All right guys welcome back to the Rick Shields Golf Show podcast episode 192. now this week's episode is gonna be a little bit different I am flying solo my co-host guy unfortunately last night was hit by a sickness bug. So he's not been able to come in today.
To record the podcast which is such a shame. And I'm sure we'll pick up on it in next.
Episode because we've got a lot of things to talk about however. I didn't want to leave you with no podcast this week because there's been Lots going on in the world of golf hopefully we'll find another opportunity later this week maybe to release a bonus episode of the podcast. So stay tuned for that the reason why I wanted to pick up straight away the start of this week because on Friday I participate I went to I didn't participate I'm not playing I went to attended live London the first time I'd ever been to a live event at Centurion in London um and I've got five positive points that I learned from my experience plus five negative points I really want to dive into those and kind of give you a bit of a background a rundown of my experience being on site we've obviously talked about live a lot on this podcast and you heard me talk about it last week we went off our own accord and we wanted to experience it I felt like if me and guy talk about it quite a bit we should at least just go and experience it now I've been very very lucky to visit many tournaments around the world I've been to the Open Championship multiple times like from everywhere from Saint Andrews all to all the way down to Royal Saint George's to Birkdale Royal Liverpool again this this year I'll be there in a couple of weeks time I've been to the Masters a couple of times obviously you heard about my experience this year at the Masters and I've visited many many European tour events over the years so I feel like I'm in a very strong position to be able to gotta take that information that I've experienced at other golf events and see how live compared now it is very interesting because there are similarities. But there are a lot of things also different before I come on to that. And I will do I can't wait to dive into that. And again I know when guy gets back he'll have his own thoughts and opinions but often we'll we have very very similar ideas on things um but I'm sure he's picked up on things that I didn't and likewise I did. For him um I also just want to very quickly touch on the U.S women's open this weekend that took place at Pebble Beach first off happy retirement to Michelle Wie West she's done incredible in the growth of the game of golf she's inspired many millions of young girl and women around the world to take up golf following in Michelle's fashion and style and the way she plays golf so huge credit to her and happy retirement and also I think we spoke about it on the podcast a couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of playing with Charlie Hull down at Walton Heath about two weeks ago she was incredible the video will be coming out in in August actually because we filmed at Walton Heath which is the home of this year's AIG Women's Open. And she was incredible her golf is phenomenal. And final round last night at Pebble Beach or Sunday night for you guys listening she put on a display of golf and she really did threaten the top of the leaderboard. But she finished in second in the end but huge shout out to Charlie so well done um but live live London let's talk about this it was it was very interesting I've made notes on my phone as I was literally traveling home um. So I thought I've got to make sure I've covered everything so I went on the Friday the first day of competitive play it was a beautiful sunny day I think that really played a huge part in the overall enjoyment Saturday was horrendous weather I wasn't there Saturday thankfully. But Friday just to set the scene beautiful day now what's quite interesting with the golf tournament like live because it is a shotgun star. And it was a 2 15 p.m shotgun start other golf tournaments that I've ever been to certainly let's say the open is a great example of this often the first tee time is around 7am if not earlier. And often if you're arriving mid-morning lunchtime you have missed a lot of the action you have to get there early if you're at the open it's a full day it's from it's From Dawn till Dusk pretty much every single day from the practice days to the tournament days that was the biggest thing I noticed that was different the gates didn't open till 11 30 A.M like you I spoke to some uh members of the crowd who were there they'd actually played golf that morning already before arriving to the golf club. And then.
Getting into the golf club but even before the shotgun started taking place so that was a real real big difference just from the outlay of the day the gates opened at 11 30 a.m. And I I genuinely because I've not been to a live event before I didn't even know that that was the case I thought you could get in whatever time you wanted. So the first thing I've put as a pro okay. And there's pros and negative so I'm going to go through these individually the the shotguns start was great. For timings of the day so because there was a there was a start time it made the whole planning of the day now that I know much much easier as in like you your arrival time is more planned out where you maybe want to grab some food where you can position yourself on the golf course whether you want to be around the First Tee. Or whether you want to head somewhere else on the golf course for me the shotgun star was a welcomed addition as a spectator you're not there. For 14 hours watching golf non-stop like you can be at the open sometimes. Or other major events or other golf events I've been to and there's nothing wrong with that there really isn't but it's hard to certainly if you go multiple days to do that every single day. So shotgun start for me is a timing thing you knew when everybody was going to start you knew when everybody was going to finish that. For me was a big positive okay coming into a negative I'm going to kind of switch between the two of them negative quite simply there's not enough players that honestly. For every that was my first negative that I wrote down there's not enough golfers players out on the golf course there's just not again if you compare it to other golf events I've been to there's 100 plus probably 120 is maybe the max golf as you'd see a major tournament that live as you know it's teams it's 12 teams it's 48 players that is it 48 players no more no less that is the amount of golfers that you're gonna see. And tomorrow's video it's not enough it really isn't and to be honest it's going to come nicely into my next.
Kind of negative as such out on the golf course when the shotgun start takes place. And you you might have positioned yourself around the golf course there are often times where there are big gaps in play unless you're willing to follow a group around all the way around the golf course if you want to set yourself on a on a position behind a green. Or on a t-box or in one of the grand or there's not many Grand stands I'll come on site in a bit but if you want to position yourself there's often times where there's just no play being taken place maybe. For 10 15 20 minutes sometimes quite often that's the case so that for me was it was a real kind of big negative it just I almost think you could double the number of golfers get get a hundred golfers. And no gaps on the golf course. And still do a shotgun start I suppose a shotgun start you're probably limited to 72 players if you had well even then.
It's going to be a bit tight. But there just wasn't enough it just didn't feel like there's enough golfers on site I don't know the solution I don't know whether you need two shotgun starts one in the morning one in the afternoon I don't know the solution but that was just my big takeaway from it what was cool. So again I'm going back to a positive. And the driving range before play was immense I've never seen anything like it at a golf event there was music blaring now Centurion isn't a big driving range you actually have to build a temporary driving range just. For the tournament so it's very very Compact and for 48 players some world-class players hitting golf balls they were very very very very very very very close to each other like scarily closer I kept like thinking oh my God you know somebody's gonna get hit by a golf club here I was having huge anxiety um attacks thinking it certainly as a golf coach somebody who's worked on driving ranges either coaching kids. Or beginner golfers I'm always so scared if someone's gonna get hit by a golf club and that instinct was was a top at highest alert. For me when I was on the driving range before play took place um. But overall what was good about the driving range the music the. And just the atmosphere like it was really cool you knew what time everyone was going to be on the driving range you knew that probably about 30 30 minutes 40 minutes before the first tea time. Or the shotgun start was going to take place everybody was going to be on the driving range. Or on the putting green or around the chipping green that was really really good you knew where everyone was going to be if you went out to go. And see one of your favorite players who played for live whether it's Brooks capker Bryson dechambeau or Phil Mickelson I'm pretty confident you would see the golf in fact you definitely would see the golfer you want to see and you don't always get that a major tournaments you just don't um or any golf tournament you just sometimes miss your favorite player so I thought that was really really good um whoever put on here now um I'm trying to work out my pros. And cons in the right order so shotgun start was good not enough players was bad driving range before the play was good just on a little bit of a well it is a negative to be honest with you um on the driving range. And just the whole Golf Course itself felt like because where the driving range was. And Centurion might have been a an example a rare example because it was on such a small space of land. And because you then.
Obviously live are trying to build Hospitality the Majestics team had a big Hospitality tent behind the driving range I actually felt really sorry hard on bye-bye the fans the general admission fans now full disclosure I did get I got managed to get access to a slightly higher graded pass. So I did get behind the ropes I got to see a few things the normal General um consumer wouldn't see. But it didn't mean I wasn't also seeing it Through The Eyes of them. And I spoke to a lot of fans on site so got their take as well I felt like the the general fans had a very poor view of the driving range like they had a really small window and I don't actually mean a physical window. But a part of The Spectator zone for for General fans to watch the driving range was very very poor if you had Hospitality. Or if you paid a bit more money which you know I'm not saying it was it's there as an option I'm not saying it's a good thing. Or a bad thing if you go as hospitality I feel like the general ticket admission gets a bit hard done by and that's my true truthful honest opinion of it if you go into Hospitality you see a lot more but you've got to pay way more if you go as a general spectator I do feel like you get a bit hard done by I feel like there's not many opportunities. For you certainly on grandstand or even all the way around the 18th hole is all Hospitality all the really really good spots around the First Tee all Hospitality there's like many more kind of VIP zones. And and sponsorship zones and all these things which Again full disclosure I did get access to I'm just putting that out there however. I was noticing from General Spectators they had a worse View. So something to definitely cover there on the golf course however. this is I'm going to flip this a little bit out on the golf course because I think on the day that I went there was probably about 13 to 14 000 Spectators which isn't a huge amount it felt busy don't get me wrong it felt really busy. But if you go out in the golf course and you're willing to walk around the back nine I know for a fact you can get a much much closer um view of some of your favorite players that play. For live like you can get very very very close. So if you're willing to put the legwork in and you get a good spot you will reap the benefit. So unlike again I'm comparing it to the open or the Masters Etc if you're willing to to get out there and get out the golf course or some of the more quieter spots certainly at Centurion you can be within feet of Phil Mickelson Brooks kepka Bryce nishambo some of Dustin Johnson you can quite literally hear the conversations they're having with their caddies you really can. So a negative I think the infrastructure. For General fans can improve. And can get better as a um a pro you can actually get out there. And and see a lot more golf if you're willing to do the travel. So there's kind of ups and downs of both now I want to cover a couple of things around the first T so again I was very very fortunate I managed to get incredible access on the first here I was pretty much done on the First Tee. And there was a couple of things that was very very different to a normal golf event first off music music was pumping. And I thought surely sure that's gonna get turned down when the golf's taking place don't forget I come from a very traditional golf background where at the Masters at the open at golf events you are quiet you have guys holding up stands as signs you have to be quiet that is. So different at live like the music's blaring and even like the the whole shotgun star is quite a spectacular you know quite spectacular Feats very loud it's ambitious it's it's uh you know it's gonna take place you might have seen on social media The Flash Dance which took place on the First Tee now in defense. And I think this is this is I've got a couple of takes on this in defense when you are there on site. And you've got the music blaring and sun shining it's quite exciting it worked it worked The Flash Dance listen no it's not it's not everybody's cup of tea. But it kind of worked people were getting quite hyped up the players were watching along they were kind of on the first two you had Cameron come Smith Henrik Stenson. And Louis Houston Hayes and all three open Champions and it and it kind of worked what was interestingly afterwards on social media on Twitter Etc I saw isolated Clips taken from that flash dance. And it was like obviously the media who maybe weren't there who was saying oh look at this what Liv's doing. And and look at all the seven fans that were watching from the angle that it was recorded from on video it was it did look like there was no one around I've got a picture. And I'll pop it in the podcast and if if you are listening make sure you check out the video version I took a picture of that time. And listen it's not packed it's not as if it's like a football game and there's there's a hundred thousand people around the First Tee but it's busy like it's business there's a thousand maybe two thousand people around the First Tee it's got It's got an atmosphere and in the first place the players teed off and cam Smith steps up and I can't quite remember the song that started playing but I got told he selected that actual song to play as he teed off and again like in traditional golf sense you normally quiet and I and I naturally went quiet everyone's talking still everyone's chatting the music's blaring and before you know it cam Smith hit his tee shot and it's like that's really really different that's really different Henrik Stenson did the same he put his um I think he put Ice Ice Baby on. Or something like that and then.
Louis Houston Hayes and put his his track on and people were chatting people were drinking people were it was it was different it was different the players didn't seem to mind as a spectator I didn't seem to mind because I could carry on chat. And I didn't feel as conscious that I would make a noise or the you know I could my phone would make a noise or something um I think as long as the players seem happy then.
I think it's a another kind of pro again being on site it does feel different to not being on site. And this is kind of my big takeaway from the whole event um okay let's try. And work on a few other things here so I've covered quite a lot there so far um I'll tell you what as well just on a pro because this is what I was starting to figure out on the driving range it kind of shocked me being on site. And being on the driving range and seeing these top players not all of them that I couldn't name all 48 players I wouldn't be able to but when you actually look at the cream of the crop at the top caliber of golfer is pretty impressive it really is like you stood there. And I was just kind of stood on the grass bit behind where the guys were warming up. And hitting balls and suddenly you had brighten the chamber walk past then.
You add Brooks kapka Dustin Johnson was there in front of your hitting ball Sergio Garcia is two minutes away Lewiston Hayes. And Brandon Grace Phil Mickelson um Bubble Watson uh I probably then.
You've got like Lee Westwood you've got Ian Poulter and you're thinking Henrik Stenson cam Smith and you actually start to properly look around and go tell you what tell you what these golfers are pretty good whether they they are now I mean Brooks kepco showed that he obviously is uh with his win at the the US um uspj earlier this year. But when you honestly look around and you look at the caliber of talent the major victories that have taken place and you think bloody hell you know this is this is pretty impressive you know. And again there's load genuinely there was loads of players there I'm thinking I don't really know who you are to be truth be told um I mean it helps that they have the little name tags behind where they were hitting from in their teams Etc. But the caliber of golfer is actually really impressive certainly the top you know 15 20 25 names that are real household names that I've grown up watching Golf. And watching these guys play and compete at the highest level that was really interesting. For me um right where else can I put with this um I think I've covered quite a lot of the pros let's get into some of the negatives a bit more one of the big standout factors I realized again being on site is I feel like some of the teams are really trying to hard trying hard to build the franchises. And I feel like other teams couldn't be bothered they have no interest in the team element at all that was my one of my biggest takes from being at live I felt like teams like certainly Majestics let's use them as an example I really feel like they're getting fully behind the team element without question Ian Porter Lee Westwood Henrik Stenson you got kind of two players that kind of swapping it out Laurie Canton Sam horsefield three of three of those people have actually been on the channel before Paul to Westwood. And Sam horsefield but when you actually look at that team it seems like a team they're all dressed in matching uniforms as such they've got the kind of Majestics tent behind the driving range because it was their kind of home open as such with four out of five of them being from the UK um it was very it was very interesting to see that team Dynamic. And I spent a little bit time in there about to pull to very quickly he was excited about our video that's coming out next.
Week. Or this week now it's coming out Friday this week and it felt like even and I obviously know Sam horsefield from when we shot that video and when you see the little bits of interaction between the team members you can just tell they're really into it like Sam's saying good luck to his injured at the moment good luck tomorrow pulse you know make sure you do it. For the team and it felt like it had a real team mentality I didn't not even close get that feeling with other teams I'm not saying not none of the teams but there's probably a handful of teams probably Majestics range goats um Four Aces I don't know I don't wanna not say any you know I don't know all the teams but it felt like those three or four teams seem to be really into it and others just didn't seem to be fully grasping this team element I mean stories broke as the week unfolded of uh Brooks kapka's team smash I think it's smashing it Brooks capps's team. And the um complications and the bickering and the and the arguments that are starting to bubble. And boiling the surface between like Brooks capka and Matt wolf apparently stories of Brooks cap curve getting these guys in the gym and pounding them because the performance hasn't been good enough there for a couple of them have to pull out in injuries now you might look at that and go well Brooks is behind this team element Brooks wants it to work. And he probably does don't get me wrong. But there's definitely team members or teams that are just not forging those kind of connections. Or that that um that franchise and you know what I understand why golf is a very very very individual Sport. And these guys have lived all of their golf life being individual athletes bar exemptions of exception exceptions of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup and things like that they've always worked individually and now they're kind of getting they have to be in part of the team so that that was a big takeaway from me another big takeaway. And this is I'm not saying this is a pro. Or a con or negative a pro or negative I felt like um the I was very surprised very very surprised how many fans. And Spectators were buying um Team merch like really surprised I actually nicked into the shop to go. And have a look at the team merch and the queue was out of the door. And people were buying caps t-shirts hoodies towels anything they could grab from their favorite teams now it's interesting. For me I you know followed it Loosely I know quite a lot the players I don't really even have a team I don't know I don't have a team I don't particularly I'm not fond of any I won't say oh yeah I'm a definite Smashers fan. Or I'm definitely a Crushers fan I just don't I'm not connected in that way at all whether I will be time will tell. But it really surprised me walking around how many Spectators and fans were rocking team merch. So their dudes but that was something that really surprised me um what else could I say uh okay another negative it's hard to follow the scoring when you're on site unless you're watching on TV obviously there's TVs around certainly in some of the bars. Or Hospitality which yes I might have nipped into. For Refreshments but I found it very difficult to follow when the golf had taken place it's really hard to follow the scoring and even if you could follow the scoring you then.
Have to figure out well hold on is that as such a player got to that score quickly because he's played a part of the easier golf course at the moment has is that goal. For struggling at the bottom because he's not played the easiest side of the golf course he's gone out in the he's gone out in the seventh hole in seven to 15 is particularly hard I found following the scoring I find it hard in general anyway just watching it on YouTube. Or TV Etc through the app but for me it was it was even harder when you're on site I found it real I mean following golf scores when you're on site anyway whether it's the open very very very difficult um the Masters can you see that TV somewhere not really um. Or like the Masters or that I always find the scoring to be very difficult in the Masters because one you've not got your phone two there's no there's only a few leaderboards dotted around um at the open it's a bit easier because you've got your phone you've got leaderboards Here There. And Everywhere I felt like live I was kind of checking out my phone. But also I felt like the the infrastructure the scoring where it's shown just wasn't as prominent it wasn't as easy to follow just because again because it's a shotgun start so in one breath I'm I'm saying as The Spectator who's somebody who went to the golf event actually really enjoyed the shotgun start in other aspects of the shotgun star I found it hard I found it really frustrating so I was like I don't quite know what's going on here all the time um I've got one more big negative which I'll come on to in a minute I'm just trying to work out if there's any other things that I've missed off there I think I've got most of the things. So for me the positives were the shotgun Star as a spectator pneuma timings I thought the driving range before was really cool if you could see if you got a good view oh this is something else I've put that on actually as a positive after the golf there is a concert that takes place on site. And I'd seen it on social media and thought what is this now I am not shy to a party to a dance to a bit of a shin dig I am not shy to those events I in fact I live. For those events but even me watching it online was a bit like what a golf event I'm not quite sure this is gonna work I can categorically say it works when you're there it did it worked I don't know how I don't know why I don't know if it was a few beers. And a sunshine I'm not saying it's wrong up it worked it really really did on-site once the golf had finished it finished about seven o'clock very very quickly around in the tented Village it was DJ Snake. And some other DJ that was performing it worked it was busy it was busy I wouldn't like to say how many people stayed. But I mean if let's say 14 000 people were there on the Friday which I think is an accurate number I would say at least five to six thousand people stayed. For the concert me being one of them it was good it was good it was there's no question about it you'd watch the golf 4 day you'd had a few beers you'd enjoyed yourself. And you topped it up with a bit of a bit of a shin dig a bit of a dance a few more drinks as the sun was set in it was really good I really really enjoyed it again. And I put this in Brackets it looks terrible on social media The Flash Dance and the concert don't trans translate well onto social media uh the the kind of things that you have to be on site to appreciate and I did honestly um. And I'll be the first person I promise you if it was terrible. And it was cheesy. And it was corny. And it was terrible I would tell you it wasn't it was it was brilliant I really enjoyed the concert side of things. And like I said I really like the golf the music on the golf course that had a huge potential. For me I thought the caliber golfer was really good when you start seeing some of these big names. And I felt like the spectators could could get really close in parts the negatives not enough players quite frankly not enough players um I feel like around certain um main parts of the golf course around the First Tee around the 18th hole I felt like The Spectator the normal general admission Spectators got hard done by and and the driving range I felt like the general admission Spectators were hard done by in those situations there just wasn't enough spectator space. For the general admission um some teams were really behind some players were really behind the team others weren't that's what I saw as a negative. And I found it to be really hard to follow the scoring when playing when play was taking place before I come on to my final final negative. And I feel like I've been Fair there I've thrown in plenty of positives and plenty of negatives as I could do. For probably every golf event I've ever been to what did surprise me. Or or stand out was the crowd definitely definitely a younger crowd who were more focused on the atmosphere. And the event itself over the gulf now again I know when I go to the opening two weeks time at Royal Liverpool I will see fans who have probably been to every open venue. For the last 50 years and they will go with a little picnic. And they'll have a nice umbrella and a and a one of those chairs that you can sit on like an umbrella with a seat on it I know they'll go to a grandstand they've done the research they'll sit in a grandstand. And they will sit there. For 14 hours watching every type of girlfriend they will politely clap all the way through 14 hours. And know that person I know that spectator will go to the open they weren't there to live they weren't the crowd that was there. For live I wouldn't say it was ridiculously young. But it was definitely more of an atmosphere of a general sporting event it was more like um if you went. And watched the the horse racing here in the UK or you went and watched a bit of an exhibition day out or you went to probably what it would feel like in the fancy fancy areas of of um the F1 if you went to that it was a slightly younger crowd who wanted to go there to watch golf I would presume. But also enjoy themselves have plenty of drinks have fun with the friends and to be honest I know that that lives tagline is golf. But louder for me they are fans. But louder still think they're fans fans of sport fans have been at an event. But they are louder like a caveat to a lot of this I've never been to a PGA Tour event I've only ever been to the Masters outside of the UK obviously the British Open. Or the the open the open and many European tour events are now live I'd never seen when a t-shirt I got been hit. So much whooping hollering shouting cheering cheering booing then.
I have a live event that was something certainly as the day got on certainly as the drink was flowing a bit more I would say a few more of the fans plucked up the courage to be a little bit um more vocal it's probably the best description. For it good or bad I don't know but it's just my observations again it didn't seem like the player's minded and I think as long as the players don't mind does it really matter I wasn't offended by it as long as the players don't mind. And it's not putting them off and it's not happening in their backswing I think it's fine my last point my last negative overall I enjoyed my time at live I did this is my one big last negative. For me it's still doesn't mean anything it's quite a bold bold liner into it doesn't mean anything I wasn't massively bothered who was winning after day one cam Smith was. But I wasn't particularly bothered I wasn't really bothered what team did well I wasn't really bothered that cam Smith won wasn't offended didn't bother me I like quite a really like cam Smith. But for me it just didn't mean anything. And I don't know I've said this before in the past. But certainly on site being there it just felt like it has no history. Yet will it do who knows. But right now again when I've been to other golf events I want to know who's leading after day one I want to know who is going to win I want to know who is going to get top five I want to know what happens to the to the journeyman who qualified. And managed to get into the top 10 at the open I want to know that I want to know all of that I want to know what it means to the young up and coming and aspiring professional to be in the final group and to maybe miss out but they've managed to qualify for next.
Year's major tournaments I want to know that I want to know all of these things that for me a traditional golf event still gives you for me live he just the the actual result the team result I wasn't bothered genuinely wasn't bothered didn't care that Dustin Johnson of Four Aces won I think I honestly didn't care I didn't really care that cam Smith won. And normally a golf event I care I care a lot in fact it means a lot a hell of a lot and sometimes it's not your favorite player that wins and it's sometimes it's it's the villain that wins but for me at leave it didn't really matter who won whether it was going to be cam Smith whether it's going to be Bryson whether it's going to be any of them didn't matter. And that for me was the the final point that they need to work on if this is going to survive certainly in my humble opinion that's something you need to build into this kind of event it needs to mean something at the moment all it means is respectfully wealthier players get wealthier. And they pick up a trophy don't blame him for that one bit but as a fan it didn't really mean anything to me if they can fix that if they can work on that somehow then.
I think it's going to have huge success moving forward overall it was a pleasant lovely experience I had a great time. And to be honest with you I would recommend it but it's not perfect thanks for listening hopefully you enjoyed that and sorry it's solo episode today.
I wanted to bounce all these ideas off guy we'll maybe do that later on this week. Or early next.
Week but thanks for listening be sure to like And subscribe and that was my honest. And I think fairly well well very well measured personal opinion of my day at live London I'll see you next.
Time.
