As Seen on CBS Sports Network: “The Charlie Rymer Golf Show” Season 1, Episode 14 with Alligator Adventures & Jerry Rice Part 2

Speaker 1:

The Charlie Rymer Golf Show, starring Charlie Rymer. Hey, okay, let’s pick up the tempo.

Charlie Rymer:

Charlie Rymer here, and welcome to my new show where we do things my way. As a former golf pro and media personality, I know golf, but this isn’t going to be your grandfather’s golf show. I’m bringing you conversations with celebs and golf greats, getting off the course and out on the water and even getting into some good eats. This is the Charlie Rymer Golf Show. Keep it in a fairway, folks.

Charlie Rymer:

Today in Myrtle Beach, I’m at Wild Wing and I’m hanging with PGA Tour winner, Ken Duke. I’m Charlie Rymer and this is Ridin’ With Rymer.

Charlie Rymer:

There he is, the nicest-

Ken Duke:

What’s up, man?

Charlie Rymer:

… winner in the history of the PGA tour, Ken Duke, my buddy. His only weakness is, he’ll show up late every now and then. Where’ve you been, I’ve been waiting for you for 20 minutes?

Ken Duke:

I had things to do all day, you know, I mean, if you go ahead and hit, we’ll just get going.

Charlie Rymer:

All right. You’re going to like this golf course, it’s Wild Wing Plantation, the Avocet course in great shape. You’re going to like it and you’re going to like this too. That’s sort of like a bad dream for you, Ken.

Ken Duke:

You got that right.

Charlie Rymer:

All right. Let’s see what you got. Atta baby. Come on, let’s roll.

Charlie Rymer:

All right. Ken, I want to start with the most important stuff first. You’ve been catching many fish?

Ken Duke:

I try, you know that.

Charlie Rymer:

I know that, so give me some stories. I want to hear some fish stories.

Ken Duke:

I like to throw all the baiting in the water quite a bit and there’s times that I travel with a rod, come out and fish on courses like this as well and I just can’t sit in the hotel that long.

Charlie Rymer:

Well, I think one of the reasons that so many people support you and what you’re doing in your charity and so many fans in golf follow you is you’re very authentic and you’re very grateful for where you are, because going back to when you were a kid, at one point, it looked like being a professional athlete wasn’t in the cards for you. Tell me about dealing with scoliosis when you were a child.

Ken Duke:

I remember the day when my doctor said, “The curve is going into your lungs, you’ve got to have surgery.” So I have a 16 inch steel rod, titanium rod in my back.

Charlie Rymer:

Right now?

Ken Duke:

Yes, but it doesn’t help me get distance. It does not help me get distance.

Charlie Rymer:

Can you get through TSA?

Ken Duke:

Every once in a while, with the new updates they do, but I do a lot of hospital visits out on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour champions to see kids that are in wheelchairs or in halos that, you know, Charlie, they’re not getting out of these chairs.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah.

Ken Duke:

They’re never going to and why did I get to? So it’s about giving back and it just touches me whenever I get a chance to do that and just visit with somebody I’ve never met. And obviously, I see those doctors all the time, it just gets old, so to see a friendly face here and there, it’s great.

Charlie Rymer:

So you tell kids, “Hey, you’ve got this diagnosis. I had something similar too and I’ve been able to become a winner on a PGA Tour.” That has to really inspire some of these kids.

Ken Duke:

All I’m trying to do is spread my story. I know if I was a young person, somebody came up to me like that, I would’ve been all arms and ears just to hear what they had to say, but no, it’s very nice.

Charlie Rymer:

All right, Ken, we got to a drivable par four and at our age, it doesn’t seem like there’s that many of those around anymore. I went at it too hard.

Ken Duke:

Gave that little extra.

Charlie Rymer:

That’s almost putting.

Ken Duke:

It’s right there.

Charlie Rymer:

How about that?

Charlie Rymer:

Your scoliosis, that titanium rod that’s in your spine, that has shaped your golf swing.

Ken Duke:

That’s just part of it and working with my teacher, Bob Toski, he has so many people that he has to work with and obviously, take my ailment, what I have, and make the best golf swing out of it as possible.

Charlie Rymer:

I’m glad you brought up Mr. Toski. I was going to get to that. You have had for a long time, a special bond with him, correct?

Ken Duke:

Right. He changed my golf swing and I’m a lot more consistent, a lot more confident. You could go for days talking about his knowledge and still, to this day, he just turned 93 a couple weeks ago, still is sharp as attack.

Charlie Rymer:

It seems that your relationship with him is much more than student teacher.

Ken Duke:

It is. It is. Probably, one of the memorable moments ever, Charlie, and you know there’s lists of them, right? I had a chance to take, him to Augusta when I qualified for Augusta. We’re walking down number 10 at Augusta at the top of the hill and Mr. Toski looks up at the sky and starts talking to all those guys, to Marin, Hogan, Sneed, “Hey guys, look where I’m standing right now.” It knocked me out, charlie. It just knocked me out, I’m just telling you.

Charlie Rymer:

My goodness.

Ken Duke:

But what a special guy he is. Obviously, he’s touched my life and many other lives. His first PGA Tour win was at Wethersfield in Hartford in 1953 and 60 years later, his student, in 2013, wins the same thing, so well, does things happen for a reason? It’s just part of it.

Ken Duke:

Whoa, great view of this with the grass right there by the water.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah, that’s pretty, isn’t it?

Ken Duke:

Whoa. Silky. Did I get it right? Get up, baby.

Charlie Rymer:

You’ve been able, through your charity and having a really cool golf tournament every year, to raise a lot of money. Tell me a little bit about that event and who benefits from that tournament that you do?

Ken Duke:

We do the Folds of Honor, which is the military and we try to do a couple of nonprofits down that treasure coast. So we keep half the money at home and we give half the money to the folds of the military, so it’s been wonderful. People are just knocking the doors, trying to get in. We bring some country music friends in to play some music, some celebrities. Obviously, you can’t do enough, but we try to do our part and donate to all the charities that we can and keep the money around where we are. That’s what it’s all about.

Ken Duke:

Hey, Charlie, thanks for having me. It’s been a great day and a great course.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah, such a great day. Okay, finish it off with a birdie buddy.

Ken Duke:

Let’s roll this thing right on in there.

Charlie Rymer:

No! Ha ha ha ha.

Ken Duke:

That’s the way it always ends.

Charlie Rymer:

Good run at it, buddy.

Ken Duke:

Thank you so much.

Charlie Rymer:

Great spending time with you.

Ken Duke:

Yeah, it’s fun stuff.

Charlie Rymer:

Always a lot of fun getting out here at Wild Wing Plantation. Come on.

Ken Duke:

You got it.

Charlie Rymer:

I’m going to let you buy me some dinner now.

Ken Duke:

Well, I always do that, Charlie, come on.

Charlie Rymer:

Well, why do you think I brought you?

Charlie Rymer:

Last week on the Charlie Rymer Podcast, we had the honor of speaking to the GOAT, Jerry Rice.

Charlie Rymer:

I think we’re hungry for different things.

Jerry Rice:

I shouldn’t be out there.

Charlie Rymer:

It’s harder than it looks, isn’t it? Was it 1995 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Charlie Rymer:

Jerry, let’s talk a little bit of golf. When did you first get into golf? How did that come about?

Jerry Rice:

Well, Charlie, it was in ’86, I was training with my trainer. We were at the track, we were getting ready to get a track workout in. Then, we were going to transition into route running on the football field. And for some reason, he brought out a couple short clubs and a few balls.

Jerry Rice:

So after we got the training in, I tried to hit the golf ball and the stationary ball was right here in front of me and I couldn’t hit it. So I was like, I’m supposed to be this well known athlete. There’s a ball right there in front of me and I couldn’t hit it. And I think that was the thing that really got my attention. And I remember, after that, I would go to work early in the morning, go to this driving range, hit golf balls, then be at my eight o’clock meeting practice all day until about 4:30, go back to the driving range, hit more golf balls and work on my short game and all of that. I just became obsessed with the game. And it’s such a beautiful game and it’s just something about when you hit that ball exactly the right way, where you want it to go, or you drain that cut, there’s something about the game, it keeps pulling you back in.

Charlie Rymer:

Well, the physical part of it, the challenge of it is one thing. And then, the social part of it, the people that you get to meet, the relationships that you make. And last time I was with you, I was walking with you and Steph Curry and Justin Timberlake in Lake Tahoe and just some of the people that you’ve been able to meet through the game, who would be your favorite foursome that you’d like to play golf with?

Jerry Rice:

Amateur wise or professional wise?

Charlie Rymer:

You can go back in history if you want. Hey you’re the GOAT. You can pick whoever you want.

Jerry Rice:

You’ve got to go, A), professional wise, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to get much, not much controversy there.

Jerry Rice:

Now, amateur wise, you look at Steph Curry, Justin, Justin Timberlake, Michael Jordan and myself. Man, that would be awesome. I mean, Steph, now Steph can really play the game of golf.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah.

Jerry Rice:

And Justin Timberlake is the same way. Justin, we got on the cart so many times because they were like, “Okay, you guys are going way too slow.” And Justin was like, “You know what? Nah, it’s okay. Hey, they came to see, all right?”

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah, he did. I think I heard him say that.

Jerry Rice:

I said, “Okay.” I said, “As long as we don’t get penalized or anything like that, I’m all right.” But just playing with those guys and the relationships that you build, it can last for a lifetime.

Charlie Rymer:

I’ve had a chance, a few times, to play with Michael Jordan and I’m sure you’ve played with him a lot and I love playing with him and here’s why. He’s not nearly as good as he thinks he is and financially, that’s always a good thing for me. I’m sure that’s the case for you too.

Jerry Rice:

Yeah.

Charlie Rymer:

What’s your favorite golf course to play?

Jerry Rice:

Well, one of my dream golf courses is going to be Augusta. And I’ve been asked several times, it just didn’t really fit into my schedule, but every time I go there, it’s just like standing on hallowed ground.

Charlie Rymer:

You just said something that I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody say. Yeah, I’ve been invited several times to play Augusta, but it just hasn’t been able to fit into my schedule. You get no sympathy from me on that one. Are you kidding? What’s in your schedule that could be better than playing Augusta National? Have you lost your damn mind, Jerry?

Jerry Rice:

Hey, Charlie. But you could tell I was really being sincere about that. Because once I’m obligated to do something, I pride myself on doing that. So if I have an appearance or something like that, I can’t say no and all of a sudden, because I have said yes, I can’t turn right back around and disappoint a lot of my fans.

Charlie Rymer:

I understand and I very much appreciate that because I know you get asked to do a lot of things, including coming on here with us and we appreciate that. I want to ask you, I’m a little thirsty here. I hope you got a pretty good look at what I’m drinking right here. I got a little, yeah, I got little G.O.A.T. Fuel.

Jerry Rice:

Hey, once you drink that you going to be a GOAT, man. I’m serious.

Charlie Rymer:

I think-

Jerry Rice:

You’re going to be the greatest of all time. You’re going to want to come out of retirement.

Charlie Rymer:

I think it’s going to take a little bit more than G.O.A.T Fuel, but this does taste really good. Tell me about what’s going on with this energy drink.

Jerry Rice:

Well, Charlie, we launched about a year ago and we didn’t only launch with just one drink, but four drinks and I wanted to put something out there that was a little bit healthier because in 20 years, I always watch what I put in my body and I think that’s why I had that longevity for so many years. An energy drink like G.O.A.T Fuel, you’re not going to crash, 200 milligrams of caffeine, 15 calories. But the thing that separates us is that we added cordyceps mushrooms. We noticed that these goats in the Himalayas, at that altitude, that they had all this energy, all of this bounce and what was going on, they were eating these mushrooms. So we put that into the drink and it’s a little bit healthier. Now, we have eight drinks because it’s about greatness, man and I feel that that’s really what life is all about.

Charlie Rymer:

It certainly tastes great. I see it’s only got 10 calories in it. That’s good for me. And I like getting a little bit of caffeine, especially late in the day when you’re starting to drag a little bit, a wonderful looking product. One thing you said that tweaked my interest, you said, we noticed goats in the Himalayas eating mushrooms. Now, did you get your pit helmet on and your safari jacket and get up the Himalayas? I can see you behind a bush up there. What’s that goat eating? That goat’s eating a mushroom. Look at him jump. We got to check out that mushroom.

Jerry Rice:

Yeah, man. Hey, why don’t we put that in an energy drink?

Charlie Rymer:

Hey, Jerry, I want to finish. We appreciate you, we appreciate all you do to pay it back and we look forward to seeing what you do moving forward. We’re going to drink plenty of G.O.A.T Fuel, we can tell you that. And I also want to let that you know, here in Myrtle beach, I know you love golf, we got about 90 courses in 70 miles.

Jerry Rice:

I know.

Charlie Rymer:

Anytime you come down here, we’re going to roll out the red carpet for you.

Jerry Rice:

Hey, Hey Charlie. You know what? I’m going to hold you to that.

Charlie Rymer:

Come on.

Jerry Rice:

I’m going to hold you to that because we need to get out and play some golf, man, so you can help my game, okay?

Charlie Rymer:

Are you talking about, I’m going to get some shots from you. I mean, you’re the GOAT. I got to get shots from the GOAT.

Jerry Rice:

Hey, you never want to challenge me, Charlie.

Charlie Rymer:

I know.

Jerry Rice:

Okay?

Charlie Rymer:

I know that, Jerry Rice.

Jerry Rice:

Because all I have to do is bring you to San Francisco and have you to run that hill that I used to train on. If I beat you, you got to come to San Francisco and run the hill at [crosstalk 00:15:14].

Charlie Rymer:

Think I already got a hamstring pulled thinking about running. As soon as you mentioned running, I’m out, but we’ll definitely play some golf. Jerry Rice, you’re the best, you’re the GOAT. Thank you so much.

Jerry Rice:

Okay. Thanks for having me, man. Take care.

Charlie Rymer:

For our entire interview with Jerry Rice, you can find out at PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.

Charlie Rymer:

Growing up in the South, mostly on a golf course, I’ve seen a ton of gators. Today, I’m going to see what I can learn about these prehistoric beasts.

Charlie Rymer:

So Travis, you guys are located on 17 here in North Myrtle Beach, Highway 17.

Travis Correll:

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Charlie Rymer:

A lot of cars go by here and from the car, when you look at Alligator Adventure, you go, “Oh, that’s a nice little place. When you come in here, oh, my goodness, this place is amazing. It blows me away how much wonderful wildlife you guys have and just big picture, tell me a little bit about it.

Travis Correll:

We’re basically a full blown zoo. We’re a 15 acre zoological facility that specializes primarily in the alligator, obviously, but we have everything else under the sun thrown in there. We’ve got exotic birds, venomous snakes, bobcats, tortoises. I mean, you name it, we’ve got it. We’ve got everything here.

Charlie Rymer:

Folks, you got to come check out Alligator Adventure. We got more to see. Come on let’s go.

Travis Correll:

Let’s do it.

Charlie Rymer:

Let’s go have a look. Let’s see what we can run into.

Charlie Rymer:

Oh, my goodness. Hello, big fella.

Travis Correll:

There you go. Some of our monster gators like this guy right here.

Charlie Rymer:

I got one in that class in my home course and I don’t get very close to him at all.

Charlie Rymer:

Well, they’re ready. They’re ready. Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo. Ha ha ha.

Charlie Rymer:

Ooh. Man, I’m telling you what, this is so cool watching these alligators feed, but there’s so much more here, let’s go check it out.

Charlie Rymer:

So Travis, what do we got right here?

Travis Correll:

Well, you’re in for a special treat today. That is Utan. That one of the world’s largest crocodiles known to man in captivity, 20 foot, 2000 pounds, and today is feeding day. He is ready. You want to go in there and see what it’s all about?

Charlie Rymer:

Go in there with Utan?

Travis Correll:

Uh-huh (affirmative).

Charlie Rymer:

2000 pounds?

Travis Correll:

Yes, sir.

Charlie Rymer:

Okay …

Travis Correll:

Let’s do it.

Charlie Rymer:

All right. Come on. You first.

Travis Correll:

Hey. Hey, hurry up. Hurry. Hurry. Hey. All right, guys. Quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly.

Charlie Rymer:

I can’t believe how big that critter is. My goodness, when he started moving, the Earth was shaking. And that by the way, what he’s eating over there is a seven pound rabbit.

Travis Correll:

Easy, easy.

Charlie Rymer:

No way.

Travis Correll:

We might have some leftovers for you, you want to wrap it up?

Charlie Rymer:

No, I’m good.

Travis Correll:

Bag it and take it home?

Charlie Rymer:

I’m good. I couldn’t make that taste good on a big green egg.

Travis Correll:

I think that’s it.

Charlie Rymer:

20 feet?

Travis Correll:

Roughly 20 foot, 2000 pounds. Again, one of the world’s largest crocodiles known to man in captivity.

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah, let me ask you a question while I’m in here. This, I like having a lot of fun, this is a serious question. All across of Southeast Florida, there’s a lot of alligators on golf courses. They’re not as big as that right there, but we got some big ones. If you encounter an alligator on a golf course, what’s the best course of action?

Travis Correll:

Alligators really don’t want to mess with you. They don’t want anything to do with you. Worst thing you could do is approach the alligator. I mean, alligators are hatched with a natural fear of man. They really want nothing to do with you in the wild. It’s whenever people start to feed them is when it breaks down all the laws, all the rules for that animal and it starts to associate people, where are you going?

Charlie Rymer:

I’m listening.

Travis Correll:

Where are you going? We’re not done yet.

Charlie Rymer:

Okay. I’m listening.

Travis Correll:

So yeah, as long as you don’t feed them, as long as you don’t approach them, you’ll be fine. Alligator’s not going to chase after you on the golf course. They want nothing to do with you.

Charlie Rymer:

Well, if you see one on the edge of the water, I’ve always read, don’t get between the alligator and the water, is there something to that?

Travis Correll:

That’s good advice, yeah, because if the alligator does get spooked, guess where it’s going to go?

Charlie Rymer:

Right in the water.

Travis Correll:

Right to the water, absolutely.

Charlie Rymer:

Another thing I’ve always read, they say, if one gets after you, zigzag, don’t run in a straight line. Is there something to that?

Travis Correll:

If you’re zigging and you’re zagging, you remember back in elementary school, they teach you the quickest route between two points is a straight line. If you you’re zigging and you’re zagging, basically, all you’re doing is you’re asking that alligator, hey, do you chew better on the left side of your mouth or chew better on the right side of your mouth?

Charlie Rymer:

Yeah.

Travis Correll:

Yeah, straight line, book it, They can get upwards of about, a smaller one can get upwards of about 17 miles an hour on land. They’re not going to chase after you, so just run if they do. And again, be fashion than the people you’re with.

Charlie Rymer:

And one more question while I’ve got you. I’m a dog lover, I’ve got two beautiful golden retrievers. I’ve heard that a lot of problem gators in Florida and coastal areas, when they have to take them out, they find a lot dog collars in their bellies. A pretty good idea to keep your dog when you’re walking them, away from any kind of pond where something like this might live.

Travis Correll:

Absolutely. Especially around dusk. That’s a prime hunting time for crocodilians, dusk.

Charlie Rymer:

Look, Travis, this has been really a lot of fun, it’s been great.

Travis Correll:

Of course.

Charlie Rymer:

But I’m going to …

Travis Correll:

But we’re not done. He just ate, so we got to brush his teeth, we got to floss, all that good-

Charlie Rymer:

No, you might not be done.

Travis Correll:

Charlie, where are you going?

Charlie Rymer:

But I’m done.

Travis Correll:

Charlie.

Charlie Rymer:

Charlie’s done.

Travis Correll:

I thought you were here for the long haul.

Charlie Rymer:

No, Charlie’s done. I’m good.

Charlie Rymer:

In golf, right before every shot, there is this silence. It’s a golden moment that we should all cherish. That silence allows you to focus on the task at hand and gives you an opportunity to perform your best. So when life gets loud and hectic and busy, take a moment to search for the silence. It’ll help you make your best swing.

Charlie Rymer:

That’s it for the Charlie Rymer Golf Show. Keep it in the fairway, folks.

Charlie Rymer:

That’s the worst shot you’ve ever hit in your life.

Ken Duke:

[inaudible 00:21:24].

Charlie Rymer:

Oh, PGA Tour winner.

Ken Duke:

Had to have a blooper.

Travis Correll:

So there’s all kinds of programs out there to help … That was close.

Charlie Rymer:

I am the alligator capturer. Sort of. He’s not happy.

Travis Correll:

Don’t be so nervous. Relax.

Charlie Rymer:

Shh. You come on in here and grab a of this gator.