As the final flecks of pollen drift toward the ground, the familiar smell of Summer fills my nostrils. It smells like warm days on the golf course.

June 1st has always been a happy day. It once marked the penultimate week of school, ushering in thoughts of freedom and long days devoid of homework. It also marked the beginning of the quick march to my birthday…

But now, June 1st brings with it the promise of rekindled friendships, and the routine of Summer. It is a warm, firm handshake on the first tee. Its grip is filled with the reassurance that good times are ahead, and its smile is a familiar reminder of the friendships we’ve made in the summer months.

As I walked my dog this morning, I received an unexpected yet welcomed phone call. It was from a friend, Neil Lockie, the Head Golf Professional at Dallas National. I wrote about one of our prior conversations here: The Power of Clubs

As a quick aside, a conversation with my Dad actually cleared up what the core foundational pillar of this publication will be going forward. As we hit putts on the putting green a few weeks back, he looked at my and said “What about the post that got 2 million views? Why don’t you just do more of that?” Seems quite simple, but makes too much sense.

The post which received so much attention was about How I Learned to Play Golf. I decided to double down on not only how I was raised on the golf course, but how playing golf from a young age taught me irreplaceable core life values.

As much as I take a lighthearted view to the game of golf (I don’t play competitively anymore) I truly care about the etiquette and traditions of the game. While everyone experiences the game of golf differently, there is a line of demarcation between golf as a fun activity on weekends and golf as an inanimate life companion.

Anyway, back to Neil. During our initial phone call, we immediately bonded over our shared appreciation for the social side of the game. “What matters is how you carry yourself, not just how you play.” He said this to me, and he’s exactly right.

Neil and I have been going back and forth on how to put this on paper — or rather, on tape.

After about a 15 minute catch up, we both jotted our ideas down on a Google doc, with the planned release of a pilot podcast episode. Here are some of the notes from our document, which focus on what Neil calls the “Virtues” of Golf.

Some of these were Neil’s, and some were mine, but we found significant overlap in both of our lists.

The stories will come from our own youth, competitive golf experiences, and Neil’s extensive career working in the golf industry.

I’m sure we’ll find a few more to discuss, but those core personal experiences will frame our discussion. The first episode will be a 30,000 foot view (excuse the jargon) of the frame through which we experience golf.

The game gave us both more than we knew how to articulate at the time. This is an attempt to share it with the world.

With Father’s Day on the horizon, many of you reading this may be scrambling to find something for your father. On the other hand, some of you reading this are probably secretly hoping your son also reads this publication, and will buy you a few items from this list. (Maybe forward him the email?)

Built in 2002 by the Fry family (of the Fry's Electronics fortune, the iconic California big-box electronics chain), the course sits hidden behind a mile-long wall of cypress trees. From the road, nothing reveals its presence. If you know, you know.

The layout stretches 7,952 yards from the back tees, making it one of California's longest courses. Damian Pascuzzo designed the par-72 track with wide fairways, imported Texas sand bunkers, and large, exacting greens. Conditions stay flawless thanks to minimal play. Only about four tee times occur daily, all by strict invitation.

The Institute began as part of plans for the American Institute of Mathematics but evolved into a pure golf sanctuary. It once hosted an NCAA regional yet rarely opens for outside events. Mandatory caddies accompany every round, followed by a multi-course meal for guests.

I love the Golf Digest swing sequence pages. With an infinite number of ways to square the club at the bottom, the golf swing is a perfect medium for a still, sequenced image carousel. It allows for quiet and deliberate dissection.

Below are a few of my favorites.