Punch Fades

I loved watching the Olympic golfing events and discuss how important Rory McIlroy's shift of opinion is for Olympic Golf moving forward is. Going into the event, Rory himself seemed less than thrilled at the prospect of participating in the Games. By the week's end, McIlroy was already looking forward to the opportunity of representing his country and the game of golf in another pursuit of an Olympic Medal at the 2024 Paris games. The game of golf itself must find a way to incentivize the biggest names in the game of golf to buy into the Olympic Games like Rory did. It is a sure-fire way to reach new audiences and celebrate the beautiful game of golf. 

In part two of this episode, I discuss the good fortune I had of golfing with a Financial Planner recently. Over the course of the round, I was able to procure a bit of retirement advice relating to 401(k) accounts. As a younger professional at the start of my career, it was relayed to me that invest in mostly stocks and to do so in a Roth 401(k) account. I am not a financial advisor and would not take this advice as professional opinion, but I did think it may prove of value for me. Just this one brief conversation on a golf course could potentially save me hundreds of thousands of dollars down the road. 

Segment 1 includes Mark defending Cameron Champ's decision to hit driver on the 72nd hole with a two stroke lead. It is more important to stick to one's process when under pressure than anything else. Keep playing to win instead of playing not to lose. 

Segment 2 outlines a key takeaway Mark noticed from playing a round of golf recently with his brother. What one's swing looks like really doesn't matter as long as the results are efficient and consistent. There are no pictures on the scorecard and there is no perfect way to swing a golf club. We all need to embrace our own unique swings and stick with works for us.

Louis Oosthuizen suffered a heartbreaking defeat, but is still an amazing golfer and will win a major one day soon. Jordan Spieth continues his hot streak and should be considered back amongst the world's elite if there were still any doubts. Collin Morikawa wins his second major in impressive fashion and is one of the game's biggest stars. We all need to appreciate these young, historic talents for their greatness without comparing them to Tiger Woods. Tiger is the greatest of all time and no one will replicate his success. We should stop forcing comparisons on young stars and instead simply appreciate them for the great talents that they are. 

Lucas Glover wins his first event in over a decade! Golfing in the rain without gloves on might have been his most impressive accomplishment. Why is arm lock putting considered legal by golf's governing bodies? Can we make lift, clean, and place in your own fairways a permanent rule?

Cam Davis' finish in Detroit highlights the importance of living in the moment. 

Mark shares a few of his favorite takeaways from this past weekend's US Open. Yes, Oosthuizen came up short again in a major, but he has still achieved so much over the last ten years. Jon Rahm recovers from COVID and wins his first major. What a great story and a clutch ending for one of the games' biggest stars first major championship. After seeing so many players succeed from sand bunkers during the US Open, Mark explains why they are really stupid for golf nowadays. He also advocates for making major championships longer than the traditional 4-round tournament. 

Mark outlines the various collapses at Congaree that made way for the breakthrough Garrick Higgo win in the Palmetto Championship, the super interesting and entertaining Scandinavian Mixed event Hosted by Henrik and Annika on the European Tour. The episode ends with Mark's pick for the upcoming US Open this week.

Listen along as Mark discusses a few of the major headlines from the Memorial Tournament and the Women's US Open from this past weekend. Patrick Cantlay's uncanny ability to avoid bogeys sets his game apart from the rest. Can we make the Memorial Tournament's trophy better? Mark discusses a potential proposal. Why don't we putt with a glove on? Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, and Lexi Thompson all did/do it. 

Listen along as Mark outlines his favorite takeaways from this weekend's action in the world of professional golf. He touches on what stood out most to him during the four various tournaments listed above. Wow, what a weekend of golf it was. 

Mark discusses his thoughts on the PGA Championship, Phil's place in history, and some of his favorite self-help tips from Phil's post round interviews.