Justin Thomas on Scottie Scheffler’s dominance + Pine Valley trip recap

It’s a TSS Double Feature! First, Smylie Kaufman is joined by Justin Thomas – ahead of their trip to Pine Valley – to discuss his recent caddie change, Scottie Scheffler’s dominance, and looking forward to the PGA Championship in his hometown of Louisville at Valhalla. Then, Smylie joins Charlie Hulme from the Philadelphia airport to recap the PV trip – starting with Rickie Fowler’s ace at the third hole!

02:43 Welcome back to Justin Thomas, our first recurring guest!
03:25 Justin tells a great Kevin Kisner story from this past weekend in Hilton Head
07:59 JT & SK preview the Pine Valley trip they’re about to embark on
10:12 Justin discusses his first few weeks with Matt Minister as his new caddie
11:25 JT discusses the mental hurdles he’s faced this year
13:22 What is Justin working on right now
15:52 Does JT leaderboard watch during tournaments?
17:53 Discussing Scottie Scheffler’s consistency off the tee
19:10 Emphasis on putting work the past few years
20:21 Competing with Scottie Scheffler + the art of winning
25:38 Playing the PGA Championship at home in Louisville
27:02 Impressions of Valhalla ahead of PGA Championship
28:27 What would JT say is his most impressive win?
30:45 Which event will Justin play next?

#justinthomas #scottiescheffler #pgatour #pinevalley #golf #progolf #progolfer #golftrip #pgachampionship #valhalla #louisville #kevinkisner

[Music]
H Smiley caufman for
61 wow I’m Smiley caufman and this is
the Smiley
Show welcome back to another episode of
the Smiley Show uh that sort of that
vibe that Ambiance you hear in the
background right now is the Philadelphia
Airport because the man whose name is on
the show Smiley Kaufman is fresh off a
trip to the number one ranked course in
the United States of America Pine Valley
uh we tease this a little bit on the Pod
if you’re watching on YouTube you can
you can both see Smiley’s uh nice
looking logo t-shirt and also I I you
know got suited up for the occasion with
my Pine Valley hat um so fired up to
recap this Smiley here’s here’s what I
think we should do because we also have
a nice half hour interview with Justin
Thomas before the trip that was awesome
dug into a lot of different topics you
know Scotty sheffler state of his game
looking forward to the PJ championship
in his hometown so we’re going to get to
that but first just hit us with the Pine
Valley headline hit us with the Pine
Valley te’s so we can come back on the
other side of the JT conversation and
recap it in full wow what a I mean what
a trip uh shout out to Eli Manning for
hosting this thing it was incredible uh
just a great group of people that were
on the trip uh and biggest highlight
right now to report is uh Ricky Fowler
who I played with today a ho in one on
number three no he did not are you
serious where where okay before we get
where was it was the pin in front where
was the pin on that green it was front
left but um not far enough in the middle
to where you can really use the slope
landed on the front Fringe roll down the
hole uh and there’s a
video wow that is electric um my my
humble brag is I I almost uh aced it the
last time I played it but then I missed
the birdie putt so great almost he
almost made a whole in one today too on
the same hole um somebody also made a
hole in one in like the first group out
on the third hole today too it’s not
it’s not the easiest shot in the world
it’s just some some really good shots
though today right that’s so fun though
the only way to get a a flag uh from
Pine valleys you have to make a hole in
one and Ricky uh they as soon as he had
made it five minutes later they were
they were cut the uh cutting the flag
down we all signed it at the end of the
day it was cool okay so there’s your
tease we’re going to come back on the
other side the Justin Thomas
conversation with the full recap of of
Rick’s hen one and and the rest of I’m
sure what are some great stories from
the trip but uh let’s get right to it uh
Smiley’s conversation with Justin Thomas
on the front end of this trip all right
we got Justin Thomas uh how does it feel
first off to be the first person to come
back as a reoccurring guest on the
smiley show you were the first person to
come on and now you are the first person
to come back for a second appear
on the Smiley Show first off thank you
for helping us get our start but second
thank you for coming on again as we uh a
little bit of scramble mode trying to
get a guess but of course you always
deliver yeah it felt a little forced you
know and uh it was definitely easier for
you to ask me in my own living room than
it was uh to make a phone call there but
uh no hey there’s a first for everything
and I’m glad to be that first yes um try
to even remember back to our first
episode we had the story of the uh
Pittsburgh Penguins Sydney Crosby uh so
that was obviously an incredible story
and then the other one that went viral
was the uh story about Jordan spe and
his impeccable scorecard keeping do you
have another story in the hatch that is
just incredible that that just comes up
it’s like wow this is buil for podcast
uh I mean obviously it’s as you know
over the years there’s there’s plenty
that end up making their their rounds um
I did play with kid this past week uh
they were first two days in hen head and
that was that was entertaining um and
fun I mean you know you’ve done some TV
now with them I guess this year but um
man I’m I’m pulling for kid because I
obviously love him to death and and he’s
a good dude but he hasn’t been playing
as well but he’s he’s been working
really hard at it which I think is yeah
you know as a as a fellow player you
know you respect not like he’s just you
know kind of giving it half effort he
he’s stolen all in but uh he’s not he’s
not driving at the best moment and um
man I was I was pulling for him hard and
um that he you know I was giving him a
lot of grief and like kid you know I
need I need good energy I I don’t need
you bringing the group down it’s two SS
it’s just you and me out there for two
days this is Thursday Friday they’re
here together THS Friday and uh man he
he didn’t play grade the first day and
kind of hung in there and had had a
couple things here and there but on
Friday on uh four there’s a back pin and
um I had did you know how Harbor Town is
is it the part three yeah part three is
it’s in the trees it’s very swirly the
winds and then it seems like every hole
out there is a cross went to where it’s
it’s just you know you get a little bit
of hurt a little bit of help and
especially that hole exactly and I hadit
a i hadit a hard six iron he had a good
shock about 20 25 feet middle the green
and you know kid is talking Skillets
cat’s like you know what he I he’s like
if I hit this six iron and we get a gust
like it’s not going to get there and so
he hits this five and he love him to
death it was it was a he flushed it like
it was it was a proper golf shot that he
hit and it was just right over the pin
and and rev and I both we kind of
stopped and we’re like oh wow like that
was a nice sound that was a good shot
and I mean it flies on the back edge of
the green goes right through wee and
he’s I didn’t think he going go for the
green Skillets I didn’t know you were
going to nut it
the screws and over the then typical
kiss puts it up there and makes it and
now makes par but we’re walking off the
green and I was kind of ahead of him but
I overheard him say it you know get very
gri caddy movies like you know like that
was a great move like that you hit that
nice and he’s like yeah he’s like it was
an iron he’s like unfortunately we’re
not playing 18 part three here so I had
to did some Dyers so uh that’s the first
day it came to mind because it was about
three or four days ago but uh it was
been
one likes the next hole like he he went
right out of the middle and it let you s
that was the day before yeah we uh yeah
he he shooked one over there that should
have gone OB and didn’t and hit a five
or six iron then hit a nine iron to
about three or four feet and made an
easy birdie and went on there you go I
love kid and we we got to play together
after the round of the century uh at
that at the course and we actually play
the other course too uh down the road
that’s like connected with yeah I think
I remember getting some contact yeah we
definitely got some contact uh anyways
we had a blast he stried it that day uh
big kid fan and uh he’s probably one of
the best
storytellers I think in the game of golf
right now you just get him going on a
story I’m allware well because usually
he’s at the heart of it he’s kind of
generates the story uh set of curiosity
over under one and a half Club throws
that round and
um I couldn’t miss the middle of the
Fairway it was one of those days which
right now I’m like in between either I
either can’t stop hitting it down the
middle or I can’t stop hitting the heel
and then hitting it right so yeah dude
it’s a golf that yeah that that day in
particular I didn’t throw any clubs but
kid had a fantastic Club throw on one of
our last holes uh that we showed
actually on the on the show too but uh
so under under on under under the club
lost it definitely did uh so we why am I
here I’m in Florida because we are going
to uh scratch the bucket list place
which is Pine Valley both you and I have
not played there uh the crew is
incredible but the golf course itself
and what you’ve heard about it how
excited are you about going and the crew
yeah it’s going to be it’s going to be
great uh yeah wasn’t too long ago you I
think we both I mean we never played
Pine Valley I think it’s for some reason
assumed by everybody in the golfing
world that like that you played it and I
I always say I’m like if there’s not a
PG T then there’s a pretty decent chance
I haven’t played like we’re not
necessarily looking for any big golf
trips kind of thing but um but this is
one I know I wanted it to cross off the
list and uh and yeah we were just
screwed around earlier you’re like yeah
so you know spine valet pretty hard and
I was like yeah dude like it’s supposed
to be really hard and the look look on
your face was scary total fear like
total and complete fear so full scar um
no iul so yeah it’s um yeah we’re we’re
we’re there with you man it’s it’s all
going to be it but it it yeah good I
think we got what seven or eight guys
and it’s uh Cole will be there so he’ll
be chirping and um hopefully on my team
and I’ll negotiate his strs well and and
we’ll have some fun honestly the list of
eight it’s it’s that that our field list
of the eight that are actually going
that list has changed more than probably
the Puerto Rico open field of like who’s
in and who’s out so that’s been like
really fun to monitor of of like four
different group texts of like oh wait
this person’s in this person’s out so I
the crew that we have going though is is
going to be incredible and uh excited to
be with my Carter too Ricky fower yeah
yeah you two you have quite the uh quite
the record together so um hopefully we
can put a little damper on that yeah
well we’re going to definitely do a
little recap of Pine Valley uh once I
get back Charlie and I definitely were
are going to definitely dive into
favorite holes part of the experience um
really excited about it but last uh last
week top five fil in the head you
mentioned rev uh first couple weeks with
rev what has that been like how’s the
you know just the overall you know
having somebody new on the back I
imagine the first two weeks just kind of
feeling each other out yeah I mean it
was it was an adjustment but it wasn’t
uh too much I mean I’ve known rev for a
one time I mean he CAD for Pat for a
while and played a lot of golf with Pat
so I mean I’ve I’ve I like hanging out
with rev I mean he lived down here
Jupiter he’s been here I think for 25 or
so years so you know it was something
just with the timing and everything how
it worked out that I I I know that rev
ad been CAD in and I was like hey I have
no idea if you’re interested in coming
back what you want to do whatever like
but I to have you and he’s not he’s
still not sure what he’s doing but I I
just was like Hey you know if you want
to go two weeks and we’ll figure it out
from there so be it and and that’s kind
of where we’re at but it was it was it
was great you know I we enjoyed probably
catching up more than anything and he’s
uh you know he’s seen a lot of great
Golf and a lot of great players and he’s
had a lot of success around Hilton Head
so um he was helpful but yeah it was
just more fun just kind of BS on that
anything yeah and for you I think just
going back all the way to
uh I would say Napa was like the first
week where started to see more of kind
of what we’re accustomed to seeing with
your play was on the call that week and
I really felt like you were on the right
track and since you’ve had a lot of top
top fives I mean it feels like your good
golf is really good is it more for you
right now just about kind of just the
overall consistency of just kind of
working on every aspect of your game
just kind continue to improve it
definitely I’d say it although I feel
like I’ve been playing really well the
whole year year I would say that the
mental aspect has been the biggest kind
of hurl for me I think as weird as it is
some of the worst weeks I’ve had or some
of the weeks I’ve been playing the best
going into and I think
um having to manage and deal with the
expectations is something that is really
hard and I it makes me somehow
appreciate what Scotty is doing more
what Nelly is doing more like I think
when it’s one thing when you expect
yourself to do well obviously you want
to have confidence but to not get
wrapped up in results and not be outcome
oriented and not think about while
you’re out there what could be what
could happen um it’s I would say all of
us going waves in our career and that
just it I’ve kind of gotten in a wave
where I had a hard time not seeking
about outcome and and
results uh so that’s been something I’ve
been working on really hard is just
playing the shot playing then going to
the next shot and going to the next shot
and just trying to get completely lost
in that because I’ve watched Scotty you
know win a lot of golf tournaments on
whether it be on TV in person played
with them first two days of players and
it’s
just he he is lost in that process and
you if you add that I think with an
extremely high quality level of golf
it’s just something that’s really really
hard to beat so that’s kind of what I’m
working toward yeah and and winning
takes so much out of you too you know
just playing every single shot and not
getting loss and outcomes kind of like
what you’re were just talking about and
I asked you yesterday because we were
just trying to put it into a little
perspective of how good Nelly and
Scotty’s run has been four out of five
for Scotty and five in a row for Nelly
and you mentioned that your back-to-back
wins in Hawaii said you just played
incredible but I remember how lost you
were that week and just the I mean
you’re playing incredible obviously but
the metal side I could just see from
sitting with you at breakfast that you
were in the zone so when you when you
just talk about Scotty and Nelly and you
working on the mental side of the game
how does somebody manage expectations
because it’s it’s easier said than done
but what are the some of the things that
you’re working on is besides just being
in every single
shot
um it’s just one of those things you
unfortunately have to experience and I
would
say a go through and just do while you
know what I mean like you to be going
through it it’s not something that you
know I can sit on the couch over Year
and be like oh okay like when I’m out
there and I’m 300 through whatever like
that’s when all no it’s it’s you have to
be out there and and get off to a good
start on a Sunday and have a chance to
make a charge and not get wrapped up in
the leaderboard and understand like I
felt like uh Bay Hill was a great
learning experience for me on Sunday
because I got off to a great start and I
think I was like four three or 400
through nine and that’s of course so and
I had a great shot into nine about 12 15
feet and happened to look up at the
leaderboard and you know I was a couple
back and I was in second place and like
you know I could easily go shoot two or
three under back down and win this golf
tournament and I just had a played 10
well and and H about 10 12 feet and I
felt like I had to make that putt or
just to kind of keep the momentum going
and I missed it and and then I felt like
I needed to start forcing it and I
played the last eight holes terribly and
when in you know you look at the PGA
that I won at uh at Southern Hills like
I was eight back with 10 to go had
absolutely no business winning it wasn’t
looking at leader Wars it was just like
I’m just trying to play each hold the
best that I can and next thing you know
it just kind of falls into your lap and
um there’s just something to be said for
that and I think the more the more often
you get yourself in those positions the
more it works out for you but also the
more you’re able to learn from it I
guess yeah and I I feel like the best
players in the world like yourself I
think Jordan as well I think y are so
good at being being able to read a
leaderboard and being able to get out
there that day and know what a good
score is and then what you know just by
looking at how the leaderboard is
developing what you need to do and I
think part of that is when when you’re
three or four groups behind the final
group and you know it’s like all right
the guys behind us are maybe not proven
to necessarily win that event you just
know if I just get my name up there
early this is probably going to hold and
I think that’s that’s kind of part of
the game in which a veteran like
yourself is able to kind of you know
kind of lean on that experience when you
get into those situations like that at
Bay Hill but for you would you say that
you watch leaderboards a ton out there
or like how do you keep your head out
out
of I’m in a phase right now where I I I
don’t as much because it it I’m not
handling it as well as maybe I have in
pasted or but what you say you’re really
good at like seeing the and be like all
right this is going to be the number and
yeah it’s generally I would say it
depends definitely depends on the course
and you know it’s um it’s weird it’s one
of those things I feel like especially
going into a Sunday you would love to be
leading but not it’s like you’re like
the PGA being
um however I think I was what six or
seven back going in a Sunday but I only
had like five people in front of me
right versus being forb back and have 13
people in front of me like that’s a big
different you know what I mean and it’s
it’s just little things like that of
being able to pick up on but um but then
again it’s also you have so many young
talented guys and so many not even young
but just guys that are out here proving
themselves you know at a different point
in their career where everybody just
wants to win and seem to be you know
doing it well and handling it pretty
well and uh just overall kind of your
state of your game we’ve talked about um
your good as been really good and you’ve
been working on um just being a little
bit more consistent in your metal game
um just can you break down your your
ball striking your chipping your putting
just how you kind of feel about every
aspect of your game right now it all
feels good I I really would like to
drive the ball better I feel like I’m
driving it pretty well but I’m not
driving it great you know I I I drove it
really really well at Bay Hill which was
important and I felt like my iron game
you know let me down a little bit there
and um it just is I think that’s
something that’s so so underrated about
Scotty is he drives it so so well like
it’s not the you know the launching at
17 spitting at 1800 flying 330 like Roy
maoy on a stream kind of thing but like
Scotty’s hitting you know 70 to 80% of
his Fairways and you combine one of the
best iron players all time when they’re
hitting out of the Fairway that often
and the par 3s and like it just it’s
going to be harder to screw up and you
know what I’m saying and it’s that’s
something that personally I would like
to keep getting improving on is hitting
more Fairways and driving it driving it
better because then I’m able to use the
strength of my game in my IR play right
and the chipping and the puttting like
you always been a fantastic chipper but
uh the puttting is something that I feel
like you’ve worked really hard on like
not just so the last year I feel like
the last like four years it’s been
something you put in that just as off
for sure I mean you know we’re always
working I think I putting is obviously
it’s so so important you have to you
have to putt well and and you have to
make those putts when you need to but at
the same time
I my DNA is is my iron game it’s my ball
striking it’s my wedge game and it’s
capitalizing and take advantage of that
obviously I I I fully understand and I
would love to have you know positive
whatever for a putting Strokes gain for
a week but at the same time like give me
my my DNA give me what I have been
consistently good at in my career and
that’s going to be something that is
going to keep me in tournaments more
often and then all of a sudden I get a
hot putting week and I could win by five
or six and um I’m always I mean we’re
always going to want to improve in every
part of our game but it for putting for
me it’s just simplifying it and making
it a little more athletic like the rest
of my game is is kind of what I’ve been
working on I’d say and you you
definitely uh kind of brought up a great
point about Scotty how well he drives
the golf ball he hits a lot of Fairways
hits it far hits a lot of kind of these
squeeze shots too when he wants to and
we were talking about this uh over the
last week or so it maybe not answered
for yourself but for other players right
now when you go up against Scotty on a
Sunday and you’re very close to him on
the leaderboard do you feel like you
have to play perfect golf because he’s
not going to make a mistake or do you
think it’s kind of the point where you
start watching him a little bit too much
um maybe not answering for you but for
other
players um I’m sure I think haven’t I
haven’t DED it out with him in a
tournament really that close yeah uh to
probably give a very accurate statement
but I mean just watching his you know
golf I mean he made one Bogey and one
double and 72 holes coming off of a
major pictory the week prior so like
that’s like I I just I don’t think
people understand like how insane that
is to win a golf tournament takes a lot
out of you to win a major takes more out
of you and to to win The Masters with
how difficult the conditions were after
coming off a first a first and a second
like it’s it just it shows how much in
control and how much of a Zone and and
just a role he’s on and uh so I think it
stuff like that it does make everybody
think that they have to be perfect but
that being said that could also end up
being the reason that he’s able to win
so many times I think you you know guys
how often you would see
um I mean you never know it could have
been something where maybe L jig or or
Colin it and on 11 like you know I I
have to make birdie here I have to do
this and it’s like when Scotty’s just
like I just I’m just gonna arm to death
you know I think it’s there’s definitely
situations where certain courses force
you to play differently um but I think
you know you look at all the greats and
you know when you win who knows how many
times he’s going to win over his career
but you you could easily go back to a
lot of my wins and and I was probably
given just as many as I won you know
what I’m saying yeah that’s that’s such
a good point because that’s I I do feel
like there’s an art to winning golf
tournaments like you you need first off
you gota have like you got to be in the
situation to win that that of the Sund
but it always comes down to like just a
little bit of luck and you you obviously
got to have the talent to be there to
win on the PGA tour so there’s just like
this crazy formula that it takes to win
where you seen players like Tommy flew
would put themselves in countless times
to win on the pj2 or hasn’t got it done
and then you have random situations like
me who didn’t put myself in a situation
at all to win on Sunday it was just
handed to me because I just happened to
get hot there’s just so many different
ways to win on the tour and that’s why I
want to ask you about the leaderboards
and all the C certain ways of winning
and and uh and having it handed to you
yeah it’s interesting it is I remember
um my year on the Cor fury like I had a
lot of chances to win and I never got it
done and it was frustrating and I I was
like I’m playing good enough to win but
like you said it’s you know to go off at
Tommy food like he’s going to he’s going
to not only win he’s gonna win yeah a
big golf tournament he’s couldn’t you
know he’s gonna win major like he he’s
that good but more importantly he’s
putting himself there as often as
anybody so at some point it’s just a
percentage game like it’s going to
happen
but I’m when I was what I started with
when I was on corn fairy is that I had a
lot of chances to win and I was getting
frustrated and pushed it and I couldn’t
get it done and the playoff EV met in
Columbus I was like I looked at a
leaderboard with you know on Sunday I
was like four back with four to go and
I’m like well it’s like I can’t win but
you know every dollar matters it’s just
getting you know move my position up
whatever and you know I birdied maybe
one of the last four holes and like felt
like I got in Solo second I’m you know I
finished I’m like great that’s
awesome Richard Cy Bogie’s like the last
three holes next thing you know I’m in a
playoffs I bir the first playoff hole I
win and I’m like
holy it it really is it I mean you know
it’s It’s just sometimes in um I mean
that happened to Jordan at RBC like last
year you know like he buried that last
hole and it you know he Fist poed and he
was it was to like go to Fourth and how
often or third or fourth like you finish
18 and you have like three or four
people ahead of you and they’re on like
13 or 14 like you’re thinking like all
right awesome like I hope that holds a
top five finish and then it’s like oh
wait I forgot it’s really hard to win
and these golf courses could play tough
and nexi you know he’s at a playoff so
it’s just it’s it is it’s actually
conversation right like it’s shocking I
mean because I you know I’m constantly
out on the ground and uh sometimes
second third CL last group and and I
just watch you know what I’m because
when we say this is a must make putt and
happens a lot because you know that the
guy’s behind but sometimes it’s just
reading that last guy and we’re not
going to continue on with it um but
something that’s really interesting is
that the PJ Championship is coming up um
I know you are probably a little excited
about going back home and playing in
Louisville uh are we going to be
announcing on the first te that we’re
from Goan Kentucky that we yeah I’ll be
I mean I’m announced wable every week so
I I’ll definitely are you yeah oh really
I thought it was J for no no I think
maybe my rookie year or something like
that was but I’ve been been so I was GH
in the first couple years and be
perfectly honest like how difficult of a
Time the announcers had
pronouncing like is it gotion is it I’m
like just make it lble so now at least
worst case scenario and they just say
lble weird but the whole gosh and Goan
thing like let’s let’s make this EAS
I’ve been little for a minute I mean how
good is that going to sound on either
the first or the 10 T when they announ
you name from Louisville Kentucky I mean
that’s something that I’ve always
dreamed about playing in Birmingham
never had a chance to but for you like
that’s going to be probably the coolest
thing ever yeah I don’t I’ll be feeling
a lot of emotions I’ll be very very
nervous very anxious excited but um you
know it kind of goes back to it I just I
want to need to get my own little world
and and you know enjoy this support and
everything but um you know I just I’m
out there to try to win a golf
tournament so you know hopefully just
get get in the mix in the back n on
Sunday see what happens and what are
your impressions of Valla just for for
folks that have not uh seen it on TV or
didn’t watch the Ryder cups or past
Majors you know I think it’s it doesn’t
it I want to say it gets a bad rap but
doesn’t get as much credit I feel as it
deserves you know I think people you
know they see a PGA maybe at a you know
a Southern Hill Smo or a be page or you
know whatever may be and they’re like ah
you know theal Louisville Kentucky but
like look at the tournaments it’s
produced and it’s insane it really has
and obviously of course I’m going to be
biased toward it but you know you’ve had
two playoffs I mean you had you know
Kenny Perry almost got it done I think
it was like
96 against Mark Brooks there uh and then
obviously you know any golf fan knows
the tiger Bob May situation and it’s so
it’s produced some unbelievable golf
tournaments it really has and then you
have Rory winning you know at the the
last literally the last second of
daylight you know against battling
against uh against Phil and Rick there
so I mean it’s it has really you can say
what you want about the course but it
has honestly given some great great PJ
championships and um you know hopefully
it’ll do the same yeah well we’re
looking forward to and I know uh Justin
is uh also really excited about playing
Lou I’m really more excited about the K
head from all the Louisville boys on the
group chat from that weekend that’s
going to be incredible and on the way
out we have all of these amazing
Trophies the trophy cabinet that I took
credit for today when we record our
podcast you know I forgot about that I
won uh I was part of the President’s Cup
the CB I was taking credit for
everything but we have to mention you’re
I I want to hear your answer and then
I’ll give you my answer for what I think
is your most impressive win what would
you how would you answer that accur
signing close thank you I was I was
going to make sure that that was going
to be the answer acurate yeah um yeah
akaran after it was the WGC it was uh
yeah it was this guy right here we we
can stand up it right yeah there it is
very right
there but no it was right after Jordan’s
bash the party um yeah I I I’m gonna be
honest I didn’t have a business winning
a golf turn I didn’t have business
playing a golf turn with that weekend
let alone I wasn’t good till Friday I
don’t know how you te it up me I don’t
mean to pick on you but that surprised
me I remember I
got you know contacted uh a doctor I’m
likeing I just had a had rather large
trip and it’s just like I I need I need
something give me and uh I was like can
I get an IV can I get whatever go in get
an IV and looking for a b they’re like
we can’t you know we can’t give you an
IV you’re too dehydrated I’m like I’m
well aware man that’s why in here I’m in
here to get rehydrated so um that that
was a tough tough scene that was a very
humbling experience and I’m not proud of
it but I am proud of I mean you won by
like like you wasn’t even it was some of
the best golf I played yeah like I it
was the most arguably the most control
I’ve had TI green especially the golf
course know in akan where it is not not
friendly at I’ve hit two Fairways in a
round out there let me tell you to
driving that not fun not great yeah it
was
um yeah like like you said it it’s it’s
a
no-brainer most impressive one that
can’t uh be repeated had to be said
probably a lot more difficult to do that
at the age of 30 so we’ll just keep that
in our pass and we’ll keep hydrating
before Big Time EV B especially as we’re
gonna see this guy uh next start is when
uh Charlotte Charlotte then we go head
to Lille so there we have it we have
Chinese or Greek tonight um probably let
the boss toide that good call good call
all right Justin Thomas thank you buddy
yeah man you got
it uh there you have it Smiley’s
conversation with JT as as noted the
first repeat guest on the show so big
one for JT he was the first ever guest
on the show he was the first ever repeat
guest on the show and I thought I mean
for for a casual conversation in JT’s
office a lot of cool stuff in there like
breaking down the psyche of chasing
Scotty that’s got to be something a lot
of guys were thinking about right now
and to hear him like go into that and
then also talk about winning in general
I thought it was a really cool
conversation you two had yeah it really
was uh I didn’t intend to have Justin
come on the podcast you know I really
feel like those things should be
arranged in advance not like a hey we
had somebody bail last minute and we
need somebody to fill out a podcast but
you know we had been wanting to have um
a guest come back on like JT um you know
just to check in basically like hey we
uh we want to we want to continue to
have great conversations with the best
players in the world not just do it one
time so it was really nice of JT to do
that um and how about too I mean just
casually while we’re out on the golf
course today we find out that he made
$30 million
so that that must be I I was wondering I
saw that come through and I was
wondering about the mechanics of that at
at Pine Valley you know just like you’re
out there playing the greatest course in
America uh and then you just find out
that you you got 30 extra Mill in your
bank account I mean I I got to did he
know that was coming or was this sort of
a surprise I’m sure he knew it was
coming and and who knows but still I I
if it was me or you we would be doing
Swan Dives in the water and and you
would have never really known um that he
had a financially crazy awesome day like
he didn’t change his tune he didn’t
change his convers ations it was just
all right you know what’s the next
what’s the next shot or what’s what are
we what are we talking about uh what a
life so I thought that was pretty I mean
pretty cool right yeah I’d say Prett I’d
say pretty cool as an undersell uh that
that’s that’s uh that’s pretty that’s
awesome so uh well so so let’s get right
into it let’s get into the trip and the
first place we got to start Smiley is
you know this if you’re watching this on
YouTube you have you know perhaps more
than likely have seen uh the videos of
us playing spy glass Hill uh you know of
us playing Pacific Grove in 60 m per
hour winds uh that was back around the
AT&T proam people want to update on the
state of the game uh Pine Valley uh
notoriously hardcore which I was
delighted to learn that that you were
just finding that out when you when you
know yeah hard cores hard very hardc has
eaten my lunch a number of times so so
let’s how’d you play uh let’s start
there I played the member Seas I played
with uh Colt no
and I were in the for some together uh
playing with the first day we played
with uh one of Justin Thomas’s good
friends will Willie sers and Theo
Epstein so the guy used to be the GM for
the Cubs red and uh and the Red Sox part
of the Fenway group so he’s kind of
involved in all the PJ tour stuff as
well now it’s a super dude uh Theo and I
lost a colt and and Willie one down on
18 so like we we were coming back and I
hit this incredible wed shot on 16 it
spun it back in the water it it was my
only complaint about the golf course
because it didn’t make sense why this
screen should do that but anyways we had
this uh we played the member tees so for
me I thought the memb te’s were more
difficult because I don’t hit my three
iron and rewood very good I don’t hit it
very straight so I’m a much better
driver like when I get it
going and I I just never got comfortable
with like a go-to shot with a three iron
or a three-wood so I was you know I
couldn’t I was just off the Fairway some
of the holes I was a little bit more off
but you can’t miss Fairways out there
yeah and or you’re pitching out in the
Fairway I’ve never played a golf course
as demanding as Pine Valley it’s easily
as good as advertising and I think
probably if not my favorite golf course
I’ve ever played it’s it’s right there
here’s the thing about Pine Valley that
if you’re like an architecture nerd and
I I don’t think I I feel like I’m
scratching the surface on architecture
you know nerdiness like there are
definitely people out there there are
podcasts out there that going in much
further detail on these sorts of things
than than you and I do on this show but
I will say this that it’s really cool
reading about the origins of Pine Valley
because essentially the way this course
was designed was with an Allstar cast of
of all the best Architects from that era
where where George Crump was just like
hey can you come out and take a look at
this hole can you come out and take a
look at this hole you know Alistair
McKenzie you know CB McDonald and all of
a sudden you have this thing put
together that’s like oh wow like this is
it’s just it’s the greatest hits course
and I I agree with you I mean it it’s
it’s a very tough demanding course and
you got to kind of like remind yourself
like hey I’m at Pine Valley like let’s
take let’s take a deep breath it’s
eating my lunch but we’re still having
fun here that was me well and and I’ll
say too like um you’re talking about
like that I I don’t know if we played
one up from the member te’s or where we
played when I last played but like
hell’s Halfacre that that massive bunker
but you you can’t hit a driver there
right like this is par five that you
hear about and like you have to like
three wood short I could hit that
Fairway and then you and then you got
it’s and it’s narrow right and if you
and if you hit it like if you run it
into that to to you know hell’s half
acre you are so hosed because you’re
like what do I do here like I got to I
got to pitch out but I got to carry it
like 130 yards and and then I got to
also not run through the next portion of
the Fairway and then you know so like if
you leave leave it short then you’re
hitting another long iron and then you
got to hit like a you know a really nice
approach wedge into that green um I made
birdie there last time out and I was
like that was such an accomplishment
today I hit three-wood well to the right
punch out to about 320 driver off the
deck into the front bunker and then hold
a bunker shot for birdie no no way
that’s electric that is so
we’re not going to talk about the first
six or seven holes before that yeah
that’s there’s some tough ones in there
so okay so maybe demanding test you
really liked it maybe didn’t play as
well as you would like to but still so
let’s let’s talk you’re talking about
the holes like let’s go through holes
that kind of stood out to you God
there’s you could go I could have a list
of every single hole and tell you why
it’s a great hole seriously um I think
number two is such a cool hole do you
remember when we were standing on the on
the T at two it spy I mean completely
different thing but you know like that
that downhill t-shot and like the uphill
approach and obviously it’s bunker
differently at Pine Valley but like [ __ ]
way harder two is such a good hole Yeah
it’s way harder but yeah I can see what
you’re talking about two is really cool
I loved um how five looked I thought it
was probably one of the hardest part 3es
I’ve ever played uh JT hit this fivewood
today from 250 uh and you can’t miss it
right he drew it to a back hand it’s an
8T made birdie and I had the club
president Watch Me Hit a three iron and
I haven’t hit this re on the map uh for
the last two days and I’ve already hot a
couple earlier in the day and I’m like
just make contact and I hit it on the
green I was like wow that was huge so um
let’s see where else am going to go here
I think number eight that little short
par for where it has two greens that
one’s a really cool Hole uh was the
green left or right today it was left it
was left we had it right on our day and
right is like a postage stamp and I I I
hit that green with like a gap W or
something and I was like that’s one of
the more impressive golf shots ever had
in my entire life like like we can walk
in
now um let’s see the as we go on further
on the back I
mean shoot uh 11’s great 12’s fantastic
13 is a really cold over the hill doll
left believe create that green shapes
and every hole coming in
148 uh but I would probably put 14 as my
favorite of that group that r five I
think is really cool the way it shapes
up the hill and the green is just insane
um I don’t know why I’m picking the
holes I’ve only made Birdie on uh but I
bir that one twice so uh and then 18
just it’s a cool finisher green so um
which is you always like to see the last
hole of the 18 gold being a you know not
a let down and it was just as good as
the other ones uh just a fantastic golf
course you ever get an opportunity to do
it can’t f it up but if uh you haven’t
watched the flyovers on Golf Digest that
kind of gives you a feel for it but yeah
um and then Ricky making a hole in one
on Three I think I’ll always remember
that hole too now well so and that’s
that’s where I wanted to go next was
like let’s just let’s just empty empty
the entire chamber of of stories that
you have like I’m sure that there were a
lot of great stories with that crew on
this trip so let’s start with like like
set the scene for you know you’re you’re
a broadcaster you call shots for a
living like get like walk us through the
play byplay of Ricky’s hole in one and
everything happened around it so
Justin right before he had hit it was it
was me Willie sers Justin and Ricky
playing together and we were in the
second group and the T box is really
close to the green on four but the PIN
was up so the guy were kind of right
behind the green on the group in front
of
us and Justin grabs the seven iron he
says you’re going to want to get this
one on video I’m probably going to make
it so it was just like I think it was
already like queuing in our brains so
like okay let’s let’s get the phones out
um and he hit his money seven iron came
up short in the bunker but I think it
helped Ricky knowing that he could hit
it he needed to hit his seven iron and
came off perfect and I’m watching in the
air as soon as it landed it was like I
think Justin was the first one to say oh
my God it’s gonna go in next thing you
know just
pandemonium Justin jumped on Ricky’s
back immediately and then we were just
high five and and like we made so much
noise the group in front of us was on
the green they were dancing around too
it was it was pretty dang cool that is
that is absolutely unbelievable uh and
and that’s so cool so so they took the
flag off that pin took it right in
everyone signs at the end do they frame
for him or does he just take it with him
right off property and do yeah yeah I
told him um if he wanted to keep his
golf ball safe you know to frame it that
I could play with it for the rest of the
day and it would be really safe in good
hands I I did he take you up on it I’d
be be stunned if he
didn’t if he saw me the first couple
holes I mean golly I I I will say when
it comes to the state of my game just I
got to find a way to get like a go-to
shot with like a three iron or a three
wood because I just am like not
finishing my back swing and then just
getting quick from the top over the top
um so I just feel like I can’t ever hit
a draw or anything low um so I got to I
got to figure that out so was that place
is going to expose you though like just
a really hard golf course you know I I
played pretty good um couple times ago
like last week and felt like my game was
in a good spot but it just is a just
just a Manny golf man it it it
definitely exposed me well I feel like
the thing about that place and I think
the test of any you know Elite golf
course in a lot of scenarios is like of
course it’s narrow off the te but if you
especially if you’re playing the members
te’s for someone with with you know tour
pro length like you have like if you can
find Fairways off the te’s you know
you’re you’re you canit you know you
have a chance right you have a chance
but then it’s these demanding approach
shots where you know for the most part
you can play courses where you’re like
if I just hit it in the center of the
green I’m fine not NE necessarily the
case at Pine Valley like There Are
Places you absolutely cannot miss it
there are undulations on these greens
that just make them so tough and so it’s
like you kind of have to you kind of
have to hit you know approach shots that
are more demanding if you want to like
not three Jack every Green now maybe
more easy for you than than for me but
iel like a lot of times I’m like do I
want to hit this in the center of the
screen like you know it just I don’t
know that that felt like very
challenging and then also when you’re
not hitting it good when you’re not
hitting approach shots good then then
the score just starts ballooning but I
mean it’s it’s just it’s just such a
cool piece of property I I felt like I
assume you guys spent a ton of time on
that’s got to be the greatest practice
facility in America uh yeah we hit some
balls before the round each day
incredible practice facility probably
one of the best I’ve ever been around um
besides that like staying in the lodge
on property doing dinner that night wear
a coat and tie and all the all the
members that have their groups there the
red snapper soup I didn’t eat any but
everybody else
did looks great I just didn’t eat it um
but man geez just I think it’s really
cool you know everybody goes in for
cocktail hours before dinner um kind of
just hang in you know you meet a couple
different groups or members where
they’re from and just it’s a really
amazing golf experience um so happy got
invited and um dinner was great too and
it was funny that the one like inside
joke that we’re still laughing about
after dinner you know where everybody’s
kind of done like like eating and nobody
really wants dessert
and uh I think I’m trying to remember
who ordered like vanilla ice cream I
think it was eii so give me some M and
ice cream and I like yelled across the
table like you know what I I’ll take a
Decap coffee and everybody thought that
was like the silliest order of all time
ordering Decap coffee and now everybody
like the rest of the weekend it was just
a bit about uh about drinking decaf
coffee and why it’s pointless but then
like heading home like Theo grabbed a
Decap coffee at Starbucks so it just I
think the inside jokes from any golf
trip I think is something that uh always
is it it was funny to us I’m sure it’s
funny to half people listening to this
but it we uh we had a lot of lot of good
laps especially that first day with Colt
and I playing we were going back and
forth I mean it we already burned that
scorecard that first day was a tough
scene for us two guys but boy do we call
a good golf shot when we were over the
golf ball we were we were throwing it
back and forth I I love I love hearing
that I mean that’s the reason why you go
on a golf trip anywhere I mean of course
it’s amazing when it’s a place like Pine
Valley but uh you know the group chats
before and after are always you know the
the the ones where you’re getting hyped
up on the front end but then it’s a
group of guys you probably wouldn’t be
texting on the back end necessarily in
that group and it just keeps going on
and on and on the decaf coffee thing
becomes a bit it it’s it’s the best man
uh so okay so so who who had the low
round of the trip like was was it that’s
I’m curious if if we have a a number
want to throw out there no I I don’t
know um I think Ricky played pretty
decent the first day um nobody like tore
it up it was just so hard um I think col
played good yes uh today uh he he said
uh he played much better today which is
not surprising he didn’t drive it it the
first day but the second day he did and
it’s pretty I think it’s easy to make a
lot of hards from the fairways um but
when you’re out of play it’s it’s you’re
looking at a bogey or double yeah yeah
without a doubt um okay so so we don’t
know low round but Rick played good uh
JT obviously sounds like he played
pretty
good was that the tour pro contingent
was that the was that the full tour pro
contingent yeah yeah yeah us three and
uh Colt I being the retired guys and
Willie’s a good good player he’s a
scratch played at Alabama with JT and uh
yeah Eli is decent I didn’t get to play
with Eli he was always in the different
group but uh yeah Ben welin great dude
uh Theo fun to play with and yeah just a
epic epic couple days now back to the
real world I was going to say back to
the real world uh got a got a flight
home what to to are we going direct to
Birmingham or do we we connect direct
direct Philly so get home tonight um I
this has been I know this is an extended
weekend but eight weekends in a row I
haven’t been at home so happy to have a
little bit of time to kind of get
organized guys at the house and just uh
get back in a dad mode that Dad mode is
uh it’s a good place to be uh after
Master’s weekend that was a nice reward
coming home and uh chasing a little guy
around around the house that’s always
that’s well documented on this pod oh
one last one I want I wanted to ask you
and we we talked about the the swing but
just did we try Scotty Shuffle at all
yeah no it was it was it’s working I I
still just need to uh keep working on my
on my back swing and and trusting
just the right move on the back swing
and that the timing and the rhythm of
waiting it on at the top and completing
my turn then the stuff on the down swing
works I know it works but I just I think
it just it’s like something that just
gets me going quicker where I just don’t
trust to to complete my back swing um
cuz like it doesn’t feel right in my
hands sometimes it feels like my drip
it’s weak and then I just pull on it um
but yeah a Scotty Shuffle when when it
hits it hits I I love that well when you
mentioned the dad thing I was like oh
wait a second I knew there was one more
thing I wanted to talk about daddy
Scotty Scotty and Dad Anonymous these
days so very good there there’s your
your your Pine Valley recap uh I’m sure
that’s going to bleed into future
conversations on this pod as we talk
about golf trips yeah the this is logo
logo Bingo here at the
airport I’m sure you got like a belt on
or something like
that I got a belt too you’re you’re a
trucker guy like like you got the same
sort of hat at Cyprus as well yeah I
don’t know I just get the ones that fit
me right and go from there um so yeah I
like it you got you got to stick to what
works um well listen I got one at Sand
Hills in May so I’m excited to read and
I’m going to be doing that recap from
Sand Hills so that’s going to be that’s
going to be lots of fun so we we we’ll
keep you guys in the loop on this um
well very good uh I’ll let you get back
to your to your flight activities uh
hopefully no delays fingers crossed and
uh I’m trying to think next we have a
Zurich recap coming up this weekend so
stay tuned for that com we are we
updating everybody on my pick oh that’s
right we had a big large controversy
Brewing uh while smiley was on property
at Pine Valley uh I don’t know Smiley do
you want to do you want to State your
case for the people or should I should I
st the should I present the facts of the
case first so then we can make a
decision because my my biggest thing is
that so Windam Park withdrawals and I
picked Bo hoser because he’s with Windom
obviously I like wind on they off course
I like Bo I like his game was going to
fit nicely in the wind so I liked
comparing wind withdrawals it’s still
the tournament has not happened so I
feel like I have the right to change by
pick um in which I would like to
formally ask can I change my pck I I
think yeah I I think the rules committee
look the the the P PJ tour is a
forgiving organization when it comes to
relief uh you know from temporary
movable objects and from uh Partners who
withdraw and playing the zero classic so
we will grant you this onetime relief uh
you you actually you initially were on
record as taking Davis Thompson so we
will give you Davis Thompson but you
know we’re we’re just we’re keeping an
eye on you you know we’re making sure
you’re not moving loose impediments
behind the ball and and fluffing your
lie up a little bit we’re just going to
keep an eye on that one um yeah that I I
laughed very hard when I was like
looking at a preview and I was like oh
Hustler and Sam
Ryder oh boy should I tell Smiley or
not yeah so give me uh give me Davis
Thompson and Andrew Novak let’s do you
have Davis Thompson Andrew Novak I have
Kurt kittama and by extension of that
col morawa those are our picks for the
Zurich uh you are listening or watching
this as a Zurich is underway so enjoy
that and we’ll be back here with a a
recap of that tournament uh at at the at
the Sunday night Monday morning so we
will talk to you then you know I listen
to this podcast it’s really cool and all
of our fans and subscribers but make
sure you like And subscribe it’s cool to
see what you guys are doing I know golf
fans appreciate it but we we do too so
please keep it up for all the good
people of
YouTube like And subscribe you guys have
some good takes so I’m happy to come on
and and shoot the