Dan Webster Golf: Welcome back to the podcast. is episode number eight now and another first for Performance Golf Podcast. We are once again with Russie Thomas. How are you big fella? Alright.

Russ: Good job, you.

Dan Webster Golf: Great. Yeah, good. So we're we're actually filming together. So he's had his hair done especially but also

Russ: All right, good.

Dan Webster Golf: we're not together. You're at your house. See you in a nice nice room there big fella. Just tell me a little bit about where we are for those that are listening in the car and not watching.

Russ: Well, I presume we're doing this to manage the tech, are we? That we haven't quite worked out how to video as both in same room. So we're effectively on

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, yeah,

Russ: the Zoom call. So I'm in my office at home, which is my little man cave because I have three daughters and a wonderful wife. So this is my one little space that's got all my bits and pieces in. So a few frame shirts and all that sort of stuff, little golf corner,

Dan Webster Golf: Nice.

Russ: all my golf bits and pieces. So yeah, this is my little bunker.

Dan Webster Golf: It almost, bunker, yeah, you struggle to get out of it, you? It almost looks like you've tidied it up ready for the show, I don't know, would I be right in thinking that?

Russ: No, I think this is how it is. Yeah.

Dan Webster Golf: Okay, you see what I've got a steering wheel here, because I've actually gate crashed one of, I would say my office, but really where Charlie, my youngest, does a bit of gaming. There is a few nice little bits about some medals. See that picture over that shoulder there, big fella?

Russ: I a calendar, I think, to pictures just out of shot.

Dan Webster Golf: I can't see the picture. It's the World Cup winning squad from 1966 signed with a photo of me with them. That's very cool. Anyway,

Russ: They were all really smart.

Dan Webster Golf: right, so we're going to have a little chat about what we've been up to. You had a good week?

Russ: Yeah, really good, yeah. Bit of Dad's Taxis earlier in the week. My middle one floss was back to uni, so I was driving back to Loughborough. I've got more Dad's Taxis on Saturday because the youngest is off to Edinburgh to a university open day, so looking forward to getting up there. It's one of my favourite places. I've got a wooden spoon golf day tomorrow in Kirby Lunsdale, so looking forward to that. I've actually done a bit of work in between all of that. So yeah, good week this week. What about you? See you at uni.

Dan Webster Golf: wow. Every credit.

Russ: Seen some progress, I've seen a lot of great paint, not just on you, but all over the unit.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, one thing you did miss out there, pussy, was you've been meeting fans, haven't you?

Russ: Someone at the golf club who actually listened to the episode that I was on. Yeah, very strange. Yeah. Clearly not, no.

Dan Webster Golf: Did you sign anything? you photos, selfies,

Russ: No, very much not.

Dan Webster Golf: I've had a busy week as well, actually. It doesn't sound like it's as exciting as busy as yours, but I cut the grass at the range, but I did it in a different way this week. Instead of going up and down, I went side to side. And yeah, it was interesting. It was good to have a fresh, fresh perspective of the outfield.

Russ: feel like therapy for you in the morning, that when you're doing your Webster's weather and a little bit of podcast on and a little bit therapy.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, I listen to a pod. I think about the world and I look at different parts of the range that I wouldn't have seen if I'd have gone up and down. I've also, I think you just mentioned it there, painted the warehouse, the unit, the four and a half thousand square foot building. I've got a decorator who's been in there all week and he's brilliant, but it's quite high ceiling. And he wasn't a fan of heading up on the scissor lift at eight meters and spraying the roof, so. I'll give everything a try. And I did that. was interesting. I will say the first half an hour or so, I think more paint was on me than on the roof, but I got the hang of it and actually quite enjoyed it. But yeah, it's moving nicely. Only doing things at the minute that don't cost too much money because we're still awaiting a decision from the Royal Council, but I have got a meeting with them on Monday, which is quite exciting. Took Harry up for a golf lesson this week as well. We went up to see a good pal of mine, Craig Lee, who's a head of Lancashire County coaching program, and he looks after all the performance squads and so on. So yeah, Harry had a golf lesson last night.

Russ: interesting decision for you, it? Putting Harry with another coach rather than doing it yourself?

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, it is. I mentioned that perspective again. I think there's a theme here. It's good to have another perspective. I see Harry on a day-to-day basis, but also I'm really, really keen, keen on being his dad. I am his dad and I want that relationship, not a coach-pupil relationship. So all the time that Harry's played golf, I've tried to manage our relationship as a father and son rather than... coach on a daily basis when he's playing and I see him I might give him a few pointers I might say look try this try that if he's got any questions if he's struggling a little bit nudge your ball forward but as far as getting down to swing mechanics and technical information instead of me telling him it and him maybe reacting a bit negatively because it's dad telling him something or getting at him maybe I wanted somebody else to have a look at him and in my opinion One of the, certainly the most knowledgeable and best coaches in the area is Craig Lee and he's based up at T-time and he's, yeah, he spends a nice bit of time with Harry. They have a great relationship as well. They got on great. I think that's quite important, but yeah, more so, so I don't fall out with him over golf really.

Russ: It makes sense. You know my girls are a little bit older than your boys and I suppose I've helped them all learn to drive over the years. Izzy passed her test a few months ago and it's very interesting trying to coach your children anyway. So probably doing the right thing there for balance.

Dan Webster Golf: Monday night, Monday I did a pod without you. Apologies for that. I've just, still practicing. I'm still practicing. And in it, I mentioned

Russ: Okay.

Dan Webster Golf: the wine gums, the wine gums and the golf club. And somebody today in a coaching session, I've been coaching all day at the Drime Range today. And someone in today's session said, I listened to your podcast. I actually use... not winegums, the Sour Patch Kids. Have you had any of them?

Russ: No.

Dan Webster Golf: Have you tried them? So, and again, something similar, she uses the Sour Patch Kids because it really, it's apparently quite vile tasting and quite sour. And it sort of snaps you back into the moment rather than your head going off a cliff because you're having a bad few holes or a couple of bad shots. And it just brings you back into the real world. And again, like... I think that's eight now if you're counting perspective. when you're playing bad golf, you just got to think about it and come out of the red mist and go, actually, let's put this in perspective. This is just a game. you must have found times when you've been playing bad that it becomes the all encompassing red mist. How would you deal with it if you do?

Russ: I'm a nightmare as an amateur golfer one bad shot leads to many bad shots for me and it was interesting listening to the golf glove story that you gave in the last episode because it's certainly a tip that I could use and watched a bit of the golf over the weekend at Wentworth and you look at Manuel Alvira there playing the last minute it was makes you relate to an amateur golfer, what happened to him there and the way that sort of unfolded. And you could see that glazed look in his eyes, couldn't you? From the moment he ended up in that trap, which was clearly not where he wanted to lay up to, for the next five, 10 minutes till he finished the hole, he just looked like he was in a different place, he? And was unfortunately very relatable for an amateur golfer to get that feeling where it's just sort of spinning out on you. And it is really hard to have that trigger. sort of stop it at some point.

Dan Webster Golf: Maybe if only he, he couldn't listen to it because was Monday after he'd already had his nightmare, but maybe he needs to listen to the podcast and learn a little bit about the Sour Patch Kids or the winegums or using your gloves as an on off switch. We'll go back to that Wentworth event. think Rory was tipped to win it obviously, came close, did well, has struggled around there in the past. Elvira. phenomenal. You know, he literally put himself in a winning position. Eagle 17, iron off the tee on 18. Now he'd done that all week, so it wasn't a layup as such. That wasn't

Russ: Yeah.

Dan Webster Golf: a change of tactics. But I think his next shot was the one where personally, and we've mentioned this before, I think, you got to have a go at that. You've got to, you got to take, take the shot on and, and hit it, hit it right bunker maybe, but to lay up there to where he did and lay up into trouble. I think that decision might have cost him because a double bogey on that hole unfortunately it's took him out of the tournament. A par would.

Russ: Well, I did the same thing half an hour earlier and I know it's maybe slightly different because he didn't know what he needed to do, he? Because he was a little bit ahead of the groups behind him. But he did the same thing. think he finished part part, didn't he? Like, you've got kicking yourself there in the same way. But I know what I'd do if I didn't do the birdie on the last ad. Make a double bow to a treble bow.

Dan Webster Golf: It's hard to follow it. Someone actually who might be listening to this podcast today, he actually played golf earlier and he laid up on the third hole off the tee at Luton Green Drive. Now, I didn't even know that was a thing to lay up on the third. There's water about 200 yards away. It's about 240 to carry it. Most people that can hit it nicely can get somewhere near it. And there's a massive landing space to the right. But Chris Hawley laid up on the third today. but still made Birdie. So, you know, every credit.

Russ: Thank you, everyone.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, well done, Hawley. Good work. I think he double bogie the next four after that. But anyway, got Birdie on three. So we are believe it or not. Now we've hit the 2000 over 2000 streams. I think there was the feedback about our episode last week was brilliant. And almost to the point that I might just hand this over to you and crack on because you came across really well and

Russ: It's just the beginning of it now, you put me on video it's game over isn't it?

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah. And yeah, we're learning again. And tonight we've got mics, mics, both got different microphones. We'll see how they come out. Hopefully it'll be well. And yeah, we're videoing this one and you can see us. But we've asked, I did ask for some questions from people that listening. And I got some great feedback earlier in the week from Rob Forshaw. And he said, Dan, this junior golf thing is brilliant. I really enjoy listening to that. And again, the winegum story is great. And he said, do you mind if I ask a couple of other, you know, other bits that might be helpful. He's got a young, Frankie, for sure. He's got a young lad who's say 11 years old learning the game. And he said he's out on the course with him quite a lot and he just doesn't know how to help him. And really, I think one of the first things there is you don't really need to help him. Just let him play, let him have fun. And if he's looking at you for advice, yeah, maybe have a chat with us and we'll give you a few pointers on grip and set up, but he's on the golf course. So right. fact, when you're on that golf course, you're not supposed to be doing too much thinking. What I would say to help a junior golfer, really good bit of advice, and Rusty, must have heard this when Padraig Harrington was talking about it. You've got any young junior golfer, make the round of golf or the few holes of golf an experience. So whether it's three holes, eight holes, 18 holes, don't just rock up, play golf, finish, get in the car and go home. what I really do encourage, get to the course a little bit earlier, have a chip and a pop, maybe grab a few sweets at the pro shop, don't forget your wine gums, and then go and play your golf. And if Frankie's not enjoying himself, three holes in, he's not enjoying himself, come off the course, go and have a bottle of pop and a pack of crisps and have a laugh about it, and then go home. Or if he is enjoying himself, play a few more. But then at the end of the round, and again, I really do encourage this with all the juniors that I work with and their parents specifically, is go in. Have a pie, have a pack of crisps, chat a bit about it. Or on your way home, nip and get a Macca's. Make it not just about the round of golf. Make it not just about what you've just done. Because if it's all about the golf itself and then there's a bit of pressure on it, it's about scoring. In the early days, it's more about time with daddy, time with mommy, doing things that you're making memories really. Yeah.

Russ: Yeah, it's got to be fun, isn't it? It's got to be fun. It's a very difficult game to learn at any age, probably easier for kids than adults, but if it's no fun, then there's no point.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, I think and Rob appreciate the question. But yeah, don't really think about technique. Don't help him with anything like that. The practice ground is for that and, you know, come and speak to us and go speak to a coach and learn a bit about that side of things. But as far as when you're there, yeah, just get out and have a little bit of fun.

Russ: call Wilds, Wilds is going on in your world and we've touched on you being covered in grey paint but there must be more to your week than just grey paint.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, it doesn't feel like it. I think I've still got a bit here. But yeah, so we've pulled out after 13 years, we pulled the power tees out at the driving range at Living Golf Academy. We've had them in since I opened actually this week. So a power tee the company, they about six months ago looked at renew my contract. I explained I couldn't really commit to a five year agreement. I'm not sure what's going to happen over the next five years. they said okay well we'll we'll take them out for you and like that's fine and yeah it's a bit of upheaval throughout the week thankfully it's done in two days but now when you get to the driving range there is just a normal mat and normal tees we've got quite a different tee heights this is no no sort of reflection on power tee but we were having quite a few problems last few years ball machines breaking regularly i think it's down to my maintenance more than anything but customers coming in, putting the balls in the hopper and them not coming out, takes a member of staff to go fix it. There is a cost, it's quite an extensive cost. And if you saw that podcast, 500,000 in 13 years gone in the skip, that's pretty much what it's cost me to have them. you know, in looking at profit nowadays and looking at how the business works, it wasn't that profitable to do that. The other factor as well, power to initially was set up to help golfers hit the ball faster. So a range owner would put power tees in to get someone spending their hundred balls a lot quicker. And then we put top tracer in, which is actually set up to give a more realistic practice experience and slow the golfer down. So we've got power tees speeding you up and top tracers slowing you down and they're both conflicting. And personally, I want someone to go have time at the range and take the time, learn and get some... purposeful practice, which I think Top Tracey does. Whereas power tee, it just teed it up and whack it, teed it up and whack it. How often, Russie, do you get chance on a golf course to tee it up and whack it within four seconds, really?

Russ: Yeah, not very. Yeah, look, it's interesting. You obviously chatted about it on the last pod. You make those decisions that you've probably been thinking about that for months, if not years, if it's time to take it out. And because there's something bigger going on, you start taking more action, don't you? And cracking on with stuff that you've perhaps let drift.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, definitely. like I say, it's always been let it roll on, but I do feel like at the moment we've got, we mentioned the word pivot before, we've got an opportunity to pivot and maybe clean up a few things that haven't worked or reassess and look at it and make sure the ship is a little bit tighter as we move forward.

Russ: So I guess all the big news in the world this week is on coming into football, which is probably more my background. But interestingly, the Mbappe Tieri-Honry announcement that I think everyone will have seen, it's been impossible to miss. But they've also dropped in the fact that they'll be entering the golf market as well in 2029. So I guess that instantly made me think about what brands you'll put into the new unit and look from. from my time working on the Cobra brand within Puma Golf, there's a huge amount of brands in golf at all levels, especially in apparel and footwear. As a buyer, I mean, it felt hard selling and being mixed in with all those brands trying to find your sort of piece of market share. You're sitting there trying to buy them all. How are you deciding which brands you buy, A, now for LGA, and then will that change? with the new facility where it's perhaps a little bit more towards the casual, sort of Malbuns, I guess, maybe, is it, that are a bit more off course, on course, different type of vibe, will it be?

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, I mean, you've covered quite a bit there. I think there's quite a few questions and I'll go through a few different things. First question I'll throw back at you and this is a nice swerve. What would you buy? What would you wear to play golf in at the minute?

Russ: I've still got loads of Puma gear probably in last few times.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, yeah, but you've not bought that, you? What would you buy?

Russ: What would I buy? Yeah, I guess Melbourne's probably, and you're wearing it there at the moment, that's probably the brand outside of my natural affinity to Puma that you think, and they just seem to have got it bang on. Even you know, you've got a sort of Jason Day or Charlie Hall and it's all a bit a bit wild and a bit loud But actually you've got Freddy couples wearing it in sort of all black in his 60s thinking right so I I I couldn't wear Melbourne to as a 50 year old, you don't have to be a sort of teenager sort of half skater kind of Feeling so yeah, Melbourne's probably a really interesting brand I guess that I lean towards at the moment

Dan Webster Golf: Good choice. And there's a few things about my album that are really working well. By the way, this is not an advert today, but it's box fit, it's big fit. know, some brands are very slim fit. J. Linderberg, for example, writes out a lot of our clients. So it's baggy fit. You don't have to be a six foot Adonis, like myself, to wear it. But you do get that performance wear as well. So there's an album performance collection, which is more... movable and then use your standard icons and your collection, which is big and baggy and, and, know, baggies back in at the minute. For me, I get my fashion tips, fashion chips, fish and chips. That's what I was saying. My fashion tips that'll be cut out by the way, off my son, Charlie.

Russ: I'm talking about it.

Dan Webster Golf: He's wearing baggy. So yeah. And Harry goes into the performance wear. So Melbourne is a great choice and it covers a lot of the marketplace, quite pricey. So there is that factor, but going back to how do I buy and what am I buying for LG, I'm carrying as I am. So Under Armour is a big brand for me. Putting a couple of other brands in and staying as we are with Galvin Green as a golfing waterproof brand, looking potentially putting Adi in. We've had Puma, we've had Nike and maybe another fashion brand at the performance facility. We're going with just two or three brands initially, Melbourne being one of them. Ralph Lauren, we've just secured a Ralph Lauren account, but the

Russ: Bye.

Dan Webster Golf: Ralph Lauren product will be stocking Ralph clothing that is the normal styles, but also their performance wear. So the brand of Performance Golf is everything to help people improve their golf, right? So the environment will help you improve, being there will help you improve. I'm even looking at a specific sort of alcohol with a performing

Russ: you

Dan Webster Golf: enhancement to it.

Russ: And you've been testing that this evening.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, yeah, what do you reckon? Yeah, so performance brands with a bit of fashion and a nice feel and look to them is what we're going for. We're covering all ends of the market between both facilities. But then the interesting one, coming back to your how you started this off, was ON. Now, ON coming into football, did you know, I've read this up recently, did you know the founder of ON? not that long ago, I went to Nike and showed the design of the sole and they said no.

Russ: Yeah, but it was with cut or post pipe, I think, was that that sort of outsole

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, I mean...

Russ: that they've got. So

Dan Webster Golf: up and run around with it on the shoes?

Russ: Thanks

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, but so they said no. Now I've got a question. Do you think that's how we started the brand on? Because it's no, isn't it? I don't know. I think there's probably far, far more to it if you do know the answer

Russ: Maybe, yeah, maybe. Yeah, really nice.

Dan Webster Golf: to this, mind your messages. So I've contacted on already. because I think that brand would be phenomenal at Performance Golf. It's Performance Wear, it's leather athleisure, is that the right phrase?

Russ: Yeah.

Dan Webster Golf: And yes, there is a plan to get into golf in 2029. Currently football is a bit of a focus with the Mbappe shining in. Again, ironically, Nike's star currently, I guess, has now gone across to them. So not only did they lose the idea, they've now lost one of their big money earners. So It's a big change, a big shift, but coming back to golf wear, would you wear on golf shoes potentially?

Russ: Yeah, I think so. I think for some of the stuff that I read earlier in the week, was saying that there's quite a lot of golfers wearing it now. It's a trainer running shoe, call it what you will, but it's comfortable enough to play golf in already. So it doesn't feel like they've got a lot of work to do to turn it into a golf shoe. I certainly prefer a golf shoe that's more like a trainer, more comfortable, which I'm imagining on product or be. So yeah, it's a brand that you can certainly see sitting at the. higher price points, it's the right sort of market for them to be in alongside tennis.

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah, definitely. think, and I think again, if you're coming down to use the driving range at LGA, but also coming to use the simulators at Performance Golf, you don't need to be wearing your golf shoes. Your spiked golf shoes are not necessary. Yeah, there's no dress code at either of my facilities, which I think is really important as well. And you can wear sportswear. You can wear things that you're comfortable in and they'll help you perform. Now, a specific style of trainer shoe, which has had a bit of tech going into it as well, might be footwear you're doing to be fair, but also on will definitely be doing it'll be about performance, energy transfer through the ground, which we do a lot of work on. You know, I'll have a facility where you can actually try them and see how the performance of your golf shots improve or don't in store because we'll have literally you can come and try a pair of our latest whatever shoes on stand in a sim, whack a few shots and compare. versus your own shoe. We can't do that normally, in normal environment, certainly at the driving range and at a golf pro shop, but we're gonna provide a little bit more of fitting for other things other than clubs. You can even put, so some of the clothing will be performance enhancing clothing, so a bit more mobility in the shoulders, slip it up on and hit a shot and see if you get the ball further. If you do, you're gonna want to buy it, aren't you?

Russ: It's a ball play,

Dan Webster Golf: I haven't got a magic button under the table that I press to make the ball go further when

Russ: Bye

Dan Webster Golf: you're wearing a £50 t-shirt, that's for sure. Coming back to Simulator Golf, okay, so again, the facility is gonna be about that and it's not real golf, but a conversation I had earlier today, a member of St. Anzal Link's, a good friend, someone who's been around a long time, a chap called Ken Miller, and I said, asked him, how are your golfs going, how are you getting on? And he went, well, I'm not really playing down, to be honest, I'm struggling moving, I'm struggling walking, that's why I like to come to the range, just whack if you can drive here, get out of the car, hit a few shots. He says, I don't even watch the ball go down now. I turn my head to the right, look at the screen, I can play a golf course. He says, so I'm getting my golf hit. So I was like, wow, that's quite interesting actually. I said, how about if I took you for a round at Glen Eagles in a couple of months time? And he said, Dan, I'd love to, but I can't get round unless I've got a buggy. And even then I'm struggling getting in and out of the buggy. I said, it won't be there. It'll be at an indoor facility and you can sit and have a coffee whilst you're doing it. and maybe you're in a nice warm environment. And he was absolutely, he was buzzing about it. And he was really excited that he could go and play around with golf again, which he hasn't done for quite a while and get the same feelings that he got

Russ: Yeah, I agree.

Dan Webster Golf: without getting tired, without losing, and not worried about, he was worried about losing his balance and falling and injuring himself where he could just hold onto one of the chairs. It's quite simple. Coming back to perspective. I hadn't even looked at the facility to have that availability. What do think about that?

Russ: Yeah, you could be running a seniors league in the middle of the day, couldn't you?

Dan Webster Golf: Yeah

Russ: It's the same principle, there's on course competitions, isn't it? There's senior comps at your local golf club run a seniors comp down at

Dan Webster Golf: I will.

Russ: the facility.

Dan Webster Golf: And they, and you know, how many golfers out there aren't playing that want to because they fear they can't get round, they might fall.

Russ: Yeah.

Dan Webster Golf: You know, we're an aging demographic of golfers anyway, and I think a lot are getting missed out because there isn't that facility. So this is something that I was quite excited. It's got me thinking differently again today, something that I will pursue. And yeah, like I've just said, they're a great idea to run a league, run a senior's league in the winter for golfers that probably, you know, it's cold as well in the winter. They're not gonna wanna go out, are they? Get the bass layers on and head out on the golf course on a cold, wet day. So we're gonna be hopefully providing something along that line as well.

Russ: and a bacon butthead and a game of Glen Eagles over lunch.

Dan Webster Golf: Winning, Right, I think we've covered quite a lot there. We'll see. Thank you again. I've had a long day. It's quarter past nine. We've done another 30 minute episode there. I think we've covered some great topics and thank you for bringing up the on scenario Mbappe and we'll see how that unfolds moving forward. Quite excited. Like I say, I put a call in already. Let's see if we can get them on board. Sorry

Russ: you did that.

Dan Webster Golf: about that. Great to see you by the way, actually on the podcast. I love these chats. if nobody's listening, does not matter at all. We're getting a little chat. So yeah, thank you for that again, big fella.

Russ: Yeah, enjoyed it. Good fun. Speak to you soon. Have a good week.

Dan Webster Golf: All right, you take care. you soon.

Russ: Bye.