MudBall Newsletter - Walker Simas
Drinking:
It got fairly cold in Tampa this weekend, so Friday night ramen called for sake. I’m usually not a huge fan, but for ramen it just felt so right. The smaller cups are such a nice way to drink as well. Regarding the usuals, what can I say? Water, smoothies (yes, drinking), and Goodwalk’s Breakfast Ball Colombia Medium Roast (use code: THETIE for 20% off your order including our blend, the MudBall Half Caff).
More on smoothies- Henry had a big cinnamon week, which got me thinking… Maybe I need to up my cinnamon game. I’ve been using the basic shit for a long time. I’d like to get some sticks and grind them to see how much more potent the fresh stuff is. I’ll keep you posted on that next week.
Eating:
Well, ramen. Spicy miso is always a good choice and it was mine this week. I love a hard sear on the pork, but this cut was sous vide style- melty almost. Really wonderful. At home, the hammer recently has been this adobo seasoning which has found its way into omelets, potatoes, and nearly every cut of meat I’ve cooked in the last 7 days. With the best spices you don’t need much.
Reading, Thinking, and Writing:
Continuing along with The big book. Genesis was visual. Exodus made me feel like everything is important to the plot, but I was too ignorant to understand– keep it moving, Walker. Leviticus is the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, but heavy on law so far. I think these early books will need to be referenced many times later.
On most weekdays I will jot down some thoughts in the evenings. The majority of the time something from the listening in the morning will make its way onto paper. Sometimes it's thoughts or ideas I want to get rid of– to make space for something new tomorrow. It’s never perfect and it’s rarely good, but it’s worth doing.
Culture & Competition:
Thursday morning, Alan Brown (Golf Course Superintendent) woke up to a hell storm at Timuquana CC in Jacksonville, FL. See Casey Bannon’s tweet here.
Unfortunately, it happens all the time. Rarely though, before an event like the Constellation Furyk & Friends. In hours, all four damaged greens were playable. With teams coming in from courses in close proximity, this was a great example of how resourceful and communal the golf industry is, especially in Florida.
There is a heightened respect for a formalized game. When an event is taking place, there is this unique alignment in that everyone wants to show off their craft. A golf club with all its members, a superintendent and his crew, the community with their town or city, the golfers with their play just the same. When someone comes along to intentionally fuQ it all up, the response to ensure the game goes on is part of what makes sport great.
Architecture:
I’ve been watching the progress at Steamsong’s new short course, The Chain. After viewing Matt Haan’s photos a few weeks ago I’m really excited to go when it’s a bit more grown in. These short courses, while great, tend to be built in the places they are least needed. It makes a ton of sense though, and I hope it pays off for them. The more the merrier.
Guest Check - In:
Remember Paul Storie from Open Links Golf? Instead of using Google, consider a better option for choosing what golf course you want to play. Shorten the gap between “I want to go play” and “we’re set up”. I do take interest in finding the best value for the courses I play- I want something that helps make the answer clear, or at least gives me my best options.
You can listen to my conversation with Paul Storie here, when openlinksgolf.com was a baby. Paul’s dedication to their “sprints” has resulted in the perfect golf app. Clean but useful. Just like any good product or tool. App Store.
This Week’s Menu:
Wednesday: Henry Shimp on the keys for Long Form #WeeklyNewsletter
Thursday: Our first YouTube release! Trey Wren and I broke down The Ringer at Bdraddy’s Bungalow on West Palm Beach. Full episode will go out and we’ll make it easy to find.
Cheers,
WS