Sup world,
What's goooooodddddddd - welcome to our 11th issue of the Montes Collective newsletter. I hit your inbox every Friday morning to talk all things golf, skate, surf, and snow. For those of you who are new here, you can catch up on all previous newsletters at our News Archive on our website. Enjoy!
Also before we get started, "Book a Tee Time" T-Shirts are available now in our Shop tab on our website.
Haven't played golf in 2 weeks so no new scores... I'm actually goin' kinda crazy rn. I need to get out there.
Current Index: N/A (Updating this when I have 10+ rounds in 18Birdies)
Most Recent 3 Scores
• 78 - Balboa Park Golf Club
• 80 - Hiddenbrooke Golf Club
• 78 - Twin Oaks Golf Club
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Haha broooo... The email app on Shopify kinda blows. I just wrote this whole segment and it got deleted and the undo function doesn't work on here I guess. Oh well. Any recommendations on platforms to publish my newsletters? I heard of Klaviyo but is that mostly for auto-marketing emails? I've also considered Substack. Lmk!
I've been in this sort of reflective period in this stage of building the brand. When it comes to building a business, there's an ebb and flow (at least for me). There are times where I have so much clarity and laser focus on what I want to accomplish for the brand. And there are times where I'm like "alright what's next?" It's during these times I turn to books, podcasts, and interviews published by successful entrepreneurs who have accomplished things in line with my goals. I love listening to NPR's "How I Built This" or YouTube videos by Alex Hormozi for business tips. It's easy for me to think damn the brand isn't growing like I thought. But what I've found is whenever I step out of my comfort zone and try something new for the brand, that's where I grow the most. Even if the growth isn't measurable, I know that when I try something new, I'm always learning whether it was a good idea or a bad one. And the outcomes from stepping out of my comfort zone have sparked even more ideas for my growth, both personally and for the brand. I'm writing about this because I noticed there's a parallel with golf and just life in general too. When you're on the course, it's easy to stick to what you know, and harder to try out new things you've been practicing on the range. It feels much safer to stay within your comfort of an old swing that you know works. But how are you gonna get better and breakthrough to the next level of your game? You're never going to be the best version of yourself by not taking risks. Let's say you're paying for lessons and your coach is working with you on some swing changes. You're wasting your money. It comes to a point where you gotta step out of your comfort zone and trust the change. Who knows, on the course, you may find a new shot in the bag you can re-create over and over again, just because you tried it on the course and saw it play out well for you. For me, it's the trusty hook around the trees. It was easy for me to say "I'm just gonna punch out into the fairway." But through trial and error, I've found the perfect swing and tempo to create a low, hook shape that is valuable for getting myself out of trees. I was fucken scared to try this on the course at the expense of my score. But now I have a shot I know I can trust and re-create for future rounds. Sometimes you just gotta send it.
IKON Pass
Who's getting an IKON Pass this year? I bailed on it last year and it was brutal for me. It was the first time in 6 years I didn't have a pass. For those of you who don't know what the IKON Pass is, it's a ski/snowboard season pass for over 40 resorts (mostly in the US and a handful in different countries). It's sick. If you're in CA, the main mountains that are a part of the pass that you're familiar with are Mammoth/June, Big Bear/Snow Summit, and Palisades. There are so many great destinations on the pass and you get your money's worth in just a few trips. You just gotta find a group of homies that are always down. The pass retails at $869 for the IKON Base Pass (with blackout dates). You can opt for the IKON Pass for $1,179 and you won't be limited to certain days on the calendar. And you also get a few more destinations.
Chipping Success Level 3
Clean consistent contact, check. Hitting landing spots, check. Now we're at Level 3 to put all of this together to have a nice lil' chipping game. Level 3 is all about trajectory. Trajectory is a great tool to have in your bag because it gives your short game versatility. Let me demonstrate how trajectory affects your chipping and decision making. Let's say we choose one landing spot. Try hitting the landing spot with a Pitching Wedge in your hand with a low flight trajectory. Now hit that same landing spot with a 60* wedge with a higher trajectory. Where do your shots end up? They're not in the same place right? Get comfortable hitting a variety of shots. High trajectory shots from the rough. High traj shots from the fairway. Low punches from the fringe. Get practice and exposure and pay attention to how the ball reacts to the green. How much is it spinning? How much is it rolling out? The more information you have about your short game, the better your decision making will be on the course. When you put all of these together, you will have more tools in your bag very different scenarios. Chips from the fringe. Chips over a bunker to a short-sided pin. 30 yard chips from the rough into a down slope. Get more exposure and step out your comfort zone!!
Beginner Golf Term of the Week: Short-sided
Being "short-sided" in golf, has to do with your ball's current position in relation to where the flag is positioned. When you're looking at the distance between your ball and the flag, if there is very little space on the green for your golf ball to land, then you are short-sided. If there is plenty of space on the green for your golf ball to land, then that means you have "plenty of green to work with."
Image 1 = Short-sided chip
Image 2 = Chip with plenty of green to work with
Sesh at Law Street
I finally got a surf sesh in!!! It's been too long and I'm itching to get back out there again. I still consider myself a beginner surfer. On a short board now but I'm still trying to get it all figured out and get some good ones. But I had a little breakthrough on Wednesday. I found my main problem with the shortboard is paddling into the wave too early. It's hard to get momentum with such a small board early in the wave's life. I started paddling into the wave a little later where the wave has more power, and I've been able to get pushed into the wave a little easier. I've learned that getting good a surfing is a lot about understanding how waves work. Try it if you're in my boat!
That's it for this week. If you got all the way down here, I appreciate you.
Cop a dad hat or a tee!!!
Hit 'em straight this weekend and I'll see you guys next week.
Cheers,
JR Montes
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