Ep. 166: Lt Colonel Dan Rooney

It's infectious when you're in his presence, even his voicemail, which you know, voicemails are the worst things in the world. Nobody likes to leave them, Nobody likes to record their own voicemail messages. And Dan Rooney has a positive voicemail message when you call. That is unheard of. So pump to have Dan on. He's got a new book out today called Fly into the Wind, and I think you're

going to really enjoy the book. I think you're really gonna enjoy the conversation about life and and what came out of this book and a lot of golf stuff in it. Of course, he's a huge golf for a plus handicap, a ton of talents that he's been playing a ton of golf during quarantine. So real honor to chat with somebody like Dan Rooney, who, again I just think,

is is really a model for you know, America. He's an unbelievable person and what he's done throughout his career, in his life and what he continues to do is uh is really really impressive stuff. So big thanks to Dan. So I haven't touched on Dustin Johnson's win on Sunday at the Masters, and I just wanted to speak on a couple of things with Dustin. You know, it's the

second major title. Before Sunday, it was all about his major misses and very little, if any about how many times he's closed in non majors, which brings me to my point. So, the modern world of golf, I feel like needs a bigger weight to the mon non major events. And I'll explain the Trial Championship this year for instance. Right in twenty five years, when we look back on Dustin Johnson's career, the Travelers Championship win in two thousand

twenty isn't gonna stand out. I mean, he's got FedEx Cup titles and w GC titles and now a Masters in the US Open and FedEx Cup. I mean, he's got a lot of these big time wins, and he's won in Rivieria, and you know, he's one. He's finished the season with wins. He's he's even one international. So something like the Travelers Championship in two thousand twenty is going to get lost. That's just inevitable. But the strength of field at the Travelers Championship this year was the

same strength of field as the Masters. Now, winning the Travelers Championship to these players and to the media and golf fans isn't as big. It isn't as big a career achievement as winning a Green jacket, but it's as hard in terms of who you have to beat as it is winning two Masters. What I'm starting to think is we need to have some sort of a five star system or a weighted system like a letter grade and a event, a B event, a C, e vent a D event that helps people like me know how

big a win was. I need to see something tangible to understand the modern victory because major championships became major back in the day because that was the time everybody came together, I mean the Europeans, Australians, Asian players, the studs from South Africa, all around the world, they would all converge to play a US Open or Masters or

occasionally a PGA Championship. Even that took a while for all the players to get that interested in, especially international players, and of course the Open Championship which been around forever. So that was why those those events were considered major championships. That was the biggest event with the best players and the most international field. Well we get that all the time now. International players live in America. They called the

PGA Tour their main tour. When you play a Travelers Championship and you have these studs from Australia and the great players from Europe and Rory and Dustin and Justin and all the all the names that you'd expect to be at big events, I feel like that would be, if you look through a weighted system, a five star win, just like winning at Riviera would be a five star win. Winning so many of the tournaments that Dustin has won in his career. So that's my first point is the

majors are still the majors. And I'm not discounting the fact that it is a bigger deal to win a major than it is to win other events. I just think that with the way golf is now, especially the PGA Tour, it's tough to win any event, and it is imperative that we explain why, because it's gonna get lost in history. The Travelers Championship two thousand TWENTI is going to get lost in history. We're gonna forget that.

The pandemic caused golf to shut down for you know, three months, and then it returned and we had a couple of events, and then everybody who was playing on everything, so all those wins were probably wins and a half, Right, is how tough it was to do that. Another point to be made, And a friend of mine made this to me the other day, and I thought it was such a great point. Dustin Johnson one on the easiest golf course the PGA Tour played this year. Right, it

was a super soft event in Boston. He shoots thirty under. He almost won the week before on one of the toughest golf courses the PGA Tour played. You know, he shouldn't compete on these real tight, fairly short golf courses. But it doesn't matter. Every golf course is winnable for Dustin Johnson. I don't think you can say that about anybody else in the world. I truly don't you can say that about Tiger. Of course, Tiger went everywhere, but Tiger won a lot at the same place as Tiger

won a lot of the courses that he liked. Now Dustin has done something similar. He loves Rivieria. I mean that's a golf course that simply suits his eye. He loves Pebble Beach, a golf course that suits his eye. But when you start to look into his victories, he has one on all different types of golf courses that typically play into the hands of non Dustin looking players.

And the only other point I want to make, and again this is to try to help us understand how impressive certain players are outside of the majors, because we're so obsessed with how many major wins you have. Is the world ranking, the world rankings, And I bring this up because Destin Johnson, of course the world number one. He's about to be world number one for his hundred

and fourth week of his career. Rory is at a hundred and six weeks and uh, and then you look up ahead of that and you've got Greg Norman, and of course you've got Tiger Woods at a number that nobody's gonna catch. It's crazy. Dustin is two twenty weeks behind Greg Norman's number. That's about four and a half years of being a world number one. It's an outside shot.

I feel like it's a decent shot that he's going to catch that at some point if he stays healthy and he stays committed, and it sure seems like he's he's only going to get better, right, I mean, it's only gonna get easier for him to feel And I don't even want to say feel comfortable in these moments, because I think he feels comfortable in any moment. But just winning another major helps him win more majors. I feel so the world ranking, a modern look at a player,

also helps us understand how impressive Dustin is. And when you start to look at things like that, and you start to look at the quality of his victories outside of the major championships, I feel like the argument can be made that Dustin is the best player of this generation. You know, post Tiger, post VJ. You have Rory with more majors, you have Brooks Capto with more majors, you have Jordan's speed with one of the greatest seasons in

the history of golf. But what Dustin has done consistently and for his entire career is something that we need to appreciate, and I feel like we don't give enough credit to consistency is something film. You know, we we love to to bag on Phil Nicholson for never being world number one and never winning a FedEx Cup and never finished in the season, you know, with with I feel like he's never had the money title either to

finish the season. But Phil's consistency since the early nineties is something you can't compare with the Tiger and with an Ernie and with a VJ. It's not what Fils was. So Phil's consistency I feel like bumps him up a little bit in terms of his career. And I feel like Dustin is gonna be the same way. He should be the same way. And while it is quote unquote only two majors, what he has done in his career is as impressive is anybody else that has played since Tiger.

I believe that and I think when you look past some of the obvious things like his how many US opens, how many masters as he wanted open? Has he won a p G, A, no and no? Still he has all these other examples to showcase his career. And so that was my point. I just wanted to bring up a little thing about Dustin. I feel like that was that was what I wanted to say. I just had a couple of points to be made. I feel like we need to focus on those two things I would love.

I love the idea of a five star rating of of events, so you kind of know what you're getting when you go into the event, but who knows if that will happen. That would be awesome. Uh that's that. Let's get to our interview with Dan Rooney. I know you've been thrilled and I'm assuming you have these pinch me moments still despite how you know, known you are and what you've done in your career. You've got a golf course that you had Jack Nicholas help redesign American

Dunes Course in Grand Haven, Michigan. I know you're really really excited. A lot of support goes goes to Folds of Honor, with this project, Jack waived his his design fee. I mean, it's just such a such a blessing to have a friend like Jack Nicholas doing these awesome things in support of what you're doing. Yeah, and that's a

great word. It's a blessing. And again I love tying it back because this is a story in the book and the chapter's force multiply and the concept of force multiply, you know, by the military um perspective is you know, it's one plus one is not equal to right. It's when you can bring a group together that equals much

a much larger sum of impact. And the other part of that so cool in the book is we've talked about before about how often things have to be you know, in the ashes, kind of like The Greatest Showman, one of my favorite movies of all time. My buddies call me that, by the way, the Greatest Showman, because I have to completely destroy things in order for God to build them back up. And this golf course is our family golf course for twenty years. It's where we started

Folds of Honor. But it was on fumes. It was not a good situation, and I went to Jack and proposed this idea of American Dunes to completely reimagine um the old Grand Haven Golf Club which sits in pure sand dunes on Lake Michigan. Unbelievable site. Um. And uh, you know he said yes and waved his three million dollar fee and put together a bunch of my friends and his friends. But has been a total fly into

the wind moment for two and a half years. Um. Massive challenges which again this this linear equation in life. If you want to do something great, just get ready for the suck factor to be crazy high. Right, It just is That is the way life works. And so it to do it with Jack, total pinch me moment um. But you know, day to day raising the money to do this, saying all kinds of challenges along the way.

But it goes back to that concept, right when you fly into the wind, that resistance ultimately allows you to ascend. And we'll open American Dunes on May second, and this place is going to be like nothing that has ever happened in the game of golf, and its mission certainly is to create awareness and raise money for Folds of Honor. The golf that Jack has designed there and the sand dunes is he used the term mystical. Um, it's going to take its place um in in rare air in

the golf rankings. I'm convinced to that. But really the impact of this place is what it stands for. And you'll onboard American Dunes. The only way to get into the site is through the Folds of Honor Memorial and you'll actually walk in the bootprints that are cast in the cement of soldiers who have been killed an action, whose families are Folds of Honor recipients. And that's this big nine foot open air tunnel that tells the story of these families and the significance of this golf course.

And I always use the analogy like when you walk into a church, no one has to tell you to lower your voice. And that is the reverence of what American Dunes in is. And you know, Jack and I would call the church. People come to a church, they make a pilgrimage because it's something they stand for, they

want to be connected to. And there's so many beautiful layers and American Dunes and it's you know, it's a public golf course, um, and we're so excited to you know, do our Hello world with American Dunes in in May of one, and I hope, I hope you will come and join us and uh and see this place next year and get out of the heat there in Arizona

in the summer. I've looked at some pictures online, and you know, everybody that opens a new golf course loves to tout it, as they should, they should be very excited about it. But the pictures of this place, I mean, it looks next level day and this place looks like crazy good. It's it is, it is. I mean, it literally is crazy good. And you know Jack has you know, shared with me it's it's in the you know, in the absolute top sites that he's ever had the opportunity

to be an architect on. And it's and it's really very unjacklike, um, really organic, and it's in the dunes, and um, it is just wildly special. And he is he's just done an incredible job up there. Yeah, it's it's excited to see it. I need to ask about Folds of Honor. I know you've you know, talked a million times about folds. You know, it's something you came up with. It is it is an American story, as I feel like so many American stories are these days.

It's started in a garage. You know, you you you raised a million dollars your first year. You've improved lives and what you're doing. Can you just talk about that story of of you coming up with Folds of Honor and how you came up with it and where it is today in terms of what you guys are doing in two thousand twenty and beyond. Yeah, I mean, folds is It's my essence, right, um, it is. It's my calling from God. I have no doubt and my dream grown up, I'm gonna be a fighter pilot in golf

pro And I had no idea. God was just putting those two things together in a unique way to to open this stilhor called Folds of Honor. And you, I mean you said that we started a vote garage, I mean with nothing thirteen years ago. And our mission I wrote it down and it was to honor the sacrifice by educating the legacy. So translated that scholarships to spouses and children who have had somebody killed or disabled defending

our freedoms. You know, suffices to say, I've I've done three tours of duty in Iraq as an F sixteen pilot and I've seen firsthand and freedom may free UM and UH. I ended up back home actually going to Grand Haven Golf Club which is now American Dunes, and was on a commercial airline flight with Corporal Brad Bucklin who was bringing his identical twin brother, Corporal Brock Bucklin

home and been killed in Iraq. And Brock had a four year old son, and I watched them on the tarmac um that night and literally felt God saying on my shoulder and said, hey, you need to help this this kid. And UM that has turned into now twenty thousand scholarships. We've awarded about a hundred and thirty million dollars and UH in the last thirteen years. And again when we talk about the deepest meaning in life is when something you love can manifest its way and makes

a difference. And that is you know, my relationship with the game of golf and still are by far our biggest national fundraisers Patriot Golf Day over a Memorial Day weekend. We literally have a you know, a couple of million people tee it up. We asked him to donate at least an extra dollar when they play. We'd raised several million dollars thanks or a partnership with PG of America and the U. S g A on on that one. UM.

But it's just it's just an awesome ministry. I mean, it really is taking care of these families, the children

in the spouses. And you know, one thing that we really started to talk about this year that I've never had before, UM, based on you know what's happening in our recipients are minorities, and humble opinion of one with you know, all the racial injustice and inequality in this country, that education is um the only lasting bridge to equality in this country, and Folds is really proud to be doing something that's making a difference, not just you know,

being piste off and angry, uh and doing things that aren't always that productive, but rather investing in the education of minority families so you know they can go live the American dream and contribute. We're going to take a

quick break and be right back. When you first put this together and you're you know, throwing ideas against the wall and trying to come up with ways to raise money and raise awareness, did you ever think golf would play this bigger role in what you're doing, because you already mentioned some of the players that you're good friends with that you know, wear it on their sleeve and and they're they're so proud to be associated with it.

But you know, it's it's Patriot Golf Day, and it's it's these golf courses that donate money and all these players donating their time. Are you surprised how how impactful golf has been in and as you mentioned your ministry here, yeah, I think humbled is the word, right and and it is when you The only explanation for this, right, um, is that you know, when you're on the right path in your life, when you're aligned with where God wants you,

there's extraordinary things that can happen. And this is you know, folds of honor. Is that the perfect terrible if you will, as an example for that. You know, I talk about it in the book, and you know it's a really key step that I challenge people in in the book. Fly into the wind is um. We call it in the Fighter pot World slow down to speed up. In the very first chapter, UM forces people to really look at their lives and be like, hey, am I where I want to be? Am I aligned? With what I

should be doing, UM in my heart. And you know if you are you're not. You feel that unrest, you feel that uneasiness. That's God pushing you in a direction. But you've got to slow down enough and really be intentional about where you want to get to. UM. And then I identify that in your life. And as I said, unpacking, you know the rest of the lines of effort in the book. The thing that I love about the magic in there is they stack on one another to help

you get to that place. UM. But again, so often life just happens, and UM, I'm just you know, when I feel it in my heart, I know where I want to go, and God put folds of honor in my heart. You know, all glory to Him for getting at where it is. UM. But you still, we've been, as we call it in our world, single target track. I mean every day, getting up at seven days a week and getting in the fight on behalf of these families.

I'm gonna end it with a golf question, a topical golf question, Dan, So I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this. There's been one day night, there's been one player that has taken over the PGA Tour in two thousand twenty. I know here, you know I'm talking about here. It's been a guy that has transformed his body and is at a distance and muscle and it's Bryson's shambo.

What is what have your thoughts been watching this transformation of a guy that not only has changed who he is in and around golf, but is now changing the way the best in world approach golf. I mean he's he's literally breaking golf. I think over the last eighteen months, how has it been for you watching what Bryson has been able to do? So it's awesome. So Bryson is a good buddy. Um a little moment of synchronicity that

ties us together. So he won his first professional tournament tournament wearing Volition America, which is you know, the clothing brand that I designed, that Puma make and it gives back to folds. So we were connected there. But to to watch him and I love this is don't be a prisoner of common assumption in your life. And that's that is what I love. His his reckless um attitude toward conventional wisdom. And it is so easy to get boxed in by other people. So easy to get boxed

in by yourself. And when someone comes in and just you know, smashes the glass, um and looks at things completely differently. I mean, it's just so exciting, right, and it transcends golf, right, What a lesson for all of us in every facet of our lives to evaluate what we're doing and what makes sense, what doesn't make sense, and don't be a prisoner of common assumption. Um, go

blaze your own trail. And uh, it has just been awesome to watch him um do that and uh, yeah, he's he's the most creative guy I think to ever you know, play the game of golf. And that's crazy saying it at his young age. What he has done is Uh, there's just nothing short of fantastic. It's awesome for the game, but reminds us all that, you know, the art of the possible is sometimes bigger, almost always bigger than we think it is. Well, Dan, I really

appreciate the time. It was an honor to talk to you. Love the book, excited for it. November that comes out flying to the wind, How to harness faith and fearlessness on your assent to greatness? And to Dan's point in the book, there's greatness in everybody, so everybody can ascend the greatness. That's the key. Don't feel like because you're not Bryson, you can't get there. We can all get there.

It's all in us. And I uh, I pulled a lot from and I thought it was a great read, and it was extremely positive and it opened my eyes just some different thinking that I feel like I'm always looking for. So I urge people grab the book, give it a read. I think you'll be a fan. Thanks Shane. And I would say that the greatest books I've ever read, you take one thing out of it will change your life forever. And I think Flying into the Wind um

will accomplish that for a lot of folks. And uh, yeah, you can you head school, you can get it anywhere books are sold, uh, Sam's and Walmart, um, all the online retailers. And there's also an audio version that that I had a lot of fun reading myself, which I think just adds a whole layer of authenticity to to what the book is. But man, blessed to be on this journey of life with you, and my hope and prayers that Flying to the Wind will help people, UH

find and chase their dreams and uh and get better. Well, Dan, I appreciate it. I think people will really enjoy it. Thanks again for the time, and hopefully I'll see down the road all right saying God bless brother. We're gonna take a quick break and be right back. A big thanks to Dan Rooney for joining, A big thanks to you for listening. Um, I really enjoyed that. He he is. He is an unbelievable guy. He makes me want to

be more positive. I want to be happier. I could be a little more Dan like, is what I gotta say. But enjoy the week. Hope you guys get out and play if the weather is cooperating. I had a friend called me yesterday from the Northeast that said, if it's thirty nine and sunny, is that still golf weather? I said sure. I mean, you know it's up to you, but I feel like there's enough layers that as long as the sun's out and it's not snowing on you, you

you can probably play. So if you can get out, get out, play, enjoy it, and if not, we'll be back next week for another clubhouse. The clubhouse was Shane Bacon as a production of i heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.