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Episode 58 - Masters Advice
25 Plays7 months ago
Cal and Monty dissect the week so far at Augusta, the main chances, Tiger Woods, Japanese cuisine and even look forward to their own big week of golf that follows the Masters. Enjoy!
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Transcript
Podcast Hiatus and AC's Absence
00:00:05
Speaker
That's your home
00:00:15
Speaker
podcast. We appreciate you tuning in even after a week's hiatus and the great man AC is taking a weak breather, you know, couldn't line up with the Australian daylight savings time. So I've had to call in the big guns. The skippers are going at it.
Monty's Return and Personal Focus
00:00:31
Speaker
Monty, welcome back to the Off The Tips podcast. It's been a while since you jumped on. How's everything been going?
00:00:38
Speaker
Hey mate, good to be back. Yeah, morale's good. Ticking over as per, we got the main event next week. So, you know, my life is orientated principally around that at this point in time. Nutrition, exercise, golf, that's where my head's at and we're in a good shape.
Masters Week: Early Memories and Significance
00:01:00
Speaker
The big event Monty's discussing is the Hillary Cup, which is, you know, it's,
00:01:07
Speaker
The Masters is the on trade at the main event next week, so to say. We'll be reunited in person next week. Maybe we can bring the mics down to Rotorua and rip in for a pod. But mate, we'll talk about the main event next week, but it's a great week, Masters week. Just tell the listeners, you know, your early memories of Masters week growing up and why you've grown to love it.
00:01:36
Speaker
Yeah mate, pretty special obviously. I think for me, Bubba Watson in 2012 would be the main memory, early memory, and from there it's just sort of snowballed. Yeah, his win in 2012 and that playoff is where it all started.
00:01:59
Speaker
and you know for me it's very much alongside the British Open. I find it quite hard to split the two but plenty of good memories and it's always so nice watching the event when you have such in-depth knowledge of each whole and the history and behind it as opposed to the other majors where it's you know a bit more mix and match so pretty excited.
Reminiscing Memorable Golf Shots and Players
00:02:24
Speaker
I mean you know it's yeah
00:02:29
Speaker
Yeah, there's all sorts of questions around the Love Boys. But I think they should step up. It should be recently competitive. What about you? It was interesting to say, Baba, because I was scrolling my Facebook memories this morning and just 2012, I posted a status out of 14. And it just said Baba with a love heart, but not like an emoji love heart. I don't think the emojis were
00:02:59
Speaker
were a thing in 2012 just the old you know the the triangle and the three uh so i must have been pretty pretty impressed by that shot out of the trees uh 12 years ago today he's been going down here in your ranks ever since yeah i did i did message you on ac this morning saying with a screenshot of it saying jeez that's a
00:03:23
Speaker
That's a poor take upon reflection. Not a big bubba guy anymore, but you can always appreciate that shot that he hit in that playoff. In terms of great golf shots ever hit, that's got to be in the grand final for maybe best ever.
00:03:40
Speaker
The other one is, is the man who gets a lot of air time and unfortunately won't be turning up this year is the big Argentine, the big, the big made out of, out of Argentina and how Cabrera, um, yeah, oddly, you know, he's a guy that, that comes to mind given his, his pedigree at the event. Um, yeah, those, those two in Adam Scott and Tiger in 2019 are the ones that comes to me.
00:04:10
Speaker
That's fairly similar memories to me. On my first year living in the UK, well, when I did a stint playing cricket over in the UK was, I remember, you know,
00:04:22
Speaker
Sunday night when Danny Willett was in the hunt and and ultimately ended up winning that was pretty um kind of epic scenes being in the pub and uh in my local village pub when when Danny Danny Willett saluted so you know yeah plenty I'd say I was um I wasn't long 18 and it was just it was the place to be but um we could go on and on about our memories of
00:04:47
Speaker
the great magnolia lane in augusta national but we we should probably just rip in and talk about some golf but uh mate look we we'll talk about the big three contenders first you know uh john ram, Rory Mceroy and um Scotty Shepflade I'll point blank mate is is anyone
00:05:08
Speaker
going to beat Scotty Sheffler this week or is it a wild horse race like, you know, some blokes online are saying. You'd think he's at Winx odds. Yeah.
Assessing Scottie Scheffler's Masters Chances
00:05:21
Speaker
Bye.
00:05:22
Speaker
I mean, even since his hot streak started, yes, a couple of years ago now, he's only won around 20% of the time. Like, although his numbers have been outrageously good, you know, 80% of the time someone else is lifting the trophy, it's hard to go past him.
00:05:40
Speaker
You know, seven of the last nine Masters winners has been in the top six and approach play. And he's, he's a lead at Augusta in the last three years in approach play. He's led on tour. Oh yeah, the last few years and this year. So, you know, it's, it's pretty hard to go past him when you consider those stroke scanned approach numbers. Yeah. When looking at past champions and what he's, he's delivering out, but
00:06:11
Speaker
You know, it's, it comes down to the putter obviously. Um, and yeah, I would, yeah, he's, he's obviously a clear favorite. It's hard to see his ball striking a baiting. Um, but it'll be, it'll be a tight tussle nonetheless. Could you take him at $4 50? Yeah. I mean, in, in my view, like if you think he's going to win, it doesn't matter what price he's at, like $4 50. If you're that confident, I'd just, I'd ride him home.
00:06:41
Speaker
Fair enough.
John Rahm at the Masters: Potential and Challenges
00:06:43
Speaker
And like I said, I mean, like I said, you have to hit the hell out of it or Augusta, right? And his iron play and ball striking is just, you know, off the charts. And Augusta Willy Z over the last few years is the only guy that comes even close really from a stroke gain point of view. We can probably talk about him later.
00:07:12
Speaker
But yeah, the models suggest he'll get up, but also. Yeah, I tend to agree. It's hard to look past him, but I still think even though that putter's got better, I said this the other week, when it comes to the crunch time and he's sweating over a shorter one that he has to make, it might be a little bit different. And I don't think by any means he's going to run away with it.
00:07:43
Speaker
in the final three groups on Sunday, I'd be very surprised if he isn't, but, um, you know, there's plenty of guys that can, can win it, but yeah, like, like you said, he's deservingly the, the odds on favorite going in to this week, isn't he? And thoughts on the defending champion, you know, he hasn't won an individual, John Rahm, that is, hasn't won an event, an individual event, uh, in,
00:08:16
Speaker
And he's gone to live, there's been a speculation on how he's gonna come back. I'm a firm believer that he might have a bit of a chip on his shoulder when he comes back to Augusta. And you might see the big fella stomping down those fairways. Yeah, I mean, I'd be surprised like Scotty if he's not in the last few groups on Sunday. I mean, you can't tell me that a guy who was playing in the Ryder Cup less than six months ago
00:08:35
Speaker
12 months.
00:08:44
Speaker
and has still been playing competitive golf is not going to be, you know, near as near as a game. You know, he's got that that sort of emotional factor that you allude to. You know, he'll be he'll be stomping close and he's unlike Scotty. He's got that. He's got that dog in him. So, you know, in terms of closing events with a bit of gusto. So, I mean, for me,
00:09:14
Speaker
He's not getting quite the press that he probably deserves. It's so easy for us just to sit there and go, oh, he went to live, write him off. But we've already seen that there's just not an educated take based off what some of the boys delivered up last year, and he'll be right alongside them.
00:09:39
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, it's,
Rory McIlroy's Career Grand Slam Prospects
00:09:41
Speaker
it's just hard to know when you just haven't really seen him playing golf week and week out, unless you've been over here turning into the channel seven coverage or, but like it's, it's hard to know what he's really doing. Like it's not like he's been, like you've seen the scores and it's like, it's been respectable pretty much every time he's turned out. But, um, now I just, but yeah, it's just hard to know what to expect from him.
00:10:08
Speaker
But like you said, it's creative. Yeah, I mean, 50 years ago, going into majors, people had no idea because there's no coverage and no, you know what I mean? There was coverage, like you'd see the scores in the paper.
00:10:28
Speaker
Yeah, but I just think, I don't know, I just, I can't wrap my head around how world number one probably four months ago is not going to be right up there. Yeah. Like, yeah, he's, he's definitely, well, he's all, he's still one of the top kind of five picks in the bookies. Odds. So like, you know, even his mantra, even his mantra when he was leaving live, like it was, it was still a,
00:10:58
Speaker
a frustrating tone with some of the shit he said wearing his jacket with David Farity and stuff, but like it was a bit more genuine, I guess. Like he's too young and too hungry, you know, to just do like what DJ's done as an example, you know, it's a different mantra. Yeah, well, time will tell and, you know, hopefully
00:11:26
Speaker
Hopefully he contends because that'll be a great storyline, especially if he's coming against the other big three. But the
Form Analysis: Masters Contenders
00:11:33
Speaker
last of those big three, like we're talking about the Melbourne Storm and the Golden Arrow, but Rory, a decent finish last week at the Valero, Texas Open, outright third, obviously a lot of shots back from the blokes that were in the playoff.
00:11:53
Speaker
Man, at 10 bucks this week, he's pretty hard to get around. What are your thoughts on what we're going to expect for Rory when he goes for the career slam this week? Yeah, it's hard to have a strong gear, right? It's been a bit volatile this year.
00:12:10
Speaker
hasn't, hasn't shown much, I concur that, you know, I'd say Scotty at 450 is better than Rory at 10. I frankly, like, if you do, you know, value or risk adjusted returns. I don't know, I just, I helpful that he's obviously flying under the radar slightly. I just, I just think if you look at what
00:12:38
Speaker
sort of past champions of the Masters, sort of the peaking narrative through history. There's definitely been a pretty decent element of that. And although we finished OK last week, I don't think there's enough there to really latch on to. I'd take other guys personally. They're better odds.
00:13:02
Speaker
He's had a few swing demons, hasn't he? You know, he went and saw Bochama last week to try and get his, his swing in order. And to be fair, it instantly looked better. He's got a bit of an interesting pre-shot routine, which, you know, with the kind of the pure way Rory goes into hit the golf ball looks a little bit unnatural to me. I think that's more just a,
00:13:27
Speaker
a thing that you're not used to. But look, yeah, always going to be talked about when he arrives at Augusta. It's always going to be a huge story as it's the only one he hasn't won. And he hasn't won one for a long time. Is this the week that he does it? Look, it's hard to say that it would be. But it's the first week in a while, though, that I can recall that, you know, ourselves, but also just like the broader golf world.
00:13:57
Speaker
just pretty hum high, you know, and that's, that's, that's, that's a favorable setup for him. Yeah. You know, even when he's been oscillating through the year's average form, you know, everyone's just talked him up a bit more, but it's just, yeah, this is a bit more of an outlier. I know we're only really in the week, but yeah.
00:14:20
Speaker
I think it's not just that outside noise that must be getting to him. It's the inside noise too, the head noise, if you will, when he arrives at this place. He can say it isn't all he wants, but man, it's got to be weighing on him a little bit. Not just the master's thing, but the fact that he's had so many close calls at these things in the last decade and hasn't been able to do it.
00:14:49
Speaker
Monty, I want to kind of discuss a couple of guys that, that I think are going to be, and AC's passed these on, passed on as regards, if you will, about a couple of these guys that are really trending in the right direction. Hideki Matsuyama, Wills Alturas, as you said before, and Xander Schofle, who is ranked number two on data golf this year. Those are three guys that are,
00:15:17
Speaker
you know, I'd be surprised if one of those guys isn't in the top three. I really would. If I was picking a top five, you'd go Scottie those three and probably Rahm in
00:15:35
Speaker
Lowry's and other guys come to my mind, but we can talk about him soon. I mean, Xander, as you mentioned, started the year strongly. He was tied second to the players. A number of other good finishes. Good Masters record, T3, T2, T10, over the last few years. Nothing's really moving around in his numbers. Just looks extremely solid, sustainable numbers.
00:16:04
Speaker
that he's been delivering for a long time and he gets a lot of flack for his, you know, he just, he just hasn't won, right? So, but he's, he, won never really chokes. Like, I think you've got to give him credit for that. Like, he hasn't actually,
00:16:23
Speaker
floundered in big moments and big tournaments really. He just sort of turned up and hasn't quite had his best stuff and other guys around him have played quite well. So I don't think you'll have that massive head noise per se. And, you know, he's too good of a player not to not to tick one of these off at some point, reasonably so and so. Good comms, you know, very, very sound, betting advice, I think.
00:16:52
Speaker
And similarly with Hideki, like if I talk about peaking, you know, obviously important last four starts is one tied 12th, tied 6th and tied 7th. Obviously a previous winner, but also other good finishes at Augusta around it. Off the tee looks to be improving this year, which is obviously helpful around Augusta. He's never been a great putter.
00:17:21
Speaker
But even when he won the Masters, he didn't put amazingly well that year. So he just needs to roll the rock. Okay. And, you know, I think, you know, he's, he's a guy that it's, it's jumping off the page too. Yeah. I tend to agree on Hideki and our weekly punts this week. I think I'm going to put, I'm going to go all in on Scotty, but man, I, on my own.
00:17:49
Speaker
On my own account, I think I'm going to have a dip at Hideki as well because, man, I just, like you said, it's just all trending towards something special at Augusta, especially after the tricky year he had last year, a lot of injuries. I just think, man, he can produce something special this weekend. And I'd love to see it. I love it when an international, you know, gets the job done and follows the trend. I want to see that bow again, right?
00:18:17
Speaker
Oh, I'd love to see the Caddy Bao. Yeah, so special. And I'd love to see some more Japanese cuisine on the Champions Dinner menu. I've got a new affiliation for Japanese cuisine, Monty. I went to a bottomless brunch at a very nice Japanese restaurant. And God, I like my Japanese cuisine knowledge. I'm going on a tangent here, but it wasn't probably up to where it should be. You know, it was pretty much
00:18:47
Speaker
Westernized sushi, and that was about it. But mate, I couldn't be more of a fan of the cuisine. I'd love to see Hideki's next menu, because after one stint at a nice Japanese restaurant, I'd say I'm somewhat of a connoisseur. There I go, chicken. Is that Japanese? I know.
00:19:15
Speaker
A big karago fan here. Well who isn't really? Maybe we can go over our champions dinner menus off the cuff later but we'll keep talking about the golf for a bit.
Top Picks for the Masters
00:19:32
Speaker
Willie Z as you established before has got a phenomenal record around there and he's starting to play some better golf. Another guy with a long injury layoff.
00:19:43
Speaker
AC probably wants us to talk about him a bit more, but what more is there to say? Like he's... Yeah, not a lot. He's played... He's primed. Yeah, he's played with Augusta twice, T6 on a solo second. Like, Dada Gull's done some great stuff when you look at...
00:19:59
Speaker
uh performances and majors versus non-majors and yeah he's he's off the charts you know basically best all time um well he's had a tough couple of stats like more recently missed cut and tied 70 something but before that he was obviously for that yeah he was like he's shown he's shown signs this this season because you know when he first came back jeez it was it was a little bit bleak uh as you can probably imagine it would be when you
00:20:29
Speaker
you know, you haven't been in the cauldron for a long time and you've been worried about that dicey back, you can get a bit nervous. The putt is always going to be a topic of discussion for Welly Z. Yeah, that hasn't really changed, like putting numbers still look
00:20:45
Speaker
average but the balls like if you look at the new this old Willy's a nothing's really changed like the ball striking still off the charts putting putting numbers is yeah yeah still average but when I go back to before talking about like the importance of
00:21:03
Speaker
the approach game like he he is you know alongside Scotty like if you look at Augusta last three years stroke game approach Willie Z's number one Scotty's number two and you know he if I had to pick if I had to rank those if you'd direct those three guys Hideki Zander Willie Z this week how would you? I'll go three to one I'd go Willie Z three
00:21:32
Speaker
Uh, I just, I'm just worried about his, you know, ability to win. Uh, you know, he's gotten close and had some really good finishes, not just at majors, but in regular PGA tour events, but can't win. And then on the other hand, you've got Xander who.
00:21:52
Speaker
has won a fair chunk on the PGA. So it hasn't overlaid for a long time, but it's a perennial top 10 contender and a guy that has underachieved at the majors. So he'd
Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka's Impact
00:22:05
Speaker
be my number two just purely because I think if he gets in position again to win now, I think he's going to be
00:22:17
Speaker
better equipped than he has been in the past. I just think he's a bit more mature. I think he's kind of moved on from the, the J my hand kind of debacle and look, and you know, yeah, we might. No, I just, I, I just like what I've seen from him this year. That's to put it simply afterwards. I actually think he'd be a lot of fun.
00:22:46
Speaker
I think he's a misunderstood character, to be honest. I think he'd rip into it. And then Hideki would be my number one. I just think he's genuinely world-class at the moment. And if Scotty doesn't win this week, I think Hideki will personally. Yeah. No, that's fair. I was just going to say, another guy I've mentioned is Shane Lowry in this sort of quality
00:23:17
Speaker
Bucket has been playing all right this year, like he's got a few decent finishes. And his more recent stats at Augusta have been quite good. He's got a T3 there back in 2022. And he's number two in short gain approach this year as well. So yeah, he's not quite in that same echelon, but he's sort of sniffing around a little bit more than he has. And, you know, has, has, um,
00:23:44
Speaker
Yeah, obviously done well and majors in the past. He's a major champion, isn't he? And so that puts you in pretty good stead. Yeah, I don't really have a take machine, Larry, but apart from I'd love to see him.
00:23:58
Speaker
Love to see him win one of these one day. It'd be great. He's, he's a tremendous fella.
Tiger Woods' Performance Speculation
00:24:03
Speaker
And I think it's just half of the course that this guy's flown under the radar and we haven't spoken about him yet. This is Brooks Kepka, like fuck. He's won five majors and won one last year. And his name hasn't even come up in conversation with us yet. And like, that's, you know, that's the way he likes it. He feeds off that sort of shit, but man,
00:24:27
Speaker
Fuck you. Like, wouldn't surprise me in the absolute slightest of peak and tens and what do you, what do you say? Nothing to say apart from just reiterate my rhyme comments, right? He'll be there, mate. He'll be there. He'll be there. He'll certainly be there or thereabouts. And man, like if it's close, if it's close on Sunday between a guy like him and Scotty, like I'm putting my eggs in the Brooks basket and that guy just
00:24:57
Speaker
doesn't make mistakes on Sunday. Last year's slight struggles on that last day, I don't think that'll carry with him. Not at all. He's got enough time in this game. Not at all. Before we move into some more lighthearted stuff, Tiger. He's been on the ground for a few days now.
00:25:22
Speaker
as are the comms whenever he tees it up nowadays. We're talking about how he's walking and well, he's E-TOL pressed today that he's walking good. He out drove him a few times. What do you think? Do you think it's going to be just an immediate beat up up until he tees off as it always is? And do you think he's going to play the weekend? Well, I like,
00:25:50
Speaker
I don't mind the media coverage, like sort of today for the next couple of days. But once, once we tee off, like, just, just bin it off if he's not there. I just get sick of it. But I think you'll play the weekend. Like, you know, he's just got such, you know, deep institutional knowledge. He's, yeah, I don't know. I've, I don't know what he's playing to make the cap, but it's, it's
00:26:20
Speaker
Hasn't, hasn't missed the cut there since 1996. Yeah, that's all right. I don't know. Obviously missed a few events through the mid 2000s, but like whenever he's teetered up, he's made the cut.
00:26:38
Speaker
Yeah, I think we're going to be pleasantly surprised by what we see with Tiger this week. I think definitely makes the cut. Like I'm not saying pleasantly surprised by like 2019 sort of areas. I think, but I think a top 25 is not out of the realm of possibility this week for Tiger. I think, I think we'll see him kind of in that 20 to 35 mark and man, like you give
00:27:04
Speaker
be pretty proud of that. There's going to be a lot of guys that play a whole heap more than him and do a whole heap more work that don't get near him. And I suppose that shows his class and like, whenever you put a peg in the ground on a Thursday in Augusta, you're always a chance, aren't you? And he more so than a few others. So I'm looking forward to watching him play and hopefully watching him stay healthy for fucking just four days.
Tiger Woods' 2019 Masters Victory Emotions
00:27:33
Speaker
Would you rather tiger or roaring? Ah, that's a tough one. If you'd probably asked me three, three or so years ago to sit tiger. Um, I'm really, I probably still know now if that coming down the stretch together, I like, I don't know. I don't know where my heart would lie. Like I'd, I'd probably,
00:28:01
Speaker
Say Tiger, I just think. I actually agree. I love Rory, but fuck. And if I added Foxy into that, I'd probably still go Tiger too. With all your respect, I don't think you're going to have to add Foxy into that at the moment. Just not playing well. And man, I'd love to be proved wrong, but just doesn't have it at the moment, does he? But yeah, mate, just going back to 2019, that was like
00:28:31
Speaker
the most like adrenaline I felt kind of watching a sporting event maybe apart from those closing overs of the um 29 anchor we woke up like or maybe maybe when I was a kid the 2011 rugby woke up but like that that just
00:28:48
Speaker
Like from midnight till six in the morning, like just did not miss a golf shot. Like fuck, it was just one of the best nights of my life. I reckon just parked up, just living and dying by every shot. And I just don't reckon like to go back to my question, I don't think any player, I could get that feeling
Joaquin Nieman: A Potential Contender?
00:29:09
Speaker
and that answers it. I just, I could be cool.
00:29:13
Speaker
Yeah. Right. Mate, it's good to see. Cause then he's got 16 and it's like, then you start going, Oh, you know, like, like he just keeps fucking pitching one of these things. I don't care. Like, it's like 18. Yeah. Um, no, as we, as anything else, any, any course chat for you, any, any other players of note or probably the one,
00:29:40
Speaker
The one other guy I'm throwing, which is a bit left out, is Joaquin Nieman. Yeah. Like has done well there in the past, obviously has sort of been quite proactive where he can and playing on other tours and being present around the world and doing
00:29:59
Speaker
pretty well. Like he's a guy I would probably, you know, I don't have a lot of hard numbers in behind it, but he's just, I think one to watch. And similar thesis on the chip on the shoulder. He's been pretty outspoken actually more recently around the whole OWGR setup and the like. He's probably one other guy that I thought of. Yeah.
00:30:28
Speaker
That's a fair take. And yeah, I tend to agree. I got to watch him live last year. And man, it was like he was hitting the golf ball different to the guys he was playing with, man. It was fucking impressive. So yeah, I'd actually love to see Jacque win in the mix as well. But mate, we'll move on from the player stuff, the course stuff.
Augusta National Merchandise Enthusiasm
00:30:54
Speaker
Just want to know, like, if you were at Augusta, how much you reckon you'd drop in the merch tent? Oh, fuck. I reckon I'd be good for, you know, a buckethead, a cap, three polos, a few posters, a few markers, a few teas. I reckon I'd be... Pushing four figures.
00:31:21
Speaker
Yeah, money holds no constraints in that situation, I reckon. Yeah, I reckon. I just like fucking hell. Once in your life. Exactly. I'm in the same boat. I'm pretty sure they used to say the master's ballot was like one in every 10 years that you get in, but that can only be stretched way more now. Like just load up. Yeah. Do you put your name in the ballot every year? Yeah. Few, obviously a few in it. No goods, but we'll get there.
00:31:51
Speaker
Yeah, just keep trying. Anyone from work heading up there? Nah, we've got a guide on columns from on the ground, which is great. You get those come through and you're jealous, but hopefully they pull some strings and send us up there one day. It'd be obviously a dream to cover one of those.
00:32:18
Speaker
I'd imagine it would just be chaos, but in a great way. Any parting words on the Masters chat? I think before we move, well, before we wrap up the pod, it'd be remiss of us to, you know, not talk about what's upcoming in the week ahead, but any parting words on the Masters? No, nothing to add apart from obviously, call yourself to the TV.
00:32:49
Speaker
Yeah, you know, it's the greatest week and it's how a lot of people get started with the game, you know, watching the Masters. So if you're out there and you've got young kids that are keen to get into golf, just get them up in the morning, make them a hot milo and some toast and tuck them under your wing and get them loving the greatest game of all. That's my parting words on the Masters because there's some lasting memories to be created watching. Inspirational.
Hillary Cup Preparations and Strategies
00:33:17
Speaker
watching Gulf of Augusta National but hey there's also some great memories to be created in the great city of Rotorua next week when the Hillary Cup, the third instalment gets underway. Monty I'm sitting across from you and I've never tasted success at a Hillary Cup and with the Masters on maybe this could double as what does it take to win a Hillary Cup and if we've got any you know
00:33:46
Speaker
guys that are listening from the Augusta accommodation, maybe they can take this on board before they tear it up this week.
00:33:59
Speaker
I would suggest that time spent up after midnight has reasonably strong correlation to success. So, you know, that's been one key ingredient for the re-team of late. I think, you know, just general cohesion within the team network has been a
00:34:23
Speaker
a core strength. Yeah, the lads have stuck beside each other and not taking things too seriously. It's an easy one. Just embrace the off-field and the on-field will take care of itself. It's that easy. We're process-orientated troops, man. We just do what we can with it.
00:34:49
Speaker
with a sherbet in our right hand and it sort of, you know, does the job on the course. Well, how do you think? Which I don't know how that works in Alaska National, but. Well, look, hopefully jet lag doesn't get me this year because like coming over and I was just the, you know, the inspirational captain who just proceeded to, you know,
00:35:16
Speaker
be in the grand final for LVP last year and was probably very lucky to not get that accolade. What was changed this year? How has this been turned around? Well, I just think every time.
00:35:34
Speaker
time I've picked up a golf club more before this year's one, which is great. I've probably played, you know, like, although the official rounds I've had in the last year are zero, I've played it. I have played a few and look, I went down and did some short game work. I've been in, it's called Blue Skipper Bootcamp. It's just a one man
00:35:59
Speaker
One man band is pretty much wake up, get after it, gym, you know, a lot of water on board and then you're down at the local golf club, short game only, just really hone your craft there. The ball striking will come. So look, it's been a little bit of that. Like I've been really working hard on the game.
00:36:21
Speaker
And I'm going to have probably 72 holes in New Zealand before the Hillary. And look, I think that's all I'll need.
00:36:31
Speaker
I'm very quietly confident this year, you know, we've added some very good firepower that I'm happy with that, you know, as much as I'm upset to see one of my blue members, you know, not participate this year, he was the LVP and, you know, his name was up for debate whether he came along as a non-playing assistant captain this year. That was discussed on the blue side hierarchy and
00:37:01
Speaker
our hands were forced to pick someone else due to unforeseen circumstances. So look, I'm pretty happy with where we're at.
Podcast Sign-Off and Future Plans
00:37:11
Speaker
And yeah, like I said, it's all Stations to Rotorua at a few venues that will, I think, suit us down to the ground. And your fellow team members, they're all there in similar shape. Just chomping at the bit, games at peak levels.
00:37:30
Speaker
Yeah, well, as you said, Bill, who has hosted this podcast before, he is in great, great form. He's hitting the ball really well. And Simon, who's coming in from Christchurch, you know, he's got international experience in another sport. And like, so that's, he's playing in front of blockbuster crowds in the international hockey arena.
00:37:55
Speaker
And then we've got what, Zachy Gibson, he's coming back after a long injury layoff. He, I'm not so sure about, but look, I'll drag him out for a few holes before we head to Rota Rua. And, you know, it's a couple of courses that I've played well around before personally. And if I'm playing well around them, I think my teammates probably can do. And you're confident and
00:38:21
Speaker
cumulative time that can be spent after midnight? Yeah, look, that was, I won't beat around the bush. That was disgraceful last year. There was, there was a couple of guys that really let me down in that front. Um, and look, I thought I was leading from, from example, by example, I should say when, when it came to that, and, um, I was struggling to get, uh, boys in blue to go with me. So,
00:38:52
Speaker
In short Monty, I'm BlueDDD and we're gonna get the job done in Rotorua this weekend and I can't wait to be doing a podcast with you in person but mate, I see you're still at work even though you've got an Augusta background going on. I'll let you get home. All the best and cheers for tuning in guys. I wouldn't blame you if you skip past that last six minutes but
00:39:40
Speaker
Cheers for tuning in and hopefully Monty and I are doing a podcast in person.