Our PGA golf pro Ed Miller of Classic 5 Golf tells Nestor about his weekend with Rahm and the azaleas at Masters in Augusta and invites everyone who loved the tournament out for a swing and a lesson at Mount Pleasant.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
golf, augusta, play, people, week, masters, golfer, golf course, mount pleasant, mickelson, rom, classic, courses, thursday, baltimore, sunday, walk, talking, ed miller, day
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Ed Miller
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
What about W en s t Towson, Baltimore and Baltimore positive were positively into the Odell Beckham Jr. Era here in Baltimore. As was broken in our crew to Baltimore for late night taxes on Sunday night. I thought it was Easter or maybe it was April Fool’s. I’m not sure. Let’s see we’ve had an arena open. Earth Wind Fire Springsteen, the Eagles all in town this week in the New York Yankees were your Aaron judge in homeruns suited Adley rutschman. The great nasty Nester started on the mound on Sunday, my namesake. And they played a little golf down at Augusta over the weekend, and they had a tree fall and all sorts of things were going on. And luckily for you and me, and I’ll tell you what, for me, this guy is not around this week, so he’s not going to be up at Pappas in Harford County. No, my crab cakes are on the crab cake tour. I will say this. We’re going to be a Pappas on Thursday instant lottery scratch offs, we give a bunch of weight savings on opening day we give a bunch of weight classes last week. Ed Miller joins us now he was actually on the course from classic five. We got him on last week previewing this, dude I heard you on and I asked you all the Bill Butler cabin and his daily. You don’t need to tell me you were going down there. How did you sandbag me like that last week?
8
Ed Miller 01:16
Just kind of blew my mind. That’s true, you know, excited to get down to Augusta? And just like said just kind of blew my mind. Totally.
Nestor Aparicio 01:23
You don’t even brag about it. You’re like, Well, I’ve been there twice. And let me tell you about this. And then the other thing and I’m like, well tell me about male pleasure. Tell me about what’s going on here. And and the next thing I know like they’re telling me you’re actually there. Give me your experience there this weekend, man. I mean, you. You walked 17 From what I understand.
Ed Miller 01:43
Oh yeah, I was out there. I was out there for the first couple days. And you know, Augusta beautiful as normal and very hilly. I guess this year was a great day. You know, the neat part for the two days I was there was the drastic change in weather. You went from 85 on Thursday, felt like you’re playing in a dome to windy, cold tech. By the time the week was done. They played in 4050s 60s 70s and 80 degree weather down in Augusta. Wow, this week.
Nestor Aparicio 02:12
8So I was watching this on Sunday. And I’ve been to you know more than a handful of golf tournaments. But I attended more golf tournaments in the 80s Back in the old days when the LPGA was in here and I covered various things congressional you know the whole deal then what it’s become and where the Masters I mean went to the BMW a couple years ago as a spectator seeing these people in the little chairs where they sit in one hole and they watch I find that to be just not interesting to me right like I find the television coverage from seeing Tiger limp on one hole. See trees go down seeing what’s happening on third team or going back to nine we get the leaders find it out where Phil Mickelson is before he mattered on Sunday. People watching this on their tablets on Thursday and Friday because TV’s not showing because it’s kind of antiquated. Just all of it just getting caught up on Oh, where are we in 2023 and we’re what happened to Tiger and oh, look at Phil and and look at Kafka and all the things that happened over the weekend for you being there. When you’re in it. Tell me how you monitor it and how you don’t just enjoy the smell it because you’re a freaking golf guy. You care who’s shooting? Well, you might even have a few nickels on it for all I know. But like when you’re down there, how do you enjoy it other than the fact that it’s beautiful,
Ed Miller 03:31
yet? Well, the first part like you hit it right on the head. It’s beautiful. So I enjoy the golf course and my friends and I we enjoy to just walk the golf course in order. But you know you have a pairings list and you definitely kind of stop here or venture over to a different hole to watch a couple of your favorite golfers. And, and honestly one of the neat things or the design about Augusta that always makes it wild is when you hear the wars, you kind of know what direction they’re coming from, then you look at your pairing sheet and go, whew, that’s Mickelson’s group over there, I think. And then you definitely try to work your way over in that direction and check it out.
Nestor Aparicio 04:06
It’s a fully engaged event for you. You’re spending a lot of dough to be there. And it’s not about getting drunk and sitting on the lawn and taking pictures with azaleas. Like you’re in the tournament in a real way as a thoughtful PGA pro walking, I’m just fascinated to see what you’re looking for, you know,
Ed Miller 04:23
pretty much the same thing I’m looking for. You know, the course itself is beautiful. Like I said, there are certain players that I do enjoy to watch. You know, but this year, you know, it was a neat list. We had to check out the young kids Sam Bennett, when we heard about him and how he was playing and then events around and we’re lucky the first day two or three guys were on fire John rom Brooks kept got a couple of those guys. So you know, it’s pretty fun. And the neat thing about Augusta compared to other tournaments is their field is only 80 to 90 players, you know, so it’s kind of easier. It’s more, it’s more intimate. It’s easier to find the group that you’re looking for and to follow and pay attention and kind of see Everybody’s going into masters. And people walk
8Nestor Aparicio 05:02
versus sit on a hole. I mean, because it’s if you’re an old dude, you can sit on 17 or 18. And like to sit there all day and just that’s your experience because you don’t want to walk 18 miles, which I’m sure on your I’ve watched you probably walk 10 miles a day, maybe
Ed Miller 05:18
it definitely was over 10 miles on Thursday. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I would say 60% of the people tend to walk and 40% sit still, even though by Sunday, it looks like there’s a good majority of people sitting in their chairs by Sunday. But I think it’s a good mix. It’s a good 50 60% walk around, follow the whole course. So
Nestor Aparicio 05:38
this the thought of sitting there waiting for John rom to get there all day Sunday, especially. Now we can get into this sort of by the way, Ed Miller’s here from class talking about classic five is because I they why wear it out talking about it in the commercial. When people come to you and say hey, your golf pro look at you, I met you to Gosh, what do you do? And what do you tell people about classic five and what you do?
Ed Miller 05:59
8I appreciate that Nestor? Well, the classic five, you know, we’ve been around for 100 years with over 100 years when you consider Clifton Park, but we are the five municipal golf courses of Baltimore. We’ve been around like I said for over 100 years, we have five different courses, five different levels of golf. We can pretty much make any golfer happy at any one of our facilities, whether you just want to play whether you want to learn golf, you know, come check us out. Five
Nestor Aparicio 06:26
thing I think it’s interesting for us a gateway place for people to come when you say we’re open, you’re affordable and oh by the way, you can hit on five courses meet five different Ed’s meet a Tommy meet somebody else in a different course, get other lessons. But more than that, they’re all 15 minutes apart, right? 10 minute you have like some cases close right? And to have the variety and say this is a gateway, because I always say to my wife and I no offense, and I’ll just admit this out loud. I watched the masters and I think a Golf has been a snooty thing. And I’m a Dundalk guy and people go down to Sparrows Point in play. And people come to Clifton Park and Planning I used to try to herring Park, going into Memorial Stadium. People are always playing golf. My dad didn’t play right. My dad was more basketball, baseball. My dad didn’t go to the track. I said that to you. Like there’s certain things people are into. But golf is one of these things. And I even say this about Brian Billick. He made fun of it. All of my relationship. Now I get get I can’t get him on the phone. He’s on the golf course. And he’s picking the sport up after 65 years of age as a former athlete drafted NFL, when the old draft was longer, we all know. But I mean, all kidding aside it is when you see this on Sunday and say your masters maybe a little snooty, or whatever and then think, well, I was an athlete, and I played ball. And I remember hitting the ball and I kind of enjoy that and I’m looking to get outside, I’m looking to walk some more and I’m looking to do something else. This you are the entry point to help people that maybe haven’t picked up a club in a couple of years. Or maybe they hurt their back a couple years ago and they want to go out and give it a swing again, that this is the time of the year and the Masters is the bell ringing right for Pavlov’s dog. If you love golf, and you’re the first I mean people don’t have Country Club money and this and that your place they could call and get on the course and get real lessons for less than a Springsteen ticket. I wanted to say that.
Ed Miller 08:17
Absolutely. You’re correct. I appreciate that one too. But yeah, come on out, play some golf, learn some golf from us. That’s what we are, you know, if your ultimate goal is to maybe get to Augusta, then you got to come see myself or or some of our other fellow PGA professionals and get some lessons. You know, the other thing is Mount Pleasant the fact that we’ve had two events there back in the 50s and 60s, but some of the guys we played Augusta have also played Mount Pleasant. So you know, that’s another thing for the local people, you know, come out play Mount Pleasant. Check it out, learn golf and say hey, you want some some of the same fairways as some of these guys who have played in the Masters have walked on? So if
Nestor Aparicio 08:52
you’re the cheapest sob from Colgate and Dundalk like, maybe one of us and you just want to you want to come play golf? What’s the entryway to playing golf right now? Like, I want to learn? Do I have to buy clubs you do? You got to have clubs, if you’re really going to learn you’re gonna go out and play the game, right? And then they need to have shoes and a guy like you what? Soup to nuts. My wife doesn’t have any of that. Let’s say she wants to pick up the game. And because she’s athletic and she likes golf, she likes it more than I do on a not just watching it, but she I played enough golf to know like how much I like it or don’t. She always kind of rain. She’ll pick the club up. She’s not great at it. But she’d be somebody if she had a girlfriend had a relative that she would go play and it would be something as she gets older because she’s very athletic. What would it cost to outfit her to get her involved?
8Ed Miller 09:49
To get her into golf? You know, if you didn’t want to purchase clubs, you could definitely purchase clubs for a couple of 100 less. I could have you on the golf course with lessons equipment and First greens fee and cart fee for probably 300 325 bucks. And from that point on hopefully you start to learn golf you get in what’s it gonna cost me
Nestor Aparicio 10:08
to come out and play on a Thursday morning? 50 bucks which, which the where am I on a cost point to play once or twice a week get a lesson or three, the first month or two,
Ed Miller 10:18
I would say 35 to $50 depending on which one of our five courses you want to play. And then once we get you hooked, we have all kinds of memberships and afternoon passes. For example, you can play Mount Pleasant every afternoon after 12 with a cart for about $270 a month. So okay, yes, five days a week you can play after
Nestor Aparicio 10:40
8getting a grant for the summer, a couple of months. You can come out play for a couple four or five months while it’s out there as much as you want because you got a gig that allows you to do that. Yeah, look at the weather on Thursday. You got it you know, and I’m sure when the weather gets good like it is this week and the Masters maybe this week’s like a tougher time to get out. Can you still get on this week?
Ed Miller 11:01
Oh, absolutely. There’s always a tee time or two available that one of our five courses but you are right. Weather forecast looks great.
Nestor Aparicio 11:09
On Thursday, I come on now dawg. I see the sun. Maya ad says so here.
Ed Miller 11:15
Yeah, come out, play some golf, get some exercise. And the one cool thing about golf is it’s anywhere from two and a half to four and a half hours of time quality time with one of your friends loved ones family. That to me is the best part about golf.
8Nestor Aparicio 11:28
I just got a dream that I’m on Kapalua next week. You don’t I’m saying you’re drinking the Kona blend.
Ed Miller 11:35
It might not be as good a shape as Augusta. But I wouldn’t mind being a Kapalua, either
Nestor Aparicio 11:41
my friends would call roofing. Give me a little ROFO in my coffee, coffee or we’re enjoying a conversation as we always do. We’re gonna make it come on more often. I’ve already bugged them twice this week. Ed Miller mean who has spent all this time on me last week he’s teaching people in Mount Pleasant pimp and classic five next thing you know he’s in Augusta. Did you see Tiger let’s start let’s get back to what happened over the weekend and Phil and kept kit and all that. I mean, I’m not a tiger fan. I told you was a jerk to me at the New Year’s Eve at the Hootie the Blowfish at the Hard Rock back in 96. I’m still holding the hard grudge 27 years later, I let him go 27 years later, like the Colts grudge I let that go. But seeing him limp like that and seeing where he is in his life and his career. And more than that, see, and Phil Mickelson, who quite frankly, and you know, I’m pretty political. And I’m not a guy that’s taken Saudi blood money. I’m not a fan of what’s going on. And I watched the 60 minutes piece afterward. And you know, and the reporter from 60 minutes is a friend of mine, the guy I’ve had on so I’m not I’m anti sports washing so I’m anti live live however you pronounce it or whatever. I don’t think it’s a good concept. But that being said, it played into all of everything that happened this weekend. And Phil sort of the bad guy who almost like came in on a on a horse. I mean, it could have been closer if rom backed up, right?
Ed Miller 13:04
8Yeah, that or rooks Katka wouldn’t have went backwards Cuz you gotta remember kick KEPCO is also a live golfer. Yeah, it would have been really interesting to see how that would have played out today between the PGA Tour and live and Bruce KEPCO on it. But you’re right. Watching it this Sunday was interesting to see you had PGA Tour, battling some live guys. And it’s a shame I used to love Mickelson as well before all this controversy and comparing him to say Tiger Woods in their 50s. You know, Phil in his 50s and Tiger close. It is ironic that tiger and he’s, you know, was a great athlete. He’s the one that looks like he’s barely you can barely get around the golf course. And now Phil, you used to be the soft buddy looking guy is 52 years old and he’s getting around the golf course fine. It’s it was really interesting. And he looks
Nestor Aparicio 13:53
32. Right? Whatever he’s doing with the clear and the, you know, whatever Barry Bonds left him 20 years ago to make to do whatever Tom Brady was doing. And I look. I mean, what Tom Brady did is not normal. And I don’t know, you know, whatever bottle he’s peeing and it’s a different bottle than then they made the baseball players pee in and the Olympic guys pee and I just I’d say that but seeing Mickelson at this point, and doing things that are supernatural in that sort of Roger Clemens kind of way. I mean, it makes me question all of it in that way. But more than that, it isn’t a remarkable thing. I mean, what Tom Brady did well however you remarkable if you’re doing this at that point, remarkable and the will and the want to do it. I mean, Phil Mickelson on Sunday was memorable he didn’t win.
Ed Miller 14:45
No he didn’t win but it was exciting. You know rom looks really good. I think if anything the tour, they’re obviously happy that John rom won and he’s definitely one of the top players in the world right now. I guess the tour be a little disappointed now Rory played that was kind of disappointing for him. them, but on all the Masters is great. Lots of cool storylines and John rom great champion, probably going to win it again. You know he’s got the kind of game to win multiple masters as well.
Nestor Aparicio 15:11
I wanted to see a shoot out of some time and I’m a guy I want to see three four guys one shot off. I want to see pressure I want to see bowls going in the water I want to see. I want to see what NASCAR fans they want to see a car crash, right? I mean, I want to see something that’s like like the BMW was here. I mean, we always point back to that locally, we had just an unbelievable tournament, right that matter who’s in it doesn’t matter if you get good guys bad guys who you like who you don’t like? That part was a little disappointing, but it’s the man. I mean, and then we have the Odell Beckham, the guy any thoughts on Odell Beckham or the Orioles? No,
8Ed Miller 15:48
no, I’m just kind of excited. I just want to know who’s thrown in the football.
Nestor Aparicio 15:55
First things first is Every golfer would say, you know like, right. John Wooden would say you got to put your socks on and tie your shoes the right way. First, I’m worried about we gotta crawl before we walk at listening for you. I can talk last week with you over classic five about limited flight golf ball. And I didn’t give you any oxygen on that. We talked about a whole bunch stuff last week and masters and all that. But just for for the game and for people playing. Define all this for everybody in our audience.
Ed Miller 16:23
Yeah. All right. Well, you know, it’s a very ironic to after being in Augusta this week and all this flight ball, the construction or the the remodeling they did on 13, for example, to Gus, I know they talked about it a lot on TV, but trying to make that whole longer so that the modern golfers can play that whole the way that designer had had envisioned them to do it. What a par
Nestor Aparicio 16:46
8represents as an example, right? cutting a hole off, right, literally, right.
Ed Miller 16:51
And that is one of the things you know, and not to say I’m jealous, because you know, from all accounts, all the seminars that I’ve been to, and so forth, and talking to all the sales reps and Golf Tour pros do not use stronger equipment, or hotter balls that we use, but they have just gotten so long that some of these holes and some of these courses just can’t contain them. And not every course has money like Augusta where they go, Hey, these guys are getting too long on this hole, this just add 50 yards to it. between money and space, some courses can’t do it. So well. The perfect swing
Nestor Aparicio 17:25
back in the day would be what your eyeball told you. Now you have equipment on every golf course, to show what a perfect swing is. And the next little version. I’m going to kid Bennett running around the other day, right and he looks skinny and gangly and he’s going to add weight, he’s gonna get stronger. It’s just having it be perfect every single time allows you to do what John Ron does, right? I mean, everybody has been seeking this for 100 years. It’s kind of like there’s now science involved. We talked about baseball getting wrecked with the shift. And now it’s back and and what that means, but when you can hit the ball 500 You know, that wasn’t normal, the size of the clubs, it looked like Fred Flintstone with these giant. I mean, there was all this evolution of and it’s so American and tested longer. I mean, that’s not the way the these courses were designed for search surgery. Not necessarily for Paul Bunyan, right?
Ed Miller 18:21
Correct. So you know, precision. overpower says it’s good to have a mix. But modern Golf has become much more about the power. Hit it as far as you can.
8Nestor Aparicio 18:31
Because that’s what draws kids to do it. Chicks love the long ball right?
Ed Miller 18:35
That’s it that’s the saying I was taught growing up you drive
Nestor Aparicio 18:40
your 16 year old boy on the golf course or even a girl at this point. How far do you hit it is right. I mean, it’s like how far can you hit it? Is the measurement. Like for every pitcher? It’s not your stuff? It’s Do you throw 90 Or you’re in the 90s If you’re not you’re not a prospect
Ed Miller 18:58
8right right and that’s almost what has become an in golf and the way that building these new courses that’s you almost have to be that way so you know, I think the golf ball
Nestor Aparicio 19:07
par eight for me because it’s 900 yards away and I can’t get there right?
19:11
Right Correct.
Nestor Aparicio 19:14
I love talking golf people know something that golf is I’m just faking it till I make it and Miller’s not doing that he’s a professional unlike me with the Ravens of the Orioles. You know I get tonight you’re a professional tell everybody what what you do and how they can be in touch with you and get out on the course and take advantage of the great weather this week. Prices right? timings right. Everything’s if you want to get involved in golf. This is the time
8Ed Miller 19:39
absolutely yes sir. It’s a classic five golf.com I’m the golf professional at Mount Pleasant, but I’m part of five courses Carol Park, Clifton Park, Forest Park and Pine Ridge. We want all the citizens of Baltimore and surrounding areas to come out and learn golf, play golf. Enjoy golf like I always have. It’s great ambiance so to speak, it’s an exercise, come out and play, learn golf, like you said, the Masters just happened 80 degree weather this week, I think the season is finally here. It’s time to dust off the clubs, get out of the kid out of the house and come play some golf.
Nestor Aparicio 20:15
You know, what’s interesting is I see all these people playing in that big thing. It’s not in my picture that they built with a big thing that net down next to it, right. So I’m thinking, I’m thinking, is that competition or I’m thinking, to me, that’s like a gateway drug. Right? Like, if you’re handing into a net at the side of the freeway downtown, at some point, you’re gonna want to get out onto a pasture, right? I mean, literally,
Ed Miller 20:37
you want to get out there and test it on the real core. They’re doing your
Nestor Aparicio 20:40
8job for you to some degree, because at some point, you’ll have a good time, drink some beer and do it that way. But then you’re gonna want to go play ball, right?
Ed Miller 20:48
And if that’s your thing, you can still come out and drink a couple beers playing golf as well.
Nestor Aparicio 20:51
82 degree day. I don’t think anybody wants to be cooped up anywhere or just maybe on a range. They do that too. But if you really are if you’re a golfer, and you chose to do it like if you’re a boater and you Jones to do it, or you’re a concert guy like me chasing the Eagles and Springsteen around last week and angry at everybody who didn’t invite me to earth when a fire, but it’s okay, because they’re coming back with Lionel Richie, so it’s all good. But this is a beautiful time they meet Oriole baseball, people getting out lacrosse is bang and right now, and I know that the classic five golf courses are bikini wax, and ready to go. We’ve had good weather. We’ve had a nice winter and Ed will regale you with tales from Augusta. And did you get a pimento sandwich or my mother loved those because she’s 30 miles away from Augusta?
Ed Miller 21:37
I don’t really enjoy but for some reason I still start every masters with one of the awful dude. That’s my breakfast sandwich when I got there.
8Nestor Aparicio 21:45
It’s like spoiled cheese with like, pepper in it sort of like bologna without the Bologna. It’s so terrible. But nonetheless, my mother was from Abbey Ville, South Carolina. So how did you go did you drive down or fly down? How’d you get there?
Ed Miller 22:00
Yeah, I drove down. Drove overnight still doing that and then get there walk on a Thursday and enjoy it and
Nestor Aparicio 22:07
you drove past the Gaffney peach outside of Spartanburg South Carolina did you want 85 See, my mother grew up in Abby Ville, South Carolina just near Clemson Greenville, Greenwood Spartanburg, about 45 minutes away from Augusta. Her brother lived in Augusta lived in Martinez and Evans I’m sure you know those those towns lived in Martinez for it’s still like I have cousins who still live there still flying a confederate flag out in front the whole deal. Literally, literally. So. But nonetheless, that part of the world. I’m very, very familiar with it. So I have been talking so much about going down there and spending a day with my mother’s history and I’m gonna do it. Yeah, my wife, dude, she puts it on on Sunday. And I’m not allowed to talk. I’m here getting worked on she’s hanging on the holes. I tried to turn it off when it’s over. She’s like, No, no, no, no, we’re going to Butler cabin. I want to I want to see Jim Nance. Welcome to friends in I want to see if the guy from from the master suck up to everybody. Like the whole deal. So my wife loves it. My wife wants to go to the masters like I’m telling you it’s it’s if I said I’m taking the mess, she’d be like, Wow, I get a lot of WoW outside of Kapalua and I’m saying so but but it is. People love the masters and I know you love that too. And I just wanted to touch you because you touched it this weekend so that will send it out to male plus it did the ball with you all right. Yeah, I appreciate
Ed Miller 23:29
8it. Nestor thank you so more thankful to work out you think? Oh, I’m thinking No, but I’m hoping so. The worst thing
Nestor Aparicio 23:36
in the world guys like you you know with high expectations golf progress. They go sign Odell Beckham and all you ask is so what about Lamar? He’s a classic five golf. He’s a male pleasant. Go visit with him and go learn to play the great game. I’m wearing the pappy shirt this week in the world famous graphics. Because we’re going to Pappas on Thursday we’re doing the Maryland crab cake tour. I’ll be giving away the instant lottery scratch off things. They’ve given me these old schoolers, Ed’s an old school Baltimore guy remembers all these old logos, the old Maryland lottery logos. So this is just a sample. These are the fake ones. I’m not giving those away. But these are the real ones. It’s a lottery scratch. It’s got a $40 winner that you can play around at the male plaza with at all so we gave that away fadeless over the weekend. We’re gonna be a Papist Thursday to the five Harford County Pappas brand new up in Bel Air. I hope everybody comes out and joins us also brought to you by our friends at window nation. 866 90 nation you buy two you get two free five years 0% financing me Give me that deal. But I’m very very happy with the windows now. I gotta get pest czar out here again, because he’s damn ants. The April ants in my pants got me all itch and you guys have seen it on the camera all week. I’m Nestor. We are WNS TA and 1570, Towson Baltimore. We never stopped talking. Let’s see your masters, Springsteen eagles, Orioles. Oh and Lamar Jackson. Stay with us.
