Cheers to the thinkers and dreamers. Another month, another episode highlighting those that help inspire and create our brand - TRUE. From employees, to advisers, to customers, to TOUR professionals; here’s your chance to learn more about the culture that is TRUE.
Mathew Wangrycht, author of the popular golf blog The Breakfast Ball (check them out at thebreakfastball.com) and long-time TRUE supporter, joins us for Episode 3 to discuss everything golf and TRUE. Do you have questions or someone you'd like to feature on the next episode of Quick Nine? Leave them below in our comments and we'll do our best to get you some answers.
Follow The Breakfast Ball Blog on Instagram @thebreakfastballgolfblog
Summary: My name is Mathew, and I’ve been running The Breakfast Ball Golf Blog since December of 2009. That’s right, here in a few months I’ll be celebrating ten years of pushing content to the blogosphere. Back in 2009, I started the blog as a way for me to vent my frustrations with golf. Be it equipment, greens fees, or playing partners. Most of it, though came from my lack of any skills to be considered “A player.”
As the years have passed the ability to grow and change our format has brought on new challenges and adventures. Just a few months back, Ryan and I launched the Podcast for the blog; we call it The Chasing Daylight Podcast. Where the reviews and articles we produce on the site have been and joy to create, we felt there was a void in our content creation and, much like a lot of other sites, decided it was time to give a podcast a go. The feedback has been outstanding, and we’re excited to be bringing a new format to the readers and fans of what we do on the site.
The start of the podcast in no way means the blog is taking a backseat to the podcast. We created the podcast to enlighten the content we create on the blog. We needed to evolve to be relevant in this new world of instant information. Our storytelling and review articles are something we all enjoy. However, it’s the relationship we have created in the past ten years that gets me the most enjoyment in what we do.
TRUE Linkswear is a prime example of those relationships. Going back to late 2013 is when I first started to recognize what TRUE was doing, and it excited me that Ryan Moore was behind the brand. As a die-hard UNLV homer, I’ve been on the TRUE bandwagon ever since.
Q1. What was your first pair of TRUE’s?
A1. Oh man, that brings back some memories. The first TRUE’s I ever put on my feet was in 2013. They were a pair of White PROTO’s that I reviewed for Three Guys Golf Blog. I instantly fell in love with the wide toe box and zero-drop feature.
Q2. What is your favorite course to play, and why?
A2. Man, this tough a question this early? That’s so hard cause there are so many great courses around me here in Vegas. I’ll have to go with Rio Secco if I’m going to stay in the Vegas area. It’s a challenging layout that went under an excellent renovation a few years back. The greens and bunkering are amazing, and some of the views from the tee boxes are the best in Vegas.
Q3. If you could pick anyone to golf a round with, who would you pick? Why?
A3. I know many great golfers, James, Ryan, Clayton, who are all friends of mine but, I’d be idiotic not to want to play a round with Legends like Tiger or Jack. I’m not sure I would enjoy it as much as I think, though. For that reason, I have to go with my oldest daughter. When I’m out on the course with her, it’s nothing but a fantastic experience. I can play bad or good, and it doesn’t matter, I’m hanging with my kid doing something we both love.
Q4. What blog post or collaboration are you most proud of?
A4. Wow, that’s another tough one. We’ve made so many wonderful connections with the site. Many of whom have become terrific friends. I don’t think I’d be able to single out just one collaboration because that may diminish the work we’ve done with others and I don’t think that would be fair. I’m most proud of the relationships we have made and the reputation we are creating as a reputable source for reliable information for the average golfers.
Q5. What is your favorite TRUE model?
A5. For years I’ve been saying the Sensi are the best TRUE’s ever made. I still have my original pair and wear them often. They’re so good. But then you guys created the KNIT, and I was like, how can this be better than the Sensi, it is though. BUT, now with the TL-01 in the mix, I’m torn. I so badly want the old school Sensi to be top dog, but you guys have hit it out of the park with the TL-01, it’s by far my favorite.
Q6. What are you most looking forward to (professional or personal) in 2019?
A6. Woohoo, and easy one. The answer is simple, getting back out there after ankle surgery. The first half of 2019 was depressing three months of zero activity with close to 10 weeks in a walking boot. It was tough to miss sprig time golf here in Vegas. I’m all healed up now, though and slowly building my strength back up. It would be that and the launch of our new podcast The Chasing Daylight Podcast!
Q7. What event do you look forward to all year?
A7. Back to back softballs! I like it. Without question, it’s The Masters. The three months that lead up to it after the new year starts makes it just a fantastic event to watch. The history, the grounds, the exclusivity, it’s just a remarkable tournament I’d never miss.
Q8. What’s one fad or trend in the golf universe you wish would make a comeback?
A8. Knickers! I have only one golfing buddy who’s been up for heading out to the course wearing some knickers and we have yet to do it, no idea why! HAHA. I loved watching Payne Stewart play in them and would love to see someone, maybe one of these new “young guns” show up like Rickie did that one time and rocked them for the tournament
Q9. If you could design one product for TRUE (shoes, clothes, accessories, etc.) what would you pick?
A9. That would be a golf bag. I’d leave the shoes to the pros! In my opinion, there’s a severe lack of tech in walking golf bags. I don’t get to walk much being based in Vegas, but I do haul my clubs for a long walk to the practice range at my home course. I’m not sure why it’s so damn hard to make a comfortable walking bag.
Bonus Questions
Q10. What’s your typical look when playing a round? Hat, polo, pants, shoes, etc.
A10. I’m a huge Travis Mathews fan. I think they have the best fitting polos for my build. And I think they have the best hats in the business. But that’s me, golf shorts, it’s a rare sighting to see me in pants. I got stares from everyone at the Bandon Solstice event because I was the only one in our group wearing shorts and polo. Everyone else was all layered up. Summertime, it’s the KNITS and now the TL-01’s, wintertime I’ll be rocking the MAJORS.
Q11. Who is your favorite player to follow on TOUR? Why?
A11. Ryan Moore, duh! I love following RyMo because of his ties to UNLV and Las Vegas. And, he’s the reason I even started looking at TRUE Linkswear in the first place. I’m not a hard-core fan of this guy or that guy. I love the stories; I love the excellent golf. I want to see players do well and make history within the game. There are not too many guys out there I won’t root for, except for may Poulter.
Q12. What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve faced in 2019?
A12. It’s an easy answer, but I have to go back to my ankle surgery. The surgery and recovery was a challenge, but I’ve found getting back out on the course and trusting my leg now id hard. Just the other day I was in a severe uphill lie where 95% of my body weight was on my right leg (surgery leg), and I could not bring myself to take a swing at the ball with any confidence.
Q13. You have the entire world listening to you for 30 seconds; what do you say?
A13. Go right now and subscribe to The Chasing Daylight Podcast! Then listen to our show!
Q14. What does your perfect day look like?
A14. I’m fortunate in the fact that every day for me is close to perfection. Late last year, I stepped away from a twenty-year career in the automotive industry so I could be home and raise our two daughters. They are at an age where an influential father figure in their lives is more important than making money and not seeing them hardly at all. So, since September I’ve been a stay at home, Dad living the dream. I spend every morning with the family, get the kids off to school, handle my daily chores then I get to work on the site, a review, or my game. It’s something I never thought I’d see myself doing, but after the last ten months, there’s no way I’d have it any other way.
Q15. Add 30 yards to your drive or become 30% more accurate?
A15. So far this year, I’ve turned into a somewhat accurate driver. It has a lot to do with the lack of power I’ve been able to produce. But now that I’m feeling better the distance is starting to come back and the accuracy is staying there. Because I’m not a long hitter off the tee I’m going to have to go against the smart play and take the 30 Yards. That way I’ll only be 30 yards behind Ryan instead of 60!!