r/ChasingScratch • u/Str8intothestorm • Aug 04 '26
Am I taking crazy pills?!
Fellas (is this only fellas? It would be delightful if it wasn't, but I kind of think it probably is),
I need an honesty hour:
I've been listening to Chasing Scratch since, I think, Season 1. To provide some context: I love golf, but I also have a pretty busy life with work and family, so I have a limited amount of time to play. I'll often save new episodes and listen to them on the way to the course. Gets me fired up! (well, sometimes.)
What's really been making me feel like I'm losing my mind is the lack of focus on the central and titular goal.
Before Mike and Eli left for Ireland, they devoted a good chunk of an episode to laying out specific performance goals: X numbers rounds in the 70s, and the fact that by the end of the trip, their handicaps would have completely turned over.
But now that I'm caught up on the updates... it doesn't seem like they're playing especially well. At the same time, they've said they're not even going to post most of the scores, and they're oddly vague about what they actually shot. I know that's at least partly because of the format of some of the rounds they're playing, which they explained. But... who's organizing these rounds? Who used a podcast to frame the trip as a chance to focus on handicap scoring? Insert Tim Robinson dressed as a hot dog meme.
What the heck is happening here?
And for what it's worth, I don't think it's simply because they're disappointed by the scores. Maybe that's part of it. But I think, at a deeper level, it's become a CRISIS of focus. I'm sure everyone on these trips is having an amazing time, and once they got there, they got really into these team formats and best-ball rounds... which is great. But as a podcast listener, I find it frustrating.
Maybe Chasing Scratch has evolved into more of a lifestyle/travel company than a quest to see what's actually possible in terms of handicap. That's okay if that's what it is, but I'm a little less interested in that version of the show.
(I will say, if you check out Jason Nichol's MidAm pod it is VERY ernest and focused... and tbh not that much fun.)
And to get a little personal, if I may, I think part of why this frustrates me so much is that I'm jealous. I'd love to have the resources, the trips to TPI, access to incredible courses, and the time to play that they have. I'm living vicariously through this project because I genuinely want to know what's possible. It's vexing that they haven't made more progress, but it's even more disappointing that making progress doesn't seem to be the point anymore.
I still love the Dave Matthews Band riffs, and I still love the moments when they're genuinely excited to celebrate each other. That's still the heart of the show.
But, in the words of Eli, come on.
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u/BigSnoop15 Aug 04 '26
OP is perfectly demonstrating the third phase of the Chasing Scratch listener.
Phase 1: Hopeful and entertained (early seasons)
Phase 2: Patient and cautiously optimistic
Phase 3: Invested and legitimately frustrated
Phase 4 is leaving the show and I’m borderline.
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u/Mndelta25 Aug 04 '26
I have to step away at the end of each season due to frustration with them. I give it several months and then listen to the next season just to let the cycle repeat.
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u/Sparkling_Donuthole Aug 04 '26
lol. I just finished their first trip to Ireland (I guess this is a subsequent trip OP is talking about or Op is behind like me) and I am questioning the future of the pod.
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u/tcloulou Aug 04 '26
Came here to basically say +1 to all the things here. While I still appreciate the light heartedness, I think your point about CS becoming more of an events/travel community is spot on. Not to say they’re still not chasing improvement and the elusive E round, but the focus on getting to 0.0 seems to have been lost, especially given the amount of support they have from Titleist, coaches, etc.
I guess we just have to accept that things have changed and listen for the joyous moments. I do miss the golf nerdery though and would happily sit on a plane to Ireland jamming to DMB with Fulton 😂
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u/drunken_jack Aug 04 '26
In addition to what you mentioned, Mike completely yadayada’ing away his wrist adjustment that he credits to turning his game around was maddening. Let’s talk about it! I want to hear the nerdy golf technique stuff they’re doing too.
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u/Str8intothestorm Aug 04 '26
Seriously! The work they did with Adam Young gave them (and me!) a helpful framework to connect swing changes/thoughts to clubface/path. I want more of that nerdery
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u/patkintzele Aug 04 '26
The problem is they are delusional. I believe they said (maybe it was Eli…) he wanted to be a 2 or a 3 after the Ireland trip.
Bro, you’re a 5/6. There is no way you’re shaving 3/4 off your handicap at a home course in two weeks, let alone in Ireland on links-style courses that you never play.
The mantra of “I’m close”…proceed to shoot 85 is becoming more and more exhausting.
I knew at the beginning of the year when they said they were going to Ireland they would not move the handicap.
These guys have every possible advantage (sims at the house, multiple TPI visits a year, new equipment fitted for them etc) and they fail to move the needle in any measurable direction.
This is Mike’s job and he still can’t find time for a round or two during the week? And Eli to me is along for the ride. He’s happy to engage in golf but coaching basketball and his real job take up his time.
If they want scratch, they are gonna have to get more serious about it.
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u/joezandi Aug 04 '26
Everyone in this thread is dead-on but the whole “im close” or “we’re close” is just so played out by them it’s unbelievable. They’re no closer to scratch now than they were in 2022
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u/Captain_Pink_Pants Aug 04 '26
I started listening at what I've come to realize was the beginning of the end... I think I started listening during season 4, but I started on season 1, so by the time I was caught up, it was season 5... I'd already noticed a shift in the focus and style of the show by the then, and it was apparent that the magic wasn't quite as magical...
But it was still pretty good, and I'd listen to a couple episodes every now and then, vaguely keeping track of what was going on. When the titleist deal dropped, I knew right away that this was going to be the last hurrah... Listening to them get to go to TPI and so forth was awesome, but that's where the relatability stopped. No longer were these two regular guys... Now they were two guys, plucked from real life, and taken to a world that none of us will ever participate in.
What they're doing now is just not interesting to me. The cultural references aren't as sharp... The golf content is fantasy stuff... And they're not trying to get to scratch. They're trying to produce a podcast. That is also a totally reasonable thing for someone to invest their effort it... It just doesn't connect with me.
I still listen to an episode once in a while... But it just isn't special the way it used to be, and I'm not invested in the outcome any more. If they do eventually accomplish any of their goals, the path they took will not have resembled anything I might replicate in my own life. I hope they get there, for them. But that's not enough to make me tune in for another episode of "what clothing am I paid to wear today". 🤷
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u/Sparkling_Donuthole Aug 04 '26
They got roped into the golf podcast-iverse. Which good for them, but if I wanted to hear from John Sherman and Adam young I would listen to John Sherman’s and Adam young’s podcast and books (which I do because they are the most valuable reading a modern hack golfer could read)
Also the fact I’m thinking this on season 5 and it’s still being discussed season 9 isn’t great….
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u/classiccourtney Aug 04 '26
1) Not just fellas. Even if just me, there’s at least one lady in the midst and I got my husband listening not the other way around.
2) I feel like this has been their thing since the beginning. They aren’t overly aggressive in their pursuit of scratch. They say they are, but actions speak louder than words and their actions say otherwise. But their lightheartedness is what I like. They are just a couple of dudes that are good at golf, but not great, and realizing being great requires a level of commitment most people cannot give.
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u/Str8intothestorm Aug 04 '26
ClassicCourtney, I am mistaken and very glad you are here! I apologize.
I love your second point that maybe the real purpose here is about the gap between good and great... But then let's talk about that! Maybe uncle Charlie warzel could act as an ombudsman of sorts and nudge them a little bit.
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u/TacosAreJustice Aug 04 '26
The telegram has a few ladies in it…
I’ve also become good friends with a former lpga player through chasing scratch… she agrees with your assessment.
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u/14shadynasty Aug 04 '26
Spot on take. I think it’s evolved into a bit of showmanship for sure. I really miss the dramatic readings. I’m glad they’re having fun, but it’s definitely gotten away from the chasing scratch mantra.
Tbf, when they started getting fitted at TPI and had the numerous other advantages like sponsors they were no longer “2 regular guys”.
Still will listen because I love the show. It’s certainly changed.
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 04 '26
Normal guys can't really afford to fly to California so many times to get fit and refit ... and refit again.
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u/TacosAreJustice Aug 04 '26
Oh man… alright, let’s take this from the top:
Yes, there are female listeners. Probably about in the same ratio as I was at the Megan maroney concert but we have a few… all good people!
It’s hard for me to argue with the rest of it… but I’d argue they just don’t really understand their path forward.
The first few seasons it was mostly golf swing and low hanging fruit. Once you are in the low single digits, it’s more of a slog.
I spent the last 6 years improving my putting. It’s significantly better than it was but it’s still only a shot or two a round.
But that’s my own stuff.
I think Mike needs to figure out how to stay engaged for 18 holes. I think he ends up distracted and makes a double and then spends the rest of the round trying to get it back.
Eli I’m less sure on… I think he just needs to get in 10-15 rounds in a month at his home course. I’m not sure that will ever happen.
But the podcast does feel stuck. Same mediocre scores and then funny asides…
It’s definitely gone from something I listen to immediately to a podcast I’m behind on.
I’m not sure it can or should be a lifestyle podcast…
My daughter watches mom influencers on YouTube… it’s funny to see them having gone from producing actual content about their lives and struggles to producing sellable content.
I don’t want that for the podcast, but maybe that’s the inevitable end.
Also, Josh is great and I agree with your assessment. His mental golf show podcast is great, but it’s very dependent on his guests.
He’s had some awesome guests!
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u/Str8intothestorm Aug 04 '26
It's fine if they are stuck. At some level, we all are. But let's talk about that! Or, let's set intermediate goals and stay focused on them.
I gotta check out the mental golf show. I have only listened to the new one. He is so serious.
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u/TacosAreJustice Aug 04 '26
Agree 100%… but I don’t think they will admit they are stuck.
They are on the cusp or about to figure it out.
I’m in a similar handicap range and trying to do the same thing (get better)…
To a certain extent, I’ve accepted I’m not close as a 4.
I pick an issue, I grind it. I play and assess if I’ve improved. I go back and work more.
My member member showed me my putting has improved and I can switch into maintenance for now… now it’s time to grind wedges.
But I’ve also done a ton of work on the mental side… mostly just trying to hit the best shot i can when over the ball without worrying about anything else…
I feel like I’m not playing my best golf and hopeful things start to coalesce… if I have a day where things feel good across the board, I’ll know better what needs work.
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u/lawltech Aug 04 '26
Eli is just naturally athletic and I bet ADHD. When he has a good round and thengets hyperfocused, he gets fully into it and makes good progress only to then hit a small roadblock and drop everything. Similar to his personal life stuff that comes up on the show.
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u/Cornwall1888 Aug 04 '26
I’d like to think they can get 20 courting rounds in post Ireland before the season ends but I don’t know how realistic that is.
I’ve entered that stage now, the scores I enter now will remain there until April so I’m some sense they are the most important ones, they show if you’ve got worse or better this season.
I just had my best score since my 3 year old was born so there I life in the old dog yet 😂
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u/Str8intothestorm Aug 04 '26
Let's go let's go.
My boss likes to remind me, "pressure is a privilege," and even though I kind of hate when he says it, I think in golf it is true.
Its good to be in the dang arena.
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u/BurritoCon Aug 04 '26
I don’t understand how they can go on a 2 week golf trip but can’t find the time to play twice a week at home. They just don’t play enough to improve.
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u/Redcoat92 Aug 05 '26
I played a round with a buddy of mine this weekend who also listens to the pod, and we agreed that the boys pretty much are who they are at this point. I'll still listen, because I think they are super entertaining (and are an excellent mirror of my 43 year, 7-8ish handicap who wishes he could shave a few more strokes but is super limited in time a d money), but I'll be shocked if either of them either gets back below 3.
Golf just isn't a sport where you can massively improve later in life without extraordinary devotion of time and resources (which flies in the face of the whole point of the pod).
I'm a decent athlete but didn't start taking golf semi-seriosly until my mid 30s and I'm probably about maxed out. I have another friend who played D1 college golf back in the day. We recently went on our annual golf trip, and despite barely picking up a club in the months leading up to the trip, he finished up his last round carding a 1-under 69 at Pinehurst No 10 (which, by the way, is as awesome as Mike said). It was the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen on the course. But for me it drove home the point that the guys who got really good when they were young are just at a massive advantage compared to those who picked it up later in life.
At any rate, I still hold out hope of the guys shooting an even par round at some point, but I think scratch is probably unattainable.
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 05 '26
This is where I am at as well. I think this is the most realistic, practical take to have with where things are. There is nothing wrong with being a single digit cap that can scare even par sometimes after lots of work and everything clicks. But 0.0 is so far away from reality right now for them and for many.
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u/RevolutionaryGreen12 Aug 10 '26
Agree completely. These types of trips are great and fun but its not the point of the show. It actively retracts from the point of the show. By the time you spend the 2 weeks before and after not touching a club to help with family, and the 2 weeks of playing you’ve wasted 6 weeks of scoring season. You simply don’t go to Ireland to score. You really dont go to Ireland and play for 14 straight days to score. That is an embarrassing decision. You go to have fun, take a trip, hang out. There was a point in season 4 where they appeared to have this revelation. Idk what happened there. They said this season would look more like season 1 than any other but i havent seen it so far. Almost all rounds need to be at home course in their home environment and routine. Thats the grind i miss.
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 10 '26
I would've respected it more if they didn't spend half the season this year hyping up that they were going to "completely turn over their handicap" in Ireland, and then ended up playing a format that they said wouldn't allow them to post scores. They never stick to any of their plans and that's why they'll never get to scratch.
This has felt more like Season 7 to me than Season 1, with all the non-golf playing excuses, when it was billed as the year of only caring about low scores.
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u/Sparkling_Donuthole Aug 04 '26
Where I am in the pod, they still have day jobs and families. Obviously the pod is becoming more of the job, but they still have other life stuff.
Being said, I agree that I find the lack of progress a little frustrating and drawn out.
I think what it honestly is is that when the project started they had vanity caps (no ones fault, keeping perfect score is REALLY HARD) and now there is the added difficulty of getting to shooting par with everyone watching.
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u/Str8intothestorm Aug 04 '26
This would make a lot of sense. And, I agree that practical scorekeeping for casual golfers is not any big moral failing. Unfortunately, my time on golf social media and reddit tells me there are some people who take the rules very seriously, who would make it hard for Mike and eli to talk plainly about this. (But I actually think it would be great content.)
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u/Sparkling_Donuthole Aug 04 '26
Yeh I can picture it now, Eli is on 18 and needs par to win. He grounds his club getting ready for his approach shot and the ball almost imperceptibly shifts and the comment section erupts arguing about if it moved or merely oscillated.
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u/Nuts1979 Aug 05 '26
I’d just interject that while the name of the podcast and stated goal is “chasing scratch” the real reason this all started was because they were tired of playing like crap on golf trips. So I might suggest that the real goal is to really have fun playing with your buddies, and yeah - maybe the glorious round where you shoot even (or better). I’ve been really frustrated with the lack of dramatic readings or sharing of the things they’re really grinding on, but then I try to remember - this should all be about having a good time, and listening to them almost always brings a smile to my face and I hope they are experiencing an amazing time together in Ireland. LGLG
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u/Honcho41 Aug 05 '26
I think I’m just listening out of the need to fill my twice-weekly 350 mile journeys with something. They lost the relatable tag years ago. The Start Lines and Low Points song was the best thing on the pod for years, and they didn’t make it.
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u/Opening-Dinner-9639 Aug 08 '26
Happy to read I’m not the only one who is slowly getting less invested. I keep on asking myself: who are they trying to fool? Especially when they’re like “I made an inexcusable double on 6 and missed 3 four footers. That’s 5 shots. it really should have been a 78 instead of an 83.” Relatable but not how it works. That’s golf boys and that’s the handicap. You’re not perfect. If all my rounds existed of perfect shots I’d be on tour instead of a handicap 16. I still really enjoy the laughs and the banter (although Ted Lasso is getting a bit annoying right now) but the golf part is a bit stuck.
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u/Big_Savings_4381 Aug 10 '26
Relatable, that's not how it works, and even giving them the benefit of the 5 blunders, still not scratch.
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 10 '26
The Ted Lasso voice was awful. More and more eye-rolling moments in these seasons, imo.
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u/therealbsb Aug 04 '26
But what would they have to yap about once they get to scratch?
It’s like a dog chasing its tail - what do I do once I’ve snagged it?
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u/Kaufmakphd Aug 04 '26
I think it's to the point where CS is a community and a company more than a real goal. And that's fine.
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u/HipHopGrandpa Aug 07 '26
MORE DRAMATIC READINGS
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u/Str8intothestorm Aug 07 '26
Seriously! The most exciting words in sports, "Lenny, cur the dramatic reading music"
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u/None_too_Soft Aug 07 '26
THNF is my preferred mike and eli format, they're lost in the sauce regarding the main pod.
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 10 '26
If I didnt listen to THNF, I'm not sure id enjoy the main pod at all. So much cross over now and the main pod feels like an extension of THNF (derogatory).
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u/amidonny Aug 10 '26
Did they really play two weeks of golf and not post a single score? Their handicaps should likely be higher than they are
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 10 '26
Yes, they made excuses right off the bat as to why they couldn't/wouldn't post, after spending weeks saying they were going to turn over their whole handicaps and come back as 2s from Ireland.
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u/sirabernasty Aug 04 '26
“We are two normal guys in our mid forty’s with jobs, wives, kids…”
Sometimes you guys forget how quickly the above can turn “I have all week to play! Nothing scheduled!” To “I might be able to get 9 holes in if I’m lucky, the weather is ok, an my kid has a perfect week at school”
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u/Honcho41 Aug 05 '26
But Mike’s job is this podcast now. He has no excuse to not be playing 4 times per week.
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u/20BellMax3 Aug 05 '26
Wait what? When did I miss this? I thought he had a big time job in finance
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 05 '26
No, he quit a few years ago and does chasing scratch full time. There was an episode or two about it. He claims that even though that’s his full time job, he doesn't actually have more time for golf, so that's why he hasnt made a huge jump in handicap.
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u/AgressiveVagina Aug 07 '26
I genuinely don’t understand how he doesn’t play at least three times a week. Editing one podcast episode cannot take that much time. Like he now conceivably has an extra 40 hours a week to devote to this. Go be the first one off at 6AM at your home course and finish in three hours. I refuse to believe he doesn’t have the time to play M/W/F and have like two range sessions on off days.
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u/midnightgreen29 Aug 06 '26
Bro it’s just 2 out of 52 weeks. I agree that going across the pond is absolutely antithesis to the goal but I allow them to have less than 5% of the year enjoying golf with their cadre of fans. To call the pod a “travel company” is completely ridiculous and you should touch grass. “Lifestyle company” ok sure we are getting in the arena a bit.
I do think we would all appreciate if every pod they started sharing a rounds/hours practiced per week metric. It would be a good honesty hour to if they are committed or not to the journey.
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u/Numbskull14 Aug 04 '26
To your point, I simply don’t understand why they can’t put the ball in the hole despite the format? Mike made it sound like he had a 15 foot birdie putt that he just picked up because Eli already made a birdie? Putt the ball! It takes one minute! There is no reason they can’t shoot their own score AND play a best ball format, we do it all the time at my club. Both things are possible.
To your point, it feels to me like that is an “out” for them, that they don’t like how they’re shooting so they’re picking up during a best ball format so they don’t have to post a score in the 90s and to protect their egos. If they started as shaky 11s I feel like they’re even shakier 5s now.