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No Laying Up - Golf Podcast

1151: TC's Dream 18

29 Apr 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is TC's Dream 18 and its unique criteria?

1.263 - 9.07 Soly

Be the right club. Be the right club today.

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12.994 - 26.907 TC

That's better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most!

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26.927 - 27.608 Unknown

Expectation!

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29.005 - 50.618 Soly

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No Laying Up Podcast. Sully here got a treat for you today. We'll explain it all when we get there. TC's Dream 18. We put some constraints on him. The guy went nuts, as you might imagine. And I think there's going to be a lot of offshoots from this podcast episode alone. But I cannot wait for you to hear it. And I cannot wait to get into one myself.

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50.639 - 73.103 Soly

This was a really, really, really fun exercise. But before we get into TC's Dream Routing, I want to talk about Wedge Play. Wedges are not a one-size-fits-all situation. What works for my game is going to be different than TCs or Neals or DJs or Randy's setup, like the grasses you play on, your approaches, what kind of shots you like to hit, your angle of attack, all kinds of different things.

73.083 - 88.543 Soly

that I don't know how you would come up with the right combination on your own. Finding that setup is just something you want to trust somebody else to. A fitting for a new Vokey SM11 wedge is the easiest way to dial in your short game or a series of wedges if you're looking to...

88.523 - 105.948 Soly

you know round out the whole collection they voki makes it really simple with their three keys to great wedge play clean contact controlled flight and precise spin it all starts with the right setup of loft bounce and grind and voki offers an industry-leading 27 different combinations in the new SM11 models.

105.968 - 121.249 Soly

There's also Vokey Wedgeworks, which has even more tour-proven grinds with the latest Vokey tech. We've been with Titleist for like four years now. They've explained all the grinds and all that to me. I still can't explain it to you. That's the level of expertise that comes into these fittings and you need to go get one for yourself.

121.289 - 137.762 Soly

A Titleist fitter will guide you through all the different options and help you unlock better performance in each of those three key areas. So go to Titleist.com to find a fitting near you. I know my buddy Phil just did this exact thing. He had great feedback on it. So if you're looking to sharpen your wedge game this year, titles.com, find a fitting near you.

Chapter 2: How does TC select his favorite golf holes?

250.964 - 252.748 Soly

Take us there before we get into the list. Yeah.

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252.928 - 269.136 TC

Well, you guys didn't really put any constraints on me. I had to put constraints on myself, which was maybe a brilliant... Well, you don't stick with them, so there's no point in doing this anymore. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was maybe a brilliant strategy by you guys forcing me to commit to my own constraints because I think I needed constraints.

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269.176 - 285.458 TC

Otherwise, this thing was going to spiral off into a million different directions. My constraints were only courses that I've played before. So no like Augusta 13 or 15 or whatever. I've never played Augusta, so no Augusta on there for me.

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285.438 - 314.719 TC

otherwise it's got to be the corresponding number like a whole number so the third hole at royal adelaide can't be my first hole on my course like the the whole number has to correspond i think like there's not like and i that's a really challenging thing because there's a ton of great 14th holes there's a ton of great third holes so there's there's not a lot of great first holes and 18th holes so i think that's that's part of the challenge here uh i also threw in

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314.699 - 344.706 TC

uh it but no like no rules as far as like you could pick 18 part threes if you want 18 part fives if you want i didn't know what to do with like the a-hole at oh hoopy you know that sort of thing i didn't know what to do with like the dj kilmore nine at corn like because is that its own nine does that that's interesting does that come in on the wild atlantic dunes routing that they have or we just played it as its own thing tgl holes those are always changing yeah you know you never know what number those are going to be

344.686 - 368.432 TC

exactly uh i did do a halfway house uh i did i did do a bench as well we can do clubhouse and driving range and that sort of thing as well if you like but um but really overall i think i'll take you guys through my selections and then i'll take you through some of the the nominees for each hole as well because i think that's that's a that's a good exercise and

368.412 - 391.77 TC

we know there's going to be a second dream 18. like we we know that's coming when you build the rest right i mean trying to get the money together trying to find the right partners to to make it might be like pinehurst like we might be looking at course number 11. uh and did you say this i forget only each course can only be represented one time is that correct correct yes i did not say that but that's that that that is one of the constraints yes

391.75 - 414.703 DJ Pie

can i ask tc a philosophical question are you uh how did you think about i know you're a big routing guy you're a big golf is a hike guy you're a big uh walking through nature ebbs and flows kind of guy did you build in like uh this is a natural lull did you build in this is how this thing is gonna ramp this is gonna build to a crescendo is it like or is it truly just

414.852 - 433.671 TC

all you know pine valley it's just banger after banger after banger highest possible form on every hole i definitely thought about i thought about setting and some of these holes aren't necessarily the best tools they're like i mean they're all they're they're like my favorite holes so it may not be like the best hole but it's just

Chapter 3: What challenges did TC face while creating his Dream 18?

901.752 - 903.454 DJ Pie

It was very frustrating.

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903.434 - 931.382 DJ Pie

uh TC last thing I'll say uh also just because you mentioned the transitions if you take the first hole at Sandhills that means you get the whole cart ride out there through all the wild flowers up through the dunes past Ben's porch down the hill I mean it's a it's a 15 minute drive of just solitude and anticipation to get to that first tee at TC's dream 18. so I I don't know if that factored in but

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931.362 - 953.303 TC

that just makes me even more excited that's one of the coolest coolest parts about playing there yeah and you know like i i know we're giving up maybe a tea box that's on the putting green because that's always a thrill uh you know like the plantation course at seaside or at uh sea island or i know they've got that at yeah moraine golf club

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953.283 - 970.6 TC

the golf club uh you know places like that but but i think i like i'm willing to overlook that based on that that drive is is just spectacular and then you can see coach and all that stuff so all right number two i'm i'm fascinated any guesses here

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972.841 - 983.004 DJ Pie

I haven't put nearly. It'd be irresponsible for me to venture a guess. I know you're not the biggest Cabot Cliffs fan ever, but the second hole of Cabot Cliffs is very cool.

983.204 - 985.189 TC

That's on my nominees list.

985.209 - 989.038 DJ Pie

That's a very good one. No, what do you got?

989.058 - 990.501 TC

I've got Royal Melbourne East.

991.162 - 991.423 DJ Pie

Sure.

Chapter 4: What insights does TC share about wedge play?

1577.502 - 1585.002 Soly

Fourth Valley Bunion along the coast there. Pacific Dunes. People love it. It's not my favorite hole, but...

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1587.395 - 1613.078 TC

Gosh, I mean, I love it. Like we may have to stop by this, this fourth hole at Irvine at some point, just so you guys can see it. And it's the same train line that, that, you know, runs next to, to true and runs next to, you know, all these other courses on that, on that coastline. And, uh, here I'll, I'll, I'll send you guys the, um, it's called the more the name of the hole.

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1614.078 - 1616.521 TC

And here I'll send you the link real quick in the chat.

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1617.922 - 1625.051 TC

There's a great bridge right behind the hole, like one of those kind of old school, you know, 1800s style.

1625.792 - 1628.276 DJ Pie

Oh, yeah. Looks like an aqueduct of us. Yeah.

1628.616 - 1641.313 TC

I mean, Solly, it's truly like a, it's a continuation of the simple, not easy theme of these two holes in a row. You know, three at Royal Adelaide and then four.

1641.53 - 1651.744 DJ Pie

I love that you have one that kind of goes a little left, one that goes a little right, too. Or kind of one where you're playing left to right, one where you're playing right to left. It's kind of a fun little back-to-back.

1652.425 - 1657.553 Soly

I can't look at that footage right now. It just makes me want to get off way too much. I can't do that right now.

Chapter 5: How do the hosts react to TC's selections?

2063.344 - 2069.503 Soly

It looks like somebody wearing a tuxedo backwards. It almost makes such little sense that it makes sense.

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2070.125 - 2071.93 DJ Pie

Yeah, that's a perfect, perfect one.

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2072.298 - 2084.857 TC

There's certain like, I felt like Shinnecock and national and Chicago golf club to an extent. Um, like there's so many holes that could be nominated, but there's just so many like eats.

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2084.877 - 2096.314 Soly

You know what I mean? That's kind of what I meant earlier. Just like some of these, you know, there's a lot of really good solid floors, but not a lot, not a lot of stuff that melts your brain. Like the fourth at Irvine that you can't stop thinking about, you know?

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2096.328 - 2107 TC

Yeah, I'm looking for, like, wildly distinctive stuff that's just either completely best in class or something that you're never going to see anywhere else, you know?

2107.02 - 2112.286 DJ Pie

Yeah. I forget if it was on your short list, but you kind of mentioned it already. LaHinch would be the other. That'd be the other one I would throw out.

2113.748 - 2129.119 TC

All right, guys. Like, another reason why, you know, we couldn't go with LACC there was because we're going, we've got another short four, number seven. So, you know what this one is. Terry D. Yes. Yeah. Correct.

2129.3 - 2152.999 TC

I mean, it's just, that's like, if that's, that's in the top three of like, if you gave me one hole to play for the rest of my life, it's, it's that one just, you know, like, I don't know. The wind can change. You come back to the clubhouse. The clubhouse is on this little shelf right above the hole. There's this massive tree left of the green.

2153.059 - 2179.373 TC

You've got, you know, Neil blew it up onto the clubhouse deck. Like two days in a row there. And he has to hit this massive, like 60 yard flop shot. He had to walk all the way around to get up there. It took him five minutes. It's a great, it's a great shootout hole. Tiny green. I love tiny greens. Like I like stuff that really puts the fear of God in you.

Chapter 6: How does TC's Dream 18 reflect his personal golf philosophy?

2426.696 - 2431.145 Soly

We are drawn to the drivable fours, I know, but... Yeah, and that would be, you know... It's too many.

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2431.566 - 2434.371 TC

Four drivable holes and six holes.

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2434.351 - 2457.304 DJ Pie

tc i know i'm being a simp here but the eighth hole pebble beach is pretty cool man yeah i don't know it's it's pretty cool i would put nine ahead of eight personally at pebble beach but eight's pretty cool it's cool it's pretty cool it's pretty cool uh i'll just i'll throw that so we don't get sued you know we gotta we gotta for compliance i just feel like we maybe have to mention that one in the eighth hole

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2457.284 - 2488.088 TC

yeah okay that's fair that's fair um and the other reason why we couldn't go with a with a short four uh because you got number eight is because i've got one at number nine that's that's ely oh ely over the uh uh you know over the hill there you like you crest the hill and then you know tc tc oh is that 10 oh no oh no Oh, God. All right. Well, then we're going to put Cypress in.

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2489.37 - 2490.892 Soly

Does that change anything downstream?

2491.133 - 2491.473 DJ Pie

No.

2491.613 - 2493.556 TC

There was not a Cypress hole on here.

2493.576 - 2496.32 DJ Pie

Oh, my God. That just puts so much pressure on Ted.

2497.682 - 2499.385 TC

But there's no Ely now.

Chapter 7: What are the nominees for each hole in TC's Dream 18?

2522.633 - 2525.678 TC

All right. Well, let's go through. I nominated Kingston Heath.

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2525.698 - 2526.72 DJ Pie

Everybody stay calm.

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2527.582 - 2545.999 TC

Hold on. par three at par three pinehurst uh st george's hill it's a great ninth hole there up back to that clubhouse royal rhythm uh terry edie pinnacock myopia fisher's island um we're gonna we're gonna go with we're gonna go with cyprus

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2545.979 - 2564.798 TC

i think cyprus cyprus wins the day it's bryson's i think it's his favorite hole in the world one of my favorite holes in the world and now now it is part of the part of the dream 18. one of his favorite holes in the world but not part of his dream 18 originally god now now we're in a real pickle here on 10.

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2565.352 - 2567.897 Soly

What was 10 and does it change to Ely 10?

2567.917 - 2582.584 TC

It was positive tempo 10, because I feel like when you play, when you step onto that, it's a big walk up to the 10th hole. Like it's big walk up the ninth hole, long par four. And then you know, you walk up this big hill and right.

2583.965 - 2586.888 Soly

Nines at Pasa. Nines at five at Pasa.

Chapter 8: What philosophical questions arise about golf course design?

2586.908 - 2589.29 Soly

Yeah. Okay. Big up the hill. You're right. Yeah.

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2589.851 - 2609.23 TC

Yeah. I think they play it as a four in the... In the collegiate. But, you know, you walk up that big hill and then you get to the back nine. You cross the street. You get to the back nine. And it's like entering a different portal. Like, I feel like I'm just going into a different place and time. And I think the energy back there is just...

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2609.21 - 2633.091 TC

one of one and there's this little house on the left on the on the left side of the hole there right on the dog leg big tree there like that's I think that's like my spiritual resting place that that thing it's a big brawny par four which we need a little bit of crazy that I've only played this golf course one time and I know exactly the house you're talking about I could I could still picture it

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2633.577 - 2646.231 TC

Great green. You know, but guys, they've redone the place. They've restored it. Jim Urbina. And I haven't been there since they redid it. So I can't say for certain.

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2647.013 - 2648.818 DJ Pie

Plus, I feel like we need another drivable four.

2649.743 - 2672.967 TC

so we're going to ely yeah i think it's a no-brainer yeah yeah the second the second james braid nomination here i looked also at sunningdale old the jockey club that boomerang like elevated boomerang green there splash world kingston heath a little par three there rural melbourne east the park solid i thought i think that like up and over

2672.947 - 2690.854 TC

love that hole um but but ely man like on a clear day when you crest that hill and you can either bang one you know bang driver and just figure out all right like it could go long of the green it could you know you may not find it you you could make a hole in one

2690.834 - 2712.319 TC

um but it's just it's a thrilling reveal i've sat at the top of that that hill many like probably three different times and just hit putts from the top and tried to make them from a hundred yards out uh it's i don't know i i love ely and i wanted i wanted ely to have a place on this list i love the place

2712.755 - 2735.488 DJ Pie

This is a great selection, TC, even with the rejiggering that had to go on to do it. Will you make people wear tall socks when they play this hole? I know Ely, the club, has kind of gone away from this rule, but I just didn't know if you, as a history respecter, I don't know if you would allow shorts, if you'd allow low socks, what your philosophy is there.

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