The guys from paying They've kind of shown me how much the equipment matters.
I just love that I can hit any shot I kind of want.
We're gonna be able to tell some fun stories about what goes on here to help golfers play better golf.
Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Ping proven Grounds Podcast. I'm Shane Bacon, joined as always by Marty Jerts and Marty. There's an argument to be made that our guest today is the current best golfer in the world.
I think that's fair to see.
Indeed, indeed, I mean I was thinking the same thing on my own, Shane.
Matt McCarty is joining us. Matt McCarty, I think someone both Marty and I know pretty i'd say pretty well better than we know most of the players I think that we have on staff. And Matt's a guy who played some golf with back in the day, and obviously the run he's been on on the corn Faery Tour has been incredible. Match just picked up his third victory, became the thirteenth player in Corn Faery Tour history to
be promoted to the PGA Tour. Matt kind of an interesting time to land the promotion, considering you're in kind of the final stretch on the corn Ferry Tour and obviously now you get get a chance to play in the FedEx Fall. But when in that third time, you know, were you hoping to be able to go play instantaneously on the PGA Tour.
You kind of happy you get to finish out the season.
Yeah, it's definitely interesting, and thanks for having me on. I appreciate the intro. I don't know if I'm exactly there yet, but trying to get there on my way, so but yeah, it is it is kind of interesting. I mean even for me too, like it's all kind of happened really fast. I mean, all three of these wins in the last six weeks, and so I think now like having a week off and next week off as well and trying to kind of, you know, figure
all that out. Like I've just honestly tried to keep my head down and keep playing for the last six weeks and that's worked out pretty good. But yeah, now I got some new options in front of me for sure, so kind of, you know, got to figure out what I want to do and it's all good decisions. But yeah, definitely.
Maw what is uh Man, Just tell us the story of what exactly clicked here in the last last couple of months. You know, we've seen some really fun things from your statistics, how much you've kind of improved your driving distance and things in that nature. But what what was this journey like here that put you on this ultimate golf heater.
Yeah, I mean it's been I think it's been like all a lot of things from the last three years of honestly like led up to this. But yeah, I mean just kind of like early this year was wasn't playing bad golf necessarily, but just kind of like leaving a lot out there, especially like on weekends and Sundays and stuff. And you know, to kind of be able to put myself in the mix early this year and kind of get those experiences under my belt was helpful.
And then to do that more so, you know, over this last stretch of the summer as well, and to be able to you know, coming up short in Denver the week before I won in Springfield was tough. Like you know, having a few shot lead going to the last round kind of a different situation for me. So just like learning how to kind of play, you know, with that pressure and everything being on the line with
the tour card and everything has been great. But then also after Springfield of like having a little bit more freedom and kind of refocusing and going towards that number one spot to be able to like continue to play, you know, some really high level golf has been really satisfying as well, and to kind of show that you know, this this journey has been like kind of moving towards
this point. And it wasn't just like one or two good weeks, but you know, six or seven now in a row has been been really cool to see.
So, yeah, Matt, you mentioned the ascendant and that's you know what you mentioned. It's all happened extremely fast. I mean, you're looking at dates of these tournaments.
This was in July. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago. But you have this, the fifty four hole lead, you.
Shoot seventy five in the final round, and we've mentioned it a lot on the broadcast doing some of the corn fiery events. But you know, you talked after the win the next week about that fine a round, the importance of kind of being in the moment, having a chance to win, not playing your best. You open the very next week shoot sixty five to go on obviously to win that week for the first time on the corn Ferry Tour. What did you take from that week?
Like what what was learned or earned over the course of that eighteen holes when you don't play your best golf to be able to flip the switch the very next week and win for the first time.
Yeah, I mean I think it kind of like lit a fire under my ass a little bit going into the next week. But then also like like I didn't really play that bad, Like I had like a few kind of like I missed a few shots that really cost me, and like honestly just didn't putt very well, but like I didn't play bad enough to shoot a seventy five, but like I scored poorly that day, if
that makes sense. So I think kind of like understanding that, you know, it's a process and like you gotta just kind of put yourself in those positions and you definitely have to like learn how to win. I mean, forget now. It was like, you know, my sixty eighth or seventieth event was my first win out here, Like it's it's been you know, I've played a lot of golf tournaments that on the corn Ferry and you know it's been a long time coming, but yeah, all those experiences add
up for sure. Definitely.
Now do you feel like it was you had something going on your mechanics that improved or you're putting or was it truly just this kind of like hey, mostly your self belief, your confidence and kind of to go along with that question, do you feel like you played more aggressively, like at least coming down the stretch, because obviously the scores are are pretty low on the Corn Ferry Tour, You're making the most birdies of anybody out there.
How has like your attitude or your approach to like those final rounds or your final nine holes that you know evolved or changed here?
Yeah, I think it's evolved a lot. I mean my first year out, I was kind of happy to make cuts and then I'd be in like, you know, tenth fifteenth on the weekend and just kind of trying to
hold on. And then last year it was more so kind of pushing towards, you know, getting in the lead or close to it, and this year even more so that like you, I mean, you can have a three shot lead going into the weekend out here and shoot three under three under and it really doesn't mean it like you you have to keep going, and yeah, definitely like it's it's a big thing of like and learning how to how much golf four days is four rounds of golf, like how many shots you hit and everything,
like you can allow yourself to make mistakes, but you also have to like take advantage of you know, birdie and eagle opportunities when they come out here for sure, and like being able to play a little bit more aggressive and a little bit more free. You know. The last four or five weeks after I won in Springfield
has definitely been helpful for that. But yeah, I mean it is it is crazy, like you just you got to go, you know, learning how to shoot you know, seven eight under and do it two or three days in a row is a lot different than kind of just shooting three or four under and playing some really solid golf every day. So well too, So Matt, like.
Have you and Dev had an opportunity to just kind of sit back and just say, this is really sick what we're doing right now, because you know, I mean, like midsummer, you're a guy not tour bound don't have a PGA Tour card. You know, you're you've improved every year on the corn Ferry Tour since you started there a couple of years ago. But like, if you guys had a chance to sit back and go, yo, look what we're doing right now.
Yeah, I mean, I'm trying not to be too surprised by it, but I think, okay, it's a little bit, you know, but yeah, no, it's been cool. We've had some fun, you know, car rides home from the golf courses last few weeks and just go into it and yeah, it's it's it's been really cool to like we've had our moments, but also like it's been kind of like just keep going like every week too, So it's been kind of weird, like it's it honestly feels like the last few weeks have been just like a blur. Honestly
a little bit too. But yeah, we've enjoyed it as well.
Yeah, Marty.
I sent Matt a text after he won, I think it was his second event, and I said, starting to get the sense you liked this whole winning thing, and he goes, won't get tired of it, I can tell you that much, and that was after that was after
win number two. And Marty, I mean you watched this, you watch players progress and you see improvements and players and something that I noticed, Matt, this is the week you did not win, by the way, but we were doing Utah, Marty, and we had Matt in our window in the opening round and he hit it pretty good, didn't make a lot of puts. I think he shot around even part which Marty, as you know on the corn Firy Tour, is like shooting seventy six and the very next round I think he shot sixty two or
sixty three. In the next round he shot sixty one. And that was one of those indicators to me that you said it, Matt, seventy two holes is a long time. Four days is a long time, and understanding that even eighteen holes where you don't play your best, like the next day's new day. And Marty, I'm always interested when you see players figuring out pro golf, figuring out golf in general, and understanding that one day, don't get that frustrated one tournament, it's not that big of a deal.
Like we can find other days, other rounds, other holes to take advantage.
And it's part of kind of the whole, you know, progressing and learning curve.
Yeah. Absolutely, And I feel like Shane, there's like you know, when you know you're playing good and mad. I'd love to get your thoughts on this. It actually, you know, helps your patience level because you know that your good stuff's coming out. You know, what what was your attitude and how what was your frustration level. Were you super frustrated after that first round in Utah or did you kind of have this inner confidence, inner belief that you can get back in there with a low one.
Yeah, I mean I think it was very similar to like the last round in Denver, Like I knew that, like I was playing good golf, like you said, and just like you have that confidence that you can like do it and tomorrow's a new day and just kind of like wake up and it. Honestly, it's that mental toughness of just kind of shaking it off and moving into the next day, but also like having that belief that you know you can do it and not like you know, what's in the past is in the past
and you can't do anything about it. All you can do kind of do is hit the next shot, go find your ball. And hit it again, you know, Like I mean, when it kind of boils down to it, it sounds simple and easy. But I think that's kind of the way that I've been trying to like think about golf, you know, last year and this year even, and it's definitely a helpful way to think about it. Just hit it as close as you can, try to make a putt, and if it doesn't go in, just hit the next one, you know.
So yeah, simple, simple, as simple as it comes. Where where does that perspective come from, Matt? Is that something that you've had your whole life? Is that relatively new or you learning that or you working with somebody to help in terms of, you know, the mental side of it. Where does the perspective come from?
Yeah, I mean my dad. Like I grew up playing with my dad, you know, at Dobson. Obviously Shane's familiar and like so he you know, he he was a good golfer as well, so like he kind of taught
me growing up. And I started working with my swing instructor, Dave Williams in Scottsdale, like when I was like twelve or thirteen, So like right after I think I beat my dad for the first time when I was like twelve thirteen, and then like a week later he's like, all right, we're going to lesson Like you're not gonna listen to me anymore, like you think you're better and I have already, so uh but yeah, I've been working with Dave since I was twelve thirteen. It's been awesome.
And you know, he's honestly like as much of a philosopher as he is a golf coach of just like you know, I'll be out there, you know, growing up and even recently, I'll be out there for you know, three hours and we're probably working on golf swing or mechanics or something for an hour or that and kind of just talking about, you know, how to play tournaments, like like what I'm kind of thinking out there and everything.
And then I've been working with like a mental performance coach, Jeff beck Becker as well for the last you know,
three or four years, and he's been super helpful. Are kind of like mantra we've developed is be where your feet are, so like that's kind of you know, I think goes along with just kind of giving each got each moment as much you know, emphasis and focus as possible, and then just kind of going from there, what's in the past, don't get too far ahead of yourself, don't get too upset on you know, what's happened in the past.
But yeah, I'm lucky to have, you know, such a great family, but also great people around me that have been kind of you know, mentors and you know, helped me kind of get the best out of myself as well.
So it's awesome, Mat. I want to we have a lot in common here listening to you talk. My wife actually grew up playing Dobson and played high school golf there. My aunt Sue was in the first graduating class at Santa Clara. I want to hear a little bit about your journey. Like you know, I'm always curious about golfers who grew up in Arizona. I grew up in Arizona. There's not a lot, a ton of diversity in the grasses, not a ton of wind and things of that nature.
Tell us about how you ended up at Santa Clara, and then how your game of all there in college with with regards to you know, playing in different conditions. I think that's one of the biggest things Arizona golfers, at least for myself, kind of learn when you're when you're playing college golf.
Yeah, I mean it was like I think you're familiar, but it's you know, I don't think it's tough to get recruited coming out of Arizona, Like you kind of grow up playing in a dome. I think, like really the only thing we kind of learned grass wise is how to play off some dormant bermuda and some burns stuff in the summer, and then obviously the overseated conditions
are pretty perfect. But yeah, like it was like, I you know, I got an opportunity to go to Santa Clara, Like my dad was a big advocate for that, like going somewhere that I know I could play, like have a good chance playing all four years, just get a lot of reps, get a lot of experience that way. But as soon as I went up there, I mean being able to play golf in the Bay Area, like the amount of courses that we went out to, like
the opportunities that we had up there. And but yeah, I was in a I mean qualifying The only event college I didn't qualify for was the first one is like a week before school started, so basically just flew up there, started qualifying. I caught like a foggy day and in San Francisco for one of those qualifying round, was probably shot like an eighty four, and I was like, I just have like, how is like a full nine iron going like one hundred and five yards right now?
You know, like just you know, nothing played. No courses play longer than those courses do up there on like you know, so like a windy or foggy day like that. So but yeah, and then obviously like kind of the lush, thick rough up there, but like you know, all those kind of experiences over you know, took me probably a good year or two to kind of get used to it,
and then they all kind of add up. And I think it was helpful though kind of growing up in Scottsdale then going up there, like I kind of had an idea for like different golf. So like once I started traveling professionally, and like you know, we got to go to lot of different places in college as well, but you kind of learned how to you know, play
on different grasses and stuff. I think I'm still trying to figure that out, Like we don't have a ton of tournaments on, Like I haven't played a ton of golf in Florida and stuff, so some of like the Bermuda and that aspect will be a little you know, learning curve for me still next year. Some of that. That grass in the south's a little bit different, but uh, but yeah, it's it's been a it's been a lot of you know, kind of different experiences, I think, but
going up there for college was really cool. And to be able to, you know, be the one of the first person to play on the PGA Tour from Santa Clair in a long time is a really cool kind of achievement that I wasn't really aware of until you know, a few a couple like a month ago, So that that is awesome as well.
What was your guys home course up there? What did you play? A little rotation of them in the Bay Area.
Yeah, so like San Jose Country Club was kind of like our home course when I was there. It's changed a little bit, so we practiced out there a lot. We'd we went out to Ruby Hill and Pleasanton a lot, but they had like us Open local qualifying out there. It's a good course. We played court of all every Monday pretty much while I was there, which used to host the Frive. So it was a great, you know,
kind of tournament golf test. But yeah, I mean we'd go up, we'd play Olympic Club, we'd play Lake Merced, we'd go down play in Monterey MPCC spy like you know, like we got to play a lot really cool places and a lot of places that have a lot of you know, tournament history as well. So I think kind of like understanding you know that not every course is exactly like Scottsdale in February, and like, uh, you know, it was a little eye opening, but but good for sure.
So Matt, you just got back from an awesome golf trip kind of in the midst of this run you've been on. You just played Pine Valley for the first time probably what was that two or three weeks ago?
Yeah, how was it?
Yeah it was it was awesome. I mean when we were uh dos like he you know, he's claimed the title of America's guest now so uh.
Yeah, hey, man got the hats man. I mean I said it on the broadcast today. Dude's got a hack coection I might be jealous of.
Yeah, he's very proud of it, but yeah, no, it's it was really cool. Like, uh, you know, our host that we stayed with that week, Fred Price, is an awesome guy, so like to have us out it was a really special day. And you know, I think like while we're on the road and playing like a lot of tournament golf, like it's nice to have these opportunities to go play like some of these awesome golf courses, but also to like kind of just play for fun
on some of these like really cool tracks. And like like me and I tell Das all the time, like after like a bad week or something like, we'll go play somewhere fun, like you know, fall in love with the game again, and then we'll be fine, who do we tee it up again on Thursday? So I think that's definitely helpful as well, just to like, you know, we play a lot of serious golf and sometimes it's
you know, it's fun when you're playing well. Sometimes it's tough when you're not, but it's always fun just to get out with buddies and play golf. It's like that's why you know, we had such a great team at Santa Clara. That's why my experience up there was so great, you know, there was eight ten of us, and like we were all so close. We'd hang out off the course, but we'd have fun, like going to practice playing golf
every day. And like I kind of grew up in Scottsdale with buddies like that as well that I played high school with too, So like I've kind of had that around, you know, like my whole life, which I've been super lucky, you know.
So I'm kind of an undermanned here. I'm a righty. I throw lefty, you know, but I'm a right handed golfer. I got two lefties on the pod here today. I want to know Matt what like in one instance, because I always think about this where you're in a serious strategic advantage being a lefty on a certain hole or
a certain course. I always think, Shane, you know, from an architectural standpoint, which I know you're really into, I wish somebody would build like a instead of Bears Best, like a mirrored version of Augusta go play every hole as if I'm a leftie right.
Big cuts varieties. Yeah, I like that idea.
I want to play a mirrored number thirteen, you know, but Matt can you think of an instance as kind of a legitimate question in one of your wins recently where you felt like you were in an advantage being a left handed player.
Yeah, I don't know. It's tough because I go back and forth a lot, and I'm sure Shane's the same way, because I think everybody like always says like you always notice the holes that like don't set up well for you, you know, like yeah, so like a lot of writings are like total holes perfect for a left dude. But it's like, yeah, but like three holes ago, like that one was perfect for you guys, and I had to
do like kind of something different. So I think it honestly kind of evens out where I do think it's like somewhat of a like you know, if there's like a back right pin and I like kind of pull it, like I know, I'm not going to go long, like it's kind of flip flop that way. So where those show up in the tournament sometimes might be a little different, you know, if it's like a Saturday or Sunday versus
like it being on a third. But I think for the most party, yeah, it's like over Like I don't know, I don't like to think about it that much, but the part I do, like being a lefty and like even like with my dad growing up, like he sees you know, in dev now, like you see shots differently, So I think like when you have a cat, like my dad caddied for me through Q school a lot of amateur events when I was younger, and like we see shots differently, like when we're reading putts, you kind
of if one's breaking away versus towards, you kind of
like read those a little bit differently. But I think that is like an interesting level, especially like with dev out here is like sometimes we'll see something you know, completely different than each other, and like sometimes it's because I'm right, sometimes it's because he's right, but like kind of having like that different perspective I think, like around the greens, and like I think like with chip shots, because like if I'm hitting like a chip that's below
my feet kind of running away from me, he would have it above his He could probably like get more
height and spin. So it's interesting, like I can't really hit that, you know, it's like and then vice versa, like maybe I'm seeing like a little bit more aggressive of a shot than he is at that moment, So I think that's probably more so than like necessarily like how the whole sets up, but like just kind of like different spots you find yourself on the course, like might be better for a lefty versus aliety kind of depending where you're at.
So, Matt, you spent the off season filling out, I think, as the term you used, trying to get a little bit bigger, trying to pick up some distance.
What'd you do to pick up the distance? Would you?
And when'd you see it? When did you realize this is something I need to focus on?
Yeah, I mean my first year out here, Like I kind of noticed that year like I wasn't you know, not that I wasn't long enough to like be competitive, but it was definitely like a hindrance. So I've made that the focus, you know, kind of every year, and honestly like moving forward to like especially with just playing twenty six events and being on the road so much and taking care of your body, your energy levels, like
I think it all goes hand in hand. But yeah, I've been working out with you know, a great place THHP and Scottsdale, and like they've been super helpful for me, but like it's been you know, I was kind of like a late bloomer as well, like in terms of growing and just height wise and obviously like filling out. I was always like a skinny kid and stuff. But
making that more of a priority has been huge. But it's and then kind of so gained some distance my first my second year, and then probably last offseason probably picked up, you know, honestly, like another ten yards and four or five miles an hour of ball speed, and then kind of with uh, you know, with paying kind of tinkering around with the technology as well, and like I kind of I went through you know a few different driver heads early this year, and then we finally
you know, because I'd always played like a ten to five because I launched it super low, so I kind of need the height. And then also like yep, a little bit, I spin it a lot as well, so trying to find winded up going you know, the ten to five turned down, put some hot melt in the face to get some spin down, and then that like allowed me to launch it a little higher with some
less spin. So I think honestly that has been very helpful in terms of like the keeping the consistency while also like I think you kind of gain the speed in the gym, but then you got to figure out kind of how to keep hitting it straight with the speed kind of with some of the technology stuff as well. So yeah, I think that's been huge, Like and I didn't grow up like I'm sure she hitting the same way.
I think like when you grow up a lefty, you kind of just play whatever gets put in your hands, like you know, like.
For the first fifteen years. That's exactly right.
So it's like you just try to figure it out. And I've like, you know, obviously, now with being on the corn ferry and like with paying and everything, you have the opportunity to kind of learn more about equipment and kind of like what you can do with it. So it's it's been more of a learning process with me.
But they've like you know, obviously been super helpful and like kind of explaining everything as well, and like not like necessarily just handing you something, but like telling you what it's supposed to do, what it and then you kind of notice it from there and then also feeling comfortable with it too, So it's been cool.
So Matt, you have a G four to thirty LST with the Ventus Blue six X I believe tipped about an inch. That's a super popular I think build the David Bray and our tour reps like to do at forty five and a quarter inches ten to five. Do you know what hazzle position you have that in?
It's a degree flat and then I think it's down like to like a nine nine or nine eight or something now with loft.
Yeah, okay, so it's probably in the yeah flat little minus position, and that allowed you to get your launch up little hot melt forward LST to get your spin optimized. So that's been kind of that. It's fun to hear you talk about that combination of like gaining speed through your rob you know, swing speed potential, and then marrying it up with the driver fit. Such an important thing to kind of get those two things working together.
Yeah. Also, and yeah, and I have been I've been using the stack for you know, a couple of years too.
I'm not as diligent with it on the road as I as I probably should be, but in the off season, like it's been very helpful just to kind of like I think, like before that, like every time I swim faster like I swung super far down, so I kind of like, you know, it's like the technology in that app like helps you kind of have your normal swing and kind of figure out how to make that faster versus just swinging like as hard as you possibly can,
like all the time. Yes, but yeah, matching up like the technology and also like the stuff in the gym is definitely like an element of it as well too, So it's important.
Man.
I had a question about the rest of your corn Fairy Tour season because you get this promotion, which obviously means you could play FedEx Fall on the PGA Tour, but you got some events left on the corn Ferry Tour and you're atop the points list, and for people out there they don't follow the corn Fairy Tour closely. You finish the year number one on the points list, you get an invite into the players in the US Open next year on the PGA Tour obviously, and priority is crazy.
The priority for number one versus two through thirty is very very different. So are you gonna finish out KFT season? Are you gonna play early FedEx Fall events? Like what's the schedule look like for kind of the rest of your year.
Yeah, I mean it's kind of weird because, like I guess it's like my decision. So I wasn't really like expecting all that, but I've been thinking about it and I'll play there's no event during Columbus, I'll play Columbus, I'll play French Lick. I'm just like I've been talking to like kind of a bunch of players and just other people around and stuff of like you know, who knows, like basically Nashville or NAPO, like either way, like it's a good decision to have.
I can't.
I don't have like a solid answer for you yet. I hope hopefully I will soon. But yeah, I mean like it's all like I kind of just realized, like you know, talk to the tour on Monday and they kind of like told me what my status was now. Like you know, I wasn't really sure like with the three win promotion in the fall, because I don't think it's happened like under the new system yet, so I wasn't you know, kind of some uncertainty after the wind
was a little weird. But yeah, I mean it's it's it's good, but uh, yeah, I think you know, the players the US opened that number one spot, you know how important that is. And also like for me, like kind of shifting after Springfield to make that my goal and obviously you know after the last you know month, to be able to put myself in like a really
good position for that is something. So I'm definitely like looking forward to kind of finishing out the corn Fair season strong, you know, earning those spots and you know, kind of making it a little easier on myself next year, but also having a lot of like really cool opportunities you know for me too, So it'll be fun.
Now I want to talk a little bit about your your bag set up, So you go driver three wood than seven wood in the four iron, Is that right?
Yeah? Seven Wood's been a good addition that thing is. Uh, it's been pretty pretty lethal for us over the last like year and a half. So it's it's been nice because I played I always would kind of have like a two three iron, never been like a huge hybrid person. I used to play like a five wood a lot.
Is that Yes, you're steep?
Like, is that is that steepness with the hybrid because I've always struggled with that as well. I felt like I felt like when I came in on top of the ball, I had a hard time kind of controlling the spin with it.
I always felt like the lofted woods made more sense to me.
Yeah, a little steep. I think there's something with just like the look of it. I feel like it's so easy to turn it over too, like interesting to kind of hit like, yeah, I feel like with the seven wood, I can kind of just like hold like a high fade.
And but yeah, it's it's become like a good especially for you know out here, like having like a lot of really gettable part fives, but being in like you know that two thirty to two forty range a lot, and like it's been you know, good to have something that you know you can hit on the green and kind of stop even if it's a little bit firm.
And yeah, so it's yeah, it's definitely different. But I've I've liked it, and I think it's kind of been like a more common club You've seen a lot of guys play lately, especially like some of the ping guys like a six or like a seven wood, Like you know, like it sounds like a little bit like amateurish. I guess if that makes sense, but if you've become really good with it, it could be like a kind of a unique club for you too.
So so you hit that maybe full somewhere in the two forty range, and then what what what type of shots can you hit with it? Like if you got can you hit it, you know, a high cut in there two twenty five or what's your kind of window for that seven with Yeah, I mean.
I can hit it like two twenty five, probably like two forty five if I kind of turned it down and hit a hot one with it, But kind of fills that gap nicely like I've I've always I still play the four ten three wood as well, which I like because I feel like it can kind I can kind of take something off that and hit it like two forty five two fifty if I need to as well.
Like yeah, So I think it's kind of melded that gap well the seven wood, And I think even like with some wind and everything, like I'm able to kind of flight it down enough and you can kind of hit some different shots with it too. It's just a lot more versatile than having like a two or three iron in your bag that you can only hit so high you know, and yeah, the spin's a little tough.
Yeah, Marty, I've been messing around with a nine wood lately. Do you know this? But I'll tell you this.
I got so so man, I'm official seven wood guy. Now I've been I've been on the team seven wood for last year. Love it, obsessed with it. Marty's now got me in the double driver team as well. So now I've got I've got the the gamer driver, like nine degree driver, you know, and then I've got the twelve degree cut down to the three with this is all Marty, uh and something.
I love it.
It's kind of the baby driver. And then seven wood and then Bill built me a nine wood about a month ago, and I literally I'm like, I might just have like thirteen headcovers at some point, and I'm okay with it.
I'm at the point of my life where I'm fine with this.
Yeah. I was joking with dB too. I was like, we hit the seven wood so well, like we should just get a nine wood. We could just four iron, no five iron, and then a nine wood instead and then go to the six from there or something. And He's like, I'm not kidding any one of us.
I'm not hitting the nine wood keep Stacking Trophy. It's not gonna matter, you know what I mean.
Does not matter at all.
Now tell us tell us about your history with a center shafted putter. Have you have you always been center shafted? Is this kind of new use the center you use our our PLD tyme cee which C is for for center shaft Your putter has been hot lately? Tell us a little bit about rolling the rock.
Yeah, I uh so, I switched to center shafted probably like just before my fifth year in college, like my fifth year COVID year at Santa Clara. Yeah. My first one I had was like that hepler C like you know, the half dome. Yeah, so I had that, you know, for my first year out here as well, and then got this PLD at the beginning of the end of the year after my first year. So I had it at the beginning of the year last year. So I had it now for two years and it's been great.
But honestly, like I went to the center shafted, I
think I was just watching golf. I think I was watching like Sung j Pud I think, and it was just like down the line on like you know, six or seven foot he had like probably like just outside right edge and it was like right behind it just take it back like right, And I was like that just like looks like it makes sense, you know, Like it's just like it just kind of puts the shaft like on the back of the and like, so I mean I think for me to like kind of grow
up playing a mallet and you know, I'd love to play a blade, but like I just don't think that's the cards for me. Like it just looks nice, you know, but I think like the center shafted of just kind of being able to still kind of like see the face like rotate a little bit better. Like I think it's been helpful. And I just like, like I think the ball comes off like consistently with pace when you're kind of just like all the weights in one spot.
I guess, I I don't know. I mean, Marty you know a lot more about like the technology other than I do. But yeah, it's been great, and I think it's just it kind of helps me. I think it's visually more so than a lot of things of just kind of being able to line up in the right spots and like kind of being confident of where I'm where I'm aimed with that, butter for sure.
Matt, when you think about your career, where does the match up with you and your dad versus Ashton and I and that two man event years ago in Phoenix kind of lineup? Like is that a big part of who you are today?
Do you feel like?
Yeah, I mean I think very motivating, you know, to kind of see like, uh but yeah, no, I forgot about that, honestly.
But yeah, that's a good I played with.
I remember I played with Matt at Dobson probably in high school for the first time, and then I remember you coming you were a college player at this point, and you came back as a college player and it was like totally different, dude, you know, like game was more sharp or fine, like it seemed very easy to you.
I remember, I think you shot like six seven under that day, like super ohum around Dobson, and uh, it is so funny to watch those progressions right from your a sixteen seventeen year old kid that's a good player to a nineteen twenty year old collegiate kid that's starting to understand how to get and then to see you
now at this point, it just wild those progressions. Do you look at a current tour player or a past tour player as somebody you see yourself in, like in terms of how they came up, the way they play the game, how their careers progressed. Like, do you look at anybody you know? I think kind of Zach Johnson, like you know, not highly recruited out of high school obviously kind of came into his own. Is there a player out there that you kind of feel you resemble in a way.
I mean, I don't know, like I haven't really thought about it like that, but yeah, I mean I guess like I've not to like but like almost like you know, underestimated a little bit. I think at certain points like going into college and then kind of coming out turning pro as well of like you know, I made it through uh h school like my first fall of doing it, but I played in like you know, some state opens and mini tours that stuff that summer and like you know,
didn't have any status. So like I think I've kind of, like you know, it's kind of been quickly through some of that, but I've played you know, at pretty much kind of every level and professional you know, golf via outside you know, at least a professional golf but yeah, so it's like, yeah, you know, Zach Johnson sounds you know similar of like even like you know, like home kind of talking about like his story and stuff like
seeing those guys. And I think Xander's kind of said some stuff lately to about like you know, how difficult it is huge school to get your card, like it's
and it's you know, it is tough. Like so it's like I've been grinding for three years and I felt like last year like I played some really good golf as well, and you know, obviously finished like thirty fifth and came up a little bit short, but like it's it's not easy and to kind of have you know, this whole process, like I guess, you know, obviously just getting started in terms of playing the PGA Tour and
kind of like where I want to be. But to have it like payoff in these last six weeks has been super satisfying for sure.
Now you mentioned playing the Mini Tour. Is that one summer tell us about your your your fifty nine up there at the Wyoming Open.
Yeah, I think that's when I knew that the center shafted putter might be the answer for me, Uh yeah.
I show you a lot about your game.
Yeah, but yeah, no, it's just like kind of like super tight, short tree line course and just like I think honestly turned at like five under like a good day going, but then like eagle ten, thirty to eleven and twelve and then I was like, oh damn, like I actually you know, it's in the cards. So I think it was the first time I had like genuinely been on fifty nine watch I think, so to like do that the first time was good, but yeah, it
was weird, Like it was cool. It was like that was like one of my probably like my second or third professional event honestly, and is like the next day, like after shooting fifty nine, I think I had like a three or four shot lead. Is like that was probably one of the most nervous. It's like you shoot
like even today and it doesn't matter, you know. It's like so it was nice to play well the next two days and like win that and kind of like get a professional win under my belt because I only won one event in college and it was like my sophomore year, so you know, and then I won that obviously a couple like Asher events, you know, mini tour stuff in Arizona, but you know, basically that win in college, those things, and like I never won like a huge
am event during the summers like until that corn Ferry win in Springfield. You know, it had been you know,
a couple three years since I've won. So it's I think when you go through that, it's like, you know, the the belief, like the doubts like come in a little bit, but like just to have that and like kind of feeding off those back experiences of like some of those mini tours stuff and like you know, it's like you can kind of go back down there and like you know, feed off those experiences but also like give you some confidence kind of going into like a
corn Ferry Tour season too, is useful Like at that early stage in a professional career, for sure.
Mat can you tell the story of the butterfingers stamping on your wedge?
Oh yeah, it's still.
There, but yeah, so we uh we got the the glide Forge pro wedges, you know, and uh but so I We're like on the eighth hole in Sarasota on Sunday and like middle of the fairway, like grab my club, putting my glove on, you know, standard and just right out of my hand right onto the ball. Like ball goes like kind of skirting like three yards down the fairway to me and me and Dasrich is there like kind of like giggling right like it's like, you know,
everything's kind of with the rules. It's like about intent now, so we're like, all right, like that is stupid, like cal rules official over. So we're kind of like giggling. And then he's like he's like, oh, like you know, I tell him what happens. He's like, oh, like you know, dev didn't drop the club on it, like the bag didn't move. He's like, was their wind? And I'm like, whoa,
it was wind. I mean there's always some wind, you know, but like now I dropped it like so and then he's like, all right, so it's a stroke and then you move it back so whatever. I mean. We we were in like twenty at twenty fifth we actually got it up and down made Parlar are three for four, I guess, but yeah, so finish and then the the ping truck is in the next week in Arlington. For us, it's like, you know, one of the events of the year that they actually have like the full tour truck
for us. So it's like cool week because we always you know, go in it kind of look at all the stuff, like what they're doing, if you need anything done. So dB comes up to me and he's like, hey, like dev handed me your fifty degree, like he said something was wrong with it like last week, like it wasn't working. And I'm like what, Like I thought it was fine, Like I don't know, and so he pulls
it out. It's just got butter fingers righten on it now, So I think I think it's like stuck enough and since then and we've hit it well enough that I think every fifty degree I have moving forward is going to have to have butterfingers on it. But it's been something everybody as about. It's kind of like yeah, dos thinks it's really funny. Like I mean, I'm okay with it at this point, so yeah, but it's cool. It's a cool story.
What's your relationship with the candy butterfingers? Are you into it or no? Like, are you Is it a top five candy for you?
Uh? Not top five? But I mean I don't I like candy, Like I'll eat whatever so.
Yeah, it'll venture like if it's if there's hanging around on Halloween, you're gonna have one.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
I love that.
Now, what's your what's your favorite course to play in Phoenix or Scutstill when when you're in town, what are your top maybe two or three favorites.
In high school? I think Truan Country Club is like one of my favorite desert courses honestly, like ever, like its really challenging, like fair in the sense of like there's kind of places to miss it. It's not super tight off the tea, but if you do miss, like you really get penalized. I've been lucky enough to kind of get out to Silver Leaf a lot. It's always a cool experience to be out there, having somebodies out there,
and like those are fun days. Grew up playing McDowell Mountain, which you know, like I think it's like those places that like they have memory, Like I still have a lot of fun playing Dobson like I like with my dad and his buddy, Like I during COVID it was like I came home from school, but it's like they had like that Friday game out there still is like one of the only kind of things like still going during COVID is Like I played that like, you know,
basically every week for you know whatever three or four months, and like I think they had me up to like a plus eight or plus nine, but after like the summer and I was like, I can't play out here anymore.
I'm just kidding donating money. That's It's like you and Guyona are like plus ten.
But uh yeah, I mean I don't know, Like Papago is a great public golf course that kind of grew up playing doing like that Monday Skins game and stuff too.
But yeah, there's a lot of there's a lot of good golf up there for sure, and like now like being able to practice and kind of play at TPC has been nice, and like it's cool just to kind of, you know, play that course a lot more because we'd play, like growing up, it'd be like fifteen bucks to walk champions across the street like throughout the year, so we'd go out there, I mean, play out there at like one or two o'clock every day with us, and like
that was awesome, but like I didn't I honestly hadn't really even played stadium until kind of I got my corn Freight card. So it's been kind of cool to play that course a little bit more too, But yeah, it's sweet.
The stadium, Shane is kind of oddly. It's like Arizonan's living here and not going to the Grand Canyon. You know. It's like a Locals never have played the stadium.
It's it's like you come in, you pay four hundred, you play. It's like no Locals is gonna go play it. They'll play Champs or somewhere else. That's right.
Yeah, that's the other thing too, It's like four hundred and fifty bucks to like, yeah, like so but yeah, and it is cool like being out there now for sure.
So so, Matt, I was gonna ask because we kind of wrap things up. I mean, you you are headed to the PGA Tour, You're gonna get a chance to play in some of the FedEx Fall events and obviously kind of reset for twenty five and what the schedule is going to look like when you think about pinch me moments in your career.
Let's say you get into the WM this year, you know, like you're playing in the Phoenix Open. Where does that sit in terms of I was a kid watching this event. I've been out watching this event. I got through pro golf, I went through the corn Ferrareer, I went through many tours. Now I'm a PGA Tour player and I'm now a part of the event. I got a chance to watch. Like where where does that fall in terms of things you're looking forward to or crazy moments that you know are on the horizon.
Yeah, I mean it'll be unreal, Like I think that's kind of like the one like I've had circles of playing in. But yeah, like I you know, growing up out there, like in high school, we'd literally like you know, borderline like sneak in the gate too early to get
to sixteen like stuff like that. Like in like we did the standard bearing there growing up, so like being able to like experience that, like walking into sixteen like with all those people like inside like you're not playing obviously, but you're still like inside kind of feeling the atmosphere. So it's like, I mean it's awesome, Like it is cool, and it's like to have like so much family and friends out there that week and like the support of
all that will be awesome as well. But yeah, and like even like in college, like we went our senior year, like there were six of us in the house, all on the team, and it was kind of like we didn't have a tournament that weekend, so like we always kind of did normally in college, I think. So we went out there for like two or three days. You know, we're all twenty one, twenty two, and we've like we had a lot of fun out there for you know,
two or three days as well. So it's like, you know that to be playing in it, you know, like four or five years after that is kind of cool as well. Uh but yeah, that'll it'll be a lot of fun. I mean it's it's it's a party, but
like it's it's like a cool event as well. And I think that adds to how difficult that place is to win as well, like like sneaky, like you know, if you can kind of like went out I mean you saw it with like you know, kind of Scheffler one of like I don't know if that was his first win or one of them, but like winning out there is like you know kind of you know, if you can kind of handle that pressure in that environment, I think you can play a lot of different places honestly too.
So that's a really good point.
Yep, Yeah, Marty, I was gonna ask you, I mean, somebody that had been obviously to the Phoenix Open a whole bunch of times when you play in the event, do you walk away at the end of the week not liking golf fans? Like how do you leave? Because you've been the fan? You know what I'm saying, Like,
you've been the dude that's cheering on the guys. Maybe you've had a few beers over the years, Like whatever the case may be, What is it like in the ropes as a player seeing everybody being ridiculous, crazy, screaming, yelling, all that stuff as a player, like, how do you how do you walk away from that event after a few days of getting this ridicule?
But you know, I got a similar story. You know, I got a similar perspective on his matt because I grew up as a standard bear there when I was like seven, whatever, eight, nine, ten years old, I was a standard bearer and and then having played it, I played it in twenty twenty man I got paired with Victor, which was unbelievable because he got a sponsor exemption and I was a section Championship Section Championship here locally and Shane, it's like this serene there's like a piece out there
to being inside the ropes. You know, it's like a serene experience. You got all the buzz happening. And I remember Matt Kevin Stadler gave me some advice. I was playing a few practice rounds with him and he goes, hey, whatever club you think you're gonna hit on sixteen, make it one less, because he's like, you're adrenaline will be pumping like you can't even believe. But and I hit
great shots on sixteen, Shane. It's really fun. Like I flushed him right at the pin, like to where you know you hit a shot Matt, where you're like, oh, that's got a chance to go in. I actually did that both days on sixteen. It got me like my heart rates started going really crazy, but it was like a sense of calm, Like sixteen wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be.
Okay, because there's so.
Much buzz that it's not like every if everyone, if the whole you know, everyone inside sixteen went dead, calm, I think you would be very I would be very scared. But it's like this constant buzz that actually, you know, kind of gave a little sense of calm there. So there's like a serenity to being inside the ropes that week that you know, is it gives It gives you a whole different perspective.
Crazy, I mean, Matt, I know it's gonna be awesome for this upcoming season. We're pumped to follow along Pump to watch you. Obviously appreciate all the time you got. You got work left to do this season, so we'll be keeping one eye on that. And then obviously when I on the PGA tour schedules, you get into the fall.
But congrats on all the success. It's been so cool to see.
Congrats on obviously the summer Ryn and enjoy kind of living in post Chicago and Scottsdale. That seems like the way to do it. I feel like you're doing it the right way right now.
Yeah, it's kind of nice to turn into like a snowbird myself. You know, you kind of always hated him growing up. But it's a pretty good lifestyle for sure, So yeah, not too bad. But yeah, thanks guys for having me, and you know, thanks to Ping. Obviously Ping's been awesome for me and I'm grateful for you know, kind of the relationship we have too, So it's it's it's been awesome.
That's Matt McCarty, obviously number one on the points list and three time winner this season on the Corn Ferry Tour.
This is the Ping Proven Grounds Podcast