that. Maybe my game would be a little better, or at least the way I think about it.
Speaker 2:Obviously, with things like Instagram and social media, I'm a very visual guy. I learned playing golf because my the high school football coach picked up that I played golf and gave me like 30 Golf Digest magazines. So before there was the internet, I would just look to these magazines and look at images and images and that's how I decided like, okay, this is how I'm going to swing and these are the swing shots that I had and these are just kind of like the simple mechanics that I could institute into my game. And so now I take that with the social media. But you know, golf's interesting, like if I play basketball against LeBron James, I'll never score a point against him, but I could play nine holes with Tiger Woods or any great golfer out there, and there's an inkling where I might make a birdie and they might make a par and all of a sudden you just have this thing. That's like crap. I could do this, I could really be good at this, and so it's just hard.
Speaker 2:Right, with two kids, a full-time job, a travel schedule, priorities, of course, right, like any 13 14-year-old, you want to look at life and go in life and go. I want to be a professional golfer and make money doing this, especially with the purses that they have today. But I can also look back and say, through golf week and just my golf relationships, that, uh, you know, to some extent I do make a little bit of living playing golf because I meet a lot of clients and relationships from golf. As a matter of fact, I have two new client meetings on Tuesday and these are people that I met through golf. So although I'm not a golf professional and those purses are way different than what I heard, it is pretty cool to kind of look back and go. You know what Golf has been great for my family and my business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's awesome. Well, as you can tell if you, if you can't, you know it does become a party out here in putting world. We have a live band that they're actually not terrible. But any last thing you know as you wrap this up, anything else you want to say to our? Like I told you before you know it is a podcast. We are trying to go visual this year. It's been interesting but we're making it, we're making it work and this is something new.
Speaker 2:But any last things you might want to say, you know shout-outs and I know you shout out your wife earlier. Absolutely. Shout out to allison, ava and luca. Uh, shout out to gabe for his support over the years. Gabe has just been open arms with working with golf week arizona. I've just given me every opportunity to put my name out there and I it is unfortunate because of the work demand and the family demand, that I actually haven't played in a golf week ari in the last couple of years, but that doesn't shy me away from participating and helping out in any way possible. So shout out to Gabe and his team for doing a tremendous job in making this fun.
Speaker 2:Shout out to you guys for having me on the podcast today, and I'll say for any golfer out there that's playing this weekend, good luck to you, because it can be a lot of fun. It's a tough course. I don't know what hole it is. I think it's 14. You know, if you could bury that hole that's going to I'm 14 on stadium That'll likely be a super skin and I hope Gabe plays it from 480 yards from the back seat. So you guys, I think in 2020, I did Eagle 17, and that's after I doubled 16, and I did cut somebody out. I hit it to like nine feet and somebody made like a 70-footer. So it's a lot of fun out there and yeah, so good luck to all the players and for those of you that are traveling in from all over the country to play today.
Speaker 2:This weekend's event. It's very special and so thank you for being part of it. Thank you for letting me be a sponsor. I think this is going to be a great opportunity and if you see my mob chat out there, just know that it's almost 20 years in the making that I've been in this. There you go, and thank you, xerxes, for always being a great partner with us on this Healthful Arizona tour and I appreciate you coming on and being out here and letting people get to know you a little bit better. Thanks guys, I appreciate it. So, as we wrap up, you know we will have the champions from all flights on Sunday, so two days from now, but as you're watching now, it'll probably be next up.
Speaker 2:But, like we said before, you know all these regionals that we have. We have 16 throughout the year, I believe 16, 18. If you haven't gone to one, you need to go to one. If you're on the fence to one, we're always talking about the ones that we go to. I go to at least two or three a year. This one is one stop you want to make. It always sells out. It's typically one of the bigger ones.
Speaker 2:But to play a course that you see every super bowl weekend that the pros play, you know the, the infamous boulder that that the crowd moved for tiger is out there with a flack. You got a statue of all the hole-in-ones on 16. Uh, you, just, you can't miss it. And and for the price, it's a steal to play both courses. Um, so, yeah, good luck everybody, like you said, yeah, many folks say this is a bucket list type. Of course? Yes and absolutely. And if you get to play a bucket list course in a competitive nature, it's even better, right, right, it might take a first year to, you know, get your stargazing or like, oh my God, the pros walk these things, but after that it's pretty easy. Play the practice route.
Speaker 2:For sure Get out of the way there. All right, y'all, we'll see you all later.
Speaker 5:Let's take a break from the show to hear about Strixon's ZX Mark II drivers. Zx Mark II drivers are for major players, major winners, major power. All new ZX Mark II drivers only from Strixon.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I mean, like we had an interview. You know you can tell we had laughs. Jordan was there with us, he was just there with us. You know, I just told the guy let's have a conversation, and it was a two-person conversation. But no, jordan loves to be part of this. He just needs to get more comfortable, just like the way we were. And you know, I brought it up Like, if you want to go listen to that first episode, uh, pray over it first, get some blessings on it and then listen to it, because, man, uh, it's a tough start, but it's great to talk to people that want to willingly support our tours, our local tours absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 1:You know, the the local tours is is obviously the lifeblood of the organization and, like you said, when we can have a local sponsor step up and sponsor a regional, it adds to the prize pool, it adds to the value that their players get from the event. That's always what we're looking for.
Speaker 2:For sure, and it's just nice to see that people care.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. And they love the Tours so much. That's awesome. I don't want to leave the French Lick regional out, but they played last week too, and you know, I don't know if you saw any of the comments on Facebook and some of those other things. I don't know if you saw any of the comments on Facebook and some of those other things as always. People loved it. I mean, they raved about it, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:There were some guys out this weekend that also played French Lick last year, yeah, and they were telling me how great it was and I need to get out there and this and that. So you know, as long as you guys can convince Gabe to let me go I don't know if he's going to do that or not- well, I mean we're going to have to work something out, because again I was disappointed.
Speaker 1:I couldn't make it just again with my other travel schedule. You know, I think we need to in the, just lock it in, just like we would anything else. These are where we're going, when we're going and just lock it in and just make it happen. Yeah, because you know, obviously I want to get out there and see that tour. Obviously, it's the biggest one we have now and those guys do such a great job with it.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I mean they do a great job. They, you know every regional is great. I'm just going to be honest. Every regional does a great job, gabe and them. I don't have a complete total, but I know it's in at least the four digits. Ok, I'm fundraising for the foundation. I mean even guys that won prizes Gave it back to redonate for another household that they can have because they just want to keep seeing funds come in. There were so many people with red tickets. I think they used maybe a roll and a half of red tickets.
Speaker 1:Wow Okay good.
Speaker 2:And it was just so cool to see what they were doing. If anybody wants you know, any of the directors that are listening want to pick their brain on how they fundraise so much, do it, because they're not going to shy away of what's working. At the end of the day, it's going to go to the same cause, regardless of where it comes from the Arizona pockets, the Chicago pockets, you know what?
Speaker 1:I mean this is something we're all in together. This is not a tour versus tour type of thing. It's everybody's in this together trying to raise enough money so we can hopefully solve this horrible disease which again has been devastating to the tour again this year. You know it's nobody alive, doesn't know somebody who's been touched by this Right, and you know we've got to get it fixed. We've got to get, you know, get a solution to this and we've come donating to and thinking about where we are with cancer research and longevity rates and survivability rates are vastly different today than they were 15, 20 years ago. So we've got to keep it up.
Speaker 2:Oh, for sure there is advancements, but it takes everybody's hands in to at least put a dent into it as much as we can man. But, like you said, it's been devastating all year for a lot of us. It's just I mean, it's tough, it really is.
Speaker 1:So keep donating as we move forward. We've got about three weeks left in the regular season. We're recording this before the 5th, so we won't have the August winner until next episode. But right after that, chris, we're going to have to pick up the Player of the Year. So far we've got seven worthy candidates. I'm sure we're going to get another eighth worthy candidate. So if you haven't, well, by the time they hear this we will have already had all the nominations and Dennis will probably have already made a decision.
Speaker 2:We're going to shame all the directors that didn't submit one.
Speaker 1:Shame.
Speaker 2:Have you done Jersey? Yes, as of this recording. Yes, as of the deadline.
Speaker 1:No, but as of this recording, yes, I'm with you, I'm with you. So, yeah, we, we, we, we gotta get that in, and so so we gotta do that, and so we got to do that. And we still have the raffle open for the irons we need more.
Speaker 2:I think what we do here, tim and you know we can edit this out if we need to is at the check-in party at Nationals, we sell tickets. Then, okay, you come talk to us. You have to go check, you're going to go get your welcome pack. Anyways, come talk to us, get a raffle ticket and you might be going home with two pairs of clubs, two sets of clubs, could be At the Nationals, could be. I mean, I think we should be able, with the amount of guys that go to nationals, we should be able to sell all the tickets.
Speaker 1:Yeah, not on wood. Got to do it, got to do it, got to do it.
Speaker 2:And if you're not there when we do the raffle at the awards, we'll mail them to you.
Speaker 1:We're going to do it. We'll mail our names.
Speaker 2:That's what I'm saying. But we'll mail If they win. We'll mail them If they're not there.
Speaker 1:Do I have to mail them unused?
Speaker 2:Oh, yes, they're new. Okay, but we can have them there To show hey, this is what you could win. They are real.
Speaker 1:We haven't.
Speaker 2:They're right behind the the curtain there there you go, I guess I mean, I think that's their best bet and you bring your little ten dollar or twenty dollar. You get your, you get your name on there yeah spin the wheel, call it a day yep, gotta do it.
Speaker 1:Gotta do it, man. So so again we got. We got about three weeks left and we've got to get some. We've got to squeeze some guests in here. We've got to have the mayor back on. We've got to check on Roger. He's obviously up and moving around. He dropped his daughter off in Jacksonville a couple days ago. He asked us about some rural stuff, so we've got to got to check on him, got to check on the mayor and we got a couple other surprise guests that we have to get on as well. But before Nationals kicks off, man.
Speaker 2:Man, you sent me that picture, the Road to Nationals picture, and I hope you use it because I think you know these next couple episodes there's going to be a Road to Nationals segment. We're getting there, man. We're getting close and I'm excited. I don't know what it is about. This year I'm hoping to get my game where it was last year at the same time and make a run for it.
Speaker 1:You bringing Diane out again this year.
Speaker 2:I'm not. She's doing her own thing in September to Disney World by herself.
Speaker 3:What.
Speaker 2:Yeah, All right For her training. Air quotes.
Speaker 1:Hey, if it's work-related, you got to do what you got to do.
Speaker 2:That's what she tells me when I go golfing.
Speaker 1:Hey, fair game is fair game bro.
Speaker 2:I don't like you. That's why I said go do your thing.
Speaker 1:How long is she going? For A week, you all right by yourself for a week.
Speaker 2:I'll be fine. Everybody else is freaking out that I won't be fine, but I'll be perfectly. I've done this before. It's lunchables and video games all week that's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:That's what I'm talking about. You know, the kids used to love it when it was just me. Um, the grandkids do love it when it's just me, because it's, it's free for all. I mean we, we just.
Speaker 2:You know that's how my kids are with my mom. It's like, dad, we had like eight, eight bars of chocolate, four gums and soda. I'm like, oh, that explains why you haven't slept in three days, got it.
Speaker 1:That's it. Thanks, mom. Can't figure out why my stomach's upset. Can't figure out why I'm so tired, right, oh, it's so much fun. It is so much fun, it really is. So when's your next one? Before the next episode, or no?
Speaker 2:I have one on the 6th, and then I have my tour final the last weekend of September.
Speaker 1:Okay, and then it's Actually, it's up, the same with us, same with us.
Speaker 2:Nationals and then Our Ryder Cup rematch and hopefully by we're. Mid-episode of December. I'll be having the belt Over my shoulder For our episode.
Speaker 1:So are you guys home this year or?
Speaker 2:We're home Back in. Okay, no, we're home. Yeah, good luck. We plan on defending. So are you guys home this year? We're home, okay, no, we're home Good luck. We plan on defending our home turf. Okay, I picked a course that's going to be not too easy but hard, and we know how to play around it. Okay, that's how it should be right?
Speaker 1:Well, that's what you're supposed to do. Actually, You're not supposed to make it easy for the other team, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:I don't want to have straight shots every single time. Then it's just a putting contest.
Speaker 1:at that point you know, oh boy, are you getting Marshall Daniel out? Is he going to be able to make it?
Speaker 2:He's going to my September 6th one, which has already passed. Okay, Trying to get him out to the other two. Yeah Right, I mean I'm going to talk his ear off until he tells me to shut up or blocks me until he tells me to shut up or blocks me.
Speaker 1:I'd be interested to see what he shoots on your final. Hopefully he gets out to nationals. And then I'd really be interested to see what he does in the Ryder Cup, because I think things like that are made for people like him. He's just so focused bam bam bam and taking care of business.
Speaker 2:He can bring the players that he has, whoever he's partnered with, he can bring them up, especially in the singles. When you have a good partner in the singles that can pick you up, especially when they've closed their guy out you know nine and four, it's a lot easier to have a cheerleader.
Speaker 1:Exactly, exactly. All right, my friend, it's good seeing you Give my best to the family.
Speaker 2:Wait, hold on. You said you had something that you had to talk to me about.
Speaker 1:Oh, I'm just rubbing, you know flying the Atlanta flag, man Rubbing it in.
Speaker 2:I see.
Speaker 3:You know, rubbing it.
Speaker 1:I mean, honestly, I'm not surprised, but I am surprised with how many guys actually went out there. I thought it was because they do travel. Well, that group of guys does go and they do a lot here locally and every once in a while they'll go away. I had no idea they had that many guys out there. That, to me, is what was really great, above and beyond Jeff and Jermaine winning but that's the other piece. That's what I was really happy about was having that many guys out there and then that many guys from the East Coast that went out there and did really well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can see why you're bragging about it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, now what you guys have to do is you've got to return the favor for Nationals.
Speaker 2:That's the hope. I'm getting a bunch of guys signing up.
Speaker 1:Next time you talk to the Arizona guys, tell them the gauntlet's been thrown down. You've got to get out of here, gabe. What are you doing, buddy?
Speaker 2:I mean are we going to have to do an Arizona-El Paso versus Atlanta?
Speaker 1:Maybe I don't know, we'll see, we'll see.
Speaker 2:We'll talk about it. I mean, I'm looking at it right now.
Speaker 1:Atlanta's got 16 guys registered for nationals. Yeah, I'm not happy about that because in the past we've had percentage-wise we've been in the top three every year, oh wow. Yeah, we generally bring 35, 40 guys. Okay.
Speaker 2:How many guys do you think I have registered?
Speaker 1:Hold on, let me take a look.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, Don't look, take a guess Five Wow.
Speaker 1:Twelve, do you really? Yeah, right there, right there.
Speaker 2:Twelve Dude that's awesome.
Speaker 1:What does?
Speaker 2:Arizona have.
Speaker 1:Twenty, twelve, oh, so you got more bragging rights, man guess how many Atlanta has 16.
Speaker 2:We gotta do better than that, seriously come on, atlanta, we're gonna throw this gauntlet down. Let's do it. Let's do it the right way. I just don't have any champ flighters. I need to get a champ flighter to go, a couple of champ flighters. But yeah, I mean I'm looking at it right now, a flight sold out. I just don't have any champ flaters. I need to get a champ flater to go, a couple of champ flaters. But yeah, I mean I'm looking at it right now A flight sold out C. Flight sold out D. Flight uh 33 spots open. Wow.
Speaker 1:Crazy, wow crazy. Now let's get on it, man if you haven't, if you haven't registered already.
Speaker 2:I mean still register, get on the wait list. You never know what can happen. That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:And you know there's going to be more D-Flight players sign up. You know that that's a given. You know more B-Flights are going to sign up that's a given. And you know more Champ-Flights are going to sign up that's a given. So this is going to sell out. You just got to get on it.
Speaker 3:Yep.
Speaker 2:All right partner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so tell Marshall Daniel, he has better, you better.
Speaker 2:Better do it. I'm going to see him in the next couple of days, so I'm going to keep bugging him about it. I think we're playing together too, so I'm going to keep bugging him about it.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's playing together too.
Speaker 3:So I'm going to keep bugging him about it.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's do it, man. Well, obviously, if you've got 12 guys coming out here already, where are you guys staying?
Speaker 2:I haven't decided yet yeah you may be going. Well, most of them are going with their wives, so they tend to just get a hotel or something by the beach. Hey.
Speaker 1:But hey, you got to do what you got to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, also have a good time. I'm there a whole week. I have to figure out things to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'll figure it out. We're going to have stuff to do anyway, I mean you realize that Right we got to get with Stu. Yeah, what we got to do is get with the mayor and have him spend. So our director's dinner is on Wednesday. Maybe we can just spend a day with him on Wednesday at one of these places, whether it's Stu's, whether it's the bank or local legend.
Speaker 2:Oh, the bank's a good place it is. That's where we saw the Texas-Georgia game last year. Yeah, that was a good spot. So Not a good game, but a good spot. Well, texas, better get it together, man.
Speaker 3:That was a good spot. Not a good game, but a good spot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, texas, better get it together, man, although you know what. I'm not worried about Texas, because was it a seven-point loss? Lose by seven. You know, first game of the season on the road at a top-five team. I'm not worried about it.
Speaker 2:I'm not either Everybody else tripping about it. I'm not tripping, no.
Speaker 1:Alabama's running around with their head on fire. Oh yeah, I'd love to see it. I was kind of laughing about that too. Alabama fans are running around with their head on fire. It's what it is, man. It happens to everybody. Every dynasty will fall.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:I love to see it.
Speaker 1:All right, my friend, you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Likewise, we'll talk soon.
Speaker 1:We'll talk soon See you, buddy. Thank you.
