Ep. 142 - Juli Inkster - podcast episode cover

Ep. 142 - Juli Inkster

Nov 08, 201948 min
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Episode description

Hall of Famer who is second in LPGA career wins and first in American wins for the Solheim Cup, Juli Inkster, steps into The Clubhouse with Shane Bacon to breakdown her latest Solheim Cup, how much work goes into captaining the Solheim Cup, the exhilarating final putt of the 2019 Solheim Cup, the current state of Juli's golf game, Juli's passion for golf and MUCH more!

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Transcript

Speaker 1

Welcome to the Clubhouse with Shane Bacon. I am your host, Shane Bacon, and this week we have a Hall of Famer Julie Ankster, one of my favorite people in all of golf, talk some Solheim Cup a couple of months after talk about her golf game and just open to some issues. It was. It was a lot of fun and I asked her at the end, have you figured out golf? Do you know the secret? And you'll have to listen and hear the answer. Does she have the secret to the game or is she still searching for

that secret? This week's Clubhouse Podcast, as all of the Clubhouse podcasts, are brought to you by my good friends at titlist, and this week I'm gonna talk to you about the pro v one. The pro v one and the pro Vo one X have been redesigned for more speed which is awesome, more precision, very helpful, and more

consistency than ever before. And if you're gonna compare the two, the pro v one has a softer feel and a lower flight than the pro v one X. The pro v one X has a higher flight with more spin and a firmer feel. That's the golf ball that I play. Both models continue to provide proven drop and stop greenside control, lasting durability and unsurpassed quality and both and this is what I love. Both now available in yellow. I've been playing the yellow pro v one X for months. I

just got back from Bannon Dunes. I had my entire bags stocked of the yellow pro Vy one x. Nobody else in my group, none of my buddies brought a yellow golf ball. I always knew which one was mine, always if it was in a fair way of bunker green wherever. You know which golf ball is yours. I love the yellow golf ball. I am not switching back anytime soon. And the good people of titlists they printed bacon on the side of my yellow titleist two's and

I'm a fan of them. I don't have to put I don't even have to put a sharpie marker on them. That's how awesome. The yellow pro v one X is a sevent thinner cover and a larger casing layer create the fastest pro V one and pro v one x yet check those out. Give the yellow a try. Do it for me. I mentioned coming back from band and Dunes, got a chance to play the Sheep Ranch. Nine holes on that golf course. It's opening next year. It's gonna

be awesome. It's it's already awesome, mind you. It is going to be, in my opinion, a top ranked golf course at Bandon Dunes. I think anybody that's gonna get a chance to play it or see it in pictures is gonna agree with me. I mean, it's just the piece of property. It's on the ocean. Views, how many greens are on the ocean, the places meant. We had an unbelievable time, as we always do. Abandon Dun's, got a chance to an NFL game last weekend, did Bucks

at Titans on the sideline. Definitely a different speed than doing golf tournaments. A lot of fun anytime I get a chance to do another sport. But yeah, we're we're in that time of year in golf where there's certain golf events on TV, but not it doesn't consume your day. And then we'll obviously roll into the President's Cup. This weekend at my country club, Phoenix Country Club is the end of the Champions Tour, the Charles Schwab Finale. I'm gonna go out there a couple of days and get

a chance to check it out out. The golf courses in great shape. The greens are ridiculous. We played it in an event the club had on Friday where we all got to go out there and and and smack it around. And I'm telling you, I'm not sure I've ever seen greens as smooth as the Phoenix Country Club. Green's all right now, So check that out. I know it's on TV this weekend and that's enough for me. Let's get to Julie Inkster and we welcome back into

the clubhouse. It's been a while, Julie Inkster, the Hall of Famer of course, Uh, a busy year. I was thinking you are part of the announcing team with us at Fox. You still play in a I'd say, I don't know half a dozen dozen of events. You had a Solheim Cup captaincy this season. Are you finally getting to kind of relax and chill. Yeah, it's actually been. It's been very nice. Um you know, I'm not playing

much right now and Solheim done. Um it Fox, I'm I'm actually trying to find things to do during the day when when you're I mean, you did that, you were a captain for the Solheim Cup three times. And I was around you early in the summer midsummer and then as you got closer and closer to having to make picks. How much time a week when it's a Solheim Cup year are you spending just doing stuff, researching, looking at how you know people are playing, having to

do interviews and conference calls. How busy are you? Well, UM, the year after the Solheim you're not too busy. You do uniforms and and stuff like that. But UM, leading up to the Solheim every day you're kind of checking in with UM. I have a main guy named Dave Dennis Begett who works for the LPGA and he runs the Soulheim So he and are constantly UM talking each day. You know, whether it's UM, you know, UM lunch menus daniem, dinner menus, UM you know what time do you guys

want to have lunch? UM? Practice schedule? Do you guys want to go first? You want to go second, off the front, off the back. Just this constant stuff that UM behind the scenes that no one really looks at. And we go over a year before and do like a site check. Uh, so you know you check out the golf course. You check out the locker rooms. Um, you know, are we staying on campus? Um? Or are we staying off site? Uh So stuff like that. Logistics, you know, buses, cars, so stuff like that. But it's

it's all fun. I mean, it's really like I call it like planning a wedding, Like six months out you have to do this, you know, five monthsality you have to do that. So um and being my third time and I kind of knew what to expect. Well, we're a couple of months removed from it. I mean, obviously, I know you would have liked the finale to finish

a little bit differently. But when you look back at it as a golfer, as a golf fan, as a fan of women's golf, as someone that has competed and obviously captained in Solheim Cuffs in the past, it has to be one of the most exciting finishes, not just in Solon Cup history, but in golf history. I mean, to have a putt. I think the put that Suzanne made. I feel like people don't totally understand that it was

a make and you win, missing you lose put. I mean, there wasn't any in between ground and for that to kind of conclude the Solheim Cup. I mean again, I know you wanted the USA to walk away with a trophy, but it was an unbelievable event, especially late in that Sunday. Yeah, I have no regrets. I mean my team played the heart out, um, you know, and for Suzanne it was it was you know, she makes they win to she misses they lose. And you know, and that's the thing

with um, the Ryder Cup of the Solheim Cup. It's not about the money. I mean, okay, you make you win the tournament, and she celebrates. I mean you saw when she made it that put. Um, how everybody celebrates. It's a team event and that's what's what to special about the Solheim Cup and the Ryder Cup is you know, you're not playing for yourself, You're playing for the US and next to you. And yes, I mean we I would have loved to win, but um, I have no regrets.

My team played their heart out. I mean we had six rookies and three first time players that were playing overseas for the first time in Solheim Cup. I thought they played great, um, And it was great for women's golf. Yeah, it was. It was so exciting it, and you obviously are are so focused on certain matches. You're driving around, you're bouncing between certain people, you're talking, you know, you're

motivating certain players that need it. Maybe you're you're just kind of talking to other players that might need it. During the matches. As someone that was watching, you know, simply on my couch, there was a moment that just kind of flipped and it was really really late where I was I was thinking, you know, USA has got this, USA has got this, USA has got this, and there was just this quick moment where I went, wait a minute, you know, Europe might actually win this. Did you have

something similar out on the golf course. Was there a field that the momentum was kind of changing or was it just a couple of matches late flipped? Yeah, a couple of in the matches late, but I mean, I I mean, I think it was close, um pretty much all day. You know, there was a couple of matches that we're going to go US USA way, no no doubt. And there's a couple of matches that were gonna go

Yeurope's way, no doubt. So it was those in between matches that were just close all the time, and it was kind of Fronte Law and Alan McDonald's match that really flipped. Um. I think on the fifteenth hole she left in the bunker. Um, Fronte Law left in the bunker and then ended up getting it up and down making like a ten footer for bogey to tie Alley and then she blready sixteen and that kind of flipped there. Um. The um Susanne Petterson match was always close, back and forth,

back and forth. So and and the thing is, you know, I don't think anybody knows this. As a captain, I'm the only one that can give advice. So um, someone can call in and say, hey, can you come out and talk to ANGELI in or hey, and I could be this golf course was so spread out. I could be on the front side and take me fifteen minutes to get over on the other side. So um it was there was a lot of logistic problems, but uh, um, yeah, it slipped quick. But in match play, as you know,

it can flip. Yeah. I mean we we we get a chance to cover you know, these amateur events together throughout the summer, and I mean that that happens all the time, and when we see it from the broadcast booth. You obviously, as you're saying, see it as a captain, you're one of the more competitive people I've ever met. I think that's fair to say. When you're in the golf cart and you're watching these things, I mean, I can only imagine you're itching to be out there playing

or wanting to hit a put. I mean, how hard is that three years into being a captain, three captaincy is in. When you're in this position, how hard is it to kind of keep your emotions in check? Considering again, how how fire you've always been out on the golf course. It's hard. I mean it's hard. Um. You know, as you know, golf is a really tough game, and you put the pressure of being on the Solheim or the

Ryder Cup or whatever it is, and it's intensified. And I've been there and I know how tough it is, um. But you know, watching um players, whether it be the European team or the American team, you know, and you know, depends on the right and there's no way you can miss it right. It's shortside yourself, and they miss it right and you're like, oh my gosh, you just hit the middle of the Green, you know, so stuff like that,

stuff like that. But I know, I believe me, I know how tough it is, and so I would never ever, um, you know, get down on anybody, whether you know they had a good day or a bad day. Um, you know, I'm just I'm just there trying to moral support and and really my job is to make it a fun week. And I think, um, we had probably the best loser party ever that we've had. Um, I mean it was epic. And um, you know, having six rookies on the team, they go okay, I can't even imagine if we won

what it was like. So, um, they have good memories and that's what it's about. Yeah, I mean you you, you and I talked a lot about just the the youth of this American team, and as you were going into it, you were kind of eyeballing some of the veterans that we're having good weeks or maybe we're trending possibly in the direction of making the Solheim Cup team.

When you have all these young players, I mean, are you talking to other people in other sports that have dealt with, you know, youthful programs before youthful organizations, or you're talking to other captains that have worked in the similar positions before, trying to find ways to make these people as comfortable as possible because you know you're there

on the first team. I mean, Brad Faxton tells a great story at the Walker Cup where his partner couldn't even pull the trigger on the first tea and his first ever Walker Cup team and Brad dad hit the tea shot. I mean, it is a different type of pressure, way different than a major championship or trying to win an event for yourself. Well and Shane, everybody handles it different. You know. Some people say like a Daniel King, I mean they reliship and they they want to be on

the first tea. Um, they want to be hitting the shot. Um. And then you know, everybody's personality is different. Everybody handles it different. But I can kind of see what's in their eyes, you know, if if they need a little pep talk, and really, I mean you can tell them what is going to happen, but until they experience it, until they go through it, um, you know, you don't you don't really know what to expect. I mean, had a really good conversation with Marine Alex, who I thought

I played great all week. M she was kind of just under the radar but very consistent. Um. I played her with more compressive for a couple of alternate shots. UM. And we were having breakfast and and uh, she goes, she's, UM, this this golf is so much harder than individual golf. And I said it is. I said, but you realize how much more you have in yourself when you play in something like this, and how you can go to

the next level. And she goes, You're right, She says, I never knew that I could play like this, um, under this much pressure. And you do. You learn a ton about yourself, whether it's you know, good or bad. And um, that's what the Fulham Cup brings out in players. Yeah. And and every time the soul Him Cup happens, I feel like the l P g A and women's golf gets a big boost and it's exciting. It's a must watch. If you like any sort of sport, you know, competitiveness

in any regard, you've got to watch it. What could the LPG do, What could women's golf do to kind of piggyback off of Solheim Cup so that they kind of ride that momentum Wave for a couple of months for you know, basically into the into the next season. Is there something they could do to kind of attach themselves to the Solheim Cup and how many eyeballs are

on it to help push the tour a little bit more. Well, the problem is it's like, you know, we have the Solheim Cup and then I think they had a couple of domestic and now they're over in Aga for four months, four weeks, so they kind of lose a little momentum on that, you know, especially being at the end of the year. But um, I I really don't know. I I think we're you know, we're a global tour and um, you know, over and Malaysia and Korea and Taiwan and Japan,

women's golf is huge. I mean the crowds they all over there is unbelievable. Um and you know over here, Yeah, I hate to say it, but you know, women's sports is not valued like it is over in other countries. And you know, it's not only just golf, it's you know, basketball, it's um, you know, um hockey, it's you know other sports that women play college sports all the way up and then they get done and they got nowhere to go.

So um, it's it's a slow processing, but I think it's getting better, especially with the women's initiatives that are coming out right now. Well, I wanted to ask you for your memory. I know you've got a lot of them, but you've captained three teams and you also said you're done what you said after Iowa, by the way, but I actually believe you this time and say you're not doing You're not doing this again. But is there a

memory that sticks out? I mean, you played in so many Solheim Cups, and I always know how important that that part of the competition was for you. You're a captain three times, you went twice, you lose in this epic, epic finale across the pond. Is there a memory that sticks out to you that you'll always carry with you as a captain of Team USA, that you'll never forget. Well, I think the dinners at night are the things that I will treasure. You know, a player standing up and talking.

I think probably one of the best times is my first one over in Germany with Angelo Stanford and Christie kerr Um. They weren't best of friends, um, two completely different personalities, but they they really kind of bonded that week and and really kind of sorted out why, um, why they've never really got along, and they finally understood

that they're just different personalities handle things different ways. And Christie Kerr every day on the bus would get up and read a quote from somebody and Angela was then interpret the quote and it was it was pretty cool to see two gals that really never got along, um really uh learn to respect each other and respect um how they go about different things. And that's something I'll

never forget. I I can only imagine two months after this Solheim Cup wrapping up that you've probably had time to kind of look into yourself at this point in your career, because I mean, as I said, you were an unbelievable Solen Cup player. What was your record as an individual? Were you twelve and one? I don't know it was good? Yeah, I only lost one to know that, but I don't know how. I think I was eight and one, eight one, seven one and one A tyed

Laura Davis seven one one. So you know, you you play in so many, you're a captain three times. You kind of got a chance to see it all. Is this going to be something that four or five years from now that you're really really gonna miss or is this something you think you'll always be you know, I mean you know, if Captain's call you, or they need advice or they want to help, you'll always kind of be there to help out. No, it's something I'm gonna

miss definitely. Um, you know, I would definitely do it. I do it for the next you know whatever Solheims. But it's such a great experience that other people should be able to experience it. And um, you know I've kind of I've done it, and I think the Solheims had a great place right now. And you know there's there are the Christie you know, the path Hurst, the Christie Kerr's, the Angelo Stanford's, Paula and Morrigan that are are really in line now, you know, Michelle, we that

are in line to kind of do this now. And there was kind of a gap where you know, um, you know Christie and Angela were playing and it wasn't really anybody that was next in line. And I think that's why, um they gave me an opportunity to do it. So, UM, I am gonna miss it, but I am also um always going to be a big part of sohim. I mean, I won't miss one. I'll be over there. Um and uh, you know, hopefully they'll let me be a helper and I can walk in the roads and uh watch a mattitude.

But uh, it's a big part of my life and and it's something I'm proud of and and um, I'm I've always been a team um kind of player. I I grew up playing team sports, and um, it's kind of funny I play an individual sports because I love team sports so much. But uh, um, it's yeah, it will definitely always be a big part of my my life. Yeah, I mean I feel like you're I always say there's two types of pros, you know, people that that have

played professional golf for decades. You know, there's the player that had it. It was their job, it was what they did, and once they're kind of done with it, they don't part ways, but they're not passionate about playing still. And then there's the people like you who still play and still grind and still look for the answer in the secret to golf. And when I'm with you throughout the summer, I mean, you're out there before the broadcast with Brad Faxton on the putting green, going over stuff.

You're always hitting range balls. You're I would say, you kind of define what a golfer is because you've obviously got the pedigree in the resume to back it up. But you're always searching, still at this point in your career, to perfect your craft in your game, and and you're still competing, You're still playing a lot of events. It's it's still something that you do day to day. I I I am so weird and I love the game golf,

and you know it's it's weird. I mean a lot of people, like you said, once they get done, they're dead, they hit their last ball. They don't want to play, they don't want to compete. I love playing. I just you know, it's weird. But I'll play with anybody as long as they're fun. They have to be fun and they like have to be able to banter. But you're right, I like tinkering. I liked um. I think that um the solidarity of just being on a range by yourself,

listen to some music. I mean really, I mean that's a pretty cool office. And UM, I have no I mean I look forward to getting up and going out and hit ball. Yeah, it's it's fun too. It's fun. I I brag about our Fox Golf team a lot because we have a group that really does enjoy each other, and we enjoy not just on air and working and preparing and getting set for the week, but you know, we have a lot of fun off air. I mean,

we go play golf a lot together. And you know, one of the things that I've always served is that everybody that we work with is in the second category. I mean, Brett Quigley and Brad Factson and yourself and our boss. I mean, there's so many people that we work with that they are a part of golf because it's a part of their job. But they absolutely will go play any golf course anywhere with anybody, and they

don't and it doesn't it doesn't matter. I mean, if there's daylight to be had, we're gonna go out and find nine holes to play. And you and I had a great experience this summer. We played sand Valley up in Wisconsin after a broadcast one day of the US Girls, and we carried our own bags and we kind of played like makeshift to nine holes and we got done and had dinner and we were all saying, you know, this, this is what golf is. I mean, it's it's wonderful

to be playing between ropes and playing for cash. But it felt a little bit like golf when we were kids, it did, I think Brett quickly and I bought dinner that night. But um, yeah, I think we're there as the losers, but it isn't in know, you look at our crew. Um, we all like the banter. And you know we we banter, you know when we're off there, and we banter when really when we're on there too. But uh, and that's what makes it fun. And we

all we do, we all love the game. And I think we're all very um happy and and and fortunate that this game is in our lives because I can see the passion that we all have for you know. And as Brett Quickly, you know, he just turned fifty and and you know, I'm I know, we're all wishing him luck so he gets back out on that senior tour because he's got a lot of game left and

I'd love to see him compete out there. Yeah. I had dinner last night with with Steve Flesh and his wife, and you know, Steve works with us a little bit. Obviously he's playing a lot on the Champions Tour. And I said, you know, did you have a fun year if you enjoyed the season? He was kind of battling an injury last year, and he's like, I absolutely love playing. And he said, I I go home for two weeks and I get stir crazy and I get antsy, and I want to be out there and I want to

go out and compete again. And uh. And it's it's to this whole passion of the game and love of playing, and it's, uh, it's fun that it's still great for people like you and Steve Flash, that you still are excited about it and you want to get out there and play because you know you've been doing it for you know, twenty thirty years, and and you're gonna keep doing it. I mean, you've got tournaments next year you're gonna play in. Well, I think also, um, you know,

it's like a ste Flash or Brett Quickly. I know, Brett Let's hurt a lot. But you get to a point where really you can't compete with the younger players,

and um, and you burned out. And you've been playing golf since college, and you know, full time dadada, and you get to a point where I'm over it, and then you know, you wait a couple of years, and then I think when you get to be fifty or forty nine, fifty one, you really appreciate, um, what you had and being able to play on a professional level and and and then giving an opportunity to compete again, um with your peers that you played in college golf with and then you played on the tour, and I

think you get to a point where you appreciate what you have instead of boy, I have to go out and play again, or I have to travel here, and I want to be home with the kids and Dada. And now your kids are grown and you know, maybe they're off of college and um, and then you have the second life and the second win where you appreciate, um, what you have and being able to compete and and play. Yeah. I mean on the flip side of of that is these young players that are basically deciding on when they're

going to turn professional. I mean, we follow a lot of the young amateur players. Lucy Lee announcing this week she's going to turn professional. That's somebody we have watched a lot I mean it feels like she's forty years old and she's a teenagers still. But there's a lot of pressure, Julie, on these young players. I mean, there's so much pressure to turn professional. I mean, Michelle, we you know, turns pro really really young, and we've seen

players kind of follow in her footsteps. How much pressure on some of these young players that have early success in the amateur basically in the amateur world, and they play well, maybe in the US Women's Open, or they have some success in smell PG events, how much pressure is on them to turn professional quickly and get out there and start competing. Well, there's I mean, I don't

think it's pressure. I think it's, um, the opportunities there. Um. You know, I know, Luke, Lucy's been, as you said, competing. You know, we are at twelve at the US Open at Pinehurst. Um. I think I think, UM, a lot of it is expectations on these kids. Um. The g A right now is staffed with great young players that are really good. I mean, there is a huge difference to be playing college golf and playing professional golf. Um. You know, you can be a great collegiate golfer, but

the next level up is completely different. Uh. They're they're good, They're they're very um, long and athletic. Uh. You know, you look at someone like a Nelly Korda who's twenty and uh, she's the highest ranked American right now. Um, but she's got pedigree and she's tall and long and lengthy. And as you know, in the men's game, it's gotten to be a bomber's game. I mean you just look at the the money list and who's on top. I mean, you don't see anybody that is average off the tea.

They're all bombers. And it's the same way on our our tour. And that's where I think a lot of these UM players coming out is they're just not physically developed yet. And I think the problem is if they do start out and struggle a little bit, how they handle that. Take a quick break in our conversation with ju Linkster to just remind you that the pro v one and the Proby one X have been redesigned for more speed, more precision, and more consistency than ever before.

And if you're gonna compare the two titles golf balls, the pro v one has a software field lower flight in the Probi one X. The Probi one X, the golf ball that I love to play, has a higher flight with more spin and a firmer field. Both models continue to provide proven drop and stop greenside control, lasting durability, and unsurpassed quality, and both are available and yellow. I'm not going to go into how much I love the yellow golf ball again, but you know how much I

love it. I love the yellow ProVu one X. Prove how good you can be t up the pro v one or Proby one X on your next round. Back to Julie, Yeah, I mean it's it's easy to play for a year and you know, not have a top ten or not have a top twenty and think to yourself,

am I good enough to do this? And I mean I can only imagine that when you're bouncing between Summetra and the LPGA Tour, back and forth and back and forth, and you're seeing the successes of somebody, as you mentioned, that's twenty years of age, that's one of the best players in the world. I mean, it can be discouraging. I mean that's the scary part for me as a fan of some of these people, is you know, when you go when you turn pro, there's no real turning back.

I mean you're not gonna flow back and be an amateur and go you know, actually, I am going to go to college for two or three years. You know, when when you turn pro, like ax Shay or Lucy Lee, you're now doing this for a living. And there are times where it is a grind and it is grueling, and you're on the road and your game's not there, and I mean it can feel overwhelming. And to your point, the LPGA tour has gotten you know, so polished that if you're not absolutely on the top of your game,

I mean, you're not even gonna sniff week to week. Yeah, I mean that's and that's where you know you're out there by yourself. Um. You know the thing with college, I mean not everybody is is wired to go to school and get a degree. I mean I get that, And but what's wrong with going to a year to

college just to really, um learn how to be by yourself. Um, because a lot of these kids are going to be traveling with their parents, and as a as a mom and as you as a father, there's no way you're gonna let your seventeen year old kid or daughter, boy or daughter go out and play on the tour by themselves, so you're gonna be with him. So, um, the whole social part of it is, it's it's now a full time job at seventeen. You work out, you play, you practice, you go to bed, you work out. I mean, it's

it's it's day after day after day one. Are their bodies going to hold up and too? Mentally? Are they strong enough to go through the ups and downs of being a professional golfer? And that's right, that's kind of where I I worry about, is you know, if how are they going to write the ship when a lot of these kids have never really not had success. Now they've always been, you know, the top amateur or they've

always played well in amateur events. Match play, the junior, the um you know, the trans the Western, all of these things. But match play, as you know, a metal players are two different components. And are they going to be strong enough mentally to play day in and day out and handle the successes and the failures the right way? Yeah?

I mean you you think of two young players over the last few years on the men's and women's side of golf, and you've got you know, Lydia co on the women's side and Jordan's Speek on the men's side, and they burst on the scene. I mean they were unbelievable. I mean, Lydia was much younger than Jordan's Speek, but I mean speed wins on the PGA Tours a teenager,

Lydia is kind of winning everything. And now they're going through this lull in their careers where they don't have the same game and they're not dominant and they're not the talk of the town week to week to week. And to your point, that's still your job. I mean, it's still what you've got to go do. I mean, I'm sure players come to you at times for advice when they're struggling, and uh, what do you tell someone that's two, three or four years into their professional career

and it's not exactly where they hoped it would be. Well, I mean, I I say, you know, everything comes in cycles and stuff. That's it's really when you're playing well, it's easy, it is, I mean it's and it's weird. I mean it's like you know, you hit it in the trees and it bounces out in the fairway. It's or and when you're not playing well. When you hit the trees, it's right behind the route or it is incredible how when things are going bad, how things go bad.

And what I say is you can't get it all back in once. I mean, it's all about confidence. It's getting your confidence back and and bree me for someone that's gone through a ton of cycles with my game, because you know, I kind of had it a start before kids, and then I struggled, and then I had it after kids, and then I struggled, and so you know, to me, it was all about um not the end results. It was more of the results of of how I'm playing um hold the whole. I mean, I just really tried.

When I was in like not playing well, It's okay today, I just want to shoot under park just I don't care if it's one under or five under. I'm just gonna shoot. I really was all about baby steps, is building that ladder again of confidence and competitiveness and and learning how to get back in um the saddle again, because when you're not playing well, you can get woe with me, and that's the worst thing you can do.

You always got, you know, like I always told my long cut players I don't care if you're five down or five up. You keep your head up and you keep marching, because golf is really what you do. It's not who you are. It's not the person you are, and sometimes your golf can affect who you are, and that's when things goes out. Yeah, I was. I was

talking to James Hahn a couple of years ago. We were playing in some you know, media event, and you know, he had that long like miss cut streak and then he wins the Wells Fargo out of nowhere, and he said that when he was in that streak of missing cut after cut after cut, he would hit it in a divot, you know, hit the fairway on on the fourth hole on Thursday, and it would be in a divot and he would get so frustrated. He would look

at his cat. He would say, this is why I'm gonna miss the cut by one or you know who gets these kind of breaks. And it was basically a mentality change of it's okay, you know, go out there and you know, as Paul Easing always says, if you hit in a bad spots, show off. You know, you

want to go show off to everybody. I can still hit this shot, and he said he had to kind of flip that thought because to your point, the woe is me was following him around even if he was hitting good shots and getting the bad breaks then and that's where you know, I you know James, he's kind of figured out at a certain age. And you know, that's why I worry about these younger players, is not being able to figure that out. And and then all of a sudden they just disappear. You don't you don't

see him again. Um. So I mean it'll be interesting to follow uh, you know, Lucy Lee and see how she does. Um. You know you have all Valenteuola and Andrew Lee who just got their cards, but they still have another semester at Stanford, so be interesting what they do, what they decided to do. Um, are they going to be uh you know um um uh Fozzy uh kept kept kept kept, Yeah, are they gonna is she gonna

go back and and differ and come out. So you've got all these things, you know, happening on the on the tour, which I think it's good because people start talking about it. Who is the most I'm not saying the best, but who over the last year year and a half two years. Who has impressed you the most with their games on the LPG tour. Well, that's a good question, um boy. I mean there's there's so many good I mean, I think Nnji Lee could be the number one player in the world. Um. You know, she's

got such credibility. Um, but after playing um with the Solan Watkins two quarter sisters, it's impressive. It's impressive how good they are and how good that family is. I mean, um, the athletic ability is off the church, but watch it off for Nella Korda. Noa Korda has the inside part that wants to be number one. Jessica is a hell of a player and loves loves to compete, but she also really likes to have fun and enjoy her time, which is fine. Um, but I think I think those

two are gonna be fun to watch, you know. Maria Juchanagarten is she's got so much potential and she's still so young. Um you know, but is she going to get better or is she going to burn out? I mean that's kind of where she's at right now. I think we'll last question, and I was gonna save it for the last one. Because it's I would say it's it's I don't know if it's complicated, but it was. It was a strange thing this week, this whole Christina

Kim rules deal. Uh. And I don't know how much you you read up on it or looked at it, but you know, a couple of players in Q school we're giving signaling clubs and Christina waited till after and told the rules official and the players got a two stroke Penaltas. It's a rule that I feel like is one of the simpler rules in golf. You know, you can't give advice to a player or a caddy. You know you can you can look over at a bag

and see what club they hit. I mean, there's a lot of little uh workarounds that golfers do throughout rounds and throughout tournaments. But I feel like Christina Kim gets kind of, for whatever reason, was was villainized for this and she did nothing wrong, especially in a Q school situation where you're literally playing for a job. Yeah, I mean it is. I mean, I mean, it's a basic rule that everybody knows, but it's also kind of a

basic rule that everybody. It's there's a huge gray area there because you know, as people that work for Fox and and for the people that are on the ground TV commentators, you need those caddies to flash those those fingers so you know what they're hitting. So I'm on the right side of the fairway and um, you know, someone um say Kay Cockrells out there, um commentating, and and my caddy flashes you know three for an eight. Are well the person next to me sees that, so

they know I'm hitting an eight. R Um. I have to say, I've never really I've never seen a player put up three fingers or four fingers, but I see the caddies do it all the time. And I mean, you still got to hit the shot. Um, it's so you know, and they even they didn't even hit the the club that they said they hit. You know, one hits the nine and one hits the seven irons. But you know, to Christstina's it is a rule and it

was broken and I think they both owned it. Um. You know the problem that the thing that I have a problem with is the caddy for the other player. The player didn't even know this was going on, and she's hitting, she's hitting a chat she didn't doesn't even realize that what's going on, and it is a player and caddy. They're a team there. So if your caddy mess is up, you take you take the front of it.

So there is a huge gray area and so as the USC are gonna do something about it now, I mean I think now everybody's kind of on standby right now. That all right? You know, I know Bubba Watson is a huge um opponent of never giving even to anybody, even to the TV commentators, to the player, to a player next to him. Um, but he, I mean really is the only one I've ever known not to you know, flash a caddy, flash um fingers or whatever. So you know what, was Christina in the wrong, No, she was

totally in the right. Um with the other girls. You have to know that role. That's the base cool. Um does it happen all the time? It happens a lot. Yeah, I mean I think that was kind of what the takeaway was, is that you you get this a lot because it happens consistently. But to your point, rarely is a player doing it. It's mostly a caddy that's doing it to a spot or for TV or or to anyone.

What I was gonna ask you, Juliingster, what's the what's the worst ruling you've ever received and maybe the maddest you've been about a ruling in your career? Like you yourself, like you were like I need a drap here, or I did this, or somebody called you out on something. Do you ever have a moment that stands out? Oh? Yeah, well I got two of them, but I'll just well the one that that that was called on me where I was in Portland's UM I want to say probably

ten years ago, eight years ago. I was in UH probably the last group, maybe the second the last group, and we had like a half our weight on number ten and for some stupid reason, I get out my little donut and put it on my club on the test and I started swinging to kind of loosen up. Again. Well you can't do that, I mean, so someone saw it on TV. They called it in I finished the nine holes. I didn't really you know, didn't realize I had a um A violation. UM. I was in third

place going in the last round. They hit me on the UH in the tent rules violation and I didn't even get too shock. I just got d H which is a little, a little drastic, I thought. But uh and then as you know, my other one was a drop at the open um in the US Open at Oakmont in Uh, Patty, she and hits it the in the rough. They give her a drop for casual water on a hill in of the fairway. How do you get a drop into the saily by the way and he it fit on the green? Granted, great shot makes

the cut, was going to playoff. I lose. I'm not, but you know you don't sound like it. You don't sound like it's still sitting with you. But just twenty years later, you know, I'm good. I don't. I don't think about it daily. You know. The nice thing this year was we got a chance to go back and do an event. We did the US Women's aim it or at a place that you won your first US

Women's Open at. And uh, let me just tell you, if you ever want to feel really important, go to like an old Waverley with Juli Inkster, because before, I mean, you had volunteers coming up. I was here when you won. I remember you said this and we did that. It was it was it was quite the coronation for you. I know you've been back once before, but it was pretty fun to to be at that golf course with

you in particular. It was you know, it's always great to go back to of courses that you've had a lot of success and and they are I mean, they love their golf and they were passionate about about having the US Amateur there and uh, you know it was it was a great tournament. Uh. Yeah, Riell just put on a clinic as far as closing out a match, and uh, I'm sure all buns gonna be thinking about that for the rest of her life too. So little things like that kind of get you in your crawl

a little bit. Yeah, they kind of sit with you for sure. By the way, have you currently your golf game currently? Do you have it figured out or are you searching? I'm searching. I'm gonna go hit balls after this change, just to kind of go figure it out. We've got a nice day here and lost, but seventy five degrees and uh, it's gonna be a perfect time. Yeah. I was talking to a couple of friends. I had dinner a couple of nights ago with some guys out here for the Charles Schwab Cup, and uh and they

recently did a video from Posta Tempo. I've still never played it, and I said, I'm my goal and my rule is, I'm only gonna play Posta Tempo if you'll play with me, because I know it's it's a place that you get a chance to play a decent amount and I want I want to I want to have the Julie Inkster inside information about where to play the holes. Well you know what I Where your drives go and where my drives go are two different area coaches. But I would be honored. I think it's golf course that

you would love to play. Yeah, it looks awesome, you know. I gotta give you a quick shout out. By the way we played. Uh. I think it was Mossy Yoke we played this summer we were doing the Women's Amateur at Old Waverley, went across the street and you played from the back tease Julie. You would not move up. You go, I'm playing back here with you guys, and uh and and it was I don't think I would say you were probably the a player that day anyway, no matter what club you were hitting into the green.

So I was I was impressed. My sister would be proud of that. She Uh, she was always pretty anti women's teath to begin with. So Julie used to play in the backs. They having two older brothers and growing up around guys playing golf. That's how I grew up. You know. It's kind of in your d n a um. But I think there was one hole that I did move up because I don't think I could have reached it into. He was like, now the carry's to thirty over that I'm I'm moving off. We're good to go,

but I'm moving That was That was fun, Julie. I appreciate it. I'll have a great offseason. We'll see you. We'll see you before you know it. I mean, the season is gonna come come right up on us. But senior women's I'm assuming you're playing in and then you know, all the all the events we get to do. Yeah, I'll be there and and uh give a little Henry I hug for me. I will do he Uh, he'll be happy to He keeps growing. He's growing like a weed. It's uh, it's pretty crazy. But I'm gonna take him

to his first golf tournament this weekend. So hopefully enjoys it. Oh, there you go. It's a backpack or how you how you doing? I'm gonna, I'm gonna stroller it. I'm gonna I'm gonna pack the stroller. I'm gonna. I'm gonna go. Try to park as close to the club house as possible. He'll probably will last about an hour. I'm gonna try to go fallow. Flesh is group so we can cry and stee Flesh's back swing and flesh and get bad at us. That's the that's the go, that's a goal.

That's that's the plan for the weekend. Alright, give him give flashing my best. Thanks again, Shane. It looks like I'm a wreck already. A big thanks to Julie Inkster for jumping on. Big thanks to you for listening. If you like the podcast, if you like the clubhouse, write a review, tell your friends. That helps us out, and we give you this for free. For goodness sakes, all you gotta do is listen to me talk by myself for about four minutes, and then you get to hear

from a Hall of famer. That's all you need. A big thanks to titlist and everybody at Fox that's involved in helping make this podcast what it is. We will be back next week. Have a great weekend.

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