Our new Four Peaks collab really threaded the needle on my Venn diagram between my craft beer snobbery and all-out golf enthusiasm. Shout-out to the partnerships, marketing, and merch squads!
Also shout-out to British logician John Venn for laying claim to the name despite over 600 years of history before him of people using overlapping circles to diagram stuff. It's got me wondering what long-standing concept or product I can just lay claim to for no reason.
I love flop shots... could we call 'em Floop shots so they're pronounced like my last name? Eh, I can do better than that, give me some time.
Q School always brings the quirk
AN AMBIDEXTROUS LEGEND EMERGES
Monday Q Info on X is always good for a quirky story or two from the qualifying events.
This story was about some guy who showed up to earn a spot at the Farmers Insurance Open—he played righty and lefty.
The thread only gets better as a PGA Tour Canada pro Will Grimmer was texting live updates from the round.
"In between a righty cut 6 and lefty draw 7. Opted for the 6 and double crossed into the junk... First true mistake of the day."
"On 2 tee, he whipped out the protein shake and said 'well boys, time for the driver juice."
And my favorite exchange to cap the day...
From Bond to Harlan Coben
I'M OFF TO THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE
Golf Digest got me again with their famous people and/or multi-million dollar mansions on golf courses content.
This time it's the former home of James Bond actor Roger Moore which is situated directly on Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club. Going for only 2.6 million USD. In San Diego housing market terms, that's low-key affordable.
Really this speaks to a larger and deeper yearning within me to go disappear into the English countryside. My wife and I binged the latest Harlan Coben show Fool Me Once on Netflix over the weekend—and you have to know there is something special about a place when I can watch three dozen different crime-riddled shows set there... and still feel like it would be the perfect place to live.
It's the ivy-covered everything. It's the half-circle, gravel driveyways. It's the doors that are about a foot too short so you feel like a giant walking around. GIVE ME TOPIARIES!
One day, Scott. One day.
Speaking of not enough money...
JACK'S FIRST PAYCHECK
I'm late on posting this one, so it wasn't ACTUALLY this day in 1962.
However, there are a bunch of things about this post that jumped out to me as interesting and surprising.
First, that pro golfers would actually bring home a physical check, signed by a real human being, and it wasn't some novelty-sized PR stunt or briefcase full of bills on a podium. So imagine, Jack finished this event, changed back into his everyday clothes, came out of the locker room, and some stuffy dude handed him this $33.33 check and said "don't spend it all in once place, my boy."
Second, this may be an embarrassing lack of knowledge on my part, but the check is from the LA Junior Chamber of Commerce?? Governments used to host golf tournaments? I guess, in a way, LIV is basically just the Saudi government—but it's not like they're getting checks from the treasurer of Saudi Arabia, right?
Third, I miss typewriters. Doesn't Jack's name look so nice?
The Pro-Am conundrum
VINCE CARTER? REALLY?
The LPGA season kicks off this week with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Only champions of the last two seasons were invited—and the whole event is a pro-am. So largely just for show here rather than an elite level test of golf.
But I bring this up because ESPN dropped a quote from last year's winner Brooke Henderson about what it's like playing in a pro-am and here's what she said...
"Almost every year I get at least a couple people that I'm pretty nervous on the first tee. But a few years ago I played with Vince Carter and I said to myself, 'If I can play in front of Vince Carter, I can play in front of anybody.' So after that it's been a little bit easier."
Vince Carter?!?! I mean, if I had to squint and make this make sense—Brooke is Canadian which means Vince is likely her version of MJ or Lebron since he was part of those insanely cool Raptors teams when they joined the NBA as an expansion franchise.
And sure, do I have my own super weird list of players that I adored as a kid for no really substantive reasons? Yes. Who's on that list? Damon Stoudamire, Jerry Stackhouse, and Gary Payton (because we shared a birthday). Do I have an ABSURD amount of their basketball cards in my collection? Yes. Do I regret trading away Shaq rookie cards and my beloved 90's Bulls cards to acquire them? Yes.
But if I teed off with Jerry Stackhouse, I don't know if I'd be like damn, now I can do anything!
Side note—they REALLY bury these pro-am leaderboards. Was trying to see who came out firing on day one, and after legit 10 minutes of hardcore Googling I finally found a wonky spreadsheet that revealed...
Annika Sorenstam as the leader after Thursday's action... the legend Annika Sorenstam is competing as a celebrity. lol
Other notables?
Brian Urlacher in the middle of the pack. Go Bears. Draft Caleb. Thank you, Fields.
Brian Baumgartner (Kevin from The Office) about 2/3 of the way down.
Larry the Cable Guy in bottom 10.
And Vince Carter... 0 points and dead last. Though I guess maybe he didn't play but funnier if he just got 0 points in the modified stableford format.
Breakfast Balls Invitational Update
WE HAVE OUR FIELD!
Thank you again to everyone who applied to join our inaugural Breakfast Balls Invitational!
Perhaps it was my own self-consciousness coming into play but we drastically under-booked it seems so if we do more in the future—the message was clear, get some more spots.
In the weeks ahead, I'll be sharing some "get to know you" content around the players coming. And I've got some fun surprises in store for you as readers to still stay involved and maybe win a few prizes too!
Have a Breakfast Balls-worthy tip? Secrets to teaching a toddler to love golf? Want to play some G?
Hit me up! The hot line is always open.
Want to re-heat some leftover Breakfast Balls?
Check out our blog and dig in.
