BIG SCOTTIE-STYLE
My favorite lineup drop of the year—sorry, Outside Lands.
Hot on the tail of 2022's elegant Japanese feast, Scottie certainly zigged to Hideki's zag with a Tex-Mex inspired spread.
MY LINE BY LINE BREAKDOWN
Appe-teaser #1 - Cheeseburger Sliders
The question on everyone's mind here, what does Scottie-style mean? While most wonder if that means pickles or no pickles, ketchup over mustard. I like to imagine he's referring to the physical way they would be served... Scottie serves his sliders on roller skates.
Appe-teaser #2 - Firecracker Shrimp
Every menu needs a curve ball. And nothing says tex-mex like... sweet thai chili and sriracha? That said, I got to imagine this is in the ballpark of "Bang Bang" shrimp which my old roommate's mother made me try when I visited them in Denver one year—and if so, they slap. So do you, Scottie.
Soup - Tortilla
Got to admit, I hate soup. Just as an entire category of food. I find that I am incapable of eating soup without spilling it on myself in volumes that would rival messes caused by Jack. Piping hot liquid delivered to my tender mouth in a shallow, unruly spoon—hard pass.
Main - Texas Ribeye Steak or Blackened Redfish
Pretty standard but the main really shines when you dive into the sides. Family-style mac and cheese, jalapeno creamed corn, fried brussels sprouts AND seasoned fries. It's basically a bizarro array of Thanksgiving sides and if soup is one of my least favorite categories of food then Thanksgiving sides is probably my favorite category of food. Exceptional execution here by Mr Scheffler.
"Zert" - Warm Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Skillet cookies are probably my second favorite "zert" (thank you Tom Haverford) behind Magnolia Bakery banana pudding. Give me molten dough in a cast iron 10/10 times.
Overall Rating
8.8/10 - I'd say maybe an ounce more of thought into Firecracker shrimp and my own misgivings around soup are the only things holding me back from calling this menu perfect. Is it top of the line classy? No. Does it capture Scottie's essence perfectly? Absolutely. Is it food that I want to be eating every day of my life? Yeah, probably.
BECAUSE I'M PUTTIN' MY U-HAUL IN IT
Fresh off earning his temporary membership to the PGA Tour from Korn Ferry—GOLF.com uncovered an incredible story from one of my favorite under the radar players, 21-year-old Akshay Bhatia.
Apparently, at the 2022 Wichita Open, Bhatia (20 years old at the time) had a mix-up with his rental car and was denied a car because he was underage. Desperate, his girlfriend suggested hitting up U-Haul to rent a truck which, of course, was out of pick-ups and so he rolled up to the course in a straight up moving truck.
Incredible.
Which makes me wonder just how many killer stories happen on the Korn Ferry that we never hear about. These people are GRINDING in some small towns across America, I feel like there has to be gold. Anyone know of any good content spots who focus on the lower tours?
WELP—THEY BOUGHT A COURSE
Hard to believe that just 15 short months ago LinksDAO was founded. For those who don't remember, LinksDAO was the name of the online community of golfers who issued NFTs to raise money for an (at the time) nebulous promise of buying a golf course.
Welp—they bought a course.
While I do claim to have some writing ability and a sense of humor (not a universal sense of humor, not even a great sense of humor, just a singular sense of humor), I do NOT claim to be an expert or visionary. As this news clearly demonstrates.
Yes, LinksDAO bought a mother f&@&^^ golf course called Spey Bay located on the northern coast of Scotland—and if the picture provided by Golf Digest is any indication...it's pretty bada$$.
Purchase price was rumored to be around $900,000 which... considering the San Diego housing market I currently find myself BURIED in... is laughable.
Additional details of the purchase?
- They've already enlisted golf course behemoth Kemper Sports to help develop the property.
- They've engaged several architects for different renovations and routing guidance.
- The course sits on the "traveled golf route between Aberdeen and Inverness."
- Their CEO plans to add another 100,000 members...
And tbh, guys, do we join this thing????
How far I've come.
"You know it takes a big man to admit his mistake, and I am that big man." - Michael Scott
TITLEIST GIVING THE MOST TITLEIST RESPONSE
Like it or not (and I do not), golf social was weirdly obsessed with this golf ball debate that the USGA and R&A stirred up this week on news that they're considering restricting the kind of golf balls that pros can use.
Long story short, they want to start reigning in golf technology because pros are hitting it too far and swinging too fast... for who? I don't really know. They still got to putt for dough, people!
The rumor is that whatever the new golf ball rules they're suggesting will limit the pros with highest swing speeds by about 20 yards. 20. Yards.
I can see requiring pros to use elite level gear because their performance is so far and beyond that they break what's normal.
But I sympathize with the nay-sayers who argue that the reason why golf is so damn awesome is because ultimately, we all can play with the same clubs, on the same course, with the same ball, from the same tee. Where else can you literally replicate the exact conditions that an elite athlete can play in... on a random Saturday?
I don't know, I guess I just shared a rant like people on social media. But for anyone who was considering reading more—don't.
It's a lame debate.
MY WATCHALONG RECAP-APALOOZA
We plow along into the section that readers now praise with quotes like: "where were you one month ago when this series came out?" These are my Full Swing Episode 4 thoughts.
In this week's edition we follow Joel Dahmen and the TLDR here is... THIS IS THE SHOW I'VE WANTED THE WHOLE TIME!!! Impeccable storytelling, revealing BTS content, "golfers they're just like us" moments, and an actual reason to care about the featured golfer.
- As quickly as I was out on Ian Poulter's cold open last week, I was 100% in on Joel's cold open. It left me smiling and craving more Joels and Harry Higgs on the Tour. If the Tour had even a dozen more characters like them I guarantee ratings would skyrocket and popularity would soar.
- Working out in a Pure Jerky swag t-shirt is about as close a metaphor as I can share for my own relationship with proper fitness. I had to Google to make sure Joel wasn't part owner but by all accounts it seems that he just friggin' loves beef jerky. So on brand.
- Watching the Geno-Joel caddie-player relationship was heartwarming, inspirational, and hilarious. If you gave me a dedicated broadcast in which I just get to follow Joel and Geno with full mic access. I would watch that. And I am frantically looking for the next opportunity to follow those guys around Goat Hill down here in Oceanside, CA. Most of the screwing around footage they shared in the episode was from that course—and it's truly the birthplace of vibes. A must-visit for any golfer in San Diego.
- The Claw is the law. Dahmen—huge White Claw guy.
- I don't know if I ever quite internalized the fact that guys like Dahmen have to QUALIFY to play in the US Open. Joel was out in rural Ohio playing alongside local schmos to earn a spot to play. Respect.
- Couldn't help but be super jelly of seeing Dan Rapaport out on the course with Joel during a practice round, getting right up in there and clowning around. Which leads me to a question for really just the team over at Bad Birdie—WHERE MY CREDENTIALS AT??? "Scott, credentials are for journalists." Okay, yeah. But I want 'em.
- I could use a locker room tour video for every single event. Seeing the old school, tarnished green lockers at The Country Club gave me all the feels. And now I need to know what clubs have the coolest, most historic, quirkiest locker rooms.
- I was gushing over the moment before the final round at the US Open where Rahm, Rory and Collin shoot the breeze in the clubhouse. It's the moment I've been craving where we realize that they're literally just dudes.
OVERALL RATING: 10/10 - I asked Joel to save us and he did! Incredible episode that represents the very best of what Full Swing could be. I almost wonder if Season 2 would be better served with more episodes highlighting these mid-tier guys than diving right into all superstars because it seems that most of the top tier are low key boring... and speaking of boring... here comes DJ.
Your homework for this week:
Episode 5
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