[upbeat music] Welcome to the Bay State Golf Podcast. I'm Sean Mealy. I've got the mixed mass four-ball champions, Connor McCormick, Alexis Florio. Alexis and Connor, thank you for joining me today. Thank you.
Excited to be here. Sean, thanks for having us. You're the best. Stoked to, uh, to talk. I've had...
I had the men's four-ball winners on, and just thought this would be kind of a fun little addition and get some more Mass golf winners on as the, uh, summer goes. So, couple weeks now into...
You, you won it what, three weeks ago now at this point, down at Willow Bend. I'm gonna start with Alexis.
Are there any, like, highlights or little things that maybe stick out from that day down at Willow Bend now that you're three weeks out of it and, like, maybe have thought about it a little bit?
Any, like, shots, little moments with Connor that, uh, that just stick out? Well, first I think we had a really great day for golf. I feel like in early May you never know what you're gonna get down on the Cape. So
we had, like, a goal of being, I think it was eight under we said was our goal.
[laughs] And we didn't know if that was really realistic or not prior to starting, but as the day went on, the conditions were great and we got a pretty good amount of birdies under our belt on the front nine.
And then I think we just started cruising and really having a great time on the back nine. So that helped us kind of go on to get the win. Connor. Yeah. If I had to think of a specific moment, it was the third hole.
I was fortunate enough to birdie the first two by via making some putts. And, uh, I wanna put my putter on notice now, because the magic that happened that day, I apparently I used it all because my putter's been cold.
It's been put on notice. But the third hole, I remember I waited for the... It was a drivable par four, and I waited for the green to clear and I just absolutely snap hooked one, like off the planet.
And Alexis hit a great one down the left side. It was kind of pin high. She hit it to about 30 feet maybe, and after we made the birdies on the first two, she just dropped the 30-footer on the third.
And you could kind of tell that, like, like she said earlier, with the weather, with everything going for us, we had a great group as well.
And when she made that putt on three, you could, you could tell it was just a ham and egg situation and that the birdies were gonna start dropping for sure. Yeah. You make the turn at four,
and, uh, these two children had posted five. [laughs] Yeah. Literally two 14-year-old kids- Yeah... had posted five under in the morning. So you had a target already set.
You had your own target already set as well, and then you do kind of hit like a little spell where you made a bunch of pars in a row. W- like, were you starting to feel a little bit of pressure?
I think you went, like, 10 through 13 maybe with just four straight pars. Was there... Or were you guys feeling like birdies are gonna come, we, we know a little bit about this golf course or what's ahead of us?
I'll go to Alexis. I told you before we started recording- Yeah, yeah. No, I-... I was gonna mess this up. We'll go to Alexis first.
Um, I was kind of noticing [laughs] we, like, weren't dropping birdies, but it wasn't because of, uh, for lack of trying. We were really coming close and just maybe having some lip outs or whatnot.
Um, so I wasn't concerned at all. But I think when we got to, I'm trying to think,
maybe the 13th or 14th hole, like, Connor had a really great birdie, maybe 13 or 14, and then we got to the par three that's downhill near the bog. Yeah, the, like, the signature hole they have there. It's a 14.
Yeah, I don't know what number. 14 maybe. I think it's 14. Um, and that was coming off of Connor's birdie.
And once we got into that little area of land, [laughs] like 14 to 18, I feel like that's where we just kind of took off and had a great time. Um,
'cause we birdied the hole after that, the par five, and then Connor went, like, birdie-birdie. So we kinda just [laughs] clicked there, and that was definit- definitely like a ham and egg situation, a team effort.
But I think no matter who was hitting the shots, like, we were always encouraging each other, because just having that energy to want to get the birdies and believing the other person could I think helped us a lot.
The... I mean, you guys shot 67 and 71 respectively, and shot 63 as a team. So it certainly was, like, a very much a ham and egg where... You know, sometimes you see someone who shoots 67 and the gr- the team shoots 66.
So this, I'm interested in, like, the strategy of playing mixed four-ball as far as, like, you're y- you're on different tees.
So there's just, like, how do you be- how do you figure out, like, what you're gonna do on a hole when you're both standing on a different tee? I've never played mixed four-ball.
So, like, what, what is that dynamic like during the day? I'd say it, the hand is almost a little bit forced, because I'm always going first. Alexis is always going second.
I like going first in general because I always like having an insurance policy, as I call it, with my partner going after me in case I do something a little bit crazy. But it was good.
Like, I, I could kind of knock one out there in the fairway, and then Alexis from her tees, like, she has such an advantage with her length that...
I remember, like, off tee boxes, we were discussing what she was gonna hit off the tee. And Alexis, correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not, I don't remember, like, how many drivers that were hit off the tees.
Like, a l- lot of three woods were off there, a lot of hybrids. Right. And she's so long that, like, she was still having wedges in. So we were able... It, it, strategy wasn't, like, the biggest...
It, it was probably more of a, a discussion point during our practice round when we played at Woodland, just to, like, catch up, 'cause we hadn't seen each other since she's in law school.
And we were talking about strategy more, probably a little bit more than we did game day. So I would say- Okay...
it's just, like, the nature of the tournamentYou know, guys go first, girls go second, and then you kinda just figure it out from there. So that's... Is that, that's the...
Is that the rule or the expectation, or just because the, you know, you get to the, typically get to the back tee before you get to the forward tee, you're... That's just the way it plays out?
Yeah, I think that's the case. I, I'm pretty sure I could've teed off first if I wanted to. I- Clearly Connor, he wants the insurance policy, so you're- [laughs] Please... you had no choice. Always.
I don't care how much I have to pay for it, always get the coverage. Yeah. And I don't mind because I'm not... I wouldn't say I'm a super aggressive player. Like, I can be when the time is right, but I also...
If he, you know, veered off course, I was happy just knowing that I had to put a drive down the middle and play it safe until the next shot. Um, so yeah, I don't mind that he needs an insurance policy.
[laughs] H- so you, you mentioned Woodland. You're both members at Woodland. That's how this, uh, team was formed, at least just geography-wise. But this is your first year playing this together, right? Yeah. Mm-hmm.
So h- like, how did that, how did that, uh, situation arise? Who, who approached who for, uh- Yeah... for this, uh, adventure? Yeah. So
you know when it's February and you're always waiting for Mass Golf to send out, like, the major dates and then the qualifiers, so I was just hawking it per usual 'cause there's nothing better to do in February.
And I saw the Stone Cup came out, and I texted Alexis. I was like, "Do you wanna play in this?" Because I feel like we had a pretty good chance just kinda out of the gate.
And I remember the original date was, like, April 27th, and it was, like, kind of a TBD date. And I asked her, and she was like, "I actually have finals that day for law school." So I was like, "Great. Excellent."
And then I was like, "In the back of your mind, like, let's just monitor it, uh, just in case, like, something changes." And then eventually it switched to May 7th. I believe that's what it was. And followed up with her.
She said that she could do it. I know that, I think she was, like, going down to Florida the next day. But, uh, she fit me in her schedule, and, uh, we kinda just wung it and went out there and had a great time. Yeah.
That... Yeah, that, I would second that. I'm glad they changed the date because as much as I prioritize golf when I can, it's tough to kinda miss a final, so [laughs] Yes... I'm glad it worked out. Yeah, and I just,
I had no clue what to expect 'cause I wasn't really hitting tons of balls over the winter, but I think just being so excited to be on the golf course again helped me to believe in myself and have a good time, which I think nowadays is the most important thing for playing well.
It's not, like, thinking about my technique as much 'cause I don't get to practice a ton. [laughs] Yeah, for sure. I, I, I agree. You just have to go and try to play and not play golf swing. Right.
Just get the ball in the hole. For the record, I just wanna say this. We played Woodland the week before the four-ball, and she hadn't played in, like, since January or something.
And she went out, and she shot 75, and I'm like, "It must be nice." You know? [laughs] Like, I... For me, I have to shake off the cobwebs just a shade longer than that, so, uh, it's just unbelievable. 75 out of the gate.
And then, like, next round, 71 at Willow Bend Tournament Play. Like, incredibly strong. Good partner. Do you, do you two play a little bit together? Um, n- not really at all? Like, you said you played a practice round.
But, like, last year, was this w- do you guys play and stuff together? A little bit. You know, it's just depending on schedule. Last summer I was playing a lot more golf.
We'll have to see going forward, [laughs] but yeah. And you had a great summer last summer, Alexis, as far as, like, competitive golf. You played in the US Mid-Am. Mm-hmm. Reached the semifinals of the Mass Women's Am.
So d- like, did that momentum also just feel like you had a good summer, you could kind of feel pretty comfortable, like, taking a little bit of time off, not time off in the winter, but does that help you when you get back into, into the swing of things?
Like, I was playing good golf in the last, you know, eight months. I think so. Also just
realizing over the last few years of finishing college golf, figuring out what it means to play as, like, an amateur now, mid-amateur, just,
like, what I need to do to adapt on the course and trusting, like, my years of competitive golf, not just, okay, I didn't play for two months. What's my game like now? And I've found that it doesn't change a whole ton.
If anything, it's just my short game.
And being in that competitive environment, you can't really replicate just going to the range and hitting balls, so that's the biggest thing for me, is not necessarily playing in tournaments all the time these days, but playing with people who I can compete against, like, have a game with, just do things for fun.
T- to me, golf is fun when I'm competing. So I know that's, like, not for everybody, but that's my take on it. Yeah. Yeah. It can w- I g- for some people, it can wear on them, and they- Mm-hmm...
they, they do it, and they like to do it, but then they're kind of, like, worn out from doing it. But that's, uh, that's a good trait to have, 'cause it, it can get tiring. Connor, you play so much competitive golf.
I mean- I try. And, and, and frankly, like, it's a year-by-year thing because competitive golf, like Alexis said, and you said, it's so draining.
And folks who don't play competitive golf just, like, don't really understand that five hours, nonstop focus, complete vulnerability to your friends, family, people can follow you on GolfGenuis- [laughs]... it's a lot.
And you know what I mean? And you go through these qualifiers, and it's so hard to get into these events now.
I think you did a, a piece maybe last week where just, like, covering the average scores to get into events, it's, it's pretty bizarre. And, you know, y- you're basically going to these qualifiers.
Y- back in the day, you could shoot four or five over and maybe get in. Now, if you don't shoot even, you really... Like, it's a toss-up. It's a complete- Yeah... coin flip.So I've had a good spring.
You know, I've gotten to the Ham, I've gotten to the Open, and so I have, like, a rejuvenated feeling going into these tournaments. You know, Oyster Harbors next week, and then Winchester in July.
You don't get into those events, and all of a sudden you're burnt out because you've gone through a lot of competitive golf and, you know, there's nothing really to show for it.
But I was on the phone with Sean Hester the other day, and it's like, that's what golf is. Like, it, it... Nothing is ever owed to you. You just gotta, like... It's blind trust in trying to compete in these things.
And you could get good breaks, bad breaks, and really at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you qualify or not, but it's just a matter of, like, okay, how much do you actually like doing this to believe that you're gonna get through at some point?
And, uh, I think it just goes to show, like, the, to the, to the guys and girls who get into these events consistently, compete consistently. In playing these USGA events, like, it's just...
There's so many tiers of amateur golf that, like, just being in the mix is, is fun enough for me. I, uh, as, as I said, the... You were at the Hornblower on Friday, and- Yep...
I was there covering it, and I was standing... I was sitting by the scoring table. Just to give a sense of, like, length of time competing for some of these guys.
Steve Toscho, who is, like, a, kind of a legend in the mass golf scene, was calculating the first time he played in the Hornblower. He's like, "I think it was 1975, maybe 1976.
I only remember 'cause I had to get a ride to the course, 'cause I didn't have my license yet. I was that young." It's like, [laughs] oh my God. Yep. And he plays in everything, and he's still com-...
He finished T14 this week. These guy- Which- Like, in- it's incredible how some of these people c- uh, like, on the women's side too, Sue Curtain and... You know, it's just amazing how
the longevity of being able to compete is, uh, is pretty staggering. No kidding. Shout out to Sue. We, uh, we were paired out, paired up with Sue during the mixed four-ball, and it was just, like- Vibes...
even going into that tournament, when the tee times came out, like, a week or two in advance, I texted Alexis. We were just like, "This is such a home run."
[laughs] Like, she's the best, and it was just so much fun playing with her. All right, I'm gonna put you both on the spot.
I asked, I asked Chris Gacem and Shane Walsh, the, the men's four-ball champs, the same question.
I'll start with, I'll start with you, Connor, so Alexis, you have some time to think about this, 'cause you might not have a, even have an answer.
If you could take one skill or trait from each other on the golf course, which one would you, would you want? Alexis, you can defer this question. I, may, there might be nothing you want from Connor [laughs]. Yeah.
No, you said it, not me. I'm glad. It's, it's definitely patience. It's definitely patience. Exhibit A, prime example, when you brought up the kids posting five under while we were making the turn.
Alexis went into the shack to grab something to eat, and I was just like, "Psh." I was sitting in the cart, nothing better to do, so obviously I'm gonna check the scores, um, just to see where we're at.
And it's just so- it's just something that I do, and I, I, I gotta be better at it. But, um... And then I saw that we were at four. They were at five. And then I t- I...
Alexis got back, and I was like, "Do you wanna know where we're at?" Like, "Do you wanna know what we need to do?" And she was like, "No. Why would I wanna know that? Like, w- our goal was to get to eight.
We're at four now. We know what we need to do. We just gotta go make birdies." [laughs] And I was like, if only I could take a page out of that book and apply it to, like, my entire life- [laughs]...
uh, I would probably be better off. So I would definitely say her patience. Mm. I... Well, yeah, as much as I might be able to be patient in golf, I, I don't find myself patient- [laughs]... in life these days.
But yeah, I need to transfer that. Um, I think something I appreciated about Connor during the round, and I think just in general, is he has more of a relaxed energy than me. Sometimes I'm, like, very intense, but not...
More like a quiet intense, and it's not really intentional. I enjoy talking to people on the golf course and whatnot, but I just kind of get locked in, and sometimes that's not the best thing for me.
So I think talking with Connor throughout the entire round and just seeing how he was relaxed, maybe you weren't relaxed [laughs] internally, but I think that helped me kind of just stay loose, and, um, helped us just kind of have a conversation and, uh, it felt like more of a natural round that we were just playing for fun, which helped.
Like, sometimes I'd, I would just tell him, I was like, "Okay, I'm nervous," [laughs] like, and I just had to let it out, because I might as well. Um, it can't hurt. So I think that's something that helped us, for sure.
I love that you picked character traits of each other and not necessarily, like, a, a golf skill- [laughs]... went with it. That's, that's, that's cool. Are you... Alexis, are you alway...
The leaderboard-watching thing kind of fascinates me. Yeah. I'm al- I always love asking people who, like, win tournaments if they, if they do look.
So are you always a non-looker, or were you just in this moment like, "Why would we look when we already set a goal, and I'm not worried about it"? I don't generally look. I usually turn my phone off.
Like, if people ask if I want to do the Golf Genius scoring for the day, I do not want to. [laughs] So I don't look.
And I think it's just my mindset of it doesn't really matter what others are doing, because at the end of the day, if I did my best, then that's all I have control over.
Like, for example, I shot my lowest round in college golf. I think it was a 62, and I came in thinking, "Oh my gosh," like, "I'm gonna win the tournament."
And then there was a girl that shot 60, and it was like I couldn't be mad at myself or, or worried. So I think that's a prime example of why it doesn't really matter to me. I just have to do what I know I can do.
Are you a goal setter before a round, then? Do you, uh, do you...
Like, if you're, like, Mass Am qualifying or s- Mass Am, uh, like, those, those stroke play rounds, do you have a number in mind that you just like to kind of set for yourself, or do you just set open-ended goals that will end up getting you to a point where you're like, "I'm gonna shoot what I shoot, and these are the things I wanna, I wanna try to do"?
I don't think I set number goals necessarily. Yeah. Except for when Connor and I were talking [laughs] We need to get- [laughs]
I think that was important, just to be on the same page of what we thought we were capable of. Because if he thought, if he said, like, four under, I would've disagreed.
'Cause I think eight under was realistic, four birdies a piece, maybe more. But for myself, it's more, like, process-oriented goals.
Like, okay, I wanna try to birdie two out of four par fives, or all of the par fives, or things like that, is what I would usually think of when I'm competing. Connor, are you typically a leaderboard scroller?
Getting better. I mean, some people- I'm getting better... thrive off of it. Like, there's people who look at it, and they like to know, I don't know, like, for lack of a better... Like, what they w- have to do.
So as bad of an answer as this is, I feel like some people agree with it, and they're just afraid to say it.
When you get on the first tee of an event like this, and it's like, "All right, someone needs to do the Golf Genius," and there's that 30 seconds of silence. [laughs] You're like, "All right. I'll do it."
Like, I, like, I... The, and the, the bad part of this answer is, like, unfortunately, I kinda have to be on the clock at all times, so I'm always, like,
not checking my phone throughout a competitive round all the time, but, like, it- it's an excuse to do Golf Genius just in case I need to, like, text my business partner.
Shout out Chris Polai, who just qualified for the Am as well. You guys are clearly not doing enough work. [laughs] No. No, no. [laughs] That's so funny. I'm gonna have to call him after this.
But, you know, it's just, like, it's hard when you are the one assigned to do it. Yeah. You punch in the scores, and it's just one button, check the leaderboard, right?
And I feel like I always do it, whether or not it's 'cause of the silence or, like, Dave Turgeon is on the first tee running the, the show. And he's like, "Yeah, Connor will do it." I'm like, "Okay, great.
Like, tha- thanks for the assignment there, Dave." But, like, for example, uh, Pat Kilcoyne was on the bag for me for the Mass Am Qualifier at Fall River.
He knows I'm a leaderboard watcher, and he was like, "Dude, I'm doing the Golf Genius. You're not looking at it." Damn. Yeah, and he, I mean, he's the best, but, uh, which, which ended up helping me.
Whether or not I looked at my scorecard, typed in the code myself to go look at the Golf Genius scores is another thing, which definitely hurt me. But yeah, it's, it's, it's crazy.
It's, you know, you kind of hover around two over, and then, like, sometimes it's helpful going to check and, like, okay, you know, am I... Well, you never wanna protect a score, but, like,
do I have to make two birdies, or is- Right. Right... playing conservatively, like, not hitting dog down the fairway, like, bringing in, you know, hazards and trouble.
You know, it, it can help down the stretch, but it might be a fool's errand checking it early in the round. Mm-hmm. Last thing for, last question for both of you as mid-am. W- w- we're all mid-am golfers here.
You guys are far better than I am, but we're all in that stretch of, like... You're in law school, Alexis. What, like, what do you do at this time of year now?
We talked about the winter a little bit, but, like, once the season gets going, how do you balance, like, practicing and competing with just, like, life stuff that you have to, that you have to deal with? Hmm.
I would say right now it's trying to play nine holes a couple times a week after my internships, um, or on the weekend. I don't love sitting on the range.
Like, maybe I'd hit balls for 30 minutes, but I don't think that's really a productive use for how I practice. I'd much rather go to a short game area and practice, like, a bunch of up and downs, putts, all that stuff.
And then I think also working out is just always complimentary to playing good golf.
Running in the summer, all that stuff, to just help me feel athletic and competitive, even though I'm not playing 18 holes as much during the week now. So that's what I would do.
Nine holes is, like, so underrated, I think. [laughs] 'Cause, like, it just- Now that there's more daylight, too- Yes... it makes it so much easier. Yeah, for sure. I love a good sunset round. [laughs] Yeah. The best.
Twilight nine, unbelievable. Connor, how about you? You and your boss clearly r- grinding over spreadsheets. [laughs] Yeah. Your, your, your, uh, partner. Yeah, yeah.
[laughs] It's fortunate that we've set up a partnership where my, my partner's an, a fabulous golfer himself. But, uh, I would say to... Obviously, work golf is great, you know.
You, you take some clients out, and you have, you have some fun.
But I would say, it, for a termin- tur- sorry, tournament perspective, for me, playing golf is always more valuable than practicing because, um, especially tournament golf.
I, I think it might've been Ben Hogan who said, like, the difference between golf and tournament golf is the same as tennis and ice hockey. You can hit balls forever on the range, and you can just absolutely stripe it.
But it, whether it's normal golf or tournament golf, you, you get on the golf course, and you can just lose that feeling. It could be gone. So I would say in order to apply
mechanics to tournament golf, it's just playing. Playing, learning how to score. And, you know, you're four over through three, which I find myself quite often, like, how are you gonna battle back?
Like, you can't figure that out on the range, right? So it's like, it's, it's always just kinda taking what the course gives you and just seeing, you know, what you can get out of it. Yeah.
It's funny how that changes as you get older, right? Like, I, as a kid, you just wanna sit on the range and hit balls and, like, try to flush as many shots as you can, and then you realize- Yeah...
it just doesn't matter. [laughs] Just does not matter. Just does not matter.
Can you hit a chip shot, and can you, mentally, like, like you said, can you bounce back from, like, a string of bad holes or, like, a little pocket of bad golf? 'Cause everyone has it on every round.
Like, I love watching feature groups on PGA Tour, 'cause you get to see, like, the, those guys who can, whose, the wheels start to wobble almost every round. There's not a lot of- Yeah...
like, guys who just have a perfect round of golf. They're always, the wheels are always wobbly. [laughs] Yeah, and it's, like, not panicking when something goes wrong. Like-In a tournament- Yeah...
you could be playing great golf and then you miss three straight greens. It's like, all right, well, if I wanna qualify for this thing, you gotta, you gotta put your big boy pants on and get up and down here.
[laughs] You know, you have to embrace it. Like, the four-footers, you have to look at, and you're like, "You know what? This is actually fun. Like, this isn't a terrifying putt.
I actually have the opportunity to try to go make this and qualify." So it's just, it's just staying in it, and not losing focus, and having fun, you know? Yeah. Yeah.
So Connor, you mentioned you've got Mass Open next week. Yep. Very exciting. Anyone can follow you on [laughs] Golf Genius if they want. I'll still be in the mix. And then you've got the Mass Am in July.
[laughs] Alexis, what's on, what's on tap for you for, for this season? I think, as of right now, I'm going to play in the WeMet Memorial Tournament, and probably the US Mid-Am Qualifier again.
And I have some fun rounds planned with some Mid-Am friends. But other than that, I, I don't know how much I'll be playing in other events. It's kind of up in the air until I get the hang of my new internship routines.
[laughs] So any... Or is the Mass Am out for you this year? Or is that still something you're hoping to play in? I know it's in August. It's a little bit of, it's a little bit away.
It's more likely than not that I won't be playing in it. [laughs] Yeah. But- Yeah... nothing's confirmed yet. Yeah, not to put you on the spot, but yeah, just... Right through the boots.
Where's the w- where's the women's mid-am this year, the, the US Women's Am- Mid-Am? I think it's Montclair Golf Club down in New Jersey. Oh, cool. I love it. Monterey. Yeah. [laughs] Yeah.
Any highlights- I would go back any time, though. Yeah. No, it's awesome. Any highlights from that, from that trip you got to play?
We got, like, 90 seconds left, but, like, a 30-second something from that week that was great. I was able to play with my best friend from the Columbia golf team. She qualified as well, so it was great to see her.
And when we weren't competing, we went into, like, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Nice. Did all the touristy things in Pebble Beach, so... And the course was just spectacular. Yeah. Yeah.
All right, well, Zoom is counting us down here, so I do have to, [laughs] do have to wrap this up. You guys are great. Thanks for giving me your time.
And, uh, we'll be following along this summer with, uh, all your exploits on the golf course. So good luck, and good luck with, uh, y- your internship, Alexis. Hopefully, it doesn't get in the way of some good golf.
[laughs] Yes. Thank you, Sean. Thanks. Thanks, Sean. Appreciate you, brother. Yeah, no problem.
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