The Professor (00:00.91)
Well, I'm happy to hear a Lookout Mountain shout out on the pod for our audience members playing backdrop bingo. We know there's a lot of them out of them. They're definitely someone just hit bingo with Lookout Mountain. So I think we get a shout out to it basically every episode at some point for some reason.
Matt Considine (00:15.131)
We do. It's a trend there. I'll throw another one. The gray walls. It's funny. All the influence from, from that I have not been, but I hear that is an extraordinarily tough walk from one of the most dedicated walkers who we both know very well. Our friend Kent Montes, who also makes an appearance on this show all the time. I know that he's done it for 36 holes. He walked it, I think, but it's pretty, pretty good walk up there, right?
The Professor (00:18.008)
you
Ben Cowan (00:41.172)
Yes, we with his, with Danielle and our group, we walked 36. And I had a member like, you're going to be tired walking 18 holes. I'm like, well, that's my second round. So yeah, it's, yeah, it's such an enjoyable walk and you miss so much of the course in a cart because it takes you so far off.
Matt Considine (00:56.037)
you
The Professor (01:09.582)
Hmm.
Ben Cowan (01:09.75)
due to the terrain that you miss. They just need some filly bridges, but it wouldn't be cost effective right now because only less than 1 % of the golfers walk on that course. But some filly bridges would make it more walkable.
Okay.
Matt Considine (01:31.105)
I, well, as we let you off here, I wanted to make on record three requests of you, Ben, and your team at Proving Ground. The first is that whatever you guys do from this point forward, share the playbook. Share the playbook. I know there was concerns of, like, Professor knows this very well, when you're in a funding round, when you're trying to get to the point of an...
the catalyst where it actually is happening in the world. You got to keep things under wraps. But I just feel so strongly that you guys are best positioned to succeed at proving this model that because of that, it's not just about seeing the example, it's sharing it. So that was my first is share it with others like you who are trying to achieve similar things elsewhere. Because I know you guys are going to do it. I know this place is going to be fantastic.
The world, America, we need more of it in the golf. My second is two ball tee times. If you could throw some two ball tee times at the club, professor and I've talked about this on the show. I was blown away by the clubs in England that had these, these, slots on their tee sheet that you had to play as a two ball, whether you were a guest or a member, it was very clear expectation that these are our two ball times. A lot of them in the morning on weekday. So guys could get to their desk.
The Professor (02:35.169)
Mmm.
Matt Considine (02:56.431)
in two and a half hours for their day job. That was cool. And then the third is pace of play related. The professor has kicked around all the time these mathematical evaluations of why walking and pace of play is better than riding in a cart with pace of play. Now, every, this has happened to me number of times as an event operator, we get to courses, they say, guys gotta be in carts, I ask why, and they say pace of play.
And I don't have a statistical relevant point to stand on other than my gut says you're wrong. So I would love, professor, you need an ally in this. I think you just found them. We gotta get the data. We gotta get the data. So when people pick those cards, whoever it is that's truly unbiased, let's just get the data and start to prove out that, you know, walking isn't the problem here, guys.
The Professor (03:37.464)
We got our data source.
The Professor (03:53.762)
Nope, packed course walking is quick.
Matt Considine (03:56.253)
Those are my three, those are my three. I had to get them out.
Ben Cowan (03:58.988)
very well said, you can say to that starter, well, you're just going to motivate me to buy this course. So that's not the, that's not the premonition.
The Professor (04:06.35)
That's the solution just by the core.
Matt Considine (04:09.489)
There's the solution. Well, Ben, thank you.
Ben Cowan (04:12.587)
What's a year you repeat a lie enough it becomes the truth so.
Matt Considine (04:16.433)
Yeah, exactly. Don't let facts get in the way. Make your own facts. Maybe that's the lesson there. Ben, thanks for spending some time with us, man. It's so exciting what you guys are doing. Is there anything you can share with our listeners? There's going to be a lot of folks that probably might reach out where they could get in touch with you or the club and any events coming up. Because I know you guys just had one in the fall. I wasn't able to get there. But I'd love to, if there's any future ones on the docket, I'd love you to share it with us.
The Professor (04:16.45)
That's,
Ben Cowan (04:43.979)
We don't have any events in the docket yet for next year. Yeah, we had two presentations with Mike, which was great. One this summer, one this fall. And we're on social media, DeVriesGolfDetroit on Instagram and X. I think we're DeVriesGolfDetroit.com is our website, but all of that will lead you to our
email if anyone's interested in being a part of this wants to this grassroots golf experience and inclusiveness and bring bring golf back to its origins in the States. So if anyone wants to be a part we'd love to have you.
Matt Considine (05:37.309)
Love it. Thanks Ben. Professor. Thank you as always. Thank you everybody for listening. You know, if you're not a subscriber of our podcast, this goes a long way. If you would subscribe wherever the heck you're listening and also like rate review what you thought of today's show. Send us a note at the bag drop at newclub.golf. And this show is a joy of mine being able to talk to people like Ben Cohen.
on things like Proving Ground with the more intelligent and handsome professor every single week. So tune in for our next, we got a couple awesome off season guests coming on for the rest of the winter. So tune in each week and we look forward to hearing from you guys then. The Bag Drop and New Club Golf Society are in partnership with Titleist, the number one ball in golf. We'll catch you guys on the next one.
