Robert Winskowicz -CEO of Squariz Golf Shoes
The salient focus of our discussion today centers on the innovative advancements in golf footwear, particularly the introduction of the new LT series by Squares Golf Shoes, which promises to redefine the standards of performance and comfort. I had the distinct pleasure of conversing with Robert Winskowicz, CEO of Squariz Golf Shoes, who elucidated the meticulous efforts undertaken to create the lightest performance-based shoe currently available, weighing in at merely 424 grams. The conversation delves into the significance of structure and fit in golf shoes, highlighting how these attributes directly influence a golfer's stability and swing efficacy. Furthermore, we examined the contemporary challenges facing the golf industry, including escalating costs and the ongoing tension between traditional tours and emerging alternatives. As we navigate these pressing matters, it becomes evident that addressing the needs of the average golfer remains paramount to the sport’s future prosperity.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Birdie Ball
- Squares Golf Shoes
- Weston Kia
- Snell Golf
- Pig Powder
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Transcript
It's time for Grilling at the Green.
Speaker A:Join Jeff Tracy as he explores a golfing lifestyle and tries to keep it in the short grass for the hackers.
Speaker B:New sweepers and turf spankers.
Speaker A:Here's Jeff, everybody.
Speaker A:Welcome to Grilling at the Green in Portland, Seattle.
Speaker A:All places in between and of course on the Golf News Network work this segment of Girling It's Green is brought to you by Birdie Ball.
Speaker A:If you need a good putty green or some practice little, they look like napkin rings, go to birdieball.com they work really well.
Speaker A:They've invited back a good friend, Robert Winstowitz from Squares Golf Shoes.
Speaker A:And they do more than golf shoes.
Speaker A:We'll get into that in a minute.
Speaker A:Bob is the CEO there.
Speaker A:But they've got a couple of things they've been working on this year.
Speaker A:And of course, it's the middle of summer, lots of changes going on in the golf world and I couldn't think of anybody better to talk about that than Bob.
Speaker A:Welcome back, bud.
Speaker B:Hey, it's great to be here as always.
Speaker B:Thanks, Jeff.
Speaker B:Appreciate it.
Speaker A:So what's going on with Squares?
Speaker B:Oh boy.
Speaker B:Geez.
Speaker B:What a question to lead with.
Speaker B:I don't know where to begin.
Speaker B:Well, you know, we launched this year in golf.
Speaker B:We launched our new LT series, which LT stands for light.
Speaker B:And to give you some reference point, we were when we launched the shoes, we're about 520 grams.
Speaker B:Last year we launched a model that was 594.
Speaker B:90, 490.
Speaker B:And this year we've, we've, we've, we launched our brand and it's 424.
Speaker B:And to give you some reference points, it's lighter than a G4 Gallivant or it's lighter than the Footjoy Premier, lighter than the Adidas Tour 360.
Speaker B:And I tell people that we are the lightest performance based shoe spiked performance based shoe on the market.
Speaker B:It was something that over the years I had heard about that people said, look, you know, your shoe is a little heavy.
Speaker B:And so we really worked on, we've been working on this for three years, just trying to knock the weight out without compromising structure.
Speaker B:So we're able to find some new materials that really could get us down below 425.
Speaker B:And to make it the lightest performance based shoe.
Speaker B:The other thing we did is we really cleaned up the shoe and we took the logos off the sides of the shoe and we really made it clean and classy and we used a new material.
Speaker B:It's a premium microfiber and what makes that special is that microfiber allows moisture, heat and perspiration to permeate through the shoe outwards.
Speaker B:But it's 100% waterproof, so.
Speaker B:It's 100% waterproof.
Speaker B:But it allows moisture and heat to escape.
Speaker B:It's more expensive.
Speaker B:But again, we always try to build the best shoe we can build.
Speaker B:So it's got all of the key features of our, our shoe.
Speaker B:But again, we really, you know, in golf footwear, once you get beyond comfort, it becomes a fashion, a fashion, you know, contest, the beauty contest.
Speaker B:And so we really, really worked on the looks of the shoe.
Speaker B:But again, the performance of the shoe is, is where we place the bet, we place all our money is that we say that.
Speaker B:Look.
Speaker B:By simply changing your shoes to squares, you will increase your swing speed, your distance, and you reduce the dispersion on the golf course.
Speaker B:And we have proven this out time and time again.
Speaker B:So that's what's really new in the golf world.
Speaker B:And then we launched a baseball shoe back in October and a pickleball shoe in December.
Speaker A:You're busy guy, Bob.
Speaker A:You're busy guy.
Speaker A:So what I want to talk about the light for a second and the weight.
Speaker A:I can tell you this from experience as you get older and a lot of the golf population is over 40, 45, both men and women.
Speaker A:In my, even my daily shoes, my kick around whatever dress shoes or, you know, just sneakers, whatever.
Speaker A:I've been over the years looking more at lightweight shoes.
Speaker A:You know, when you, for example, if you, you want to get a new pair of shoes to say you're gonna, you're, you're walking every day just for exercise and you're walking and you get some of those shoes and they are heavy as hell.
Speaker A:They've got a big, thick, solid sole on them.
Speaker A:I know why they're designed that way, but, and they're, they're built well, I'm not dissing them on that.
Speaker A:But if I want to walk five miles a day, I want to, I don't want to feel like I'm dragging a ball and chain with me.
Speaker A:And I think that's very important for people.
Speaker B:It is, it is.
Speaker B:And, and, but I do caution people.
Speaker B:There was some studies that have been done about these lightweight sneaker like golf shoes that, that if you're walking a golf, a golf course, you would automatically think that sneaker like shoe that is lighter would be less fatigue, less on the foot than something that is, say three ounces heavier.
Speaker B:And the research shows that the one that's three ounces heavier.
Speaker B:That provides structure because it'd be less fatigue on the feet than a lightweight.
Speaker B:Now the reason for that is because the lightweight sneaker like material gives so as you walk, allows your foot to push, you know, in the front of the shoe, the back, the left, the right.
Speaker B:The more give it has, the more fatigue on the feet.
Speaker B:So what I say is, yes, go lightweight, but don't compromise on the structure because structure is very, very important, particularly in sports.
Speaker B:You know, if you could take a shoe in sports, particularly golf, and hold it by the heel in the toe and twist it, don't play golf in it, do not play golf in it.
Speaker B:And it is creating so many inefficiencies for you and your golf swing.
Speaker B:I just tell people that sneakerizing something just for the sake of doing it doesn't always make sense.
Speaker B:You've got to have structure in a golf shoe.
Speaker B:But once you have that structure, you try then to reduce the weight of it.
Speaker B:Because a lot of times, Jeff, the, the structure is on one side, lightweight is on the other, and the more lighter you make it, you reduce structure, so on and so forth.
Speaker B:But that's the key, and that's always been the challenge in footwear making, is to make it as light as possible.
Speaker B:However, don't give up on the structure.
Speaker B:And I think that's what we've done.
Speaker B:We've built what I would say is the perfect confluence of that lightweight sneaker like shoe and that old shoe of yesterday.
Speaker B:It's got, you know, that, that tremendous amount of structure, but it's, it's, it's, it's pretty heavy.
Speaker B:So we've reduced the weight, put them together, and I think built the perfect confluence of, of those two shoes.
Speaker A:Like the old wingtips that used to weigh 12 pounds apiece.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, with the metal spikes.
Speaker B:I, I still think I have a couple of those up in my, my shoe closet.
Speaker A:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker A:I know that when you're talking about structure, here's the, here's the sign for me.
Speaker A:And now I don't have this problem when I wear my squares.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:But in previous shoes, my toes would get sore by the end of the round because what you're talking about is the slippage.
Speaker A:You know, I used to sell cowboy boots, so I'm familiar with what you're talking about.
Speaker A:But as the round goes, and if you're standing on a bit of a side hill lie or downhil lie or golf courses aren't perfectly flat, and when you, when you go to transfer Your weight and that your toes will slip a bit.
Speaker A:And by the end of the round, like say on, when you're on 15, you finally wake up enough to know that your big toe is sore as hell.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And then you're kind of gimping out the rest of the round.
Speaker A:But, you know, that is, I think, a major point for people.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:You know what, you know what is the first thing, you know, first thing you do when you get done around the golf, you want to take your shoes off.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, and then you have the beer.
Speaker B:But I mean, it's like the first thing you really want to do is, is take your shoes off and in.
Speaker B:The reason is that that, that all golf shoes out there angle their, angle your toes to the center of the shoe.
Speaker B:Now.
Speaker B:Now your foot operates like a three legged stool.
Speaker B:You've got your big toe, your little toe and your heel.
Speaker B:And once you start moving your little toe and your big toe in, you start reducing the mobility of your foot.
Speaker B:You start reducing balance and stability and you reduce ground force production.
Speaker B:So if you squeeze your fingers together as I'm doing here, and you press down, you really don't have the use of all five fingers here.
Speaker B:But if your toes can sit naturally in the shoe, you've got five touch points.
Speaker B:Now you can feel the ground better and you can press down.
Speaker B:Because the golf swing is pressure precedes motion.
Speaker B:Okay?
Speaker B:So you've got to press down, you've got to apply weight and press the force down.
Speaker B:And that's the source of the golf swing.
Speaker B:You press down, it goes down on the ground, comes back up through you, and that is the fuel that fuels the swing.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So if your toes are sitting naturally and you can press down versus angling to the center of the shoe, number one, you'll have better balance, better stability.
Speaker B:And Squares was founded on a simple premise, that if I can improve your balance and your stability, you will hit the ball farther and straighter.
Speaker B:So that said, if I can do that, you'll hit the ball farther straight, you'll hit it longer.
Speaker B:And so, you know, comfort is the other factor is that if you're thinking about your feet during the round, you're not thinking about, you know, what shot to hit and everything else.
Speaker B:It really is going to affect your game.
Speaker B:So look, I tell everybody that, you know, comfort is number one.
Speaker B:And that should be the entry price in a footwear business is comfortable.
Speaker B:And yet it's not true with some of the more popular brands like a Nike or Adidas that have very Narrow toe box and so.
Speaker B:But if you can open up the toes, you'll feel more comfort, better balance, better stability, and you'll play a better round of golf.
Speaker A:There you go.
Speaker A:We're going to take a break.
Speaker A:I'm going to be back with Bob Winskowitz from Squares Golf Shoes.
Speaker A:And by the way, I'm giving him an unsolicited endorsement here.
Speaker A:I like my squares.
Speaker A:They're very, very comfortable.
Speaker A:And when you get old, fat feet like mine, that you're going to need them.
Speaker A:Bob and I will be back right after this.
Speaker A:Hey, everybody, JT here.
Speaker A:You know, every week on grilling at the Green, we bring you a travel tip and that is brought to you by the Westin dealerships.
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Speaker A:Welcome back to grilling at the Green.
Speaker A:I want to thank the folks at Weston Kia for supporting the show.
Speaker A:They've been great friends and great partners for a long time.
Speaker A:We're talking with Bob Wenskowitz from Squares Golf.
Speaker A:You got a new shoe, Mr. Sir Mick.
Speaker A:Mr. Sir Nick.
Speaker A:I don't, I'm not sure the proper order Bob anymore, but Falo's got a new shoe coming.
Speaker B:You know, I am really excited about this.
Speaker B:This is.
Speaker B:Since I've been doing this, I would tell you that this shoe is the best, the best designed limited edition shoe that we have ever done.
Speaker B:We've done an Augusta shoe.
Speaker B:We did a British Open shoe years ago.
Speaker B:This, this has got a tremendous amount of thought and passion put into it.
Speaker B:So what this is all about, this is called the NF.
Speaker B: The NF: Speaker B: So in: Speaker B:And he does a great intro to this on the inside of the shoebox.
Speaker B:He does a great intro to this and he talks about, he tells the story and we've got videos out about this where he tells a story and he reflects back on it.
Speaker B:And, you know, he's reflecting back on greatness, that he has been elevated to this, this position in golf of over 43 wins, six majors, and he's one of two people that won the Open and the Masters in the same year, which is a great feat.
Speaker B:And, and, and so he wanted to design a shoe that, that really took the.
Speaker B:The Augusta and it took the.
Speaker B:The Open.
Speaker B:And so we did something very special.
Speaker B: you can see, it's got the NF: Speaker B:But what we've also done, which is very special, is we included an autographed picture of Cernick holding the cleric jug.
Speaker B:And he signed 1,000 of these pictures.
Speaker B:Actually signed them, yeah.
Speaker A:Now, he didn't use auto pen.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Okay, just want to clarify.
Speaker B:I think we sent him 20 sharpies.
Speaker B:And so inside of every box is the all leather shoe, and there's a picture in there of him signed holding the jug that's suitable for framing.
Speaker B:It's quite a package, but this is it.
Speaker B:It is really just an honor to work with him and to commemorate his two wins.
Speaker B:With this shoe.
Speaker A:You only made what, a thousand pairs?
Speaker B:A thousand pairs.
Speaker B:And I think we've only got.
Speaker B:We launched it about three weeks ago.
Speaker B:We've already sold over half of them.
Speaker A:I guess I better get on it, get my order in there, you know.
Speaker A:So one of the things I wanted to, to ask you was I've noticed now on other shoe ads, because I pay attention or I try to, my wife won't agree with that.
Speaker A:But the point is, I've seen other, you know, box toes and square toes coming out on other brands.
Speaker A:Now, in a way, I think that's probably somewhat flattering because they know you've taken a bite out of the market with squares.
Speaker A:Are they using the same theories, technology and science?
Speaker A:Have you been able to look at these other shoes?
Speaker B:I have.
Speaker B:I've looked at as many.
Speaker A:You don't have to name the brands.
Speaker A:You just.
Speaker B:No, no.
Speaker B:But, but they.
Speaker B:So we have.
Speaker B:We've got 11 patents on the geometry of the toe box.
Speaker B:And so what.
Speaker B:What other toe.
Speaker B:What other companies are doing is they've got fancy names for their shoes.
Speaker B:You know, that one company is called Boxto.
Speaker B:And, and then other companies, all they're doing now is making a wide shoe, okay, because all of their shoes have got a, a rounded geometry to them that all angle the toes.
Speaker B:But what they're doing is they're not necessarily opening up the toe box, they're making a wider shoe.
Speaker B:And so when you think of this, if you're trying to buy more room in the toe box by widening the shoe, it will provide more room up here, but it's like whack a mole.
Speaker B:Now you've created another problem.
Speaker B:Now that shoe is wide just to pick up room here, but width is established here in the shoe.
Speaker B:Ours is not a wide shoe.
Speaker B:This is a normal D width shoe.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:What we did is we opened it up from here to here.
Speaker B:Other people are opening up here, which just means your foot is moving in that shoe.
Speaker B:And by providing.
Speaker B:And other people try to accommodate more width with length.
Speaker B:So for instance, if you're a size 10 in Foot Joy, you'd be a size 10 in squares.
Speaker B:Now Nike, Nike, if you went to buy, if you were size 10 in the squares and footjoy, you'd have to buy a 10 and a half in Nike in Adidas, because they've got such a narrow toe box that you need to pick up that room with length, which is not necessarily a good thing because your foot's moving in the shoe.
Speaker B:But again, it is a little flattering that, you know, seven years ago we launched a shoe to, that is, you know, designed based upon the science of the foot and toe splay.
Speaker B:And now people are trying to design or redesign their footway, their footwear to accommodate that.
Speaker B:So, you know, it is, it is, it is a proven science that if you allow your toes to splay, you will have better balance, better, better stability and ground force production.
Speaker B:And, and again, that's what we did seven years ago.
Speaker B:And, you know, people will continue to try to accomplish what we have, but we haven't seen anything out, anything out there yet that can compare to us in terms of performance.
Speaker A:Well, structurally, when you, when you widen the.
Speaker A:Don't want to get too far off in the weeds for you non shoe nerds, but this is the way I think it works because like I said, I used to sell boots, the toe box is open, but back where the ball of your foot is, is where they're widening it.
Speaker A:And that we used to call it.
Speaker A:You're sloshing around in there.
Speaker A:Yeah, you know, like that.
Speaker A:Because you need that support there to keep, you know, from walking out of your shoes, as it were.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And you'll, you'll eventually create a lot of foot fatigue, potentially blisters.
Speaker B:And that's why if he gets sore at the end of the round, your feet get sore at the end of the round.
Speaker B:Really, for two reasons, is a, it's moving.
Speaker B:You know, it's moving in the shoe.
Speaker B:Your foot is literally moving.
Speaker B:You may not feel it, but it.
Speaker B:It's moving ever so slightly.
Speaker B:And then when you think about a golf course wasn't built on a flat surface.
Speaker B:So if you've got material in that shoe that's got tremendous flexibility.
Speaker B:So when you're at a side hill, downhill lie, your foot is literally moving in that shoe.
Speaker B:And as you walk, your foot's going back and forth.
Speaker B:So you've got to have a really solid fit.
Speaker B:But, but, but the other thing is, if you're squeezing your toes together in those shoes, you know, your foot, when you put pressure down, when you're generating, you know, more than your body weight.
Speaker B:So think of it.
Speaker B:The golfer wants to generate more than his body weight.
Speaker B:So when you press down and you force that pressure into the ground, think of it like jumping on a trampoline.
Speaker B:If you want to go higher, you press down more, harder, right?
Speaker B:So in the golf swing, as you press down and force the ground in, your toes want to splay, but if they can't and they're angled like this into the center, they round under, and that puts a lot of pressure on the toes.
Speaker B:So when you get done playing golf, that's why your toes hurt.
Speaker B:You know, it hurts because they want to do this and you're not allowing them.
Speaker B:And that's what our shoe allows.
Speaker A:There you go.
Speaker A:We're going to take another break, Bob and I'll be back after this message or messages.
Speaker A:You're listening to Grilling.
Speaker A:It's green on Golf News Network.
Speaker A:Hey, everybody, it's J.T.
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Speaker A:Welcome back to Brilliant 3Nine, JT.
Speaker A:We got Bob Winstowitz today from.
Speaker A:Where's that place?
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A:Squares Golf shoes.
Speaker A:We want to thank the folks at Snell Golf Balls.
Speaker A:Tour quality balls direct to the consumer at a very fair price.
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Speaker A:We're talking with Bob Winskowitz today, CEO of Squares.
Speaker A:We're right in the middle of summer.
Speaker A:We've had three major so far.
Speaker A:We've got the Open coming up what week after this next one?
Speaker A:I think if I got the dates right like that.
Speaker A:What have you seen from the desk of the CEO in the golf world this last year?
Speaker A:I mean, we talked about this a little bit the last time you were on the show, which was last summer or last fall.
Speaker A:And, you know, I look at it, Bob, like there's some parts that are growing nicely and other parts that are kind of withering a bit.
Speaker A:Are we in this transition stage where we've got to kind of sort out what's really happening?
Speaker A:It's kind of like getting numbers from the government.
Speaker A:You know, they always give them a quarter or two after it actually happened, and then they revise them one more time before they say it's official.
Speaker A:So I wanted to get your take on that.
Speaker B:You know, it's a great question, and it's something that I ponder, so to speak, every day, is, you know, the health and wealth of this business, this industry.
Speaker B:And if you read all the numbers out there, everybody say everything is great.
Speaker B:I. I wouldn't put it that way.
Speaker B:I think the industry itself and golf as a whole has got some issues.
Speaker B:The price of a round out there today is exorbitant.
Speaker B:I think back with the COVID days, everybody, the rounds played was up, they raised the prices, they kept them there.
Speaker B:And it's becoming very, very costly.
Speaker B:Equipment is through the roof, and it's going to catch up with the industry.
Speaker B:And then when I look at this divisive situation with LIV and the PGA Tour, I am one that.
Speaker B:I don't mind the live tour.
Speaker B:I don't mind it, but with a couple of footnotes.
Speaker B:You know, I really believe at the beginning of this whole thing, when LIV wanted to come into play, the PGA Tour should have got together with live, which they didn't want to do, but they should have got together and said, look, as long as my players play 24 rounds, 24 events on the PGA Tour, I'll allow them.
Speaker B:We'll allow them to play on the live tour.
Speaker B:And I want 10% of 20% ownership equity.
Speaker B:It would have been done and over with.
Speaker B:That's it.
Speaker B:It would have been done and it.
Speaker B:It could have been a sideshow, so to speak, you know, right?
Speaker B:At.
Speaker B:At.
Speaker B:At a minimum, you know, but.
Speaker B:But what's hurting this game is, is people out there saying that the best players are playing on the PGA Tour.
Speaker B:No, they're not.
Speaker B:The best players are playing on the live tour and the PGA Tour.
Speaker B:Then people say, well, they made their decision.
Speaker B:Well, look, they did.
Speaker B:But it's not in the best interest of golf for them to be playing there and not here.
Speaker B:I'd like to see all these players back.
Speaker B:You know, there are people that I like to hate out there on the PGA Tour, you know, and root against them.
Speaker B:And it's part of it, you know, it's like the Ryder cup, you know, and, and to see these people that have those personalities in the game absent from the Tour, it bothers the heck out of me.
Speaker B:And I think long term, it is not good for this game.
Speaker B:The other thing is the ball rollback that they're, they're going to implement in 20, 28.
Speaker B:I, I just think that I, I just, I just think that, that that is the wrong thing to do.
Speaker B:You know, what if they're concerned, you take the Open.
Speaker B:I mean, how great was that?
Speaker B:I mean, the, I mean the, the, the U.S. how great was that?
Speaker B:You know, you look at that, you say there's nothing wrong with equipment of the ball.
Speaker B:I mean, it was a challenge.
Speaker B:If, if they're concerned, if they're concerned about these golf courses out there and antiquating them.
Speaker B:Look, you know, you can add water and out of bounds and grow the rough and, you know, even Tiger woods can't get out of the water.
Speaker B:So, you know, there's things that they can do, you know, but, but to put a blanket over the game and say that, you know, look, they've regulated the club, they've already regulated the ball.
Speaker B:You know, the shaft is regulated, you know, the clubhead is regulated.
Speaker B:The grip is regular.
Speaker B:The golf ball is regulated.
Speaker B:What's happened over the years is, you know, people have become more athletic, you know, and, and, and certainly technology has been calibrated to swings, so you pick up more distance there.
Speaker B:But look, it's the people who can drive the ball in the fairway that win these tournaments.
Speaker B:You know, I did a study months ago, and you take the top five players in the world, and they were in the top five, 10 rather in driving distance and fairways hit.
Speaker B:And some of them, like Scotty Sheffield, were the worst ranked putters out there, you know, so that whole thing drive for show but for dough is not true.
Speaker B:It is not true.
Speaker B:You know, So I gotta tell you, there's some things I think plaguing the industry that's given it some bad press.
Speaker B:But, you know, I'm an optimist, though.
Speaker B:I just think it's one of the greatest games out there, and I owe it a lot personally.
Speaker B:So I just want to see it get better, be better, encourage more young kids into the game, more women into the game.
Speaker B:But again, I think we've got to look at the pricing and we've got to look at access and things of that nature.
Speaker A:Let me submit this to you.
Speaker A:The ball rollback to me is nonsensical.
Speaker A:It's, you're, you're doing it because you're, When I say the powers that be are doing it because they're offended or concerned because the top 1% of the top 1% can knock it out there.
Speaker A:390 yards, whatever.
Speaker A:Jeff and Bob can't do that.
Speaker A:We need, you know, if it gives us an extra 5 or 10 yards on a drive and we're still knocking it, you know, 285, 250, whatever, I'm.
Speaker A:Don't mess with it.
Speaker A:It's, you know, the, the amateur golfer is what makes the game.
Speaker A:You know, the weekend warriors, the hackers, the duffers, whatever moniker you want to have.
Speaker A:It's the guys that are gals that are paying the green fees every Monday through Sunday that, that, that hold the industry.
Speaker A:So my question, Bob, is, and it's a bit of a snarky, satiric, satirical one, sometimes I think that the USGA and the RNA are trust, trying to find ways to stay relevant.
Speaker A:And because if the tours broke away, nobody.
Speaker A:Pardon my.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:There's only two industries.
Speaker B:You know, you get soccer and you get, you get soccer and you've got golf.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:That have a governing body that's not, you know, so in, in baseball, you get the players and the owners, you know, in basket.
Speaker B:So look, I, I, I, I agree with you.
Speaker B:I, I, I, I would say that if that the USGA and the rna, I have a tremendous amount of respect for them.
Speaker A:Oh, sure.
Speaker B:There's nothing that says the PGA Tour can pull away and just adopt the same rules and say we don't need you.
Speaker B:You know, I just, yeah, look, I am concerned about, I am concerned about a limit on innovation that at some point, you know, you know, at some point you've got to be concerned about it.
Speaker B:But I just, I don't think this ball rollback is, you know, all of us out there that play the goal, outside of being a PGA pro, you know, we hunt distance down.
Speaker B:We hunt it, we Try to hit.
Speaker B:We love it.
Speaker B:You know, even as a, as somebody who watches golf, you know, we love to watch Rory.
Speaker B:We love to watch Bryson.
Speaker B:You know, we love John Daly, the grip it, rip it, and the Tiger, you know, that's who people follow.
Speaker B:Why?
Speaker B:Because they want to see him hit it far.
Speaker B:You know, And I just think, you know, look, there's an argument on the other side, but I just, I find myself on this side saying I don't agree with the ball rollback.
Speaker A:Yeah, I don't, I don't get that.
Speaker A:And, you know, even if they were going to bifurcate the rules and say, okay, the top two are pros.
Speaker A:You're going to go to a Kushnet and TaylorMade and Callaway and these guys and say Snell Golf.
Speaker A:And you're going to.
Speaker A:Well, you've got billions of dollars in research and manufacturing and.
Speaker A:But we want you to change it now, you know, and these guys are not going to go down lightly with that because they, they've.
Speaker A:They're.
Speaker A:That's the one thing we have in common between pros and amateurs, besides the love of the game is we all kind of have to use the same equipment, the same golf ball, and that's what makes the industry go.
Speaker A:And then you start jacking with it.
Speaker A:I think you're not going to end it up the way you really want.
Speaker A:That's my.
Speaker B:I agree.
Speaker B:And you can't.
Speaker B:You'll commoditize that industry.
Speaker B:You will.
Speaker B:You'll see prices drop.
Speaker B:You'll see it all commoditized, and it's not going to go down.
Speaker B:It's not going to get out with a fight.
Speaker B:I will.
Speaker B:I would almost guarantee you that the number one company in golf balls is not going to sit back and not try to do something about this.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:It is their lifeblood.
Speaker B:I mean, it is.
Speaker B:It.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:You know, I, I don't see him accepting this.
Speaker B:I see there to be down the road, manufacturers getting together and, and try to fight this.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A:We're going to take another break and we're going to be back here on Grilling at the Green on our radio stations and Golf Newsnet with Bob Robert Wentworth from Squares Golf right after this.
Speaker A:Don't go away.
Speaker A:Hey, everybody, J.T.
Speaker A:here.
Speaker A:If you need something to practice with in the inclement weather, try birdie ball.
Speaker A:Go to birdieball.com check out the actual birdie balls, their packages, their putting greens, which I happen to have a couple of those, and they work great.
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Speaker A:Welcome back to Grilling it to Green Again.
Speaker A:We'd like to thank the folks at Weston Kia in my home neck of the woods in Gresham, Oregon for supporting the show and all my efforts out there.
Speaker A:We really appreciate that.
Speaker A:We're talking with Bob Winstkowitz here, the CEO of squares.com so I guess the pressing question, Bob, is how's your golf game?
Speaker B:You know, it's kind of a funny answer is that I haven't hit a golf ball since September of last year.
Speaker B:So two years ago I ripped my rotator cuff and then I finally put it off and had it fixed and I went out and played for the first time in two years in September of last year.
Speaker B:And then I hurt my back.
Speaker B:My back is, I've got a bad lower back with two discs and actually it's the canals and tightening up and with arthritis and some inflammation.
Speaker B:So, you know, if I, if I play, if I go out and play after five holes, I mean, I am, no matter how many Advil I take, doesn't work.
Speaker B:It doesn't work.
Speaker B:And so I just haven't played.
Speaker B:So I've been seeing this back specialist and I just got some new injections.
Speaker B:I've had the injections in the past, so.
Speaker B:And we've got, we've got a plan for physical therapy and he's going to try all this before we do any kind of operation.
Speaker B:So I'm feeling good now and I just have that, that, that fever to go out and hit some golf balls so I could report that my game is great because, you know, I, I haven't made a bogey sense, you know.
Speaker A:Yeah, well, there you go.
Speaker A:I know you and I talked about that on the phone about a couple of weeks ago about the back thing, because I've been through all that and it can be very miserable and it can stop you in your tracks literally when those things flare up.
Speaker B:You know, it's interesting though, I'm, I've done a couple of videos that we're going to post out there is that I haven't played golf.
Speaker B:But what I will do is that I will do my yard work in my golf shoes and then I will Take the dog on.
Speaker B:On walks for four or five miles and walks in my golf shoes.
Speaker B:And that's how I test the shoes, so to speak, for comfort or durability.
Speaker B:So I, you know, people say, well, you know, how are you testing your shoes if you're not playing?
Speaker B:And I say, well, I still wear them during the day, walking the dog and doing this and doing that.
Speaker B:But, you know, I got testimonials from enough people out there.
Speaker B:But, yeah, I wish I missed the game.
Speaker B:I really do.
Speaker B:I miss being out there and playing.
Speaker A:It's tough, like, you know, and I've got another new knee.
Speaker A:Not that people want to hear, you know.
Speaker A:Listen, folks, when you get above the age of 60, one of the things you talk about is all your physical maladies, right?
Speaker A:And what prescriptions you're on.
Speaker A:What doctor?
Speaker A:Yeah, it's just part of the.
Speaker A:The lexicon.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And I used to laugh at people, you know, 10, 12 years ago.
Speaker A:I like, oh, yeah, I'm never gonna do that.
Speaker A:I got to be like 65.
Speaker A:And I went, hey, you know what?
Speaker A:They switched me from this to this.
Speaker B:And yeah, you're sitting around having a beer and say, geez, I got a great back doctor.
Speaker B:You know, oh, I got my knee and I got my hip replaced and I got, you know, this.
Speaker B:And, you know, it's like the conversation changes, you know, from what you shot on the golf course to the aches and pains and the new medicines.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:And that's when you, like you said, you want to take your shoes off.
Speaker A:It's not so much even about the feet.
Speaker A:It's like, get the shoes off, get in the chair, have the beer, relax, and then we can talk about, you know, whatever orthopedic surgeon you happen to be seeing that week.
Speaker A:You know, it's just.
Speaker A:It does that.
Speaker A:Couple of things.
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:We got a couple of minutes left.
Speaker A:Bob, you said there was still some of.
Speaker A:Of Sir Nick's model still available?
Speaker B:Yes, yes, we have about, I'd say, 400 and something pairs, 450 pairs left.
Speaker B:That.
Speaker B:Because we just really started to push and our whole marketing effort was going to start pushing effective July 4th on, because we've got the Open coming up.
Speaker B:And again, you know, for somebody like Nick that, you know, grew up and in Europe, you know, the open to him was probably a little more special than the Masters, for obvious reasons, but that's why we did.
Speaker B:And he wanted to do the picture of him holding the jug.
Speaker B:And, you know, he won three Masters and he's won three opens.
Speaker B:And so, you know, the other thing is the, the history behind the shoe is one thing, but the quality.
Speaker B:We did an all leather shoe.
Speaker B:I mean, this is premium leather.
Speaker B:And so it's an all leather shoe.
Speaker B:You get a signed picture of him and it's something that, you know, it looks good, it's comfortable, it's got that, that leather fragrance to it.
Speaker B:So, you know, I think everybody's going to enjoy it.
Speaker B:And it's a great, you know, this shoe is a great testament to what this, what, what Nick has been able to achieve.
Speaker A:Okay, real quick, tell them how they can find the shoe.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:If they go to squares.com, that's sq a I r z squares.com.
Speaker B:you'll see it featured on a website and it's a little piece of history.
Speaker B:So it's.
Speaker B:Anybody that's a golf fanatic out there, you get that picture, you post it on your wall and it's, it's a nice keepsake.
Speaker A:There you go.
Speaker A:Bob Winskowitz, CEO of Square Skull Shoes.
Speaker A:Thanks, Bob.
Speaker A:Bob's gonna stick around.
Speaker A:We got a short after hours because I've got some new weird questions for him.
Speaker A:Anyway, we'll be back next week with another edition of Grilling at the green.
Speaker A:Go to squares.com, get those Faldo shoes and go out there, play some golf, have some fun and be kind.
Speaker A:Take care, everybody.
Speaker A:Grilling at the Green is produced by JTSD Productions, LLC in association with Salem Media Group.
Speaker A:All rights reserved.
