How Golf Evolves Globally

Ooh, a guy that everybody wants to be friends with. A guy that is currently the captain of the Range Goats Golf Club in LIV Golf. Two-time Masters champion. Ladies and gentlemen, Bubba Watson. We got to get you a bobblehead. Yeah. Oh, I will actually. The Pink Driver whenever it came into existence, we all loved it. Electrifying cuz you were hitting the out of that thing with no swing coach, right? Wasn't that the big story? Lessons. That's still the same story. Yeah. Still the same thing. I can't afford a lesson, man. I can't. They're expensive. Uh I think now you can't. We Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We all Yeah. But just for the record, if it was a hundred million or whatever y'all said yesterday, I watch your show, so whatever y'all said yesterday, if it was a 100 plus million, I wouldn't even have read the contract. I would assign that thing so fast. Okay. So, it wasn't even near a hundred million. You get hundreds. It was even close to 100. So, real quick. So, were all of those numbers gassed up a little bit, you think? Well, the internet's not always true. What? Yes. Certainly.

Hey, by the And by the way, I really want to talk to you about this. He wasn't eating that popcorn. What? He's on the show tomorrow. You don't want that smoke, brother. Yeah, y'all bump me for him. I had come in a day early. He did. Yeah. I would have bumped me too for him. Yeah. Bubba was supposed to be on the show tomorrow. Bubba made an earlier trip. We got Tom Cruz. Bubba is going to be a little bit He is certainly eating. There is no chance he's eating. That's why the first fail because he he hit his mouth. He closed his mouth early and it fell and then you could tell that wasn't his hand never moved open. He was No. What are you talking about? He was just like Q Rich. Q Rich said once he kind of figures out the room and the the wind then he'll figure it out. He was just trying to figure out the room right there. That's that movie magic. You don't You don't look that good at 82. What? How old is he? 62. 60 something. You watch I I want to remove myself from the stage to be completely honest, but I won't. He doesn't have 100 million, but it's close. Uh, all right, Bubba. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about the golf. Let's do it. Scotty Scheffler is the man. Okay. So, boring. He's boring. No, I don't think so. I think his game is so good. I think his game is so good. It takes up for everything else. I know. Wouldn't you love it if he afterwards. I think it's because his driver was not doing well. I think he feels like he probably grinded out that Sunday at Quail Hollow. But how long do the people in the golf world, you guys, do you talk about him goats that like when does that start happening? Because obviously you got you got Jack, you got Tiger, and then Scotty is the conversation at this point. What does he need to improve? What does he need to do? And why is he so good? Is it just his ability to focus? What is the difference? Well, first of all, I think that, you know, he's only been around what, four years as a pro, so he's got 16, 12, 18 wins, whatever he's got. So, I think um he's getting there to the GOAT status. He's gaining on it, but he's still got a long way to go. Um I think his year last year, when you count even the the event he had in Vegas, nine wins, I think that was the best year we've ever seen as a golfer. Uh with the competition around the world, now the world's playing. Um, so yeah, I think he's definitely on his way to GOAT status, but he's still got a long way to go. I mean, you got to get to 80 some odd wins, right? So, um, and what was the other part you said? Why is he so good? It's just his ability to concentrate. I think he Yeah, his ability to he trusts himself. He's he's only focused on golf. Um, he has a great man on the bag, Teddy, who caddied for me for 15 years. Um, and then he and then he believes in himself. He he putts unbelievable. Um, but his ball striking, he's swaying on the ball, he's doing all this stuff, but he knows what his golf swing is. He knows what he wants to do, and he's and he's not, like I said, he's boring. He's playing boring golf. So, his heart rate is just staying right here, even under pressure. So, he started pulling a driver a little bit. And then we heard uh Saturday night he stayed. He was at a five-stroke lead and he stayed for multiple hours fixing his grip. Are you guys constantly adjusting things during the tournament? How how normal is that? Well, I I think for him, you know, he came out and said that his driver was was tested as well. And so, I think putting in a new driver, your baby is now gone. So, he's trying to figure it out. And every time you put a new grip on or a new shaft in there, it doesn't line up the way you want it to. You haven't got the grip worn in the way you want to. So, he's trying to figure it out knowing that Sunday is going to be one of the hardest rounds that he's going to face, right? I mean, he even came back to tied for the lead. They went back up to leading. Um, so it's a hard round of golf when you know you're winning that big. How do you stay focused and committed and you know not try to just par right? Yes. He has to attack. Yeah. And he does. He continues in on 18. He puts one to what, like four feet or whatever with the water to the left. He had already locked it up because Rahm had his run and then he kind of disappeared. 16, 17, and 18. A lot of conversation about Rom is you guys only played 54 holes at LIV. It's a little bit different. Is it different like having a Sunday for Rom? Because Rahm mentioned afterwards he was like, I haven't felt that in a long time. I I haven't felt that type of thing. cuz obviously LIV different style of golf, different form of golf, different environment of golf. I I can't wait to talk to you about what the future is. You guys all think uh for LIV that are in it and living it. But do you think that is a little bit working against some of the LIV guys those Sunday days uh and how long these tournaments are? No, I I think what I what I got from Rahm's interview was was more of of he he loved to chase. When you get in a major, it's different than any other event in the world. I mean, you're playing all around the world. you're playing on the PGA tour, but a major is different. You're you're dealing with your you're you're fighting yourself because you're thinking about interviews. You're thinking about this could be my next major. This could be my first major, my eighth major, whatever it is. And so, you're thinking about that and then when you're thinking about chasing, he had to attack 17, especially after he bogeyed 16. So, it is it's a birdie double. I mean, that's how fine line it was. So, I don't think it was anything of energy. I mean, he works out, he's young. Um, you know, it's just one of those things where he just that wasn't his day. That wasn't his last few holes. It was awesome to watch Rom back in there, D Shambo back in there. It was nice to see the big names. How do you think LIV has gone? How how have you enjoyed your experience with LIV? Cuz we can talk about it from a golf fans perspective where the majors, it's awesome to see everybody back together. I assume you guys have similar thoughts about it all. Yeah, for sure. When I looked at it from a business standpoint, you know, the contract and what where LIV wants to be in 10 years, it goes back to yesterday your point, your point was talking about it's a new business. I mean, this is a new adventure. Uh, most businesses don't really aren't successful after a few years. And so, you have to have the growing pains. You have to develop. And we're a worldwide we're we're F1 racing. We're we're worldwide sport. We're trying to bring golf to the masses around the world. PGA Tour, we're not fighting with the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour is America. It's PGA Tour. And we're trying to bring around the world. Everybody's watching around the world. Just us hasn't got in there yet. And when you think of F1 with the team aspect where you're playing against your teammate, but also you're trying to win the the constructor's cup. Um, you know, that's the same thing we're trying to do. The Range Goats are trying to win the championship, but also you're trying to win individually. I enjoy the team aspect of it. I I think they're I enjoy the team aspect of I think you guys got sick merch, too. Range goats. Great name. Well, we you know, we actually put some thought into it. You know, the golf ball, the golf tee is not like that. And then you got swamp rabbits. Then you got that's that's the irons if you can see. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. The bits. Yeah. And then you got hooks and slices as the horns. Oh, and then you got the the rough is like the goatee. The We actually think good logo, Bubba. Good logo. And then and then when you think of GOAT, we think of greatest of all time. And for me, it's it's twofold. I had going through some mental struggles. So, it's grow on a team and then it's golfers on a team. So, goat stands for something else to me. And then a driving range was the funny part because the range is like where I don't like to go. I like to go play golf. So, I hate going to the driving range. So, it just it just tied in some funny parts as part of the team logo. And you talked about some mental stuff. What was that? I assume golf is a tough game. I I was a punter obviously kicker in college. A lot of in between years. I think pitchers experience a similar type thing. It's a lot of or shooting a free throw. Yeah. Free throw. It's a lot of in between the ears. Is that what you're talking about? Mental stuff. 100%. And what I my struggle was I was putting I was putting when I played golf in 24 hours of Golf Channel. Um when I was playing golf and I'd shoot bad. It it it made me think of that's they were judging me as a person, you know, because I shot 75 or I or I double bogey the last hole to lose or I triple bogey the one of the holes. And so I was letting that define who Bubba Watson was. Um, and so I was going the wrong way. It took many years. It didn't, it wasn't overnight. It was started from like 200, we'll say 2009 all the way up to like 2014. And um, I went from 200 lb to 160 lb. So I went to the doctor, I did all these tests and the doctor said, "There's nothing wrong with you." And I said, "Well, there is. Look at me." And um, it was just anxieties and stress were eating me alive and I was just I was eating foods. I wasn't changing my diet, but I was losing weight. That's when we realized I was just battling anxieties and stress and um letting golf dictate who I was as a person. Yeah. Control your happiness. Uh the outcome of something that's might be out of your control in this entire thing. Did you have imposter syndrome out there? Um you think that led I faked it. You're saying no. Do you like imposter syndrome is whenever you um you basically think to yourself, I don't deserve what I am currently doing right now. You you start to question whether or not you're supposed to be where you are. For sure. 100%. You you you think about all I had that I want to let you know. I had that as a punter. I have that on a very regular basis in this current life. It is something I think a lot of people battle with. I think we all do it, right? Especially as men cuz men don't want the first thing I had to do is when I I fell to my knees when I finally realized I have to change. I went to my wife in 21 years of marriage. I had to go tell her the truth, right? Like I mean I she knows everything about me like 98%, you know? Like and so so you have to tell her the truth who you are. You're weak. you're not this man, this great man that everybody thinks you are or you think you are. You're weak. And so I had to go and talk to her and share her my true feelings and my thoughts. And then I'd go talk to Teddy. Teddy was on my bag at that time. Now it's better a gig with with Scheffler. But um I think everybody goes through it, brother. Right. And so that's what I'm saying. I think as in men in general have that problem. Come on. Way to battle. Yeah. For sure. That's not easy, man. That is not especially in the sport of golf. I've actually given up the game. So is Connor. Conor, I don't know. You got that new swing now. Whatever. Whatever that elbow thing was. That was terrible. I got a pool, bro. I got a pool, bro. You got a video. I watched that video. Good social pocket. Thank you, AJ. AJ, get in the slot. You got to get in the slot. I'm out here in whatever. Yeah. What? Yeah. Whatever that is. What's your guys? You don't pull with this, man. This is the I'm I'm even showing you righty. And And this is what you come through with. This just going to react to it. God, I hate this sport. Thought you had it. I thought I figured out. Watch this. Look at this. Look. Put Can you put it up back here? Look at this. Just like me. They're pulling. Yeah, but what's leading it? The shoulder. That front shoulder is leading it all. So, I'm pulling. I mean, I'm pulling like when I'm when I'm axing. Don't do that. Go put them wrist down a little bit. Yeah. It's too far out. I see. What What's the uh what's the uh the golfer kiwan? Uh yeah. Yeah. with with the Japanese I believe the shallow swing. Have you ever seen this guy? He's Instagram. Haven't told me a name yet. Well, that's the issue, man. I know. I'm some Japanese guy. He's a Japanese guy. He's at a driving range, which is not just a driving range. Mountain. Yeah. Gorgeous. And then every time he he just has this nice smooth just like easy swing and it's a draw every time into the sky. He's so cool. And then he says, "Just do the shallow swing." It's like I'm trying, brother. Okay. I watch every video you got. I watch this PGA tour one. I need to pull that thing into here. Bubba, you want no lessons? No lessons. No lessons. So, you think that's potentially a part of the problem that you were having? Because I think um you rely on your fundamentals in the high pressure moments. I think No, I think if you look at if you look at um the greatest golfers, right, I think that they have something unique. Arnold Palmer, you're not going to teach Arnold Palmer swing. You're going to teach Jack Nicholas swing. Scotty Scheffler. um you're not going to teach that. And I think some of the some of the there is some robots, we'll call them robots on golf swings. Nick Fo was one who who was um very good. He could get in that robotic mood and just play golf to the best ability. Um but like Scotty Scheffler, I mean, he's moving everywhere. His feet are dancing everywhere, but you're not you don't teach that. That's kind of self-taught, but then he's worked on the fine details. We are wrapping up here on ESPN. We'll continue on YouTube, ESPN Plus, Disney Plus with Bubba. Awesome. An absolute legend. And uh remember Tom Cruz is on a show tomorrow. Bubba got bumped today for Tom Cruz tomorrow. Yep. Everybody understands. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. Might change your life. Goodbye. All right. We're still live obviously. Okay. So, what do I need to work on? You think? I don't want to quit the sport entirely. Okay. I like the sport. At one point, it was my goal to work enough. All the boys can become rich. Got a bet. I can disappear. Yeah. I got a 30-year bet with this guy. I got a