Iss. #308 | Win... or Join the Military

"I just played some golf out there, wanna talk about that?" - Scottie Scheffler getting a little testy after a post-round interview from last Sunday's Presidents Cup finale... or me returning home after playing golf and responding to my son Jack immediately asking me to build Pokemon Legos with him.

There are stakes and then there was Tom Kim at the Asian Games

WIN... OR JOIN THE MILITARY

Tom Kim had plenty on the line this weekend at the Asian Games. Tom left straight from Medinah last week to Japan where he competed for what would be his last chance to gain an exemption from serving in the Korean military.

Korea requires men under 28 to serve between 18 and 21 months of military service but they reward Asian Games gold medals and any Olympic medals with an exemption. Though apparently they still have to do basic training for about a month. (Which, at that point, becomes more of an intense weight loss/fitness camp when you know you get to leave at the end and go home.)

We've seen a few Korean golfers go through similar trajectories with 16-time winner Sangmoon Bae being the cautionary tale as he served his full term before returning to competitive play—only to completely lose his mojo and he was never the same.

Good news for Tom Kim is that he took home the gold on Saturday and officially earned the exemption.

Fitzpatrick's Pen Pal

NEW WIN... WHO DIS?

This exchange went viral this week as Tom Egbers on X revealed he's been texting Matt Fitzpatrick every time he wins. Except, Matt has no idea who Tom is.

In itself the story was plenty amusing and it definitely got me wondering if it's worth attempting this myself—as I still have a boatload of famous/quasi famous actors, directors and writers phone numbers and emails from when I worked in entertainment who surely would have no idea who I was. But also... could never do it. Too much secondhand guilt. (Also, don't hack me please.)

But the story continued as reporters asked Matt this week on the DP World Tour about the exchange. Matt said he was always polite to him because he just assumed it was some technologically challenged old timer from his club.

RGC's New Project Is FIRE

READY TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE?

Fresh off the Mad Scramble Tour—cough, and we're a co-sponsor—Random Golf Club is back with an absolute heater of a news drop.

RGC Adventures is what they're calling their new series of destination golf trips that truly span the globe. The first wave that still have spots available include Argentina, Vietnam, Ireland, and South Africa. The courses look insane, the pace of play is steady, and the accommodations also look pretty elite. (For instance, Marine & Lawn hotels throughout the Ireland trip. A company that specializes in the vibiest, old world golf hotels in the region.)

For any golf sicko, this looks VERY intriguing and can't wait to hear how these go. That said, as a co-sponsor, perhaps this is worth a call to HQ to see if perhaps we need a little boots on the ground reporting from the event... 

Slow Play? Not Here.

CARROT OR STICK?

One of the most fundamental debates and pet peeves of golfers everywhere is how to solve slow play.

It's been my experience that slow play was always treated with the "stick" approach... aka the course marshal rolling up in the fairway with a cigarette dangling from their mouth just as you're about to tee off. They slow to a stop under a shady tree and stare as you tee off. Silently judging. And if you're me, they get about a 33% chance of seeing a cold top or pull hook into the neighboring hazard or neighborhood. Then you sheepishly drive up to your ball as they take one last drag and hit you with a "you know, you're about 3/4 of a hole behind pace right now. Let's play ready golf ok?" And before you have a chance to tell him that you waited on that same group just one hole prior... he's gone. Job complete.

Well, it seems that the "carrot" has made an appearance. Because this. is. genius. Not sure what club this is, but the cheap lunch and free beer incentive is an absolute master class in catching more flies with honey. Kudos.